Editor’s note – This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com.
You know that horrible defining moment clich? that pops up in sports? You know the one… “When a defining moment occurs, either you define the moment or the moment defines you.” Surely you’ve seen it on high school locker room bulletin boards, or perhaps on the t-shirt of that guy living under a freeway trying to sell you a newspaper. The Astros are about to face one of those defining moments.Read More
Editor’s note – This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com.
It’s been said that before the introduction of the Internet, village idiots used to stay in their own villages.
Alan Zinter has about as much chance as making the Astros opening day roster as Jayson Williams does of being the keynote speaker at the Limo Drivers Union annual meeting. The same could be said of Jim Mann, Ricky Stone, that Olive-Oyl looking shortstop (the one with the personal problems) or the host of minor league players who aren’t even in camp. And yet, almost as regularly as Dan Ackroyd (remember when he was funny…man the 70’s were a long time ago) or John Goodman plays the bewildered father, someone is claiming some ridiculous insight about one of these guys being a necessary spoke in the major league wheel. Read More
Well, almost a week into Spring Training and we have had some fun. The Hernandez-Redding battle for the 5th rotation spot is going to be a knock-down drag out strike-fest. It’ll be great watching this one pan out. Fox should televise it. It’s much better than the Tonya Harding vs. Amy Fisher / Paula Jones / Darva Conger fight.
Adam Everett can hit, it seems. A long way to go yet, but he’s been making contact and getting results with the bat. Lugo better get well soon otherwise he could find himself out of a job before he’s even muffed play #1 at SS.
Daryle Ward “has to hit somewhere”, says Jimy, so why not 2nd? Well, I say, why not lead off? He’d break Bones Sr.’s NL record for lead-off homers in next to no time. He doesn’t walk much these days, so he would clog the base paths behind him either.Read More
By Gene Elston
Editor’s note – This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com on March 5, 2002.
There is no question the quality of our lives has improved over the last 100 years. However, very often today we hear the phrase “life used to be so simple.”
Life WAS simple in the National League in 1900 when the circuit decided the 12-club league was too unyielding and top-to-bottom, competition was nigh impossible, the league voted to reduce to an eight-club organization.Read More
This is a move as welcome as it was unexpected (by me). I never thought that Enron would accept so little money – just a little less than half of what they’d coughed up for the 2002 season – to walk away from the naming rights contract. This still has to be approved by the bankruptcy judge, so there may yet be another twist, but I hope that his honor slaps his rubber stamp down on this deal and gets it over with.
Next up, what to do with all the signage? Dismantling all the Enron references around the park will be a time consuming matter. And the replacement name won’t even be known for a couple of months according to the Astros. I can’t imagine that Drayton will spring to have the word “Enron” replaced with the word “Astros” everywhere, but he may do it in a select few, high-visibility locations. It’s either that, leave it as it is for now, or have “[Blank] Field” all over the place. On the positive side of things, my ticket stub from the opening series against the Yankmees just got a little bit more valuable.
Hopefully, this will put an end to the hackneyed plays on the old name such as “HomeRun Field” and “TenRun Field”. Read More
Discussing the relationship between money and success in baseball provokes strong reactions.
