EVENTS
 Sportsman of the Year
 Heisman Trophy
 Swimsuit 2001

	HOUSTON ASTROS
	2000 Spring Training Schedule
	2000 Regular Season Schedule

1999 Record: 97-65 (1st place, NL Central)

1999 Payroll: $56.4 million (10th)

1999 Team Statistics (NL rank) Batting Avg. .267 (8th)         Opp. Average .267 (8th) Runs Scored 823 (8th) ERA 3.83 (3rd) Home Runs 168 (11th) Fielding Pct. .983 (4th)

1999 Recap: The Astros survived a myriad of injuries to players and coaches to win their third consecutive NL Central Division title, joining the Braves as the only other National League team to reach the postseason in each of the last three straight seasons. Mike Hampton (22-4, 2.90 ERA) and Jose Lima (21-10, 3.58 ERA) became the first pair of teammates to win 20 games since 1993. Jeff Bagwell (.304-42-126) enjoyed another monster season as the Astros fought off the Reds for the Central crown.

1999 Highlight: Defeated Los Angeles 9-4 on the final day of the season to clinch the division title.

1999 Lowlight: Blew numerous opportunities in Game 3 of the Division Series against Atlanta and lost their sixth postseason series in as many tries.

Manager: Larry Dierker (283-203 in three seasons)

Coaches: Tom McCraw (hitting), Vern Ruhle (pitching), Jose Cruz (first base), Mike Cubbage (third base), John Tamargo (bullpen), Matt Galante (bench)

Camp Site: Osceola County Stadium, Kissimmee, Fla.

Reporting Dates: Pitchers and catchers on Feb. 18; full squads on Feb. 23

Additions: OF Roger Cedeno, RHP Octavio Dotel, RHP Dwight Gooden, RHP Mike Maddux, RHP Kip Gross, SS Adam Everett, INF Tripp Cromer

Subtractions: LHP Mike Hampton, OF Carl Everett, OF Derek Bell, OF Stan Javier, SS Ricky Gutierrez, RHP Brian Williams, C Randy Knorr.

Spring Cleaning: The Astros enter spring training searching for answers at shortstop, catcher, and the back of the rotation. RHP Jose Lima (21-10, 3.58) still anchors the staff, but Shane Reynolds (16-14, 3.85) needs to be more consistent after a shaky 1999. Scott Elarton (9-5, 3.48) was outstanding in a set-up role last season and made a smooth transition into the rotation late in the season. Elarton underwent off-season shoulder surgery, so he may not be at full strenghth as camp opens.

Managerial Expertise Winningest active MLB managers Manager, Team  Record  Pct.  Larry Dierker, HOU  283-203  .582  Davey Johnson, LA  1,062-812  .566  Bobby Cox, ATL  1,512-1,204  .558  Mike Hargrove, BAL  721-591  .550  Jimy Williams, BOS  545-463  .540  Johnny Oates, TEX  715-638  .528

Even if Elarton is healthy, the rest of the staff is sketchy with Octavio Dotel, Chris Holt and Dwight Gooden -- yes, the Doctor is in -- competing for spots. Is Dotel the real deal? Setup man Doug Henry returns and his ability to log many innings is his best asset to the Astros, who still need a quality setup lefty out of the pen. Houston has a dominant closer in Billy Wagner, so there are no worries there. But who will be the eighth-inning bridge to Wagner? At shortstop, Tim Bogar has the job for now, though his bat doesn't wow anyone. The Astros would like to see Adam Everett take over at short after coming over in the Carl Everett trade. How long can Houston go with Tony Eusebio as its starting catcher? Eusebio has a rifle for an arm, but his bat is unspectacular. Mitch Meluskey, one of the best catching prospects in baseball, could be the solution behind the plate. And last but not least, will OF Moises Alou and 3B Ken Caminiti return to All-Star form follwing injuries?

Key Acquisition: If SS Adam Everett can wrestle the starting job from Bogar and/or Dotel shines, then the Astros will justify the trades of ace Mike Hampton and outfielders Carl Everett and Derek Bell.

The Future is Now: It's time for Chris Holt to produce in the rotation. He was awful last season (5-13, 4.66) and only the patience of pitching coach Vern Ruhle and Larry Dierker kept him in the rotation. Holt's production is crucial considering the loss of Hampton and Elarton's status.

Opportunity Knocks: Outfielder Daryle Ward (.353-28-65) might get more at-bats now that Bell and Everett are out of the mix. The son of former major-leaguer Gary Ward came up with a three-run, first-inning double in the Astros' season finale that helped the club cruise to a 9-4 division-clinching win. The biggest question is Ward's defense and he'll have to out-hit his fielding inadequacies to become a fixture in the lineup.

Prospects to Watch: OF Lance Berkman, SS Adam Everett, LHP Eric Ireland, C Mitch Meluskey, RHP Wade Miller, LHP Wilfredo Rodriguez, OF Daryle Ward

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