Bill Doran

A fine defensive second baseman, Bill Doran starred for the Houston Astros in the 1980s, frequently batting leadoff. He and Dickie Thon formed an excellent young doubleplay combination which helped Houston to the 1986 playoffs. Doran clubbed a two-run homer off Ron Darling in the second inning of Game Two in the 1986 League Championship Series. It gave the Astros a commanding 4-0 lead, but the Mets came back to defeat Houston, 6-5.

Drafted in the sixth round of the 1979 Summer draft, second baseman Bill Doran was a key component of the successful Houston clubs of the Eighties. His ability to get on base and run well made Doran the offensive table-setter for the team, earning him Team MVP honors for the 1985 and 1987 seasons. In 1987, Doran clubbed 16 homers, stole 31 bases, and drove in 79 runners while playing in all 162 games.

Doran was traded for three prospects to his hometown Cincinnati during the 1990 season as part of a payroll purge by Houston. He left his mark in the hearts of Astros fans and in the club's record books, placing in the all-time Top 10 in almost every offensive category tracked by the team.

A Cincinnati native, Doran was dealt to the Reds at the trade deadline in 1990, and hit very well for three weeks for his new team, helping them win the division title. But an injury prevented him from participating in the post-season, and he was not able to play in their World Series upset against Oakland.

Quotes About Bill Doran
"He makes those plays so regularly that when he doesn't, you're kind of surprised. I can't say enough about Billy. He's the kind of guy you can't get out of the lineup. He actually gets mad when I want to give him a day off." — manager Hal Lanier

Best Season: 1985
Doran was fifth in Rookie of the Year voting in 1983, and he received MVP votes in 1985, 1986, and 1987. But his '85 campaign was his best overall. He batted .287 with a .434 SLG percentage and 14 homers. He also swiped 23 bases and scored 84 runs.

Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1982
Tony Gwynn, Wade Boggs, Julio Franco, Willie McGee, Tony Phillips, Don Mattingly, Frank Viola, Doug Jones and Kevin Bass

Sources:

Houston Astro Daily