Killer B's (Houston Astros)
The name "Killer B's" was first used on March 31, 1996, when it referenced Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Sean Berry, and Derek Bell.
His speed would serve him well in stolen bases, and management wanted to save his legs from the rigors of catching, trying him part-time in the outfield the next year.
The following year, the Red Sox desired relief pitching to try and contend for the playoffs, and they searched for help from the Astros with their pitcher in Larry Andersen; a New England region scout for the Astros recommended Bagwell as a return piece, having noticed his talent (Bagwell, while a .300 batter in his minor league career, did not look like a candidate to unseat the starting third baseman in Wade Boggs anytime soon).
Although the Astros had a starting third baseman in Ken Caminiti, Bagwell's promise as a player in spring training for 1991 convinced them to try him at first base in the majors for Opening Day.
Lance Berkman was a noted prospect that dazzled as a member of the Rice Owls baseball team that went to the College World Series in 1997.
In Game 4 of the 2005 National League Division Series, he belted a grand slam to help spark a rally that saw them overcome a 6-1 deficit to eventually win in eighteen innings.
Although he won the Rookie of the Year award upon his debut to the majors in 1998, he battled injuries and the pains of a small market club in the midst of futility (the Royals did not make the postseason from 1986 to 2013).
A .278 batter with fifteen home runs, Beltran seemed a worthy trade piece as the All-Star break loomed in June.
He proceeded to play 90 games with the Astros while batting .258, hitting 23 home runs while adding to his stolen base total (where he stole 42, with 28 from Houston).
[2] Chris Burke helped the Tennessee Volunteers baseball team to the College World Series in 2001, and as such he was a fair prospect for the draft that year.
In Game 4, batting in the 18th inning against Joey Devine, he slammed a home run that ended the series and advanced the Astros to the NLCS for a second straight year.
He collected 3,060 hits by the end of his career to go along with 291 home runs (53 as a leadoff hitter, a National League record), seven All-Star Game appearances and five Silver Slugger Awards.
Beltran would spend most of the next twelve years after 2004 as a member of the New York Mets, but he would find his way back to the Astros in free agency after the end of the Killer B's era.
