1999 Houston Astros season
| 1999 Houston Astros | ||
|---|---|---|
| National League Central champions | ||
 Final Astros regular season game in the Astrodome on October 3, 1999 | ||
| League | National League | |
| Division | Central | |
| Ballpark | Astrodome | |
| City | Houston, Texas | |
| Record | 97–65 (.599) | |
| Divisional place | 1st | |
| Owners | Drayton McLane, Jr. | |
| General managers | Gerry Hunsicker | |
| Managers | Larry Dierker, Matt Galante | |
| Television | KNWS-TV Fox Sports Southwest (Bill Brown, Jim Deshaies) | |
| Radio | KTRH (Milo Hamilton, Alan Ashby) KXYZ (Francisco Ernesto Ruiz, Alex Treviño) | |
| ||
The 1999 Houston Astros season was the 38th season for the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located in Houston, Texas, their 35th as the Astros, 38th in the National League (NL), sixth in the NL Central division, and 35th and final season at The Astrodome. The Astros entered the season as two-time defending NL Central champions with a 102–60 record, setting a then-club record for wins, as well their first-ever 100-win season. However, the Astros' season ended in a 3-games-to-1 defeat by the San Diego Padres in the National League Division Series (NLDS).
On April 6, pitcher Shane Reynolds made his fourth consecutive Opening Day start for the Astros, who hosted the Chicago Cubs and won, 4–2. In the amateur draft, the Astros' first round selection was outfielder Mike Rosamond at 42nd overall.
Four Astros represented the club, playing for the National League at the MLB All-Star Game: first baseman Jeff Bagwell, and pitchers Mike Hampton, José Lima, and Billy Wagner. This was the fourth All-Star appearance for Bagwell, and first for each of Hampton, Lima and Wagner. Former pitcher Nolan Ryan was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Ryan spent nine of his 27 MLB seasons with Houston, from 1980 to 1988.
The Astros won their third consecutive NL Central division title on October 3, the final day of playing regular season games in The Astrodome. For the first time in franchise history, Houston claimed three consecutive division titles while qualifying for the playoffs in three straight seasons; the next time they accomplished this occurred exactly two decades later, in 2017, 2018, and 2019. This was the Astros' sixth division title and sixth playoff appearance in franchise history.
However, the Astros' season ended in a 3-games-to-1 defeat by the Atlanta Braves in that year's NLDS. It was their third consecutive NLDS loss, and the second in three seasons to Atlanta, the NL pennant winners. In fact, through the point, the Astros had never won playoff round.
Following the season, Hampton won the Players Choice Award for NL Outstanding Pitcher and was The Sporting News NL Pitcher of the Year, Wagner won the Rolaids Relief Man Award, and Bagwell and Hampton won Silver Slugger Awards.
The Astros relocated the following season to Enron Field, later rebranded as Minute Maid Park, also in downtown Houston.[1]
Offseason
[edit]- November 17, 1998: Ken Caminiti was signed as a free agent by the Astros.[2]
- January 19, 1999: Ryan Thompson was signed as a free agent by the Astros.[3]
- January 21, 1999: Alex Diaz was signed as a free agent by the Astros.[4]
Regular season
[edit]New stadium
[edit]
In 1999, the Astros played their final season in the Astrodome as their new stadium was being prepared for play to begin in the 2000 season. The ballpark was first named as Enron Field on April 9, 1999, with naming rights sold to the Houston energy and financial trading company in a 30-year, $100 million deal. Astros management faced a public relations nightmare when the energy corporation went bankrupt in the midst of one of the biggest corporate scandals in American history in 2001, and they bought back the remainder of Enron's thirty years of naming rights for $2.1 million, renaming the ballpark as Astros Field on February 7, 2002. The field was unofficially known as "The Field Formerly Known As Enron" by fans and critics alike, in the wake of the Enron scandal. On June 5, 2002, Houston-based Minute Maid, the fruit-juice subsidiary of Coca-Cola, acquired the naming rights to the stadium for 28 years at a price exceeding $100 million.
Based on its downtown location next to the old Union Station buildings, one of the suggested names (and nicknames) is the Ballpark at Union Station, or the BUS. During its days as Enron Field, it was also dubbed "Ten-Run" or "Home Run" Field due to its cozy left-field dimensions. In keeping with this theme while paying homage to its current sponsor, the nickname "The Juice Box" is colloquially used today.
Overview
[edit]On April 21, Jeff Bagwell hit three home runs in a 10–3 win against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, his second career three-home run game. The second home run allowed him to surpass Jimmy Wynn as the Astros' all-time home run leader at 224 and he tied a career-high in one game with six runs batted in (RBI).[5] He produced another three-home run game on June 9 against the Chicago White Sox. He was also a grand slam short of hitting for the "home run cycle," with a solo home run, a three-run home run, and a two-run home run, respectively.[6] The two three-home run games made him the only player to accomplish this feat at two different stadiums in Chicago in the same season.[7]
On June 13, manager Larry Dierker collapsed in the dugout mid-game versus the San Diego Padres due to a grand mal seizure. He was hospitalized and required brain surgery, but recovered well to miss just 27 games. The game was suspended with Houston leading, 4–0.[8]
On August 20, Bagwell walked a major-league record six times in a 16-inning game against the Florida Marlins.[9][10]
Season standings
[edit]| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Astros | 97 | 65 | .599 | — | 50–32 | 47–33 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 96 | 67 | .589 | 1½ | 45–37 | 51–30 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 78 | 83 | .484 | 18½ | 45–36 | 33–47 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 75 | 86 | .466 | 21½ | 38–42 | 37–44 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 74 | 87 | .460 | 22½ | 32–48 | 42–39 |
| Chicago Cubs | 67 | 95 | .414 | 30 | 34–47 | 33–48 |
Record vs. opponents
[edit]| Team | AZ | ATL | CHC | CIN | COL | FLA | HOU | LAD | MIL | MTL | NYM | PHI | PIT | SD | SF | STL | AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | — | 4–5 | 7–2 | 1–8 | 6–7 | 8–1 | 5–4 | 7–6 | 5–4 | 6–3 | 7–2 | 8–1 | 5–2 | 11–2 | 9–3 | 4–4 | 7–8 |
| Atlanta | 5–4 | — | 2–5 | 8–1 | 5–4 | 9–4 | 6–1 | 5–4 | 5–2 | 9–4 | 9–3 | 8–5 | 6–3 | 5–4 | 4–5 | 8–1 | 9–9 |
| Chicago | 2–7 | 5–2 | — | 5–8 | 4–5 | 6–3 | 3–9 | 2–7 | 6–6 | 2–5 | 3–6 | 2–7 | 7–6 | 6–3 | 1–7 | 7–5 | 6–9 |
| Cincinnati | 8–1 | 1–8 | 8–5 | — | 7–2 | 6–1 | 9–4 | 4–3 | 6–6 | 4–3 | 5–5 | 6–3 | 7–6 | 6–3 | 4–5 | 8–4 | 7–8 |
| Colorado | 7–6 | 4–5 | 5–4 | 2–7 | — | 5–4 | 2–6 | 8–5 | 6–3 | 6–3 | 4–5 | 5–4 | 2–7 | 4–9 | 4–9 | 4–5 | 4–8 |
| Florida | 1–8 | 4–9 | 3–6 | 1–6 | 4–5 | — | 2–7 | 7–2 | 5–4 | 8–4 | 3–10 | 2–11 | 3–4 | 3–6 | 4–5 | 3–4 | 11–7 |
| Houston | 4–5 | 1–6 | 9–3 | 4–9 | 6–2 | 7–2 | — | 6–3 | 8–5 | 7–2 | 4–5 | 6–1 | 5–7 | 8–1 | 5–4 | 5–7 | 12–3 |
| Los Angeles | 6–7 | 4–5 | 7–2 | 3–4 | 5–8 | 2–7 | 3–6 | — | 7–2 | 5–4 | 4–4 | 6–3 | 3–6 | 3–9 | 8–5 | 3–6 | 8–7 |
| Milwaukee | 4–5 | 2–5 | 6–6 | 6–6 | 3–6 | 4–5 | 5–8 | 2–7 | — | 5–4 | 2–5 | 5–4 | 8–4 | 3–5 | 4–5 | 7–6 | 8–6 |
| Montreal | 3–6 | 4–9 | 5–2 | 3–4 | 3–6 | 4–8 | 2–7 | 4–5 | 4–5 | — | 5–8 | 6–6 | 3–6 | 5–3 | 4–5 | 5–4 | 8–10 |
| New York | 2–7 | 3–9 | 6–3 | 5–5 | 5–4 | 10–3 | 5–4 | 4–4 | 5–2 | 8–5 | — | 6–6 | 7–2 | 7–2 | 7–2 | 5–2 | 12–6 |
| Philadelphia | 1–8 | 5–8 | 7–2 | 3–6 | 4–5 | 11–2 | 1–6 | 3–6 | 4–5 | 6–6 | 6–6 | — | 3–4 | 6–3 | 2–6 | 4–5 | 11–7 |
| Pittsburgh | 2–5 | 3–6 | 6–7 | 6–7 | 7–2 | 4–3 | 7–5 | 6–3 | 4–8 | 6–3 | 2–7 | 4–3 | — | 3–6 | 4–5 | 7–5 | 7–8 |
| San Diego | 2–11 | 4–5 | 3–6 | 3–6 | 9–4 | 6–3 | 1–8 | 9–3 | 5–3 | 3–5 | 2–7 | 3–6 | 6–3 | — | 5–7 | 2–7 | 11–4 |
| San Francisco | 3–9 | 5–4 | 7–1 | 5–4 | 9–4 | 5–4 | 4–5 | 5–8 | 5–4 | 5–4 | 2–7 | 6–2 | 5–4 | 7–5 | — | 6–3 | 7–8 |
| St. Louis | 4–4 | 1–8 | 5–7 | 4–8 | 5–4 | 4–3 | 7–5 | 6–3 | 6–7 | 4–5 | 2–5 | 5–4 | 5–7 | 7–2 | 3–6 | — | 7–8 |
Notable transactions
[edit]- August 3, 1999: Josh Dimmick (minors) was traded by the Astros to the Minnesota Twins for George Williams.[11]
- August 31, 1999: Alex Diaz was released by the Astros.[4]
Roster
[edit]| 1999 Houston Astros | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
Pitchers
|
Catchers
Infielders
|
Outfielders
|
Manager
Coaches
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Player stats
[edit]Batting
[edit]Starters by position
[edit]Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Tony Eusebio | 103 | 323 | 88 | .272 | 4 | 33 |
| 1B | Jeff Bagwell | 162 | 562 | 171 | .304 | 42 | 126 |
| 2B | Craig Biggio | 160 | 639 | 188 | .294 | 16 | 73 |
| SS | Tim Bogar | 106 | 309 | 74 | .239 | 4 | 31 |
| 3B | Ken Caminiti | 78 | 273 | 78 | .286 | 13 | 56 |
| LF | Richard Hidalgo | 108 | 383 | 87 | .227 | 15 | 56 |
| CF | Carl Everett | 123 | 464 | 151 | .325 | 25 | 108 |
| RF | Derek Bell | 128 | 509 | 120 | .236 | 12 | 66 |
Other batters
[edit]Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Spiers | 127 | 393 | 113 | .288 | 4 | 39 |
| Ricky Gutiérrez | 85 | 268 | 70 | .261 | 1 | 25 |
| Paul Bako | 73 | 215 | 55 | .256 | 2 | 17 |
| Russ Johnson | 83 | 156 | 44 | .282 | 5 | 23 |
| Daryle Ward | 64 | 150 | 41 | .273 | 8 | 30 |
| Matt Mieske | 54 | 109 | 31 | .284 | 5 | 22 |
| Lance Berkman | 34 | 93 | 22 | .237 | 4 | 15 |
| Glen Barker | 81 | 73 | 21 | .288 | 1 | 11 |
| Stan Javier | 20 | 64 | 21 | .328 | 0 | 4 |
| Alex Diaz | 30 | 50 | 11 | .220 | 1 | 7 |
| Jack Howell | 37 | 33 | 7 | .212 | 1 | 1 |
| Mitch Meluskey | 10 | 33 | 7 | .212 | 1 | 3 |
| Randy Knorr | 13 | 30 | 5 | .167 | 0 | 0 |
| Ryan Thompson | 12 | 20 | 4 | .200 | 1 | 5 |
| Carlos Hernández | 16 | 14 | 2 | .143 | 0 | 1 |
Pitching
[edit]Starting pitchers
[edit]Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Hampton | 35 | 246.1 | 22 | 4 | 3.58 | 177 |
| José Lima | 34 | 239.0 | 21 | 10 | 2.90 | 187 |
| Shane Reynolds | 34 | 231.2 | 16 | 14 | 3.85 | 197 |
| Chris Holt | 32 | 164.0 | 5 | 13 | 4.66 | 115 |
| Sean Bergman | 19 | 99.0 | 4 | 6 | 5.36 | 38 |
Other pitchers
[edit]Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scott Elarton | 42 | 124.0 | 9 | 5 | 3.48 | 121 |
| Wade Miller | 5 | 10.1 | 0 | 1 | 9.58 | 8 |
Relief pitchers
[edit]Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billy Wagner | 66 | 4 | 1 | 39 | 1.57 | 124 |
| Jay Powell | 67 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4.32 | 77 |
| Brian Williams | 50 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4.41 | 53 |
| Trever Miller | 47 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5.07 | 37 |
| Doug Henry | 35 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4.65 | 36 |
| José Cabrera | 26 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2.15 | 28 |
| Jeff McCurry | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15.75 | 3 |
| Joe Slusarski | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 3 |
National League Divisional Playoffs
[edit]Atlanta Braves vs. Houston Astros
[edit]Atlanta wins series, 3-1
| Game | Score | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston 6, Atlanta 1 | October 5 |
| 2 | Atlanta 5, Houston 1 | October 6 |
| 3 | Atlanta 5, Houston 3 (12 innings) | October 8 |
| 4 | Atlanta 7, Houston 5 | October 9 |
Awards and achievements
[edit]- Associated Press (AP) All-Star—First base: Jeff Bagwell[12]
Minor league system
[edit]LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Martinsville
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ "October 3, 1999: Astros clinch third consecutive NL Central title in Astrodome's last regular-season game – Society for American Baseball Research".
- ^ Ken Caminiti at Baseball-Reference
- ^ Ryan Thompson at Baseball-Reference
- ^ a b Alex Diaz at Baseball-Reference
- ^ "Bagwell is at his best with three homers". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. April 22, 1999. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
- ^ "Baseball time in Arlington: The penultimate killing of the year". Bbtia.com. September 28, 2011. Archived from the original on October 4, 2011. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
- ^ Kamka, Chris (April 12, 2015). "Thomas, Bagwell share 2005 World Series connection". Comcast SportsNet Chicago. Archived from the original on March 1, 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
- ^ Schwartzberg, Seth (June 13, 2025). "Today in Astros history - June 13". The Crawfish Boxes. SB Nation. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
- ^ de Jesús Ortíz, José (November 26, 2002). "Bagwell turns to weight room to regain shoulder strength". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
- ^ "Jeff Bagwell 1999 batting game log". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
- ^ George Williams at Baseball-Reference
- ^ "Associated Press All-Star Awards & Teams". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved July 19, 2025.