If you're bored with how good the Astros are... (Greatest Astro of All-Time)

The one with the 'Stros ring.

 

These are the only two real choices.

Crane gets credit for hiring Jeff Luhnow and allowing the organization to be ran in a professional and cutting edge way.

Luhnow gets credit because he built this monster when no one else did before him.

 

Roy Oswalt is the greatest Astros pitcher ever.

Jeff Bagwell is the greatest Astro of all time.

I honestly don't think there's an argument in either category right now. None of the current group have the tenure of greatness.

 

I have to have a Twitter account to vote? Bah.

 

My extrapolation favors tuve.

 

So this is basically a referendum on the intelligence of twitter-using Astros fans

 

Way to be a buzz killer...

But in all seriousness you’re obviously right. If you had to make a prediction if any of the current Astros will have a better career than those two (and obviously they have to stick around for awhile, JV has a better career than Roy) who would you take? Or would you go with none?

 

There are passionate fans who will have a bias toward players they grew up watching, and I respect that. Roy O. was my favorite.

But personally? The greatest Astro is already on this current team. Even Charlie Morton has earned a mention.

 

No love for Jim Umbricht? Terrible. /s

 

Bregman is the only one that I think could reach Bagwell's level.

I think we've seen the best of Altuve, and I don't expect him to get back to an MVP level (although I fully expect him to rebound and be great for a few more years). Correa has the talent to be a perennial MVP, but I would be shocked if he reaches that level and signs an extension here. Springer is a hell of a player, but he's not Bagwell.

If any of them do stay here and get in the vicinity of him, then they will definitely get the benefit of the doubt due to their postseason success.

Verlander would need to be awesome and stay here until he's 40 for me to even consider him over Roy. Not impossible, but not likely either

 

Edited to add Biggio.

Going to be tough for anyone to match the age 28+ years of Bagwell. Bagwell's 28-30 years were impressive. Bregman and Altuve are basically on pace with the early career of Bagwell. Correa is ahead, but likely won't be an Astro after he's a free agent.

 

Justin Verlander's Astros stats the past 1+ season: 48 starts, 27-10 W-L, 2.36 ERA, 0.858 WHIP, 2.99 FIP, 11.8 K/9, 7.2 K/BB.

Post-season Astros: 8 starts, 6-2 W-L, 2.83 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 54 IP, 55K, 1CG, one ALCS MVP, one World Series championship

If he sticks around he's got a chance.

 

Biggio. In my mind it’s not even a contest.

 

Love JV, and it is ultimately irrelevant, but he doesn't deserve to be there over Dallas Keuchel, who also won a World Series with us, while winning a Cy Young and pitching some big games (3.31 ERA in the postseason).

 

I think Craig Biggio is Mr. Astro. Considering he and Bagwell are the only HoF guys who played most of their careers as Astros, I don’t see how you consider anyone else. And I choose Biggio over Bagwell because I value hits and games played (along with public persona) more highly than HR and WAR. But I wouldn’t argue too much with anyone who chose Bagwell; he has the best peak of any player in franchise history.

Altuve, Correa, and Bregman are all currently on HoF tracks but I would not bet on any of them getting into the conversation with Biggio/Bagwell. If (huge if) Altuve or Bregman gets to 3000 hits (all with Houston) and they win another WS, that would do it.

 

Depends on if someone prefers longevity or peak. JV's 2018 was better than Keuchel's Cy Young season, and may be the best Astros season from a pitcher since Scott in 1986 (Oswalt only one I can think of that may have had a comparable year). Keuchel's edge appears to be longevity. Though from the pool of longevity, I think Shane Reynolds gets the nod before Keuchel. Similar best year, but a lot more games.

 

Fun Fact: Bagwell put up an 8.2 WAR in his MVP season. Altuve put up an 8.1. Altuve played 43 more games.

 

Carlos Gomez. /conversation

 

As a corollary, I used the criteria >162 games played as an Astro and have determined that Skip Jutze (backup catcher from 73-76, so ask @bobrek about him), is the worst position player in Astros history with an OPS+ of 41. Luis Pujols is a close 2nd with a 44.