I don’t have to explain my “fanhood” to anyone…but I will. I’ve been to over 24 games this year alone, and turned down tickets, grudgingly, to 8 other games. I was at the “18 inning” game, the “Biggio Grand Slam following retirement announcement” game, the “3,000th Hit”, “Biggio’s Final Game” game, the “Bagwell Jersey retirement” game, the “Biggio Jersey Retirement” game. I have shelves full of bobble heads, lunch boxes, statues, mini helmets, hats, pins, and other promotional give-aways. I wear an Astros hat every day that the Cowboys don’t play. I even own an Astros hoodie, which, if you live in Houston, you know you will never get use out of while the Astros are playing. We were 56-59 going into the Aug. 9th game against the Reds. We had played a good 2 weeks of baseball, and we’re about to be back at .500, the number in which you must be at to even think about the Playoffs. Then Bronson Arroyo nailed our 2nd most productive Offensive player with an inside pitch, which caused Carlos Lee to miss the rest of the Regular season. My stomach tied itself in a knot when I heard of his injury. After moving Ty Wigginton out to LF, and going with an Infield-by-Committee, somehow the Astros kept their level of play up. They went 7-2 over the next week and a half, heading into the Brewers series 7 games back. But even as much as I love this team, when we’ dropped the series to the Brewers on August 20th to fall 8 games out of the Wild Card Spot, I…gave up. I knew our chances were slim to none before that game, and it seemed like a nail in the coffin. Especially after the chances we had to capitalize. Mark Loretta, even hit an infield fly that was dropped, and he was still thrown out at first when he failed to run it out. I remember thinking that specific play/moment summed up the season. We had the chances, then it was revealed we just weren’t good enough, so we half assed it down the “first base” line. Suddenly an opening shined through, and we were so busy realizing we weren’t talented enough we got thrown out at first on what seemed like our only opportunity.

            Since that game the Astros have gone 15-4, with a sweep of the Cards, the Cubs (@ Wrigley), and are going for a 4 game sweep of the Pirates tonight. They’ve gone from being 8 games down, to 4 games down in a little over 3 weeks. Also, the two teams ahead of them in the Wild Card Race, Phillies and Brewers, play each other in a 4 game series this weekend. If the Astros were to win the next 4 games (1 against the Pirates, and 3 against the sliding Cubs), and the Phillies were to win 3 out of 4. The Astros would be a game back with the one of the easiest schedules in baseball remaining. In spite of their owner refusing to make the necessary bids to make his team better, the Astros just won’t give up. I did, and I want to apologize for that. Once again we’ve waited until the last possible minute to make a run for it. Could we be this years Rockies??? We’ve got 16 games left, and I’m strapped in for the ride. Go ‘Stros!!!