Biggest summer trades in Astros history

Here are four of the Astros' biggest summer moves. Some of these examples prove that there's more to a trade than the biggest name involved.

1. August 31, 1990 - Astros send 37-year-old relief pitcher Larry Andersen to the Red Sox for AA third baseman Jeff Bagwell.

Let's pretend that Bags didn't go on to swell into a 5'11" version of Big Mac (PEDs? whisper, whisper) in the late 1990's or that he didn't sport that retched ZZ Top-ish 6-inch goatee EVER. What matters is that after he reached the majors in 1991, he went on to set team marks with 449HR and 1,529RBI over his 15 years as the Astros first baseman. Not bad to find a franchise superstar in a waiver-wire pick-up.

Not a bad return for Andersen, who posted four-and-a-half great years of middle relief for Houston. His 1989 campaign may have even been the finest of his 17-seasons: 87.2IP 85K 1.54ERA .198OAV. Getting rid of him must have raised some initial outcry.

(c) Houston Astros

2. July 31, 1998 - Astros trade pitchers Freddy Garcia and John Halama along with infielder Carlos Guillen to Seattle for pitcher Randy Johnson.

Sufice it to say, the Astros gave up some promising talent for a half-season Big Unit rental. But what a rental! He went 10-1 with a 1.28ERA and a .98WHIP over eleven starts for Houston as the Astros flew away with the NL Central en route to a 102-60 record, the best mark in team history. His 0-2 performance in the Division Playoff Series was hardly the result of his 1.93 ERA 1.00WHIP and 17Ks over 14IP, but rather the quiet Houston bats. The Astros were unable to resign Johnson following the playoffs, leaving them empty-handed from the deal in the end.

It turned out that the trio the Astros gave away for a summer of Johnson have all had nice careers. John Halama compiled a tidy 56-48 record over nine seasons as a big league pitcher. Freddy Garcia has shined brightly, going 118-77 over a ten-year career. Twice named an All-Star, he even earned a measure of revenge against the Astros when his White Sox team met them in the 2005 World Series. Garcia spun seven shut-out innings for Chicago in game four to seal a Series sweep against the team that once traded him away. Outfielder Carlos Guillen didn't bloom until he went to Detroit in 2004, where he has earned All-Star status three times, hitting .288 over 12 seasons with 104HR and 674Runs-scored.

Paul Kitagaki Jr. / P-I


3. June 25, 2004 - Astros aquire center fielder Carlos Beltran in a three team deal, sending closer Octavio Dotel to Oakland and AAA catcher John Buck to Kansas City.

What Randy Johnson did for the Astros pitching staff in 1998, Carlos Beltran did for Houston's lineup in the summer of 2004. In his 90 games with the team, Beltran hit 23HR with 53RBI and 70Runs-scored while stealing 28 bases. As potent as his offense was in the regular season, he was locked-in come play-off time. In Houston's first-round playoff series victory over Atlanta, Beltran hit .455 with four homers, 9RBI and 9R. It was the Astros' first-ever playoff series win. In the next series, against the Cardinals, Houston fell in seven games, but Beltran remained hot hitting .415 with four homers, 9RBI and 12R. Disapointingly, as with Johnson before him, the Astros failed to resign Beltran.








Nam Y Huh / AP

Octavio Dotel had notched 14 saves in 2004 as Billy Wagner's successor, but inconsistencies had worn out his welcome as Houston's closer. Dotel tallied 22 saves as Oakland's closer, but in subsequent seasons and with other teams he has been used primarily in middle relief, earning just 19 saves since 2005. John Buck was a prized hitting prospect with Houston who has hit for low average and moderate power in six seasons with the Royals. Despite Beltran's departure, one thinks the thrilling playoff run was sparked on the cheap.

(PHIL VELASQUEZ, CHICAGO TRIBUNE)

4. August 30, 1982 - Astros reel in outfielder Kevin Bass from Milwaukee as part of package for 37-year-old pitcher Don Sutton.

Don Sutton, a Hall of Famer-in-waiting, had come from the Dodgers in 1981 to join a formidable Astros rotation already veteran heavy with Joe Neikro and Nolan Ryan. But by the end of August 1982, the Astros were 62-69 and 11 games out of first. Though Sutton had posted a solid 13-8 record with a 3.00ERA, the team opted to trade him for younger offensive talent.

Included in the package of players from Milwaukee, was outfielder Kevin Bass who would be a key part of the Astros offense in the late 1980's. Over 14 years in the majors, Bass hit .270 with 118 home runs and 151 steals, but with most of that production coming during his eight seasons with the Astros.











(c) Houston Astros