After watching the Astros for the last two days, maybe the Milwaukee trip wasn't the issue. They have not played well at all in Florida. They lost 14-2 including a Granny. Add to that the fact that the two runs were both Hunter's solo HR's, and it again was not a good night for the Stros.
After seeing this, I am not sure that we can only blame the two home-games-that-weren't. I will grant that a flight from Milwaukee to Florida probably was not fun, but they certainly have done it before, and they would have had to fly from Houston to Florida, so it's not an unexpected trip.
All this being said, it seems that the Chicago series was the beginning of the end any way you slice it. Whether the trip to Milwaukee, Ike and its distractions, or just bad timing for a hitting slump are to blame now seems irrelevant.
All this being said, I would personally LOVE to see the Stros come on strong and overtake the two teams in front of them. I am a big fan of the Central, and want to see the Wild Card come from our division. Moreover, the first round matchup would be with the Dodgers for my Cubbies if the Stros (or Brewers) can pull it out, and I like that matchup better than the Phillies. It's a win for all of us if the Stros can get in. I personally will be pulling for the Stros every game from now until the end of the season, and I will even go out and say that I would root for them here in Houston on the last game of the season if they can make it necessary. That's big since it would be against the Cubbies. It'll be wierd rooting against them, but in this one case I will gladly do it if it means the Stros can get into the playoffs.
Go Cubbies.. And (for now) Go 'Stros!!
Until next time... Be safe everyone!
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You can't believe the schedule change didn't play with the collective phych of the Astro players. They haven't been home since the hurrican hit and left families behind...Hatfira, are you traveling this week? I know we cancelled our travel out of Houston as we knew people wouldn't be productive. Could you do your job effectively if you had to fly out last weekend and leave your wife and kids behind? I know I couldn't.
Now am I saying the Astros would have won the Cubs games or the Marlins games? No, it's not a guarantee. But while the normal Zambrano can no hit anyone when he's got his "a" game, he hasn't had that level of pitching in a while, so I strongly believe the change of venue played a roll...as I believe seeing the lack of play on the field as a definate result of the circumstances. Remember this is the same team that swept the Cubs at Wrigley only a week ago. Worst case, MLB should have allowed the Astros to change the venue to one of their choice, and there are always alternatives. In reality the games should have been cancelled and only played if needed. Maybe the Astros don't keep winning and at the end they don't impact the standing (Even if the Astros swept the Cubs, I still believe the Cubs would win the division), then don't play them. But to make them leave family and homes behind, is assinine.
I agree - MLB needs to make some major changes:
1) Alert baseball players in advance when a hurricane is coming so they may relocate their families
2) Pay them more money so they can afford to relocate their families
3) Make the first half of season "optional" as applied to overall record so when team play really shitty it won't count
4) Make the Marlins spot everybody 10 runs in the final two weeks of the season
5) Check birth certificates
That answer justifies what I said in an earlier comment.
Big Z playes well in Houston.....especially with his bat.
Second......C'mon!!! What should Drayton have done? I would have submitted plans a WEEK prior. I tend to agree that they could have played near here and at a minor league park but where? Rainout? As said by another, we could have played 3 at the end of the season. Cubs could have and if the cubs had clinched by then......played Triple A guys. Is That is what you wanted? You want a possible gift to the postseason?
That my friend is a Joke.
Let's face it...Houston did have to play in another venue.......PERIOD.
Long and short....if Astros could jit on this road trip....would not have mattered. They are Professional Ball Players paid millions to play a game I pay to play now......and I don't make these kind of excuses when my team doesn't win because of a venue.
Happened to me all Summer and I even had issues in Tampa (where I think it rains every day). Bottom line we won and lost a dbl header. I blame the kids for the ability (or lack there of).....not the field or God's decision to rain.
Maybe you need to re-read the comments and see no one said to play at MMP, so why are you arguing that point.
Your entire post goes to what I've been saying. Comparing rain and a weather delay and Little League to MLB shows you don't get it.
I was talking to Head in the Ivy last night and he totally got it. After all the crap the Cubs and their fans have gotten over the years from "the curse" to Leon Durham, etc...take a gift when you get one and be thankful. Don't talk about how you "dominated" other teams in that situation. That's the most distasteful of all. You got a gift...call it what it is.
since I'm sitting here naked with no power I might as well weigh in. If the shoe was on the other foot I probably wouldn't be complaining (because I am used to being disappointed). But the Cubs clinched tonight and I am just thankfull that I was able to watch it on someone elses TV. Now where is the cold front?
Anywho, I wouldn't decribe the Cubs fans as classless, just a bit more fanatic. I have seen opposing fans have a great time at Wrigley. I have been heckled by Astro fans at MMP but I was a "visitor". It seems beer affects most idiots the same wherever you go (except Philly, they don't even need alcohol). I'll take the two game series gift for what it was. But also remember that the Cubs were playing very shifty going in so maybe Drayton may have really wanted to get those games in.
Wow! Who woulda thunk that my little post would generate so many comments! ;-)
Seriously, now that all this is said and done, there are, IMHO, indeed lessons to be learned from this whole ordeal. Drayton should have put a contingency plan in place to begin with. Bud should have told Drayton that if he wants the games, here are his options a week before, three days before, and one day before as the options change with time. Drayton should have tried swallowed his pride/rgo/greed/whatever and put his plan into action once he saw even the possibility of an Ike. And finally, I think that they should have tried to play the games in Arlington even though there was a chance of rain from Ike. Taking that chance would have made everyone happy, and in the end, they could have played only as much of the series as was necessary at the end of the season if it rained.
I totally agree with the post about the Cubs playing scrubs in prep for the post season if the games had to be played at the end of the season. It would not be fair to Philly or the Mets (not like I really care! ;-) )if the Cubs played a AAA team against the Stros.
I also agree with LGA when he says that the whole thing played on the psyche. I know it would have played on mine if I had to travel that week. (I didn't, by the way, but only because I was on a project that was to be in Houston and got postponed. I can't remember why, though. ;-) ) By the same token, if the travel played on their psyche, does it REALLY make a difference whether it's a one hour or a two hour and fifteen minute flight? If it's the venue, then what others said about a pro-Cubs crowd still plays. No matter how it was sliced, it was bad for the Astros. The bigger question is, "What have you done for me lately?" The reality is that even taking those games out of the mix, if they play worth a damn the next five, it becomes a LOT less relevant.
I've gone on about this far longer than I anticipated. Let's just sat, "Let's go Atros!" for the final week and hope for the best!
Again....I think you don't get it. Your a parent and do compare it to Little League games. Parents are as mean as they get......they are. Rainout are freakin rainouts. MLB did the best they could under the 1/2 day contraint they had to decide and make games playable.
I NEVER said Dominate....Cubs Don't Dominate....unless they play the Yankees.
I WANTED the games HERE......I WANT the ASTROS in....I HAVE BEEN to 25 games this year in Support of the Astros and Would LOVE them in the playoffs.
They are professional players.........blaming venue is b.s.
Blaming Ike....yes....but would it have been been different in a MMP? Maybe. Does it matter............................................?
Not Now.
So what do we say about florida?
Yes Todd...um Tinkers to Evers to Chance...my son was a AAA select player doing tournaments all over the country and I agree, parents are usuallly more venemous than any fan can be.
I also know that both you and Head in the Ivy are 'Stros fans, putting them second besides the Cubs, and I appreciate that. Heck...I just need to make a new post.
Houston Astros should be always competitive enough to keep pace with the others. I really like them; they’ve always been my favourite teams in MLB. Just read about them here:
http://www.astrosportal.com
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