The Astros Game & Random Baseball Thoughts

The Astros Game & Random Baseball Thoughts Dave Shabaz Tue, 05/21/2024 - 11:45 Image

• The Astros Game & Random Baseball Thoughts
• The Astros Game & Random Baseball Thoughts

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This past Saturday, I had the privilege to attend a Major League baseball game in Houston. It was at Minute Maid Park and it featured your Houston Astros, hosting the Milwaukee Brewers. This is the 12th MLB stadium I’ve been to. I want to see a game in as many stadiums as I can before I die.

I’ve always been a diehard baseball fan and my team is the Chicago Cubs. I even have a Cubs tattoo on my upper left arm. I only have three tattoos, and the Cubs are one of them. OK, back to the game. I chose this game specifically because the Brewers play in the same division as the Cubs, so they are one of our arch-rivals. To watch them lose is almost as sweet as a Cubs victory.

I found Minute Maid Park to be beautiful but thank God for retractable roof stadiums. It was a typical Texas Spring day, you know, 185 degrees outside with 99% humidity. But inside with the roof closed, it was a glorious 72 degrees. Thankfully it will probably chill down to about 125 degrees by the time I have to walk to my truck in a few hours. I’m typing this on my laptop in the Astros press box. I’m very blessed to be able to sit in the press box, but I won’t lie, it has spoiled me. It’s been years since I’ve sat in a regular stadium seat for a game. One comedy nugget I picked up was when the crowd started chanting, “Let’s Go Astros.” It didn’t sound like “Astros,” and I can’t write what it sounded like, but I think you get what I’m saying. Anyway, it made me laugh. That other team that it sounded like is definitely a team I’ve been accused of playing for in my lifetime… During the four years I lived in Northeast Texas, I was fortunate enough to attend quite a few Texas Rangers games. Of course, they would win the World Series three months after I moved to South Texas. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway, I’m not a bandwagon fan. I will support my Cubbies until I take my last breath. In fact, my daughters already know that my last wishes are to be cremated and to have some of my ashes spread at Wrigley Field, the greatest place on earth. Since my career has taken me to many different States and cities, my policy has always been to take the closest team to me, geographically, and make them my second team. I’ll root for them except when they play my Cubs.

Now that I’ve attended games in both Northeast and South Texas, I can honestly say that both places have very loyal and passionate fans. It really is impressive how much the Astros have won, despite the distractions created from the cheating scandal a few years back. That type of thing could scare away your average fan, but the Astros seem to have very loyal and devoted fans. It does help that they’ve continued to win and make the playoffs during that period. In fact, from 2015 to 2023, they have reached the playoffs seven out of eight seasons. During that time, they have made it to the World Series four times, winning it all twice. Texas Rangers fan’s devotion and loyalty will surely be tested now that they’ve won it all. Once they eventually start losing, then we’ll see how much loyalty they have from their fans. Chicago Cubs fans are the most loyal fans in sports. It could be a day game in September, school is in, and it’s a workday and the Cubs might be in last place, but Wrigley Field will still have over 30,000 fans in the stands.

I’m a Cubs fan because I was born in Chicago. In fact, up until three years ago, all of my sports loyalties were with Chicago teams. In the NFL, it’s the Bears. In the NBA, it’s the Bulls, and until my younger daughter began working the Seattle Kraken, my NHL loyalty was to the Blackhawks. But blood is thicker than water, so the Blackhawks have to take a backseat to the Kraken when it comes to my hockey loyalty.

It was nice to see a future Hall of Famer pitcher take the mound for this game. The Astros starter was Justin Verlander, who without a doubt will be a first ballot Hall of Fame selection once he is eligible. In this game, he only made it through 4 2/3 innings, giving up four runs on four hits, while walking two and striking out three. He gave up a threerun homer to William Contreras, which ended up being the nail in his coffin. The Astros Jose Altuve should also be a Hall of Famer, but only time will tell if the Baseball Writers of America will look past the cheating scandal and vote him in when his time comes. The baseball writers can be a little hypocritical when it comes to their voting.

Attending this game was a great test for my new hip, which I received nine weeks ago. I’m cane free and pain free and I’m feeling better than I have in over two years. Walking to and from my truck was a little tough though. For those who have never attended a game at a Major League stadium, the parking lots are usually quite a distance away from the stadiums. But for me, it was more the God-awful humidity than the distance. It’s been five years for me now in Texas and I don’t think I’ll ever acclimate to the humidity and crazy weather in Texas. It’s the only place I’ve ever lived where you can enjoy all four seasons in the same day. (I say that with a wink & a smile.)

Out of the 12 MLB stadiums I’ve been to, this is only the second one where the Cubs weren’t playing. The first one was in 2004 on a trip to New York City. On that trip, I talked my ex-wife into attending a Yankee game at the old Yankee Stadium. She was not a baseball fan or a sports fan in general, but in her words, she said, “I enjoyed all the beautiful green grass, the beer and the cheese fries.” I tried to explain to her that in the stadium where we were sitting, Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio and Lou Gehrig played on the field we were looking at. She looked at me and said, “Lou Gehrig, is he the same guy with the Lou Gehrig’s disease?” I replied, “yes, and Joe DiMaggio was married to Marilyn Monroe, but let’s forget about the other three players, who were probably among the greatest players of all time.” I laughed, gave her a kiss and said, “thanks for doing this.” These last-minute tickets were $95 each, but they were ten rows behind home plate, which was a lot in 2004. They ended up tearing down that iconic stadium and the Yankees began playing in “New Yankee Stadium,” in 2009.

Well, as you can tell, I have some pretty awesome baseball memories. I haven’t even scratched the surface here, but I’m so happy to have added the Houston Astros and Minute Maid Park to my list. The Astros lost on Saturday, 4-2, but came back to win on Sunday, 9-4.