25 Years
Astros vs. Braves series preview, part 2 (June 11, 2011).
While there are a lot of things to write about regarding the game tonight, I find myself coming back to the same topic: Brownie and JD. Probably doesn’t hurt that it is Broadcaster Bobblehead night, or that the Astros will be celebrating Bill Brown’s 25th year with the club, but thoughts of the Astros broadcasters have been with me a lot this year.
While I am a big Vin Sculy fan, and find myself tuning into an occasional Bob Uecker broadcast as well, I cannot imagine a better team of broadcasters for the Houston Astros than Bill Brown and Jim Deshaies (with the occasional dash of Greg Lucas into the mix). Sure, they are very good at what they do, but it is something more than that. To an extent, they have become extended family.
Every April through September, we invite them into our home and spend a couple of hours with them. Personally, I’m always glad to see them, and miss ‘em like hell those four to five months a year they go on hiatus during the off-season. In a weird way, they also tie us together. Even when my mom is out of town and unable to watch a game on TV, I’ll still get texts asking about how the Astros did, but the primary questions are almost always about what humorous diversions JD and Brownie came up with for the evening. There is always something to report, they never seem to disappoint.
I haven’t a clue what changes new ownership is going to make to the team, but if I had to chose one thing, and one thing only, to keep the same, it would be the combo of Brownie and JD in the booth (though I’d at least urge them to keep Bagwell’s Saturday home game appearances in the mix as well…).
Thank you for an entertaining 25 years Bill Brown, I hope there are plenty more to come!
Minute Maid Park:
Lyles vs. Minor: Saturday, June 12, 6:05 p.m (Central).
20-year old Jordan Lyles makes his home debut for the Good Guys in this, his 3rd major league start. He’ll be matching up against 23-year old LHP Mike Minor, who will be making his 13th major league appearance (12 starts). Minor is 0-2 on the season with a 5.06 ERA, 1.68 WHIP, and a .388 BAA. He has faced the Astros once in his career (2010), and got a no-decision in 6 innings, allowing 5 hits, 4 runs, 3 earned runs, a walk, and 5 strikeouts. Brett Wallace is 1-2 against Minor with a double, but of course he will almost certainly be on the bench because, well, Minor is a LHP and that would be Mills’ MO for the 2011 season.
Injury report:
The Good Guys are still without the services of Castro and Q behind the dish and Wandy and Arias in front of it. Hunter left last nights game with tightness in his lower back, but is in the lineup tonight for Houston.
Amazingly, the Braves DL does not include one Larry Wayne Jones. It is littered with the likes of Martin Prado (“staph” infection, so they say), Nate McLouth and Brandon Beachy (strained each others “obliques,” if you buy into the Braves reporting anyway), Jayson Heyward (sore shoulder), and Peter Moylan (bulging “disk,” uh-huh).
Promotions:
Tonight is a Coca-Cola Value Zone night (as are every Friday and Saturday night in 2011), which means for $20 one receives a Mezzanine ticket, hot dog, 20 ounce Coca-Cola product and an Astros cap.
The real story on promotions is, however, this Brownie and JD Broadcaster Bobblehead (in case you’re wondering which is which, its on the right), which will be presented to the first 10,000 fans. I know you’re probably thinking there is no way that the Astros will draw 10,000 fans, so you should be able to pick one up whenever you show up to the game, but such thoughts would be in error. Brownie and JD Bobblehead people – that there is reason enough for even the most idiotic of Houston fans (yes, I realize the import of this comment) to show up for.
Discussion:
Though its been a tad slow in the Game Zone as of late, this is a Lyles start and Bagwell will be in the booth, so I’d imagine there’ll be plenty of banter there this evening.