1978 Houston Astros Season
The 1978 Houston Astros season was a season in American baseball. The team finished fifth in the National League West with a record of 74-88, 21 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. Offseason * October 13, 1977: Al Javier was traded by the Astros to the Chicago Cubs for Keith Drumright. * November 18, 1977: Oscar Zamora was signed as a free agent by the Astros. * December 19, 1977: Jesús Alou was signed as a free agent by the Houston Astros. Regular season Season standings Record vs. opponents Notable transactions * April 6, 1978: Bob Coluccio was signed as a free agent by the Astros. * June 6, 1978: Danny Heep was drafted by the Astros in the 2nd round of the 1978 Major League Baseball draft. * June 8, 1978: Bob Coluccio was traded by the Astros to the St. Louis Cardinals for Frank Riccelli Frank Joseph Riccelli (born February 24, 1953) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched parts of three seasons in the majors, for the San Francisco Gia ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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National League West
The National League West is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. This division was formed for the 1969 season when the National League expanded to 12 teams by adding the San Diego Padres and the Montreal Expos. For purpose of keeping a regular-season of 162 games, half of the teams were put into the new National League East, East Division and half into the new West Division. Within each division, the teams played 18 games each against their five division mates (90 games), and also 12 games against the teams in the opposite division (72 games), totaling 162 games. Geography Despite the geography, the owners of the Chicago Cubs insisted that their team be placed into the East Division along with the teams in New York City, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. Also, the owners of the St. Louis Cardinals wanted that team to be in the same division with their natural rivals of the Cubs. The league could have insisted on a purely geographical alignment like the American League did. But ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Jesús Alou
Jesús María Rojas Alou (born March 24, 1942) is a Dominican former professional baseball outfielder. During a 15-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, he played for the San Francisco Giants (1963–68), Houston Astros (1969–73; 1978–79), Oakland Athletics (1973–74), and New York Mets (1975). He was the youngest of the trio of baseball-playing brothers that included Felipe and Matty. Alou was considered a better prospect than either of his brothers and received a $4,000 signing bonus. He made his debut at the end of , and his first game, on September 10, was notable in that all three Alou brothers batted in the same inning (they were retired in order). Five days later, for the first time, the three played in the outfield for the Giants at the same time. In his first full year of Major League action in , Alou failed to live up to expectations, hitting only .274 with little power, but on July 10, he went 6–6 with five singles and a home run. Alou was selected by the M ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Mark Lemongello
Mark Lemongello ("le-MAHNJ-ul-oh"; born July 21, 1955) is an American former professional baseball player who pitched in Major League Baseball from 1976 to 1979 for the Houston Astros and the Toronto Blue Jays. He is the cousin of singer Peter Lemongello. Lemongello was signed as a free agent out of Raritan High School in Hazlet, New Jersey by the Detroit Tigers a week and a half before his 18th birthday in 1973. Lemongello was known throughout his career for his erratic, sometimes violent behavior, which sometimes overshadowed his on-field accomplishments. He would often furiously slap himself in the face after a bad inning, and after bad games he was known to destroy locker room equipment such as hair dryers and light fixtures in fits of anger. Lemongello admitted to reporter Allen Abel: "My head was messed up." Lemongello was traded along with Leon Roberts, Terry Humphrey and Gene Pentz from the Tigers to the Astros for Milt May, Dave Roberts and Jim Crawford on Dece ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ken Forsch
Kenneth Roth Forsch (born September 8, 1946) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a right-handed pitcher from to , most prominently as a member of the Houston Astros where he helped the franchise win its first-ever National League Western Division title and postseason berth in . A two-time All-Star player, Forsch pitched a no-hitter for the Astros on April 7, 1979. He ended his baseball career playing for the California Angels. Career Forsch was born in Sacramento, California where he graduated from Hiram Johnson High School and later attended the Oregon State University where he played for the Oregon State Beavers baseball team through the 1967–1968 seasons. He was selected by the Houston Astros in the 18th round (399th overall) of the 1968 Major League Baseball draft. He made his major league debut on September 7, 1970 at the age of 23. Forsch was selected to the All-Star Game in 1976 and 1981. On April 7, 1979, Fo ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Tom Dixon (pitcher)
Thomas Earl Dixon (born April 23, 1955) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher from 1977 to 1983 for the Houston Astros and Montreal Expos The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t .... External links Venezuelan Professional Baseball League 1955 births Living people American expatriate baseball players in Canada Baseball players from Orlando, Florida Cardenales de Lara players Charleston Charlies players Columbus Astros players Dubuque Packers players Gulf Coast Cardinals players Houston Astros players Leones del Caracas players American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela Major League Baseball pitchers Montreal Expos players St. Petersburg Cardinals players Syracuse Chiefs players Tidewater Tides players Wichita Aeros players William R. Boone High ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Floyd Bannister
Floyd Franklin Bannister (born June 10, 1955) is an American former professional baseball left-handed pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros (–), Seattle Mariners (–), Chicago White Sox (–), Kansas City Royals (–), California Angels (), and Texas Rangers (). Bannister also played for the Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), in . History In 1973, as a high school senior, Bannister led his Kennedy High School team to a state championship, pitching 15 wins and 0 losses with a season ERA of 0.00. Seattle Times, 2003 May 29"Seasons in the sun: Prep athletes who have left indelible marks"/ref> Bannister went on to attend Arizona State University, where he was named college player of the year by The Sporting News as a junior. This led to his selection by the Houston Astros as the first overall pick of the 1976 amateur draft. After pitching just seven games in the minors in , Bannister opened the season with the Astr ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Joaquín Andújar
Joaquín Andújar (; December 21, 1952 – September 8, 2015) was a Dominican professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals, and Oakland Athletics from 1976 through 1988. Andújar was a four-time MLB All-Star and a Gold Glove Award winner.Schudel, Matt (September 11, 2015) "Pitcher reveled in tough, fiery image" ''The Washington Post'', page B-/ref> Early years Andújar signed with the Cincinnati Reds in , one month shy of his 17th birthday. He posted a 33–41 record with a 4.33 earned run average over six seasons in the Reds' farm system. Following the season, he was dealt to the Houston Astros for two players to be named later (on December 12, 1975, the Reds received reliever Luis Sanchez and third baseman and catcher Carlos Alfonso). Playing career Houston Astros (1976–1981) Andújar made his Major League debut in the season opener against his former franchise. After two relief appearances against ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Gene Pentz
Eugene David Pentz (born June 21, 1953) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played all or part of four seasons in the majors, from until for the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros. He was traded along with Leon Roberts, Terry Humphrey and Mark Lemongello Mark Lemongello ("le-MAHNJ-ul-oh"; born July 21, 1955) is an American former professional baseball player who pitched in Major League Baseball from 1976 to 1979 for the Houston Astros and the Toronto Blue Jays. He is the cousin of singer Peter ... from the Tigers to the Astros for Milt May, Dave Roberts and Jim Crawford on December 6, 1975. Retrieved June 6 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Dan Warthen
Daniel Dean Warthen (born December 1, 1952) is an American former professional baseball player and current coach for the Texas Rangers. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a left-handed pitcher from to for the Montreal Expos, Philadelphia Phillies, and the Houston Astros. Early life Warthen was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and is Jewish. He attended Omaha North High School in Omaha, graduating in 1971, and was a high school All-American quarterback, tight end, and linebacker in football and also a star in baseball. He was the 1971 co-winner of the B'nai B'rith Award. In 2018 he was inducted into the Omaha Public Schools Athletic Hall of Fame. Playing career Warthen was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 2nd round of the 1971 Major League Baseball Draft. He pitched first for the Watertown Expos in the 1971 Northern League, and was 9-3 with a 3.96 ERA, leading the league with 10 complete games and second in the league in wins. He made his Major League Baseball debut ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has been Citizens Bank Park, located in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. Founded in 1883, the Philadelphia Phillies are the oldest continuous same-name, same-city franchise in all of American professional sports. The Phillies have won two World Series championships (against the Kansas City Royals in and the Tampa Bay Rays in ), eight National League pennants (the first of which came in 1915), and made 15 playoff appearances. As of November 6, 2022, the team has played 21,209 games, winning 10,022 games and losing 11,187. Since the first modern World Series was played in , the Phillies have played 120 consecutive seasons and 140 seasons since the team's 1883 establishment. Before the Phillies won their first World Series in 19 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Dan Larson
Daniel James Larson is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Larson pitched in all or parts of seven seasons from and . Larson was drafted in the first round of the 1972 Major League Baseball Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals, while at Alhambra High School (Alhambra, California) but never played in the majors for them. Instead, he was sent to the Houston Astros as part of a trade that brought pitcher Claude Osteen to the Cardinals. Larson made his major league debut with the Astros in 1976, and that was probably his best season. He went 5–8 in 1976, with a career-best 3.02 ERA. In , Larson spent most of the season in the majors, but his performance went down significantly, as he won just one game in eight decisions and his ERA nearly doubled to 5.81. Larson spent nearly the entire season back in the minor leagues, and that September he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for pitcher Dan Warthen. He made one appearance for the Phillies, pitching one inning. Larson s ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Frank Riccelli
Frank Joseph Riccelli (born February 24, 1953) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched parts of three seasons in the majors, for the San Francisco Giants, and and for the Houston Astros. Riccelli attended Christian Brothers Academy in DeWitt, New York where he was a high school baseball standout. He was three times named to the All-Central New York team. As a junior in 1970, he had an earned run average of 0.74 and 140 strikeouts in 73 innings. As a senior in 1971, he struck out 139 batters in 65 innings. He was selected by the San Francisco Giants with the eighteenth pick of the 1971 MLB Draft, ahead of future Hall of Famers George Brett and Mike Schmidt. Riccelli began his professional career in Montana in 1971 with the Great Falls Giants. In 1972, with the Amarillo Giants, Riccelli had 16 and 17-strikeout games en route to a 183-strikeout season, a total he would not top again in any one year. On September 11, 1976, Riccelli made his Major League debut. He ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |