Los Angeles Angels Dream Team

 

Every sport evolves with each passing generation -- from the

size and athleticism of players to game strategy. 

Baseball’s evolution, however, is both historic and unique given

the pre-integration and dead ball eras. For the former, full

segregation took place from 1887-1947. Full integration, which

was a gradual process, came in 1959. The Deadball Era was a

period in the early 20th century when baseball was

characterized by low scoring and emphasis on pitching. 

There was the Steroid Era, which has no definite start time though

it is generally assumed that the era ran from the late 1980s until

the late 2000s. This era was defined by shattered home run

records leading to exorbitant salaries. 

The Los Angeles Angels came into Major League Baseball in 1961

as an expansion team. They were known as such until 1965

before being rebranded as the California Angels (1965-1996).

They were known as the Anaheim Angels from 1997-2004 before

going back to their roots as the Los Angeles Angels. 

The franchise has frequently toiled in local obscurity behind the Los

Angeles Dodgers, the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers, college

football’s USC Trojans and college basketball’s UCLA Bruins. The

Angels, however, have had their moments. The first being their

2002 seven-game World Series victory over the San Francisco

Giants. The franchise has also won nine American League West

titles. 

Today, I formed an Angels Dream Team in a 26-man roster format.

For openers, to make this roster, four years as an Angel are

required. No exceptions. With the free agency era, I’m not going to

cheapen this roster with 1-3 year rentals. 

I’m forming a 12 man pitching staff, five starters and seven relievers.

For the latter, I want at least one lefthander in the bullpen. For

position players, I am taking what I believe is the best of the best

regardless of era. For the bench players, it’s the best of the rest with

versatility being heavily considered. Merit achievements such as

Hall of Fame, All Star appearances and Gold Gloves are considered

but not guaranteed. General impactfulness on the franchise is also

considered.

Generational reminders

If you played on a playoff team, there is no guarantee of landing on

this roster. If you played during a bad season, that does not deter

you from being on this roster. Off the field baggage is not a deterrent

to landing on this team, nor is any Steroid Era affiliation. This is

baseball, not the Boys Scouts. 

Starting pitchers

Nolan Ryan, Jered Weaver, Mike Witt, Chuck Finley, Frank Tanana

Ryan came to the Angels in a trade from the New York Mets and at

the time was viewed as being inconsistent and lacking control. When

he became an Angel, Ryan began making the transition from thrower

to pitcher. The Hall of Famer’s resume could cover enough ground

from San Diego to Eureka but the Reader's Digest version is that

Ryan is the Major League all-time leader in strikeouts and no hitters.

Five of Ryan's eight All-Star appearances came with the Angels.

Weaver's 150 wins in an Angels uniform ranks second behind

Finley's 165. Weaver spent all but one of his 12 Major League

seasons with the Angels and was a three-time All-Star. He also led

the American League in wins in 2012 and 2014 led the Major

Leagues in strikeouts in 2010. Redwood trees are normally in the

Northern part of the state the six-foot-seven Witt provided the Angels

such a presence as well. Witt pitched 10 of his 13 Major League

seasons with the Angels with his best coming in 1986 when he

recorded a 2.84 ERA and 208 strikeouts. Witt was a two-time All-Star. 

Finley is the franchise's all time leader with 165 career victories.

Finley pitched a total of 14 years with the Angels and was an All-

Star on five occasions. Finley has also drawn consideration for the

Hall of Fame. Tanana and Ryan anchored the Angels pitching staff

throughout the 1970s. Their presence led to a saying of “Tanana

and Ryan and two days of cryin.’” Tanana was a three-time All-Star,

Major League strikeout leader in 1975 and American League ERA

leader in 1977. 

Bullpen

Closer -- Troy Percival

Francisco Rodriguez, Scot Sheilds, Bryan Harvey, Brenden

Donnelly, Dave LaRoche, Bob Lee

Percival pitched 10 seasons with the Angels and is the franchise's

all time leader in saves with 316. Percial was a four-time All-Star

and a critical part of the Angels 2002 World Series team. Rodriguez

was originally a starting pitcher but transitioned incredibly to

becoming a reliever. Before becoming the Angels closer, he was

the setup man for Percival. Rodriguez established a Major League

record 62 saves in 2008 and recorded 208 saves in an Angels

uniform on the way to becoming a three-time All Star with the

franchise. He too was a crucial reason for the 2002 World Series

title. Shields pitched 10 seasons with the Angels and while he never

earned any All-Star recognition, he was a vital member of their

bullpen including the 2002 World Series. Only Percival has pitched

more games in franchise history than Shields. Harvey's 126 saves

rank him third in franchise history. He was an Angel for five seasons

and led the Major Leagues in saves in 1991. One of his two All-

Star appearances came in an angels uniform before becoming a

Florida Marlin. 

Similar to Shields, Donnelly was unheralded in large part because

he pitched in a setup role but he was no less valuable to the Angels

2002 World Series. Donnelly was an All-Star in 2003. LaRoche

pitched a combined six seasons with the Angels with his best

campaign coming in 1977, when he earned an All-Star bid. Moore

is best known for giving up the home run to Dave Henderson and

Game 5 of the 1986 ALCS. Moore, however, was particularly

impactful the first two years of his four with the Angels as their full-

time closer. Moore was an All-Star in 1985 and compiled a 2.75

ERA during his time with the Angels. 

Infield

Catcher -- Bob Boone, First base -- Rod Carew, Second base --

Bobby Grich, Third base -- Troy Glaus, Shortstop -- Jim Fregosi

The Angels acquired Boone in a trade from the Philadelphia Phillies

in 1982. Despite being 34 years old at the time of the trade, Boone

had a very productive seven years with the Angels, winning four

Gold Glove Awards and an All-Star appearance in 1983. Boone

also helped the Angels win division titles in 1982 and 1986. Though

Carew spent most of his career with the Minnesota Twins, he

remains an excellent performer in his seven seasons with the

Angels, six of which were All Star campaigns. On the way to a Hall

of Fame career, Carew joined the 3,000 career hit club. Grich was

the first player inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame in 1988 and a

case could be made that he belongs in the Major League Baseball

Hall of Fame. Grich played 10 seasons with the Angels and helped

them win two division championships and reached three All Stars

during his time with the franchise.

In his third season of seven with the Angels, Glaus enjoyed a

breakout season in setting a franchise-record 47 home runs in 2000.

Glaus was a three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger Award

winner with the Angels. He was a key reason they won the 2002

World Series and was the Series MVP. Other than Mike Trout,

Fregosi might be the best position player in franchise history. He was

the last one to retire as an original member of the Angels. Fregosi

was a six-time All-Star and was also a Gold Glove Award winner in

1967. 

Outfield

Leftfield -- Garret Anderson, Centerfield -- Mike Trout, Rightfield --

Tim Salmon

Anderson is the only angel in franchise history the compiled 2000

hits with the team. Anderson spent 15 of his 17 Seasons with the

Angels and was a three-time All-Star into time Silver Slugger Award

winner. He was also an integral reason why the Angels won the

World Series in 2002. Trout is both one of the best players in his

generation and the best player in franchise history. Trout is entering

his 11th Major League season and is an eight-time All-Star, three-

time American League MVP, eight-time Silver Slugger Award winner,

member of the 30-30 club in 2012 and RBI leader in 2014. Salmon

was a career Angel playing all 15 years of his Major League career

with the franchise, including the 2002 World Series team. Though

he never made an All-Star appearance, Salmon was a household

name and a consistent performer. He was the American League

Rookie of the Year in 1993 and compiled a .282 career batting

average with 1,016 RBIs.

Bench 

Benji Molina, Wally Joyner, Howie Kendrick, Doug DeCinces,

Vladimir Guerrero, Darin Erstad

Molina originally entered the Major Leagues as a good fielder but

limited hitter but eventually morphed into a pretty offensive player

compiling a .274 career batting average. Molina also won two Gold

Gloves and helped the Angels to their 2002 World Series title.

Joyner, who was nicknamed “Wally World,” as a spin-off from

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, burst onto the scene in

1986 when he was runner-up to Oakland’s Jose Canseco for

American League Rookie of the Year. Joyner was an All-Star in

1986 and a very solid performer every other season with the

Angels. Erstad makes this team on versatility alone. Erstad played

first base and also left field. Erstad was a two-time All-Star and

three-time Gold Glove Award winner with tremendous range. He

compiled a .286 batting average in his career but .339 in the

postseason and was a vital reason for the Angels winning 2002

World Series.

Versatility also earns Hendrick a spot on this team. While he was

primarily a second baseman, he also played first base and left field.

Kendrick’s lone All Star season came in 2011 as an Angel.

DeCinces came in a trade from the Baltimore Orioles in 1982 and

helped the Angels win two division championships, 1982 and 1986.

He was a Silver Slugger Award winner in 1982 and an All-Star in

1983. Guerrero spent six of his 16 seasons of his Hall of Fame

career with the Angels and was an All-Star in four of those seasons

and was the American League MVP in his season debut in 2004.

Manager

Mike Scioscia

The Angels have had 21 managers in their franchise history but

after Scioscia the race is for second. Scioscia was a part of two

World Series championship teams as a player for the Los Angeles

Dodgers and immediately turned what had been a floundering

Angels franchise into a consistent contender. The Angels won the

World Series in 2002, Scioscia’s third season. Though the Angels

had plenty of postseason disappointments in the years thereafter,

they were consistently viable. Scioscia became the 56th manager

to win 1,000 or more games and the 23rd to have all 1,000 be with

one single team. Scioscia managed the Angels for 18 years and

only NBA Coach Gregg Popovich had a longer tenure with one

team than Scioscia among the North American Sports major

franchises. 

Team

2002

Anaheim is the place for Disneyland but the 2002 Angels

embodied a Cinderella like story. The Angels have had seasons

with more regular season wins but it’s hard to go against the only

team in franchise history to win the World Series. The Angels

started the season 6-14 dirt rally for a 99 win season. Though

they fell four games behind the Oakland A's for the division title in

the American League West, the Angels first stormed their way to

the World Series by defeating the New York Yankees in four games

in the ALDS and the Minnesota Twins and five games in the ALCS

before defeating the San Francisco Giants in seven games in the

World Series. In Game 6, the Angels were behind 5-0 with seven

outs away from defeat but rallied for a 7-5 win and subsequently

won Game 7 4-1. Anderson was the offense’s centerpiece in

tallying 123 RBIs. Jarrod Washburn went 18-6 with a 3.15 ERA,

anchoring a pitching staff that allowed the fewest runs in the

Major League. 

Nancy was a loving and resilient soul

 

Some days life brings news that makes you cry real tears. 

For the family of Nancy Brace-Davis along with large pockets

of people throughout Napa, CA and anywhere else whose

hearts she captured, that news came on Sunday, March 14,

2021. Nancy passed away at age 48 after a bout with cancer. 

Nancy's obituary ran on Wednesday, March, 31, 2021, in the Napa

Valley Register:

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/napavalleyregister/name/nancy-davis-obituary?pid=198202249

When the news reached social media, it traveled at the speed

of light, capturing many emotions in the process -- from

sadness to shock and everywhere in between. 

Nancy leaves behind her husband, Jeff, along with three kids

(Lauren, Violet and Emmett). She also leaves behind her

parents, Richard and Patricia, along with her older sister,

Jacqueline, and grand-daughter, Gwen. Those names are

just scratching the surface. Nancy also leaves behind

extended family members, friends and acquaintances that

loved her as if she were a member of their own family. 

I knew Nancy was enduring her hardship regarding her bout

with cancer because she posted a picture on social media

several months earlier with her head shaved, which was a

stark contrast to her cascading dark curls, as a sign of bravery

that she would defeat this disease. Hair or no hair, she carried

an effervescent smile and personality. Having known Nancy

for most of my life, I had no reason to think any other outcome

of her defeating cancer existed. 

Nancy and I are the same age but she was a class ahead of

me in school. We both attended St. Apollinaris School and

Justin-Siena High School, both in Napa, CA. Nancy graduated

from Justin in 1990 while yours truly followed suit in 1991. 

Nancy was a prime example of, “to know her was to love her.”

I have met numerous people in my life that were well-liked but

have a pocket of people who think differently of them. Finding

anyone that had misgivings about Nancy? I’d have better luck

finding a four-leaf clover in a wheat field. If you didn’t like Nancy,

you had the problem. Not her. 

Nancy was one of the kindest, sweetest, and most fun-loving

people you will meet. She could also mix in a little sassiness

but it was never mean-spirited or malicious. After high school,

I crossed paths with Nancy from time-to-time when out

shopping or at our daughter’s (Danielle D’Adamo and Violet

Davis) youth softball games in 2018. All greetings began and

ended with a ginormous hug. One can only imagine what the

social distancing during Covid-19 did to her. All kidding aside,

Nancy was such a loving soul. That quality is one that becomes

something to behold in a society of shrill personalities. To quote

1970s TV character Archie Bunker, you could be in your worst

“frame of mood” but the moment you saw Nancy, it was like a

lightbulb of sunshine illuminated. 

The conversations ranged from old times as kids in Napa to our

lives afterward and everywhere in between. The conversations

were always so great that you left wanting more. Regardless,

they were discussions I will always treasure. 

People that know Nancy see a smile and personality that spreads

sunshine. That trait, without question, was the dominant one. She

had an “everybody's friend” appeal.

However, the side of Nancy’s personality that should not be

overlooked is her resilience. For openers, Nancy became a parent

at age 17 along with her then high school significant other (Anton).

She navigated life skillfully as the primary child-rearer for the

aforementioned Lauren. I can’t speak for what Nancy endured in

this role when no one was watching, and not am I here to do so.

However, what I can say is that while becoming a parent at such

a young age can make one lose their youth, Nancy never lost her

youthfulness and energy. She was the same kind, sweet and fun

loving soul as a 25-year old raising an 8-year old child as she was

at any other point in her life. 

Nancy’s passing brings yet another reminder. Cancer is not

undefeated because many have lived fruitful lives after recovering

but it’s a disease that still claims far too many lives prematurely.

Nancy’s passing also resonates because I come from a family of

cancer survivors, most notably my mother and two of three sisters.

I’m sure I have ample company.  

The sadness of Nancy’s passing is immutable. Would we like to

have seen Nancy live much longer than she did? Yes but anyone

with a clear conscience can see that Nancy made the most of her

48 years. Knowing Nancy as I do, she looked cancer straight in the

eye. Nancy probably had trepidation like anyone in that situation would

but to use an old baseball colloquialism, “she went down swinging”

or “she didn’t leave the bat on her shoulders.” 

There is a commonly uttered narrative of, “you only live once.” That

phrase could not be further from the truth. You die once but you live

every day. Nancy lived to the fullest every day she was alive. 

Nancy, I’m in no hurry to get to where you are going but I know we'll

meet again some day. You leave behind a lot of loving people on

Earth. You also have many loving people waiting for you in heaven

because of lives you touched in the past. 

Hopefully one day “the people versus cancer” battle will swing the

pendulum with the people prevailing in more of these battles. 

Houston Astros Dream Team

 

Every sport evolves with each passing generation -- from the

size and athleticism of players to game strategy. 

Baseball’s evolution, however, is both historic and unique given

the pre-integration and dead ball eras. For the former, full

segregation took place from 1887-1947. Full integration, which

was a gradual process, came in 1959. The Deadball Era was a

period in the early 20th century when baseball was

characterized by low scoring and emphasis on pitching. 

There was the Steroid Era, which has no definite start time though

it is generally assumed that the era ran from the late 1980s until

the late 2000s. This era was defined by shattered home run

records leading to exorbitant salaries. 

The Houston Astros came into Major League Baseball in 1962

as an expansion team along with the New York Mets. The

franchise was known as the Colt 45s their first three years before

being renamed to the Astros to reflect the city’s role as the host

of the Johnson Space Center. 

They have history in both the National (1962-2012) and National

Leagues (2013-present). The Astros won the World Series in

2017 in controversial fashion because of using technological

advantages to stealing opposing teams’ signs. The franchise

reached the World Series again in 2019 but lost in seven games

to the Washington Nationals. 

The Astros have won ten division titles and reached the playoffs

four more times as a wild card team. 

Today, I formed an Astros Dream Team in a 26-man roster format.

For openers, to make this roster, four years as an Astro are

required. No exceptions. With the free agency era, I’m not going

to cheapen this roster with 1-3 year rentals. 

I’m forming a 12 man pitching staff, five starters and seven

relievers. For the latter, I want at least one lefthander in the

bullpen. For position players, I am taking what I believe is the best

of the best regardless of era. For the bench players, it’s the best

of the rest with versatility being heavily considered. Merit

achievements such as Hall of Fame, All Star appearances and

Gold Gloves are considered but not guaranteed. General

impactfulness on the franchise is also considered.

Generational reminders

If you played on a playoff team, there is no guarantee of landing

on this roster. If you played during a bad season, that does not

deter you from being on this roster. Off the field baggage is not a

deterrent to landing on this team, nor is any Steroid Era affiliation.

This is baseball, not the Boys Scouts. There are no morality

clauses, even for the 2017 Astros. 

Starting pitchers

Roy Oswalt, Larry Dierker, Nolan Ryan, Dallas Keuchel, Mike

Hampton

The Astros have a deep history of right-handed starting pitchers

and Justin Verlander can crack this list if he recovers from Tommy

John surgery. None, however, compiled a better resume in an

Astros uniform than Oswalt. He was the Astros ace throughout the

2000s. In his 10 seasons with Houston, Oswalt was a three-time

All-Star, National League wins leader in 2004 and ERA leader in

2006. He was the NLCS MVP in 2005. Some generations of fans

only know Dierker as a popular broadcaster and later successful

manager but he was also a stalwart for 13 seasons. Dierker was

a two-time All-Star who leads the franchise in shutouts and

complete games along with innings pitched. Ryan is one of the

best athletes in the history of Texas regardless of sport. On the

way to a Hall of Fame career, Ryan pitched 27 seasons in the

Major Leagues, eight of which came with the Astros. Ryan's

resume could cover enough square mileage to fill the state of

Texas but for the Reader's Digest version, he is the all-time

Major League leader in strikeouts for a career along with seven

career no-hitters. 

Keuchel is the only left-handed pitcher in franchise history to win

a Cy Young Award. Keuchel saw the best and worst of times

during his seven seasons with the Astros between 2012 and

2018. He saw both the rebuilding stage when the franchise

was known as the “Lastros” and the World Series championship

in 2017. As an Astro, Keuchel compiled a record of 76-63 with a

3.66 ERA and he was also a solid postseason pitcher. Keuchel

was a two-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove Award winner.

He was the American League Cy Young Award winner in 2015

and led the American League in victories that season. The

well-traveled Hampton pitched six of his 17 Major League

seasons with the Astros compiling a 76-50 record with a 3.59

ERA. He led the Major Leagues in victories in 1999 won 22,

which is also a franchise-record. 

Bullpen

Closer -- Billy Wagner

Dave Smith, Brad Lidge, Joe Sambito, Will Harris, Ken Forsch,

Octavio Dotel

Wagner is the franchise's all time leader in saves with 225. Three

of his seven career All-Star appearances came in an Astros

uniform. Among Major League pitchers who have pitched at

least 800 career innings, Wagner's 11.9 strikeouts per nine

innings and 33.2% strikeout rate are both the highest in Major

League history. Smith and his deceptive changeup lasted 11

years with the Astros. Smith is second in franchise history with

189 saves behind Wagner. Smith was an All-Star on two

occasions. Lidge had a solid 11-year career, six of which were

with the Astros. Lidge is third in franchise history in saves and

was an All-Star in the 2005 season. Sambito pitched nine

seasons with the Astros and was one of the most efficient left-

handed pitchers out of the bullpen in the 1970s. He was an All-

Star in 1979 and at one point had a string of 40 consecutive

scoreless innings. 

Harris pitched for the Astros for four seasons but is eighth in

franchise history and appearances and was an All-Star in

2016. Forsch's versatility alone gives him a spot on this team

because he started 153 games and appeared in 268 as a

relief pitcher in his 11-year career with Houston. He also

compiled a 2.78 ERA. Dotel was well-traveled having pitched

for 13 teams but his five-year span in Houston was quite

impactful. Dotel pitched in 282 games in relief with 42 saves

and a 2.40 ERA. 

Infield

Catcher -- Brad Ausmus, First base -- Jeff Bagwell, Second

base -- Craig Biggio, Third base -- Alex Bregman, Shortstop

-- Carlos Correa

Ausmus played 10 of his 18 seasons with the Astros and was

a starting catcher on five playoff teams. Ausmus was a decent

hitter but was especially known for his defense as evidenced

by his three Gold Glove Awards. Bagwell and Biggio formed

one of the best right sides of the infield in Major League history.

Both became Hall of Famers and lifelong Astros. Bagwell was

a four-time All-Star, National League Rookie of the Year in

1991. In 1994, he was National League MVP,  National League

RBI leader and Gold Glove Award winner. Bagwell was also a

three-time Silver Slugger Award winner. Biggio spent the first

five seasons of his 20-year career as a catcher before

becoming firmly entrenched as a Hall of Fame second

baseman. Biggio accumulated over 3,000 career hits. He

was a seven-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger Award

winner, four-time Gold Glove Award winner and National

League stolen base leader in 1994.

Bregman is entering his sixth season and has already had a

very accomplished career. Bregman has been an All-Star in

two of his first five seasons with the Astros and helped deliver

the 2017 World Series title. Bregman was also a Silver Slugger

Award winner in 2019. Injuries have gotten in the way for

Correa on a few occasions. Entering his seventh season

with the franchise, however, he is the best shortstop in Astros

history. He already has more home runs than any shortstop

in the history of the franchise. Correa was the American

League Rookie of the Year in 2015 and an All-Star in 2017

on the way to helping the Astros win their only World Series

title in franchise history.

Outfield

Leftfield -- Lance Berkman, Centerfield -- Cesar Cedeno,

Rightfield -- George Springer

Other than Bagwell and Biggio, there might not be a better

offensive player in franchise history than Berkman. He was

versatile and played all three outfield positions along with

first base. Berkman spent 12 Seasons with the Astros; he

was a five-time All-Star and National League RBI leader in

2002. Cedeno had an excellent combination of power, speed

and defense and would have had an even better career if

injuries didn't slow him. Cedeno was only the second player

in Major League history to hit 20 home runs and steal 50

bases in a season and did it three years in a row. Lou Brock

was the other. Cedeno was a four-time All-Star and five-time

Gold Glove Award winner. Springer, who is now a Toronto

Blue Jay, spent seven seasons with the Astros and was an

All-Star three straight years. He won two Silver Slugger

Awards and was a vital reason why the Astros won their

2017 World Series title. Springer was the World Series MVP.

Bench

Alan Ashby, Bob Watson, Jose Altuve, Ken Caminiti, Jose

Cruz, Jimmy Wynn

Ashby played 11 seasons with the Astros and the switch

hitter was a vital cog on two playoff teams in the 1980s.

Ashby has more home runs and RBIs than any catcher in

Astros history. Watson played 14 seasons with the Astros

and his 486 RBIs are third most in franchise history among

first baseman. Watson was an All-Star on two occasions.

Altuve is one of three players in Major League history to

accumulate 1,500 hits, 275 doubles and 250 stolen bases

in his first nine seasons. Honus Wagner and Ben Chapman

are the others. Altuve is entering his 11th season and has

been an All-Star six times, American League MVP in 2017,

five-time Silver Slugger Award winner, three-time batting

champion, two-time stolen base leader and helped the

2017 Astros win the World Series.

Caminiti is more widely known for his time as a San Diego

Padre but he had a solid eight-year career with the Astros.

Caminiti’s rise to stardom ended up compelling the Astros

to move Bagwell from third to first base. Cruz was traded to

the Astros in 1975, where he spent 13 seasons. He was a

vital cog in the 1981 and 1986 division winning teams.

Cruz was a two-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger Award

winner and the franchise’s all-time leader in triples.  Wynn

was nicknamed “The Toy Cannon” because he was a

powerful header despite being small in stature at 5-9 160

pounds. Wynn's tenure overlapped the Colt 45 and Astros

eras. In his 11 seasons, Wynn was a three-time All-Star. 

Manager

AJ Hinch

Hinch replaced Bo Porter before the 2015 campaign and

led the Astros to their first postseason appearance since

2005. Hinch, who is now the Detroit Tigers manager, led

the Astros to two World Series appearances in his four

seasons with the Astros winning the title in seven games

in 2017 and losing to the Nationals in seven games in

2019. Hinch’s .593 career winning percentage is the

highest in franchise history and has also led the Astros

to 14 postseason victories, one more than Phil Garner.

In Hinch’s four years, the Astros surpassed the 100

victory mark three times. 

Team

2017

Seeing the 2017 team on this list may draw the ire of many

because of the electronic sign stealing scandal but

considering that it resulted in the only World Series in

franchise history the choice is easy. The 2017 Astros

featured the highest scoring offense in the Major Leagues,

led by American League MVP Altuve. The Astros also

bolstered their cause of winning the title and acquired

Verlander in a trade from the Detroit Tigers. Verlander won

all five of his regular season starts and was ALCS MVP.

The Astros won 101 games in the regular season, easily

outdistancing second-place Angels, who went 80-82.

The Astros defeated Boston in four games in the ALDS,

outlasted the New York Yankees and seven games in the

ALCS and defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers and seven

games in the World Series.