Crazy for Baseball

Update. . . or end-date?

2008-10-03T15:34:00.000-07:00

Wow. No posts since July. That used to be unusual for me, but no longer. Ah well.

In my last post, I mentioned that I would describe how my trip to New York made me feel as a fan. To be succinct. . . um, inferior? Like a step-child, maybe? Or maybe, loser.

There were virtually no Astros' objects in the HOF. I kept looking. . .and looking. . .and looking. There was a mention of the Astrodome, Craig Biggio's 3000th hit, the occasional no-hitter or pennant ring. . . but that was pretty much it. No Astros objects in the gift shop, either.

Nothing like a reminder that your team has never won a World Series, nor has any members in the HOF, to make you proud of your fandom.

Going to Shea and Yankee Stadium was equally dispiriting. Even though I pretty much despise both teams, I have to admit I was jealous. I mean, fans that actually know their players' names? And actually pay attention to the game, and cheer for the players? What a revelation! Usually, when I go to Minute Maid Park, if I yell something along the lines of "Go, Berkman!", I get the look from other fans. You know--the look that says, 'Will you please be quiet?', or maybe, 'Who is Berkman?'

When you add in the Astros' miserable play pre-All Star Break, my enthusiasm as an Astros' fan took a pretty serious blow. It's embarrassing to admit it, because I think it makes me sound like a bandwagon-type, but it's true. Because of this gloom, I found it difficult to get excited about their late-season run, even though by mid-September, they were only 3.5 games out of the wild-card, and had won 14 of 15. I told myself, if they could get past the Cubs on September 12 - 14th, THEN I would get excited.

Hurricane Ike had other plans.

The Astros played only two of those games. In a total fubar, the Astros had to leave Houston early Sunday morning to get to Milwaukee to play two supposed home games with the Cubs at Miller Park. The Astros' owner, Drayton McLane, is as much to blame as Commissioner Bud Selig for the fiasco, but the most galling aspect for the majority of Astros' fans was the response of some Cubs' fans, and a couple of their players. The Astros had left their families in the dark, with no power, no water, and no idea when such services would be returned. Some were not even sure of the amount of damage to their homes, or the safety of their family or friends. Needless to say, they could give a crap about baseball at that point, and they played like it (like crap, that is). Instead of expressing sympathy for the situation, some vocal Cubs fans--as well as Aramis Ramirez and Ryan Dempster--basically said that the Astros were being whiners and crybabies. The fans at Miller (about 24,000, all but about 5 being Cubs fans) actually booed the Astros when they took the field, and at various points throughout the games.

Such self-absorbed arrogance is always startling to me. How difficult would it have been to have said, 'you know, you guys got shafted, and it sucks. Good luck with cleanup, and let's play ball'?

But hey. . .karma's a bitch.

The Astros looked like they had given up on the rest of the season at that point, dropping 5 games in a row. While I completely understood losing to the Cubs, the three losses to the Marlins did nothing to endear the team to many in the fan base. Many wondered if they were whining crybabies, who couldn't man it up enough to get over the Miller Park games. Others wondered if they were Black Soxing it, to protest the owner's handling of the Cubs' series. In any case, it looked like they were in for a dismal finish.

It wasn't quite as dismal as one might have thought. The Astros ended the season 86 - 75, a thirteen-game improvement over 2007 (the final game with the Cubs was not played), and 3.5 games out of the Wild Card. In the last game, the team said goodbye to long-time catcher Brad Ausmus, and for fan appreciation day, had bullpen members manning the entrances.

And so it ends.

The season, of course. But also a phase of my life, as I have decided to not renew my season tickets. While I'm sure I'll take in a few games next year, season tickets no longer seem like a good value. Part of it is the expense of concessions, as well as the expense, and time, and wear-and-tear of traveling three hours back and forth per game. But part of it is that going to games is just not a good entertainment value for me anymore. I can't change teams--that's not the kind of person I am--but I can put less money in Drayton McLane's pockets. I can watch games on TV, and save money on beer, food, gasoline, as well as listening to Brownie and J.D.'s scintillating repartee.

Similarly, it's unlikely I'll keep up with this blog much anymore (not that posting every couple of months can really be considered "keeping up"). I never say "never," but if the motivation to attend games is no longer there. . . yeah, I'm not seeing it.

For those few who have wandered here from time to time, thanks for reading, and accept my best wishes for your baseball team, whichever it may be, and for all the times of your life.

I will remember this for a long time.

2008-07-21T13:28:00.000-07:00

My BBF (best baseball friend) Max uttered those words to me after I took him with me to Craig Biggio's final game in an Astros' uniform. It was indeed a very moving and memorable day.

That sentiment is apt for my recent journey to NYC. Really, I do not think I could imagine a more perfect vacation. As I have begun describing it to friends and family, a recurring comment from others is "trip of a lifetime."

You be the judge.

Arrived to LaGuardia airport early Saturday afternoon. With directions in hand, I navigated NYC public transportation (translation--I rode the subway!) to arrive at Miss J.'s place. We then headed out together to a Belgian bar (I recommend the Delirium Tremens from Huyghe Brewery, should you have the opportunity to partake) before heading across the street to feast on Thai food. Then, it was off to the August Wilson Theatre for Jersey Boys! What a great show--I was captivated from the opening lines. And of course, got to see Times Square in both daylight and dark (not that it's ever exactly dark there!).

Sunday was filled early with touristy things--visiting landmarks and taking photos at Grand Central Station, Central Park, and the Esplanade at Battery Park, as well as visiting another brewery/bar (hmmm. . .beer). We also spent a bit of time at St. Paul's Chapel, which is currently serving as a bit of an impromtu Ground Zero memorial while the "real" one is under construction. It was very touching, more so than I think either of us expected. Then, the day was completed with a visit to Shea Stadium, where the Mets were hosting the Rockies.

Hate the Mets. Loved Shea, though. We had great seats and the weather was perfect, high seventies and clear.

Monday morning found us arising early to embark upon a journey by car (which by this time was seeming like a bit of a novelty, having taken the subway or walked everywhere) to Cooperstown, NY. It was an arduous and yet astoundingly beautiful drive to midstate NY to the home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, passing picturesque farms amid rolling green hills partitioned by crystal clear creeks. To drive down Main Street in Cooperstown was to feel that one was driving down such a street in the late 50's. While the HOF attracts fairly large crowds, the town itself hasn't succumbed to the drive to modernize. Its charm cannot be overstated, and I look forward to returning in 2012. The HOF and Museum proclaims to "preserve history, honor excellence, and connect generations."

Well said.

Tuesday morning found us returning to NYC, tired but anticipating the trip's piece de resistance, the MLB All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium. We considered trying to attend the Red Carpet Parade, but decided against it, heading out instead to the All-Star Fan Fest at Javits Convention Center. I was able to get basically all of my ASG souvenir requests filled here, which was very welcome as I did not want to fight the anticipated crowds at the gift shop at Yankee Stadium (also, as high as prices were at the Fan Fest, most were doubled at the stadium--crazy!) We then headed over to the House that Ruth Built, arriving as the gates opened at 5 p.m. The rest of the evening was simply taking it all in--first AL, then NL batting practice, preparation of the playing field, the lengthy but nonetheless lovely opening ceremonies, and the game itself. The game was actually a good one, going extra innings. After the 12th inning, nearing 1 a.m. local time (and having been at the ballpark for a full workday--going on 8 hours), me being the loser that I am, I lobbied to go ahead and leave. Miss J. graciously accommodated my request, and after a two-hour subway ride back to Brooklyn, I grabbed about three hours' sleep before showering and grabbing the subway for the ride back to LaGuardia and the flight home.

I'll post another day about the feelings this journey engendered in me as a baseball fan, but as I said before, I do not think I could imagine a more perfect vacation. Huge thanks and appreciation to redbirdbrain for making it possible!

Vacation!

2008-07-11T17:38:00.000-07:00

I leave tomorrow for New York City! The slate is full, with a Broadway show tomorrow night, Mets/Rockies on Sunday, Cooperstown on Monday, and (drum roll please). . .

The All-Star Game on Tuesday!!

I was starting to freak out a little bit because I didn't receive the tickets until Wednesday of this week. The folks at StubHub were very nice every time I called. . . and I called alot. But the tickets finally arrived safe and sound, and I was very relieved.

Interestingly, redbirdbrain had almost an opposite reaction, as she didn't get excited until the tickets were in hand. Apparently, she didn't realize until I texted her, the day the tickets arrived, that we are actually going. To. The. Game.

Surprise!

Yeah. . . not sure how I failed to communicate the plan there, but at least she has something to look forward to now, other than dragging this ol' redneck around the big city. Yay!

All righty then

2008-06-12T15:32:00.000-07:00

What a difference a couple of weeks can make. The Astros have now been playing like the team I know and hate to love. They suck. They are currently a game under .500, tied with the Pirates (the Pirates!) for fifth in the division, and ten games back of the division-leading Cubs. Lance Berkman is leading in All-Star voting at first base, as he should, since he is still on a pretty fierce run. Everyone else has cooled down considerably, although Miguel Tejada is showing some signs of life again. The rotation is living up to expectations, which were not good. Astros' pitchers are on pace to set a new MLB record for home runs allowed.

Sigh.

It was fun while it lasted.

In other news, I went to the lake yesterday to ride the bike trails. They are one-way, single-bike-width trails. I remembered why I don't like to go first, when I rode straight into a full-body spider web, head first. I spotted the little bastard right before I hit him, but he had the last laugh.

Have I mentioned that I hate spiders?

The involuntary, convulsive, body-wide spasm that occurred next left me bleeding from an accidental scratch on my face and with all my possessions--helmet, bike, fanny pack, camelbak--scattered over several feet. It looked like a yard sale. My friend caught up with me at that moment and declared, "You're such a girl."

I was too tired to even flip her off.

Amusingly, I ran across the link to this later that day. Laughed my ass off, as I can totally relate.

29 - 23

2008-05-26T05:50:00.000-07:00

Went to a couple of games this weekend, including this gem that ended with a walk-off 7 - 2 double play. I've been watching the replay over and over again, it just amazes me. It also helps make up for Sunday's crappy 15 - 6 loss, in which our two worst relievers gave up 11 runs over two innings. When Nieve came out, I figured we were done, even though we had a two-run lead. After he gave up 5 runs and they replaced him with Borkowski, I just left. Which means that I thankfully got to miss the 6 runs given up by Borks. He was decent in '06, but this year he pretty much guarantees a loss when he's in a game. Amazingly, Oscar Villareal didn't give up any, as he finished out the game. Good for him, I guess, although it only seems to emphasize that he can't pitch well when there's any pressure.

Overall, still, I'm just amazed by how well the team is playing. I wasn't there Friday, but Jose Valverde won over even more fans with his performance that night. Thankfully he was okay after getting hit, as was the umpire that got hit on Sunday. A commenter to a blog at the Houston Chronicle summed up this team's vibe the best:

The vocal leadership of Miggy Tejada,the boyish enthusiam of Hunter Pence,the personality and talent of the Big Puma,the toughness of Brocail and Valverde,the speed and defense of Bourn and Matsui,the consistency of Carlos Lee, the professionalism of the Wise men [our bench calls themselves the five Wise Men] and the patience of Cecial [sic] Cooper make this one of my favorite and most enjoyable Astro teams in my over 40 years of being an Astro fan.

Well said!

Wow

2008-05-10T17:00:00.001-07:00

Almost three months since I've posted anything.

Opening Day came and went. The Astros have played 36 games and are 19 - 17, 3 games back of the division-leading Cardinals (meh. Who saw that coming?). The 'Stros haven't been at or above .500 in a year, so obviously a "winning" record is welcome.

What's really welcome is how they've played--which is to say, like they actually give a crap. I'm amazed, honestly. The last two seasons have been agonizing, and not just because of all the losses (although losing certainly wears on us fans). For two years, it seems that my favorite team has just been going through the motions--show up, take the field, stand in the batter's box, maybe swing at stuff, try to field stuff, jog some on the basepaths, lose, shower, go home. Really difficult to justify all the money it costs to attend games when watching was so frustrating.

But this year, I don't know--it's just fun.

Even when they lose.

Miguel Tejada has been a revelation--his defense is better than advertised, his bat is just as good as advertised, and the dude just gets excited. He plays like he's ten, only with a better attention span. Michael Bourn has a woeful .274 OBP, yet he has 16 SB. He's incredibly fast--watching his acceleration in center field is amazing, and defensively he reads the ball very well. And Lance Berkman--man, what an amazing start that guy's having. I've always criticized Puma for what I considered a lackadaisical attitude, but this year he obviously came to play. Is it Tejada's influence? Or is Berkman finally blossoming into his full potential on the field and in the clubhouse since Bagwell and Biggio are both gone? Who knows. Maybe he's just lucky or blessed, but whatever it is, Berkman currently leads all of baseball in SLG and OPS, and is second in HR, RBI, and AVG, and third in OBP. In-freakin'-credible.

I hope this play continues. If it does, I think the team can be competitive this year. With our pitching, we need every tangible and intangible we can get!

Here's to a fun year at Minute Maid Park--cheers!

What's that saying?

2008-02-27T10:57:00.000-08:00

Oh, yeah, I remember--"politics makes strange bedfellows." Of course, "bedfellows" probably has a different connotation now than it did back in the day that this phrase originated, but the sentiment is still valid.

Take my friend redbirdbrain and me, for instance. We became acquainted through a love of baseball and beer, but we couldn't be more different.

She's young. Me? Not so young.

Her politics are left-leaning, shall we say. Me, I'm a redneck.

She's a vegetarian. Me, well. . . not.

She graduated from Missouri and received her post-graduate education in Europe. Almost all my fancy book learnin' came from that bastion of conservatism, Texas A & M University.

She's a Cardinals' fan. I, obviously, am not.

And yet, though we differ, we still manage to get along. . . at least, until now.

As part of my quest to visit all the MLB ballparks, I am planning a trip to redbirdbrain's neighborhood this summer, a quaint place known as New York City. We will be taking in a Mets/Rockies contest at Shea, and we will also attend an event at Yankee Stadium.

THE ALL-STAR GAME!!

In chatting with young Miss Brain about this upcoming event, I discovered the one difference between us that could have been a deal-breaker:

me: Hey! did you get my email? I got us tickets for the Mets game!
redbirdbrain: Oh my gosh I did get that email and thank you so much!!!! I'm sorry I didn't respond yet - but I can't WAIT for july!
me: Me either!
redbirdbrain: it's going to be a blast, I'm not taking a vacation this year but it should be like one
me: I'll say so! I'll probably need a vacation just to get over this vacation!
redbirdbrain: haha! I haven't looked at the link you sent me today yet, maybe I will do that now
me: I am watching "Chocolat." I don't like Johnny Depp but this is such a lovely movie. Enjoy the link!
redbirdbrain: you DON'T LIKE JOHNNY DEPP?
forget it, you can't come to ny
me: Uh oh.
redbirdbrain: I've never heard of a woman who doesn't like johnny depp!
me: So, I think he's ok in this movie
redbirdbrain: well that's something
me: I bet you don't like Matthew McConaughy
redbirdbrain: that's true actually
me: Hahahaha!
redbirdbrain: we'll just have to agree to disagree on this I suppose
me: Yay! Works for me. I mean, if we can handle the 'Stros/Cards thing, and the A&M/Mizzou thing, we can deal with this, right?
redbirdbrain: heehee, at least we have beer in common!
me: There you go

All I can say is, thank God for beer.

So, yeah. . . .

2008-02-23T17:33:00.000-08:00

Wow, is all I can say about the Congressional hearings. A waste of time for all.

And I've stopped trying to defend Roger Clemens, for fairly obvious reasons I would imagine. I still believe in "innocent until proven guilty," but his appearance there was either the most ill-advised, or ill-prepared, that I've ever witnessed (pun intended). It took my breath away, how poorly he presented himself. I felt very sorry for his family.

And obviously I'm a Republican, since I felt no sympathy for Brian McNamee at all. Clemens may be a delusional asshole with no sense of personal responsibility, but McNamee is just a sleaze.

Enough of that. Spring Training has begun, yay! Which means, of course, that Hunter Pence has started running into stuff. Or in this case, through stuff. Young Mr. Pence gets his own bobblehead this year. I'm anticipating that it will come with bandaids, an arm sling, and crutches.

So, I had some excitement of my own a couple of weeks ago. To make a long story short, my fire alarm went off. Alas, I did not hear it because I was in the shower (I was getting ready for work, meaning it was around 6 in the morning). By the time I realized it was going off, the fire department was at the door, ready to bust it down. I'm sopping wet, thinking it's the intruder alarm instead. Not sure who was more surprised--me, finding out that the "intruders" were firemen, or them--since I answered the door in a towel.

With my 12 gauge.

Meh. At least they know where I stand on the Second Amendment.

Grrrr. . . .

2008-01-18T17:41:00.000-08:00

Ever called a help line? Ever notice that they seem to be staffed by Stepford employees? They are almost always unfailingly polite, and constantly use either your name or a formal term of reference (sir, ma'am, etc.) during the conversation. Also, very often, the people on help lines aren't actually very helpful at all.

I just experienced the chat room version of this phone call, while trying to cancel my subscription to McAfee Virus Scan. In order to initiate a live chat, one must give a reason for contacting help personnel: "I want to cancel my subscription and receive a refund" was pretty much how I worded it. The transcript is listed in its entirety, below. Keep in mind as you read this that there is lag time between each entry. The window in which we were chatting had a timer that was marching off the endless seconds as we typed.

> Thank you for contacting McAfee Consumer Support. How can I help you?
McAfee: Please give me a moment while I review the description you have typed in. In the meantime, would you like to provide any additional information that may help me in resolving your issue today?

Customer: No, I think it's complete. Thanks!

McAfee: Ma’am, I'll be happy to help you.
McAfee: One moment please, while I look up your account details. I appreciate your patience.
McAfee: Ma’am, I see that you have valid McAfee products registered under the e-mail address imadethisup@yahoo.com.

Customer: Yes, but I haven't installed Virus Scan on my Dell, haven't used it since--not sure--last May or so.

McAfee: Would you mind telling me your reasoning for requesting the cancellation so we can work on improving our offerings for the future?

Customer: I'm not asking about a refund for last year--duh--but just to have the charge for the upcoming year refunded.

McAfee: Yes, you are correct. Would you mind telling me the reason for refund for the recent renewal?

Customer: Sure, I'll sound like a moron, but basically when I got my laptop, it came with Vista and with Norton pre-installed. I've had so much trouble with Vista that I didn't want to do anything more to the computer than I needed to, including uninstalling Norton and installing McAfee

McAfee: Did you face any technical or performance issue with McAfee software?

Customer: Not really. I do recall some issues with navigating the website in the past to be able to update or reactivate the program. Since I haven't used it in a while, perhaps that issue has been resolved anyway.

McAfee: Would you like to transfer the license to someone else who could make use of these products instead of opting for a refund?

Customer: To elaborate, it seemed like it took a very circuitous route to find the correct link to re-install the program. And no, I'd prefer a refund, thanks.

McAfee: Shall I help you the steps to reinstall the software and receive protection?

Customer: No thanks, I merely gave you that information because you asked. I'm fine with the Norton that came on the computer.

McAfee: May I know the country in which you are located, Ma’am?

Customer: USA

McAfee: Thank you for the information.

McAfee: I do understand your concern and would like to take this opportunity to direct you to our refund team. You can contact this team for a refund by calling 866-470-0534. They are open from 8am – 8pm CST.

McAfee: Is there anything else I may assist you with today?

Customer: So. . . you can't authorize the refund?

McAfee: Since we have assigned special department for refund, you have to contact them only.

McAfee: Is there anything else I may assist you with today?

Customer: Hmm. . . wish you would have told me that after reading my original refund request. The clock is ticking now at 12:59. That's 13 minutes of my life I can't get back. Thanks, I don't need any more help.

McAfee: I do understand your concern. Please go ahead and contact them in order to process the refund.
McAfee: You may receive a survey from McAfee in the next couple of days that will give you an opportunity to provide feedback on the support I’ve offered. This information will be used to further improve our support. You may end this chat at your convenience. Thank you for visiting the McAfee Customer Service.

I believe I'll be a Norton girl from now on.

I know, I know. . . .

2008-01-16T16:47:00.001-08:00

I say that a lot lately.

I find myself having to defend my decision to believe Roger Clemens. It's getting a bit annoying--I mean, if "innocent until proven guilty" doesn't work for somebody, my logic won't either, no doubt.

And certainly, members of the media are joyfully painting him in dark colors (although that's been going on for awhile), slanting public opinion even more than it was.

Sheesh.

You know, if Clemens is proven to have used, I won't be surprised. Nor will I be devastated, outraged, angry, etc. It's a game, after all. I'm annoyed that my tax dollars went toward the writing of an incomplete, possibly in part nonfactual "report" that no doubt only scratched the surface of use. I'm even more annoyed that our current Congress feels the need to appear on television over steroids in baseball. (I doubt Ron Paul would approve, by the way.)

But consider this scenario (entirely fictitious). Ivana Trump is arrested for shoplifting a fur coat. She is looking at serious time, because the value of the item makes it a felony. The cops thinks it's remotely possible that she stole the coat to resell it, so they start pressuring her to name her fence. She refuses, and they play hardball, making her cry, at which point she says, "It's the Donald's fault!" The cops are so intrigued and excited by the possibility of catching Donald Trump at something nefarious that they offer Ivana immunity for prosecution of the coat theft, as long as she doesn't lie. She agrees to the terms, then says that the Donald used to beat her. She has battered wife syndrome, and that's why she stole the coat. While she's at it, she states that her second ex-husband also hit her around. The cops are like, "Hmm. Did anyone else see the Donald hit you?" She says no, because he only did it when it was just the two of them. Then the cops ask, "Did you ever call the cops?" No. "Why not?" Because if she had turned him in, the Donald would have left her and she would have lost her livelihood. The cops ask if there is any evidence--photos of bruises, etc. Ivana says no, it didn't occur to her to keep records. So while it is her word against hers, when the story hits the press, the cops state that they believe Ivana because she was under pressure to tell the truth. The public goes bananas--"We knew that asshole was bad--this proves it!" Meanwhile, the second ex-husband confesses: "Yeah, I hit her, but it was just a couple of times. I justified it at the time, but then I felt bad so I never did it again. If my actions offended anyone I'm sorry." He is hailed as a class act, while the press jumps on the confession--"She was telling the truth about him! Why would she lie about one but not the other! It must all be true! Crucify him!"

I know, I know.

But it is at least possible, that while definitely a jerk, Roger Clemens might not be a steroid user.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-10T15:18:00.000-08:00

Wow, can't believe I haven't posted since last year! (I know, I'm a dork, but for some reason those jokes just never get old for me.)

It's 35 days till pitchers and catchers report. Yay! The Astros look to have a much stronger line-up than last year, with speed at the top (Michael Bourn and Kazuo Matsui), power in the middle (Hunter Pence, Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee, and Miguel Tejada), and no gaping holes at the bottom (Ty Wigginton, J. R. Towles, and the pitcher--and Woody Williams and Brandon Backe can actually swing a bat a little). Okay, so maybe the pitcher's spot has a bit of a void, offense-wise. . . .

Speaking of pitchers, the rotation is still anybody's guess. With the better line-up, Roy Oswalt should have a better year, barring injury. Hopefully Wandy Rodriguez will continue to mature and blossom; he surprised a number of people last year with his improved poise and was in fact the team leader in Ks. Woody Williams was first in the line of people disappointed with his own performance; he grew up watching and rooting for the Astros and had hoped to contribute more to the team's success. Perhaps he will do so in 2008. Brandon Backe pitched fairly well in a few limited appearances last September after returning from Tommy John surgery. He is key--the Astros need him to step up, stay healthy, focus, and deliver. The fifth spot is up for grabs--Fernando Nieve, Chris Sampson, and Felipe Paulino all figure into the mix. Nieve and Sampson both were injured for stretches of 2007. Sampson, who won the fifth spot out of ST last year, is a former position player, like Backe, and has had similar elbow problems but has avoided surgical intervention thus far. Nieve spent all of 2007 at AAA, and was not available for September call-ups due to some type of elbow procedure.

Sounding good, huh?

The bullpen is full. They're all new. I know very little about them.

The bench should be okay, with Mark Loretta, Geoff Blum, Darin Erstad, and Brad Ausmus (whoa, did I just say that? But despite his absent bat, I love to watch Ausmus play. Frankly, I love to watch Ausmus do pretty much anything).

I have to say, I'm getting excited about the upcoming season. I'm also getting pretty tired of the whole Clemens/steroids/Mitchell report stuff. People believe whom they choose to believe. Many of them choose to believe the trainer over Roger Clemens, which is understandable, as his testimony could be considered quite damning. However, given the virulence being hurled around message boards, I think a lot of it has to do more with bringing down a celebrity rather than where they think the truth lies. As with Barry Bonds, those who dislike Clemens assume he is guilty and are gleefully anticipating a comeuppance. I've always thought Clemens was probably a jerk, with his one redeeming quality being that he seems to be a good dad. In my opinion, you can't be a total jerk and be a good dad. But even though I think he's probably mostly a big, egotistical, arrogant redneck. . . I choose to believe him. He is either innocent, or he is VERY sure that there is no way to prove that he used.

I would say that it will be interesting to see how it plays out, but frankly, I won't be watching. I'm much more interested in seeing how ST is going to play out, and how the rotation and roster will fill out. Go 'Stros!

Slapdash

2007-12-15T18:01:00.000-08:00

This post, that is. Apologies in advance for the impending complete lack of cohesiveness.

Last weekend, I completed the Dallas half marathon. Obviously, I remembered my shoes this time. I hadn't originally intended to enter that event, but did so simply to prove to the naysayers who were certain I had forgotten to bring my shoes to San Antonio so that I could avoid participating. I definitely wish I had remembered my shoes for the original event, as I think Dallas was probably more difficult, particularly for a first-timer like myself--more hills, a larger number of participants, and the weather turned out to be frightfully cold (I think it was 37 or so at race time). I was slow but I finished it and got my medal. My cute mom got her Sunday School class to pray for me (I'm sure she realized I needed all the help I could get).

On to the Astros! Last year's motto was "Return of the Good Guys." Some have proposed that the new motto be "Who are these guys?" The team has been churned so thoroughly that of position players, only the '07 Opening Day starters of Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee, Hunter Pence, and Brad Ausmus are returning. We have new players in center, at first, short, and catcher as well, as Ausmus will probably only catch Roy Oswalt. Our starters in right and at third only played in those positions toward the end of last year, in addition. The starting rotation remains intact--which is not what anybody was hoping for, actually--but the bullpen has eight new faces. The team turnover is highlighted by the 40 man roster--fifteen of the players listed have not yet been assigned jersey numbers!

While one is considering team mottos, the Mitchell Report might make one want to consider the catch phrase "Were there ever any good guys?" I take issue with the report on certain levels--certainly, it is highly based on hearsay and very little of the accusations would hold up in a court of law. Any report that sites Jose Canseco's "Juiced" (sorry, can't get Blogger to underline anything today) as a reference has to be a little suspect, in my mind. Given that, I think Jayson Stark at ESPN was correct when he said that names should not have been given. Also, I personally think that names should not have been given simply because there is no way that the list is inclusive. On the other hand, to state that the problem is pervasive, and yet not name names, would have allowed the shroud of secrecy to remain, thereby continuing to enable the culture that created the problem. I mean seriously, will the players' association even consider changing the CBA without threat of poor publicity? Doubt it.

I have to admit to being surprised by those fans who seemed to be floored by the contents of the report. Where have they been? This subject has been flogged to death for long before I was much of a baseball fan, and yet people are surprised that players actually--no, wait, it's hearsay--allegedly used performance-enhancing drugs? Bloggers are talking about everything from life-time suspensions to actual jail time. I think a certain disenchantment with the game right now is expected, I certainly feel that way. But anything beyond that may be unreasonable, in my opinion. For one, as I noted, I doubt any of the allegations would hold up in court. Also, the list is probably not fully inclusive. I'm sure there were many more players using, and certainly the list is just as notable for its absences--Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa--as its presences. So how do you decide who gets suspended, who gets prosecuted, and who gets ignored? There's no fair way to do that, in my opinion. I think the best thing to do is to move on. The new standard is zero tolerance--set it, set standards to enforce it, and go forward. The Steroid Era is a period in the history of baseball, just like the deadball era, the segregation/desegregation era, etc. Let's forget talk of asterisks and view the body of work in its context, and move on.

Fix it, and forge on.

UPDATE: Andy Pettitte admitted to using HGH in 2002, essentially corroborating Brian McNamee's testimony. Which, of course, slaps some serious doubt on Roger Clemens' denials of same testimony. I expect their friendship just got a wee bit chilly, but my personal feeling about handling the overall situation is the same.

Eulogy

2007-12-02T18:02:00.000-08:00

I'm not cranky anymore, at least not for now.

Being annoyed by inconveniences doesn't seem very important, somehow just doesn't seem. . . right.

A friend of mine died Friday.

By his own hand.

Something, somehow, tipped the scales and he put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger. He was staying at the house of another friend. Walked out into the backyard and shot himself.

He was a nurse I worked with from time to time, although I probably hadn't seen him in a month. Last time I saw him, he did seem kind of down, but then, I teasingly called him "Eyore" half the time because it was always something, it seemed. His home life could out-Springer anybody, he hated his job (said it was "killing him"--but a lot of people say that, don't they?), his health had taken a couple of blows in the last year.

Just like everybody else I know, his life was flawed. I listened when I could, but I also assumed he was more resilient than he evidently was.

I wish I would have seen it coming. I wish I could have done something.

But maybe I didn't see it coming because I didn't really look.

For him, it's too late.

I don't want to ever be that blind again.

Crank it up

2007-11-20T13:29:00.000-08:00

I'm having a cranky day, one of those days in which everything annoys me. Thankfully for those around me, it's been a while since my last cranky day. Things that are making me cranky:

1. Being called by one of my colleagues at 11 a.m. this morning to ask if they could have my afternoon off (which was today). Seems the house closing they were supposed to attend yesterday got moved to today. Well, sorry. . . but no. Call me last night, and maybe I can help you. But don't expect me to change my afternoon's plans at the last second for your "emergency" that you've known about since yesterday. Annoying.

2. Getting teased for over a week now because I withdrew from the San Antonio 1/2 Marathon. Why, you ask? (*Sigh.*) Because I forgot my shoes, and didn't realize it until it was too late to go buy another set (which probably wouldn't have been a good idea anyway). Yes, I know. It takes a special kind of stupid to forget to take one's running shoes to a run. I get it. It's funny. But rather than just tell everyone, my friends who did run it keep telling everyone else to come ask me about it. After repeating myself thirty times, it's not really seeming all that amusing anymore.

3. People who are chronically late. Annoying.

4. Christmas shopping. Bah humbug. Christmas isn't nearly as much fun since I found out that I'm Santa Claus.

5. Really, why IS Marie Osmond still on Dancing with the Stars? I mean, okay, she's an entertainer I guess, but she's certainly not the best dancer. If she wins it I may never watch that show again.

6. People who are delusional and/or in denial about their health. (If you're reading this for the first time, I work in healthcare.) Don't get me wrong, my health habits are not perfect. But let's call a spade a spade, shall we? If you smoke only when you drink, but you drink a few nights a week, then from a health standpoint, you are a smoker. Deal with it. If you were prescribed anti-diabetic meds of any type, you are diabetic. Deal with it. If your body mass index is greater than 30, or if you are 35 or more pounds over your ideal body weight, you are not big-boned, you are obese. Deal with it.

That's enough cranky for today, don't you think? Of course, channeling Scarlett O'Hara here--tomorrow's another day. . . .

Aaaahhhhhff Season

2007-11-02T06:41:00.000-07:00

Ten things I really like this week:

1. Baseball season is over!

2. 103 days until pitchers and catchers report!

3. The new show on NBC called Life. I started watching it because of Damian Lewis (the actor who played Sgt. Winters in Band of Brothers) but now I am completely captivated by each of the characters and the performances.

4. Learning East Coast Swing. Great work-out!

5. Being on vacation and sleeping late!

6. Chi McBride in Pushing Daisies. I had no idea the guy could be so laugh-out-loud funny!

7. Hanging out with my brother this weekend in the woods near New Braunfels. (Some call it hunting. I call it sitting in the woods with a gun. Seems more accurate.)

8. My new running shoes.

9. Cool enough weather to start brewing beer again.

10. Upcoming vacation plans to Hilton Head and NYC. Woo!

All righty then

2007-10-07T17:29:00.000-07:00

The Astros finally put me out of their misery.

The "Good Guys" took two of three from the Braves on the last weekend of the season, finishing fourth in the division. It had appeared in August that they might finish last, so fourth is an improvement, I suppose. The weekend was quite sentimental, with Craig Biggio making his final appearance in an Astros' uniform. He also caught for two innings on Saturday evening, making his career come full-circle. I wasn't really a baseball fan back in the day (that was when the Dallas Cowboys were the focus of professional sports in the state, what with the Troy Aikman/Michael Irvin/Emmitt Smith triad leading them to the playoffs, and. . . oh wait. I digress), so it was quite neat to get to see him catch in person. Of course, it was also quite fun to watch Brad Ausmus play second for a couple of innings! Sunday was send-off day, and the ovations thundered every time Biggio came to the plate. It was quite obvious that Bidge struggled with his emotions the entire game, but then, so did I. There's no crying in baseball, but I made an exception on Sunday. Cecil Cooper took all the veterans out one at a time during the late innings, and each player came across the field to hug Biggio before they went to the clubhouse. And then, when Biggio was taken out, the entire team filed out of the dugout to meet him one last time. After the game was completed, Biggio's epilogue was to jog the entire warning track, high-fiving fans before trotting down the dugout steps. I had run out of napkins by then, so I was a sodden mess.

The celebrations of Biggio's milestones and career this year were certainly the highpoint of the season, as the Astros just weren't very good. The players talk about the grind of the season. I'm not sure they realize what a grind it is for the fans, too--especially in a season like this one. I'm enjoying watching the playoffs, but overall I'm actually relieved the year is over.

Speaking of the playoffs, I would like to point out that all three of the teams whose home fields I visited this year--the Rockies, Cubs, and Red Sox--made the post-season. Therefore, I will be petitioning the Padres, Orioles, Mariners, and Rangers for sponsorships in 2008. (And none of those nose-bleed seats, either. I can only work my mojo from close up.)

Anyway, time to close. I'll try to post something along the lines of a preview of 2008 early in the offseason. For all fans out there, as this season fades, may the good memories linger and the bad memories dim with time.

Fenway fun

2007-09-22T09:32:00.000-07:00

Went to Boston last weekend to visit Fenway Park. The evil Yankees were in town, so it felt like the full meal deal--historic ballpark, historic rivalry, and so on. It was quite fun, actually, or as much fun as going to a new city by yourself can be. (Yes, flew solo on this one.)

Got in quite late Friday, so just checked into my hotel and called it a (very long) day. The next morning, rode the subway (or the "T," I guess they call it) to Government Station, a stop on the Freedom Trail. I didn't walk the entire Trail, simply visited Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. It was raining and I was a bit tired, so I didn't do anything more ambitious than that. (It also seemed quite touristy and so not as intriguing as I'd supposed.)

I was starting to worry that the game would be rained out or delayed at this point. I got a to-go order of some kind of Greek phyllo/spinach/feta pie thing for lunch and caught the T back to Fenway. The ballpark opened two hours before game time, and skies were still cloudy by then but no rain was falling. The road that runs along the third base side of the park, Yawkey Way, is fenced off as one giant party on game day, with food, beverages, entertainment, etc. Feasting on a Fenway Frank and a Sam Adams Octoberfest draft, I wandered around for awhile, taking pictures, before finally heading to my seat about 20 minutes before first pitch.

Sitting there for a while, I watched all the various vendor guys--selling cotton candy, cokes and water, peanuts, pretzels, hotdogs, hot chocolate, and even clam chowder--before it slowly dawned on me.

There were no beer guys.

That's when I finally realized that all beer sold at Fenway is draft. This is obviously a good thing, since draft is often better, but at the same time it represented a wee problem.

Like I would have to walk all the way back down to the main level to get another beer.

I did make the trek once, but found myself too lazy to go again. So, Fenway, my liver thanks you.

The Red Sox ended up kicking the Yankees' butts that day, 10-1. Perhaps because of that, all in attendance seemed to be well-behaved, no shouting matches, fights, etc. The weather cleared off and was simply beautiful, and in fact almost a bit chilly for someone used to temps in the 90's. Took the T to the airport the next day, settled in on my plane with a good Michael Crichton novel, and drove home after an uneventful flight into Houston, tired but with lots of great pictures and memories.

Announcements

2007-09-03T18:04:00.000-07:00

Attention, Astros fans. As you may have noticed last week, the Astros now have a new manager. Oh, and GM too. Drayton McLane decided that the club needed new "direction" and "enthusiasm." Or something.

So, Purpura and Garner are out. I was glad to see Purpura go, I always though he was in over his head but somehow didn't seem to have enough sense to realize it. Or maybe, he realized it, but had too much pride to ask for help. Garner, on the other hand, got a bit of a raw deal in my opinion. The manager can only do so much, and the players have to do the rest, and they haven't been doing it. Whatever "it" is. Meh.

Anyway, I did also sort of think that Garner had been phoning it in for a while. I don't know if he had something going on in his personal life, or if he just saw the writing on the wall. Or perhaps he just grew weary of trying to motivate this group of players, who knows.

The new manager--unfortunately burdened with a label--is Cecil Cooper. And the label I'm talking about is "interim." (You thought I was going to go to the race card, didn't you?) On the one hand I can see, at this point in the season, not making any firm commitments to a new manager and to use the remaining games to familiarize the club with the style of the potential new hire. On the other hand, Coop has been put into a difficult situation. The Astros have just not played like a good team this year, and I doubt he can really change that in a month. But say they pull off one of their crazy runs again--will Coop get the credit, or will the owner simply say that he expected the turnaround anyway?

I personally am very excited that Cecil Cooper is the new manager, and I hope he gets to keep the job. There are two reasons for this: first of all, he is reputedly a very good baseball guy, and secondly, I think he's hot. Yes, as a fan I'm grasping at straws here, but I want to have SOMETHING over the other NL Central clubs. I mean, Tracy's okay I guess, haven't really seen Mackanin, but compared with Piniella, Yost, and La Genius, Coop is George Clooney (hope he's not insulted by the comparison! [Coop, I mean]).

Enough of that. In other news, additional changes are deemed necessary. I have decided to pick a different favorite player this year. Having studied my history with this particular designation, I think a change is appropriate. Let me elaborate. In 2005, my favorite player was Morgan Ensberg. He subsequently flamed out and is no longer with the club. In 2006, my favorite player was Mike Lamb. He has been informed that he will remain in a bench role, despite having shown that he should be a starter, and so will be gone next year to free agency. My favorite player this year was Adam Everett. He freakin' breaks his leg and may not be back before the season is over. So, in light of these developments, by new favorite player is: Chris Burke.

Good luck, dude. You're gonna need it (heheheheheh!).

Amazing

2007-08-23T19:00:00.000-07:00

That's just one descriptor for last weekend. My trip to Chicago was so incredible, it seemed surreal. The lakeline folks were terrific--really great hosts, they showed me around the city and shared a lot of the history and politics of the area, made sure I got some traditional Chicago eats, AND. . . they came up with some incredible tickets for my visit! (Everyone I've shown my pictures to this week has gasped before asking "How in the <insert geographical area here> did you get those seats?") Even better, they arranged for several flyovers by various military jets from the local airshow--thanks, that rocked! Hee!

The weather was not as cooperative as we would have preferred, but you can't have everything. And Wrigley Field with a roof just wouldn't be the same.

Although, I'm sure it would still be amazing.

Monthly update

2007-08-16T17:40:00.000-07:00

It's that time again!

Went to a meeting in Denver last week and took in a game at Coors Field (the Brewers were in town). Coors Field was very beautiful, but maybe I was overly influenced by watching an open-air game in something less than 100 degree heat and 95% humidity (very pleasant weather there, for sure!). Or it could have been the view of the mountains. . . or the gorgeous sunset. . . or good friends and good beer (microbrews!). (And while you can't see the mountains or the sunset in this picture, you can see the row of purple seats in the upper deck--exactly one mile elevation above sea level.) Anyway, good times!

The Astros have started their usual second half. . .something. You can't really call it a surge at this point, as they're only playing marginally better, but "second half not-sucking-as-bad" doesn't have much of a ring to it, does it?

Headed to Chicago this weekend for Cubs/Cards, a girls' weekend hosted by Miss lakeline. Should be great fun! Unfortunately, Cards' fan Miss redbirdbrain had to cancel at the last second. She made me promise to kiss Spot, er, Scott Rolen for her. Pictures to follow (as if!).

Changes

2007-07-29T16:32:00.000-07:00

Dan Wheeler, my favorite middle reliever (I've had a soft spot for him ever since he plunked Derrek Lee back in 2004--it was Wheeler's first appearance as an Astro and I thought he really had balls) was traded to Tampa Bay for Ty Wigginton. Wheeler always seemed like such a nice guy, and did well. Recently though, he was caught on camera pushing Chris Sampson in the dugout. Uncle Drayton doesn't like that kind of publicity. The trade rumors had indicated that either Wheeler or Chad Qualls would be moved (and I do NOT like Qualls, I think he's an asshole). Unfortunately, Wheeler was caught in an unhappy and weak moment, and it's hard not to believe that the incident didn't influence who went. I'll miss him, and I hope he does well with his new team. His father-in-law is the game announcer for the Devil Rays, and he originally came up through their system, so he's basically going home. I hope he flourishes.

Morgan Ensberg, who was my favorite player in 2005, was designated for assignment. In his case, this may just mean being released, à la Preston Wilson last year. If anyone had wanted to trade for him, they would have done so by now, I assume. (But maybe the Cards can pick him up too!)

That one hurts. I feel so badly for him. I always hoped he would return to the form that not only made me crush on him like crazy, but also as an observer, made me look forward to games and consecrated me as a baseball fan. He was a big part of that team in that crazy year that made the playoffs and the Series against the longest of odds, who had a chemistry and magic even when they lost (and they lost a lot!). That was the year that baseball became a revelation for me, when I finally GOT. IT.

Poor Mo. I would say I miss him already, but really, I've been missing him for a couple of years now.

Bueno suerte, Pretty Boy.

Hmm.

2007-07-16T17:50:00.000-07:00

No lurkers.

None.

Oh well.

The Astros got swept by the Cubs, making leah's comment prophetic, sort of. Although, it really probably didn't take much prescience to see that coming, the Astros' first-half-ending surge notwithstanding.

I spent the weekend in the Texas Hill Country, floating the Frio River. Toobing the river (yes, that's how you spell it) and drinking beer has a way of making baseball losses quite tolerable.

Good thing.

Lurkers unveil!

2007-07-02T17:23:00.000-07:00

Anyone who follows this blog knows that I'm not a regular poster, and I don't follow a bunch of other blogs either. I'm probably not up on the latest blog etiquette, but I do recall other blogs having outing sessions for their lurkers. It may even be a specific time of year, this de-lurking time, but not being up on blogging etiquette, I'm not quite sure.

Anyway, I thought I'd give it a go. I don't think I actually have any lurkers at all, just a couple of NL Central sisters who are kind enough to stop by occasionally and say something nice. But we'll see.

I have a bit of an ulterior motive here as well. I have a pair of tickets for a game in September that I won't be using. I could give them away to one of my bosses, or a colleague. But I've given away lots of tickets over the last few years, and have essentially gotten nothing in return. (Actually, one of my bosses wrote me a thank-you note for his tickets--a thank-you note! And he's a guy!)

Or, I could try to sell them on StubHub, which I've done before. But, with the way the Astros are playing, plus with the fees that SH charges, I'd basically be giving them away anyway, plus I'd have to hassle with getting them shipped.

So, here's the deal. Lurkers, unveil. Comment on this post, tell me why you like the Astros and what, if anything, you like about my blog. My favorite response will be given two Club level tickets to the Astros/Pirates game on Saturday, September 15th (hint: sucking up probably helps). We'll leave the contest open until after the All-Star Break, so let's say July 14th. I'll announce the winner, if there is one,* on Monday July 16th.

Good luck!

*Meaning, if there are even any lurkers at all!

Mr. 3000 +

2007-07-01T07:18:00.000-07:00

I was torn about whether or not I should blog about Craig Biggio's latest and greatest achievement.

What could I possibly say, what accolades could I present, that hadn't already been stated?

And I'm an ambivalent fan, when it comes to Biggio. He and Bagwell were, and absolutely are, the face of the Astros. (Much as I admire their ability, Berkman and Oswalt will never become the icons that Bidge and Bags were. Pence has the potential, and I appreciate that Biggio has taken him under his wing.) I mean, if you're an Astros' fan, you almost have to be a fan of Biggio and Bagwell--it's the law or something.

But even while being a loyal 'Stros fan, something has always held me back from being a full-fledged Craig Biggio fan. Maybe his abrasiveness. Maybe how he always gives that practiced "That's baseball" line in post-game interviews. Maybe how he never stops to give autographs before a game, I don't know.

Reflecting on his many accomplishments this week though, I guess I turned a corner. It's not the 3004 career hits, the 658 career doubles, the 1822 runs. Awesome accomplishments, all of it, of course. But even Biggio himself would downplay the importance of numbers when one is paid to play a game.

But play he did. It's been repeated so often this week that it's already started to sound trite, but when you reflect on how #7 has comported himself for the last 20 years, I at least found lessons for myself. Have I given 100% every time I go to work?

No.

Have I had 20 years of loyalty to one employer?

No.

Have I worked hard to better my community in my off time?

No.

He plays a game, but it's still a job.

And what a job he's done.

Mr. 3000 +, it's the "plus" that has made me a true fan. Congratulations, Mr. Biggio. You've more than earned it.

Silver Boot my ass

2007-06-24T13:06:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'll say it.

We suck. (The Astros, that is.)

We make the worst team in MLB look like a contender. I was content for a while with the team's explanation of bad luck, poor timing, etc., etc. But even given that we're traditionally a second-half team, no amount of luck or timing can explain this weekend's level of play.

Other than we suck.

It's kind of freeing to just admit it. No more expectations or hopes. They can only happily surprise me now. Yay!

In other news, back from my cruise. It was okay. My niece had a good time, anyway, and that was the whole point. I didn't see her much, as a friend's son, who was also on the cruise, developed an instantaneous and total crush on her on day one. Can you say remora? Or maybe Klingon? He basically never left her side. I'll be nice and leave it at that.

My backyard landscaping project is coming along well. I'm surprised that I've maintained the kind of attention span that it's requiring (I'm famous for half-finished projects). I'm getting quite excited about it, actually.

And it's good to have something to be excited about, since we suck.

Who am I?

2007-06-13T16:07:00.000-07:00

As often as I've been posting, you'd think I was redbirdbrain. (Hi, J.!)

Of course, I almost gave up this blog last year anyway, as I considered it too time-consuming, or not a good benefit-to-cost ratio, or something. Whatever.

Really, just hadn't felt like blogging much.

The 'Stros have been playing a bit better for the last week or so, but still not awe-inspiring (or even blog-inspiring, for that matter). I've been quite busy with work, as well as landscaping my backyard--doing all of it myself, shovelful by back-breaking shovelful. It's starting to come together, though, which is pretty cool.

Taking a young, high-school-graduating relative on their first cruise next week. Am I the BEST. Aunt. Ever?!? Or, like, what?

In fact, I really should go get busy and start packing!

Random closing thought: Minor league contract for Chan Ho Park--low-risk venture, or sign of the apocalypse?

I'm such a character

2007-05-27T18:57:00.000-07:00

Oh, wait, I mean I have character.

Or at least I should, after having suffered through this horrible month with my favorite team. The "good guys" have lost eight straight, putting them 8 games under .500 and 7 games back of the division-leading Brewers. (Amazingly, the 'Stros are only two games back of the second-place Cubs, unfortunately just reemphasizing the weakness of the NL Central this year.)

May is the traditionally the Astros' worst month, with an overall .478 winning percentage (or should we say a .522 losing percentage?). Still, it doesn't make it any easier as a fan. You always hope that this will be the year that they don't have to play catch-up. Like maybe they could actually lead the division for more than just the first couple of days.

Here's hoping June is no swoon.

Final Rocket thoughts

2007-05-07T13:55:00.000-07:00

Interesting, all the flak from the Clemens' signing.

Some of it quite vitriolic.

I hope I don't seem so angry (and dare I say it? Unbalanced) about Rocket's decision to sign with the Yankees as some folks. It certainly didn't surprise me, and Lance Berkman said there were two groups of people--those who weren't surprised, and morons. (Yay! Not a moron! But way-candid statement, even for Twinkie!)

I loved watching Roger Clemens pitch, and I've always thought he seemed like a pretty good father. And I always gave him credit for that, because I think if you're a good dad, you're probably not a complete asshole. But he certainly had a well-earned reputation as a jerk and egomaniac, and I for one was tiring of the will-he-or-won't-he game. Do I think he would have made a difference if he re-signed with the Astros this year? Probably not. Do I think he will make a difference with the Yankees? Doubtful. What bothers me with the whole ordeal is the same thing with Pettitte--the Astros were told one thing while Pettitte and Clemens were doing another. You know, you wanna go back to the Yankees? Fine, I can understand that, just like I can understand Billy Clyde Gillespie wanting to go to Kentucky. But don't (in BCG's case) say that you're looking forward to your future at A&M while merely biding your time for that call from your "dream job." And don't say, "I'm 80% planning to retire," and then say you went with the Yankees because they wanted you for 4 months and the Astros only 3. I understand it's a business, I'm not that naive. But whatever happened to a semblance of honesty? It's just annoying that both Pettitte and Clemens made the choice that they had apparently planned all along, but are now trying to paint themselves as victims of some kind. Get real.

Also interesting, I must say, to return to this entry. At the time of the Grimsley affidavit, as noted, some bloggers speculated that if neither Pettitte nor Clemens returned, that the Astros would have quietly rid the clubhouse of that potential stain. While I still think that the Astros are not so noble, I do find it interesting that both of the "victims" have stated that they didn't feel that the Astros really wanted them back.

Of course, that begs the question then--where does the lack of honesty really lie?

Two testicles, one scrotum

2007-05-06T16:14:00.000-07:00

Can I say that on the internet?

I'm referring, of course, to the news that Roger Clemens followed his beloved Andy Pettitte to the Yankees. This came as no surprise to me, despite Clemens' protestations that he was waiting to see how the Astros/Sox/Yankees were going to perform. Even if the Astros had started with a torrid April, Rocket wouldn't have come back because his sweetie is in NY.

My BBF (best baseball friend) Max and I were discussing this earlier. He agreed with me as to the reasons for Clemens' departure, but he also finds it hard to swallow. Max: "That's what cell phones and email are for! I have friends too, but I'm not moving to Colorado or Arizona or College Station!" [pause] "Especially not College Station!"

Yeah, love you too, buddy.

Anyway. . . just got back from a week in the Texas Hill Country, doing a bike tour of back roads and byways, looking at wildflowers and deer and ending up on the last day at Luckenbach. And yes, I've had that damn song stuck in my head ever since. . . .

Gotta go finish cleaning out my car, while contemplating conjoined Yankee pinstripes. Ick, on both counts!

Desperate times?

2007-04-28T08:27:00.000-07:00

The Astros called up Hunter Pence and are sitting Chris Burke. (I'm going to the game tonight, so I'll get to see his debut.)

Now, I'm not a Chris Burke fan, obviously, so his being benched doesn't bother me. I've always thought their insistence on playing Burke was to give him a chance to justify being a first-round pick. And you know, that's reasonable. . . but there are plenty of players throughout the league who never lived up to their perceived potential. I've felt for a while now that Burke was just average, but of course I don't care for him personally so that colors my viewpoint.

So are the Astros now willing to possibly say that he hasn't panned out like they thought he would (or did he just piss somebody off)? And I understand the argument that player development takes time, and certainly Burke won't get any better riding the pine (which will also diminish his trade potential). But how long do you give somebody? How long should they give Hunter Pence?

I first thought that this move smacked of desperation in light of a seven-game losing streak.

Now, I think it's even more ominous. To me, it says, who is running this team? Is it Garner? Purpura? Uncle Drayton? First Burke had a job, which he "earned," now he doesn't. A lot of people thought Pence deserved to make the team out of Spring Training, but he didn't. Lidge was the closer coming out of Spring Training, but after two outings, he wasn't anymore. The list goes on.

The Astros' management looks clueless right now. I am much more concerned about their apparent floundering than I am about losing seven games.

Another Saturday night, and I ain't got nobody. . . .

2007-04-23T16:44:00.000-07:00

Spent last Saturday evening at Minute Maid Park.

What's that, you say? The Astros were in Milwaukee?

Yes, they were.

But Jimmy Buffett and Robert Earl Keen were at the Ballpark.

Along with about 47,000 of their closest friends.

Of whom probably 75% were staggering drunk.

Seriously. I have never seen so many drunk people in one place in my life.

It was an okay concert. I was disappointed in my seats; I was seated 14 rows behind the visitors' dugout, which, for a baseball game would have been heaven. Unfortunately, they put the stage on Tal's Hill, so I was just about as far away from the stage as you could get for the concert. Which was fine, except I paid the Ticketmaster price of $86.

Per seat.

That's a lot of money to basically watch the concert on the big screen TVs.

And I must be becoming a fuddy-duddy. They allowed beach balls at the concert, which was fine before it started, since there was nothing else to do. But all the drunk people kept playing with the beach balls during the whole performance, which then required keeping one eye on the concert and one eye on the beach balls, lest a stray ball bang into your beer and spill it all over you. After which, you are freezing because you are soaking wet, and you are also pissed off because beer still costs $7 a piece and somebody just wasted $5 worth.

Not that I would know about that.

Jimmy Buffett--still charming.

Minute Maid Park as a concert venue--not charming.

Productive off-day

2007-04-17T19:26:00.000-07:00

No, the 'Stros weren't off today, I was. In fact, as I write this, they are leading the Marlins 6-1 in the 7th.

I actually had to work briefly this morning, but then I came home, played on the computer, took a nap, ran some errands, and then sat down to play Resistance: Fall of Man on my Playstation 3 (yes, this is part of that balance thing, as is the Tango class I attended this evening).

Anyway. . . I finished the game! One completion down, several more (I hope) to go!

Who else can say that on their off-day, they shot a bunch of Chimeran hybrids and saved the world?

Pretty productive, I'd say!

Excitement!

2007-04-11T18:46:00.000-07:00

No, the boys didn't win today. Didn't lose either--snowed out at Wrigley, to be made up in July.

The Astros are doing something new this year. They are allowing season-ticket holders to pre-order the special player promotion items (more popularly known as "bobbleheads"). This is exciting for several reasons. One, they can become collectors items and increase in value--I was offered $25 for my Roger Clemens one the second I left the stadium last year. While it remains to be seen if any of this year's offerings will appreciate in value, I nonetheless am VERY excited that I won't have to worry about standing in line for hours for the things!

I ordered the whole set, of course--the Brad Ausmus Surfer Bobblehead, the Roy Oswalt Bulldozer Bobblehead, the Lance Berkman Cowboy Bobblehead, and the Carlos Lee Rancher Bobblehead.

No, I am not making any of this up.

This of course, brings to mind bobbleheads that other teams could do--the Manny Ramirez Straightjacket Bobblehead. The Delmon Young In-Your-Face Bobblehead with spring-loaded arm and detachable bat. The Barry Bonds Deposition Bobblehead. The Kerry Wood Hottub Bobblehead.

I really hope the Brad Ausmus version is issued sans shirt. . . .

Dismal

2007-04-08T15:27:00.000-07:00

Now, I know not to read too much into the first week of the season. But isn't it funny how sometimes that metamorphosizes into "don't read too much into the first month," or "the first half," and so on and so forth until suddenly it's September and your team is planning their off-season vacations.

I had a good time at the game today, actually, but not because I enjoyed the baseball. Jennings' line was better than his performance came across, if you ask me. I was impressed last Tuesday; today, not really. (Of course, if you compare pitchers to Roy Oswalt, as I am inclined to do, then they all come up short.) And the bullpen continues to be erratically ineffective. Or consistently inconsistent. Or some oxymoron, I don't know. The one guy who absolutely, 100% did his job today was Trever Miller--brought in to get Jim Edmonds out and did so.

Sigh.

Thank goodness I took up knitting.

Hmm. . . .

2007-04-07T08:32:00.000-07:00

So maybe I didn't jinx Adam Everett after all, considering his average right now is .308 and his OPS is .815.

Unfortunately, he seems to be more or less pacing the team. I'm glad for him, especially if I decide to stay with him as my fave this year (this always makes me feel a little Annie Savoy-ish, but whatever. As if), but what does that say about the rest of the guys?

Other bloggers, and some of the players themselves, have pointed out that an 0-4 record would receive little notice in July. I don't entirely agree with that statement (I've found that Astros' fans, myself included, are about as spoiled as they come--well, no, that would be Yankees' fans. Again, whatever). However, I remember last year when Qualls was getting booed in the fifth game of the season for giving up a run, and thinking how glad I'd be when the novelty of the season's start had worn off and all the unreasonable people were staying home.

I find myself less concerned with the losses than the level of play. I'm worried about Chris Burke adjusting to center field. He's never been one of my favorites, and was so rude to a friend's daughter that I may never forgive him (she was six at the time, just a little girl, and he was an asshole). Maybe if I liked him, I'd have a little more patience with his adjustment period, but I don't, and I thought playing him there was a bad idea to start with (didn't think he did all that well last year in the outfield, although he managed left okay). Biggio is starting off much better than I expected, so that's a bonus. I was worried that the march to 3000 would drag the team down (and it still could, but so far so good). Ausmus has always been an offensive liability, but always called a good game, right? So who called the pitch to Wainwright last night? Wandy straight up said he was confused to find out the guy could hit, and you know a guy who's had less than 40 major league starts doesn't call his own game. Sure, Wainwright was a reliever last year and didn't get a lot of opportunities at the plate, but I'm surprised that someone who is supposedly as well prepared as our catcher usually is would make that mistake (and yeah, it was just one pitch, and people are allowed to make mistakes, blah, blah, blah--just looking at things that I find concerning, that's all). There are plenty of other mistakes and miscues and poor execution to go around, for sure. And that's what is so bothersome.

Winning is obviously better than losing, but to give a non-baseball example, take A & M basketball. I don't even know basketball well enough to appreciate it fully, but I know enough to have seen pure beauty in their play against Louisville and Memphis. The teamwork, the timing, the execution--I actually caught my breath a couple of times, and I barely knew what was going on! In the same vein, what makes me happiest as a fan is to see well-played baseball, which the Astros are NOT doing. (Now, would I want them to have the heartbreak of A & M/Memphis, to play their guts out every game and lose in the last few seconds? No, but it does sometimes happen. At least the Aggies could be proud of how they comported themselves.)

Oh well. If the Astros don't pick it up, then at least I don't have to worry about ponying up the money to exercise my post-season option, right? Bright side, bright side. . . .

Dude.

2007-04-05T03:11:00.000-07:00

If it didn't give far too much weight and importance to my fan-ness, I would think I've jinxed Adam Everett.

Seven errors all last season, and two--on one play!!--last night.

Guys. You're killing me!

(The bright side--the bullpen looked good. Yay?)

Beisbol!

2007-04-04T14:19:00.000-07:00

Well, I must say, the balance thing must be working.

Last year, I started to feel guilty about how much time I spent on baseball. I decided to take up knitting so that I can knit during games. The plan is to knit sweaters for underprivileged children. Hopefully, they won't notice that the sweaters suck (as I'm sure the first few will). (Of course, when I'm actually at a game, I will occupy my time by drinking beer and/or keeping score. Sorry, kids.)

I'm not even upset that the 'Stros have started the season 0-2 (well, not much anyway). Went to the exhibition game with the Royals last Saturday, roof was closed because of rain but certainly a pleasant outing that day. Going to my first "real" game this Sunday, and hoping the Astros will pick up where they left off last year against the Cardinals.

Woody Williams is pitching tonight, and I hope he does well. His excitement about playing for his home-town team is contagious, and he's always done well at Minute Maid Park. He doesn't quite have Roy O's stuff, but he does have some of that same mindset. I'm really pulling for him this year.

Every year, I pick a favorite player--some years, it's an obvious choice (like Morgan Ensberg in 2005), other years it's more sentimental (Mike Lamb last year). I reserve the right to change my mind, but I think so far this year my guy's going to be Adam Everett (you thought Woody Williams, right? I generally don't pick a pitcher because you only see them every 5 days or so). Right now, I'm basing this choice on not only his underrated defense, but also his "clutch" hitting (and I'm only half kidding!). He was SOOO robbed of the Gold Glove last year. I'm thinking of starting an email campaign to Rawlings--except, I'm probably too lazy. I can't even keep up with this blog!

Final thought--the last time the 'Stros lost on opening day, they ended up going to the Series!

Howdy!

2007-03-15T15:14:00.000-07:00

Well, the Aggies of Texas A & M just beat Penn to advance in the NCAA tournament--whoop!

Oh, right, baseball. . . okay, the Astros are 9-5-1 in Spring Training right now. I guess that's something.

Oh, and I'm going to go see Yankees and Red Sox.

At Fenway.

In September!

Rubber ducky, you're the one!

2007-01-05T06:36:00.000-08:00

The Astros signed Mark Loretta yesterday! I think I'm more elated about this signing than Carlos Lee and Jason Jennings (well, especially since I think we gave up too much for Jennings). I think I'm actually getting excited about Astros' baseball again.

This little guy is a gift from a friend's grandfather (I give him a bottle of Crown Royal every year, so he usually gets me something too). I wonder how he knew? Hee!

Balance

2006-11-25T13:53:00.000-08:00

A simple quick update: the Astros signed Carlos Lee and Woody Williams! (so much for balance, eh? But it is a baseball blog, after all.) I think they overpaid for Lee, but what the hell. Should silence those folks who always think Uncle Drayton's too cheap. And Woody Williams seems so excited to be playing for his home-town team--I hope his enthusiasm is infectious.

I've been doing better in the balance area (partly out of necessity, seeing as how the season is over, but whatever). I went to the Nebraska/A & M football game, I've brewed two batches of homemade beer, I finished my Latin dancing class and signed up for more, I've been doing the Body for Life fitness program (including getting up at 4:30 every morning to exercise--talk about UNbalanced!), I've been to several concerts and have tickets for several more, and most importantly, I've caught up with lots of folks in my life that I tend to lose track of during my baseball tunnel-vision.

I've also been doing lots of little projects around my house, like refinishing and re-upholstering furniture, and including--right this minute--replacing a bathroom faucet that my behaviorally challenged nephew and/or niece broke at Thanksgiving. Such things always become a much greater ordeal than I hope they will, and I ended up having to take the freakin' sink off because I don't have the muscles (nor the patience) to loosen the basin nuts otherwise. So right now, my guest bathroom sink is sitting in the entry hall, and my resumption of blogging is simply a way to avoid finishing that job. But finish I must.

¡Hasta luego otra vez!

¡Hasta luego!

2006-10-08T15:48:00.000-07:00

This will be my last post for a while, possibly for good.

Don't worry, the Astros' dismal season didn't dim my love of baseball. Quite the contrary--I've been looking at next year's schedule, and was delighted to note that the good guys play several out-of-town weekend series, including Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, San Diego, St. Louis, Chicago, New York, and Arizona, among others. So my options to be able to visit other ballparks next year are looking pretty good! Plus, I'm going to a meeting in Denver in August, and while the Astros aren't playing the Rockies that week, Colorado is at home, so I'll probably make a visit to Coors as well. Fun times!

It is the end of the season, though, and as always at this time of year, I feel the need for a little break. The thing is, I've felt for a bit now that my life is a little unbalanced. I used to be a very well-rounded person, I thought, but it seems like I've let baseball take over (my own fault, of course). I've found myself so many times this year facing the question, "So, what did you do this weekend?" only to hear myself answer, shrugging, "Baseball."

It feels like there's just something wrong with that.

It would take something major--I don't know what--to make me walk away from being a baseball fan altogether. It's probably not possible. But, in an effort to find that balance again, I can choose to spend my time differently, and I probably will. The easiest thing to change, and to give up, is blogging about baseball. I've questioned for a long time whether I actually added any value to the blogosphere with my efforts--I don't live-blog games, I don't post after every game like some sites. I just, now and then, throw an opinion out there about my team. I've amused myself a bit, and I've made friends with some terrific folks, including redbirdbrain, lakeline, and the kind gentleman over at Astroday. But I've also found myself in a bit of a fan's no-man-land. I live in such a football-centric state and town that I am commonly labeled a "freak" just because I like baseball. When people find out I sometimes keep score, they start looking at me askance and backing away. No one I work with knows that I blog about baseball, and even my BBF Max, when I told him, said, "That's weird." (Needless to say, I didn't share the URL with him.) On the other hand, I routinely get flamed on message boards and websites because I'm not a sabermetrician. How is it that I can be too into baseball on one hand, and yet not enough on the other?

I don't get it.

But I do get this, and the wonderful sentiment it captures. I know I can keep up with the friends I've made without ever posting again, and I know that next spring I'll be looking forward to that first National Anthem, the first feel of sunshine on my face (roof open, of course!), that first swig of cold beer, and the first crack of a bat as the ball rockets toward the Crawford Boxes.

Here's to balance--cheers!

Thoughts on a season

2006-10-05T14:39:00.000-07:00

A friend recently sent me an email that started out with, "I don't usually send these types of things on, but this was so moving. . . ." (Uh-oh.) Anyway, it turned out to be a poem:

Winter

It's cold as shit.

The End

In that vein, I have composed a similar piece:

Baseball

Sometimes it sucks.

The End

Most people at work the past week have offered their condolences (a bit tardily, I think, since for me this season had been over for awhile, but whatever). Many asked if the Astros had "sucked me back in" with the late run.

No.

I was glad that they ended up over .500, but I certainly hope management doesn't take that as a sign to stand pat in the offseason. But I just didn't see the Astros making it to the postseason (a gut-feeling thing), so no, I didn't get sucked back in. I will say, however, that I was probably on the verge. Had they won the first game in Atlanta? Oh yeah, much suckage would have ensued. (You know what I mean.)

I will also have to say that I still found the end of the season a bit sad, especially since I came home from out of town--having found out about the final loss to Atlanta after getting off a plane--only to find my post-season tickets on my front doorstep. *Sigh.*

Those WS tickets are huge, y'all!

Anyway. A few brief comments about the season overall. Phil Garner will be returning as manager, which I think is probably appropriate. Do I think he's the best out there? No. Did some of his decisions make me crazy? Yeah. But has he had enough success in his brief tenure to merit staying with him a bit longer? Yeah, despite this year's mediocrity, I think he should stick for a while. I was surprised but not unpleased that they fired Jim Hickey. Apparently he has been around the organization for a while on several levels, to which I was oblivious. He has had success at various levels as well. However, I didn't think he really accomplished that much in his 2 years here. I mean, when you have Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, and Roy Oswalt, how much coaching do you really do? So just looking at the rookies, I felt that Hickey didn't really get the job done. Some of the stat gurus would argue otherwise, but as someone who attended a couple dozen games in person and probably watched 150 games of the whole season, my overall impression is that, well, I'm not impressed. And the simple fact that Hickey didn't pick up that Lidge was tipping his pitches (it took our acquiring a career minor-leaguer to find that out)--shouldn't that have been HIS job? Obviously, Lidge has other issues as well, but to miss something so fundamental, and easy to fix. . . .

As for the rest of the team, looks like Biggio will probably be back. I would like to see Huff re-signed, but Mike Lamb is cheaper, so I don't know if that will happen. I expect Lidge to be traded, although I wouldn't mind if he stayed (as long as the leash is shorter than it was this year). I would be perfectly happy if Chad Qualls were traded, simply because I don't like his attitude, but I expect he'll still be around next year. I hope Berkman works out in the offseason this year. I hope Luke Scott sticks around, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if he were traded. I hope Jason Lane is traded; he seems like a nice person, and I hope he is successful, but I just don't expect that to necessarily be in a big-league uniform. To me, last year seems an aberration. They say his problems are all confidence--if last year didn't build it, what will? Morgan Ensberg is a conundrum. He's obviously talented, but has certainly made some poor choices this year (like hiding the fact that he was injured). And he seems to panic so easily at the least slump. If he stays, good; if they trade him, okay. We absolutely should keep Adam Everett, I don't care if he stays above the Mendoza line or not. However, that begs the question of Ausmus, since the bottom of our order is so weak. Someone suggested transitioning Ausmus to a player-coach role (which he's done a bit of this year already), letting him catch either Clemens or Pettitte if they come back, and getting a catcher who can hit to partner with all the other pitchers. Not a bad idea.

Which brings us to Clemens and Pettitte. I was totally bummed when I read reports that their names were among those redacted in the Grimsley affadavit, just as I was when it was reported that Albert Pujols' trainer Chris Mihlfeld was mentioned. Now, it seems, maybe none of that is true. I spent a lot of time mulling those reports and the fallout afterward. I certainly hope that neither pitcher used, and I would be especially surprised to find that Pettitte had. (And I sure wish Clemens didn't rely on the Bondsian "I've never had a positive test" line!) Some in the blogosphere are saying that if they both retire, or sign elsewhere, that it's an indication that they did use, and that the Astros will quietly purge that particular pestilence from the clubhouse. (I for one don't think the Astros are necessarily so noble.) So of course, just like with Pujols, Clemens and Pettitte can't win for losing. If they retire because of the impact the late-season rumors had on their families, then they quit because they were using. If they continue to play, and have any success at all, then it's because they're using. Such a nightmare. If it weren't for the fact that Barry Bonds actually admitted using steroids (albeit allegedly unknowingly), I might actually feel sorry for him, for he's had it far worse (and I helped). I personally would like to see both pitchers return, but I do NOT want to see the Astros holding up any other acquisitions while playing the waiting game--been there, done that. However, a line hidden in the article about Garner's extension would seem to indicate that neither will be back: "[Garner and Purpura] anticipate the pitching staff looking much different next year. . . ."

As always, it's a waiting game.

I started this post with a "poem," so I think I'll end it with one:

A Haiku

Winter has arrived

Baseball is a game of hope

I am such a fool

(Guess I'll keep my day job. . . .)

Rhymes with. . . .

2006-09-27T15:38:00.000-07:00

Albert Pujols doesn't look quite as
intimidating from this angle, does he?

Anyway, what a weekend.

I can't believe that the freakin' Astros have won seven games in a row.

Nor can I believe that the Cardinals have LOST seven games in a row.

While I guess I am starting to have a flicker of interest again in the possibility of post-season play (although I've been trying really hard to suffocate that flicker), I am also torn by a sentiment of, frankly, irritation.

The Astros don't DESERVE to be in the playoffs.

I'm loving the great play right now, but wondering where the hell this effort has been all season? Grrr.

Anyway.

FABULOUS weekend. Starting Friday, when my BBF Max and I took in the game from the bullpen seats. Great view of Biggio's walkoff RBI single, as well as the post-game fireworks. Saturday, visited with some friends early in the day, then met up with redbirdbrain for that evening's game. (Aside--she is the most petite thing ever! I'm 5'2", 115 lbs., and I felt positively Brobdignagian around her!) Anyway, I don't know about her, but I had a great time--of course, the 'Stros won. . . .

We hung around downtown after the game, hitting various drinking establishments (surprise!). Her "St. Louis--A Drinking Town with a Baseball Problem" T-shirt attracted a lot of attention, as did the simple fact of an Astros' fan and a Cardinals' fan bandying about together. Then Sunday, we got up and had brunch at one of my favorite little places (the Empire Cafe) before heading to the Museum District to take in the Cockrell Butterfly Center and the Botanical Gardens. Then, back to downtown to grab some grub at Cabo's before heading to MMP. I probably wasn't the best hostess this day, as I had a splitting headache for most of it, but it was gone by the time we went to the game. And what a wonderful evening! Sitting in the Crawford Boxes, great weather, roof open, Rocket on the mound, stellar company--the only thing better would have been not having to work the next morning! As it was, I felt compelled to start my drive home around the middle of the sixth (after all, I do have a job in which alertness and vigilance are key to safety. . .), which unfortunately sentenced my guest to an early exit as well. Bummer.

Anyway, already looking forward to next year, which may involve a trip to Shea/Yankee Stadium/Wrigley/who knows what. Yay!

Update!

2006-09-25T16:05:00.000-07:00

Actually, not really an update so much, as a promise of an update to come. I don't have time to blog this evening, as I am still catching up on things from the weekend away, but I'll be able to post something probably Wednesday. So for now, suffice it to say that it was a fabulous weekend--great baseball and great company!

Incoming!

2006-09-20T14:54:00.000-07:00

This is the weekend that redbirdbrain is coming to visit! While I'm not all that optimistic about the outcome of the games this weekend from an Astros' fan point of view, at least my guest will get to see her favorite pitcher on Saturday night. And Sunday, we'll be in the Crawford Boxes. She's hoping to catch a home run, so here's hoping the Astros' bats are hot--hee! (Actually, I think I'm going to buy a throw-down baseball, because if she catches a Cardinals' HR, I know that she won't be throwing it back, despite the protestations of 40,000-plus fans. A throw-down [hey! Good pun! Unintentional!] could save both of us a bit of grief.)

Updates to follow after the weekend (and she's threatening to provide video evidence--scary!). . . .

Say goodnight, Gracie

2006-09-16T14:22:00.000-07:00

So. . . last night Clemens does not look like he is really ready to come back from his groin injury (I'm telling you--groin-conditioning coach! That's the ticket!). He gives up a grannie to Pat Burrell, and although he guts it out for another few innings, the Astros lose to the Phillies 4-3.

I hate it. We lost to the wife-beater. I was hoping for some kind of leveling of the karma for that one (although granted, it wasn't one of the Astros' wives that he is accused of hitting).

And then today, we lose to the kid with the Bert-and-Ernie eyebrows. Who, to me, looks remarkably like a taller, gawkier David Wright.

Anyway. The Astros must now win 10 of the last 15 games just to break even on the season. I don't think they can do it.

I hope they come back next year with some attitude. This team's theme is "the good guys," and it seems to be pretty valid. Certainly they haven't had any players in the headlines for being in trouble with the law or anything. The last guy who played here who seemed to be a bit of an ass was Jeff Kent. I was glad when he left; I didn't like his abruptness or his 70's porno mustache, either.

I sure would love to have him back now.

I want guys on this team who want to WIN. I want guys who not only play as hard as they can every game (kudos to Biggio) but who also want what's best for the team and don't focus on personal achievements (jeers to Biggio). I don't want to watch a bunch of spoiled millionaires who can't be bothered to care about their job. If I approached my job with the attitude of some of these guys, I probably wouldn't have one. Take the two nicest guys on the team, for example--Morgan Ensberg and Lance Berkman. I vacillate between feeling sorry for them and being very annoyed by them. I think that Ensberg really feels the pain of his failures (thus my sympathy), but dude: you make over 3 million dollars a year. I think you can afford a psychiatrist. I know that your near-death experience makes you very laid back when it comes to things that don't really matter, like baseball. But dude. Baseball is your JOB and you get paid very, very handsomely for it. The fans would probably prefer that you care a bit more. See a shrink, deal with some of your issues. Accept help when it's offered by others. Do something in this offseason. Of all the people on the team that have disappointed this year, you are the one I would like to see return next year. But not if things don't change.

And Berkman. Lance Berkman is someone whom I have always admired for his spiritual faith and his openness about it. I wish I felt as comfortable discussing my beliefs as he seems to. But sometimes I almost wonder if it's an excuse for him. He feels that through his faith in God, he knows that his playing baseball won't matter to anyone in 100 years. His spirituality sets his priorities, as it should. But dude. The Bible also says that to whom much is given, much is expected, and if we are faithful in small matters we will be trusted with larger things. Don't you think God expects you to maximize the gifts and potential that He gave you? And He certainly gave you many gifts; dude, you are the most incredible natural hitter I've ever seen. Would it kill you to show up on time at the park, maybe work out a little bit to avoid some of the injuries you've had lately (groin-conditioning coach, I'm telling you!), maybe have a WORK ETHIC? I love the jokes and sense of humor (another gift), but I would love it even more if you seemed to apply yourself a bit. But again, I do feel sorry for you, because you have to carry the team by yourself. It's a lot of pressure, I know.

Okay, enough baseball. I have begun my own personal segue into the offseason, making plans to go to some concerts, heading to the Honduras in February, and taking Latin dance lessons. Yes, that's right. Latin dance is great exercise, I came to find out. I know now how J-Lo got her booty, 'cause mine was so sore after the first class that I'm pretty sure it was swollen. (And all we did was merengue!) One of the surgeons I work with keeps "mis-hearing" my discussions--he's certain I'm taking a lap dancing class. When I try to correct him, he just says, "Hey, call it whatever ethnicity you want to. Just let me know when you're going to practice."

Oh, the harrassment!

But on the bright side, at least we're not talking about this dismal baseball season anymore. . . .

Goodnight, Gracie.

When it rains. . . .

2006-09-12T18:35:00.000-07:00

Andy Pettitte left in the third with a strained left elbow flexor (so far sounds muscular, not a reinjury of the surgically repaired ligament). Roy Oswalt is still feeling the after-effects of his bruised wrist. Adam Everett was scratched from tonight's start just before game time due to a strained groin. Roger Clemens is still day-to-day, although he is slated to start Friday (strained groin also). Lance Berkman seems to be healthy at the moment, but he was out a few weeks ago with a strained groin. Jeez.

So, I did at least come up with something the Astros need for next year.

A groin-conditioning coach.

"Apathy" and "pathetic" have the same root word

2006-09-12T14:54:00.000-07:00

Wow, I just looked back over this blog--not a whole lot of entries over the last few months. I've had, what, four since July? I didn't do an exact count but that's got to be close.

And I'm only blogging now because what I really should be doing is working out, and this is total avoidance behavior.

My whole perspective on baseball right now is very, "whatever." I was looking at the Wild Card standings, and with 19 games to go, the Astros' E number is 16. So at this rate, they'll still draw it out until the last week (being mathematically eliminated, that is). And amazingly, no one in the NL actually HAS been eliminated yet, while three teams in the AL have (because overall the NL sucks, of course). I've always thought that the NL played an intellectually superior game to that of the AL, but sometimes, I have my weak moments and I think, oh yeah baby, I want a DH--more power.

But maybe that's just a symptom of being an Astros' fan.

Lots of Astros' blogs and message boards have started discussing what to do for next year. I have to say that, scarily, I don't even care enough at this point to have an opinion.

My pathetic team has inculcated that much apathy in me.

Gray

2006-09-04T12:04:00.000-07:00

Just, gray.

That pretty much sums up a lot here in Texas right now. The skies outside. The Astros' playoff hopes. My mood.

Attended all three games of the Mets' series this weekend. The Astros played fairly well, despite a few defensive errors and the usual sporadic offense. And although we threw our fourth and fifth starters at them, the Mets didn't run away with either of the first two games (a relief for certain). So, good baseball and good company at all three events, and a sweet win on Sunday with Roy O on the mound.

I've decided Willy Taveras is Little Puma (a reference, of course, to Berkman's nickname). I had great fun, after a couple of beers (malted courage, don't you know), yelling to Willy T, "¡Está puma pequeño! ¡Te quiero! ¡Tirá la aquí!" " It certainly made those around me, who understood Spanish, snicker. But what exactly they were laughing at, I'm not sure. . . .

Other parts of the weekend were not so amusing. The fans around me, when Beltran got hurt Saturday night, showed no class whatsoever. One guy yelled, "Hey! It's nothing $118 million won't fix!" (Okay, that one made me chuckle a little.) But other fans kept yelling stuff like, "Get up you big crybaby! You're holding up the game!" And the constant booing was really getting old by the end of the weekend. I'm sure Beltran is glad he left.

I can understand, with that sort of heckling, why players never look into the stands. And I was reminded, after reading this story about Morgan Ensberg, why he isn't very friendly (he and several other players, minor leaguers at the time, were held at gunpoint by two assailants in Florida, and would probably have been killed if not for their own quick thinking and police intervention). But still sometimes I wonder, would it hurt these guys so much to acknowledge the fans a little? Especially, you know, in non-game situations? My friend Olga took her 6-year-old daughter to get Chris Burke's autograph at a Shadow Creek Ranch function. She said he was just rude, and seemed completely annoyed to even be there. (This didn't surprise me, as he comes across as very arrogant--in my opinion--in interviews.) It seems the fans are invisible at best and an irritation otherwise. It makes me question my fandom, to tell the truth.

To top it off, my car was burglarized Saturday night. The thief smashed the right side rear window and took the Aveda foot lotion I had just bought, as well as a new flat iron that my hair stylist talked me into buying. Finally, he/she rifled through my work backpack and stole my checkbook and my Social Security card. Needless to say, I spent a great deal of time Sunday morning trying to alert all the necessary agencies. Now I just have to wait to see if some f***er with straight hair and soft feet tries to steal my identity. Nice. (Advisory: this happened at the Magnolia Hotel. I was parked in the garage behind the hotel, which is where they recommend patrons to park. I didn't use the valet, but even if I had, the hotel stated that they wouldn't have been responsible. That's fine, I understand that. But when I apprised the hotel of the incident, the clerk at the front desk was so imperious that she might as well have said, "Oh. Well, f*** you." I will not be going back there.)

I think I'm ready for the season to be over.

Mediocre times

2006-08-27T09:26:00.000-07:00

Well, the Astros have gone 3-3 since my last entry and currently have a record of 62-68. They are in fourth place in the division, 7 games out, and 5 games back in the Wild Card standings. Hmm. Maybe I should have been a little more specific about that staying-in-contention thing.

On second thought, nah. I'll just go ahead and make that charitable donation anyway.

I've thought some more about the "why's" of this year (an exercise in futility if there ever was one). There have been a lot of rumblings on message boards about the players being too easy going, not having that "killer instinct." I'd have to say in my opinion those rumblings are pretty valid. You look at the team overall, and certain players stand out as fierce competitors. Roger Clemens, for one--his start against Pittsburgh on Friday was a portrait of unrelenting determination, on all sides of the ball--from his 6 hits allowed (1 R) in six innings, to his two sac bunts, to his four fielding assists, including a 3-6-1 DP and what practically amounted to an open-field tackle of Jose Castillo in a run-down between third and home. Roy Oswalt also comes to mind--the mental and physical aspects of his pitching just astound me. In his start in Cincinnati on Wednesday, after giving up 2 runs, he simply made up his mind that the Reds were done. He extended his personal win streak against that team to 16. Andy Pettitte and Dan Wheeler are also strong competitors, although in a less flashy way. Everybody else on the team. . . hmm. Obviously, Berkman has been a very consistent performer this year, and without him, we're in Pirates' territory in the standings, or worse. But as much as I enjoy his sense of humor (after homering to put the 'Stros up 1-0 against the Bucs on Friday, he yelled to Clemens, "There's your one run! Make it stand up!"), he is well-known as being a low-key, easy-going kind of guy. Definitely the kind of guy you want on your team, but the kind of guy that gets you fired up to win? Maybe not. Maybe it's a role he can grow into, who knows.

So, yeah, I'd say that overall the team is lacking something mentally. And how do you teach that? If the attitudes of Roger and Roy haven't been contagious, where in the world is it going to come from? I think this issue, more than personnel questions or anything else, concerns me for next year's team. I suspect that the team taking the field in 2007 (with the exception of Clemens--I think he'll retire for good this time) will be little changed from this year's squad--I don't see Purpura making any earth-shaking deals, nor getting rid of any of his precious prospects. No wonder Oswalt has hinted that he wants to go elsewhere--it's like a friend of mine said, "I don't mind working hard as long as I'm not the only one. That gets a little unfair." I'm sure Roy sometimes feels like he's the only one working hard.

So what to do? Uh, I dunno. I do have one suggestion, though--the video that is shown at MMP before the Astros' lineup is announced has got to go. Last year's video had great clips of fabulous plays, stirring moments, drama, you name it, all set to a heavy metal soundtrack and interspersed with images of splashing red (evoking blood, I suppose). Talk about killer! This year's video starts with some feeble crap about a baseball being launched into space and taking orbit, and shows more pics of players from the rainbow jersey days than it does of this year's team. While I appreciate history as much as the next person, the overall feeling left by this year's video is one of mystifying (what-the-hell-was-that-crap?), boring (*yawn*) LAMENESS. No wonder the players don't have a killer instinct--they're lulled to sleep before every home game!

Oh, speaking of lameness--er, I mean, people who like the word "lame," (tee-hee!) redbirdbrain is coming to visit me! She has embarked upon a project that I aspire to--visiting all the MLB ballparks. I had extra tickets to the Cardinals' series in September, so now she will be adding MMP to her list of visited venues. Yippee! Not only will she get to see the stupid, lame line-up video in person, but maybe--just maybe--Larry Biggio will hit a HR to the Biggio boxes. While we're sitting there!

Good times!

Cheers! A win at Miller

2006-08-20T15:56:00.000-07:00

The Astros won today to split a four-game series in Milwaukee. Miller Park looks pretty fun, the sausage races crack me up, as well as Bernie (I think that's his name) the Brewer, who skims down the slide when the Brew Crew score (beats the train--I love MMP, personally, and I understand the historical significance of the train and all, but it looks like it's carrying freakin' pumpkins. Not cool).

Anyway, what with injuries to Oswalt, Nieve, and Backe, and the continuing anemic offense, all I'm hoping for now is that the team won't completely embarrass themselves over this last 6 weeks of the season. I hope that they act like the professionals that I assume them to be, and play hard in every game even after they are mathematically eliminated (which at the current clip of .476 ball, won't be too much longer). Ah well, at least we're not the Royals, with an E number of 9. That would suck.

One of my colleagues riffed on the first base coach (Jose "Cheo" Cruz) the other day. He doesn't like how Cheo comes up and always puts hands on the players. This colleague is a guy's guy and probably a little homophobic, I imagine. I teased him, "That's it! You've figured it out! The whole reason that they have no discipline at the plate is because they don't want to get stuck at first base and be 'pawed' by Cheo! Of course! If they can't get an extra-base hit, they don't want it!" We giggled, but it's probably as good an explanation as any for the more inexplicable aspects of this season. My BBF (that's Best Baseball Friend) Max and I talked for an hour yesterday about all the things that have gone wrong or were disappointing this year. Of course, always easier to see some things in hindsight. . . .

Anyway, like the good fans that we are, we made plans to attend several more home games before the season ends. With any luck, the weather will be fair and somewhat cool for the last homestand against the Cardinals. The roof will be open, and the long, golden light of late summer will burnish the season's end with the luster of next year's hopes.

Calling all psychiatrists

2006-08-16T06:50:00.000-07:00

Help!

I must have masochistic tendencies. I keep spending money on the dang Astros when they've done nothing to earn my trust and support.

Well, okay, sweeping the Pirates was nice (but of course, it was the Pirates). And obviously it kept my little fantasy universe alive for a few days longer.

But overall, attending and/or watching games is just painful right now. As redbirdbrain has noted, why am I continuing in an activity that stresses and depresses me? IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FUN, for crying out loud.

And yet, not only do I continue to watch, I continue to throw money at them. I just exercised my post-season option, even though I've thought for some time now that the Astros wouldn't advance this year. So now I'm guaranteed 2 seats (good ones, at that) to every home postseason game, including all three potential World Series games.

Talk about a fantasy universe.

But hey, while the psychiatrists are around, maybe they can help some of the team members. Like Morgan Ensberg, for one. Dude was my favorite player last year, now I just think he's mental. (And yes, I can be a little fickle. But seriously? What is up with him? He's turned more OCD than Nomar Garciaparra, and he just looks wild-eyed at the plate, like he doesn't have clue one. Not to mention lying about being hurt earlier this season [and yeah, he said he knew others who "played through pain," but it's easy to put an honorable spin on something after the fact]. And the show-boating that got him injured in the first place is annoying, although certainly to be fair, he was only hitting .216 in May before the injury occurred in June.)

And what about Lidge? I do NOT think Pujols got to him, he had his struggles last year before the playoffs had started. But he keeps singing the same song-and-dance about how he doesn't understand how he's getting hit. I don't understand it either--how can he be dominant one outing and ridiculously easy to hit the next? But somebody needs to figure it out, and if it takes a shrink, so be it. He's already lost the closer's job, and I predict he'll be traded in the off-season.

I could go on and on, with Jason Lane, poor P-Dub (good luck, sir), Orlando Palmeiro, and everybody else who is underperforming this year. But what's the point?

You know, earlier this year I was good with the Astros not making the playoffs. Of course, processes such as grief are never fully linear, explaining my current recrudescence of depression and anger. Then again, maybe I should blame my recurring flicker of hope on the NL in general. Since all the teams have sucked at some point this year (only the Mets are above .550, and they've lost their last two--not that they've really sucked this year, damn them), it has kept the Astros in the hunt--and coasting in their mediocrity--for far longer than might otherwise have been possible.

Ah well, forget the shrink. Just get me some Prozac.

I'm still here

2006-08-09T16:15:00.001-07:00

And I'm still watching baseball.

I just haven't felt like blogging about it, or about much of anything, actually.

I've been really busy the last week or so--I'm on vacation this week, which was very welcome, but had a friend come visit for the first few days of my off time, so spent all last week trying to get my house ready. I've only owned this place since the first of the year, and hadn't quite finished doing things like hanging pictures, buying furnishings, etc. (I knew if I didn't get it done before the season started, that it would end up languishing for a while.)

Anyway, my house isn't finished, but it does at least look like I live here. And my friend and I had a wonderful visit. I dropped her off in Houston yesterday, and had gotten myself tickets to the game as well as the ballpark tour. The tour was fun. I learned some interesting trivia, like it takes about 13 minutes to open (or close) the roof at Minute Maid, and that the Coca Cola company (owners of Minute Maid brand and therefore the name license holder) owns the name license through 2030. It costs about $1000/hour to air-condition the Park when the roof is closed (to a temperature of 75 degrees). The seats right behind home plate are licensed to individual tickets holders for a one-time $20,000 fee per seat, and then sold as season tickets at $375/seat/game (in other words, first year investment of about $50,000). The turf is a type called Seashore Paspalum, which is from Argentina and only requires about 2 hours of sunlight a day, and there is over 6 acres of it on the playing field.

Good tour, good game, yucky crowd--listless, disinterested, booed a lot at the least provocation. Most of my friends could be described similarly right now, I think--I haven't been able to get anyone to go with me to the games this weekend. Some people legitimately have to work, but others are like, "No, I don't want to fight traffic and parking and the crowd and pay $7 for beer." While on the one hand I can relate, I also know those same folks will be vying to join me at any playoff games, should the 'Stros make the postseason.

Makes me feel a bit like the Little Red Hen (and obviously, I need this vacation, as I first put "Chicken Little"--I've mixed metaphors before, but not folktales!).

Anyway. I got a crazy whim and invited folks over for dinner tomorrow night, so now I have lots of stuff to do AGAIN. See ya'!

Exhale

2006-07-31T14:10:00.000-07:00

No trade. Nada.

Never thought I'd actually be glad to say that. Just when I was worried about the IQ of the 'Stros' front office, they do something smart, and actually look like reasonable people doing it.

Of course, maybe the whole trade-Oswalt thing was designed to get everybody's dander up, to cover the fact that no trade at all was forthcoming. No trade is certainly better than a stupid one, right?

Maybe they're even smarter than I think.

You're a loony

2006-07-31T05:42:00.000-07:00

That's the famous line that King Arthur says to the Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

I would venture to say that it applies to the Astros' front office, and Tim Purpura in particular.

Honestly. What. The. Hell.

The Astros were thinking of trading ROY OSWALT for Miguel Tejada? Pardon the profanity, but you have got to be shitting me. Trade the ace of our pitching staff for a rental bat? (Yes, I know he's signed through 2009, but he can demand a trade in the offseason if traded mid-season, and if none is made, he becomes a free agent in March.)

And despite his friendship with Drayton McLane, if I'm Roy, my price for year after next just went up.

Way up.

Trade Roger

2006-07-30T15:06:00.000-07:00

No, really. I mean it.

Obviously, I have not accepted the Astros' season fates as fully as I had thought, as their snatching defeat from the hands of victory today disgusted me.

An incredible performance by Roger Clemens (7 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, and 9 K), in which he lowered his ERA to 2.09, was completely wasted by the combination of Chad Qualls and Brad Lidge. Clemens left after the seventh with a 5-1 lead, but Qualls allowed 4 runs in the eighth to tie the game, and Lidge allowed two more in the ninth to put it away (final score 7-6). Once again, Lidge only needed one more pitch--ONE!--to finish the ninth and send the game to the bottom of the inning tied. Given that Luke Scott and Adam Everett both doubled in the bottom of the ninth for our final run, the outcome could have been far, far different. But that one pitch was hit out by Conor Jackson for the D-Backs' final two runs.

The trade deadline is tomorrow. I sure as hell hope that the Astros don't make any moves, especially not if it means giving away the farm for some rental like Soriano or Tejada. What they should do, though, is send Roger Clemens to a team that has a shot--Yankees, Tigers, or my preference would be the Red Sox. Let him finish his storied career on a winner, so that he can have one last October, one last shot at the Fall Classic.

He deserves better than this.

Fun times

2006-07-29T07:16:00.000-07:00

No, the Astros didn't win last night, although they certainly did play well. Luke Scott put on quite the show, as I had hoped he would--first Astros' rookie to hit for the cycle, and first Astro to do so at all since Bidge in 2002. He did it in reverse order, too--homer (4th inning), triple (5th), double (7th), then single (11th). (Some call it hitting in reverse "natural" order, meaning that natural order would be single, then double, and so on. I figure there's nothing "natural" about it, or we'd see it more often. Too bad it's not like poker, for example, where a straight flush is worth more than a flush or a straight!)

Anyway, despite the loss, I had the best time of any game that I wasn't actually, um, at. The media personnel at MMP, as well as all the fun folks over at The Crawfish Boxes, ran with the whole 70's theme night. I haven't laughed so hard during a losing game since the plunk-night debacle against the Giants back in May.

Odd, in a way. Even though I accept that the playoffs are probably out of the picture, I'm starting to enjoy Astros' baseball again (hell, just bought tickets for two more upcoming games!). It's as if the playoff pressure is off of me as a fan, too, and now I can just sit back and enjoy the game.

Here's hoping the team can do the same.

Same old, lame old

2006-07-26T13:41:00.000-07:00

Ah well. Another loss with Clemens on the mound. Yep, looking shut-outerish again (hee!).

I'm glad I'm in the acceptance phase of my grief about this season.

Especially seeing as how it's not likely to change any time soon.

I can live with the Astros not making a trade before the deadline. The mob majority seems to think we need to get Miguel Tejada from the Orioles, and most are willing to give up Jason Hirsh to do it.

Me? Not so much.

I think Tejada's probably a cheater (he certainly has the Rafael Palmeiro/Jason Grimsley stain on him), and his work ethic is questionable. I also was not impressed with his off-season grumblings about the Orioles--that stuff never plays out well in the media. And to give up our best pitching prospect, who is 11-2 at AAA with a 2.08 ERA and 106 strikeouts (and is on a 40-something-inning streak of not giving up a run)? PUH-lease! I agree with some people that the Astros take too long to bring up their prospects, but the same fans seem willing to forfeit the future just because it's not getting here as fast as they'd like.

I don't get it.

On the other hand, I had a depressing thought yesterday while watching the game. (Well, actually I had a few depressing thoughts, one of which was how bad Adam Everett really can look at the plate. His strikeout in the fourth, with Luke Scott at third and only one out, was pretty mind-boggling. The pitch he swung at for the K was so far out of the zone that I swear he shut his eyes. I love watching him play short--his athleticism and grace in the field are mind-boggling in the best way--but I'm starting to agree a bit with those who view him as one of the black holes in the offense. Even considering runs saved, I'm starting to question his overall contribution. And I hate that.)

Um, right. Back to the other depressing thought. You know, everybody--right now I don't feel like linking to all of the citations I've read, but we're talking coaches, managers, players, and most of the blogosphere--seem to feel that the Astros are a much better team than they're showing at the moment. "Not playing up to their potential," they call it.

But. . . what if they are?

What if for the last two years, they were playing way BEYOND their potential? Maybe they're just not that good, you know? Maybe the last two years were the "magical seasons" in more ways than one.

Talk about depressing.

[UPDATE: Okay, okay, okay! Now I feel sufficiently chastised for questioning Adam Everett's value. My bad!]

Have a little Faith

2006-07-23T14:04:00.000-07:00

Hill, that is.

Some girlfriends in Houston had made plans months ago to attend the Tim McGraw concert last night at the Toyota Center. I'm not as much a fan as they are, but when one of the girls bailed, they asked me if I wanted to go. Sure, I said. A Tim McGraw concert sounds fun. And that's all I've heard about for the last couple of months--going to Tim, going to Tim. . . .

At work last week, someone asked, "Hey, isn't that the Soul2SoulII tour, with Tim McGraw and Faith Hill together?"

Confused, I said, "Well, I don't think so, they've never said anything about Faith Hill."

Little did I know I had such single-minded friends.

Anyway, the Tim McGraw/Faith Hill concert was simply fabulous--a great show, magnificent seats, good food beforehand, and a hotel room within walking distance of the venue, so no beverage-related driving worries. There were some misadventures, of course, but what happens in Houston, stays in Houston. . . .

Speaking of Houston, the Astros managed to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Mets, who looked like they underwent a role-reversal with us (errors, failure to hustle, etc.). While it will take more than one well-played game and well-deserved win to change my prediction about the 'Stros season outcome, it was certainly a refreshing change of pace for their "faith"-ful fans.

Tee hee!

2006-07-20T17:07:00.000-07:00

Since Astros' baseball doesn't really amuse me particularly at the moment, I thought I would post something that does.

This is my new doormat.

It is self-described as "perfectly fine, if not certainly adequate," and contains the following warnings on the label:

"Do not use mat as a projectile. Sudden acceleration to dangerous speeds may cause injury. When using mat, follow directions: Put your right foot in, put your right foot out, put your right foot in and shake it all about. This mat is not designed to sustain gross weight exceeding 12,000 lbs. . . . If coffee spills on mat, assume that it is very hot. . . . Do not glue mat to porous surfaces, such as pregnant women [I'm not making this up, lakeline!], pets and heavy machinery. . . . Do not taunt mat. Failure to comply relieves the makers of this doormat, Simply Precious Home Decor. . . of any and all liability."

Love. It!

Onward and downward

2006-07-20T14:43:00.000-07:00

Well, the Astros are now 4 games under .500, and 8 games back of the Cardinals (not 8.5, because the Cards were off today--thank heavens for small favors). The Cubs, losers of 14 of their last 17 home games, took 2 of 3 from the 'Stros, with Andy Pettitte taking the loss today. I didn't get to watch the game, as I was working, but looking at recaps, sounds like Andy wasn't particularly strong today. Damned old Zambrano continues to own the Astros, though.

So now it's on to New York, to face the best team in the National League. I continue with my prediction of a sweep at the hands of the Mets, but I do hope the Astros at least make it interesting--they do tend to play up (or down) to the caliber of their opponent, quite often.

A friend called last night, and we briefly touched on the subject of the 'Stros. He no longer really follows the team, and reiterated to me something he has said ever since he discovered that I was a fan--"They'll break your heart, you might as well give up or get used to it."

I dunno. I was actually kind of offended by that. Obviously, this season has been very disappointing, and I do not anticipate that the team will turn things around in time to make the post-season. But I certainly plan to make as many games as possible for the remainder of the year. And a poor showing by the team this season should decrease ticket demand enough for me get a seat upgrade next year, as I already mentioned. And, finally and most importantly, how much sweeter will the winning be, when it finally happens?

Maybe I'm not as much of a fair-weather fan as I worried that I might be.

[A post-script: let's hope Alyson Footer is an employee of MLB.com and not the Houston Astros, as this type of article {UPDATE--article has been changed since original posting} surely won't win her any points in the front office--as Alan Ashby found out, it is possible to be TOO honest around the Astros' management, unfortunately. A quote:

The outlook for the Houston Astros worsened on Thursday when they dropped a 4-1 decision to the Chicago Cubs -- those same Chicago Cubs who are in fifth place in the division and own the worst home record in baseball. Now the Astros are off to New York, where they will meet the Mets, a team far superior than the Cubs, as evidenced by their 57-38 record that has made a mockery of the word "race" in the NL East. If the Astros play this poorly this weekend at Shea Stadium, they have no chance to beat a team that is better than them in every area -- pitching, speed and defense. And winning.]

Stages

2006-07-17T17:14:00.000-07:00

I'm eerily calm.

Actually, it's not even eerie.

Just calm.

I didn't see any of the weekend games with the Marlins (on call Friday, and in New Braunfels--at a condo with NO CABLE--on Saturday and Sunday). I was really excited to hear, while listening to the middle of Sunday's game on the radio on the drive home, that we had won on Saturday 12-0.

Then of course, Sunday's 3-0 lead came undone.

I turned the radio off.

At work today, when the usual suspects started giving me grief about the Astros' performance over the weekend, I didn't argue or hedge or counter. I just shrugged and said, "Yeah."

I've already gone through denial, anger, bargaining, and depression. I'm at acceptance.

I predict that the Cubs will enjoy a brief resurgence at our expense, taking 2 of 3, and that the Mets will sweep us out of town and out of the division race. I think the 12-plus game hole that we find ourselves in by the end of this road trip will likely knock us out of any real chance at a wildcard berth as well.

At least in the off-season, I should be able to get really good seats for next year!

It's a start

2006-07-14T03:30:00.000-07:00

Haven't had time to weigh in on all the All-Star break machinations by the Astros, but after Aubrey Huff's 3-run homer to give the boys a 5-1 win against the Marlins last night, I'd have to say that at least at this moment, Tim Purpura looks like a genius.

We'll see.

Other things remain to be fixed. I didn't actually see Huff's homer, I turned off the game when Chad Qualls came in to relieve Oswalt, because I got that same old sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. While checking my email, I flipped to the Astros' website to see how many runs Qualls gave up, and at first read the boxscore as if the Marlins were ahead (my mindset right now). As I kept staring at it, realizing that WE were up, I rushed back to the TV and flipped it back on. I got that same nauseating sense when it came to the bottom of the ninth and I realized that Brad Lidge was coming in.

Fighting the urge to turn the TV off yet again, I called my friend Max. He talked me down off the Lidge ledge, I watched the end of the game, and the Astros won. (Lidge didn't look particularly sharp but he didn't allow a baserunner, thank heavens.)

Ensberg was put on the DL and Luke Scott has been called up. Hope Luke can put on a show this time, although it might mean his being traded by the deadline for middle relief.

Anyway, it's a start. Go 'Stros!

It's true, Redbirdbrain--they ARE lame

2006-07-10T15:43:00.000-07:00

"I just don't think I can stand it anymore."

Those were the words coming over the phone in the O.R. lounge at ten minutes after 7 this morning. The gal at the scheduling desk had hollered that the call was for me, so I picked up the extension. Seeing on the caller ID that it was coming from one of the other hospitals, I just figured it was one of my colleagues, probably trying to dump some overtime.

The voice on the other end wasn't another anesthetist. It was the top cardiothoracic surgeon in the area.

I blinked. "What?"

He repeated himself. "I just don't think I can stand it anymore. Was that not the most miserable series of baseball you've ever seen?"

I had to agree that it was, and told him how much MORE miserable it seemed from the ballpark, as I had attended all three weekend games. We commiserated briefly, but before concluding the conversation, he said it a third time.

"I just don't think I can stand it anymore, and I just had to tell somebody."

Yeah. I know. We all have our ways of dealing with grief.

Last night's game was excruciating. I thought briefly about not attending at all, as I had driven home Saturday night in order to do something productive with my weekend. The friends that I planned to meet for the game had already been given their tickets, so it wasn't like they wouldn't be able to go if I opted out. But this was an annual trek that the four of us make to celebrate their birthdays (the tickets are my present to them), so I felt compelled to go.

To celebrate.

Problem was, none of us felt like celebrating after Saturday's fiasco. We were just kinda going through the motions. Added to that, there was a heckler in the section next to us who shouted things like "Okay, Andy, it's almost the break, you can start pitching any day now!" He finally was kicked out in the seventh after people complained. (Hell, I would have complained in the first if I'd known it would help!)

Andy DID pitch (7 IP, 7 H, 3R [all earned], 1 BB, 8 K). His performance was the bright spot of the evening, and I was pleased for him.

As for everyone else, where do you start?

Lamb's error in the eighth (at which time I packed it up for my hour-and-a-half drive home) allowed Damien Eckstein to score from third, tying the game at 2-2. Dan Wheeler then allowed Spot Rolen a 3-run jack, which I heard overhead as I was exiting the gate. To top off the miserable evening, I slipped and fell on the concourse before I actually got out of the park (no injuries, thankfully). It was apparently premonitory, as Jason Lane later tripped over his own feet off second base during the eighth, eliminating the benefit of Morgan Ensberg's sac fly. As I continued to listen to the game on the radio, Eric Munson got picked off at first by one of the Throwing Molina Brothers (Yadier really seems to have a thing about trying to pick off fellow catchers--unfortunately, this time it worked). The disgust in Milo Hamilton's voice about the Astros' performance in that inning was barely containable. It got worse in the tenth, when--with the bases loaded and only one out--both Preston Wilson and Jason Lane struck out to strand the runners. At that point, I turned off the radio.

I just couldn't stand it anymore.

Got home, expecting to catch a final score on ESPN, only to find the game still on. My TV was only on for about 15 seconds--long enough for me to realize that Lidge was in with two baserunners and two outs. I didn't need to actually see the conclusion to know how the game would end.

Yeah. I need this All-Star break as much as the players, I think.

I just don't think I can stand it anymore.

Weekend notes

2006-07-09T09:56:00.000-07:00

Lord.

Went to the game Friday night. I was with some marvelous company, which was a good thing since the game sucked. I had Crawford Box seats, and you can see me just briefly in the video of Ensberg's 19th homer (the July 7th link). I'm sitting in the fourth row up, right next to the fence that keeps fans from falling into left center field (seat #1). I'm standing up just as Brownie's saying, "They're getting up in the Landry's Crawford Boxes," and you can see me pump my right fist right before the camera angle cuts me out of the picture. Tee-hee! This amuses me a lot.

I'm easily amused.

Also amusing that day was Berkman's Jeter impersonation, falling into the stands after a catch of a foul ball by Pujols. What's most entertaining is that you can see that he's about to blow a gum bubble as he comes running up for the catch, and not even the fall deters him from this activity. Pretty cool customer. (But how the hell did he get the nickname "Big Puma"? I don't get it. I do, however, get Mike Lamb's--the Killer Silent B--alternate nickname: "Lambo." At MMP, they show a picture of Sylvester Stallone's body from the Rambo movie, with Mike Lamb's head, any time "Lambo" gets a hit. Hee!)

I also attended yesterday's game. What is there to say about that? The company was again stellar, but the Astros continue their predilection for scoring when I'm in the bathroom. I even spent most of the 7th inning in the bathroom to assure our retaking the lead (successfully, I might add). I attempted the same in the ninth, but apparently Brad Lidge's bad mojo is more powerful than my bathroom mojo. Who knew?

That loss seemed one of the more depressing I've witnessed. But I'm not quite sure if it's the loss so much as simply a reflection of my current mood. I'm reading Joan Didion's latest, The Year of Magical Thinking, which is a memoir of a difficult time in her life (freakin' understatement!), but also a study of grief. I haven't finished this lovely tome yet (I adore her writing! It's like reading words, but hearing music), but she seems thus far to be making a case that grief is a form of mental illness, almost.

Well, hell. If magical thinking denotes psychosis, then probably all baseball fans (or at least us Astros' fans) are certifiable.

I believe I'll be staying out of the bathroom unless absolutely necessary, from here on out.

Happy 4th!

2006-07-06T18:18:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I know.

I've been busy.

Mikey Lamb hit a solo HR in the first inning of tonight's game (in which the Cards have just gone up 2-1 on Jim Edmonds' 2-run jack), helping to cement the Killer Silent B's place in my "affections." His assuring that there'd be no shutout tonight was second, though, to his pre-game interview, in which he talked to Greg Lucas about hitting in the second hole.

When he said it enables him to use his speed, I snickered.

Love ya', man, but you're not really known as fast.

We all have our dreams. . . .

Go "Stros!

(Oh, final note--my friend Max is using my game tickets tonight because I couldn't make a weekday trip. They are giving away an authentic NL pennant ring tonight. My friend Max is the luckiest SOB I've ever been around. If he wins it, I think I might vomit that I didn't go.)

Big surprise!

2006-07-01T13:39:00.000-07:00

We won!

The Astros beat the Rangers 7-0 behind the brilliant (there, I said it) performance of Taylor Buckholz and the firepower of Mike Lamb, who was 3-5 with a HR, triple, and a double. Lamb was robbed of a second home run by Gary Matthews Jr., who made a Jackie Chan catch up and over the center field wall to prevent what would have been an additional 3 runs.

How lovely is the win. Maybe the players will start having a little fun now, as Oswalt hoped.

You know, I haven't had a "favorite" player for a while now. Last year it was Ensberg, who impressed me with his wit in interviews and his interaction with fans as much as his bat. This year, however, Ensberg tends to ignore the fans before games, and hasn't really put together anything consistently at the plate (okay, sure, he has 18 jacks, but none since June 4th, and it drives me crazy that he changes his stance every time he gets up to bat). I mentioned a couple of weeks ago at work that Mike Lamb might be my new favorite this year, only to be met with incredulity. But now, I think it's pretty hard to argue with his numbers, and plus, he seems to be such a nice guy. He always comes across in interviews as a guy who still thinks he's so blessed to get to play, and last year, when talking about Houston fans and his experience with the club, he actually teared up a bit. (And yeah, that stuff gets to me every time. Including when Frank Robinson cried.) And given Mike Lamb's response to the catch made by the Rangers' center fielder, it's now official.

My new favorite player, by a landslide score of 1-0 (hey, my vote is the only one that counts!) is Mike Lamb, a.k.a. Lambchop!

Surprise!

2006-07-01T05:40:00.000-07:00

Lost again.

The 'Stros dropped the first game of the series to the Rangers, 3-1. Unfortunately, with Roy Oswalt on the mound, this was probably our best chance to win one of the three on tap for the weekend. Today's game and tomorrow's contest feature Taylor Buckholz and Wandy Rodriguez, in that order. Taylor was pretty freakin' close to brilliant in his last outing in Chicago and would have had the win, in all likelihood, had Chad Qualls not given up the granny to Joe Crede. If he performs as well today, we'll have a chance to at least be IN the game. However, his season has been marked by inconsistency so far. Wandy, on the other hand, has never been a pitcher that I've characterized as brilliant, yet he got the job done--for the first two months of the season. He was 2-3 in June.

I found Roy Oswalt's comments after the game to be fairly revealing of the club's current mental status:

"We need to pick it up for sure. . . . The team's just not playing together at all. Everyone's worried about somebody else doing something wrong instead of just playing their game and having a little fun. Nobody's having fun. Everybody's worried about losing. You can't go into a game worried about losing. You've got to have fun."

Yeah, I've worked in place like that, where everybody is more worried about how others do a job instead of doing their own. It's not a fun place to work, and not much work gets done.

I've been resisting jumping on the trade-somebody-or-send-people-down-and/or-bring-people-up bandwagon, just because I'm not sure that there's anybody out there, trade-wise, who would help us much, nor am I convinced that Hirsh is ready to make the jump to the bigs. I would like to see Luke Scott get another chance, but it's a bit of a double-edged sword--he's done well at AAA again this year, but even he noted that his performing well there gains him nothing--it's expected. But if they bring him up again and he doesn't do well at the major league level, then he loses potential as trade bait, as well as in expectations from his own current club. Regardless, given Roy O's comments after last night's loss, something needs to change. (And don't you love Roy? People who "tell it like it is" are never considered media-savvy, but it sure is a refreshing change from hearing the same refrain over and over again--"we're just not swinging the bats well." Well, no shit.) Last year, inaction from the front office proved to be the correct move. But despite the similarities on paper, this is not the same team as last year, and the same stand-pat attitude will probably not succeed, in the opinion of many in the blogosphere.

Are you listening, Mr. Purpura?

Dear _____________,

2006-06-28T14:42:00.000-07:00

Dear Mr. Pettitte,

Sorry that you lost today. You didn't deserve to, you tried really hard and pitched your ass off, for the most part. I've always had a soft spot for you for some reason, and I hope the rest of your season goes better than the first half has.*

Your friend,
Danyah

P.S. * But since you play for the Astros, I wouldn't hold my breath.

* * * * *

Dear rest-of-the-Astros,

WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? What's that? You say, 'we don't know'? As in, you don't know what you're doing, perhaps?

Well, that much is very evident.

Get a freakin' clue.

Not friends,
Danyah

* * * * *

Whew.

I feel better.

Okay, on second thought, not really.

Today was such a dismal waste of a decent pitching performance by Andy Pettitte. I suspect that what I feared has started to occur--now the Astros are starting to get uncomfortable (yes, hello! half the freakin' season is over, guys!) and are starting to press a bit. Errors and gaffes of all sorts abounded in the game today. Even Jim Deshaies, in the ninth inning, upon learning that Justin Verlander only threw 99 pitches through 8 innings, burst out with, "That's it? They deserve to lose!" It was a very spontaneous remark, you could tell, and therefore all the more, well, telling of his opinion of their current play. Others in the blogosphere are starting to mirror that opinion.

I’ve thought for a while now that things weren't so rosy in Astroland. But I hate to express such pessimism, for I always fear that it might reflect a fair-weather attitude, my being spoiled by success. And I do despise fair-weather fans, especially those who only buy tickets for the playoffs. But I also have been forced to reflect on the current season and the pervading slump. In my little Pollyanna universe, true fans stick with their club through thick and thin. But when does it become a risk and reward conflict? How much of my life do I want to spend watching a game that, at present, depresses me?

I just don't know the answer today.

I'm a bad, bad fan

2006-06-26T18:26:00.000-07:00

I look at last night's game, and while grateful for the win, am appalled by the performance of the bullpen.

Thank goodness somebody sees the glass as half full.

10-9 in 13

2006-06-26T03:28:00.000-07:00

Whoa.

Thank God for a win.

And against the White Sox!

I didn't stay up late to watch all the game, and I probably would have turned it off after Iguchi's granny in the ninth anyway. I don't have much faith lately.

Here's hoping they continue to prove me wrong!

Let some other fool sit down

2006-06-24T14:12:00.000-07:00

Pop a top again
I just got time for one more round
Set 'em up my friends
Then I'll be gone
Then you can let some other fool sit down.
--Nat Stuckey

The group I work for had functions the last two evenings, so I didn't watch Thursday's contest with the Twins, nor Friday's with the Sox. It was certainly tempting to skip these functions, especially Thursday since that was the big debut of Rocket. (I kept telling myself, "There's more to life than baseball, there's more to life than baseball. . . . ") I did, however, watch today's game, with Taylor Buckholz on the mound for us versus Jon Garland of the Pale Hosiery.

The overall feeling that I am left with after the end of the game is one of resignation. Call this my tombstone post, if you will--it feels like the season's pretty much done with.

Buckholz actually pitched pretty darn well, although he got into a bit of trouble in the 7th. He went out with a 5-1 lead, bases loaded, one out. Chad Qualls came in to face Joe Crede and threw one pitch to give up the grand slam and tie the game. Fox had cut away to commercial during the pitching change, and actually came back a split second too late, and so ended up showing a replay to the television audience (at least in my viewing area). It made it all that more surreal, as if they were showing a replay from some other game. Then, while the Astros managed to make the game go to extra innings, they couldn't get anyone else across the plate.

Surprise. The Sox could, and did.

I was actually struck while watching the game that it was well-played overall, and a game any baseball fan could appreciate. Not unlike last October, I ended up feeling that Crazy Ozzie outmanaged Phil Garner by just the slightest margin, but perhaps that perception was more due to the fact that the White Sox players outplayed us by a margin as well.

That's not to say I enjoyed the game. Not at all. (And if Chad Qualls offers any excuses at all, I'll kick his 6'5" ass. And it sounds like Alyson Footer may agree with me, on all counts.)

I think I've realized what it is about the team this year that is bothering me. I couldn't put my finger on it for a long time--just felt vaguely pessimistic about their chances. But now I've realized, it just seems to me that they're not hungry this year. Or at least, not hungry enough. It's as if they just assume they'll play well in the second half and put on a glorious run like they have the last couple of years and make it back to the playoffs. They keep talking about how losses don't bother them because they know what they're capable of.

Well, I know what they're capable of, too. And they haven't been playing to their potential for most of the first half. They need to realize that there are going to be days like today--when they actually played fairly well--in which somebody (Qualls, this time) pulls some f***headed move and loses a game for them. It's inevitable. So, does it not make sense to play EVERY game to WIN?!? How are those series losses to the Pirates and the Royals looking now, huh? Because if last year is any kind of predictor, then when the 'Stros do finally start worrying, they'll start pressing and things will be worse than ever.

I hope they can pull their heads out of their asses and put some effort back into the season, or they can start looking for some other fool to sit down.

Bummer

2006-06-18T17:11:00.000-07:00

Lost the weekend series to the Royals.

Yes, those Royals.

The. Worst. Team. In. Baseball.

They could win the next 30 games straight, and STILL wouldn't be back to .500.

*Sigh.*

And to make matters worse, their pitcher today was Brandon Duckworth. Losing to him is simply an execrable event. I had absolutely no use for him when he played for us--in my opinion, he can't pitch, and he comes across in interviews as a whiner who has an excuse for everything. I was ecstatic when he was outrighted at the end of last season. Good riddance.

So what's that expression? Right, something about a blind hog and an acorn. . . .

Anyway, I should have known it wasn't going to be the best day when I had trouble filling out my scorecard at the start of the game. First there was Grudzielanek, then Graffanino. Hell, by the time I got to Mientkiewicz, I just wrote "Dougie Baseball."

As others have pointed out, at least the Royals lead the league in consonants.

*Sigh.*

Not just old

2006-06-15T19:13:00.000-07:00

But maybe naive. But whatever.

I'm good with this.

Dude, I'm old

2006-06-15T19:04:00.000-07:00

So we signed our first pick from the amateur player draft today. The Astros are very keen on young Max Sapp, a catcher out of Florida.

That's cool. However. . . .

I know he's in high school and all, but do they think they could get a different picture of the young lad?

One that doesn't look like his mom bussed him on the cheek on his way to BP?

And another thing. . . .

2006-06-14T18:07:00.000-07:00

You know how I was saying that hygiene is kinda important when you're having surgery? Well, another good thing is to know a bit about your own health. I was interviewing a patient today, going through the routine questions--"ever had a seizure or a stroke?"--and the guy has to turn to his wife. He's all, "I dunno. Honey, have I ever had a seizure or a stroke?"

It was all I could do to control the spasms of my ocular muscles, the reflex to roll my eyes was so strong.

I mean, really. How can someone NOT know something like that? I know nothing about cars--couldn't tell my intake manifold from the fuel injectors--but I know whether my car's ever been in a wreck, I know the last time it went in for maintenance and if anything was wrong with it or not. I cannot fathom someone being so oblivious to their own health (the opposite end of the spectrum is the 'Stros own Rocket, who is in tune with every subtle nuance of every muscle and talks about his body in that sort of odd third-person way).

Seriously. I doubt that anyone who goes to the trouble to read a blog would find themselves unable to answer the question I posed to my patient, but if you're reading this and you're not sure about the answer, you might want to spend a little time perusing WebMD or maybe watching Discovery channel or something (and no, Grey's Anatomy and House don't count).

* * * * *

The Astros are up 4-3 over the Cubs as I am writing, at the top of the fifth. I am on call, so could have to trek back to the hospital at any moment, so I am not really watching the game. I didn't want to risk getting wrapped up in the action and then having to tear myself away. It's Roy O and Greg Maddux, so I'm not sure where I'm finding the discipline to not watch.

Anyway, go "Stros!

This and that

2006-06-13T16:13:00.000-07:00

I’m easily confused these days. Don’t know why, just am.

For one, I’m confused about why someone would take another blog to task for mentioning rumors about Albert Pujols, when that same blogger suggested earlier that it was in Pujols' best interest to be investigated, in order to be proven clean.

Here's a novel idea. Why doesn't Pujols just come forward, say he's clean, offer up one of those monster veins on his monster forearms, and go ahead and be tested for HGH and be done with it? While detractors might say that the lack of a substantive test would prove nothing in the face of a negative result, I think the gesture would speak volumes.

Just sayin'.

* * * * *

Watched Roger Clemens' outing with the Corpus Christi Hooks on Sunday night. He looked strong and precise in his pitching. But you know what? I think Rocket is depressed. Maybe he hasn't fully grieved his mother's death, maybe he sees his future after baseball on the horizon and isn't very keen, I don't know. But he doesn't seem the same to me. The fire in his eye isn't there, and the flat affect, downcast posture, and the very effort that it takes him to walk from the mound to the dugout strongly suggest someone who has seen more cheerful days. Added to his lack of enthusiasm at his press conference to announce his signing, I'm finding it all a little concerning. He did seem to enjoy his time playing with Koby for the Legends the week before.

Hope the mental game comes along as well as the physical seems to be.

* * * * *

Had a lovely time at the ballpark over the weekend, for the most part. Although, it did seem that most of the scoring (including the Astros' only scoring on Saturday) occurred while I was in the ladies' room. What's up with that? I have reasonable urinary capacity, it's not like I spent the whole game in there or anything (although, I would be willing to entertain the notion if it means more wins--hee!). Sheesh. And also, I do have to say that I'm not really liking my seats this year. They're not that much closer to the action for better visibility, and the foul pole now obstructs my view of the video screen. I can deal with that. But I think the worst part is that the crowd around me this year is kind of, well, dudley (not a word, I don't care). I mean, they just SIT there, they don't seem to know any of the players nor care about the game. The most enthusiastic they seem to get is when the "wave" is going around the stadium. Ick. I mean, what's the point? Freakin' stay home.

* * * * *

A final, non-baseball note. Okay, I totally got squicked out today.

One of my patients had a TICK in his ear. Yes, a live one. One that didn't want to relinquish its hold on the skin.

Dude.

It wasn't like this was a trauma, in which someone's not really planning to have surgery that day (that'll be my luck--have the MVA on the way home from spinning class at the gym on a post-call day when I decided not to shower first and haven't shaved my legs in three days--no doubt people will question my hygiene at that point). But this was a SCHEDULED procedure. I've mentioned before that I consider it imperative to clean your navel, but seriously?

Go for the flea and tick shampoo if necessary.

Please.

Highs and lows

2006-06-10T05:45:00.000-07:00

Okay, this?

Cracked me up.

Not just for the straight-up wise cracks (who's Sosa's daddy? *snort*), but also for the sheer joy that emanates from the post. I can relate. I'm personally treating the Astros' current upswing like I would a no-hitter--I'm trying not to talk about it. But it's difficult to keep silent, not just because they've been winning, but because they've been playing. Wins are obviously fabulous, and necessary, but these last few games have just been fun to watch, period.

Okay, this?

No joy or amusement in it whatsoever.

Because this is how it started with Bonds.

As much as I hate playing against him, as much as I'm still pissed off that he watched that damn home run off of Lidge in Game 5 for what seemed like freaking forever, please-oh-please-oh-PLEASE let Pujols be clean.

I want him to be clean, and to take away Bond's single season HR record.

Please-oh-please-oh-PLEASE.

The Buddhist's guide to Astros' fandom

2006-06-08T16:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, before I start getting livid comments or emails about Buddhism, let me say one thing about this post.

Kidding!!

Apparently, there was a recent article in National Geographic about the rise of Buddhism. Now, I didn't read this article, but one of my more, ahem, red-necked colleagues did. He said that the gist of it was that Buddhism teaches you how to be happy--basically, if you're not satisfied with your station in life, that you need to, well, lower your expectations.

Well, by golly. I think I can find that very useful as an Astros' fan.

In fact, it's already happening.

Consider, if you will, my elation at the fact that we won the third game from the Cubs. The score was 1-0, so other than Ausmus' 1st home run of the year, offense was absent.

But by golly! We won two games in a row! And we won a series!

Woo-hoo!

On a serious note, I asked one of the orthopedic surgeons I worked with today (as we did an arthroscopic labrum repair) about Burke's shoulder (which he dislocated again last night while swinging and missing). His unequivocal opinion is that Burke will need a stabilization procedure. To him, it's not a question of "if," but "when."

Good luck, Burkie!

Gimme a break

2006-06-04T15:05:00.000-07:00

Kidding!

Break's over, although my first game back had me more depressed than ever--Friday night's 14-3 loss to the visiting Reds. That's the first game I've ever left in the fifth inning. The overall lack of interest on all parts was virtually its own entity--the crowd at the Park was pretty sparse at the beginning of the game, and oddly enough, so were the players. I've been to so many games that you can practically set your clock by Biggio's warm-up entrance, generally followed by Ausmus, Everett, Berkman with the trainer, then a bit later Taveras, Ensberg (if he doesn't come out with Everett), and Wilson. But Friday night, while Biggio stayed to his usual routine, warm-ups from other players were virtually non-existent (granted, Ensberg and Everett didn't start). But still, I was surprised when game time arrived because I was still waiting for the usual display. And their play during the game was just as lackadaisical, as they seemingly conceded after Wandy's first inning struggles. I finally couldn't stand it any more.

Today was a bit brighter. They still lost, but at least they played. Granted, it didn't end up going their way, but at least they seemed focused and they certainly kept my interest--through 11 innings. I'm a bit more optimistic than I was Friday. On the other hand, the sublime wordsmith at Astroday remains optimistic despite such dismal performances as Friday's. Having followed the Astros for years (decades?), I'm sure he's much more in tune with the overall nuances and subtleties of the team and the long season than I.

At least, I hope so. I hope he's right.

News du jour

2006-05-31T17:04:00.000-07:00

Soon returning to Minute Maid Park--multiple stanzas of Elton John's Rocket Man! (Which, I actually like, by the way.)

The Astros and I may be on a "break" right now, but I'm neither blind nor deaf. Not only did I find out that Roger Clemens re-signed at around 9:29 a.m., I also subsequently paged and/or text-messaged over a half-dozen fellow fans with the info. (Funny--I didn't sign any of the pages, since I was using the hospital paging system for something that might not be considered a "professional" use, and yet every single one of the people I paged came up to me and said, "I got your page!" What's up with that?)

This article is certainly amusing--liked Lance Berkman's comment, especially.

A commenter on one message board said, "The swagger is back." If you judge by the above article, the players have known for a while that Clemens was returning. So where has the "swagger" been for the past month?

I hope Clemens' return signals everything that most fans want it to be--a turn-around in attitude, effort, expectations, whatever--and ultimately, a return to the post-season.

Just please forgive me if I'm not going to start saving up for my projected charitable donation just yet.

Oh, to be wrong

2006-05-28T05:29:00.000-07:00

Back in March, after I had come back from attending a spring training game, one of the anesthesiologists I work with asked me, "So, how are your Astros going to do this year?"

I hedged. "Well, other than Roger Clemens they're essentially the same team, so there's no reason to think they won't do fairly well."

Hearing something in my voice, he raised an eyebrow. "But how do YOU think they're going to do?"

I looked him in the eye. "I think they're going to suck. I have no reason to think that, but that's what my gut tells me."

I'm not really one to make predictions, because frankly, I had to admit I'm wrong. But last week, when I started my "break" with the Astros, I groused to someone at work, "You watch. They're going to get swept by the Pirates [the Pirates!], they'll take one game at St. Louis--maybe the first one, getting everyone's hopes up--then they're going to hover around .500 the rest of the year and be out of the playoff picture by late August."

I hope I'm wrong.

And if I'm right, then I don't really understand it. Because honestly, what has changed? Yeah, we don't have Clemens, but our winning percentage in his games (I don't feel like looking it up) couldn't have been so great to make that huge of a difference (I do remember we got shut out 9 times in his starts alone). And Bagwell's gone, but he didn't play most of last year anyway.

So what is it? Is it a fundamental change in the chemistry of the team? Do they resent how the Bagwell issue was handled? Have they lost trust in ol' Scrap Iron? Are they tired of playing musical positions? Do they resent the fact that Lane is sitting and Wilson is not? Obviously, I have no idea what they are thinking. But I do know that I have seen more arguments with umpires this year (Garner is not so unusual, but even Ausmus and Berkman have been mouthy) as well as just more acting-out (I've seen Berkman throw his helmet and/or bat four times this year--big deal, you say, but it's still not like him).

I do hope I'm wrong. And unlike some people, I'm not going to take credit for turning the team around if I am wrong. What I will do, though, is put my money where my mouth is. If the Astros remain in contention (and the last two years, they have secured a playoff birth on the last day of the season, so we'll give them the entire season to do it again)--whether or not they make the playoffs (all they have to do is remain in contention!)--I'll donate $100 to either the Astros in Action Foundation or the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

Time will tell.

Like Rachel and Ross

2006-05-26T17:53:00.000-07:00

Ever been in a relationship that just didn't meet your needs, that was, for that moment, so fundamentally unsatisfying that you viewed it with an aching bleakness?

And then, like Rachel and Ross on TV's "Friends," you had to step away. Regain some perspective. Guard your sanity.

Like Rachel and Ross, the Astros and I are on a break, starting yesterday. (It won't last long, I have tickets to next Friday's game against the Reds--hee!) I do receive post-game alerts, so I will know if they win or lose, but I'm not going to watch any of the games nor spend--or waste, some would say--parts of my day reading about all the ins and outs of each game and each player's performance and stats.

I know that May is traditionally the club's worst month, that they are generally a second-half team, that we are still in much better shape than last year. I know all that.

But for the first time in a long time (even before last year's awful start), Astros' baseball just depresses me.

Someone at work today said, "So. . . does that mean you can go with another team, if you're on a break?" (Of course it was a guy, jokingly referencing Ross's liaison on the TV show.) I actually contemplated the idea for a moment, as the concept was pretty amusing. But I quickly discarded the thought--for one, what team would I "go with"?

The Cardinals? (Hell no, they're playing the 'Stros this week and I may need a break but that would be like going out with my boyfriend's brother or something.)

The Cubs? (Oh hell, no. Talk about depressing.)

The Mets?! (Not even EFFING going there.)

And anyway, in addition to not wanting to "go with" another team, I think I just need a break over all. I want to have a little absence-makes-the-heart-grow-fonder action. I want to look forward to the drive to Houston next Friday, to feel that acceleration of my heart rate as I settle into my seat and study the lineups, to gasp and sigh with glee at the sound of an Astros' bat making contact with the ball. Not to sound too freakish here (too late!), but I want the romance back with my team.

Here's hoping this little break is just the medicine I need.

It's official

2006-05-20T05:20:00.000-07:00

I am a boor.

I cheered when Russ Springer plunked Barry Bonds. It was an event that, in my mind, was well summed-up by a commenter at The Crawfish Boxes who said, "Springer is a veteran force on this team. He's in charge of the bullpen, and I wouldn't be surprised if he wielded some power over the younger starters. Pitching to Bonds and the number 714, as much as Taylor and Wandy won't admit it, got into their heads. So Springer pulls his best mama bear impression and targets the one guy that has been messing with his cubs. Even if Bonds wasn't directly responsible for the maelstrom of runs for the Giants, his presence was."

That's a sentiment I can identify with, and yes, I frankly and literally applauded his actions.

I've been amused by some of the follow-up. Russ Springer was suspended for four games, which most of the Astros thought was excessive. Some of his comments are priceless--"It's a little disappointing that people would think it would take me five pitches [to hit him]." (Well, I'll give him that. Unless he was just really trying to sell it as an accident, he should have been able to hit him the first time.) "The last hit-by-pitch [2004], I hit him in the calf-ankle area. If I'm going to hit him on purpose, I'm not going to hit him on the ankle." (Okay, so where would you hit him, then? The shoulder, perhaps? Hee.)

Less amusing are the comments from Felipe Alou--"'There's got to be some respect for the event,' said Alou, in reference to the game, and Bonds' chase for the career home run record." (Riiiiight. And Bonds shows so much respect for the game.) "'You can do anything you want as long as it's legally right,' Alou said. 'And if you do it illegally, you've got to pay for the consequences, right?'" (Dude, are you listening to yourself?)

Another gentleman who perhaps wasn't listening to himself was the Bay Area writer who called for retaliation, and hoped that an Astro would be injured ("bruised," at least) in the exchange. Yeah, I may be a boor, but I'm not a barbarian. I was glad Bonds was NOT injured by Springer. I would not have seen Springer's actions as anything but malicious if Bonds had been injured. I dislike Jeff Kent almost as much as I dislike Barry Bonds, and yet I was concerned for his recent concussion (which fortunately he came back from well, as evidenced by his work against us in the two recent series).

Anyway. Time to pack, heading to Houston tonight to catch Andy Pettitte's start this evening. I'm going to try to make it to the free concert before the game--Roger Creager is a personal favorite of mine. Here's hoping for sunshine, good music, cold beer, and another gem by Andy!

A study in contrasts

2006-05-17T03:36:00.000-07:00

I got in late, so this will be quick.

How different were the last two games I attended! Sunday was a study in the art of baseball--I attended solo, focused on and scored the game and was blissfully in tune with the nuances of play and the ebb and flow and rhythm of the game itself.

Last night, not so much. I realized when it was 5-0 Giants in the middle of the first that last night’s game was going to be about beer, hot dogs, ambiance, and great companions. I had a blast.

Which is good, because the game itself? She was a travesty.

Like, not “holy crap,” but wholly crap.

Our pitchers seem to be unconsciously trying to avoid forever being a trivia question, and while not admitting it, are evidently so afraid of giving up 714 and/or 715 that they can't freakin' pitch to anyone any more.

If that theory's true, I say effing give it up and get it over with. Move forward and effing PLAY, for crying out loud. Hell, the beautiful defense of Sunday has taken the last couple of days off too.

There was one particular high point of the game, though. I have mentioned before that Dan Wheeler is my favorite in the bullpen. I've had a soft spot for him since he plunked Derrek Lee in his first appearance with the 'Stros back in '04. Thought he had balls. Well, his doppelganger Russ Springer has even bigger cojones than Wheels, plunking Bonds and getting himself ejected last night. Luv ya’ Russ!

Oooh, aaah all over again

2006-05-14T15:44:00.000-07:00

What a lovely day in Minute Maid Park, with the roof closed to shut out the nasty weather outside. A divine day for a divine performance by Andy Pettitte. The man was just ON from the beginning, but even so, his relief at the end of his complete game shut-out (9, 3, 0, 0, 1, 7) was evident even to those of us in the second-level seats. His game score was 87, which is not only the best among the Astros but also tied for best in the National League. Superlative work, sir. You've got to be happy with that one.

The pink bats didn't seem to particularly boost things much, although Berkman got his solo jack with one. The lovely Brad Ausmus used Chris Burke's for his first at-bat, as a courtesy to Burke (Burke is still on the DL). Said Brad: "I think it brings out my eyes."

Hee.

The defense behind Pettitte was solid once again, with rousing plays at short (if Adam Everett doesn't get a Gold Glove this year I might have to picket Rawlings), and in right and center. Willy T. has really improved his reading of the ball, and Jason Lane has become solid enough in right that I think we fans (or at least I do) take him for granted.

Finally, I was reminded of the special charm of keeping score. Nothing else really allows you to feel the true rhythm of a game or to appreciate the nuances of each play. I was initially somewhat reluctant to drive to Houston yet again, but I'm glad I did. Scoring such a good game with such a phenomenal pitching performance reminded me of the beauty of baseball itself, the allure which first made me a fan.

Oooh, aaah, indeed.

Ooooh! Ahhhh.

2006-05-13T10:58:00.000-07:00

Was at Minute Maid Park last night for the 12-2 drubbing of the Rockies. Revenge is sweet indeed. Although, the score doesn't really tell the tale. It was like two separate games--the first, a tightly contested five-inning tie, and the second, a four-inning blowout. A bit of a schizophrenic evening in that regard, but nonetheless very satisfying in the end. And the park held the season's first Friday Night Fireworks--an actual display after the game (although eleven runs in three innings counts too). I've decided that I'm simply a sucker for fireworks. I've seen loads of them in my lifetime and yet I'm enchanted every time.

Lidge looked very good last night, retiring the three batters he faced in the seventh with 12 pitches, and he's being very gracious under scrutiny during his struggles. I may yet develop enough trust in him to be a fully sold fan. We'll see.

I'm headed back to MMP tomorrow for Pettitte's start. This will be a solitary jaunt, as all of my friends will be spending Mother's Day with their moms/wives/kids. That's just fine, as I haven't scored a game in ages (I don't keep score when someone else is with me because I don't multitask quite well enough). I'm no doubt quite rusty.

One of my friends asked me to go to the Giants' game on Tuesday, and I accepted. I don't usually run to Houston in the middle of the week, as I do dearly love to get a full night's sleep. But the two friends I'll attend the game with are smart and funny and so rarely available to spend time with that I couldn't resist. Now, though, it crosses my mind--what if Bonds gets 714 or God forbid 715 at MMP? Whether I'm there or not, it's possible that it will happen, but at this point I find the prospect of witnessing that event in person to be extremely distasteful.

Again, we'll see.

Larry Larry quite contrary

2006-05-11T18:45:00.000-07:00

redbirdbrain is a Cardinals’ fan. (But, you know, she’s originally from St. Louis, and so you have to be a Cardinals’ fan if you’re from St. Louis. It’s the law.) So that’s why her allegiances lie where they do. But why, you might ask, do I have a link to a freakin’ St. Louis blog on my Astros’ site?

Well, because she’s a great student of baseball, and I’ve learned lots from reading her site. (Although, she keeps changing the URL and not telling me, so I’m sort of getting a complex. . . hmm.) Also, she’s just a very creative and funny writer, so even though I’m sometimes fatigued by the constant Pujols worship (no, I’m NOT jealous! SO not! Why would I be jealous of somebody on track to hit like 83 freakin’ jacks this year? Puh-lease!), she’s definitely one of my bookmarks.

She recently had a link to a post that I missed at the time (during one of her trying-to-hide-from-me website changes, no doubt). While ethanol-influenced, it was nonetheless remarkably ambitious—she decided to see how many players she could name from each major-league franchise. (I myself was flabbergasted by the scope of this quest—I’m so stupidly Houston-centric that I’m not sure I could even name all of the American League teams without cheating. And yes, that’s very embarrassing to admit.) Not surprisingly, she could name several Astros, and I quote:

Andy Effing Pettite, Roy goddamn mother-effing Oswalt, Wandy Effing Something or Other, Chris Effing Burke, Lance Effing Berkman, Larry Effing Bagwell, Craig Effing Biggio, Orlando Effing Palmiero, Brad Lidge.

(Bwahahahaha—“Brad Lidge”—get it?)

But then I blinked.

“LARRY Effing Bagwell”???????

Mercy.

Needless to say, I felt compelled to point out this error to her. She was very apologetic and contrite (well, she is a St. Louis fan, after all), but she’s also very on-board with current social culture, and I quote:

Nothing like covering up your idiocy and obliviousness by pouring even more stupidity and ridiculousness on top of it.

Yeah, two can play that game. So, since she is insisting on calling all the Astros “Larry” (and as a tribute to her ambitious post that started all this trouble), I’ve decided that the least I can do is see how many Cardinals I can name. Here goes: Cy Carpenter, Agnes Pujols, Bam-Bam Edmonds, Damien Eckstein, Spot Rolen, JayZee Isringhausen, So No-I’m-not-Tadahito-Iguchi Taguchi, Scout Mulder, and Yadier I-Love-Brad-Ausmus Molina.

(And I wonder why she keeps changing her web site and not telling me. . . .)

Buyer beware

2006-05-08T17:39:00.000-07:00

If any of you have considered purchasing an item from SportingPads.com, I would advise against it. I paid for an Astros' mouse pad via PayPal and never received it. When I placed it in dispute, PayPal found for my side, but was unable to procure any funds for a refund. While it wasn't a particularly expensive item, it was certainly annoying to be basically conned out of the money.

Stay away.

Blue water, blue sky, Blue Angels

2006-05-07T18:17:00.000-07:00

Returned from Pensacola yesterday evening. It was quite a wonderful vacation, with sand, surf, good food and friends, and lots of libations. We got to see an airshow practice by the Navy's Blue Angels—the aerobatics were astounding, and the thought of being pursued by an F/A-18 Hornet makes me a little lightheaded and queasy. Thankfully I don’t have to think about it.

I actually did get to watch one baseball game—our Thursday defeat of the Cardinals, which was telecast on ESPN2. My companions gave me no end of grief for wanting to watch the game, but hell, I was on vacation! Aren’t you supposed to do things you enjoy while on vacation? I didn’t really get it.

I was certainly glad that I was able to watch a victory, as they have been coming at a much slower pace lately. The ‘Stros suffered their first sweep of the season this weekend, at the hands of the Rockies. While disappointing, a commenter on The Crawfish Boxes noted that we are, at 19-12, far better off than the 12-19 we were at this time last season. And while Saturday’s game was a shutout, it was the first of 2006—in contrast to last season, when the Astros had six by this time. Small comfort, I suppose, but comfort nonetheless.

Back to work tomorrow, and a long day it shall be, therefore this abridged post. Closing with good thoughts for Roy Wonder tomorrow against the Giants!

Pensacola dreamin'

2006-04-30T18:40:00.000-07:00

Heading off to Florida later this week to visit a Marine friend who is currently attending flight school at Pensacola. Should be fun.

I struggled this week to keep up with the Astros, due to my work schedule. However, they apparently were struggling a bit as well. Ensberg is hitting a dismal .194 in his last ten games, Andy Pettitte's ERA swelled back up to 5.25 after dropping briefly to 4.35 (I sure didn't see his early woes coming--what a surprise), and even Roy Wonder couldn't keep his streak going against the Reds, allowing 8 hits, 3 runs, and 3 BB in the 5-4 loss.

There were a few things I did notice this week--saw Ausmus get ejected in the bottom of the ninth against the Dodgers. I had just finally found a few moments to watch some of the game, so coming in cold, his ejection shocked the hell out of me. But the author of Astroday, having watched the entire game, had this perspective:

"Matters became worse for the Astros' cause in the bottom of the ninth when, batting against RP Takashi Saito, Brad Lidge was thrown out of the game by home plate umpire Alfonso Marquez for arguing balls and strikes. Whatever Ausmus said, he said it to the ground, as a good veteran will do, but Marquez heard whatever it was, as he was intended to, and tossed Houston's best catcher. It's unlikely Ausmus was fussing about pitches from Saito; they were ok. It's more likely Ausmus was quarreling about calls that Lidge did not get in the top of the inning; and it is possible that, even in the heat of the moment, Ausmus was trying to lay the groundwork for better calls by Marquez for Houston's pitchers in the tenth and beyond."

If that's even remotely true, Ausmus has my respect and admiration (well, actually, he has that already, plus like most of the female baseball-watching public, I think he's really hot. But that's another subject).

That very game marked the most visible evidence of the end of Preston Wilson's slump. I wasn't very excited when we first signed him, as I remembered his having struck out against our pitchers quite frequently while with the Nationals. But anybody who wants to play for the Astros as much as he apparently did gets a few points in my book. And he was valedictorian of his high school class, so he's no slouch in the brain department (notice the heading off of the "he must be dumb to want to play in Houston" comments). And he definitely endeared himself to me with four jacks in the first week. So, I was pulling for him to break out of the hitting doldrums. Apparently his teammates were as well, for when he hit a sac fly in the 14th for the winning RBI, they mobbed him at first base. (My thoughts were something only a sports fan could understand: "Awww, they're beating the shit out of him. Isn't that nice?") So after that response on Tuesday, I found it a little disconcerting that there was such an apparent lack of enthusiasm for Wilson's fifth home run of the year Friday night against the Reds. Granted, it wasn't a game winner, but nobody really met him at the dugout steps like they usually do, and while knuckle-touches and high-fives were bestowed, most of the players didn't even bother getting up off the bench. Then, while he spoke to Gary Gaetti afterwards, Gaetti didn't even make eye contact or smile during the conversation. Seemed very odd, although reports earlier in the week had indicated that Wilson had not really been keen on working with Gaetti during his slump. Hmm.

And how about that Taylor Buckholz? Got his second major league win today against the Reds, although he only went 6 1/3 innings (as opposed to 8 2/3 last time). I had text-messaged a friend: "Buckholz is pitching well but he looks tired in the face. Hope he can go awhile." My friend wrote me back: "But what is he, like 12? He probably just needs a nap."

But we love ya', Babyface!

Well, this is embarrassing. . .

2006-04-23T18:39:00.000-07:00

You Are Corona

You don't drink for the love of beer. You drink to get drunk. You prefer a very light, very smooth beer. A beer that's hardly a beer at all. And while you may not like the taste of beer, you like the feeling of being drunk. You drink early and often. Sometimes with friends. Sometimes alone. All the party needs is you!

What's Your Beer Personality?

and not true, either.

Really.

***

Caught the Friday night and Sunday afternoon games at MMP. Today was fabulous, had a terrific time and of course greatly enjoyed the win. Surprised that the roof was closed, but I'll save my sunscreen for another day. Friday was not very enjoyable, on the other hand. While Wandy and the boys did a good job (although Load 'em Up Lidge made me nervous, as he is wont to do), the crowd was frankly obnoxious. They seemed to pay very little attention to the game itself and booed quickly and randomly. I was actually ready to leave after about 7 1/2 innings, but I stayed until the end. Wished I had gotten to see Taylor Buckholz's gem, but I'm sure I'll have other opportunities to see him this season. He pitched that Spring Training game I went to, and did quite well. His game score of 85 for his first Major League win puts him in second place in the National League in that category. Go Taylor!

Um. . . I dunno

2006-04-20T19:16:00.000-07:00

I didn't watch the game last night, as I worked until 11 p.m. Didn't surprise me, though. Just as I thought the run dearth of last year was an (albeit, somewhat ongoing) aberration, I thought the offensive onslaught so far this year was somewhat the same. At least so far, the Astros have been making average pitchers look, well, average. Chris Capuano is not average.

***

The bullpen is not worried (yet). Thus, neither am I (so I try to convince myself).

***

When Biggio hit his first home run (in my currently drunken [yes, drunken] state, I tried to type "fun," as in home "fun"), he high-fived or knuckle-touched all the dudes in the dugout. Except, he gave a big spontaneous bear hug to Gary Gaetti. Significance?

UPDATE: The answer?

***

Just as I anticipated, I am firmly ensconced into the cellar of my fantasy league. Ah, well.

****

I caught the Tuesday game through six innings, therefore saw Mo's second home run of the evening. I knew the moment he swung that it was going out. I'm a girl, never played baseball, although a touch of softball, but never really a student of the batting swing. But there's just something about a ball that Ensberg sees well enough to take that big of a cut at--when he has that much of a follow-through, it's usually gone (or a painful-to-watch strike).

***

I didn't follow the Astros when Jim Deshaies pitched. However, I love him as an announcer. Dude is soooo funny!!! JDism's to follow:

Regarding an upcoming fan promotion:

Bill Brown: So Greg Lucas is going to tell us how to get a foam finger.

Jim Deshaies: I know how.

Brownie: Oh yeah?

JD: Yeah. Drive rudely at a Nerf convention.

Regarding Roy Oswalt stepping out of the batter's box, Astros up by 6 runs:

Brownie: Looks like Roy has something in his eye, J.D.

JD: Yeah, it's probably tears of joy for the run support.

New crush for me? Oh yeah.

Randomness, belated

2006-04-15T17:51:00.000-07:00

I'm a bit late in mentioning this (gee, what a surprise there!), but jlauck at Astroday had the most marvelous post this past week. His essay was prompted by the absolutely beautiful Monday afternoon game in which the 'Stros finally overcame the Nats 5-4 in twelve innings. An amazing game and an amazing post. Definitely worth the read.

In other news, Brandon Backe went on the DL. In a way, I'm glad the MRI was positive. Backe had started to strike me as somene who claimed injury after any poor performance, so while I don't wish injury on anyone, I'm glad (in a way) that he's at least not crying "wolf."

Happy belated (again, no surprise it's belated!) birthday to the lovely Brad Ausmus.

Weekend thoughts

2006-04-10T19:07:00.000-07:00

Went to the Saturday and Sunday games. Roof was open, weather was fabulous. Got a sunburn.

Spring is sprung.

However. . . could not effing BELIEVE that the crowd booed Chad Qualls Saturday night. The only thing I can figure is that, right now, a bunch of people are going to games because it's a "cool" thing to do. No doubt they have no clue about baseball. I mean it's the freakin' fifth game of the season, people. Get a grip!

Went to a Latin mass before Sunday's game, as my friend who accompanied me is Catholic and didn't want to miss Palm Sunday. I'm like, that's cool.

When it came time for the blessing of the palms, the priest said some brief words (unfortunately during which, I had a flashback to The Princess Bride. . . "Mawwiage. . . .")

Managed not to laugh, however (and I'm actually a spiritual person, despite the profanity and drunkenness, so please don't email me vicious things).

Anyway, he sprinkled the palms with holy water and proceeded to sprinkle the crowd. I thought, cool, I'm gonna get me some holy water.

But no.

In a scene straight out of Pulp Fiction, he missed me on both sides. Thankfully, I managed not to blurt, 'what the hell?' out loud. I'm thinking, "Can you tell I'm not Catholic or what? And if so, has it occurred to you that maybe I need it more than they do? Huh?"

Oh well.

I'm so blessed in so many other ways that I cannot complain.

La vita bella.

PSA 3

2006-04-02T18:09:00.000-07:00

Opening day is tomorrow! Yippee! The ‘Stros won last night, 6-4, on a fabulous performance by Taylor Buckholz (7, 0, 5, 6, 0). I was a little worried he might succumb to nerves at Minute Maid (especially before a crowd of over 35,000) but he must have balls of brass. Anyone want to bet that Backe is sent down or waived by mid-May, and Buckholz moves up a spot (or two—the pressure’s on, Wandy!)?

Anyway, a while back I promised someone I would blog another post about an aspect of anesthesia. Actually, this is about a type of anesthesia—neuraxial anesthesia, i.e., spinal and epidural anesthesia. There are many applications for these techniques in anesthesia, not the least of which is labor and delivery. Spinal anesthesia is the technique of choice for cesarean delivery, providing the greatest margin of safety for both the mother and baby. Epidural anesthesia can also be used for cesarean, but is especially applicable to labor and vaginal delivery. Both techniques involve placing a needle into the back between the vertebrae, the idea of which is unpleasant for most people (doh!). The primary differences between the two techniques is the depth of needle placement, the types of medication used, and the fact that a small tube or catheter is left in place for epidural anesthesia. In this cross-section illustration, one can understand some differences. (The skin is to the right of the picture, so the needle will be penetrating the layers shown here from right to left.) With spinal anesthesia, simply put, a very small needle is placed between the bones, through the various layers, and through the dura mater (a tough fibrous covering over the spinal cord). The medication which is used is very concentrated and therefore a small volume, and because the needle goes through the dura, the medicine is placed more or less directly onto the spinal cord, although it is diluted by the cushioning fluid surrounding the spinal cord. With epidural anesthesia, a larger needle is used, and it is placed just short of the dura, into the epidural space (“epi” means “above” or “on top of,” so the needle goes above the dura). The needle has to be larger, because a tiny catheter is threaded through it into the epidural space, and left there while the needle is withdrawn. Because of the dura, the medicine pumped through the catheter doesn’t go directly onto the spinal cord, but instead bathes the nerve roots as they pierce the dura on their path to the body. A much higher volume of medicine is required, since it’s more indirectly applied. Also, since the catheter stays in place, the medicine can be continuously given over an extended period of time (such as labor), and more or less can be given to achieve the desired effect. (A spinal is a single-shot technique, no re-dosing without going through the entire process again.)

There are risks with both techniques, of course. With both techniques, your back will be sore for a day or two (just like your arm is sore after a vaccination). One of the risks with either technique is that it just might not work. Every person is different; the anatomy might just be slightly different, enough so that the anesthesia that results might be partial or ineffective. Another risk, since a needle is going into the back close to the spinal cord and/or nerve roots, is nerve damage. Another risk that bears mentioning is what is called a spinal headache. This is a very severe positional headache (only affects an upright person) that results from leakage of the cushioning fluid through the hole in the dura (also known as post-dural puncture headache). Because the needle used for spinal anesthesia is so small, the odds of a spinal headache after spinal anesthesia is actually quite small (counterintuitive, based on the names, huh?). The most likely time for a spinal headache is after epidural anesthesia, because sometimes the needle accidentally goes too deep (and the bigger needle makes a bigger hole, so more stuff leaks out). But not every person who experiences an inadvertent dural puncture will get a spinal headache. If a spinal headache occurs, it can usually be taken care with rehydration, caffeine, and if necessary, a procedure called a blood patch. (Blood from the patient is withdrawn from a vein and injected into the back where the hole is projected to be, which seals off the leak as it clots.)

All of these potential complications are very rare. The best way to help prevent them is to cooperate as much as possible with the person providing the anesthetic. While this sounds like a “duh” statement, it isn’t. The most important thing that a patient can do to facilitate placement of a spinal or epidural anesthetic is to be still. If you move while the needle is in your back, you greatly increase your odds of the needle going into a nerve or too deeply into your back. While this sounds like a simple thing, if your contractions are two minutes apart, it becomes a little more complicated. Also, the anesthesia provider will ask you to curl your back out toward them (think of a mad cat or a boiled shrimp). This position allows the bones in your back to spread out more, allowing better access to the space between them (think of an old-fashioned hand-held fan). Again, curling your back like that sounds simple—until you’re looking at trying to curl over a 40-week fetus. A little trickier.

Those are the most important points I wanted to mention. Considering that entire books have been written on these techniques, it’s obviously an incomplete discussion, but there it is.

I’m not sure how much I’ll be blogging in the weeks to come—I find it to be a fairly time-consuming pursuit, and I don’t really feel that I have much to offer, really, in coverage of the Astros or baseball in general. There are other great blogs out there that offer, if not the exact same "insights," then more consistent coverage, anyway, including live-blogging of games. I’ll keep up as best I can, as the team “inspires” me, but if nothing is here. . . um, sorry.

Yeah, and Junction Jack's the Easter Bunny

2006-03-27T15:49:00.000-08:00

Like the "Easter" egg I made?

This is Ukrainian-style--a wax-resist method, sort of like batik. The ancient Ukrainians decorated eggs for many reasons. They were put into wedding dowries and used as charms against bad luck. They were also placed into barns, feed troughs, and crop fields to encourage production.

Maybe I should send this to the grounds crew at Minute Maid to put into the batter's box. Judging by our ST numbers, it couldn't hurt!

Spring Training

2006-03-26T09:05:00.000-08:00

Warning: rant to follow.

I've made it clear here that I'm a Roger Clemens fan. The guy's an incredible pitcher, and an amazing athlete as well (despite those that refer to him as "Fat Roger"). I had hoped (and still do) that he would return for one more go-round with the 'Stros.

But, this? Pissed me all kinds of off.

Dude. You want to retire, you want to play, whatever. Do what you want, the choice is yours and you know it. You want to go play at baseball with your son? I applaud you.

But you should have f***ing stayed away from Jeff Bagwell's press conference. "Sneak in unnoticed," my ass. I'm sure you would say that you were there to support your former teammate, but even given the reporter's slant, you didn't say one word about Baggy's situation. The best thing you could have done, if you wanted to show respect, would have been to say nothing.

Okay, rant over.

I was going to post a little bit about the rest of my vacation, including day trips to St. Augustine and Mount Dora, but this is a baseball blog, isn't it? So. . . .

Went to the Astros-Indians game at Osceola County Stadium last Wednesday night. The stadium is small, and open-air. Olsen Field at Texas A&M is larger than this place was, so even with the game sold out (over 5000 in attendence, but I didn't catch the exact number), it had a little bit of a high-school feel. (Except at high school games, you can't buy beer. Hee!) Anyway, it was a little chilly but otherwise the weather was fabulous. The Astros' lineup was Taylor Buckholz starting, Ausmus catching, Berkman at first, Biggio second, Everett at short, Ensberg 3B, then Wilson, Taverez, and Lane in the outfield (so the boys were fielding close to an opening day roster). Bagwell was DHing, which Cleveland was happy to agree to apparently, even though we were the home team. Biggio was hitting leadoff and Bags in the #2 slot, so I got this picture of the two of them together in the on-deck circle (above).

Anyway. I don't know if it's because it was my first game to attend this year, or if it's because I had such great seats (six rows up, right behind home) or what, but I just had such a wonderful time at that game. Buckholtz (and later Nieve) looked pretty good, but we only managed 4 hits, and ended up losing 2-1. Even so, I wouldn't have traded it. I was positively surrounded by scouts, and each one of them had their own radar gun (what a great job--watch baseball! Play with fun toys!). They seemed to be scouting the Tribe more than the 'Stros, for whatever reason. The guy sitting next to me worked for MLB, so he was scouting both. I was trying to peek at his notes but it was pretty difficult to be discreet about it, so I kinda gave up. But at one point I turned to him and asked, "Hey, can I have a copy of that for my fantasy league?"

Oh man. The look on his face was PRICEless. I didn't think it was possible for one human being to actually back away from another while remaining seated, but he was doing a pretty good job of it. And he was sort of furtively glancing around to see where the nearest security guard was. I finally said, "Dude. I'm kidding."

At that point, he looked incredibly relieved, and said, "Man, I was thinking, this lady is INTENSE."

Yeeaaah. . . not exactly.

Anyway, the game was televised on Fox Sports Southwest, and my friends Jason and Emily both saw me on TV. Emily kept texting me, and at one point she was like, "I can C U on TV texting me back!" Later, though, she chided me for not paying enough attention to the game while responding to her text messages. Lord. I felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, when Richard Gere told her, "Quit answering the phone!" and she said, "Well, stop calling me!"

The finale to this marvelous evening was an absolutely spectacular fireworks show. It seemed to go on almost forever, and was a sparkling culmination of my spring training "experience."

DL for Bagwell

2006-03-25T07:43:00.000-08:00

Even though I knew it was coming, it's still a sad, sad day.

Dunn deal

2006-03-24T10:16:00.000-08:00

Woo-hoo!

Back home now after a simply marvelous vacation. So much to blog. It's a bit daunting to think of sitting here and writing it all at once, so I've decided to do several mini-posts over the next day or so.

So, starting with last weekend--spent Friday night at the local Irish pub, drinking heavily. A good time was had by all, or at least by me. Left on Saturday morning for Houston, got my hair cut (yay!), then caught up with my friends to go to Rodeo. A huge crowd of people went, and as is normal in those situations, it was a bit difficult to get everyone on the same page to actually do stuff. Lots of small children in the group too, so we watched them ride the ferris wheel, the carousel, etc. They were so excited. I remember those days.

It was finals at Rodeo. The announcers kept saying things like, "He's got to be excited with that purse of $15,000. He's a rich man now!" Hmm. But what if that's all he won all year? That's poverty level by any definition. I didn't realize rodeo prize money was so scanty.

The day before we went, a steer apparently was killed during the steer wrestling competition. It planted its feet in an odd way right as the competitor went for the take-down, and the steer's neck snapped. Thankfully, no such incidences when I was there. Of course, since it was finals, they gave out what they call the High Flyin' Award, which has something to do with the most impressive injury, or something. I personally thought that the bulldogger who had the Joe Theismann-like wrist injury should have won, but seeing as how it's not American Idol, we didn't get to vote. . . .

Anyway, Rodeo ended that night with a concert by Brooks and Dunn. They were PHENOMENAL, which, frankly, surprised me. I've always been sort of pleasantly indifferent to their music, but I was very impressed. Ronnie Dunn can BELT it, y'all.

(And to those who thought this might be a post about an Adam Dunn trade. . . sorry.)