2001 Houston Astros season
| 2001 Houston Astros | ||
|---|---|---|
| National League Central champions | ||
| League | National League | |
| Division | Central | |
| Ballpark | Enron Field | |
| City | Houston, Texas | |
| Record | 93–69 (.574) | |
| Divisional place | 1st | |
| Owners | Drayton McLane, Jr. | |
| General managers | Gerry Hunsicker | |
| Managers | Larry Dierker | |
| Television | KNWS-TV FSN Southwest (Bill Brown, Jim Deshaies, Bill Worrell) | |
| Radio | KTRH (Milo Hamilton, Alan Ashby) KXYZ (Francisco Ernesto Ruiz, Alex Treviño) | |
| ||
The 2001 Houston Astros season was the 40th season for the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located in Houston, Texas, their 37th as the Astros, 40th in the National League (NL), eighth in the NL Central division, and second at Enron Field, later christened as Minute Maid Park. The Astros entered the season with a 72–90 record and fourth place finish after having ended the previous three seasons (1997–99) as NL Central division champions.
Outfielders Moisés Alou (fourth selection) and Lance Berkman (first), and pitcher Billy Wagner (second) each represented the Astros and played for the National League at the MLB All-Star Game.
For the fourth time in five seasons, the Astros won the NL Central title, having won 93 games. Though tied for the same W–L record with the St. Louis Cardinals, the Astros retained the tiebreaker by virtue of defeating them in the final game of the year on October 7 to win the season series, 9–7. In the finale, Shane Reynolds became the seventh Astro to win 100 games and the first since Mike Scott in 1989. The Astros played the Atlanta Braves for the third time in the last four years in the National League Division Series, with the Braves beating them once again, this time in three games. Days later, manager Larry Dierker resigned.
Following the season, catcher Brad Ausmus won his first career Gold Glove Award. Starter Roy Oswalt was chosen as The Sporting News NL Rookie Pitcher of the Year, and for the Topps All-Star Rookie Team as the right-handed pitcher. The Houston Astros also received the Baseball America Organization of the Year Award.