1997 Houston Astros season


The 1997 Houston Astros season was the 36th season for the Major League Baseball franchise located in Houston, Texas, their 33rd as the Astros, 36th in the National League, fourth in the NL Central division, and 33rd at The Astrodome. The Astros entered the season with an 82–80 record and second-place finish in the NL Central, 6 games behind the division-champion St. Louis Cardinals. In the NL Wild Card race, Houston placed third, 8 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The 1997 season was the first for former player-turned-broadcaster Larry Dierker as manager, the 13th in Astros' franchise history, succeeding Terry Collins. Dierker pitched 13 seasons for Houston, from 1964–1976, gaining two All-Star selections. On April 1, pitcher Shane Reynolds made his second of five consecutive Opening Day starts for the Astros, who hosted the Atlanta Braves and won, 2–1. In the amateur draft, the Astros selected first baseman Lance Berkman in the first round, at 16th overall. On June 13, the Astros played their first interleague game in franchise history, an 8–1 defeat to the Minnesota Twins of the American League.
First baseman Jeff Bagwell, second baseman Craig Biggio, and pitcher Darryl Kile each represented the Astros at the MLB All-Star Game, playing for the National League. Biggio and Bagwell, elected as starters, represented the first time in club history that the Astros had two All-Star starters. Former second baseman Nellie Fox, who played for Houston during their days as the Colt.45s, was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. With 42 home runs and 31 stolen bases, Bagwell became the first Houston Astro to join the 30–30 club and first regular first baseman in major league history.
The Astros finished in first place with an 84–78 record for their first division title as a member of the NL Central, and giving them their first playoff berth since 1986. They clinched the division on September 25, eleven years to the day that they had clinched the National League West in 1986. It was their fourth division title overall—the first two were also won in the NL West—and fourth playoff appearance in franchise history.
In the National League Division Series, Atlanta swept the best-of-5 playoff, ending the Astros' season. It had been Houston's first NLDS appearance since 1981, and second overall.
Following the season, Bagwell and Biggio each received Silver Slugger Awards, and Biggio was also recognized with the Branch Rickey Award and a Gold Glove Award. The pair finished third and fourth in the Most Valuable Player Award voting, respectively.

Offseason

The Astros hired former player-turned-broadcaster Larry Dierker as manager, the 13th in Astros' franchise history, to succeed Terry Collins, who had led the club to three consecutive second-place results in the NL Central division. Dierker pitched 13 seasons for Houston, from 1964–1976, gaining two All-Star selections. He pitched his final season as an active player with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1977. Dierker returned to Houston in 1979 as a broadcaster, serving in that capacity for the club through the 1996 campaign.

Regular season

Summary

April

;Opening Day starting lineup
On April 8, Russ Johnson made his major league debut, going 1-for-4 in a 4–2 defeat to Atlanta. Johnson followed up his debut by collecting a seven-game hitting streak, during which he batted.321. This feat set a franchise record by hitting safely in each of his first 7 major league appearances, and was later tied by Jose Altuve on July 27, 2011. Johnson went 0-for-4 with 4 strikeouts on April 19 to end the hitting streak. It was his final appearance in the major leagues until later August.

May—June

Craig Biggio greeted Philadelphia Phillies starter Mark Leiter with a leadoff home run on May 16 at Veterans Stadium for his 100th career home run, his tenth career leadoff home run, and first of two for the contest. The Astros scored four runs until Leiter was chased after just having recorded just one out by Brad Ausmus, who slugged his first home run as an Astro. In the top of the second inning, Houston did not relent, exploding for seven off left-hander Mike Mimbs, including Biggio's second home run with two outs. Biggio's effort spearheaded 12–7 drubbing of Philadelphia. The Astros coaxed 11 bases on balls as plate discipline savants Jeff Bagwell and Bobby Abreu led the way. Bagwell also added a home run in the ninth inning. This was the seventh multi-home game of Biggio's career, and third game with four or more RBI.
On May 20, Jeff Bagwell collected his 1,000th career hit on a home run off Calvin Maduro in a 9–5 win over the Phillies.
Starting May 26, outfielder Luis Gonzalez authored a 23-game hitting streak, tying the franchise record established by Art Howe in 1981. Gonzalez batted.351,.413 on-base percentage, and.479 slugging percentage. The streak ended on June 20 in a 7–3 victory over the Chicago Cubs, though Gonzalez did reach base again by drawing a base on balls. He had two hits the following game, which extended an overlapping on-base streak to 27 games, his season high. The franchise record stood until the 2000 season, when Gonzalez' teammate Tony Eusebio hit in 24 straight.
On June 13, Houston faced the Minnesota Twins of the American League the first regular-season interleague game in franchise history, losing 8–1.

MLB All-Star Game

Bagwell, at first base, second baseman Craig Biggio, and pitcher Darryl Kile were selected to represent the Astros at the MLB All-Star Game, and played for the National League. With Bagwell and Biggio elected to the starting lineup, this represented the first time that fans had elected two Astros position players to the Midsummer Classic starting lineup. Bagwell became the first starter as his position to represent Houston since Lee May at the 1972 game.

July

Just one game back of first-place Houston on July 12, the Pittsburgh Pirates sold out Three Rivers Stadium for the first time on a date that was not a home opener. The Pirates did not disappoint their fans, with starter Francisco Córdova tossing nine dominant no-hit innings. However, when he retired the Astros to end the top half of the ninth inning, no celebration ensued. The Astros' Chris Holt and Billy Wagner had matched Córdova's shutout effort, also keeping the Pirates scoreless through nine. In the top of the tenth, Ricardo Rincón relieved Córdova, who had thrown 121 pitches, and retired the Astros in order. After John Hudek assumed the bottom of the tenth inning for Houston, he issued two bases on balls prior to serving an offering to Mark Smith that Smith converted into a three-run, walk-off home run to win it for Pittsburgh, 3–0. This became the first combined, extra-innings no-hitter in Major League history. Córdova tied a major league record achieved just once—eight decades earlier—for most innings by one pitcher in a combined no-hitter, by Ernie Shore, on June 23, 1917.

August

Russ Johnson made his first major league appearance in four month on August 26, which was a 7–6 loss to Atlanta. This time, he had two hits in five at bats and two RBI, to collect hits in 8 of his first 9 games.
The Astros clinched their first NL Central division title, and first division title since winning the NL West in 1986. Larry Dierker became the sixtn manager to win a division title in his first year at the position.

Performance overview

By finishing with 43 home runs and 31 stolen bases, Bagwell became the first player in club history to join the 30 home runs—30 stolen bases club. Further, he established club records for home runs, RBI, total bases, and extra-base hits.
Biggio became the first player in major league history to play 162 games in a season without having grounded into a double play.
Reliever Billy Wagner whiffed 106 batters over innings pitched, resulting in a major league-record pace of 14.4 strikeouts per nine innings, to displace the prior record of 14.1 effected by Rob Dibble of the Cincinnati Reds in 1992.
Biggio was recognized with both the Silver Slugger and Gold Glove Awards at second base for the third time, extending his club record of receiving both awards in the same campaigns. Having won the Silver Slugger at catcher in 1989, Biggio added to his record for total Silver Sluggers won in club history, with four. The Gold Glove was Biggio's fourth straight. Among Astros Gold Glove winners, only César Cedeño and Doug Rader had won more.
Bagwell was also awarded the Silver Slugger for his offensive campaign, distinguishing him as the club leader at first base. His second win, Bagwell was first recognized during the 1994 campaign, when had joined Glenn Davis in 1986 as the only Astros to win the Silver Slugger at first base.

Notable transactions

Game log

Detailed records

MonthGamesWonLostWin %
April------
May------
June------
July------
August------
September------
Total------

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
PosPlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
CBrad Ausmus130425113.266444
1BJeff Bagwell162566162.28643135
2BCraig Biggio162619191.3092281
SSTim Bogar9724160.249430
3BSean Berry9630177.256843
LFLuis Gonzalez152550142.2581068
CF6319253.276417
RFDerek Bell129493136.2761571

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
PlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
Ricky Gutiérrez10230379.261334
Bill Spiers13229193.320448
Thomas Howard10725563.247322
Bobby Abreu5918847.250326
James Mouton8618038.211323
Tony Eusebio6016445.274118
Pat Listach5213224.18206
Ray Montgomery296816.23504
Richard Hidalgo196219.30626
Russ Johnson216018.30029
Tony Peña9194.21102
J.R. Phillips13152.13314
Luis Rivera7133.23103
Ken Ramos14120.00001
Randy Knorr483.37511

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERASO
Darryl Kile34255.21972.57205
Mike Hampton34223.015103.83139
Chris Holt33209.28123.5295
Shane Reynolds30181.09104.23152
Donne Wall841.2256.2625
Tommy Greene29.0017.0011
Sid Fernandez15.0103.603

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERASO
Ramón García42158.2983.69120

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGWLSVERASO
Billy Wagner6278232.85106
Tom Martin555322.0936
Russ Springer543334.2374
José Lima521625.2863
Mike Magnante403112.2743
John Hudek401345.9836
José Cabrera120001.1918
Blas Minor111014.506
Óscar Henríquez40104.503
Manuel Barrios200012.003

National League Divisional Playoffs

The Atlanta Braves defeated the Houston Astros, three games to none.

Awards and achievements

;Career honors
;Annual awards
;Offensive achievements:
Player
Jeff Bagwell.2864331

;NL batting leaders
;NL pitching leaders
;NL fielding leaders