My family and I went on a camping trip this past weekend up north in Alpena, Mich. No place to blog there. Back to business...

Maybe I should gripe about the Astros and write off their season more often. Granted, Houston's four-game win streak ended tonight with an 11-7 loss to the Chicago Cubs, but now Houston is 54-58 and in fourth place in their division. The streak included a sweep of the New York Mets, something Houston hasn't done in years.

Will it be enough for post-season play? I'm still not optimistic.

Continue reading "Houston Astros update, sorry about the hiatus"

Seems like every time I write the Astros off as done for the season, they ruin my blog posting by going out and winning a few games. Well, who am I to mess with a successful formula? So, with that...

...The Houston Astros are hopeless. They have no chance. They. Will. Fail. That. Is. All.

There.

Houston, on the strength of a two-game winning streak, is now 56-59 on the season after beating the Cincinnati Reds 9-5 yesterday in 10 innings. Hunter Pence's two-run home run in the 10th helped provide the cushion, as did Carlos Lee's 2-run double. A not-terrible pitching performance by Randy Wolf was wasted into a no-decision as reliever Chris Sampson couldn't hold the lead. C'est la vie.

Wolf, it should be noted--earned a total of nine strikeouts in the game. He struck out six Reds batters and then struck out three times in three appearances at the plate.

Continue reading "Using reverse psychology with the Astros"

Joe Namath and the Los Angeles Rams. Bert Jones and the Los Angeles Rams. Franco Harris and the Seattle Seahawks. Harold Carmichael and the Dallas Cowboys.

Is it possible that Brett Favre will look back on his late-career stint with the New York Jets and wish that he'd just stayed retired?

Don't know. I suspect that Favre looks back at that interception in the NFC Championship game in overtime and doesn't want to go out that way.

Continue reading "Brett Favre's decision, will he regret it?"

I've batted this back and forth and have decided NOT to blog about the Olympics. It comes after much thought and prayer. For me, when I see how Christians and other religious faiths are being treated and remember the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, I really feel the world should have nothing to do with China until its government changes.

My decision. You're more than free to disagree or blog if you like.

Continue reading "No blogs about the Olympics"

Remember, the Astros still stink. They are going nowhere. ;-)

Reverse psychology, ahhh...

Houston is now 58-59 on the season, courtesy of a four-game winning streak. Today they capped a sweep of the hapless Cincinnati Reds with a 13-4 win over Cincy. "Magic" Wandy Rodriguez pitched well, allowing only five hits and two runs in 6.2 innings. He walked only one and struck out seven, giving up two home runs in Cincy's homer-friendly Great American Ballpark. What's more, he even got a hit and scored a run today.

The game makes me temporarily forget that Carlos Lee is gone for the rest of the year after one of his fingers was broken by a Bronson Arroyo fastball. Lee, a professional and a gentleman, absolved Arroyo from any hints of an intentional hit.

Next up for Houston, San Francisco. Speaking of which, there have been rumors that Houston might try to acquire Bonds now that Lee (their regular leftfielder) is out for the season. What does this Astros fan think of the prospect of acquiring The Ballooned Head?

Continue reading "Astros sweep Reds, Lee out for season, will Houston pursue Barry "Diva" Bonds?"

The Houston Astros are now at .500 on the season, courtesy of a 3-1 win at home against the San Francisco Giants. Brandon Backe pitched a whale of a game, allowing only four hits, 1 run in seven innings while striking out six and walking three. The bullpen did well also, pitching two perfect innings (including Jose Valverde's 2-strikeout ninth for his 29th save on the season.

Still, I have no plans for too much excitement. Giants lefthander Jonathan Sanchez, who's been so-so at best in his three years in the big leagues (a 12-15 record with a 4.92 ERA), allowed five hits and two runs over seven innings.

Continue reading "At .500 again"

Well, you knew the streak had to end. Houston's 8-game winning streak is over, courtesy of a 12-2 pummeling by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Starter Wandy Rodriguez gave up three first-inning runs and ended up walking six hitters and giving up four runs in two and a third innings.

Yikes.

Tim Byrdak had an interesting night. In 3 innings, he allowed six hits, six runs and three home runs. However, he walked none and struck out three. His season ERA is only 3.8.

Houston's now 62-60.

Continue reading "Houston's roller coaster, winning streak ends"

Let's see...Roy Oswalt pitches a complete game, giving up only three runs on four hits while striking out six...

Johann Santana pitches 7 innings, giving up eight hits, no runs and strikes out five.

Amazing how that is. I guess the Mets just did a better job of clutch hitting. At least Carlos "Benedict Arnold" Beltran didn't get a hit in the game. On the season, he's batting .270. Maybe it's a good thing he's not in Houston.

Sigh.

Continue reading "What an ugly loss"

Sorry about my brief hiatus. Very busy week at my day job at the newspaper. With Labor Day, we usually put in extra efforts the day before so that we don't have to kill ourselves when we return...

...Yes, I'm very happy that Craig Biggio's jersey number 7 has joined Astros immortality with Jeff Bagwell and the other venerable Astros. Now, what's next for the Killer B's is the Hall of Fame. Honestly, if a light-hitting, somewhat overrated shortstop like Ozzie Smith gets in on the first ballot with more than 90 percent of the vote, why shouldn't Biggio and Bagwell get in on the first one as well?

Seeing Biggio's number on the three retired jerseys reminds me again of how much the Astros' current railroad uniform absolutely sucks. Would love to see them return to the blue and orange look with a modern twist on the sixties shooting-star logo. Yes, I'm a broken record. I won't quit until these ugly monstrosities will be gone. I have an idea for a cap logo, and if I can ever figure out how to do it on a computer, I'll post it...

Continue reading "Astros hanging above .500"

Was watching video footage of the Friday night game between the Astros and the Cardinals. Lance Berkman, on the pitch right before his walk-off homer, hit a foul home run to right field.

I wonder if that's ever been done before?

Continue reading "If at first, you don't succeed..."

The Houston Astros are now 71-66, courtesy of a very encouraging weekend sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals. The 'Stros beat the Cardinals 3-2, 8-5 and 3-0.

This last win, obviously, was a shutout, led by lefty Wandy Rodriguez' 5.2 innings of 7-hit, no run baseball with four strikeouts. Rodriguez is now 8-6 on the season with a not-bad 3.76 ERA. I say not bad because Wandy pitches in a hitter friendly park. Let's face it: Minute Maid Park isn't the Astrodome, a place where countless home runs died and became downgraded to warning-track fly ball outs.

Jose Valverde, for all his throwing-gasoline-onto-the-fire relief appearances, closed this game out with a perfect, uneventful ninth inning with a strikeout. He has a 3.75 ERA on the season and has compiled 37 saves.

This must've been an especially tough loss for the venerable Cardinals, who outhit Houston 9-5. However, none of their hits went for extra bases while Houston had two doubles and a homer. The four-bagger was the 21st on the season for Ty Wigginton, to match his jersey number.

Continue reading "Not too bad a weekend for the Astros"