The only other player considered for the list was Billy Wagner, and space constraints came down to him or Dierker ... Wagner was more dominant, but Dierker probably the best (career) SP in Astro history, so I went with the innings-eater over the closer.

Incidentally, I voted for Biggio but on reflection, probably should have voted for Bagwell. Possibly the greatest long-term teammate combo in the sport's history? That'd be an interesting poll question! Who else would be on that list?

Trammell and Whitaker obviously belong in the discussion. And like Biggio and Bags were only Astros, Tram and Lou were only Tigers. So make that a constraint (if not "only" then at least "primarily"), too, if you can!

I can't imagine anyone trumping Ruth and Gherig, to be honest.  They may not have lasted as long as, say, Biggio/Bagwell, but....

Koufax and Drysdale

Ford and Mantle and Berra

Reese and Snider and Robinson (and Hodges...)

Rose and Perez

and, of course, Bell and Barfield and Moseby trumps them all :)

I like that Ford/Mantle/Berra suggestion more than the others, even Ruth and Gehrig, because it's a hitter/pitcher combo.

Bob Gibson and Lou Brock, maybe. Injuries cost the Red Sox the pitcher half of Ted Williams/Mel Parnell and also the pitcher half of Yastrzemski/Lonborg ... this is hard! Ernie Banks and Fergie Jenkins? Nah.

Mays & McCovey had a long stretch of greatness together, as did Cobb and Sam Crawford in Detroit, who were followed pretty quickly by Greenberg and Charlie Gehringer, although they were partially cut off by the war. With at least three pairs on genuinely great players (Whitaker and Trammel), Detroit has certainly had a lot of great teammate pairs that closely coincided, if not the best ever.

Ryan threw 326 innings (with 383 strikeouts) in 1973. The next year he threw 332.2 innings (with a measly 367 Ks). Talk about a horse. Hard to believe he was still blowing hitters away almost 20 years later.

Pete Rose and Johnny Bench had a nice run in Cincinnati.

I agree, greenfrog, but ironically, that's exactly why I didn't vote Ryan as greatest Astro. In 1973, he was an Angel; 20 years later, a Ranger. Honestly, I don't think of him as an Astro first, which I do for literally every other candidate on that list.

Due to the fact that he was my favorite ball player not on the Blue Jays growing up, its gotta be Bags!

I just had to pick Mike Scott.
I think Nolan as more of an Angel or a Ranger...