|

2004 – Mike Lamb devours Colorado pitching with four hits, including a double and triple, along with six RBIs to pace a 13-7 donnybrook over the Rockies. Craig Biggio and Orlando Palmeiro bash homers while Brandon Duckworth gets his first win as an Astro. 

ByTom

2004 – Mike Lamb devours Colorado pitching with four hits, including a double and triple, along with six RBIs to pace a 13-7 donnybrook over the Rockies. Craig Biggio and Orlando Palmeiro bash homers while Brandon Duckworth gets his first win as an Astro. 

|

41-year-old Roger Clemens makes his debut as an Astro a memorable one, blanking the Giants on one hit over seven innings to earn his 311th career victory, a 10-1 blowout

ByTom

2004 – What retirement? 41-year-old Roger Clemens makes his debut as an Astro a memorable one, blanking the Giants on one hit over seven innings to earn his 311th career victory, a 10-1 blowout. Homers by Richard Hidalgo, Jeff Bagwell and Jeff Kent support The Rocket who fans nine, including slugger Barry Bonds twice. Clemens also singles in his first at-bat as a National Leaguer. 

|

2004 – Houston acquires utilityman Mike Lamb from the New York Yankees in return for a minor league pitcher. Lamb bats .281 with 49 homers and 196 RBIs over four campaigns, adding five more homers in postseason play. 

ByTom

2004 – Houston acquires utilityman Mike Lamb from the New York Yankees in return for a minor league pitcher. Lamb bats .281 with 49 homers and 196 RBIs over four campaigns, adding five more homers in postseason play. 

|

2004 – Andy Pettitte, a major off-season addition, makes his Astro debut a succesful one, dropping the Braves, 9-3. The next day, Roger Clemens, the other Yankee free agent signee, wins his debut in a 15-8 clubbing of the Pirates. 

ByTom

2004 – Andy Pettitte, a major off-season addition, makes his Astro debut a succesful one, dropping the Braves, 9-3. The next day, Roger Clemens, the other Yankee free agent signee, wins his debut in a 15-8 clubbing of the Pirates. 

nolan ryan
|

Nolan Ryan returns to the Astros organization under a five-year personal services contract

ByTom

2004 – Nolan Ryan returns to the Astros organization under a five-year personal services contract. Ryan and his sons own one team in the Astros farm system and plan to add another one in 2005 when the AAA affiliate moves to Round Rock, TX and the AA squad moves to Corpus Christi. 

| |

Less than three months since retiring, pitcher Roger Clemens returns to sign a $5 million-dollar, one-year contract with the Astros. The 41-year-old holds a record six Cy Young awards. Clemens cites his Houston home and his friendship with Yankee-turned-Astro teammate Andy Pettitte among his reasons for pitching another season. The deal includes a ten-year personal services contract to remain with the organization once he retires for good. Clemens winds up giving the Astros a season to remember. 

ByTom

Less than three months since retiring, pitcher Roger Clemens returns to sign a $5 million-dollar, one-year contract with the Astros. The 41-year-old holds a record six Cy Young awards. Clemens cites his Houston home and his friendship with Yankee-turned-Astro teammate Andy Pettitte among his reasons for pitching another season. The deal includes a ten-year personal services contract to remain with the organization once he retires for good. Clemens winds up giving the Astros a season to remember. 

|

2003 – In an anticipated salary move, Houston trades closer Billy Wagner to the Philadelphia Phillies for righthanded pitchers Brandon Duckworth, Taylor Buchholz and Ezequiel Astacio. Wagner had opened the door to be traded after criticizing the ownership for not making the moves he thought would bring a pennant to Houston. 

ByTom

2003 – In an anticipated salary move, Houston trades closer Billy Wagner to the Philadelphia Phillies for righthanded pitchers Brandon Duckworth, Taylor Buchholz and Ezequiel Astacio. Wagner had opened the door to be traded after criticizing the ownership for not making the moves he thought would bring a pennant to Houston. 

|

2003 – Jose Vizcaino slaps a pinch-hit two-run single in the seventh to nip the Giants, 2-1. Billy Wagner sets a club record with his 44th save. The win moves the Astros within a half-game of division-leading Chicago but they split a four-game series with Milwaukee and miss the playoffs after leading the N.L. Central for most of the season. 

ByTom

2003 – Jose Vizcaino slaps a pinch-hit two-run single in the seventh to nip the Giants, 2-1. Billy Wagner sets a club record with his 44th save. The win moves the Astros within a half-game of division-leading Chicago but they split a four-game series with Milwaukee and miss the playoffs after leading the N.L. Central for most of the season. 

|

2003 – Richard Hidalgo blasts three homers and drives in five to lead a 14-4 slugfest over the Rockies at Coors Field . Adam Everett, Morgan Ensberg and Jeff Kent join him in the home run derby. Jeriome Robertson wins his 15th, a Houston rookie record, to keep the Astros 1-1/2 games ahead of Chicago in the N.L. Central race. 

ByTom

2003 – Richard Hidalgo blasts three homers and drives in five to lead a 14-4 slugfest over the Rockies at Coors Field . Adam Everett, Morgan Ensberg and Jeff Kent join him in the home run derby. Jeriome Robertson wins his 15th, a Houston rookie record, to keep the Astros 1-1/2 games ahead of Chicago in the N.L. Central race. 

|

2003 – Jeff Kent belts a grand slam and drives in six as Houston bombs Los Angeles, 10-1. Brad Ausmus adds a home run. Wade Miller ups his record to 12-11. The Astros tie St. Louis for the Central Division lead while Chicago lurks just 1-1/2 games behind. 

ByTom

2003 – Jeff Kent belts a grand slam and drives in six as Houston bombs Los Angeles, 10-1. Brad Ausmus adds a home run. Wade Miller ups his record to 12-11. The Astros tie St. Louis for the Central Division lead while Chicago lurks just 1-1/2 games behind.