Crazy times

I would like to have written all my thoughts now about the Houston Astros winning the NLCS and making it to their first World Series ever and also about games one and two and how good they were even if now they are down 0-2 and headed back to Houston.

However life comes first sometimes. Promises have to be kept. Not only to others but to myself. These are all good responsibilites. A job I enjoy and am thankful that I do so. Family that I love. Friends that I care about deeply. Teamates of my own that thankfully I did not let down this weekend as they did not let down me. Yeah its Kickball and you might scoff but it is still a team. It is still a group of people striving towards a common goal. We strove and we succeeded and I am so very thankful for that, just as I know all those in the Astros' clubhouse feel the same way about all their wins and losses. From 15-30 to the World Series and even possibly a championship. It isn't over till its over. I say that if its up 3-1 with two out in the NLCS and even if its down 0-2 in the World Series.

More details to follow just about everything cause now I have to prepare for my promise to friends and especially to myself, a much needed first trip ever to Las Vegas. 34 years is much too long to have waited I think and thankfully to three good friends of mine I won't make it to 35 years of waiting.

Life happens quickly.. so keep your eyes open.

We all enjoy being a part of something greater than ourselves. That's powerful I think.

Go ASTROS! Get'em in Houston boys!

a moment please

too hard to write about game five right after it happened
too blubbery to write about game six right after it happened

almost never thought I would see the Astros in the World Series
now I do

much more tomorrow
when I can collect all my thoughts and emotions

Congrats Guys!

Enjoy the moment completely

Games Three and Four

A two for one here as I finally sit down to let my thoughts land upon the page.


Game of inches is the running theme here. So cliche but so true. Two Astro wins in Houston. Same as last year. The difference is that they took game two in St. Louis where they lost last year. So now it comes down to can they sweep the three games in Houston just as last year or do they once again go back to St. Louis just needing one of two. A daunting task no matter how the injuries are plaguing this Cardinal team.

Game Three I sat down and watched every pitch. Made the time for it. The moment that sticks out to me of it all was the ball hit to Lamb that he had to dive for and guess on where the hop would be since the runner on first was sheilding him from a clear view. That ball bounced off his glove into shallow center field where Biggio chased it down. I thought there could be today's inch. I really did. I went back to my thinking that the Astros need 5 runs to win. Five runs a game. Not sure why I am stuck on that number but I am. I guess subconciously its one run more than a grand slam. Would seem fitting for someone like Pujols to hit one in this series. He is just that good.

Speaking of Albert Pujols the stat where he has come to bat more than half of the time to lead off the inning is huge. The Cardinals are missing having their biggest RBI guy batting more than half of the time with any chance of driving in more than himself. I think this has given the Astro pitchers that slight bit of confidence in pitching to him. Just slightly cause who would have much confidence pitching to Pujols.

You have to be confident when Lidge comes up against the Cardinals these days, don't you? I mean look how the announcers keep talking about his scoreless innings pitched streak. Every time they do I cringe like they are just about to jinx the kicker like they always seem to do in football. Being up 4-2 in the ninth of game three I kept thinking I would have liked to have that fifth run. When the Cardinals put their third run I was indeed nervous. I am from the camp that firmly believes its not over till its over. Luckily Lidge did what he does so well and saved the game and the Astros now were up 2-1 in the series.

Now to game four. The first game of this NLCS that I did not permit myself to watch. I had to get some work done. Sometimes life does take priority over sport. So as I worked I had the game up on MLB.com. Checking back to it periodically. 0-0 through 3. 1-1 after 4. Both teams pitching out of some jams. Now the 7th and LaRussa gets ejected and the Astros plate a second run. I am happy for the run but nervous cause it is so close. Gallo, Qualls and Wheeler pitch the Astros into the 9th and the score is still 2-1. Lidge time again. I kept thinking one run maybe not enough cause the Cardinals know they got to him for one run last night. He has to be just that little bit better. Just a little.

Suddenly its first and third with no outs and I am trying to work as if I keep doing so I will earn some little bit of karma or something. Eyes to matching up orders, back to the computer screen, back to orders, back to computer. My leg even starts a nervous shaking. Ahh the joys of being a fan. Then on the screen with Sanders hitting it says ball in play, out(s) recorded. It seemed like it stayed that way for so long. Did Pujols get home? Did they possibly get him out or keep him held at third? Oh I can't take it!!

Finally it says Pujols out at home, by inches and its still first and third but now one out. Larry Walker on third, Reggie Sanders on first and John Mabry up to bat. I kept thinking double play, double play, double play. I probably was chanting it. Luckily I was the only one at work. Again the ball in play, out(s) recorded shows up on the screen after a called strike and a swinging strike. No more looking at work. Eyes fixed upon the screen and hands clinched.

DOUBLE PLAY!

Game over. WOW!

Yes I must admit I did a happy dance. Once again no one around to see luckily. Something about not actually watching the game had me even more keyed up. I am not sure why. I guess watching my beloved Buffalo Bills loose 4 Superbowls gives me more pause when I watch my teams. However get me just checking the scores online or via radio and I am much more a wreck. Odd indeed.

I calmed down after a short bit. I did not want to over celebrate. After all its just a 3-1 series lead. Its not over till its over. The Astros have won three straight, so who is to say the Cardinals cannot repeat the favor. Also the Astros were just one win away last season being up 3-2. Something about having that one more game, that one more chance makes me feel more hopefull and gets me excited. We'll see won't we.

And we will see if Mama Clemens talk about the White Sox on her last day on earth will be prophetic or not. Just don't tell me who she saw winning.. I don't want to know. It would take all the craziness of being a fan and right now I am quite enjoying it.

See you boys Monday. Good Luck and Go ASTROS!!!!!

Game Two 2005 NLCS

Good bounce back game for the Astros tonight. As expected another quality pitchers duel. Oswalt and Mulder both looked strong. That being said I was still not sitting back all comfy with a 4-1 lead late and Brad Lidge on the mound. I know his numbers against the Cardinals and in the past two postseasons. Flat out amazing. However thats why they play the games and I respect the Cardinals too much to think anything is over till its over.

I clap and have my reserved little celebration after the last out. Going back to Houston with a split is a good thing but not even close to the end of the series. The Cardinals could easily get a couple of breaks and take three straight. I would be surprised though if the series does not return to St. Louis with either team sweeping three straight.

Sure I remember last year. Those three amazing games in Houston with all the heroics to come from 0-2 down to lead the series 3-2. I didn't think last season they were a lock for the World Series then and I will not think so this year till they can put the final out on a series clinching win. Cliche yes but its not over till its over.

I just hope for at worst for the series to once again go back to St. Louis with the Astros up 3-2 because that will mean just like last season that they have a chance.

Keep it up boys. Play hard and have fun.

Finally some words about those Astros

Yes it has taken me a while to get to sit down here and type out my thoughts of this years Astro team and their endeavor at the playoffs. Now however is the time so here it goes.

15-30
After a loss to the Cubs on Tuesday May 24th this was the record of the Houston Astros.
No more Carlos Beltran. No more Jeff Kent. Lance Berkman recovering from offseason surgery and Jeff Bagwell with his deteriorating shoulder. Three rookies playing in the outfield. Things were bleak.

Who knew they would make the playoffs by playing well down the streach and holding off the likes of the Marlins and Phillies. Pretty amazing at first glance, but not really. This team has resolve. They keep at it trying their best. The do not give up.

This is instilled by several people in that clubhouse but my favorite and my opinion the key is one mister Craig Biggio. Selfless. Always giving the team what it needs no matter what position he has to play. Catcher. Second Base. Outfield. Now this season back to Second Base. Personally I like him back there even though the Astros definitely miss Jeff Kent's bat.

Now they clinch the wildcard for the second straight year and travel to face the Braves again. Since they have faced the Braves everytime but once in the playoffs since I became a fan of the Astros I was a little bummed. I felt maybe last year was the team's lucky break against the Braves but could they win in consecutive years? I was nervous even with Pettitte, Oswalt and Clemens all healthy. I know all to well how one bounce of the ball here or there can make all the difference.

Flash forward to game four with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Brad Ausmus hits a shot I knew would be close but I did not think it would be quite close enough. I saw Andruw Jones running but I thought he would be just a step short and Brad would end up with a double and keep hopes alive for one more batter. A game of inches it is as he hit it just a fraction above the yellow line for a game tying home run. Wow! A game five to come in Atlanta or not I was thrilled to see that the Astros once again never gave up.

I had no idea 9 more innings were to follow. I had no idea Roger Clemens would come out of the bullpen in releif for only the second time in his career (never knew he did the first time in 1984) and pitch three solid innings to give unlikely hero Chris Burke a chance to end the series with one swing of the bat. I never liked the Crawford boxes at Minute Maid more than I did at that moment.

Its amazing to watch almost six straight hours of one baseball game. It was really the first time all year that I was able to sit down and watch every pitch. Wow. What a time to make the time to do so. Life gets so busy or more to the point is so busy. All the time in fact. Some of it is good some of it is mundane but it is all busy just the same. Sitting down to watch all of that epic battle where neither team, the Astros or Braves, just did not want to let this one slip through their fingers was a pure selfish joy for me.

Last season getting to see the Astros win a playoff series finally and then take the Cardinals to 7 games was awesome. It helped remind me why I became a fan in the first place. Reading Bill Simmons and all his writings about his beloved Red Sox reminded me too. Part of it makes me sad that I am not in Houston to have fellow fans to talk with about the Astros all the time like Bill does with his friends about the Red Sox.

I feel that is why sports talk is so good to a lot of us men out there. Tuning into your favorite show makes you feel like you are with those friends, talking up the game. It is hard to remember at times that the voices you hear everyday are indeed really not your friends, that they don't know you as you do them. I respect those on air personalities for putting themselves in the position for us normal guys to forget this at times.

So now I have written this after watching game one of the 2005 NLCS. A 5-3 loss for the Astros tonight to the might tough Cardinals. It will take some magic like last year to win this year too, because even with the likes of Pettitte, Oswalt and Clemens the bats will still have to find a way to generate in my opinion an average of at least 5 runs per game. Tonight they fell a couple short. Maybe one less pitch to Reggie Sanders. Maybe one less ground ball hit right at an infielder. Remember a game of inches. Hopefully tomorrow the Astros will get a lucky bounce.

Every now and then remember to break from the busy and hecticness of life to take in a game and let life slow down to enjoy it before moments like game 4 of the NLDS might pass before your closed eyes.