When Will the Astros Play in Houston Again in the Series

In any normal offseason, baseball fans would exist enjoying the Hot Stove, wondering when Carlos Correa will sign a contract and with which squad. Instead, baseball fans are wondering how many more billions of dollars the billionaires are going to walk away with equally MLB and the players spousal relationship negotiate a new Collective Bargaining Agreement in 100% good faith, no dubiety about that. (Eyes whorl completely out of my head).

Yet there'south another winter tradition for baseball game fans, to prepare for the next election to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. (Full disclosure: I was the Manager of Visitor Education at the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum from 2006-2009. I had no authority to decide annihilation regarding annihilation of importance as it relates to baseball history). Each year members of the Baseball Writers Association of America who accept been on a baseball beat for ten consecutive years, with a ten-year grace menstruation "for those no longer active" ship in their Hall of Fame ballots. This is somewhat of a new wrinkle, because it was e'er Extremely Fun to permit some dude who covers the Olympics weigh in on who are the greatest players in baseball game history. The Hall of Fame is quick to signal out that the BBWAA is independent of the Hall of Fame, merely information technology's a really practiced opportunity to be Outraged At Something.

Anyhow, each year brings an opportunity to contend the place of contempo baseball players. Then here is an Astros Fan's Guide to the ballot, with a captip to Ryan Thibodeaux's essential BBHOF Tracker. The proclamation will be made on Tuesday.

Bobby Abreu: Third year on ballot – 8.7% in 2021 voting

Bobby Abreu of the Houston Astros looks on during a spring training baseball against the Kansas City Royals on March 22, 1997 at Baseball game Metropolis Stadium in Hanes Metropolis, Florida.

Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

Bobby Abreu but might be tied with Johan Santana as the Dumbest Unprotected Choice in Astros history (selecting Marwin Gonzalez makes upward for one of these, but withal). Abreu signed with the Astros in 1990 and was the Astros' Minor League Player of the Year in 1996. When the Expansion Draft came around for the Rays and Diamondbacks in late 1997, Abreu – who hit .250/.329/.372 in 59 games for the 1997 Astros – was left unprotected and then they could instead focus on Richard Hidalgo. Tampa Bay drafted Abreu and immediately flipped him to the Phillies, where he hit .303/.416/.513 in nine seasons. Abreu doesn't take any of the criterion stats – he's merely short of ii,500 hits and 300 habitation runs (2,470 and 288, respectively) and somehow but fabricated two All-Star appearances, though he does take a Silvery Slugger (2004) and a Gold Glove (2005) in his cabinet. It's going to be a long, uphill climb to Cooperstown for Abreu, but imagine Abreu on the Astros in 1998, or 1999, 2001, 2004 or 2005.

Barry Bonds: 10th year on ballot – 61.8% in 2021 voting

The Giants' Barry Bonds connects for his 70th home run of the season Oct. four, 2001 at Minute Maid Park. Bonds tied the single-flavor record oof 70 ready by Mark McGwire in 1998 and finished with 73 homers in 2001.

David Phillip / Associated Printing

This is a HUGE opportunity to feed Outrage. Asking a baseball fan if Barry Bonds belongs in the Hall of Fame is the equivalent of flipping a lit cigarette towards an oil tanker, regardless of which side you fall. For Houston purposes, even so, it's worth mentioning that in 182 games confronting the Astros, Bonds hit .304/.461/.582, with 37 domicile runs. He hit .302/.436/.612 at the Astrodome, and a ridiculous .371/.589/.742 in 23 games at Minute Maid Park. What'southward more, his 70th habitation run of the 2001 season came at Minute Maid Park against (I'll give you a second to come across if you tin can guess the pitcher) Wilfredo Rodriguez.

Marker Buehrle: Second year on ballot – 11.0% in 2021 voting

Chicago White Sox Mark Buehrle pitches against the Houston Astros during Game 2 of the 2005 World Series at United states Cellular Field on Sunday, Oct 23, 2005.

Sporting News Annal/Sporting News via Getty Images

Buehrle is notable to Astros fans mainly for Game 2 of the 2005 World Series, when Andy Pettitte threw gave up two runs in six innings, while Buehrle gave upwardly four runs in seven innings. Morgan Ensberg striking a home run. But and so! Dan Wheeler gave up 3 earned runs in the 7th, Republic of chad Qualls gave upwards another run. Mike Gallo retired both batters he faced, giving the Astros a run a risk to necktie Game 2 at 6-six earlier Scott Podsednik – who had not hit a single home run in the 2005 regular flavor, took Brad Lidge deep to walk information technology off.

Roger Clemens: 10th year on ballot – 61.6% in 2021 voting

Roger Clemens pitches during the seventh inning the Houston Astros-Atlanta Braves, Game One of the National League Sectionalization Series, in Atlanta, Georgia, Oct half dozen, 2004. (Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle)

Karen Warren/Staff

I call up you're familiar with Roger Clemens. This may be his year.

Carl Crawford: First year on ballot

Carl Crawford of the Tampa Bay Rays makes a sliding grab.

John Bazemore/AP

Carl Crawford, the pride of Houston's Davis High School. A triple threat in high school, Crawford was recruited in football game by the likes of Nebraska, Oklahoma, USC, and Florida and had a scholarship offer to play basketball for UCLA. When Tampa picked him in the second circular of the 1999 typhoon, Crawford jumped at it and became one of the fastest men in baseball along the way. He was just the eighth player in history to steal 200 bases before turning 25, and tied an MLB tape when he stole six bases against the Carmine Sox on May 3, 2009. Crawford ended his career with a .290/.330/.435 slash line, four-time All-Star, 2010 AL Gold Glove winner, 2010 Silver Slugger, had five different 50 stolen base seasons, led the American League in triples four times, and stolen bases four times. Still, it'll be an uphill battle for Crawford's Cooperstown chances.

Prince Fielder: Get-go year on election

Prince Fielder of the Texas Rangers runs the bases later on a home run against the Houston Astros in the first inning at Globe Life Park in Arlington on April nineteen, 2016 in Arlington, Texas.

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Prince Fielder hit 31 of his 319 abode runs against the Astros – the most against any opponent in his 12-year career.

Todd Helton: Quaternary year on ballot (44.9% in 2021 voting)

Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton dives for a ball hit by Astros correct fielder Brian Bogusevic during the sixth inning. (Karen Warren / Houston Relate)

In 101 games Helton hit a career .320/.415/.579 confronting the Astros, which includes him posting a .191/.239/.357 slash line at the Astrodome and .349/.453/.643 at Minute Maid Park. Helton'southward beginning career habitation run against Houston came against Jose Lima on May 31, 1998. His final career home run confronting the Astros was on June one, 2009, off Roy Oswalt. It may not be this twelvemonth, just I practise retrieve Helton gets in to the Hall of Fame eventually.

Ryan Howard: First yr on ballot

Ryan Howard hits a home run off Astros starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel. Matt Slocum/Associated Press

Howard'south .937 OPS confronting Houston is the fourth-highest against any opponent he played more than than 10 games confronting.

Tim Hudson: Second year on ballot (5.two% in 2021 voting)

Starting pitcher Tim Hudson of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the get-go inning against the Houston Astros in Game 4 of the 2005 National League Division Series on October 9, 2005 at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas.

Brian Bahr/Getty Images

Certain, Hudson only pitched eight games confronting the Astros in his career, but the .200/.259/.270 line the Astros' offense "put upwards" confronting him is the lowest of any team he faced more than 2 times. Confronting Houston, Hudson was 5-0 with a 1.60 ERA / 0.96 WHIP, both career bests confronting a single opponent under the previous criteria. Hudson's teams were 7-1 with him on the mound against the Astros, the alone loss coming on May 13, 2015.

Torii Hunter: Second twelvemonth on ballot (9.5% in 2021 voting)

Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa (1) on the field talking to Minnesota Twins correct fielder Torii Hunter (48) during a coaches visit to the mound during the baseball game.

Icon Sports Wire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty

Simply the St. Louis Cardinals held Hunter to a lower OPS (.524) in his career than the Astros (.622). Of the 353 domicile runs Hunter hit in his career (raise your manus if you were surprised it was that many) just one domicile run against Houston – against Scott Elarton on June 12, 2001.

Andruw Jones: 5th twelvemonth on ballot (33.9% in 2021 voting)

Andruw Jones (25) connects on a home run off the Astros' Woody Williams to pb off the second inning in a 2007 win in Atlanta.

Gregory Smith/AP

Jones only hit 14 habitation runs against the Astros during the regular flavor, but most of us remember Jones in October, when seemingly every year the Braves would knock the Astros out of the playoffs (suspension for unmarried tear to run down cheek). Four hits in the 1999 NLDS; .500/.500/750 in the 2001 NLDS; .526/.571/.947 in the 2004 NLDS in which he went 10-for-19 with 4 extra-base of operations hits and five RBI; .471/.524/.824 in the 2005 NLDS, going eight-for-17 with four actress-base of operations hits and 5 RBI. Mercifully, the Astros vanquished the Braves in 2004 and 2005 and then there were no more October Astros/Braves matchups to worry about ever over again, right?

Jeff Kent: Ninth year on ballot (32.four% in 2021 voting)

Houston Astros Jeff Kent is welcome to home plate after hitting a three run habitation run to beat out St. Louis Cardinals in Game 5 of the National League Championship Serial at Infinitesimal Maid Park Mon evening, Oct. 18, 2004, in Houston. The Astros lead the serial 3-2.

Buster Dean/Houston Chronicle

I might be in the minority here, merely I actually liked Jeff Kent. His 2003 and 2004 seasons were spent in Houston, and I can yet see the helmet flip afterwards his home run in the 2004 NLCS Game 5. Withal, Kent was a actually skilful 2d baseman. His 56.0 career fWAR ranks 19th all-time amongst second basemen – 11th if you suit it for 1962-2021. He and Alfonso Soriano are the only 2 2nd basemen since 1962 with a career slugging percentage of .500 (Tampa Bay's Brandon Lowe is besides on that listing, but he has merely played in 330 games so far in his career). Jose Altuve's career slugging percentage is .462, for comparison sake. Kent doesn't get enough love from the BBWAA.

Tim Lincecum: First twelvemonth on ballot

Giants rookie Tim Lincecum struck out 10 Astros in simply his third start in the majors.

Pat Sullivan/AP

Tim Lincecum'due south middle proper noun is "LeRoy" which I don't feel gets enough attention. Lincecum was in his prime number right as the Astros were terrible, which often made these matchups experience somewhat unfair. In fact, of the opponents he faced more than than twice, the Astros posted the 2d-lowest OPS-against of whatever team (.574) not named the Padres (.562). And that includes a July 24, 2016 game when Lincecum – so with the Angels (a fact of which I take no recollection) got rocked for eight runs in 1 1/3 inning at Infinitesimal Maid Park – tied for the shortest outing in a Lincecum starting time in his career. He would make ii more starts for the Angels that season and would never announced in an MLB game again.

Justin Morneau: First year on election

Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on August 30, 2013 in Arlington, Texas.

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Morneau only played eight games against the Astros in his career but hit .344/.371/.719 – his one.090 OPS the highest of any opponent he faced in his career. Information technology tin can exist explained past the fact that he but played the Astros between 2006-2013 when the Astros were, well, not very skillful. The Twins went 6-2 confronting Houston in those eight games.

Joe Nathan: Starting time yr on election

Texas Rangers relief pitcher Joe Nathan (36), right, is congratulated past Texas Rangers catcher Geovany Soto (viii) during the Houston Astros loss to the Texas Rangers two-i at Minute Maid Park Mon, Aug. 12, 2013, in Hockley. Johnny Hanson/Houston Relate

Nathan's 377 saves rank 8th all-fourth dimension, so I judge it's possible that his candidacy could follow Baton Wagner-esque trajectory, provided he escapes the five% minimum necessary to stay on for next year.

David Ortiz: Start year on election

David Ortiz #34 of the Boston Red Sox reacts during the third inning confronting the Houston Astros on May xiii, 2016 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Ortiz hit .341/.433/.603 in 35 games against the Astros in his career and, somehow, that feels low. One of his 51 career two-homer games came on August sixteen, 2014 at Fenway when Ortiz took Brad Peacock deep in the third and the 5th innings, and he got at least i hit in 21 of those 35 games. Whatever whatsoever Astros fan previously thought of Ortiz, Big Papi did come out and call Mike Fiers "a snitch" for leaking the squad'due south trash tin scheme.

Jonathan Papelbon: Outset year on ballot

Pitcher Jonathan Papelbon of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts after earning a save against the Houston Astros on August 7, 2014 at Citizens Banking concern Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

Papelbon only threw in six games in his career confronting Houston, simply held the Astros to 3-for-22 with no extra-base hits, xi strikeouts and 2 walks, for a .345 OPS. That's … not proficient by the local boys.

Jake Peavy: First year on ballot

Padres starter Jake Peavy throws against the Astros.

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Peavy was 1 of the more ascendant pitchers of the early 2000s, winning the Cy Immature in 2007. The Astros' .635 OPS was the 3rd-lowest every bit a team against Peavy of any team he faced more than x times. Eleven of his 15 starts against the Astros were quality starts.

Andy Pettitte: Fourth year on ballot (xiii.seven% in 2021 voting)

Andy Pettitte pitched three seasons with the Astros and went 37-26 with a iii.38 ERA. He became a complimentary agent after the 2006 season and pitched his final 4 seasons with the Yankees.

It'southward not looking good for the Pride of Deer Park High Schoolhouse equally far every bit Cooperstown is concerned, despite 4 acme-five Cy Young finishes, leading the league in wins in 1996 and winning 256 games in his career, good enough for 42nd all-time. At that place are 31 pitchers in the Hall of Fame with fewer wins. His 2,448 strikeouts rank 46th best. Pettitte rocked the baseball world in 2004 when he agreed to come to the Astros and then talked his buddy Roger Clemens into joining him, and information technology is my personal opinion that a good for you Pettitte gets the Astros past the Cardinals for the pennant and would have been a much more competitive 2004 Earth Series against the Cherry-red Sox. If you're into stuff similar this, and I am, Pettitte's 153 losses rank him 153rd in MLB history.

A.J. Pierzynski: First year on ballot

Catcher A.J. Pierzynski of the Chicago White Sox cheers his teammates on against the Houston Astros during the sixth inning of Game I of the 2005 Major League Baseball Earth Series confronting the Houston Astros at U.S. Cellular Field on October 22, 2005 in Chicago, Illinois.

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Almost universally hated, even by his ain mother (source needs citation, only I'1000 certain it's true), Pierzynski recorded a hit in each of the iv games of the 2005 World Series, scoring three runs and recording iii RBI. He has since transitioned to the booth, calling playoff games on Play a trick on Sports and somehow making anybody mad in the procedure.

Manny Ramirez: 6th year on election (28.2% in 2021 voting)

Manny Ramirez of the Boston Red Sox runs against the Houston Astros during Interleague MLB activity on June 29, 2008 at Infinitesimal Maid Park in Houston, Texas.

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

If you lot take out (waves easily) all the PEDs, Manny Ramirez is a slam-dunk Hall of Famer: 12-time All-Star, 9-time Silverish Slugger, two-fourth dimension Globe Series winner, World Series MVP, 2002 AL batting gnaw, 2,574 hits, 555 home runs, career .312/.411/.585 hitter. Simply and so there's, you know, the other affair. In 27 games confronting the Astros, Manny hitting .250/.358/.530, the fourth-lowest OPS against one opponent he faced for more than than 100 plate appearances.

Alex Rodriguez: First year on ballot

New York Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez is walked during the start inning of MLB game action at Minute Maid Park Saturday, June 27, 2015, in Houston. James Nielsen/Houston Chronicle

See: Ramirez, Manny. Three-time MVP, 14-time All-Star, ten-time Silver Slugger, ii-time Gold Glove, 1996 AL Batting gnaw. A-Rod'south get-go career home run confronting the Astros was the 209th of his career, on June 17, 2001 off of Scott Elarton and then hitting his 529th and 530th career domicile runs on consecutive days in June 2008, courtesy of Wandy Rodriguez and Wesley Wright.

Scott Rolen: Fifth year on ballot (52.ix% in 2021 voting)

St. Louis Cardinals Scott Rolen heads to the dugout with his other run-batted-in in tow Alber Pujols after Rolen's sixth inning two-run homerun in Game seven of the National League Championship Serial a Busch Stadium Thursday afternoon, Oct. 21, 2004, in St. Louis, Missouri. (Karen Warren/Chronicle)

Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle

Let's get this straight: Rolen, to me, is a Hall of Famer, and his voting history is tracking that mode, as well. If he doesn't arrive this calendar week, information technology will almost certainly be next year. Information technology feels like Rolen was an Astro Killer, but his regular season stats aren't terribly impressive: .253/.333/.435 in 132 regular season games – hands the lowest OPS against an opponent he faced more in more than than 100 games. What we recollect is the 2004 NLCS: .310/.355/.690 with three home runs and half-dozen RBI – two of those home runs in a half dozen-4 Game 2 win.

Jimmy Rollins: Kickoff year on ballot

Robbie Grossman, right, is tagged out past Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins after trying to steal second. Matt Slocum/Associated Press

In 84 games against the Astros, Rollins hitting .296/.337/.482 with 11 of his 231 career dwelling runs – the third-highest OPS against a team he faced more than 40 times. Three of the 30 home runs in his MVP-winning 2007 flavor came against the Astros (Woody Williams, two against Chris Sampson).

Curt Schilling: 10th year on ballot (71.1% in 2021 voting)

Pitcher Brusk Schilling of the Houston Astros poses for a portrait before a 1991 season MLB game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Iii Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

Rick Stewart/Getty Images

I'm smart, and then I am not almost to talk about an athlete's politics on Chron. That said, it appears as though Schilling might slip a footling bit from the 71% he got final yr. Currently, he's tracking at 61% in the Hall of Fame Tracker linked at the pinnacle. Anyway, there is an alternate universe in which Schilling, Bagwell and Biggio all play together for the Astros. After the Orioles traded him to Houston with Steve Finley and Pete Harnisch for Glenn Davis. Schilling posted a 3.81 ERA for the 1991 Astros before being traded to Philadelphia for Jason Grimsley. Schilling would go 101-71 in nine seasons for the Phillies with a 3.35 ERA and win 111 more regular season games for Arizona and Boston. In the postseason, Schilling was 11-2 with a two.23 ERA, throwing six innings or more in sixteen of 19 postseason starts.

Gary Sheffield: Eighth year on ballot (40.6% in 2021 voting)

Gary Sheffield of the Florida Marlins during Game 7 of the Globe Serial against the Cleveland Indians at Pro Thespian Stadium on October 26, 1997 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photograph by Sporting News via Getty Images)

The Sporting News/Sporting News via Getty Images

I had no thought that Gary Sheffield was Dwight Gooden's nephew. Notwithstanding, Sheffield's Hall of Fame candidacy falls under the same cloud equally Manny and A-Rod: Nine-time All-Star, five-time Silverish Slugger, 1997 Earth Series winner, 1992 National League batting championship. Twenty 2 of his 509 career habitation runs came against Houston, including four in three days from June 20-22, 2000 against: Joe Slusarski, Octavio Dotel, Jose Cabrera and Doug Henry. His .974 OPS against the Astros was the eighth(!)-highest against i squad. Sheffield could hitting, man.

Sammy Sosa: 10th year on ballot (17% in 2021 voting)

Fans cheer Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs equally he watches his 51st home run of the season go out Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL 23 August during the eighth inning of Chicago'southward game with the Houston Astros.

JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images

Sammy Sosa hit his 400th career domicile run confronting the Astros off of Shane Reynolds at Wrigley Field on May 16, 2001. I did not have to look this up, considering I was there. My buddy Myles and I went to the U2 concert at the United Eye the night before, saw the Astros were in town, and spent an extra dark to go to the game. Considering of that, nosotros had to spend one night on the style back to Texas in the parking lot of a Methodist Church in western Illinois, considering we were broke college kids and hadn't approaching an extra night in a hotel,  plus Astros/Cubs tickets. Sammy Sosa's unabridged Hall of Fame candidacy has been derailed by PEDs, but the 42 home runs he hit against the Astros were the fourth-most he hit against whatever 1 opponent in his career.

Marking Teixeira: Get-go year on ballot

Houston Astros pitcher Ken Giles (53) reacts after giving up a 3-run domicile run to New York Yankees' Mark Teixeira, left, during the seventh inning of a baseball game game, Thursday, April vii, 2016, in New York. Julie Jacobson/AP

I had no idea Mark Teixeira hitting 409 home runs, considering I practise non ever, under any circumstance, think nearly Mark Teixeira.

Omar Vizquel: Fifth year on ballot (49.i% in 2021 voting)

 Omar Vizquel #13 of the Cleveland Indians is down and set to brand a play on the ball against the New York Yankees during an Major League Baseball circa 1996 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. Vizquel played for the Indians from 1994-2004. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

Focus On Sport/Getty Images

Defensive wizard Omar Vizquel was trending up in the last couple of years but new-ish allegations of domestic abuse and also sexual harassment by a batboy will probably have an bear upon on this year's voting. Indeed, the Hall of Fame Tracker currently has Vizquel at 11.three%, well downwardly from his 2021 showing.

Baton Wagner: Seventh twelvemonth on ballot (46.4% in 2021 voting)

Billy Wagner delivers a 9th inning pitch on his way to an Astros 2-0 win, during the Houston Astros-Florida Marlins game at Minute Maid Park. (Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle)

Karen Warren/STAFF

At that place are no reasons Billy Wagner should not exist in the Hall of Fame, other than that he has blocked me on Twitter, presumably for me existence a champion of his election to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Wags was a 7-time All-Star, had 422 saves to go with a 2.31 ERA / one.00 WHIP. He struck out virtually four batters for every one he walked. He is sixth in FanGraphs' fWAR for relievers with 24.0 – and the 5 in forepart of him are all in the Hall of Fame. Wagner stranded more runners (82.0%) than Mariano Rivera (81.two%). Amid relievers with 700+ career innings pitched, only Kenley Jansen has struck out more than batters per nine (13.05) than Wagner (11.92). Baton Wagner is a Hall of Famer.

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Source: https://www.chron.com/sports/astros/article/Houston-Astros-Baseball-Hall-of-Fame-ballot-player-16799832.php