The Astros won their third consecutive NL Central division title on October 3, the final day of playing regular season games in The Astrodome before a sellout crowd. Fans broke the franchise attendance record for a second consecutive season at over 2.7 million. For the first time in franchise history, Houston claimed three consecutive division titles while qualifying for the playoffs in three straight seasons; the next time they accomplished this occurred exactly two decades later, in 2017, 2018, and 2019. This was the Astros' sixth division title and sixth playoff appearance in franchise history.
However, the Astros' season ended in a 3-games-to-1 defeat by the Atlanta Braves in that year's NLDS. It was their third consecutive NLDS loss, and the second in three seasons to Atlanta, who ended their season as the NL pennant winners. In fact, through the point, the Astros had never won playoff round.
January 19, 1999: Ryan Thompson was signed as a free agent by the Astros.[3]
January 21, 1999: Alex Diaz was signed as a free agent by the Astros.[4]
Regular season
New stadium
Exterior of Minute Maid Park
In 1999, the Astros played their final season in the Astrodome as their new stadium was being prepared for play to begin in the 2000 season. The ballpark was first named as Enron Field on April 9, 1999, with naming rights sold to the Houston energy and financial trading company in a 30-year, $100 million deal. Astros management faced a public relations nightmare when the energy corporation went bankrupt in the midst of one of the biggest corporate scandals in American history in 2001, and they bought back the remainder of Enron's thirty years of naming rights for $2.1 million, renaming the ballpark as Astros Field on February 7, 2002. The field was unofficially known as "The Field Formerly Known As Enron" by fans and critics alike, in the wake of the Enron scandal. On June 5, 2002, Houston-based Minute Maid, the fruit-juice subsidiary of Coca-Cola, acquired the naming rights to the stadium for 28 years at a price exceeding $100 million.
Based on its downtown location next to the old Union Station buildings, one of the suggested names (and nicknames) is the Ballpark at Union Station, or the BUS. During its days as Enron Field, it was also dubbed "Ten-Run" or "Home Run" Field due to its cozy left-field dimensions. In keeping with this theme while paying homage to its current sponsor, the nickname "The Juice Box" is colloquially used today.
Overview
On April 21, Jeff Bagwell hit three home runs in a 10–3 win against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, his second career three-home run game. The second home run allowed him to surpass Jimmy Wynn as the Astros' all-time home run leader at 224 and he tied a career-high in one game with six runs batted in (RBI).[5] He produced another three-home run game on June 9 against the Chicago White Sox. He was also a grand slam short of hitting for the "home run cycle," with a solo home run, a three-run home run, and a two-run home run, respectively.[6] The two three-home run games made him the only player to accomplish this feat at two different stadiums in Chicago in the same season.[7]
On June 13, manager Larry Dierker collapsed in the dugout mid-game versus the San Diego Padres due to a grand mal seizure. He was hospitalized and required brain surgery, but recovered well to miss just 27 games. The game was suspended with Houston leading, 4–0.[8] In spite of losing Dierker, two other coaches to lengthy absences, and 14 players to the disabled list (DL), the Astros kept the competitive momentum going throughout the season.[9]
When the game against San Diego that was interrupted by Dierker's seizure was resumed, reliever Billy Wagner surrendered a pair of home runs. However, the Astro held on for a 4–3 win.[10]
On August 20, Bagwell walked a major-league record six times in a 16-inning game against the Florida Marlins.[11][12]
The Astros won their final regular-season contest at the Astrodome on October 3, 9–4 over the Los Angeles Dodgers, while also clinching a third consecutive National League Central division title. The first time in franchise history the Astros had won three consecutive division titles,[13] they made history before yet another sellout crowd. In a season where standing-room only access became more commonplace than ever, Astros fans turned in yet another record-setting year of attendance, with 2.7 million, shattering the previous record set just the year prior, at 2.45 million.[9]
Also for the first time in franchise history, with Hampton (22 wins) and Lima (21), the Astros sported a 20 game-winner duo.[9]
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