What a magical season this has been. I look at my 13 yr old son and chuckle as he hasn't had to suffer what many of us have had to endure over the years and the countless heartbreaks. The season started out magical before it even began with Bagwell FINALLY getting what he's deserved from the minute he called it quits and that was enshrinement into Cooperstown. They went out and signed Beltran and Reddick as well as bringing in McCann (all for veteran leadership which this team definitely needed). The 'Stros caught fire right out of the gate, and were on a historic pace as they got deep into May. The 'Stros have had their share of All-Stars over the yrs, but this season they had not one, not two, but SIX guys make the team (DK, Altuve, Correa, LMJ, Springer and Devo). Then Harvey hits. Devastation beyond words. Loved ones are lost. Hundreds of thousands of Houstonians losing everything they own (as well as the entire region). In this horrific tragedy, the city does what it has ALWAYS done, and that's step up and help one another out. Some say, "the city will never be the same", which any TRUE Houstonian will say this is total BULL S*&T, as it was (AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN) the people of this city that makes Houston one of the GREATEST cities, not just in the U.S. but in the world. "Houston Strong" is shown to the entire world. The one memory that sticks out to me was a picture (that I know went viral) that someone took outside of the George R Brown Convention center. It was of a line that stretched as far as the eyes could see, and it wasn't for people looking for shelter or for assistance........No it was our UNBELIEVABLE city waiting in line to volunteer in anyway they could. It wasn't just people who weren't hit by the storm waiting to volunteer, but it was also people who were hit themselves but just wanted to help out in any possible way that they could. In the middle of this tragedy, in the wee hours of the morning on Sept 1st, word starts to spread that the 'Stros pulled off a trade for Verlander. Much like the trade for Randy Johnson back in '98 this gave the city hope that this could push the team over the top and do something they've never done before and that's win a World Championship. The team started to kick ass again (especially at home). The playoffs start and get off to a fantastic crazy start with both Bregman and Altuve going yard back to back against Sale (Altuve hitting not just one but THREE freakin HR's). So many other magical moments in the playoffs. Bregman's hit against Sale to tie gm 4. Reddick's hit against Kimbrel. All the great hits but also against some of the best pitchers in baseball: Sale not once but twice Kimbrel Chapman Robertson Jansen not once but twice Kershaw Darvish TWICE Coming back to Houston being down 3-2 against the Yankees to win games 6 & 7 to move on to the WS. Marwin going yard in gm 2 to tie the game up. Springer's HR to win gm 2. Coming back from 4 down against Kershaw in gm 5 to tie the game up. Going down 3 the very next inning to tie it back up. Springer crushing that HR after his misplay to tie it back it up. Winning 13-12 in gm 5 what may be the most exciting World Series gm ever. Another acquisition they made was taking a chance on Charlie Morton, who has always had great stuff, however he seemed to always wind up on the DL (twelve times over the yrs if I'm not mistaken) which made him hard to depend on. A lot of people in the media laughed at this signing. Magical? Charlie Morton missed a few starts over the season going on the DL, however it wasn't anything serious this yr and without Morton (and his filthy stuff this postseason) the 'Stros aren't World Series Champions. When they were desperate to find someone (ANYONE) who could close a game out it was Charlie "FREAKIN" Morton who came in to gm 7 and retired the last 11 batters he faced. Calling it a magical season is IMO an understatement. They beat the Red Sox, the Yankees, and the Dodgers to become World Freakin Champions!!!! I never thought I'd see this in my lifetime. Been following them since '68. I went to gm 5 knowing there was an outside shot they could close it out (bought my ticket after Friday night's win). When the series went back to L.A. (and then to gm 7) I had to fly out there to see it. They've never been this close, and there's no guarantee that they would ever be back in this position again. Seeing that last ground out to Altuve and that the dream had now become a reality was something I will remember the rest of my life. Seeing them celebrating on the field, as tears started flowing, I looked up to the sky and told my father (who passed away last Oct and was a HUGE 'Stros fan and the one who turned me onto baseball) "they did it dad......they freakin did it". That's why I like the video that was posted on here that Robert Flores put together. "THEY DID IT........THEY FREAKIN DID IT". Waiting for my flight back to Houston at the airport (WEARING MY ASTROS HAT) was priceless. A lot of rude comments ("F the Astros"). My reply back was, "say whatever you want but you know what......we're WORLD CHAMPS and Dodgers aren't". Everyone have fun at the parade today!!!
