The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team based in Houston, Texas.

The Astros gave the Red Sox journeyman Larry Andersen in exchange for minor-leaguer Bagwell, who would win the 1990 Eastern League MVP award for the AA New Britain Red Sox.

With Mo Vaughn in their system, the Red Sox reasoned that Bagwell was expendable, and while Andersen did help the Red Sox to the divisional title, Bagwell went on to become the Astros' all-time home run leader and, in most people's minds, the best overall player in Astros history.

The trade was so lopsided that it appears on virtually any list of the best/worst trades in MLB history, and "Larry Andersen" became a popular phrase in Boston to describe the futility of the Red Sox front office during the 86-year "Curse of the Bambino."

However, after the 1991 season, the Astros made one of the worst trades in franchise history, sending speedy outfielder Kenny Lofton to the Cleveland Indians for catcher Eddie Taubensee.

Faced with declining attendance at the Astrodome and the inability of management to obtain a new stadium, in the 1991 off-season Astros management announced its intention to sell the team and move the franchise to the Washington, D.C. area.

In February the Astros signed Shawn Chacon to a one-year contract.

Spring Training ended with a loss to the Detroit Tigers at Minute Maid before the Stros went on to face the Padres.

The game that day was bad for the Houston Astros because Roy Oswalt gave up four runs in six innings of work.

Houston Astros 2005 World Series