Tip your cap to the Cards

It is said that baseball is a game of inches. The Cardinals tonight just played a few inches better than the Astros. Pujols, Edmonds, Renteria, Rolen and Womack just got that extra couple inches done when they needed it. The Astros not quite. Jim Edmond's catch in the second inning on the fly ball to center by Ausmus was great and the first difference maker. The thing about it is when I saw him running I kept telling the ball "Get Down, Get Down" because I knew that Edmonds would get to it. I expected him to make the catch. Why? It is because that is what Jim Edmonds does. That is why he is great to watch. I just wished I didn't have to watch him make that catch tonight.

The second difference maker was Clemens not going to his breaking pitches a couple of batters earlier. Pujols then Rolen both had seen them and found the ones to hit. This is not a criticism of Roger, just a statement. If you would have said he would be pitching a game seven with a world series birth on the line on the road anytime during this season I would have taken it in a heartbeat. I would take it tomorrow too. This does not change the fact that to win a game seven on the road you have to play almost perfect and have the bounces go your way. Some did tonight some didn't, the Astros just needed a couple more.

The Astros played hard. They played with grit and determination. No doubt they wanted it just as bad as anyone. I dislike that statement oh they wanted it more or we just wanted it more that's why we won. I do not think it is accurate. There has to be a term that defines the desire and how it is effectively focused into positive results. That would be the correct term. Trust me Roger wanted it bad, but just didn't get it focused that over the hump amount on just a couple of pitches.

Congratulations to the Houston Astros. I am a fan now and always. I will always remember this 2004 season. It was full of expectation and the disappointment then that amazing late season push to leapfrog six teams to claim the wildcard spot. Then came the breaking of the playoff threshold. The won in the post season and beat the Braves doing it. They then played the Cardinals tough, very tough and just came up those few inches short.

History will remember the results. This Astro fan will forever remember the effort and emotion.

Thank you guys for all that you gave me and all Astro fans this season. It is and forever will be truly appreciated.

game 7's abound

Both championship series going to a final game 7. Win or go home for all involved. You have to love the playoffs.

First let me say that what Boston has done is remarkable. Their bullpen really held that one together long enough for the Boston bats to eventually win those games for them. In game seven the bats decided to come out first and after two it was 6-0 Red Sox. Biggest comeback or biggest choke you decide which. I am sure it will be debated. Some people will never say its one or the other, just as a friend of mine to this day says the Oilers choked against the Bills in that awesome playoff game in Rich Stadium. To me, a Bills fan, its the biggest comeback. The interesting thing for Red Sox fan is that either way you describe it they will love it just as much. That is cool in my book.

So who will those Red Sox meet? St. Louis won an intense game six with their own walk-off home run (boy there have sure been a lot of those lately haven't there) by Edmonds in the 12th inning. When Bagwell tied it up at 4 in the ninth then that is all the Astros got I just felt that they really needed that fifth run right there. Before the game I told coworkers I felt it would take 6 runs to win that game. Game five's outstanding pitching duel was the aberration of the series.

For the Astros to win a game seven in St. Louis against the potent Cardinals I think that Clemens needs to go at least six solid innings allowing at most two runs. Pitching has to step up in this one. If you would have told me that as an Astro fan I would be watching Clemens pitch a game seven with a world series trip on the line on the road I would have taken that in a heartbeat. That is all one can ask for is a chance. I hope that game six will not be remembered as the Astros chance that got away.

Lets go Roger and Roy and Brad... be the stars you all are and can be and pitch well in game seven.
Lets go Astros, hit like the Red Sox hit tonight.

43 years is quite long enough!

Here comes game six

Here we go. Game six back in St. Louis on the horizon.
Thanks to the Red Sox win tonight it will be at 4 eastern so 2 mountain. How in the world will I be able to function at work during the afternoon knowing the game is on. It will be very hard. I just might have to get sick.. cough, cough.. hack.. weeeze.

The decision has been made. Pete Munro gets the start in game six to allow Roger to pitch on full rest in game seven (if necessary) or extra rested for a possible game one of the World Series. It chills me just to type that out. I almost don't know what to do or say.

I started getting into watching baseball in the mid 80's. Growing up in a smallish town light years away from professional sports is much different I would imagine than growing up with people talking about the home team all the time. I played little league just like about every other American boy. A couple of years of it. I could field but not hit. I moved on to soccer later, then tennis. This led me to not grow up rooting for a team by birthright like so many other people. My baseball fandom grew differently.

It basically started because of a friend of mine. His name was Charles Robertson. He was a tall lanky redheaded guy with a cool sense of humor and he always wore a Detroit Tigers baseball cap. For some reason I found that to be cool. I thought I needed to get me one but which team. I did not want to copy him or just pick a team at random. That's about the same time my father finally allowed us to have cable tv, just in time to miss out on the best part of MTV. Anyway, one of the channels we got was HSE or Home Sports Entertainment. Living in Carlsbad, New Mexico logically we got the Texas feed of it. One of the things they showed on HSE was tape delayed Houston Astro ballgames. This was my introduction to pro baseball. This is where I discovered Nolan Ryan, Mike Scott and a very young Craig Biggio. I was hooked by their and his hustle right away. I had found my team. I have been an Astro fan ever since, with Biggio being my favorite player. Nothing will ever change any of those two things.

Since Biggio came up in 1988 you see that I just missed out on the 86 disappointment and of course the 1980 one too. I did see replays of some of those games on HSE too however, so rather quickly did I become familiar with the Astro history. All of this should explain why this thought of being one game away from the World Series is so new to me. It has to be why I cannot seem to think straight ever since Jeff Kent clobbered that home run to win game five.

It amazes me how sports can suck you in and make you get all wrapped up in it. I will write more of my thoughts about it in the future. One thing is certain and that is that playoff baseball, or football, or hockey or basketball, or whatever surely not only intensifies the players but intensifies how us fans get all twisted up inside. It is certainly one of the most interesting things about us being human.

There are so many ways these two games can end tomorrow in the AL and NL. So many storylines and subplots. It has to be making Hollywood quite jealous, doesn't it?

What A Ride!

It has been a few hours since Jeff Kent launched that three run homer to put the Astros up 3 games to 2 and I still can't think straight.

Tomorrow is and off day and will allow me to better collect my thoughts on these 3 games at Minute Maid Park.
It might be almost time to call it hallowed ground, winning four of five playoff games and 18 straight to close the season. Amazing!

A big challenge is still ahead. Winning one game in St. Louis might be harder than winning all three they did in Houston, however for the moment I am going to enjoy the feeling of my favorite ballclub being one win away from their possible first World Series.

I sure hope the Astros can keep better focused than I.

Instant Replay?

Was that game two or did it rain out and they just ran the same tape from yesterday?

I wasn't so sure. Basically the same type of game. The Astros jumped out first behind the bat of Beltran. The more I watch him the more I think the sky really is the limit with this guy. The young Astro starter, Munro this time, pitched not stellar but solid but got lifted too soon. With the lack of effectiveness of the Astro bullpen right now the starters better go 7 innings. Are you listening Mr. Garner? You mentioned before we have to ride these horses (meaning Clemens and Oswalt) so let them go 7 unless they totally meltdown.

That is the key to the rest of the series. The Astro starting pitching will have to be effective and last. Both clubs will get their hits and more than likely it will take 5 or 6 runs to win any of these ballgames.

On that note my pal Jason called after Beltran hit his 6th playoff home run and we talked for a bit about the game. I told him it will probably take six runs to win tonight. Seriously. But of course who could not see that about this series. I would be shocked if either team gets shutout in a game.

Game 3 is big. If the Astros can win it then the series will probably go back to St. Louis, if they do not win expect the Cards to celebrate in game 4. If I am gauging this right though, look for the Cards to wrap it up in game six, however being the fan I am how I would love to see a game SEVEN.

All you Minute Maiders let me hear you! Go Astros!

NLCS Game One

Tip your hat to the Cardinals.
They have been touted as the best team in baseball with their 105 regular season wins and they looked like all of that tonight. Some Astro fans might be saying right now they got lucky, a lot of bloop and broken bat hits. They would be partially right. The Cardinals did have many hits like that tonight. They had that luck, however good teams take advantage of that luck as the Cardinals did tonight.

Here is my breakdown.

First it was good to see the Astros get on the board in the first. Beltran looks as advertised. Biggio did well to get on ahead of him to have Carlos' homer make it 2-0 Astros. Did Astro fans think it would be that easy? This one didn't. Albert Pujols showed that he is as advertised as well. His home run in the bottom of the first made it 2-2. After that Backe and Williams pitched well for three innings and kept things in check. Only a walk and a pitch Jeff Kent got a hold of in the fourth made it 4-2 Astros. Williams came back and got a one two three inning in the fifth to keep things in control for the Cardinals.

At this point I was thinking that it will take more than 4 runs to win tonight. I didn't see Backe or Williams going deep into game and both teams will be able to score on the bullpens. The bad part there is that Houston's bullpen is more suspect, much more. Having injuries to Pettitte and Miller made bullpen guys into starters, i.e. Munro game two's starter. This has thinned out the Astro bullpen. They just do not have anyone there right now outside of Lidge that scares the opponent. That's what the Astros are really missing in this series is a good old Nasty boy like Rob Dibble , Randy Myers or Norm Charlton. I hate using Reds as a reference but hey that kind of intimidation out of the pen is what this Astro team is lacking. Facing Qualls or Gallo just doesn't strike any fear or doubt into the opposition. Besides the o so slim chance that the Astros will re-sign Beltran, getting a guy or two like that for the pen would be the priority. Anyway I digress.

The bottom of the fifth inning I feel was key for this game. The Woody Williams double where he got just enough of it to get over the drawn in Berkman was huge. If Lance makes a spectacular grab or just happens to be not playing the pitcher a tad shallow (and who wouldn't) that gives Backe two outs with Womack coming up. His groundout would have been the inning. Trust me the Cardinals would have still scored more runs eventually, they are that good, however maybe its to just tied up the game and not take the lead.

Backe did as best as he probably could tonight, especially on only 3 days rest. The Cardinals just found a way to get to him and the bullpen tonight. The rushed Vizciano throw and missed scoop by Bagwell are going to happen in a series such as this. A trip to the World Series is on the line and it will make players press a bit. I am sure the Cardinals will do so too before this NLCS is over with.

To finish I was glad to see the Astros put some more runs on the board before it was a final. I think it shows they will not give up and to win the Cardinals, as good as they are advertised to be, will still have to earn it. As an Astro fan I can live with that. Possibly I feel that way because the Astros already accomplished the big task of winning in the post season. Possibly I feel that way because I am trying not to get my hopes too high. Either or both could be true, but this I know is true ... I am a fan because the likes of Biggio, Bagwell, Berkman and know Beltran all play hard no matter what and win or loose that effort will always keep me coming back for more.

Keep your chin up guys... Go get 'em in game two and try to sneak off with a win on the way back to Houston!

NO MORE O FOR!

Finally!

I was nervous to sit down and watch tonight but I am thankful I did. I am an Astro fan. That will never change. However history changed tonight for the Astros. No longer can they say O for 7, O for 8 or O for whatever. A playoff series has been won. Won by a team that never gave up on their season even though most everyone else did. The most die hard of Astro fans have to admit tonight that in the middle of the season our hopes were slim. I was already feeling bad thinking it might be the last year of Biggio and Bagwell leading the charge. If it is well what a charge they led.

The main reason is team. They had a lot of guys out there who rose to the occasion and produced when needed. Regulars like Berkman and Kent and Ausmus. The newcomer Beltran who was stellar. Vizcaino stepped in when Everett went down. Ensberg held down third. Guys like Lane, Palmerio, Lamb, Chavez and Bruntlett all took their roles on with focus and dedication. All the men who pitched made things happen, even those with such limited big league experience when injury took down the likes of Pettitte and Miller. An amazing run that has reached the platform of best Astro season ever. Looking at the results that is how you have to look at it. No disrespect to the teams of 80 or 86. Nor to the teams of late nineties. Winning a post season series takes you there. It is great to see the Astros as a team get themselves there, especially when it would have been easy to falter in game 5 in Atlanta.

The key to me was, besides their mental state tonight, was the following. First getting out of the sixth with no hits and no runs after the disasterous 3 run sixth inning homerun last night. Secondly being able to mount more pressure right away by getting 4 more runs with two outs in the top of the seventh. Truly the key to their success this series was the number of 2 out runs scored. The Astros did it much better than the Braves. Third and finally was getting that double play in the bottom of the seventh. After they turned that I knew I could not celebrate yet with six more outs to go, but deep down I felt it was over. The Astros had finally knocked Donkey Kong off their back and would not let him get back off the ground. Sweetness.

The main reason I am happy tonight is to see two quality men who have approached the game with such respect and work ethic finally earn, I emphasize EARN their due. Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell both mentioned quickly in their post game interviews "the team" and that this "team worked together". This is so true and so clearly defines their respect and admiration for their teammates. These are humble men who have given Houston and all Astro fans much more than they could ever receive in return, yet in their wisdom they would tell you the inverse is true. I consider myself lucky to have become an Astro fan and have two men such as they to root for.

A world series title may or may not come in my lifetime, that remains to be seen, however I have gotten to root for such gentlemen as Biggio and Bagwell and now see them earn playoff glory.

Three cheers guys, three cheers.

Two quick notes

First - Congratulations to Biggio for hitting that three run homer. He is my favorite baseball player of all time and I so enjoyed that and felt it warranted mentioning.

Second - Baseball is just a game and the Astros lost one today, but even worse they lost an alumni. Ken Caminiti died today at age 41 of a heart attack. My condolences to his family and for all his friends and ex-teammates. I enjoyed rooting for you while you played 3B for the Astros.

Game 4 Gets Away

I just might have to finally hate the Braves after this one. What a kick in the gut.

Before the game I was hoping that Roger Clemens could just go six or seven and give up only 2 or 3 runs. I was basically hoping for the line Bill Simmons wanted for Pedro in game two of the Boston/Anaheim series. (click the link on the right and you can find the article). Top of the sixth rolls around and out comes Qualls. The crowd just flattened out a bit with that and it seemed he was flat too. Bam... just like that it was tied. Jeff Kent's head was down before the ball went over the wall. I just about did the same thing.

I was afraid of this. That moment that allows doubt to creep in. That moment where the Astros and all their fans begin to think "Here we go again!".

I hope the Astros can show some moxy tomorrow and get up and take it to the Braves like they have nothing to loose. I hope Roy Oswalt pitches the game of his life. No walks, no hit batsmen. Keep Furcal off base. When he was hit by Springer I just knew that was it. Berkman did give me hope with his hit, but just as when that Bartman guy messed with the foul ball in Chicago last year you just knew it was over, that's how today felt. I want to be wrong in the worst way.

Go Astros... believe for yourselves. Believe for me.

Astros win game 3 at home.

The streak is alive. 19 straight wins in good ol' Minute Maid.
Backe pitched well and the offense produced.
It wasn't without a game effort by the Braves, but JD and Chipper seem to be having the type of series that used to plague Biggio and Bagwell. Jeff really has turned it around this time. I think them knowing they have all the help from Berkman and Beltran, even Kent and Ensberg really relaxes their minds and allows them to focus without so much distraction from the proverbial monkey.

I watched most of the game (fitting in my to do list within the commercial breaks) and the real big point of it was the three run home run blast by Andruw Jones. What a kick in the gut. I just felt terrible for a couple of minutes. I thought, this is where the doubt, the past could creep in. I watched the Astros demenor on the field closely then and did not see any heads start to hang down. The focus still seemed to be there. The confidence of the streak really did seep into them and steady the ship. Wow.

Now it is game 4 today. Roger Clemens, the native Texan, takes the mound to try to bring to Houston what they have never had... A playoff series win.

Good luck boys. May you give your fans the thrill of victory today.

Astros versus Braves

Well doesn't that sound familiar to Astro fans, somewhat painfully so. This time around though most experts seem to be picking the Astros to finally win a playoff series and defeat the Braves, to whom they have lost three out of their last four playoff series.

Does this Astro fan have the same confidence as the pundits do? Not exactly, but cautiously optimistic.
Game one was on Wednesday. Scheduled to be on at 2pm MST right when I am at work. I had the game update page on ESPN open. Of course I was hoping for a win but more than that I was hoping that the Astro bats would do well win or loose. I felt that they had to hit well to not let the past creep into their minds. To my delightment they did produce. Most everyone contributed in some fashion, even Brad Ausmus had a solo home run. Every refresh of the page showed more Astro offense and I could not contain my smile. Four home runs and a 9-3 final score later Roger Clemens had his first game one win. Maybe things are different this year, ahhh but don't celebrate yet.

Game two was on Thursday. So was our client party at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Duty calls. Before I left for the event at 2:30pm MST I saw a 1-0 Astro lead in the second inning. That was the last update I got until a few hours later. I was working behind the bar and our program director and host of the afternoon show on "610 the Sports Animal" here in Albuquerque, one mister Ian Martin asked me if I knew the score. I told him about the 1-0 and he said when he left the station it was 2-0 but Atlanta was threatening. My first thought was that it sounded about right. Its tough to go against playoff pitching and have your offense explode in consecutive games. I knew this series, no matter how hot the Astros were coming into it, would be tough. It was 11:00 pm MST before I was able to get home and hop online to find that the final was 4-2 Braves in 11. Rats! How sweet it would have been to go up 2-0 and head back to Houston. If that happened I would have felt real confident that the Astros would not drop 3 in a row. Now they go home tied 1-1 and hope to keep the series from going back to Atlanta for game five, when anything can happen.

Later today is game three. Good ol' Minute Maid Park. 18 straight wins coming in. My question though is that a good thing or a bad thing. I think it only gets its answer if the Astros win or loose. If they win everyone will say that they just can not loose there. If they loose then they will say that the streak had to come to an end sometime. That is just the way things are, aren't they. Will we ever really know if it was truely helpful? I do think it helps in two ways. First I think the crowd will be that little bit more into it, without them even knowning it. Just that one or two decibels more. Secondly I think it might just give that little bit of confidence the Astros might need to keep positive if the ball doesnt bounce their way sometime in the game. Instead of chalking it up to that "we just can win in the playoffs" type thing it can be a "we will get it back" type of thing. That is just how I see it.

Today's game is at 11:00am MST. I should be able to watch it since today's prior engagement is not till 2:00ish. I do have some things that have to get done though so I will not see every pitch, unfortunately. That will have to wait till tomorrow when I give up some good NFL time to sit and watch game 4 pitch for pitch and hope that it is the game that Houston finally clinches their first playoff series win.

Cross your fingers... I will.

Astros clinch wildcard!

Simply put a great day in Astroland. To have the middle of the season to look so poor, with all the speculation of Roger Clemens and Carlos Beltran to be traded, and it come to this where a win and one game in the standings places the team into the playoffs. Wow. One game, just like last season only this time they are inside looking out not outside looking in. It has to be sweet for all of them who endured the offseason after loosing those last critical games to Milwaukee in 2003.
It makes me want to be more than just a fan. It makes me want to be part of that team. I think that is why we fans all love watching our teams so much, because we are so drawn into wanting to share those joys and even pains with them. I think being part of a team success has to be one of the greatest natural highs.
That in part is why you hear so many fans and even local announcers say "WE". I think it is hard to not do that. I try to keep from it, not wanting to take anything away from those players, managers, coaches, trainers and staff who really are the "WE". Congratulations to all of them, I am glad they earned their celebration and honored to be able to watch it from my fan eyes.

Down to game 162

The Houston Astros are now one game up with one game to play, thanks to a handful of homeruns by the Astro bats. Craig Biggio lead off the game with his 23rd home run of the season and later added his 24th (a career high). Jeff Kent had a pair of home runs as well added to the home runs of Morgan Ensberg and Eric Bruntlett. Roy Oswalt pitched well keeping most everything in the park as he notched his 20th W of the season.

Now it is simple, just win and you are in. It is said that closing things out is the hardest thing to do in sports. I would agree. I was never more nervous serving out a match than the one that held my varsity letter with it as its prize. I luckily came through that day. I hope the Astros are as lucky, and as their record this September has shown they have been, and pretty good too.

All Hail Steve Finley!

Being a Houston Astros fan what a great sight to see former Astro and current Dodger, Steve Finley, knock a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth to beat San Francisco and clinch the west. Now if the Dodgers can take game 162 all will be well in Astroland!

Birth of a Blog

Dateline Albuquerque - October 1st 2004

Birth of a Blog. A blog about sports n stuff. I am sure the world can survive without one more such as this, but what would be the fun in that? That is my humble quest to make sports more fun to watch, as one great mind stated about his favorite sportswriter. Will I fall short of this quest? Quite certainly most of the time, however, don't you want to be there the few moments I do? Don't answer yet. Be patient and enjoy, even if its just to ridicule me, cause its all in good fun!