1987 Houston Astros season

The 1987 Houston Astros season was the 26th season for the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located in Houston, Texas, their 23rd as the Astros, 26th in the National League (NL), 19th in the NL West division, and 23rd at the Astrodome, The Astros entered the season as defending NL West division champions with a 96–66 record; however, the season ended with a 4-games-to-2 defeat to the New York Mets in the 1986 National League Championship Series (NLCS).

The season began for Houston on April 6 hosting Los Angeles Dodgers. Pitcher Mike Scott made the first of his five consecutive Opening Day starts for the Astros, who won, 4–3. In the amateur draft, the Astros selected catcher Craig Biggio in the first round, at 22nd overall, and Darryl Kile in the 30th round.

Scott represented the Astros at the MLB All-Star Game, his second career selection, where he was the starting pitcher for the National League. On September 9, right-hander Nolan Ryan recorded the 4,500th strikeout of his career.

The Astros concluded the season with a 76–86 record and in third place in the NL West, 14 games behind the division champion San Francisco Giants. Ryan led the major leagues in strikeouts (270), in hits per nine innings pitched (6.5), and the National League in earned run average (2.76 ERA), among other categories. Ryan's ERA and strikeout titles were the second consecutive each won by a Houston pitcher, following Scott in 1986 (2.22 ERA and 303 strikeouts).

• October 24, 1986: Matt Keough was released by the Astros.^[1]
• October 24, 1986: John Mizerock was released by the Houston Astros.^[2]
• November 16, 1986: Rocky Childress was purchased by the Astros from the Philadelphia Phillies.^[3]

Opening Day starting lineup^[4][5]

On May 1, Nolan Ryan belted a home run off Charlie Puleo of the Atlanta Braves.^[6]

On June 27, Kevin Bass became the first player in Astros history to connect for four extra base hits in one game, including two doubles, one triple, and one home run to overshoot hitting for the cycle (rather, the "cycle plus one"). This led a 6–5 win over the San Francisco Giants.^[7]

Ryan collected his 1.494 strikeout as a Houston Astro on July 3 to surpass J. R. Richard for the franchise record.^[8] In spite of striking out 10 on the day to go with two runs surrendered over seven innings, Ryan (4–9) dropped a 2–1 defeat to the Philadelphia Phillies.^[9]

Astros' Opening Day starter Mike Scott was also named the NL starter for the All-Star Game hosted at the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum. He tossed two scoreless innings.^[10] Scott became the second Astros pitcher to start the All-Star Game, following J. R. Richard in the 1980 contest.^[11]

Following Scott's effort, the contest remained scoreless, as the first All-Star Game to go scoreless past five innings. It remained so until the top of the 13th when Tim Raines tripled home Ozzie Virgil Jr. and Hubie Brooks.

Astros rookies provided the key roles in a July 16 walk-off win over the Philadelphia Phillies, including third baseman Ken Caminiti, who made his major league debut. His defensive prowess immediately electrified the Astrodome crowd. In the first inning, he pegged an off-balance throw to retire Charlie Hayes, and in the second, an acrobatic catch to snag a line drive off the bat of Lance Parrish. At the plate, Caminiti went 2-for-4, including his first major league triple and, in the seventh inning, his first home run, off starter Kevin Gross, deep to center that tied the contest, 1–1. In the top of the ninth, fellow rookie Gerald Young made two dramatic catches in center field to save runs and keep the scored tied. Caminiti drew a base on balls in the bottom of the ninth, and with one out, Young singled to score him as the game-winner and 2–1 win. Astros hitters drew 10 walks while Houston's Danny Darwin (6–6) tossed a four-hit complete game gem, staying through all the way through to become the winning pitcher.^[12][13]

On August 31, 1987, Billy Hatcher of the Astros was batting against the Chicago Cubs when his bat broke and pieces flew down the third base line. Cubs third baseman Keith Moreland saw cork, and Hatcher was subsequently suspended for 10 games. He later claimed that he was using reliever Dave Smith's bat, who had allowed him to select one from his bat rack, and not his own.^[14]

On September 9, Ryan struck out Mike Aldrete for the 4,500th strikeout in his career.^[15] The final out of the seventh inning in a fantastic outing for "The Express," Ryan fanned 16 total that day to lead a 4–2 victory over San Francisco. At the plate, he contributed two hits of his own, including one that drove in the first run of the contest. Building on another dominant season, Ryan ended the day leading the NL in earned run average (2.76 ERA) and strikeouts (226), though his win–loss record stood at 8–15. Speaking on the performance, Ryan predicted that this "old dog" would not reach strikeout number 5,000.^[16]

Glenn Davis launched three home runs on September 10 at Jack Murphy Stadium; however, in spite of this performance, the San Diego Padres overcame Houston, 8–7. Davis' first two home runs were off Mark Grant, and the final was launched off Mark Davis on his way to five runs batted in. In the bottom of the ninth, Rob Nelson singled home Garry Templeton off Manny Hernández for the walk-off.^[17] This was the first of two occasions that Davis had hit three home runs in a game during his career,^[18] and was the third time by an Astros hitte.^[a][19]

Nolan Ryan concluded the season having maintained his major league lead in numerous pitching categories, including 270 strikeouts, 6.548 hits per nine innings (H/9), 11.480 strikeouts per nine innings (K/9), 2.47 fielding independent pitching (FIP), and 3.103 strikeout-to-walk ratio (K/BB),^[20] He also finished as the National League ERA leader at 2.76, earning the distinction as the first Houston Astro to win two ERA titles. It was the fourth occasion that an Astros pitcher led the NL in ERA, following J. R. Richard (2.71 in 1979), himself (1.69 in 1981), and Mike Scott the year before (2.22).^[21] Scott concluded the 1987 season as NL runner-up in strikeouts (233), tied for third in wins (16), and seventh with a 3.23 ERA.^[22] Ryan also joined Richard (303 in 1978 and 313 in 1979) and Scott (306 in 1986) as the third Astros pitcher to lead the NL strikeouts.^[23] As league leader in strikeouts and ERA, Ryan contributed the third season in which an Astros pitcher claimed two-thirds of the pitching Triple Crown (Richard in 1979 and Scott in 1986).^[b][24]

Such was the magnitude of Ryan's accomplishment that he became the rare pitcher to lead his league in both ERA and strikeouts while not winning the Cy Young Award during the same season, instead placing fifth in the voting.^[25] Ryan joined Richard in 1979 as the second Astro with this distinction.^[21][23] Ryan became the oldest pitcher to the lead the league in strikeouts.^[25]

Ryan also led the major leagues in hits per nine innings surrendered (6.548 H/9) for the fourth time in his Astros career, setting a franchise record in this statistic. This was the ninth occasion in club history a Houston pitcher had led the league. Ryan was preceded by Don Wilson, J. R. Richard and Mike Scott..^[26]

Houston finished the season with the third-highest attendance total in baseball (1,909,902).^[10]

Second baseman Bill Doran was voted for Houston Astros' team Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) for the second time, following his selection in 1985. He became the third repeat winner, following Rusty Staub (1966 and 1967), and teammate José Cruz (four times, 1977, 1980, 1983, and 1984).^[27]

• April 2, 1987: Jeff Calhoun was traded by the Houston Astros to the Philadelphia Phillies for Ronn Reynolds.^[28]
• June 2, 1987: 1987 Major League Baseball draft
  • Craig Biggio was drafted by the Astros in the 1st round (22nd pick). Player signed June 8, 1987.^[29]
  • Darryl Kile was drafted by the Astros in the 30th round. Player signed May 18, 1988.^[30]
• June 2, 1987: Eric Bullock was traded by the Astros to the Minnesota Twins for Clay Christiansen.^[31]

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Awards

• Fred Hartman Award for Long and Meritorious Service to Baseball:^[27] Gene Elston
• Houston-Area Major League Player of the Year:^[c][27] Roger Clemens (BOS)
• Houston Astros Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award:^[27] Bill Doran
• MLB All-Star Game—Starting pitcher: Mike Scott
• NL Player of the Week:^[33]
  • April 12—José Cruz
  • June 21—Mike Scott
  • July 19—Ken Caminiti
  • August 23—Bill Doran

NL batting leaders^[34]

• Games played: Bill Doran (162)

NL pitching leaders^[20][22]

• Earned run average (ERA): Nolan Ryan (2.76)
• Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP): Nolan Ryan (2.47—led MLB)
• Games started: Mike Scott (36)
• Hits per nine innings pitched (H/9): Nolan Ryan (6.5—led MLB)
• Losses: Bob Knepper (17)
• Strikeout-to-walk ratio (K/BB): Nolan Ryan (3.10—led MLB)
• Strikeouts: Nolan Ryan (276—led MLB)
• Strikeouts per nine innings pitched (K/9): Nolan Ryan (11.5—led MLB)

Footnotes

Sources

• 1987 Houston Astros season at Baseball Reference