Casey would vault o’er their strawberry skins – and the game played on!
Our Pecan Park Eagle Selected
All Time Houston Colt .45s/Astros
“True Grit” Starting Nine Players
********************
NOTE: Club Hall of Famers and other famous Houston super stars were not considered as candidates for this club. This team, these guys, are the fire-breathing hustlers we picked from the ranks of those players who made great contributions to Houston big league baseball based upon an apparent special grit for pushing their own abilities in ways that best served the team cause. And their selections were not all tied to their stats. Their field personas and flexible value to the club were major considerations.)
Pitcher: Turk Farrell (14-13, 3.02 in 1963)
Catcher: Hal Smith (.235 in 1962)
1st Base: Marwin Gonzalez (.303 in 2017)
2nd Base: Bill Doran (.283 in 1987)
3rd Base: Denny Walling (.312 in 1986)
Shortstop: Julio Lugo (.283 in 2000)
Left Field: Jim Pankovits (.283 in 1986)
Center Field: Casey Candaele (.286 in 1990)
Right Field: Billy Spiers (.301 in 2000)
Please feel free to – either or both – replace any of these guys on your own list of “true grit” local MLB starters – and/or add other full roster additions into a 25-man full roster club, if you prefer.
*******************
Bill McCurdy
Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher
The Pecan Park Eagle
The Pecan Park Eagle 
January 11, 2018 at 7:05 pm |
Pitcher: Turk Farrell (14-13, 3.02 in 1963) – Mike Hampton or Wade Miller were certified gritty bulldogs as well and never really “superstars”
Catcher: Hal Smith (.235 in 1962) – I thought Johnny Edwards was pretty gritty behind the dish (.268 in 1972)
1st Base: Marwin Gonzalez (.303 in 2017)
2nd Base: Bill Doran (.283 in 1987) I like Doran and I also like Denis Menke here.
3rd Base: Denny Walling (.312 in 1986) – Walling was best PH the Astros have ever had but how about Doug Rader? Or Spiers here?
Shortstop: Julio Lugo (.283 in 2000) I can’t forgive Lugo’s playoff errors – to this day! I’d put Roger Metzger or Tim Bogar here.
Left Field: Jim Pankovits (.283 in 1986) – Jesus Alou and his neck stretches! (.306 in 1970)
Center Field: Casey Candaele (.286 in 1990) – Carl Everett .296 in 1998.
Right Field: Billy Spiers (.301 in 2000) – I love Billy but I remember him more at 3B. You could always move Candaele to RF as he could play anywhere.