Jose "Cheo" Cruz played 19 total seasons in the Major Leagues, including 13 seasons with the Astros where he was a fan favorite and helped lead the organization to its first appearances in the postseason. Cruz played in 1,870 games with the Astros, batting .292 with 335 doubles, a franchise-record 80 triples, 138 home runs, 942 RBI and 288 stolen bases while playing the majority of his games in the pitcher-friendly Astrodome. Cruz was a two-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger Award winner with Houston. In 1980, he finished third in the National League MVP voting after leading Houston to its first-ever division title and postseason berth. Cruz, who is currently a community outreach executive for the Astros, has held a strong presence within the organization since his playing days, as he spent 13 seasons as the Astros Major League first base coach and over a decade in the front office.