Former Astros player and now longtime broadcaster Alan Ashby grew up in Long Beach, California, and retains some of that laid-back California attitude in the booth, which works well with a wit as dry as his home state has been this year. Named to the Astros' all-time 25-man roster in 2012, Ashby brings a wealth of experience from his 17-year career in the big leagues (1973-1989) to the microphone, with that of a coach and member of the media. He grew up a Dodgers fan idolizing Vin Scully, the iconic play-by-play man legendary for his straightforward style and lyrical Irish-American lilt; Ash has likewise won many admirers for his analytical acumen and candor in the booth. But never one to take himself too seriously, Ash can also be at his best when he and his other partner in the booth, Geoff Blum (another former Astro), spend a slow inning or two trying to see who can be the first to crack the other up.