contributed by Mr. Happy
Mr. Happy had a very busy week. It started with a trip to watch my oldest son, an Eagle Scout, graduate from high school and receive the highest award that the American Legion gives to a civilian. The award was unexpected, and I was very proud. As he transitions from high school to LSU, I battled with his mother over his move to Baton Rouge. It was strangely comforting that in all of the swirls of change in my life that I continue to battle with my ex-wife.
Then I made a trip to Boston to make a speech and make a trek to Fenway Park to catch Tito’s successful and triumphant 12-3 return to Boston. Speeches are nothing new for me, but putting a different company name on the slide that states where I work and what I do was new. As some of you know, I had a very long stretch of no full-time employment, all self-inflicted. I’ve only been off of work for ten days, and I’m already getting antsy to go back to work at my new job in Toledo OH.
Today, I got my rental truck and packed it myself (with a little help from a great soul this morning), and then I had them hook up my car for me to tow the car to Toledo. According to AAA, I’ll be travelling over 1,835 miles over the next few days. But another new life awaits me in Toledo, and I’m excited about it. I’m elated about being closer to family and close to a major airport so that I can get back to Louisiana to see my boys more often.
Tonight’s game was about transitions too. Matt Dominguez and Jason Castro are showing signs of turning the corner as big league ballplayers, each homering twice. However, the Astros are still in a transition themselves back to big league form. And tonight it was just a case of not enough hitting or pitching. BP gets an honorable mention for his gutty long relief stint after Lucas Harrell failed to finish the second frame.
Just when Harrell shows signs of turning the corner, as he did in his last outing against the Pirates, he regresses and takes two steps back, as he did tonight. I really like Harrell, but I’m beginning to think that I was oversold on his grit and fast work ethic. Conceptually, he’s got what it takes to be very successful: a great moving 92-94 two-seamer ground ball machine. However, he battles command issues, and it has plagued him this season.