Ok...I have tried to give them a chance and I have tried to be enthusiastic about the season but I am getting pretty fed up! I certainly appreciate the effort they gave last year in making their incredible run to the wild card birth and their subsequent trip to the World Series only to be swept by the Chicago White Sox. (I was present for the Sox celebration in Game 4 on our home turf and although we lost the Series, the feeling in Minute Maid Park was electric and was unlike anything I have ever felt at a sports event. In other words, it was nice to have been there, but now that we have, I want more.)
With that being said, we move forward to this year. Everyone keeps comparing the Astros to the last 2 years when they made great 2nd half runs to get into the playoffs. The team is actually in a better situation this year since the National League sucks bad! If we had the record we have now last year at this time, we wouldn't have a chance. I am writing this now because I am very frustrated as I am sure a lot of Astros fans are. I haven't been watching every game (like I would if it were football - more about that another time), but it seems like everytime I do watch a game, our bullpen tends to lose it for us. Brad "Lights Out" Lidge has lost it emotionally this year and for some reason can't find the nerve to close a game or let a tie game stay tied to give our non-hitters another chance to strike out.
The Houston Chronicle got lambasted two years ago for writing an article with a picture of a tombstone with RIP enscribed in it during the summer before the Astros made an unprecedented run to make the playoffs. They did something similar last year and eventually made it to the Series. Now, being 6 games under .500 and only 4 games out of the wild card with 40 games left to play, I don't get the feeling I got the last couple of years. Although the carrot on the string is not as far away as it has been, I don't see the Astros having the energy to catch it. I can only hope that I eat my words as the Chronicle did in 2004.
I think we need a blog at least once a week! 10 days Jeez! I need your help with my blog. I tried to do it but it doesn't work right. I'm using your site but a different template.
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