Sorry for the delay on Round 2 ,i was up until 3 am on a deadline writing a book about how to care for a puppy. hard-hitting stuff!
Going to save myself some keystrokes and just tell you that most of the first-round matchups were blowouts as expected. The only ones less than a 65-35 margin were Lima Time over Mike Hampton and Jimmy Wynn "upsetting" Blummer.
Here are the matchups for the Round of 16. I've added in some stats for this round because baseball stats are my nerd heaven outside of Star Wars.
Since it's Friday, would you guys prefer to let this round go all weekend or have me do the FInal 8 Saturday and the FInal 4 Sunday with the Final 2 on Monday? Appreciate your input, will go with whatever the majority says.
VOTE NOW! - Stats are only for their time with the Astros#1 Nolan Ryan vs. #16 Darryl KileRyan: Played with Houston 1980-1988. 106-94 record, 3.13 ERA, led the league in strikeouts in 1987 and 1988. led the league in ERA in 1987 despite an 8-16 record. Pitched no-hitter #5 vs. LA Dodgers in 1981, breaking Sandy Koufax's record. Broke Walter Johnson's career strikeout record with #3,509 in 1983. Reached 4,000 strikeouts in 1985. 2 All-Star Games,
Kile: Played in Houston 1991-1997. 71-65 record, 379 ERA, pitched a no-hitter in 1993. Three All-Star Games, finished fifth in 1997 Cy Young Race after going 19-7. Finished 4th in Cy Young voting in 1981, 9th in 1983, 5th in 1987.
#2 Jeff Bagwell vs. #18 Jimmy WynnBagwell: Played in Houston 1991-2005. 1991 NL Rookie of the Year. 1994 NL MVP. Led the league in games played in 1992, 1996, 1997, 1999. Led the league in runs scored in 1994, 1999, 2000. Led the league in doubles in 1996. Led the league in RBI in 1994. Led the league in walks in 1999. Led the league in slugging and OPS in 1994. Career .297 batting average. Career .540 slugging percentage. Career .408 on-base percentage. One of only two third basemen in MLB history to record a 30-30 season (1997 and 1999). 4-time All-Star. 1994 Gold Glove winner. 3-time Silver Slugger winner. Outside of 1994, finished 9th in 1996 MVP race, 3rd in 1997, 2nd in 1999, 7th in 2000 and 7th in 2001. 33rd all-time in slugging, 40th all time in home runs, 52nd all-time in runs batted in, 28th all-time in walks.
Wynn: Played in Houston 1963-1973. Hit 223 HR and stole 180 bases as an Astro. Led the league in walks in 1969. First Astro to hit 30 HR in a season, and held the club record for HR in a season (37) from 1967 until Bagwell hit 39 in 1994.3 All-Star Game appearances.
#3 Lance Berkman vs. #14 Justin VerlanderBerkman: Played in Houston 1999-2010. Slashed .296/.410/.549 in 1,592 games with 326 home runs. Led the league in doubles in 2001 and 2008. Recorded 30+ home runs five times and topped 100 RBI six times. Scored more than 100 runs five times. Hit .318 in 29 post-season games with 26 RBI and 6 HR. 6 All-Star Games. Finished 5th in MVP voting in 2001, 3rd in 2002, 7th in 2004, 3rd in 2006, and 5th in 2008.
Verlander: Played in Houston 2017-?? 43-15 record as an Astro with an ERA of 2.45. 5-0 with 1.06 ERA after trade in 2017. Led league in games started, shutouts, and strikeouts in 2018. Led league in wins, games started, and innings pitched in 2019, and became just the 4th Astro pitcher to reach 300 strikeouts. 2019 Cy Young Award winner. 2017 NLCS MVP. 4-1 in 2017 post-season. Married to Kate.
#4 Craig Biggio vs. #13 Alex BregmanBiggio: Played in Houston 1998-2007. Switched from C to OF to 2B. 3,060 career hits is 25th all-time. 1,844 runs is 15th all-time. 668 career doubles is 6th all-time. 285 career hit by pitch is 2nd all time behind some dummy whose rookie year was 1891. First career Astro elected to the Hall of Fame (2015). 7 All-Star Games. 4 Gold Gloves. 5 SIlver Sluggers. Led league in games played 1992, 1996, 1997. Led league in runs scored in 1995 and 1997. Led league in doubles 1994, 1998, 1999. Led league in steals in 1994. Led league in hit by pitch in 1995, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2003. NL career leader in leadoff home runs. 10th in 1995 MVP voting, 4th in 1997, 5th in 1998.
Bregman: Played in Houston 2016-current: 2nd in MVP voting 2019. Led league in doubles in 2018. Led league in walks in 2019. Career slash of .281/.381/.521. Finished 5th in MVP voting in 2018. Two all-star games appearances. .356 batting average in 16 ALDS games. 2018 All-Star Game MVP. 2019 Silver Slugger.
#5 George Springer vs. #12 Roy OswaltSpringer: Played in Houston 2014-??. led the league in games and plate appearances in 2016. Two Silver slugger awards. Finished 7th in MVP voting in 2019. World Series MVP in 2017 - .379 average, .471 OBP, 1.000 slugging, 5 home runs, 7 RBI. Career .349 hitter in the post-season through 63 games. 19 career post-season home runs.
Oswalt: Played in Houston 2001-2010. Led league in wins with 20 in 2004. Won 20 games back to back in 2004, 2005. led league in winning percentage in 2001. Led league in games started in 2004-2005. Led league in ERA in 2006. Career 143-82 record with Houston and 3.24 ERA, 19 complete games, 7 shutouts. 4-0 career record in the post-season with Houston. NLCS MVP in 2005 with 2-0 record and 1.29 ERA. 3 All-Star Games. Finished 5th in 2001 Cy Young voting, 4th in 2002, 3rd in 2004, 4th in 2005, 4th in 2006.
#6 Ken Caminiti vs. #11 Jose LimaCaminiti: Played in Houston 1987-1994, 1999-2000. .264 average in 10 years in Houston with 103 HR and 48 SB. Never played in Triple A, jumped from Columbus to Houston in 1987. Hit .471 with 3 HR in 1999 NLDS loss to Atlanta. All-Star 1994.
Lima: Played in Houston 1997-2001. Went 21-10 in 1999 and 16-8 in 1998. Led league in games started in 1999. Career record in Houston 46-42. 1999 All-Star.
#7 Carlos Correa vs. #10 Mike ScottCorrea: Played in Houston 2015-??. 2015 AL ROY. 2017 All-Star. Slashed .276/.353/.480. HIt .500 in ALWC series in 2020 and .500 in 2020 ALDS with 3 HR and 11 RBI in 4 games. Two career post-season walk off HR. 17 career post-season home runs and 50 career post-season RBI in 63 games.
Scott: Played in Houston 1983-1991. Cy Young Winner. Clinched 1986 division title with no-hitter. Led the league in ERA, innings pitched, and strikeouts in 1985.Only the 2nd pitcher in Astros' history to record 300 strikeouts in a season. 110-81 career record in Houston with 3.30 ERA. Led the league in wins in 1989 (20). Only player in history to win League Championship Series MVP for losing team - 2-0, 0.50 ERA, 18 innings, 19 strikeouts vs. Mets in 1986 NLCS. 3 All-Star Game appearances. Finished 10th in 1986 MVP vote. Finished 7th in 1987 Cy Young vote and 2nd in 1989.
#8 Jose Altuve vs. #9 Jose CruzAltuve: Played in Houston 2011-??. 2017 AL MVP. Led league in at-bats in 2015. Led league in hits 2014-2017. Led league in steals in 2014, 2015. Won the batting title in 2014, 2016, 2017. Only Astro to ever win a league batting title. Finished 3rd in 2016 MVP chase. 10 years with Houston, .311 career hitter. .306 career hitter in 63 post-season games. .326 career hitter in ALDS. .351 career hitter in ALCS. 18 career post-season home runs.
Cruz: Played in Houston 1975-1987. Hit .292 in 13 years in Houston with 1,937 caeer hits, 138 HR, 942 RBi, and 288 stolen bases. Played at least 140 game a year from 1977-1986, barring the 1981 strike season. Led the league in hits in 1983. Hit over .300 six times with another season at .299. Led the league in sacrifice flies in 1976 and 1984. Hit .400 in 1980 NLCS with a .609 OBP. HIt .300 in 1981 NLDS. 2 All-Star Games, 2 Silver Sluggers. Finished 3rd in 1980 NL MVP vote, 6th in 1983, 8th in 1984.