I did one of those "How many retweet" thingys with the Astros, asking if they'd let us sing WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS opening day. They never responded (bastards!) but, seriously, how f'ing awesome would it be to have 45,000 people cry-sing that song at ear-deafening level?
Are these available now? I'm going to the home opener and the opener on Thursday in Arlington. I'm not a jersey guy at all but would wear in Arlington for sure.
I wouldn't go down the conspiracy road just yet. All baseball executives at every level are fully capable of ignorance on this issue and also deception when called for. But is does show the need for tightening up the specifications so fewer changes fall into compliance without the knowledge of everyone in baseball, including the fans.
Caps on revenue from inferior delivery mechanisms will be a continuing source of concern. There are Millions of fans lost because games are only available on unsatisfactory delivery systems. I'm capable of keeping up through online box scores. But few others are patient enough to forgo live daily feeds of games. Weather in the home market for Houston is not conductive to the use of satellite systems subject to interference from weather events common to the area.
Amen brother. I used to argue that Adam Everett was more valuable than Derek Jeter because his defense was enough batter than Jeter than his offense was worse, But he failed marketing. He made the nearly impossible look easy while Jeter made the mundane look spectacular and didn't even try for balls Everett made routinely. Jeter won the marketing campaign and actually convinced many that he was good defensively. He wasn't! By the way, Roger Metzger would be a challenger to Everett defensively.
Everett was the best fielding shortstop in baseball, and Jeter was probably the worst...but he was still a more valuable player than Everett, defense simply doesn't carry enough weight. It is a crying shame that Jeter won those gold gloves because New Yorkers couldn't get his d**k out of their mouths. If Everett had played now, his metric defensive value almost certainly would have been rewarded.
I had satellite for years and living in around tall pine trees. Personally I had no issues with storms knocking out service it was VERY rare. I was worried about the switch but in my area cable getting cut 8-10 times a month, probably due to new construction. I was constantly losing DVRed games. I did go with the step up hyperbolic dish as apposed to the plain circle, maybe that was the difference. I did switch back to cable once X-finity was available in my area. It was the only was to catch Rockets/Astros broadcast in my area. My bigger point is they need to grow the fans base far and wide. Actually an interview Reid Ryan had with Michael Berry discussed this about a week ago. He said they are building strong into other areas such as Austin and San Antonio, of course the valley is Astro Orange. The state of Louisiana has began to show progress too. Reid said they have a marketing plan for all those areas and they will do their best to get those areas TV and radio coverage. The Astros are preparing for the fan base to explode with another exciting season and plenty of young talent. Personally I think the Astros will become more of a must see. More casual fans will get the stations added or pick up MLB packages. Everyone loves a winner.
Not sure he'd be an everyday player in todays game though... it would take a stacked offensive team to withstand his woes at the plate. Very similar to Marisnick... and the Astros do have a stacked enough lineup, but he still doesn't hit enough to be gifted a spot in the everyday lineup. Andrelton Simmons is another good comparison... and his offense has improved just enough to justify his playing time.
Sometimes, I'll be at work, and randomly just sit back in my chair and think, "Holy ****.....the Astros won a World Series." Then, I'll think, "Holy ****.....the Astros have Justin Verlander." And just now, I thought, "Holy ****......the Astros have Gerrit Cole." Life is ****ing good.
The Astros are the Defending World Series Champions and locked up their best-ever player (come @ me!) for 7 more years. The Rockets have the best record in the NBA with about 3 weeks left. My Texas Tech Red Raiders are playing in the Sweet 16 (and my wife's beloved Coogs did amazing and fell agonizingly short). The Texans have a stud, superstar-in-the-making Quarterback that is 22 years old (not to mention Watt, Clowney, Honey Badger, Deandre, etc). I kinda feel like Ray Kinsella...
Simmons was worthy of PT before becoming an average offensive player. There aren't 30 guys that can play SS and hit. Odd that Astros are hoarding 3 of those guys.
It doesn't matter how bad you screw up on defense in the World Series as long as you hit the next pitch you see onto the train tracks. -George Springer
True that. Sometimes you do pick yourself up (I think I've watched that bomb 15 times). I do hope you get my point though, in a series when 1 run can mean a whole lot more than it does in July. What did the pitchers have to say? Bregman sure stepped up with the leather.
With that said, give me Jeter and his bat playing a passable SS over Everett. Jeter is a borderline HOF'er, Everett was a modern day Rodger Metzger.
1 run is important. Whether the run is created by offense or given up by pitching or defense, it is magnified because it is the playoffs. Position players generally can affect the game more by offense than defense. Catchers, elite defensive SSs (typically 1-2 in the majors at a time), and elite defensive CFs being exceptions. When I think defense, I think up the middle. When I look up the middle, I see Correa, Altuve, and Springer. Very hard for me to get excited about improving the defense. Sure, anyone at first would be better defensively than what Yuli did last season, but that isn't going to change much. I am very pro in keeping the same up the middle guys.
Yep, I totally agree. Having the ability and doing it over 150 games is a whole different ball of wax (Bregman). 2B/SS/CF should be worry-free. I'm still iffy on McCann and how fast he's going to get old. The pitchers don't complain about him or Gattis, and seem to love both of them, so why shouldn't we? I dunno.