Dave Smith joined the Houston organization as an eighth-round selection in the 1976 draft out of San Diego State, a right-handed reliever who would eventually become the definitive bridge between the "Orange Force" era and the "Killer B’s.”
Debuting in 1980, he became the primary setup man during the 1980 division-title run, and he evolved into the team's full-time closer by 1985. He demonstrated a focused intensity that saw him record six consecutive seasons with at least 20 saves, a franchise record for consistency at the time. This period of rapid growth served as the essential lead-in to his status as a perennial All-Star, showing the organization that his sinker-slider repertoire was the perfect weapon to navigate the high-leverage pressures of the Astrodome.
In 1986, he evolved into one of the premier relievers in the sport, recording 33 saves and a microscopic 2.73 ERA to help lead the Astros to the NLCS. He showed the organization that he was a foundational winner by earning his first All-Star selection that summer, finishing the year as one of the league's most difficult pitchers to reach base against. He possessed a rare, durable quality that saw him record six seasons with a WHIP under 1.100, providing the steady-state production required to stabilize the back end of the Houston rotation for over a decade. He followed this with a second All-Star nod in 1990, when he saved 23 games with a career-best 1.89 ERA, proving his skill was as sharp at the end of his tenure as at the beginning.
Smith departed for the Chicago Cubs in 1991 as a free agent. With the Astros (1980–1990), Smith compiled a 53-47 record, 199 saves, and a 2.53 ERA.
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