Houston Astros Mount Rushmore

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The Houston Astros have had quite the history, with plenty of peaks and valleys. Which players have made the greatest impact upon the franchise thus far?

It took some time for the Houston Astros to find their footing. After entering the game as an expansion franchise in 1962, they did not have a winning season until a decade later. It took until 1980 for the Astros to make the postseason, but they were not able to advance beyond the National League Championship Series.

Eventually, the Astros had their time. From 1997 through 2005, they made the postseason six times, eventually reaching the World Series. Although they were swept by the White Sox, that proved to be the high point of their history. That is, until this year, when Houston returned to the World Series once more, finally winning their first World Series.

During that time, the Astros have had quite a few stars through their clubhouse. They also had their share of tragedy, as players like J.R. Richard and Dickie Thon, both of which appeared to be on their way to stardom, saw their careers cut short. Had they remained healthy, the Astros history could have been much different, especially during the 1980s.

Which players in Houston Astros history are the greatest of the great? Let us take a look at those four players who make up the franchise’s Mount Rushmore.

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Cesar Cedeno (1970-1981)

Cesar Cedeno was considered to be a similar player to Willie Mays by none other than Leo Durocher. While he never lived up to expectations, Cedeno was an early star for the Houston Astros.

A five tool player, he made his debut in Houston at just 19 years old in 1970. He quickly made an impact, leading the National League in doubles in both 1971 and 1972, while displaying excellent speed and solid power. Combining his decent pop, excellent speed, and brilliant defense, Cedno was a four time All Star and won five Gold Gloves in Houston.

Although he was not close to Mays, Cedeno was still a vital part of the Astros attack. During his dozen years in Houston, he posted a solid .289/.351/.424 batting line, hitting 163 homers and stealing 487 bases. He had six seasons with 50 or more steals, and hit over 20 homers three times.

Unfortunately, Cedeno’s own ability caused his career to fall short of expectations. He played with reckless abandon, his fearless defense and baserunning leading to injuries. Those eventually sapped his power and some of his speed, leaving him short of the Hall of Fame pace that he appeared to be on early in his career.

One of the great young stars on the Houston Astros, Cesar Cedeno gave the team everything he had. Ultimately, it could have cost him a place in Cooperstown.

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Jose Cruz (1975-1987)

The Houston Astros made a number of great moves over their history. Acquiring Jose Cruz for cash considerations from the Cardinals after the 1974 season was one of their best.

While it took a bit of time for Cruz to become a star, he emerged as one of the best outfielders in Astros history. He became an excellent hitter, batting over .300 six times in his 13 years in Houston. Cruz would become a two time All Star, won two Silver Sluggers, and finished in the top ten in the MVP vote three times. For a time, he trailed only Robert Clemente as the most popular baseball player to come out of Puerto Rico.

His brilliance was apparent during his time in Houston. Despite playing in a ballpark that often limited offense, he had a solid .292/.359/.429 batting line, hitting 138 homers and 335 doubles. His 80 triples remain an Astros record, and when he retired, Cruz held most of the franchise records for batters.

Understandably, Cruz has been honored by the Astros. His number 25 was retired in 1992, making sure that he would forever be associated with the number he wore with so much pride. Cruz has also remained a part of the Astros, both in a coaching and front office capacity. Interestingly, he has been a part of every postseason run in Houston.

For a time, Jose Cruz was one of the bigger stars in the game. His star still shines brightly for the Astros, as he has been an important part of their success since he joined the organization.

Craig Biggio (1988-2007)

Few players have had the career path that Craig Biggio did, at least defensively. Yet, regardless of where he played, he was a star.

When Biggio first came up with the Houston Astros, he was a catcher. He won a Silver Slugger in his first full season in 1989, then was named to the All Star team as a backstop in 1991. Although he occasionally dabbled in the outfield during those years, he was moved to second base in 1992, and was named to the All Star team six times, while winning four Silver Sluggers and Gold Gloves. After a decade at second, he moved to center, and then left, before returning to second in 2005. If the Astros needed help anywhere, Biggio was willing to change his spot on the diamond.

Through all of those positional changes, he continued to be a star in the batter’s box. Overall, Biggio produced a .281/.363/.433 batting line. He just missed becoming a member of the 300-300 club, finishing his career with 291 homers and 414 steals. Biggio also made history as the 27th member of the 3000 hit club, reaching that milestone on June 28, 2007.

In the end, Biggio finally got his due. One of the more underrated players of his time, it took three attempts before he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Finally, in 2015, he joined that group of immortals in Cooperstown, taking his rightful place alongside the other greats of the game.

Craig Biggio made an impact upon the Houston Astros regardless of where he played. He was a true Jack of all Trades, someone that the Astros could count on day in and day out.

Jeff Bagwell (1991-2005)

The Boston Red Sox needed help in the bullpen, and Larry Andersen was available. All it cost was Jeff Bagwell, a skinny first baseman in AA. As it turned out, that would be one of the most lopsided trades in baseball history.

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While Andersen was a solid piece down the stretch for the Red Sox, it did not take long for Bagwell to emerge as a star in his own right. He won the 1991 NL Rookie of the Year award, and just three years later, in 1994, took home the MVP award as well. Bagwell was overshadowed by the almost cartoonish sluggers of his era, but still made four All Star Games, won three Silver Slugger awards, and finished in the top ten of the MVP vote six times. He even took home a Gold Glove award.

The rare first baseman with power and speed, Bagwell was a five tool player in his prime. Overall, he finished his career with a .297/.408/.540 batting line, slugging 449 homers and stealing 202 bases. He had six consecutive seasons with 30 homers, 100 RBI, and 100 walks, joining Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Jimmie Foxx as the only players in baseball history to accomplish that feat in so many consecutive seasons.

However, when it came time for Bagwell to be voted into Cooperstown, the spectre of PEDs reared its head. Although he was never linked to PEDs during his playing days, and never failed a drug test, he was suspected of being a steroid user. Eventually, after seven long years, Bagwell received his due, and was enshrined in Cooperstown in 2017.

Next: Angels Mount Rushmore

It did not take much to acquire Jeff Bagwell. In exchange for a rental reliever, the Houston Astros acquired the greatest player in team history.

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