It has been my belief that past Astros teams had the talent, but not the mental makeup to win it all. Bagwell/Biggio have politely and professionally taken the "one game at a time" approach and the "tip your hat" to your opponents when they beat you approach. Well, screw that. J. Kent said he isn't tipping his hat to anyone. Screw them for beating us. Roger Clemens glares at everyone and is willing to out work, out play, out nasty the opposition. Nobody in the clubhouse dares to not work, not try, or to concede. Not with Rocket around. Phil Garner manages from the top step of the dugout on his feet, at the top of his lungs, not sitting his hands quietly observing the game like he's at the movies. This season, one thing is clear. The Astros have had ample opportunities to go out quietly, tipping their hat, bowing to the baseball gods. With Clemens, Kent and Garner, the Astros have shaken their fists at the baseball gods and demanded a place at the table. The 'stros have tried different formulas to win and have fallen short. This team's approach and moxie may just be crazy enough to work.
I like what Garner has brought to this team. He has seemingly brought the "fight" out in some of the players where in past years it was questioned. And I agree with you on Kent; I like his firey attitude. He is the only one on the team that will get in an umpires face if he doesn't like the call, whereas everyone else just calmly walks back to the dugout. Sure, he may cross the line once in a blue moon, but he's just speaking his mind, and if he doesn't like something he'll be the first to let you know. As far as Clemens, the intensity that he brings to the hill has been well documented.
I really like Garners attitude a lot. he went in there and gets excited when we play and win games instead of sitting there like a turd ball and not moving or having any real emotion. Garners attitude is really what this team needed. Someone that is in the game as much as the players themselves are and i think the players bought into that system and it's a good thing he did becuase we are reaping the benefits from it.
i don't really understand why people don't like jeff kent. I just don't see it...he's a great hitter (to me the best contact/power hitter in our lineup right now) and he's coming through for us down the stretch. There's nobody else i would want at bat in the bottom of the 9th inning with a man on 2nd and 2 outs than kent. Yeah, he's overpaid and he may be a loner in the clubhouse, but i don't understand why he's ridiculed so much on this board. I mean he does defend his teammates (remember him barking at remlinger at wrigley?) Without kent the past month we wouldn't be where we're at right now.
he's not ridiculed for his play..just a couple of us have said he's not a fan favorite. i still root for him like crazy. and he's a huge part of why this team has come back. but i have to say...i didn't see the intensity from kent when this team was struggling. i didn't get the sense that he cared all that much. that may be unfair, because i don't know the guy..but that's sure the way it seemed.
The only thing I have against Kent is that sometimes he loafs down the line on an infield grounder. DD
well the i think during the team's struggle, everyone's morale was low and dejected. I just think that kent's been played an unfair card because of his past: The motorcycle accident to the bonds confrontation. all i know is that if we ever get into the playoffs, having kent is gonna be huge...guys like bidge and bags have been to known to choke it up so kent, beltran, and berkman can carry this team. go stros!
See i don't see that either, there have been more than a couple of times where kent's dived head first to try to beat the play to first.
i don't remember seeing that either. but let me say this...it's not like those who don't like kent are alone here in houston. this guy hasn't been a fan favorite anywhere he's been...houston...sf...ny....nowhere. but that doesn't mean he's a bad player...in fact, he's an excellent player. i'm rooting for him. he's just not among the guys i really like on this team...which, frankly, is virtually everyone else in the lineup!
That was nice! If I can say anything about you Max, you have been loyal the whole season. I was so pissed that I gave up hope.
Hey, I may have counted them out, several times to be exact, but I still followed them; apparently more closely than yourself.
Kent did call at least one if not 2 players' only meetings when we were struggling. I'm not sure if these were pep talks, or just b****ing about 1M sessions though. He has gone head first into first base at least 4-5 times this year. Most recently he did it last night right before Ensberg homered.
Meet on the patio of Live Sports Cafe at High Noon on Sunday to duke it out for the title of "Greatestest Astros Fan in the History of the Universe". Charge $5 a head and donate the proceeds to Clutch. For what it's worth, Kent did call a team meeting earlier in the season. Kent does loaf to 1st on grounders, something 90+% of MLB players are guilty of, and it pisses me off every time I see someone do it.
Oh...diving into 1st is an absolutely moronic thing to do unless you're avoiding a tag play where the 1B is pulled off the bag by the throw. Why players do this is beyond me. On the subject of baserunning, Lance Berkman is the single worst baserunner I've ever seen outside of Little League.
