Astroland B: The World's Most Complete Listing of Houston Astro Baseball Cards

Astroland B: The World's Most Complete Listing of Houston Astro Baseball Cards Mecca, formerly

OPENING DAY STARTERS FOR HOUSTON IN CAPS

NL All-Stars in Gold

Playing for Houston in an NL Game gets you an icon like this:

Minor League A/S Card Appearances in italics

Selected players have been marked with the special

WHIFF KING icon,
and you know what that means

Look out for those implicated in the use of PED's

The Card Companies were all over Members of The One Hundred Club:

CARDS I HAVE

PLAYER

POSITION

REMARKS

Edgar Babilonia Cards

Infield/Pitcher

Two years in the Venezuelan Summer League got Edgar a shot at Martinsville in 2002, and he returned there for 2003, graduating to Tri-City in 2004. Played half a year at Lexington in 2005, then switched to pitcher for the second half, giving it a whirl down in Greeneville. Threw only 7-1/3 innings at Tri City in 2006.

Shaun Babula Card

Pitcher

2003 AAA Rule V pick up was 2 - 1 with a 6.35 for the 2004 New Orleans Zephyrs

Bryan Baca Cards

Trainer

Began training at Greenevile in 2007 after three years with the Santa Fe Roadrunners of the North American Hockey League and moved to High A Lancaster in 2011

Brandon Backe Cards

Pitcher

Acquired from the Devil Rays on December 14, 2003 for Geoff Blum. The excitable Backe was subbing for an ill Roger Clemens on October 3, 2004, when his victory clinched the 2004 NL wild card for Houston, and then one-upped himself each time during the subsequent playoffs, beating Atlanta in the first round, then finally pitching eight scoreless in Game Five of the NLCS vs. St. Louis. Not as large a factor in '05, yet no-one can say he didn't pitch well enough to win in Game 4 of the 2005 World Series. An injury early in 2006 wiped out both his 2006 AND most of his 2007 and he never really made it back. DFAed before the All-Star break '09 and not heard from again.

Adam Bailey Cards

Outfield

Lefthanded hitter was the 8th round pick of the Astros in June 2010 and finished third on that year's Tri-City ValleyCats in doubles. Led the 2011 Lexington legends in homers, and then got a callup to High A Lancaster

Griffin Bailey Card

Pitcher

NDFA from Lexington Kentucky never got so far as to pitch for his hometown, twirling his only year at Greeneville in 2006

MARK BAILEY Cards

Catcher/Coach

Became first player to hit two grand slams at the Dome in the same year in 1985. Trading him away for Casey Candaelemade room for Biggio in the bigs. Spent eight years--between 2002 and 2009--as the bullpen coach in Houston and then moved to the minors, serving as hitting coach at Corpus in 2010 and at Tri-City in 2011

Chris Baker Cards

Pitcher

Began the 2006 season with the Ranger affiliate AAA Oklahoma Redhawks, but made only two appearances before getting traded by the Rangers to the Houston organization on April 13. The Astros immediately assigned Baker to AAA Round Rock, which was convenient for Baker, because the Redhawks were playing the Express that day. He merely had to walk across the diamond at Oklahoma City's Bricktown Ballpark to change teams.Baker then went on to become a Pacific Coast League midseason All-Star, and finished the 2006 season 9 - 4 with a 2.68 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP for the PCL runner up Express.

Doug Baker Cards

Infield

Played in 78 games in the majors with Detroit and Minnesota between '86 and '90, then ended up at Tucson in 1991. Was something of a tutor to Bagwell in spring training that year

Mark Baker Cards

Pitcher

Reliever had an ERA below 1.20 at two single A stops in 1984, then was solid with a 3.09 ERA at Osceola in 1985. Pro switched the back of his '87 Columbus Astros card # 850 with infielder Rob Parker's (# 853).

Paul Bako Card

Catcher

	Journeyman had huge three-run homer against 'Stros while playing for the Braves during the 2001 Divisional Series.Still, a whiff king while with Houston--58 K's in 233 plate appearances.

Jeff Baldwin Cards

Outfielder

0 for 8 with a walk at Houston in '90

Reggie Baldwin Cards

Infield

Traded to the Mets for future minor league manager Keith Bodie in February of '80. Still . . . Love that hideous Charlies uniform

Jeff Ball Cards

Infield

Went 3 for 3 with two doubles in Kevin Gallaher and Jamie Daspit's split no-hitter for the Jackson Generals in 1994. Hit .316 that year, which got him the stays at Tucson for '95 and '96

Bill Ballou Cards

Coach

Veteran minor league pitching coach has coached for twelve years in the Astros' organization, at Auburn, Quad City, Michigan, Tri-City, and now for the Greeneville Astros, where he replaced the retired Jack Billingham after the 2004 season.

Dave Banks Card

Infield

A year at Auburn

Josh Banks Card

Pitcher

Minor league free agent signed by the Astros in January 2010 pitched at Round Rock and lost more than he won, but still led the team in victories

Alan Bannister Card

Infield

Rob Neyer, in his Big Book of Baseball Lineups, claims Bannister is the worst-fielding shortstop to have ever worn a White Sox uniform; which is saying a lot, given that the Sox are so old and storied and all; anyway, Bannister's brief career as an Astro is chronicled by the '84 Mother's # 21

Floyd Bannister Cards

Pitcher

First selection in 1976 Draft hung around for a while, but not with the Astros. The good news is that unloading him to the Mariners got us Craig Reynolds

Luke Barganier Card

Outfield

30th Round Pick in 2004 hit .230 for the Tri-City ValleyCats that year

Glen Barker Cards

Outfield

FAST but sometimes not too smart. 48 K's in 197 plate appearances also made him a

Sean Barksdale Card

Outfielder

38th round draft pick in the June 2009 draft was placed at Tri-City and hit .175 with a couple homers

Shane Barksdale Cards

Pitcher

Auburn and Quad City in 1997 after 2-1/2 years at Gulf Coast as an infielder

Mike Barlow Cards

Pitcher

76 SSPC # 298 -- Received from the Cards for Mike Easler on 9/30/75, and actually appeared in four games for Houston in 1976, though he spent the bulk of the bicentennial year in Memphis. At some point, he was (waived? traded again?) and wound up with California and their AAA Salt Lake City affiliate. Continued to pitch professionally until 1982.

Dan Barmantje Card

Trainer

Strength trainer at Greeneville in 2008

Clint Barmes Cards

Shortstop

Acquired as a supposed power source by the Wade regime in Novermber 2010 in exchange for Felipe Paulino, Barmes had provided the Astros slightly above league average numbers from the shortstop position through the '11 break

Brandon Barnes Cards

Outfield

6th Round pick in the June 2005 began inauspiciously at Greeneville and hit .200 with two homers, then didn't do much better when repeating in 2006. But he raised the average at Tri-City in '07, and led the team in homers. Promoted to Lexington for 2008 and slugged .328, while being named the team's Defensive Player of the Month for July. Played at 3 levels in '09, with the most success at High A Lancaster, where he slugged .523 and was named Cal League Player of the Week for August 10. Led the Astros system in homers for 2010, while playing in a very friendly park at High A Lancaster, where he also hit for the cycle June 9. Began 2011 at AAA Oklahoma City, but hit .197 and was sent down to AA Corpus Christi, where he hit .286 and OPSed .788

Tucker Barr Cards

Catcher

Single A catcher couldn't hit

Efrain Barrero Cards

Pitcher

Crapped out at Asheville in '91 after a 2.44 ERA performance at Auburn in 1990

Jimmy Barrett Cards

Pitcher

00 Appy League All-Star was named by Baseball America as the fourth-best prospect in the organization for 2003, but fell off the map after that.

Scott Barrett Cards

Pitcher

Fifth-round pick in '98 was beset by injuries and retired in 2000

Tommy Barrett Card

Infield

Cups of Coffee with Philly & Boston in addition to his year at AAA Tucson in 1993

Angel Barrios Cards

Pitcher

'01 & '02 Martinsville

Manuel Barrios Cards

Pitcher

Traded with RHP Oscar Henriquez and (eventually) RHP Mark Johnson to the Florida Marlins for Moises Alou on November 11, 1997

Jose Barron Cards

Trainer

Sticks and stones guy for the Auburn Doubledays in 1995 and 1996

Jimmy Barthmaier Cards

Pitcher

13th Round selection in the June 2003 draft went 1 - 1 with a 2.49 when he made his professional debut with the Martinsville Astros that year. By 2006 he was voted by Baseball America as having the best curveball in the organization and was fourth overall on their list of Astros prospects. Went out and led the Salem Avalanche for 2006 in wins, innings pitched and strikeouts, but also carried a somewhat high 1.39 WHIP and did not make the Carolina League All-Star squad. Just 2 - 9 with a 6.20 at AA Corpus in 2007. Claimed by the Pirates in November '07 when the Astros removed him from the 40-man roster.

Philip Barzilla Cards

Pitcher

History shows again and again how nature points out the follies of men: this lefthander who made his first and last appearance for the Astros on June 11, 2006 is one of only seven pitchers in Astro history to have exactly one Game Pitched and exactly 0 At Bats, and one of only two (with Hipolito Pichardo) to conclude his Astros career with exactly 1/3 of an inning pitched.

Marsalis Basey Cards

Second Base

1993 in the New York Penn League

Corey Bass Cards

Pitcher

47th Round pick in the June 2005 draft started off pretty well at Greeneville that year, going 3 - 3 with a 2.93, striking out 41 while only walking 10. Repeated at G-Ville in '06, then advanced to Lexington for 2007, where he continued to post a strong K/BB, but had a little trouble with the ERA. 47 walks and 48 strikeouts in 129 uinnings at High A Salem in 2008

112

KEVIN BASS Cards

Outfield

Complained when Chris Berman called him Kevin "Largemouth" Bass

JOHN BATEMAN Cards

Catcher

Caught Nottebart's No-Hitter; Opening Day backstop 64 - 67; I'm looking for his '63 Pepsi

Ariel Batista Card

Outfield

Panamanian signed January 2, 1999 played in the Dominican and Venezuelan Summer Leagues, and in 2002, for Martinsville

Ricardo Batista Cards

Pitcher

Lefthander from San Pedro de Macoris went 0 - 4 at Gulf Coast in 2009 and 0 - 5 at Greeneville in 2010. 3- 4 with a 4.73 at G-ville again in 2011, but also led Greeneville starters in home run avoidance, allowing only two in 53 and some odd innings

Pete Bauer Cards

Pitcher

Signed as a free agent on January 29, 1989, after his release by the Mets' organization. Went 4 - 1 with a 1.55 for the '90 Osceola Astros

Jonah Bayliss Card

Pitcher

Journeyman righthander who played in the majors for the Royals and the Pirates finished second on the 2010 Round rock Express in Games Pitched

Thomas Bayrer Card

Pitcher

Righthander pitched at Martinsville and Pittsfield in 2001, and at Tri-City and Lexington in 2002. Never did get a win, but on the other hand, never did lose in the New York Penn League

Yorman Bazardo Cards

Pitcher

Minor league free agent was 9 - 6 with a 3.20 at Round Rock in 2009, and a PCL midseason All-Star, as well as PCL Pitcher of the Week for the week of June 1st. Houston purchased his contract August 8 as Mike Hampton was breaking down again, and Bazardo pitched in ten games, making six starts, through the end of the season. The numbers Bazardo posted for the Astros--1 - 3 with a 7.88--were not better than what an injured Hampton might have would have put up, however.

2204

JEFF BAGWELL Cards

First Base

Franchise career leader in homers and RBI is also possessor of greatest single offensive season in club history, but because of the shoulder injury that prematurely ended his career, may be on the outside of the Hall looking in. Named Hitting Coach in the middle of the 2010 season, but didn't return for 2011