It's safe to say Jose Altuve is considered one of the three greatest players in Astros franchise history, alongside Hall of Famers Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio. How you want to rank them is up to you, but there's no denying Altuve's body of work has put him into elite territory. When Altuve blasted a first-pitch homer Friday for his 34th career leadoff home run, he scored his 1,009th career run, passing Lance Berkman on the franchise's all-time list. Biggio (1,844 runs) and Bagwell (1,517 runs) are the only ones ahead of him. Altuve entered Saturday needing 35 hits for 2,000, three homers for 200, 13 doubles for 400 and 16 stolen bases for 300. He had his 35th career four-hit game on June 17, surpassing Biggio for the most four-hit games in club history. He's also tied with Alex Bregman and Carlos Lee for most grand slams in club history with seven. "I think he's there," Biggio said when asked about Altuve's place among the team's elite players. "You look at what he's been able to accomplish on the field, personally and team-wise, it's 100 percent he's in the equation." Entering the weekend, Altuve's 47.0 bWAR ranked sixth-best in club history behind Bagwell (79.9), Biggio (65.4), José Cruz (51.4), César Cedeño (49.7) and Berkman (48.1). Altuve will certainly be third on that list at some point soon. |
What sets Altuve apart is his postseason prowess. He's played in four World Series, winning two of them, and was the 2019 ALCS MVP after hitting a walk-off homer to clinch the pennant in Game 6. His 23 career postseason homers are the second-most in baseball history, trailing only Manny Ramirez. Biggio remembers meeting the 5-foot-6 Altuve when he was an unknown Minor Leaguer on a back field at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee, Fla., and marvels at the player and the man he's become. "The first time I ever met him, he's the same today as the guy I met 15 years ago," Biggio said. "I like to judge people … relationship-wise, how you first meet them and how they are, and he's the same kid that we all love." |
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"I wanted him to swing in that situation. He was trying to play baseball. I just tell him, 'You let me do the thinking, you do the playing.'" -- Baker after Mauricio Dubón tried to bunt in the sixth inning Friday when the manager didn't want him to bunt. Dubón hit a go-ahead double two pitches later. |
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The Astros, who didn't have any All-Star starters in the American League this year, will find out which players were selected to the July 11 All-Star Game when the complete rosters are revealed Sunday. The reserve position players and all pitchers for both teams will be announced at 4:30 p.m. CT Sunday on ESPN. Pitchers and reserves -- totaling 23 players for each side -- will be determined via "Player Ballot" choices and selections made by the Commissioner's Office. Baker, who will guide the American League in this year's Midsummer Classic in Seattle, doesn't have a voice in choosing players. Astros left-hander Framber Valdez, who was the winning pitcher in last year's All-Star Game, is a shoo-in to make his second All-Star team, but will have his start skipped Sunday in Arlington because of right ankle soreness. Slugger Yordan Alvarez, who was leading the Majors in RBIs when he strained his oblique June 8, is likely to make it, as well. Alvarez was a first-time All-Star last year but missed the game with a knee injury. |
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The city of Houston has treated at least one former University of Maine shortstop pretty well. Jeremy Peña, the former Maine shortstop, was named the MVP of the ALCS and World Series for the Astros last year. Now, another former Maine shortstop is headed to H-town with Jake Rainess transferring to the University of Houston from Maine. Peña and Rainess are friends, having met through a mutual teammate and bonding during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, when Peña returned to Maine. They spent a lot of time together, hitting on the fields and lifting weights, and got to know each other. In fact, Rainess taught Peña how to juggle baseballs during the lockdown. "When Covid happened, I went back up to Maine and he was one of the few players who stayed back at the university and didn't go home," Peña said. Rainess visited Peña at Minute Maid Park earlier this season when he was in town visiting the Houston campus. Rainess played in all 51 games this year for the Black Bears, slashing .317/.444/.629 with 14 doubles, 16 homers, 46 RBIs, 38 steals and 73 runs scored. "He had a great year in Maine," Peña said. "He killed it. They won the conference tournament. That's the first time in a long time. For him to do that and now he's at Houston … I'm happy he made the decision and know he's going to have a great time. If he needs any food spots, let me know." |
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THIS WEEK IN ASTROS HISTORY |
July 4, 1980: Nolan Ryan struck out Cesar Geronimo of the Reds to become the fourth pitcher to reach 3,000 career strikeouts in an 8-1 loss to the Reds at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati. (Geronimo was also Bob Gibson's 3,000th strikeout victim). Ryan reached 4,000 strikeouts on July 11, 1985, with the Astros and 5,000 on Aug. 22, 1989, with the Rangers. He finished with a Major League record of 5,714 strikeouts. |
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