10th Inning

2009 HR Derby; All-Star Team Additions; Jonathan Sanchez, First No-No of 2009

2009-07-11T01:47:00.003-05:00

Joe Mauer accepted the position into the 2009 Home Run Derby in St. Louis to fill in for Justin Morneau.

The 2009 Home Run Derby participants so far are:
Albert Pujols
Adrian Gonzalez
Ryan Howard
Prince Fielder
Nelson Cruz
Brandon Inge
Joe Mauer

I'm gonna predict that Pujols wins at home. The dude is a machine, and will hit homer after homer...

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Jayson Werth was added to the National League All-Star team. He will be replacing Carlos Beltran, who will miss the All-Star game because of an injured right knee.

Werth is batting .268 with 20 homers and 56 RBIs on the season. He also has 12 stolen bases.

On the American League side, Nelson Cruz was added to the All-Star team. He will be replacing Torii Hunter.

Cruz is batting .266 with 21 home runs and 52 RBIs on the season. He also has 13 stolen bases.

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Jonathan Sanchez threw the first no-hitter in 2009 by no-hitting the Padres. He had 0 BB, and 11 strikeouts.

Why wasn't it a perfect game? Uribe made an error on a short hop in the 8th inning, and the batter reached base.

It was the 13th no-hitter in Giants' history.

Congratulations to Sanchez! He pitched an amazing performance!

B.J. Ryan Released

2009-07-08T15:48:00.004-05:00

The Blue Jays have released B.J. Ryan.

The former Toronto closer has been having command issues, and velocity issues, while often being injured. Toronto is still obligated to paying Ryan ten million dollars next year.

Ryan had lost the closer role to Scott Downs earlier this year, and Blue Jays' manager Cito Gaston came to a point where it was hard to find a time to pitch Ryan.

B.J. Ryan, 33, walked 17 in 20 2/3 IP with a 6.53 ERA this year.

Toronto also activated Scott Downs from the 15 day DL, and will return into the closer role.

Morneau Declines HR Derby Invitation; White Sox Acquire Pena; Kinsler, Sandavol Hold Final Vote Leads

2009-07-07T20:33:00.004-05:00

Justin Morneau won't be defending his HR Derby title this year.

Morneau was asked yesterday if he would participate, and he declined. "I said I wasn't going to do it," Morneau said.

"I'd love to sit there and watch him just as a fan. I'd have the best seat in the house, sitting on the field and just enjoy watching my teammate, instead of sitting there having to be focused and not really get to enjoy the thing," Morneau said of watching Mauer in the HR Derby. Seems as if Morneau would rather just sit and enjoy the amazing experience, rather than defend his title.

There has been talk that Mauer may be asked to join. And he says it would be tough to decline the invitation.

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The White Sox acquired Tony Pena from Arizona in exchange for Minor League infielder Brandon Allen.

Pena, 27, has a 16-13 career record with a 4.08 ERA. He has seven saves and 63 career holds.

This year, he is 5-3 with a 4.24 ERA, and eight holds.

Allen, a 23-year-old left-handed hitter, was hitting .282 with eight home runs, 16 doubles and 43 RBIs in 62 combined games with Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte.

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You have until Thursday, 4 PM ET, to vote the final 2 players into the All-Star game.

The NL race, Sandoval currently leads the voting. Victorino is in 2nd place, Mark Reynolds in 3rd, and Christian Guzman in 4th.

In the AL race, Ian Kinsler currently leads the voting. Inge is in 2nd place, Chone Figgins in 3rd, Carlos Pena in 4th, and Adam Lind in 5th.

You can vote here:

2009 MLB All Star Game - St. Louis

2009-07-07T13:59:00.005-05:00

The Major League Baseball All Star game is set for July 14, 7 days away. The rosters for each league have been released. They are, as follows:

American League
STARTERS

C Joe Mauer, MIN L/R
1B Mark Teixeira, NYY S/R
2B Dustin Pedroia, BOS R/R
SS Derek Jeter, NYY R/R
3B Evan Longoria, TB R/R
OF Jason Bay, BOS R/R
OF Ichiro Suzuki, SEA L/R
OF Josh Hamilton, TEX L/L

PITCHERS

P Andrew Bailey, OAK R/R
P Josh Beckett, BOS R/R
P Mark Buehrle, CWS L/L
P Brian Fuentes, LAA L/L
P Zack Greinke, KC R/R
P Roy Halladay, TOR R/R
P Felix Hernandez, SEA R/R
P Edwin Jackson, DET R/R
P Joe Nathan, MIN R/R
P Jonathan Papelbon, BOS R/R
P Mariano Rivera, NYY R/R
P Justin Verlander, DET R/R
P Tim Wakefield, BOS R/R

RESERVES

C Victor Martinez, CLE S/R
1B Justin Morneau, MIN L/R
1B Kevin Youkilis, BOS R/R
2B Aaron Hill, TOR R/R
SS Jason Bartlett, TB R/R
3B Michael Young, TEX R/R
OF Carl Crawford, TB L/L
OF Curtis Granderson, DET L/R
OF Torii Hunter, LAA R/R
OF Adam Jones, BAL R/R
OF Ben Zobrist, TB S/R

National League
STARTERS
C Yadier Molina, STL R/R
1B Albert Pujols, STL R/R
2B Chase Utley, PHI L/R
SS Hanley Ramirez, FLA R/R
3B David Wright, NYM R/R
OF Carlos Beltran, NYM S/R
OF Ryan Braun, MIL R/R
OF Raul Ibanez, PHI L/R

PITCHERS
P Heath Bell, SD R/R
P Chad Billingsley, LAD R/R
P Jonathan Broxton, LAD R/R
P Matt Cain, SF R/R
P Francisco Cordero, CIN R/R
P Ryan Franklin, STL R/R
P Dan Haren, ARI R/R
P Josh Johnson, FLA L/R
P Ted Lilly, CHC L/L
P Tim Lincecum, SF L/R
P Jason Marquis, COL L/R
P Francisco Rodriguez, NYM R/R
P Johan Santana, NYM L/L

RESERVES
C Brian McCann, ATL L/R
1B Prince Fielder, MIL L/R
1B Adrian Gonzalez, SD L/L
1B Ryan Howard, PHI L/L
2B Orlando Hudson, LAD S/R
2B Freddy Sanchez, PIT R/R
SS Miguel Tejada, HOU R/R
3B Ryan Zimmerman, WSH R/R
OF Brad Hawpe, COL L/L
OF Hunter Pence, HOU R/R
OF Justin Upton, ARI R/R

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The AL has won every all-star game since 1997 (tie in 2002). I could see the NL winning this year, however, I am predicting the AL to win. Why? Simple. Two of the players who were voted to start in the OF for the NL, Carlos Beltran and Raul Ibanez, are on the DL. While Ibanez has expressed his interest in playing in the game, who knows how he'll do after his time off. If he picks up where he left off, perhaps he can lead the NL to victory. It's gonna be yet another All-Star game that is won by 1-2 runs, and I'm taking the AL...5-3.

Don't expect another Inside-the-park-HR from Ichiro, or a starting pitcher to strike out the side in the 1st inning (happened only once, when Pedro Martinez did it in 1999), but don't count out a memorable moment that may occur, either.

Your predictions?

Backe Placed on Waivers

2009-06-29T22:42:00.002-05:00

The Houston Astros placed right-handed pitcher Brandon Backe on waivers today.

31 year old Backe was 0-0 with a 13.50 ERA in 13 innings for Houston this season. Backe was shocked after being designated for assignment, and did not want to play for the Astros anymore if that were to happen. He rejected assignment to AAA Round Rock, and will likely become a free agent and obtain all of his 1.5 million dollar salary after 3 days.

Astros Take 2 of 3 From Detroit; Backe Left In Shock; Hampton Returns

2009-06-28T23:37:00.006-05:00

I was able to go to all three games at Minute Maid Park this weekend against the Detroit Tigers. Boy, what a fun time I had. It was awesome.

On Friday, Detroit got off to a fast start, earning a 4-0 lead in the first two innings. However, the Astros held them scoreless the rest of the game.

Then, the Astros scored two in the bottom of the third thanks to a two-run double by Tejada, and then scored one more in the sixth, and two more in the 8th thanks to Zumaya hitting the strike zone as often as a David Eckstein home run. Astros won the game, 5-4. There were fireworks after the game.

Saturday, everything went well. Paulino pitched an amazing game with a 7 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, and 9 K line. Paulino set a new personal career record for most strikeouts in a game.

Astro bats were hot throughout the entire game, busting in five runs in the third with help from a Matsui two-run HR. Astros finished off with 13 hits and eights runs, winning 8-1.

Sunday was a bit more disappointing. In the fourth, Hunter Pence laced a double down the line. Keppinger scored from second, and Lee scored from first on the hit. However, a fan reached down and tried to catch the ball, which resulted in a ground rule double for Pence, forcing Lee back to third, and an automatic ejection of the fan.

Pudge then struck out, leaving Lee left to hang on third. That fan cost us a run! And it came back to haunt us...Valverde comes in for the save with a 3-2 lead. Gets two outs, then walks Thames.

Inge comes up, Valverde makes a mistake with a fastball up the middle, and Inge takes advantage, crushing the ball over the Crawford Boxes for a two-run HR giving the Tigers a 4-3 lead.

Rodney then finished the game off, only giving up one hit to Geoff Blum. Had that fan not touched the ball, the game would have been tied, heading to extra innings...

Houston could have swept, but Inge capitalized on Valverde's mistakes. Other notes from Houston:

- Brandon Backe was designated for assignment...and was completely shocked.
"It's kind of a shock to me," he said. "I don't know what I'm going to do. I got to talk to my agent. To be honest with you, hopefully another team picks me up and I get to the big leagues. I don't know. We'll just have to take it one step at a time. I've never been in this situation before. It's something new to me. I'll just see what comes about."

Backe will likely not start for Houston ever again.

- Cecil Cooper is contemplating a tough choice out in Houston. Mike Hampton is scheduled to return from the 15 day DL and start Tuesday against San Diego, leaving Russ Ortiz and Brian Moehler fighting for one spot.

2009 Houston Astros: 1-4

2009-04-12T11:24:00.002-05:00

Happy Easter to all.

Sunday, April 12, 2009
Houston Astros vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Wandy Rodriguez vs. Kyle Lohse
Busch Stadium
1:15 CT

2009 Houston Astros: 1-3

2009-04-11T11:33:00.003-05:00

Next game...

Houston Astros vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Roy Oswalt vs. Adam Wainwright
Minute Maid Park
3:10 CT
TV: Fox

A Tribute To Nick Adenhart

2009-04-09T16:59:00.003-05:00

Nick Adenhart was born on August 24, 1986 in Hagerstown, Maryland. Before the age of 20, he was considered an accomplished pitcher, and was expected to be in the majors in the next couple of years. In 2003, he was awarded the Youth Player of the Year by the prestigious "Baseball America", and became the "top-ranked high school prospect" in 2004. Adenhart began his senior season at Williamsport High School projected to be a top 5 draft pick. Unfortunately, Adenhart suffered an elbow injury two weeks before the 2004 draft and ended up having to undergo Tommy John surgery on June 17. However, the Angels still drafted him in the 14^th round, and Nick signed on July 26, 2004. Nick spent the 2004 season rehabbing his elbow at the Angel’s spring training facility in Mesa, AZ.

Starting in 2005, Adenhart played four seasons in the minor leagues. He went 37-28 in the minors, with a 3.87 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. In 2006, Adenhart had his best year going 15-4 with Rancho Cucamonga and the Cedar Rapids.

After a dominating 2006 season, he was invited to his first Spring Training. Ever since 2006, he has been invited to Spring Training every year.

In 2008, he started his first game in the Bigs. May 1^st, 2008, he faced the Oakland A’s. He only went 2 IP, and gave up 5 runs, gaining the no-decision. 5 days later, May 6^th, Adenhart faced Kansas City in his second game in the Bigs. Nick went 4.1 innings, only giving up 3 runs, where the Angels won this game 5-3. In his final major league baseball game of the 2008 season, May 12^th, Adenhart faced the Chicago White Sox, where he earned his first big league win. He went 5.2 innings, giving up 4 runs, and became 1-0.

April 8^th would be his next game that he would start in the Bigs. Scott Boras, Adenhart’s agent, contacted Nick’s father before the game telling him, “You’re going to see something special from Nick tonight. I can feel it.”

Unfortunately, Adenhart only had one game left to start in the Bigs before his life was taken away from him. On April 8^th, 2009, Adenhart faced the Oakland A’s where he pitched 6 scoreless innings and having 5 strikeouts.

His father attended the game, and had a chance to speak with Nick that night. Little did he know that that would be the last time he’d speak to his son…Hours after the game, Nick Adenhart was struck by a drunk driver who ran a red light. Adenhart suffered many injuries, and was brought to the UC Irvine hospital, where he received surgery. But Nick did not survive. A drunk driver had taken away the 22 year old Nick Adenhart’s life, along with 2 of his friends.

Adenhart’s first game was against the Oakland A’s, and his last game was against the Oakland A’s.

Nick Adenhart’s life was cut short, along with his promising future. I hope Andrew Gallo, the drunk driver that struck Adenhart and his 2 friends, receives the maximum penalty. You will be missed, Nick Adenhart.

R.I.P.

Career Statistics (Major League):

W/L: 1-0

IP: 18

SO: 9

ERA: 6.00

W %: 1.000

2009 Houston Astros: 1-2

2009-04-08T22:30:00.002-05:00

Well, the Astros had 5 homers in the game (Rodriguez (1), Berkman (1), Matsui (1), Keppinger (1), Pence (2)), but it wasn't good enough to put the Cubs away. Fun fact: The last time the Astros hit 5 home runs in a game was on May 8, 2008 against the Brewers.

Next game...

Friday, April 10, 2009
Houston Astros vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Mike Hampton vs. Joel Pineiro
7:15 CT

2009 Houston Astros: 1-1

2009-04-07T22:54:00.002-05:00

AWESOME walk-off hit by Keppinger!

Next game...

Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Houston Astros vs. Chicago Cubs
Brian Moehler vs. Ted Lilly
Minute Maid Park
7:00 CT

2009 Houston Astros: 0-1

2009-04-06T23:27:00.002-05:00

Next game...

Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Houston Astros vs. Chicago Cubs
Wandy Rodriguez vs. Ryan Dempster
Minute Maid Park
7:05 CT

Opening Day Is Here!

2009-04-05T22:39:00.003-05:00

April 6, 2009 has finally arrived! The Astros will be taking on the Chicago Cubs in Houston for their season opener, where Oswalt looks to shut down the Cubs' offense to lead the 'Stros to 1-0.

Houston Astros vs. Chicago Cubs
Roy Oswalt vs. Carlos Zambrano
Minute Maid Park
6:00 CT, ESPN 2

LET'S GO ASTROS!!!

Astros' 2006 First-Round Pick In Hospital

2009-01-01T15:06:00.002-06:00

In 2006, Max Sapp, was drafted as the first-round pick in hopes that he would emerge as a future player for the Houston Astros. Just two years later, Sapp is being hospitalized in Orlando, FL for two weeks now, with a case of meningitis.

Sapp, 20, has been breathing with the help of a respirator because he is unable to breath on his own because of occasional seizures.

Sapp, a catcher, was selected No. 23 overall in the 2006 draft out of Bishop Moore High School in Orlando but has struggled as a pro. In three seasons, he’s hitting .224 with seven homers and 81 RBIs in 736 career at-bats. He spent his second consecutive year at Class A Salem in 2008 and hit .200 with four homers and 29 RBIs.

Let's hope he recovers well, and is back playing what he loves shortly. It is unsure how is illness will affect him for the upcoming season.

Quick Hits

2008-08-20T21:15:00.003-05:00

Didn't I tell you? Didn't I tell you that if we got some runs pretty early against Sheets that we would win? And Moehler pitched a wonderful game, again, making my prediction come true! Anyway, here are some more quick hits with the Astros...

Astros claim infielder Jose Castillo off the waivers from San Francisco Giants. Castillo hit .244 (96-for-394) with six home runs, 35 RBIs and a career-high 28 doubles for the Giants this season.
Gold Glove winner Brad Ausmus has stated that 2008 will be his final season in an Astros uniform.
Ty Wigginton won the Co-Player of the Week alongside Johan Santana. Wigginton had 16 hits in 28 at-bats last week, recording a 1.143 slugging percentage, 11 RBIs, 16 hits, 32 total bases. He also tied for the NL lead with four home runs and nine runs scored for the week.
Craig Biggio's number 7 has been retired. It was retired before Sunday's game. He is Houston's career leader in seasons played (20), at-bats (10,876), hits (3,060), extra-base hits (1,014), doubles (668) and runs (1,844).

Thats about it from over here. Have a good rest of the week, and Go Astros!

Astros vs. Brewers; Tuesday, August 19, 2008

2008-08-19T16:35:00.002-05:00

Houston Astros vs. Milwaukee Brewers
Brian Moehler vs. Ben Sheets
Miller Park
7:05 PM CT

In Moehler's last 5 starts, he is 3-0 with a 3.81 ERA and 1.21 WHIP. If Houston can get some runs on the board early, and Moehler continues to pitch well, we could have an upset.

Astros vs. Brewers; Monday, August 18, 2008

2008-08-18T15:53:00.001-05:00

Houston Astros vs. Milwaukee Brewers
Randy Wolf vs. CC Sabathia
Miller Park
7:05 CT

Astros vs. Diamondbacks; Sunday, August 17th, 2008

2008-08-17T11:21:00.002-05:00

Houston Astros vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Roy Oswalt vs. Randy Johnson
Minute Maid Park
1:05 PM CT

Both pitchers are 10-8, but hopefully Oswalt will get his 11th win first...

Astros vs. Diamondbacks; Saturday, August 16th, 2008

2008-08-16T09:35:00.004-05:00

Houston Astros vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Brandon Backe vs. Yusmeiro Petit
7:05 ET

Astros Face Reds at Home

2008-07-27T23:13:00.004-05:00

Tomorrow, the Houston Astros start a 3 game series against the Reds at home. The Reds are 50-55 on the season, and are currently 4^th in the NL Central. Houston is 47-56, and 2.5 games back behind the Reds. On the road, the Reds are 20-31. Lets take a look at the matchups…

Game 1: Monday, July 28, 7:05 CT, Minute Maid Park

The probable starter for the Reds will be Johnny Cueto. Cueto is 0-1 in his last 3 starts, and only 2-4 in his last 8. In his last game, he threw a season high pitch count of 120, through 6 innings, but struck out 10 – tying his career high. The last time Cueto faced the Astros was on April 24. He pitched 7 innings, gave up 5 runs on 8 hits and with 2 walks and 2 strike outs

The probable starter for the Astros will be Roy Oswalt, who is coming off an injury of a strained left hip abductor. His last start was on July 11 against the Washington Nationals, but he only pitched 17 pitches before being taken out with his strain. Oswalt has not faced the Reds this season.

Career numbers vs. Astros for Cueto: 0-1, 6.43 ERA

Career numbers vs. Reds for Oswalt: 19-1, 2.46 ERA

Prediction: Astros win 5-2

Game 2: Tuesday, July 29, 7:05 CT, Minute Maid Park

The probable starter for the Reds is Bronson Arroyo. In Arroyo’s last 5 starts, he is 5-0 with a 3.19 ERA. Arroyo’s last start vs. the Astros was April 24, when Arroyo got rocked. He gave up 8 runs on 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings.

The probable starter for the Astros is Brian Moehler. Moehler has been the most consistent starter for the Astros this year, but is coming off an unusual bad outing where he only lasted 2 1/3 innings, giving up 5 ER on 9 hits against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Career numbers vs. Astros for Arroyo: 4-4, 6.14 ERA

Career numbers vs. Reds for Moehler: 0-4, 6.82 ERA

Prediction: Reds win 6-4

Game 3: Wednesday, July 30, 7:05 CT, Minute Maid Park

The probable starter for the Reds will be Edinson Volquez. After an amazing start to the year, and amazing numbers before the all-star break, Volquez has struggled after the all-star break. He has allowed 9 runs over his past 2 starts. His strikeout totals have dropped severely after the all-star break, also. He has only struck out more than 3 batters once in his past 6 starts.

The probable starter for the Astros will be Wandy Rodriguez, who is coming off a magnificent start against the Brewers. He allowed only 1 run on 3 hits in 6 innings. Unfortunately, Wandy has struggled against the Reds in the last 3 years, going 2-2 with a 5.59 ERA in 7 starts. Hopefully, starting at home will help Rodriguez.

Career numbers vs. Astros for Volquez: Has not faced Astros

Career numbers vs. Reds for Rodriguez: 2-2, 5.59 ERA

Prediction: Astros win 3-1

Numbers don’t lie:

The Reds are 2-7 in Cueto’s last 9 road starts
The Reds are 16-37 in the last 53 meetings in Houston.
Astros are 48-18 in Oswalts last 66 home starts
The Astros are 6-0 in Oswalts last 6 home starts vs. Reds
Astros are 18-4 in Oswalts last 22 starts vs. Reds

Oswalt to Return Monday

2008-07-26T14:03:00.002-05:00

Oswalt threw a successful bullpen session Friday; even faced live batters. He is currently on track to return from the DL Monday, and pitch against the Reds at home. Oswalt finished the session pain-free.

"Roy threw about 25, 30 pitches to a couple of hitters," Cooper said. "He did it continuously, didn't take a break in between and he felt fine. No problems anywhere, so he's a go for Monday."

Hopefully, his short time on the DL will help him regroup, and let him have a much better 2nd half than he did in the 1st half. It is estimated that Oswalt will have about 13 starts left, hopefully all quality starts!

Astros agree to terms with Brad Dydalewicz, 8th round pick of the two-day MLB First-Year Player Draft

2008-07-25T20:41:00.003-05:00

Left-handed pitcher Brad Dydalewicz, and the Astros have agreed to terms on a contract. Dydalewicz, 18, was the Astros' 8th round pick in the two-day MLB First-Year Player Draft in June. Dydalewicz is a 6-foot-1, 180-pound lefty. Dydalewicz can reach the low-90s with his fastball, with a sharp breaking ball and a developing changeup. He will be reporting to Houston's rookie ball affiliate, the Greeneville Astros of the Appalachian League, as soon as possible.

Dydalewicz, a member of Lake Travis High School in Austin, led the high school team to the regional finals going 13-1 on the season. He was also selected to be a member of the 2008 AABAC All-Star Team and Texas' Area Code Team.

Houston acquires Wolf

2008-07-23T22:56:00.002-05:00

Houston acquired veteran left-hander Randy Wolf from the Padres for minor league pitcher Chad Reineke. Randy Wolf went 6-10 with a 4.74 ERA in 21 starts for San Diego. After this season, Wolf will be a free agent, though. But there is a chance that the Astros will sign him for a longer term. The 31 year old Randy Wolf is expected to make his first start for the Astros Sunday against the Brewers. Wolf has a career record of 84-76, with a 4.30 career ERA.

Chad Reineke, of Miami University, was selected in the 13th round by the Houston Astros in the 2004 draft. The 26 year old Chad Reineke was 5-9 with a 4.94 ERA this year with the Round Rock Express, Houston's AAA team.

With this trade, Ed Wade feels that the 'Stros still have a shot at the playoffs. In my opinion, Wolf will do better with the Astros, rather than the Padres. The Astros give him a solid offense to back him up, while the Padres could not provide that consistently. There have been many games where he gave up only 2 earned runs, but still got the lost because the Padres could not produce runs. Wolf can get the job done with a solid offense to back him up.

Welcome aboard, Randy.

Oswalt placed on DL

2008-07-21T16:24:00.003-05:00

Turns out that Oswalt was not even able to throw his bullpen session, which would have decided if Oswalt would start Tuesday against Pittsburgh. Oswalt underwent an MRI Saturday morning, and once the results were released, he was placed on the DL. The MRI also revealed a small disc protrusion in Oswalt's back.

Houston looks to recall Runelvys Hernandez, who should make the start tonight, against Pittsburgh.

Matsui sits atop Astros Lineup

2008-07-21T16:14:00.002-05:00

Kazuo Matsui returned from the 15 day disabled list because of a strained right right hamstring July 9. Cecil Cooper put Matsui at the top of the lineup against the Chicago Cubs, and he also said that he plans to keep Matsui there for a while. Matsui claims that he is comfortable at the top of the lineup.

Matsui has had 35 at bats in his career in the leadoff position, and he is only batting .171 there. He struck out 7 times, and had 4 RBI from atop the lineup. In the series vs. the Cubs, he was 1-9 leading off...I'm starting to wonder if Cooper will keep Matsui there for a while, as he claims.

Oswalt's Start on Tuesday Still Questionable

2008-07-19T17:52:00.003-05:00

Roy Oswalt, the Astros ace, is still unsure if he will start for the Astros on Tuesday as they face the Pirates for a 3 game series at home. Oswalt suffered a strained left hip abductor on June 30 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The final decision will not be known until after a bullpen session. Manager Cecil Cooper hopes that Oswalt will be close to 100 percent ready, but Oswalt thinks differently; he is not so sure. Oswalt claims that he is still sore, and there is about a 51% chance that it is not so good, rather than a 50-50 chance.

Chacon loses his cool...throws Ed Wade on the ground

2008-06-27T00:12:00.002-05:00

As we all know, Chacon has been frustrated by the way he has been pitching. And he was moved to the bullpen, rather than being a solid #3 starter like he and us fans have expected. Today, Chacon told reporters this: "I lost my cool. I grabbed his neck and threw him on the ground. I jumped on top of him, and wanted to beat his (butt). Words were exchanged."

He did all of this to the Astros GM, Ed Wade. Has reported today, Chacon has pitched his final pitches as an Astro. He was released today. Waivers on Chacon expire at Noon central time, and if he is not claimed by another team within that time period, his contract will be terminated without pay.

Shawn Chacon was 2-3, with a 5.04 ERA in 15 starts for the Houston Astros in 2008.

History of the Houston Astros

2008-04-19T23:22:00.008-05:00

On October 17, 1960, Houston was awarded a franchise in the ten-team National League and was to play in the west division. As the franchise was starting out, they were named the Houston Colt .45s, in honor of the gun that won the West. The “Colts” first game was on April 10, 1962, and they defeated the Cubs 11-2. For the next 3 years, the franchise played in Colt Stadium.

The first number that was retired by the Astros was #32, worn by Jim Umbricht. He was stricken with cancer, and died on April 8, 1964. Almost 2 years since the Astros franchise had been formed.

On April 9, 1965, the Houston Colt .45s became the Houston Astros to show support for the space program based in Houston. In 1965, The Sporting News Official Baseball Guide had this to say about why the team was renamed: "Late in the year 1964 the Harris County Domed Stadium was officially named the Astrodome after the Houston club changed its nickname, December 1, from the Colt .45s to Astros. The move resulted from objections by the Colt Firearms Company to the club's sales of novelties bearing the old nickname." Even with the name change, the scoreboard still showed some recognition to the Colt .45s as it featured electronically animated cowboys firing pistols, with the "bullets" ricocheting around the scoreboard, when an Astros player would hit a home run. Early on, the groundskeepers also wore astronaut spacesuits to promote that modern image.

During the summer in Houston, the city had oppressive heat and humidity. As a defense against this kind of weather, the Astros committed to building a new domed stadium. The result was the Astrodome. The Astrodome was based on the Roman Coliseum. It was a multi-purpose stadium, and was designed for baseball and football purposes. However, because it was enclosed, it could also be used for events traditionally held in indoor arenas, such as basketball, concerts and political conventions, allowing outdoor-sized crowds in an indoor venue. The Astrodome was the first stadium to have individual “theatre-like” seats for every single seat. Also, it was one of the first stadiums to have luxury seats and club seating. The scoreboard could show various animations after a home run or a win. Not only that, but the Astrodome was also one of the first stadiums in the country to use an artificial playing surface.

In 1975, the Astros had adopted new jerseys. They were orange, yellow and navy "Rainbow Guts" uniforms that became a team trademark and would stay with them in some form through 1993. The uniforms were nicknamed, “the popsicles.” The jerseys were made by Sand-Knit. The Astros also switched from red-orange caps to a pure orange. The team began wearing navy caps on the road in 1980 and went with navy caps in all games beginning in 1983.

In 1980, the Astros had a lot of speed, and had good pitching. They didn’t have much power, but they didn’t need much anyway. They won their first NL West championship in 1980. The team also clinched its first divisional title the same year with a 7-1 victory over the Dodgers. In the next round, the National League Championship Series, the Astros faced the Phillies to five games. This series was considered one of the best postseason series in baseball history, and after many games going into extra innings, the Astros end up losing to the Phillies.

A tragedy also occurred on July 30, 1980. J.R. Richard, one of the best Astros pitchers, had a stroke before a game. At the time, he was 10-4 with a dominating 1.73 ERA. The stroke nearly killed him and although Richard survived, he never would pitch in the Major Leagues again.

Then, following the 1988 season, the Astros went on a “fire sale.” A term meaning a team trades many of its veteran players to other teams for less expensive players, usually for financial reasons. It was also the start for a “rebuilding mode.” But, more problems had occurred in 1991. A declining number of attendants at the game caused inability to obtain the Astrodome. That year, the Astros management announced its intention to sell the team and move the franchise to the Washington, D.C. area. However, the move was not approved by other National League owners, thus compelling the Astros to remain in Houston.

In 2000, the Astros moved into their new stadium, originally called Enron Field. Enron Field was one of the first stadiums to have a retractable roof. Then, in 2005, the Astros won the pennant!

After a poor start to the season in 2005, Houston rebounded and finished the season strong. In July alone, the Astros went 22-7, setting the best single month record in Astros’ history. The Astros finished the 2005 regular season by winning a wild card berth on the final day of the regular season.

The Astros won the National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves in four games. The fourth game set a record for a post-season game with the most innings (18), the most players used by a single team (tied for 23), the most grand slams (2), and the longest game time (5 hours and 50 minutes). The National League Championship Series would then be the St. Louis Cardinals against the Houston Astros. The Astros would go on to beat the Cards in 7 games, leading them to the World Series! The Astros' opponent in their first ever World Series was the Chicago White Sox. Unfortunately, the Astros did not bring there A-game as they were swept by the White Sox.

Some more facts on the Astros:

1. Team Motto: The Return of the Good Guys

2. Logo design: Red five-pointed star with the word "Astros" below it in script

3. Playoff appearances (9): 1980, 1981, 1986, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005

4. World Series appearances(1): 2005

5. Spring Training Facility: Osceola County Stadium, Kissimmee, FL

6. Rivals: St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves

7. Retired Numbers: 5, 24, 25, 32, 33, 34, 40, 42, 49

Most Dominant Player in the NBA, MLB, and NFL in the past decade

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Alex Rodriguez (.314/56/156) is most likely the most dominant athlete in the MLB. He posted up great numbers this past season to win him his third AL MVP. He led the AL in Homeruns, Runs, on base Plus Slugging (OPS), Runs Batted In, and Slugging percentage. He was a great hitter against lefties this year, posting up an impressive .327 with a 1.099 OPS. At home, he hit .301 with a 1.034 OPS, and away, he hit .326 with a 1.101 OPS.

Throughout Rodriguez’s career, he has won 7 awards. In 2002 and 2003, he won the American League Gold Glove at SS. In 2005 and 2007, he won the American League Silver Slugger. In 2003, 2005, and 2007, he has won the American League Most Valuable Player.

In his 13 year career so far, he has hit 518 home runs. He has had 1503 Runs batted in, and a career .306 average. He has a great chance of beating the all time home run record, held by Barry Bonds at 762 home runs.

Tom Brady (134.0 QB rating/3,059 yards/38 touchdowns) is most likely the most dominant player in the NFL. He has only thrown 4 interceptions; an amazing Touchdown to Interception ratio. This season, he has led his team to an undefeated season so far. On average, he completes about 25 passes a game.

He is leading the league in yards, touchdowns, and QB rating.Brady has won 3 Super Bowl Rings. He holds the NFL record for the most consecutive wins in the post season with 10. He has won 2 Super Bowl Most Valuable Player awards, and holds the record for the most completions in a Super Bowl.

In his 8 year career so far, he has completed 2146 of his passes, has 185 touchdowns, a QB rating of 92.9, and 24,623 yards. He has been a very dominant player in the NFL.

Shaquille O’ Neal is the most dominant NBA player of the decade. At 7’1, 325 pounds, he is hard to miss, and almost impossible to disrespect. From 1997 to about 2005, he was posting up on average, about 26 points a game. He dominated on the paint, grabbing about 3.8 offensive rebounds a game, about 7.9 defensive rebounds a game, with a total of about 11.7 rebounds per game from 1997-2005.

In his first year in the NBA, with the Orlando Magic, he won the Rookie of the Year award, and was chosen for the All-Star game. In 2000, he was on the All-Star team again, and earned himself the All-Star MVP. He had also won the scoring title and the league MVP award.

Throughout his 15 year career, he has had 25,606 points, 11,447 rebounds (3,745 offensive rebounds, 7702 defensive rebounds), and 2,714 assists. He has led both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat to a championship in the past decade.