Should this really be a surprise? After all, didn't the NBA Players' Union file a grievance after the Golden State Warriors tried to void the rest of their contract with Latrell Sprewell? You remember: Spree was angry at new head coach P.J. Carlesimo's telling him to "put some mustard on those passes" and subsequently grabbed Carlesimo twice around the neck.

The coach, the classy man he is, declined to press charges. Sprewell, facing the loss of millions of dollars, went whining to Johnnie Cochran. The contract was restored, although Spree never played for the Warriors again. Last I heard, he was having financial problems.

Fast forward a decade. the MLB players union is filing a grievance on behalf of former Houston Astros pitcher Shawn Chacon. You remember: Chacon twice shoved down Houston Astros general manager Ed Wade after Wade's repeated attempts to talk to Chacon to address the issue of demoting him from the starting rotation to the bullpen. Chacon wanted to start and wanted nothing to do with the bullpen, never mind that some starters go to the bullpen, get their groove back and return successfully to being a starter. I suppose it could've been worse: the 'Stros could've done what the Detroit Tigers did to star lefthander Dontrelle Willis and demoted Chacon all the way down to Class A ball.

Continue reading "As expected, MLB players union files grievance for Shawn Chacon"

Astros lefty Wandy Rodriguez wasn't able to wave his magic wand as he gave up six hits and five earned runs in five innings pitched last night. He struck out five but walked four. Encouragingly enough, his season ERA is now just 3.08.

But he didn't get the loss in Houston's 7-6 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers--a team I must tread lightly with since that's my mother's favorite team. That's because Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw, making his eighth career start, gave up six hits and three earned runs in 5.2 innings pitched--including two walks and four K's.

Both bullpens were shaky as the Dodgers won it in 11 innings--courtesy of a home run by second baseman Jeff Kent.

Yep, the former Astro.

(Sigh)

Continue reading "Tough night to be a pitcher as starting southpaws get slammed, old friend haunts Houston"

The Houston Astros stink.

Hard to believe that this team, just three years ago, was in its first-ever World Series. More than 40 years of futility ended. But now, it looks like Houston is well on its way to the abysmal teams of the late eighties.

Back in 1986, the Astros' season ended with a 4-2 NLCS loss to the New York Mets. Astros pitcher and Mets killer Mike Scott would've pitched Game 7. And yet, despite that great season, Houston's play plummeted. In 1987, Nolan Ryan went 8-17 despite leading the MLB in ERA and strikeouts. I'll never forget how bad Houston's hitting got: in the 1988 season, Astros shortstop Rafael Ramirez's season batting average of .276 was the highest on the team.

These days, if you hit .276, you're likely to be a utility player.

I remember after one embarrassing loss to the San Francisco Giants, then-Astros manager Hal Lanier ordered the team to take batting practice again. Normally, a team does this before the game, but Lanier decided Houston needed extra help.

Continue reading "I wish there was an easy way to say this, Astros fans"

I remember that old movie On the Town and how Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly and Jules Munshin, playing sailors, go around New York City singing "New York, New York."

Perhaps Lance Berkman, Miguel Tejada and Carlos Lee will duplicate that song.

Berkman is headed to the 2008 MLB All-Star game (held at Yankee Stadium) as a starter while Tejada is going as a reserve. Lee can go if he wins the 2008 Monster All-Star Game Final Vote.

I suppose this is something designed to give Houston Astros fans something to cheer about approaching the All-Star break, since the team at 41-48 and 12 games behind the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs is going nowhere fast. As of this blog posting, the 'Stros are trailing last-place Pittsburgh 6-2. If they lose tonight, Houston will occupy last place.

Continue reading "Lance Berkman, Miguel Tejada and possibly Carlos Lee going to All-Star game"

You wish Houston could have games like Sunday's first-half finale against the Washington Nationals all the time. I was pleased to see that Houston decided to stop wearing their glorified batting practice road jerseys and go with the grays instead, but I digress.

On Sunday, Houston defeated The Team Formerly Known As the Montreal Expos 5-0. And what a game it was. 'Stros starter pitched seven innings, allowing five hits, zero earned runs, four walks and five strikeouts. Chris Sampson, the reliever, pitched two perfect innings to close it out. What's more, Backe (who's 6-9 with a 4.76 ERA) had a great game at the plate, going 2-3 (including a double) with two runs scored. Backe's batting average on the season is now .345!

I suppose the game has to be put into perspective. Houston at 44-51 is in last place in the NL Central behind the woeful Pittsburgh Pirates and 13 games behind the Chicago Cubs. Not only does Houston not have the worst record in baseball, but they have the second-best record of all the last-place teams (the AL East's Baltimore Orioles are at 45-48).

Continue reading "Halfway through the baseball season: Can the Astros get things going?"

I'm not. Home run derby doesn't really interest me--not when the hitters are being given nice, juicy, fat, batting-practice pitches. To me, it's a glorified popularity contest. Even with the winning team getting home field advantage in the World Series, I'll pass.

Sorry.

Continue reading "Watching the All-Star game?"

I was very surprised by this controversy. Seeing Favre's tearful retirement press conference back in March made me think of how the Gunslinger Era is over in the NFL. Five years from now, Favre would give his Hall of Fame speech in Canton, Ohio. For now, Favre's day would revolve around fishing, playing golf, serving as a football consultant of sorts and answering questions like "What in the heck was Jerry Glanville* thinking when he traded you to the Green Bay Packers for a first-round pick that, just a few years later, was out of football?"

Now, it's possible Favre (rhymes with "carve", for those of you who don't follow sports) might be playing again the next season. Trade me or release me from my contract, he told the Packers recently. No, the Packers replied, ostensibly hoping that Number 4 would reconsider and return to retirement. Perhaps Favre is just one of those guys who misses football. Or maybe he feels that he has unfinished business with the way things ended last season. As of right now, Favre has this bizarre claim to fame: both his first and final NFL passes were both intercepted. His final interception set up the New York Giants' game-winning field goal as the Giants won 23-20 in overtime.

Continue reading "Brett Favre--what's next?"

Well, Lance Berkman didn't win the home run derby last night. No worries, though. MLB.com's Alyson Footer reported that Berkman, who strongly hinted he'd bat right-handed, chose to go left-handed possibly because of Yankee Stadium's short right field fence.

I can imagine the 390-foot left field power alley probably factored in as well. Yankee Stadium is said to be a bad career choice for power hitters with "power alley" power. Whereas most MLB power alleys are no more than 375-380 feet from home plate, The House That Ruth Built's left and right field power alleys are 399 and 385 feet, respectively. The left and right field foul poles are 318 and 314. Minute Maid Parks' foul poles are 315 and 325.

When Yankee Stadium first opened 85 years ago, left and right field power alleys were 456 and 429 feet from home plate.

Continue reading "Berkman loses home run derby, makes a splash"

Yes, I know I'm being a terrible sports fan, but I didn't watch the all-star game. We don't get Fox very well from our house, but even if we did, I'm not sure I would've watched. Besides, the game has become a popularity contest, one that just doesn't interest me. The only thing exciting about it now is that the winner will get homefield advantage in the World Series.

This year, again, it'll be the American League. I think the last time the National League won an all-star game, General Washington and his troops were posing for that iconic portrait of themselves crossing the Potomac River.

Houston Astros shortstop Miguel Tejada, who went as an alternate, went 2-3 with a stolen base and run scored. Lance Berkman went 0-2 but had a sacrifice fly.

What I found to be a little amusing is that two ex-Astros pitchers got roughed up. New York Mets reliever Billy Wagner pitched a third of an inning, giving up two hits and a run. Brad Lidge, who'd been reborn with the Philadelphia Phillies, took the loss in the game as he pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up two hits and one run.

Continue reading "Post All-Star game thoughts"

Houston Astros general manager Ed Wade is said to be seeking late-inning bullpen help for Doug Brocail as the July 31 trade deadline approaches. Those of us who spend entirely too much of our lives following the MLB know that any players traded for after the deadline are ineligible for postseason play.

Is that really something Houston should concern itself with? Granted, they've won their first two games in the second half against the first-place Chicago Cubs, but does anyone really expect Houston to still be playing in October? Sorry for the pessimism, but I don't.

Instead, I feel that Wade (whose name sounds eerily similar to the late hapless filmmaker Ed Wood of Plan 9 From Outer Space fame) should trade away a veteran or two that probably won't be re-signed anyway and get as many prospects as possible. Restock the farm system. Plan for 2009.

Continue reading "What will the Astros do as the trade deadline approaches?"

...Not too bad a way to start the second half by taking 2 of 3 from the Chicago Cubs. Too bad the loss was a 9-0 shutout...

...The Astros and Pirates seem to be playing hot potato with last place. Last night, Houston blew a 9th inning 3-2 lead when Jose Valverde went out and threw batting practice when he was supposed to be saving the game. Valverde's line on the game: a third of an inning pitched, five hits, six earled runs, one walk, no strikeouts and two home runs. He's now 4-3 with a 4.86 ERA. Both teams left a combined 25 runners on base.

...Wandy Rodriguez now longer feels lonely, now that the Houston Astros have added another lefthander to the starting rotation. They've acquired lefty starter Randy Wolf today from the San Diego Padres. Wolf, 6-10 with a 4.74 ERA in 21 starts this season, was acquired for minor league righty Chad Reineke.

Continue reading "Astros briefs"

Amazing thing. Houston starts off the second half taking two of three from the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs, causing some think that maybe good things were in store.

And then reality came crashing down. Houston was swept by fellow cellar dweller Pittsburgh, today losing 8-7. Houston is now in sole possession of last place in the division. Only the most optimistic (and perhaps high) Astros fans would really believe the team has a shot at the post season. Not with starting pitching that's getting torched, and not with Roy Oswalt's struggles. Not with Jose Valverde blowing saves. And not with the offense suffering its typical decades-long battle to get clutch hitting.

True, Houston at 46-55 is only 12.5 games out of first, but I just don't see it happening.

It may not help much, but I'd love to see Houston at least LOOK good. How about a return to the orange and blue? Let's say, a modern twist on the sixties shooting-star uniform. Right now, when you consider the ugliniess that is the Astros' current uniform, the blue hats with the white H superimposed over the orange star looks pretty good. Shallow, yes, but there's little else to get excited about.

Continue reading "Astros are becoming the LAstros with series sweep at hand of Pirates"

First, the good news: Houston defeated Milwaukee Sunday 11-6 to take the rubber game of the three-game series. Third baseman Geoff Blum hit two home runs for Houston, which seems to have a knack for beating the tough teams while struggling against the wimpy ones. What's more, newly-acquired lefthanded pitcher Randy Wolf went 1-2 at the plate and even scored a run.

Now the bad news: Wolf lasted only 4.1 innings, giving up seven hits and three earned runs while walking and striking out three. Let's hope this was one of those rough starts early on. I keep wondering why Houston isn't using trades to acquire draft picks and minor leaguers.

Tonight, Houston begins a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds. Roy Oswalt, who's been out with injuries, goes out to the mound to try to recover some of that magic.

Continue reading "Astros take another series, Wolf less than stellar in debut"

Roy Oswalt is now 20-1 in 24 career starts against the Cincinnati Reds, courtesy of his rust-shaking win against the Reds. The Houston Astros won 5-4, perhaps Oswalt's only blight was a third-inning two-out grand slam by Adam Dunn (who got his 30th home run on the season). Astros third baseman Geoff Blum answered in the bottom of the third with a two-out home run of his own--this one a two-run shot that turned out to be the go-ahead runs for Houston.

Oswalt, who had been on the 15-Day Disabled List with a strained left hip abductor (don't ask, I'm neither an orthopedist nor a hipologist), threw 74 pitches over five innings. I like to think his pitching woes this season have stemmed from poor mechanics from injuries like this. His line on the night: 5 innings, 7 hits, 4 earned runs, 1 walk and five strikeouts and 1 home run. His season ERA is 4.67.

Continue reading "Roy O reaches winning level in season record, Astros edge out Reds 5-4"

We already know they can't be called the Supersonics because Seattle still holds the rights to that. I would've liked to seem the team choose a name that reflects the Native American culture of Oklahoma...perhaps the Cherokees. But even if the Cherokee officials gave their blessing, it would still be too politically incorrect.

My mother grew up in Oklahoma, and I remember two things about the visits there: the red dirt and my mom's talk about the tornadoes. I also like the name Oklahoma rather than Oklahoma City, since OKC regionalizes the team too much. With that, here's my suggestion:

Oklahoma Tornadoes

Team colors: Red, pewter and white

Pewter, a metal made mostly of tin with trace amounts of copper and antimony, is described as a "dirty silver".

Continue reading "What to name the new Oklahoma City NBA team?"