Astros’ All-Time Best Seasons: Starting Pitchers

Aug 17, 2013; Anaheim, CA, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher

(60) throws a pitch against the Los Angeles Angels during the game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

This is the ninth edition of our Astros’ All-Time Best Seasons Series. If you want to catch up on the other positions that we’ve covered in this series, you can check them out here:

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• Catchers
• First basemen
• Second basemen
• Third basemen
• Shortstops
• Leftfielders
• Centerfielders
• Rightfielders

Personally, this is my second contribution to the series, as I wrote the article on the Astros’ All-Time Best Seasons at Third Base. Now the reason I bring up that article is because I will be structuring this article very much the same way. I will be taking a heavily statistics-based stance by looking at statistics from that season and comparing that player’s season to the rest of the league.

Over the course of the past 50-plus years, the Houston Astros have had some great pitchers take the mound. Before I mention five pitchers who had some truly magical seasons, I want to talk about one current Astro pitcher that didn’t make the list: Dallas Keuchel.

Dallas Keuchel had a great 2014 season, finishing with five complete games (1st in AL), a 2.93 ERA (7th in AL), and a 1.18 WHIP (12th in AL). Keuchel was also named AL Player of the Week on May 26, 2014 and was awarded for his efforts in the field by being named as a Rawlings Gold Glove Award Winner. It was a very solid season for Dallas Keuchel, but as you will read in a bit, just not enough to be put amongst the top 5 in Astros history. At the same time, it is a great sign that Dallas Keuchel entered the conversation in 2014, perhaps poised to break down the door and become a great Astros ace in 2015.

Now, let’s get to the top five.

Next: 1979: Joe Niekro

1979: Joe Niekro

May 4, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; A general view of a baseball on the pitching mound before a game between the Kansas City Royals and the Detroit Tigers at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

The 1979 Houston Astros featured a strong starting rotation mixed with a speedy lineup. The lineup included the likes of Enos Cabell, Jose Cruz, and Cesar Cedeño, while the starting rotation included Ken Forsch, J.R. Richard, and Joe Niekro. Unfortunately, the Astros did not reach the playoffs, finishing second in the NL West with a record of 89-73.

Despite the talented pitching staff, the hitting didn’t quite have enough power to reach the postseason. The problem was not pitching. In fact, pitching kept Houston in the hunt. A major piece of the starting rotation that year was Joe Niekro. Here are his stats from that season:

• 21 Wins (T-1st in NL)
• 3.00 ERA (5th in NL)
• .228 Batting Average Against (4th in NL)
• 263.2 Innings Pitched (3rd in NL)
• 11 Complete Games (6th in NL)
• 5 Shutouts (1st in NL)
• 119 Strikeouts (17th in NL)
• 1.24 WHIP (18th in NL)
• Houston Astros MVP
• National League All Star

Joe Niekro was an absolute workhorse for the Houston Astros in 1979, grinding out 342.0 innings and starting in 38 games. Part of this was due to his great health, but he also took no starts off. Not only did he provide the Astros with an unprecedented amount of innings pitched, but he also gave quality starts, pitching complete games, strikeouts, and most importantly, getting wins for his team. To give ourselves a sense of how amazing it is that Niekro pitched 342 innings in 1979, he would have been the leader in IP by 98.1 innings in 2014 (Johnny Cueto piled up 243.2 IP for the Cincinnati Reds in 2014).

If it wasn’t for Joe Niekro’s grit and determination in 1979, the Houston Astros probably would have been out of the playoff picture entirely. With an average lineup and bullpen, it was up to Joe Niekro to become the star of the show, and he did just that, putting together one of the best pitching seasons in Astros history.

Next: 1979: J.R. Richard

1979: J.R. Richard

Aug 3, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; A view of Minute Maid Park before the game between the Houston Astros and the Toronto Blue Jays. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The other key piece to the Houston Astros’ success in 1979 was J.R. Richard. If the 35 year old Niekro was the heart of that rotation, Richard, at 29 years old, was the soul. If you want to read the background on the 1979 Houston Astros, just click back one slide. With J.R. Richard, I’m going to just cut to the chase. Here are J.R. Richard’s stats from 1979:

• 2.71 ERA (1st in NL)
• 18 wins (3rd in NL)
• 313 Strikeouts (1st in MLB by 90!!!)
• 1.09 WHIP (2nd in NL)
• 4 Shutouts (2nd in NL)
• .209 Batting Average Against (1st in NL)
• 19 Complete Games (2nd in NL)
• 292.1 Innings Pitched (2nd in NL)
• 38 Games Started (3rd in NL)

J.R. Richard was a pitcher that people wanted to get to the ballpark and see because not only did he flat out dominate hitters, he was fun to watch. When he wasn’t forcing groundouts, he was striking hitters out, 313 times to be exact. In fact, that number of strikeouts in a season, 313, wouldn’t be passed by an MLB pitcher for 18 years until Curt Schilling struck out 319 batters in 1997.

If hitters were getting bored with Joe Niekro’s more old-fashioned style, they without a doubt would be begging for mercy after facing a J.R. Richard fastball. Niekro & Richard complemented each other very well, and it’s a shame that they weren’t able to pitch together longer.

Here’s a clip of J.R. Richard dominating some of the best hitters in the game. Not from 1979, but only one year after and a great example of Richard’s relentless pitching style. Enjoy.

Next: 1986: Mike Scott

2004: Roger Clemens

Aug 11, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; General view of Minute Maid Park before a game between the Houston Astros and the Minnesota Twins. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The 2003-2004 offseason marked the beginning of some fun times for the Houston Astros with the signings of Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens, and the acquisition of Brandon Backe. Going into the 2004 season, expectations were very high in the city of Houston, with ticket becoming sold out within hours of their release. The season included a managerial change (Jimmy Williams fired and replaced by Phil Garner), a major mid-season acquisition (Carlos Beltran from the Kansas City Royals), the 2004 MLB All Star Game being played at Minute Maid Park, and the clinching of a Wild Card spot on the final day of the season.

In a rocky season filled with plenty of excitement, the one steady horse in the starting rotation was Roger Clemens. Clemens, at 41 years old, brought in a winning attitude to Houston and was able to make an immediate impact with the Astros, erasing any questions about his old age. Here are Roger Clemens’ stats from his 2004 season:

• 18 Wins (2nd in NL)
• 2.98 ERA (5th in NL)
• 218 Strikeouts (5th in NL)
• 1.16 WHIP (8th in NL)
• .217 Batting Average Against (4th in NL)
• 214.1 Innings Pitched (8th in NL)
• 5.5 WAR
• National League All Star
• National League Cy Young Award Winner

With Andy Pettitte being out most of the 2004 season due to injury, the Astros looked towards Roger Clemens to anchor the pitching rotation and he did just that. Winning his seventh Cy Young Award, Clemens was able to leave his age out of the question and contribute to a successful Houston Astros team.

Clemens was also very successful in the 2004 postseason, compiling a 2-1 record with a 3.60 ERA and 21 strikeouts in four games. Unfortunately, the one blemish on his 2004 season would be the loss that he took in St. Louis in Game 7 of the NLCS after giving up a tw0-run home run to Scott Rolen in the bottom of the 6th inning.

This is a video of Roger Clemens’ return from retirement on April 7, 2004, when he tossed seven innings of shutout ball in his debut with the Houston Astros against the San Francisco Giants, led by superstar slugger Barry Bonds.

Next: 2005: Roy Oswalt

2005: Roy Oswalt

Apr 5, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; former Houston Astro Roy Oswalt is honored prior to the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Richardson-USA TODAY Sports

It’s hard to complete one of these slideshows of the Astros’ top five seasons at each position without including someone from the great 2005 season. You could argue that Roy Oswalt was the MVP of that team, even though he was on the same staff as Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte. Roy O pitched really well all season long and was virtually unhittable in the 2005 postseason run. Here are Oswalt’s stats from the 2005 World Series season:

• 20 Wins (3rd in NL)
• 2.94 ERA (7th in NL)
• 35 Games Started (1st in NL)
• 4 Complete Games (3rd in NL)
• 241.2 Innings Pitched (2nd in NL)
• National League All Star
• National League Championship Series Most Valuable Player
• 2-0 Record with a 1.29 ERA in 2005 NLCS
• Winning Pitcher in Game 6 of NLCS that sent the Astros to 1st World Series in Franchise History

While Roy Oswalt’s 2005 Regular Season might not have the same statistical value as the other candidates in this slideshow, his postseason numbers are what got him here. The Astros won seven games in that postseason, and Oswalt was the winning pitcher in three of them, including the most important one (which was pitched on the road). The only other Astros pitcher that can compare to his postseason numbers is Mike Scott, so that should make for an interesting race in the polls.

Plus, I personally felt obligated to put Oswalt in the top 5. The night that the Astros went to the World Series was one of the best nights of my life and I will never forget watching Roy O confuse St. Louis Cardinals hitters such as Albert Pujols, Jim Edmonds, and David Eckstein all night long.

Next: Vote: Best All-Time Season at SP

Vote: Best All-Time Season at SP 

Apr 1, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Astros former pitcher Nolan Ryan waves to the crowd before a game against the New York Yankees at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

There’s my opinion on the Astros’ All-Time Best Seasons at Starting Pitcher, now it’s time to hear what you have to say! Please vote below and when you finish voting, let us know how you feel about the selections for best seasons at starting pitcher.

A few other noticeable seasons for starting pitchers that were left out:

1969: Larry Dierker

1981: Nolan Ryan

2005: Andy Pettitte

1999: Mike Hampton

1971: Don Wilson

1998: Randy Johnson

Thank you for reading and voting. Mark your calendars for this time Wednesday, February 18, when our next installment, Astros’ All-Time Best Seasons: Closers, will be released.