By Arky Vaughan
Editor’s note - This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com on January 26, 2000.

Nolan Ryan, Joe Morgan, Don Sutton, Eddie Mathews, Nellie Fox and Robin Roberts all spent playing time in a Houston uniform, but none of them is wearing an Astros cap on his Hall of Fame plaque. Almost 40 years into its existence, the Astros organization has yet to see a player it can primarily call its own enshrined at Cooperstown.

That looks likely to change in the next 15 years. Houston fans, despite their frustration that the team has failed in three recent tries to win a playoff series, much less a pennant or world championship, have had the pleasure of watching two of the best players at their positions start for the Astros throughout the ’90s. Entering the 2000 season, have Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell already established themselves as viable Hall of Fame candidates? (more…)

Nolan Ryan, Joe Morgan, Don Sutton, Eddie Mathews, Nellie Fox and Robin Roberts all spent playing time in a Houston uniform, but none of them is wearing an Astros cap on his Hall of Fame plaque. Almost 40 years into its existence, the Astros organization has yet to see a player it can primarily call its own enshrined at Cooperstown.

(more…)

By Sue S.
Editor’s note - This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com on January 11, 2000.

Echoes of neighborhood boys who once shared tales of baseball can still be heard as if it were yesterday. “One million dollars?”, they shouted. “No one should make that much just to play baseball.” The time was around 1978, when Dave Parker signed the first million dollar per year contract worth $5 million. Well, why not? The average salary for a player in the NBA is around $2 million and approximately $1 million in the NFL. All compared to about $1.5 million for a player in Major League Baseball. At an Astros game in 1996, a fan was heard complaining, “They make millions of dollars and they still can’t win”. This person was wearing a Houston Rockets championship shirt and was exiting the Dome in disgust. It is ironic that it was Mike Hampton pitching that day and struggling early in his career. The team made blunders, but only due to lack of confidence. The players were doing their best with the teammates they had, with a payroll of just around $35 million. The Astros fell short of the playoffs that year. The opposing team, the Atlanta Braves, went on to win the National League pennant on a superior paycheck. (more…)

Editor’s note - This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com.
Until further notice, Zipper Flap will be at half-mast due to the Carl Everett/Adam Everett trade.  We here at the Flap hope this in no way had anything to do with C4 being named Zipper Flap Astro of the Year.  Just to make sure, however, the Astro of the Year for 2000 is none other than Chris Holt!!! (more…)