Astroland Home and "A" Page: The World's Most Complete Listing of Houston Astro Baseball Cards
The late, great, exploding scoreboard

Click the New logo to add Astroland to your favorite sites 

A NEARLY COMPLETE LISTING OF THE BASEBALL CARDS OF THE HOUSTON COLT .45'S AND THE HOUSTON ASTROS

Kinda like when the Padres went to pinstripes, no?


Click here to go directly to the Astros' homepage

As Of  
I have a total of Exactly 26,550 baseball cards of the Colts,
Astros, and their minor-league affiliates

Me and the Astros, a sort of explanation

Syndicate my occasional rants with RSS 2.0

This site was updated on July 30, and this is what I had to say at that time:

So Oswalt's split town, and I can't say I'm surprised. I'm not surprised that the Astros made a trade under value AND sent a tremendous amount of cash. I'm not surprised that Roy dropped his demand that his new team pick up the 2012 option. And Lord knows I'm not surprised that our trading partner ended up being Philadelphia. I sometimes think Wade is a double agent.

And I'm doing my best not to hold it against Roy. The Astros are a mess, and he's getting older. I wouldn't have conducted things through the media the way he did. But I really can't blame him for wanting out.

Still, the reasonable attitude I'm trying so hard to effect is tempered with some streaks of disappointment. I just started a new binder for Roy's 2010 cards, and it's a little weird to think that I won't be putting any 2011 issues in it. The last year I didn't add any Roy Oswalt cards to my collection was 1996, before I had this website, before I had my at-home Excel database, before I had a computer for that matter.

And of course the big thing for me: Barring a return down the road, Roy Oswalt won't be taking over as the franchise lead in victories. At some point in the middle of the century's first decade, I came to simply understand that Roy's position atop that list was an inevitability. Somehow it didn't happen. I wonder if maybe Roy could have mustered a little more enthusiasm at any point this season, maybe he could have won a couple of those 12 games he's lost. . . .

But that's water under the bridge. I'm sure he'll pitch well for the Phillies, and I'll be rooting for Brett Wallace, especially, and Jonathan Villar, too, I guess.

Roy Oswalt Pretty Much the Most Valuable Pitcher in Team History
Pitcher Yrs ASG W L W-L% ERA GS CG K ERA+ HR/9 K/9 WHIP
Larry Dierker 13 2 137 117 .539 3.28 320 106 1487 104 .694 5.83 1.21
Joe Niekro 11 1 144 116 .554 3.22 301 82 1178 105 .551 4.67 1.26
Roy Oswalt 10 3 143 82 .636 3.24 291 19 1593 134 .778 7.42 1.20


The Cards
(updated February 8th)

Won auctions for the three cards in the 2009 Ultimate /599 base teamset last week, and got two of them in today, the Roy Oswalt # 23 and the Bud Norris # 82. I seem to remember going off about how with Upper Deck's loss of the MLB license, and with their refusal to gracefully concede defeat on the matter, we were doomed to a slew of airbrushed junk.

Well, imagine my surprise when I found out that the cards looked quite good.

In fact, in the case of the Norris # 82, the card looks better than Bud does.

'Course, the reason that's so is because the cards have NOT had the proprietary MLB logos airbrushed out, which the MLB and Topps and their corps of crack property lawyers say they should have been. So, yes indeed, the cards look good in my Ultra Pro pages, but only, it seems, because Upper Deck is in violation of the law in producing them the way that they did.

When you get down to it, that's why I bought the cards (and 14 other non-Astros to use as Beckett trade bait) in the first place. I've never gone hard after Ultimate base cards (never mind the /35 Ultimate patches or other such nonsense) before, and have acquired what I do have of Ultimate from prior years either through trades, or with after the sale eBay shopping cart stuffing to ameliorate the freight on a single card purchase. But with all the noise the legal types were making recently, I thought it might be wise to go out and actively get a few of them this year before the product was pulled off the market.

Well, I'm not sure how well my plan is gonna work. It seems kind of late in the game for any massive recall, even if Upper Deck does lose a lawsuit or two. And I'm pretty sure public opinion--misguided though it may be--is solidly with Upper Deck, meaning dealers won't be kowtowed.

When push comes to shove, I guess if the integrity of my collection can stand a 1993 Cardtoons of "Money Bagswell," I'm sure it can handle '09 Ultimate. And I'm sure I'll be able to trade those 14, just as I've moved out much of my other non-Astro material since I've set up my doubles for trade on Beckett's site. It'll all pass, recall or no recall, and whatever the, um, ultimate, fate of the Upper Deck Company ends up being.

But Upper Deck is wrong on this, they really are. They lost the license, for good or ill. They should have had the grace to get out when told.

And this lack of grace makes their company really hard to root for in the coming battles.

(Held over--update January 27th)

While I guess it was not exactly unknown upon his hiring that new manager Brad Mills was Nolan Ryan's 3509th strikeout victim, and thus the necessary hapless co-actor as Nolan broke Walter Johnson's career strikeout record, I, personally, just became aware of it the other day, as I was perusing the 1991 Pacific Texas Express # 49 Milestone Strikeouts I received as part of my end of a trade on Beckett.com.

Also, I've gone ahead and placed a couple newly acquired cards at the Six Pitcher No-Hitter page, but the Triple Threads I picked up is so cool that it deserves a page of its own, that and the javascript I dropped.

What I Said Last Time.
But What Else Is New?

Jump to Player Pages by Initial
"A" Page and Astroland Home,
including a rationale and some numbers
(You're there, dude)
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I - J
K - L
M
N - O
P
Q - R
S
T
U - V
W
X Y Z
Pocket Schedules
Down on the Farm year by year
My wantlist--Can you help?
My Doubles/Cards for Sale
Links to all sorts of cool Astro and baseball card stuff on the net

OPENING DAY STARTERS FOR HOUSTON IN CAPS

NL All-Stars against Gold

Minor League A/S Card Appearances in italics

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

Look out for those implicated in the use of PED's 
 Things would be so different if I could be a member of The One Hundred Club

Selected players have been marked with the special
WHIFF KING icon,
and you know what that means

A - Al
CARDS I HAVE PLAYER POSITION REMARKS
3 Fernando Abad Cards Pitcher
Lefthander from La Romana spent four years in the Domincan Summer League, then made his debut with Rookie Greeneville in 2007, where he led the team in strikeouts and finished third on the club in WHIP. In '08 he pitched relief at Lexington, and had one of the best BB/9IP rates on the club. 79 strikeouts and 8 walks in 82-2/3 innings at High A Lancaster in 2009
Lancaster Jethawks logo
9 Reggie Abercrombie Cards
Outfield
 
Houston Astros logo, 2000 -
Speedy outfielder who swings hard--and wildly--was one of the final Spring Training cuts, and began 2008 at AAA Round Rock. Got a one-month callup when the Astros released Jose Cruz, Jr. in June, but was back in AAA by the All-Star break. Struck out 159 times in 134 games for the '09 Round Rock Express.
112 BOB ABREU Cards
Outfield
 
Hit an amazing 70 triples in his 7-year career as an Astros farmhand, before being lost in the D-Back/D-Ray expansion draft.
Click here for a cool tobacco card replica
1 Erick Abreu Card Pitcher
Minor league free agent formerly in the Yankees organization pitched at Salem in 2008, and was 3 - 0 with a 2.06 at Corpus in '09
Salem Avalanche logo
21 Anthony Acevedo Cards Outfield
Solid .295 first year with the 2000 Martinsville club got him a promotion to Michigan for 2001--then hit .302 for Lexington in 2002, earning a shot with Round Rock in 2003
5 Freddy Acevedo Cards Outfield
The Acevedo at Martinsville for 2001 repeated for 2002 and hit .284, and got the chance at Lexington for 2003
2 Larry Acker Cards Manager Minor-league veteran lefty spent '85 and '86 with Tucson
2 Jose Acosta Cards Catcher
Dominican Summer League Product debuted stateside in 2003 with Martinsville
20 Manny Acta Cards Infield/Manager
Light-hitting infielder makes good as coach and manager; after never hitting higher than .268 in seven minor league seasons, Acta has now climbed the professional ladder such that he is managing in the major leagues. In 1999, he led the Kissimmee Cobras to the only Florida State League championship an Astros affiliate ever won.
3 Colt Adams Cards Pitcher
Righthander was an 18th round pick in the June 2006 draft, but had trouble converting his 91 mph fastball into success at the lower levels through 2007. After pitching in only 7 games, placed on the DL in May of '08, and never came back.
4 Jason Adams Cards Infield
1995 Second-Team All-American at Wichita State began at Auburn in '95 and topped out at Kissimmee three years later
1 Ricky Adams Card Infield
Hit .215 in three major league seasons with the Angels and the Giants
1 Tony Adler Card Pitcher 1 - 0 with a 1.59 in 10 games for the 2004 inaugural Greeneville Astros
1 Dave Adlesh Card
Catcher
 
 		Set a minor-league record for catchers in 1964 with the AA San Antonio Bullets by catching an incredible 130 straight games. Caught Wilson's no -hitter 6/18/67
Troy Afenir Cards
Catcher
 
1983 first round pick went for six for twenty in ten games as a September call-up to the 'Stros in 1987. He didn't surface again in the bigs for three years--playing in 35 games, hitting .153, with the A's and Reds between '90 and '92
2 Tommy Agee Cards
Outfield
 
We gave up Rich Chiles and Buddy Harris to get him in November of '72; that's the "nothing ventured." We gave him up a bare nine months later to get Dave Campbell; that's the "nothing gained." Only Agee's elegant 73 Topps # 420 keeps the whole thing from being a pointless wash. . . .
34 Juan Agosto Cards
Relief Pitcher
 
Once described as "rubber-armed"; appears three times on the Astros top ten list for single-season appearances
2 Edwin Aguilar Cards Pitcher Product of Venezuela, though still only 22 on Opening Day 2002, has already lost two years to injury
6 Randy Albaladejo Cards Catcher
Never got higher than single A Quad City
31 Matt Albers Cards
Pitcher
 
Debuted at Martinsville for the 2002 season, and got better at Tri-City in 2003, going 5 - 4 with a 2.92. A Carolina League Top Prospect for the 2005 season, and a Houston Astro for four games in 2006, including one in which he wore the flowing rainbows. Sixth starter for Houston in 2007, to mixed results
11 Ervin Alcantara Cards Outfield
2003 Martinsville Astro hit .344 with 18 doubles in 54 games to earn a spot on the Appy League postseason All-Star team. Lexington Legends offensive player of the month in June 2004. Finished second in hits on the 2005 Salem Avalanche, and topped the squad in doubles. Scored 61 times and stole 20 bases for the '06 Avs.
1 Troy Aleshire Card Catcher
7 Chad Alexander Cards Outfield 99 Texas League Top Prospect
15 Don Alexander Cards Coach
Spent seven years (1990 - 1996) as a pitching coach in the low minors for the Astros, then returned to the organization in 2005 to do the same job, again at the Short-A level. Moved to High A Lancaster for 2009
7 Jason Alfaro Cards Infield
His rise through the Astros organization landed him at the Dell Diamond for 2001 and 2002, and in Metairie for 2003
2 Jose Alfaro Cards Pitcher '74 at Cedar Rapids and '75 at Dubuque, and as such, twice a teammate of household name Paulo De Leon. Despite the long shadow of DeLeon, Alfaro has a bit of renown himself, in that he pitched a 5 - 0 no-hitter vs. Cedar Rapids while pitching for the Packers in '75.
1 Frank Alfieri Card Infield
3 Carlos Alfonso Cards Coach/Manager
Long time minor league manager and coach skippered the 1981 Daytona Beach Astros to a FSL championship, and as a player, was also part of the deal in 1975 that brought the Astros noted space case Joaquin Andujar
6 Karl Allaire Cards Shortstop Click here for a cool story
1 Blake Allen Cards Pitcher
Rule 5 pick up from the Indians organization in the AA phase of the 2004 draft pitched at Salem and Corpus in 2005, then returned to Whataburger Field for 2006, and won four times while losing twice.
5 Dave Allen Cards Pitcher
10 Harold Allen Cards Pitcher Housepainter in the offseason
3 Gary Allenson Cards Manager Managed the Nationals in the 97 AA All Star game
2 Roberto Alleyne Cards Outfield
1 Benjamin Ally Card Pitcher
After playing with Batavia in the Phillies organization in 2001, was signed by the Astros as a NDFA and pitched a year at Martinsville in 2002
2 Frank Almonte Cards Left fielder
NDFA from the Dominican Republic came stateside with Greeneville in 2008, and was named Appy league Player of the Week on July 14, 2008. Repeated at Greeneville for 2009 and hit .300 vs lefties, but only .231 vs. righthanders
Greeneville Astros logo
2 Dave Aloi Cards Pitcher
CLICK HERE to see a good example of an early TCMA minor league card, and read about a very well-pitched game by Mr. Aloi
1974 TCMA Cedar Rapids # 7
13 JESUS ALOU Cards
Outfield
 
1971 Topps # 337
Led off Opening Day in '69
252
   
MOISES ALOU Cards

 

Outfielder
 
 		Another monster year in '01, and by far the club's career leader in batting average
--so why didn't the guy capture the love of Houston fans? His departure to the Cubs may have provided a clue.
2 Jose Altuve Cards 2nd Baseman
Venezuelan infielder was named an Appy league postseason All-Star and Greeneville MVP for 2009 after his second season at GreenevilleGreeneville Astros logo
3 Andrew Alvarado Cards Pitcher
Seventh round pick in 2004 was 4 - 3 with a 3.58 for the 2004 Tri-City ValleyCats, then only pitched 9 innings in 2005.
1 Arnaldo Alvarado Card Infield
1 for 5 with two ribbies in Jose Alfaro's 1975 no-hitter for Dubuque.
1 Oscar Alvarado Card Infield Debuted for Pittsfield in 2001
1 Jose Alvarez Card Infield 76 Dubuque Packers
1 Jose Alvarez Card Pitcher
'84 Tucson Toro pitched in 98 games for the Atlanta Braves over four seasons, compiling an 8 - 9 won/loss with a 2.99 ERA. Last pitched for the '95 Richmond Braves, at the age of 39.
1 Luis Alvarez Card Catcher
Greeneville Astros logo
Played 17 games for the Rookie Greeneville Astros in 2009, hitting .271 with a homer
2 Wilner Alvarez Cards Outfield
DSL product skipped Martinsville for his first season stateside, instead beginning at Lexington, and may have paid, hitting .215
2 Wander Alvino Cards Pitcher
Dominican had a 33:7 K/BB ratio at Greeneville in 2008, but also had a 5.79 ERA and a .320 BAA. Promoted to Tri-City for 2009, the ratio was down, but so was the batting average against.
Tri City ValleyCats logo

Eighth Wonder, goddamn right.

Am - Az
CARDS I HAVE PLAYER POSITION REMARKS
2 JOE AMALFITANO Cards
Second Base
 
 		With a name like that, you knew Joey was a wiseguy
3 Adan Amezcua Cards Catcher Don't call him Adam
2 Ed Andersen Cards Pitcher
Anderson's career makes me wish the old Appalachian League Covington Astros had gotten a team set or two done
33 Larry Andersen Cards
Relief Pitcher
 
Wiseacre best remembered as being TRADED FOR JEFF BAGWELL, but also remember he's still third on the Astros list for career ERA at 2.57. And that's no joke.
1 Drew Anderson Card Second Baseman
Greeneville Astros logo
22nd Round pick in the June '07 draft struggled some that summer at Greeneville and was released in May of '08
1 Eric Anderson Card Infield
Neither TCMA, who manufactured his 1982 Auburn Astros baseball card, nor I, who chronicle it, have anything to say about Eric Anderson
2 John Anderson Cards Pitcher
Another Anderson whose one-year career was spent at Auburn. John's year was 1994.
33 Josh Anderson Cards
Outfield
 
2003 New York-Penn League All-Star, 2004 Sally League All-Star pick, and 2006 Texas League All-Star Game MVP made his major league bebut in September of '07, and sizzled, hitting .358 with a .413 OBP in 21 games. Traded to the Braves for the dreadful Oscar Villareal in November of 2007.
7 Tom Anderson Cards Pitcher
This Anderson, while starting at Auburn, DID progress, and got as far as High A Osceola, pitching there in '93 and '94, and an All-Star in '93
6 Travis Anderson Cards Pitcher
Owner of two 5.00+ ERA seasons and a 4.40+ season in single A was sent to the Drubs as a player to be named with Mike Nannini to complete the deal that also moved Russ Rohlicek to acquire Flash Gordon.
5 ROB ANDREWS Cards
Second Base
 
Picked up in the Lee May/Enos Cabell deal; Opening Day for Houston in '75, but never thereafter, as Rob quite simply played himself out of a job, or rather DID NOT play himself out of same
2 Jon Andrianoff Cards Infield
2000:2001:
17
  Joaquin Andujar Cards
Pitcher
 
 		Flakiest Astro ever?
2 Anthony Angel Cards Infield
2000:  2001:
4 Don Angotti Cards Catcher/Coach Played in three single A towns in 1991, then coached at AAA Tucson in 1992
18 Willie Ansley Cards Oufield
Can't Miss Prospect who did. He and Andujar Cedeno were in the '89 Asheville Tourists ProCards set. Needless to say, the set was once worth a good bit. Only Ansley's appearance in the 1989 South Atlantic All-Star set even slightly redeems.
109
 
ERIC ANTHONY Cards
Outfield
 
Huge hype guy who reached the Dome's right field upper deck with one and got a star on a seat for his effort. When the 'Stros finally gave up, they got Mike Hampton for him. Eric then hit the first home run in Jacobs Field history for the M's. Still, it's hard to disagree with Kev and Scott on the dude.
9 Rick Aponte Cards Pitcher/Coach
San Pedro De Macoris product pitched in the Astros minor league system, and got as high as AAA Tucson in 1981, then began coaching at Rookie League Sarasota the following year. He coached for 10 more years in the States, before taking the job as the pitching coach for the Dominican Summer League Astros afer his 1992 season at Burlington, and Aponte held that post through 2006. Aponte was hired by the Washington Nationals, and made their bullpen coach, for 2007, but after that ran its course, he came back to the Astros and coached the 2009 Greeneville Astros
Burlington Astros Hat Logo, 1991 - 1992
1 Josh Appell Card Pitcher
Salem Avalanche logo
Lefthanded pitcher acquired from the New York Mets in November of 2007 for Ralph Henriquez pitched at Salem in 2008, at least until his release in August
2 Reno Aragon Cards Pitcher Miami Dade Juco product pitched at Dubuque and Cocoa '76 and '77
1 Danny Ardoin Card Catcher
Acquired from the Nationals in March '07 to play backup at Round Rock after the injury to Hector Gimenez, and played in 52 games for the Express.
8 Douglas Arguello Cards Pitcher
Resident of Managua, Nicaragua began his ascent through the organization with a 4- 0 record with a 5.26 ERA for the 2003 Martinsville Astros. 1 - 0 with a 2.92 at Martinsville in '04, but the ERA was high again at Tri-City in 2005. Led the 2006 Tri-City ValleyCats in strikeouts. Threw two shutouts and led the Salem Avalanche in innings pitched in 2008. Texas League midseason All-Star for Corpus in '09
1 Alberto Arias Card
Pitcher
 
Dominican righthander came out of the bullpen with some success in 2009 for Houston, and also pitched at AAA Round that year and the year before. Though expected to make Houston's 2010 roster, missed all of 2010 with a rotator cuff issue
Houston Astros logo, 2000 -
1 Chris Armstrong Card Catcher
2 Tim Arnsberg Cards Pitcher
Was 5-1 with a 2.28 the part of '85 he spent at Auburn, but was overmatched elsewhere
1 Rene Arocha Card Pitcher One-time Cuban defector
1 Miguel Arrendell Card Infield
Greeneville Astros logo
Used mostly as a DH at Greeneville in 2009, Arrendell posted a .394 OBP--but only a .235 average.
2 JD Arteaga Cards Pitcher
University of Miami grad picked up from the Mets in the 2000 Rule 5 Draft
1 Miguel Asencio Card Catcher
Received in December of '06 with Jason Jennings in the trade that sent away Jason Hirsh, Taylor Buchholz, and Willy Taveras, then very quickly assigned for the '07 season to Round Rock, where he posted a 1.85 WHIP and spent time on the DL. Waived shortly after the season's conclusion.
14 Jonny Ash Cards Second Baseman
11th Round pick in June 2004 was fourth in hitting on the 2004 Tri-City Valley Cats. In 2005, as one of a slew of Lexington Legends given midseason callups to Salem (including Hunter Pence, Troy Patton, and Ash's college teammate Mario Garza), Ash hit .320 as a Legend in 67 games, and an identical .320 as a member of the Avalanche, in 59. OBPed .370 at AA Corpus in 2006, despite seeing his double play mate in Zobrist traded away in the Aubrey Huff deal. Hit .300 at Corpus in '07, but ended the season on the disabled list. Began '08 at AAA Round Rock, but was demoted to Corpus Christi in July after hitting .224.
76 ALAN ASHBY Cards
Catcher/Coach
 
Caught 3 no-hitters (Forsch, Ryan, Scott)
24 BOB ASPROMONTE Cards
3rd Base
 
 		Guy tried to tell me this was a PostMost home runs at Colt Field; Most Grand Slams by an Astro
4 Ezequiel Astacio Cards Pitcher
Acquired with Taylor Buchholz for Billy Wagner on November 3, 2003, Astacio won 15 games for the Phillies' FSL affiliate in 2003, but had mixed results in his promotion to AA in 2004, despite a K/BB walk ratio that got as high as 4:1. In 2005, found steady work as the major league's sixth starter, working the back ends of doubleheaders, and pitching every fifth day while Brandon Backe was out. The ERA was high at 5.67, but the ratio (66/25) promised good things. Good things that never happened.
5 Pedro AstacioCards Pitcher
Collected a paycheck while injured, then split. . . Gotta like Hunsicker for making the move, though.
2 Mike Aubel Cards Outfield '92 at Auburn and goodbye
1 Don August Card Pitcher Long Career with Brewers
8 Sam August Cards Pitcher
Once misidentified as Jeff Juden
2 Dave Augustine Cards Outfield
West Virginia native was close to home in '78 and '79 with the AAA Charleston Charlies
165
BRAD AUSMUS Cards
Catcher
 
Has caught more games than anyone else in Astros history.
In honor of the man who singlehandedly forced nine innings of excruciatingly futile playoff baseball, Astroland is proud to present Ausmus Goes Apeshit
13 Jay Austin Cards Centerfielder
Second round draft pick in the June 2008 draft struggled in his first pro year that summer at Greeneville, but was more representative in his sophomore year, when he got a promotion to Single A Lexington
Greeneville Astros logo
1 Brandon Averill Card Pitcher
Infielder hit .222 for the 2004 Tri-City Valley Cats
1 Esteban Avila Card Catcher
Venezuelan came to the states and played at Martinsville in 2001
2 Abraham Ayala Cards Catcher
They liked him so much at Martinsville in 2000, they brought him back for 2001