Baseball Talk
I try real hard not to bore you guys with baseball talk too much.
Oh Sweet Jesus in glorious heaven above, the Astros won the pennant.
Ole Bubba and I went to over 50 Astros games this year, thanks to the block weeknight game buys where tickets with you-get-what-you-get seating cost as low as $7 a seat. We drive an hour into Houston, park, and then ride the train to the game. Then we drive an hour back home discussing every play.
We love these guys.
Some of my friends tell me that baseball is too slow and boring. No, baseball is thoughtful. Baseball is mathematics combined with psychology and a whole bunch of art. It’s knowing when to call a double steal or knowing when a triple is a good risk.
I love this game. I also love this particular team of guys who play for the joy of the game. I think every Democrat should root for the Astros – our team owner is a Democrat, the city hasn’t has a Republican mayor since 1973, and we are named after the most honorable Texan ever.
Baseball fans everywhere will appreciate my favorite sign from the game last night.
Hey, Joe Buck, kiss my big Astro-orange butt.
We will be watching the World Series from home. I am donating the cost of one ticket to the Juanita Jean / Glen Maxey ballot by mail program. (Yeah, that’s coming up!)
So, watch along with me next week. Trust me, you’ll love it.
Congrats to you and Bubba and all the other Astros’ fans out there!
1How bout that out at home, huh? Go Stros!!!
2Congrats , I was a big NY Mets fan ( tough here in New England) but husband does not like baseball so we do not watch. I love the game, I got a lot of knitting done while watching Enjoy the series!
3Great news!
4“We are named after the most honorable Texan ever.”
A. True, and Sam is my favorite Texan, along with Barbara Jordan and Molly Ivins.
B. Neverthess, the bar is pretty damn low.
I’m so happy! I didn’t give up on them after the disastrous games in NY, but I admit to being rattled. Hope the bats stay awake in LA!
I’m originally from Detroit & grew up a Tiger fan, thanks to my mom. Some of my friends still up there are rooting for the ‘Stros now, because they still love Verlander and understand why he left.
Oh, and Altuve MVP!!!!!
5Congratulations on your team’s achievement! My mother would have been rooting for the Phillies, but that hasn’t been too rewarding lately, as far as I know.
6I watched that series more because I HATE DESPISE ETC the modern era New Yawk Yankees rather than any particular love I have for the Astros. But rooting for a Texas team in the series is a rare treat so Go ‘Stros!
7Congradulations on defeating the hated Yankees! I’m a die-hard Tampa Bay Rays fan and I went to 4 games this year, won them all. I need season tickets for next year. Anyway I’ll watch the series and hope the Astros win since they are now an American League team. Good Luck JJ!
8I’ve been in the “slow and boring” column for many decades, but that wasn’t the case when I lived in Michigan. I adored the Detroit Tigers and when I was really lucky I got my grandmother to take me to games. (It was a pretty long drive to get there.). In the decades that I’ve lived in Alaska, we really haven’t had any state team to get excited about in any sport. People here root for Seattle, but somehow that just hasn’t done it for me. Anyway, I’m very happy your team has done it. I will root for them too.
9This win is just what Houston needed!
10I may have told you before, but I was there the night the Astrodome opened and I went to a game at Minute Maid park this year. Living in New Mexico I can pick my favorite team. Actually I have three. Astros, Rockies and who ever is playing the damnyankees today.
11Congratulations to you and your Astros. Been a Dodger fan since they moved to LA when I was 7 (I escaped there a couple years later). Being fans of the teams in this World Series for many years, we should both remember they were rivals in the old National League West and the Astros were spoilers a few times for the Dodgers- like 1980. So, we’ll see how this rivalry series goes. Wonder if they’ll have another 22 inning game! If so, hope my Dodgers win this time. Wishing both teams have a great series (but LA in 7)!
12i figured you would have to break your Sunday silence today. Good on those Astros!
13Dear JJ — Thank you especially for the good liberal news about Houston. (Here in west Texas I hear little that is good about the Texans to the east of us — except we know that liberals do tend to hang out in cities.) Congratulations to your favorite team & to you & Bubba, two of it’s most loyal supporters. As far as passion for a team or sport, this tennis-addicted household knows what you mean. We sing the praises of Saint Roger Federer around here. Again, so glad for you!
14The win last night has gone a long way to healing the broken heart the Nats delivered to me this year.
We need as much baseball as we can get; so, let’s hope the WS goes for 7 games and that the Astros come out the winners!
15I;ll show my ignorance. Who is Joe Buck?
16I don’t care a fig for any sportsball of any kind, but I do congratulate you for the win; I know it means a lot to you.
17Congratulations Astros and Houston fans! “See” you at the Series.
18Congrats to your favorite team, and to all those who root for them! I’m glad they beat the yankees, damn them. I was asked once if I was a red sox fan, cause I live near boston and I said “no, I’m a baseball fan”.
Anyway that was a long time ago. Good luck to your gang in the world series!
19Congratulations! We were rooting for y’all!
Our beloved Giants (mine since I was a baby) and Royals (Dan’s lifelong team) had their great events, including meeting up in the Best World Series Ever. Since they were out of it this year, we’ll go with the Astros.
Baseball is the Best Game Ever. Hands down, no contest. Dan’s excuse for being a high school football star instead, even though he loves baseball best: baseballs are little, therefore hard to hit. People are big, and lots easier to hit.
20I grew up with Tigers on the radio.Summer meant baseball. Portable radios post WW2 weighed a ton but we could take it in the boat when we were fishing. Still a Tiger fan but added the Rockies when we got MLB here in CO. My cousins in TX are in Astros country so I root for them too.
21I also keep an eye on the Mets, their mgr, Terry Collins went to my high school. Football? What does “brain damage” say to you?
Larry in Colorado, Joe Buck is a diehard Yankees fan and a blowhard sports announcer. He is not beloved around these parts and made a fool of himself announcing the game last night.
If I want sports news or analysis, I go to Bob Costas.
22Old Quaker (curiously, that could describe me, too!) – chronic traumatic encephalopathy is just one reason I won’t watch football – but a big one. Bennet Omalu, the “Concussion” guy, is a colleague, and I’ve worked with him a little, and am so glad his work and that of others has finally brought this issue to light. Of course it’s not just football! Ice hockey, for one. Even soccer and (of all weird things) water polo seem to have a lot of risk for head injury. Baseball, though, has a much lower risk of head injuries, even with the occasional bean-ball.
23Good for y’all, but former Bums of Brooklyn in five. Or six, max.
24From a Jays fan way up here in Canada, congratulations to you and your Stros!
25FWIW, Joe Buck is the son of Jack Buck, who called St. Louis Cardinals games after Harry Carey left them for Chicago. I always kinda liked Jack, as did my father-in-law, who lived near St Louis and was a big Cardinals fan. So was my wife, but she finally received enlightenment and now supports the Astros. Lastros no more.
AFAIK, the Astros are the first team in MLB history to win the pennant in both leagues. Naturally, I’d prefer 40 or 50 pennants in one league, but I’ll accept any distinction I can get.
26I will take a game of baseball over football ANY time! I am a long suffering Rangers fan, but admire the ‘Stros as well! Wearing my Astros cap all week!
27This Cubs fan is all in for the Astros in 6 games.
28I don’t care for baseball, but I hope I don’t jinx the Astros against the Dodgers by saying go Astros. Win it for Juanita Jean or don’t come home to Texas.
29I remember going to a game with my grandfather right after the Astrodome opened. He loved the game and took off from work at Union Carbide to listen to the World Series on the radio.
Well, this year the Astros are in the Series and I am in Hawaii on vacation. The game is at 2:30 our time tomorrow. I have already scoped out a bar with a big TV and half price mai tais. I will drink one for Big Grandpa, one for the Astros and one for you Juanita Jean. Then my husband will have to drive us back to the resort. Go ‘Stros.
30My husband grew up in Houston, I’m originally from the Panhandle (from the Panhandle–as in away from). We live in New Mexico and this year saw the ‘Stros in Phoenix for a couple of games and we try to see them somewhere every year. Always Astros fans, and this year’s team has the added bonus of featuring two New Mexico natives (Bregman and Giles). I love this team! Go Astros!
31“and we are named after the most honorable Texan ever.”
not to bust your chops or anything, but bear in mind that Sam Houston had already committed treason in defense of slavery once, in the war to secede from Mexico. The entire reason for seceding was because slavery was illegal under Mexican law, and had been for some time. the southerners, along with their slaves, who moved there at Mexico’s invitation, knew this but chose to ignore it, hoping the Mexican Gov’t would ignore it as well.
It turned out that the Mexican Gov’t, to the utter dismay/astonishment of Houston and his slave owning buddies, took their laws seriously, and basically told them to cease/desist with the slavery already! Go figure. That’s when the white Tejano’s decided to secede from Mexico. Sam Houston was all-in on this, having been born/raised in VA, and being just fine with chattel slavery.
It was only after TX was a US state (that he was Gov. of), that he opposed secession from the Union. Not because he was against slavery, but he just thought secession from the US was a really stupid idea. It turns out he was right, so give him that.
Since Texans like big/unique stuff, seceding from the Union makes them the only state to have committed treason in defense of slavery twice: the first time from Mexico, the second from the US. Hey, you’re #1!
Any how, good luck to the Astros. Winning the Series would give the people down there something positive to get excited about.
32Congratulations to you and your Astros for beating my Dodgers in 7. As I said in my earlier comments, the Astros played spoilers against the Dodgers back in the old National League West in the 70’s-80’s, and now from the American League. Let’s hope for a rematch in 2018. Enjoyed this season!
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