APRIL 6, 1969:
NL PREVIEW: ASTROS by Joe Heiling (Houston Post)
HOUSTON - He is a large man with bulging eyes who speaks in short, clipped sentences. He has a penchant for long, fat cigars and for saying, "Don't worry about it."
This spring, Spec Richardson, the general manager of the Houston Astros, had plenty to worry about.
Just two days into camp, two of his pitchers were involved in a head-on highway collision, and luckily neither Jim Ray or Howie Reed was killed.
Then Donn Clendenon refused to report. He was supposed to play first base, slug a fistful of home runs and drive in 80 or 90 runs.
To get Clendenon, an ex-Pirate, and Jesus Alou from Montreal, the Astros had to turn over Rusty Staub to the expansion club.
During the next three weeks - when Richardson suffered the personal loss of his mother - the controversy became so entangled that he saw his team play just three exhibition games.
Even so, his handiwork was evident. After the Astros finished dead last in 1968, Richardson shopped the trade marts. He may have come up with the items to give the Astros the best team they have yet put on the field.
Harry Walker thinks so and he is the fellow who must make his boss look good and the Astros a winner.
"I think the club could be a little better balanced than in other years," Walker said. "I don't know where we will finish in our division. Who can say now? We'll run more and I think we'll hit more. Our defense should be better. We'll go as far as our pitching will take us."
To land experienced talent such as catcher John Edwards, first baseman Curt Blefary and the youngest of the Alou brothers, Jay, the Astros had to relinquish rights to a pair of established starters - Mike Cuellar and Dave Giusti.
The gamble may not be overly risky. The big three on the mound are Don Wilson, Larry Dierker and Denny Lemaster. They are established starters.
Tom Griffin, a 21-year-old righthander, won the No. 4 berth after a year of learning at Oklahoma City, where he was 7-14. That's not impressive until you see him throw. He could be another Gary Nolan.
Jack Billingham, obtained from Montreal in the Clendenon settlement, could work his way into the rotation.
The bullpen is where the Astros have their fingers crossed. They are counting on a big comeback by ex-Tiger Fred Gladding and are sold on former Yankee Dooley Womack.
Otherwise, the Astros' lineup is pretty well set.
Edwards is the catcher after playing on pennant winners at Cincinnati and St. Louis. Blefary, a member of Baltimore's 1966 champions, is at first, with Joe Morgan at second, Denis Menke the shortstop and Doug Rader at third.
The outfield has Norm Miller and Bob Watson platooning in left; slugging Jim Wynn, a 37-homer, 107-rbi man in 1967, in center, and Alou in right.
"We've got a lineup that should score some runs," said Walker, a man who holds hitting close to his heart, "and I think we'll be an exciting team to watch."
LARRY DIERKER