Thunder Gulch colt: "Toy Cannon"

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

I agree that the Astros haven't developed anyone, and that hasn't changed after the move from the Dome.

Jose Lima, Mike Hampton and Darryl Kile all dropped off as soon as they left Houston. Lima was the most disastrous as the new stadium (then known as Enron Field) was totally in his head. Hampton left and went to Colorado before being injured 347 times and Kile had two horrible years in Colorado before going to St. Louis and improving prior to his untimely death. Perhaps the difference between the Astrodome and Coors Field got to them but they definitely dropped off. Nonetheless, I love the horse's name and hope you'll show up with a hat from the rainbow jersey era at his debut.

I may wear my JR Richard throwback

Hampton never had that one outstanding season again but he pitched very well for the Mets his first season post-Houston and also had a really good season in Atlanta as well. Outside of the year Kile won 19 for Hou he was about as good for St Louis as he was in Hou. Lima was Lima.

The Astros have done a horrific job over the years developing pitching. Out of the best pitchers to play for them (many hardly household names or really even any good):
Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, JR Richard, Mike Scott, Don Wilson, Larry Dierker, Roy Oswalt, Brad Lidge, Billy Wagner, Mike Cuellar, Shane Reynolds, Turk Farrell, Mike Hampton, Dave Smith, Bob Knepper, Joe Niekro, Randy Johnson (Hey it was only 11 games but he did win 10 of them), Andy Pettitte, Valverde...

Only Wagner, Dierker, Wilson, Richard, Smith, Oswalt, Reynolds and Lidge were drafted or 1st signed (pre-draft) by Houston. Of those 3 of them were drafted/signed in the 60's and 3 are strictly closers. So in close to 50 years of Houson Astros pitching development, that is what they have to offer despite having one of the best pitching parks in modern baseball history. Oh boy. I may have regurgitate the Pirates draft record thread to make me feel better