Atlanta Braves

Looking Forward To The Astros In 2013

With 2012 coming to an end, let's kiss this lost year of the Astros goodbye and take a look at what's coming in 2013. The key word is "new," as in new uniforms, new logos, new TV network, new broadcasters, new players, new manager and coaches, and on, and on, and on. 5. Welcome to the American Lea ... More >>

Hey Astros Fans, It's Free Agency Time

Tonight's the night Astros fans. Tonight's the night the Astros can start snapping up free agents from throughout baseball. Tonight's the night Jim Crane, with all of the money he's saved by dumping the team's high-priced veterans last season and with all of the money's he's going to make off the te ... More >>

Ten Reasons to Keep Watching the Astros

The Astros, post-All-Star break, have been much like the Astros pre-All-Star break. They're still losing -- they were swept by the San Francisco Giants over the weekend. The offense is still awful. They're decimated by injuries. And management is still making tons of head-scratching decisions. So yo ... More >>

Do The Right Thing, Astros. Retire J.R. Richard's Number

Let's stipulate that the Houston Astros have retired too many numbers, especially for a franchise that's been to just one World Series. Let's also stipulate that most of the retired numbers are for players who, while fan favorites, really didn't do anything to deserve having their numbers retired. L ... More >>

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly: The Year Just Past In Cougar Sports

John RoyalCase Keenum was the Man of the Year for the Cougars​Yes, it's that time of year. That time of year when I take a look back at the year just past. On Friday, I looked back at the sports year for the Rice Owls. Today, let's take a look at the top 25 events, in no particular order, f ... More >>

Astros Fire Ed Wade & Tal Smith: The New Era Begins

Where have you gone, Ed Wade? A nation's no-hit, aging, injury-prone free agent infielders turn their lonely eyes to you. Where have you gone, Ed Wade? A nation's worth of middle relievers looking for multimillion contracts turn their lonely eyes to you. Ed Wade is gone. So is Tal Smith. Jim C ... More >>

Wednesday Was the Best Night of Baseball Ever, and We Have Dan Shaughnessy to Thank (w/ VIDEO)

Well, they say that if you're playing in a game that matters on the final game of the season, that's all you can hope for. The Astros were playing in a game that mattered last night; unfortunately, it mattered only for the opposition. For the Astros, last night's two-hit shutout was the final kick ... More >>

Just Stop with the Astros to AL Talk Already

Just say no to douchebag Red Sox fans.​My twitter feed over the weekend was full up of tweets from people talking about how electric Minute Maid Park was, and about how packed it was with people just dying to see the Boston Red Sox play the Astros. And most of these people were using their tw ... More >>

MLB Realignment -- I Want The Astros In The American League (And I'm Bright!)

"I'm smart! Not like everybody says... like dumb!"​Your Houston Astros lost 4-1 to the Atlanta Braves on Sunday afternoon to drop their record on the 2011 season to 24-42, the worst record in all of Major League Baseball. The Astros are a bad baseball team that is thoroughly uninteresting. As ... More >>

Meet Anthony Rendon, Rice Baseball's Newest Whiz Kid

John RoyalMeet Anthony Rendon​His name is Anthony Rendon. You might have heard of him if you're a fan of Rice Owls baseball, or if you follow college baseball. You might also have heard of him if you're one of those people who follow Houston-area high school baseball. If you're a fan of the ... More >>

College Football and NFL: Weekend's Best Bets (One Day Early)

Brett Favre: Readying the "elbow tendonitis" excuse?​If you're keeping score at home, it was not a pretty week for society. In no particular order, in the last seven days, the following occurred: -- Much like the self-handling of his own Johnson (and we have the pictures to prove it), Brett Favre ... More >>

Game Time: Astros' GM Ed Wade Is Making His Booty Call To The Phillies

I'm Ed Wade and I miss you, baby​booty call n. (BOO-tee kahl) A late night summons -- often made via telephone -- to arrange relations on an ad hoc basis. -- Urban DictionaryActually, if you look up "booty call" on urbandictionary.com, there are about a dozen different definitions, all meaning ab ... More >>

Geoff Blum Joins Baseball's Stupid-Injury List: Here Are 11 Others

If only someone warned this rookie about dress shirts​Astros utility player Geoff Blum popped his elbow putting on his shirt last week.Yes, that's right, putting on his shirt. Not his jersey. Not during the game. But his shirt. After the game. He's currently on the disabled list, and he might end ... More >>

One Man's 2010 Baseball Predictions (Cover Your Eyes, Astro Fans)

​The major league baseball season officially starts this weekend with two so-called major league teams playing on Sunday night (New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox). I was going to try and do a little Astros preview for today, but they're still trying to figure out who exactly is healthy and who ... More >>

Astros: Second Prize Is A Set Of Steak Knives

​I swear, the sense of desperation with the Astros and their desire for a Mariano Rivera-type reliever has me believing that Drayton thinks that Alec Baldwin speech in Glengarry Glen Ross is "always buy closers," not "always be closing."It's like he and his staff are afraid that Mitch and Murray a ... More >>

Astros Second-Half Preview: Now Comes The Hard Part

So the second half of the season gets underway for the Astros tonight, and the team has 74 games left to secure a playoff spot. Of course, the Astros are a surprising 44-44, and they're only three-and-a-half games behind the NL Central leading St. Louis Cardinals, and they're only five games behind ... More >>

Things the Devil Should Have Done Besides Go Down to Georgia

Today marks the 30th anniversary of the release of the Charlie Daniels Band's "The Devil Went Down To Georgia." The song, which climbed all the way to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and lives on today as a "boss battle" in Guitar Hero 3, made its first appearance on the group's 1979 album Million M ... More >>

When You're Old Like The Astros, Even Home Runs Can Hurt

Photo by I'mClaudeHow does somebody get hurt hitting a home run? I'm serious. Carlos Lee hit a home run in the fourth inning on Friday night and strained his right Achilles tendon. And I don't understand how the injury could happen.Sure, I can see him pulling a muscle on a strikeout. And if he were ... More >>

The Great American Soccer Boom: Not Gonna Happen

Photo by faeryboots Last week, I wrote a post about the Rockets lowering ticket prices, and I made a comment about the Dynamo playing in a minor league. And that is a comment that I stand by, though several of you got upset. And the responses that I got were the same as I always get: soccer is th ... More >>

The Great American Soccer Boom: Not Gonna Happen

Photo by faeryboots Last week, I wrote a post about the Rockets lowering ticket prices, and I made a comment about the Dynamo playing in a minor league. And that is a comment that I stand by, though several of you got upset. And the responses that I got were the same as I always get: soccer is th ... More >>

Astros-Braves: No Wild Card, But at Least Brandon Backe Gets the Record

Astros-Marlins: That’s Five in a Row

Astros-Marlins: Tough Loss for Houston

Astros-Giants: Milo Hamilton Must Be Stopped!!!

Astros-Nationals: Back from Vacation and Ready for the All-Star Break

Astros-Phillies: Brad Lidge Gets the Save

Astros-Giants: Big Puma, Billy Jack and Doug Rader

Astros-Padres: Say Hello to Miguel Tejeda, Who Apparently Hits a Lot Better Than Miguel Tejada

Astros-Cardinals: Albert Pujols Goes Deep. Twice.

Astros-Padres: Shawn Chacon, Not So Bad?

Astros-Padres: The Best Offense Is...a Good Offense

Spring Training: Clemens, Niekro and Cruz...Reliving Bygone (Sucky) Eras

Top Ten Bizarre Baseball Injuries

Tired of the Hype, But That's All There Is

Next month, Houston gets to be a cool kid. But only for a week.

No Hall of Fame for Dale Murphy?

Trade Talk: Miguel Tejada, Jose Valverde, Chris Burke, Mark Prior and Lance Berkman

Jesus, Willie Taveras Just Isn't That Good

John Royal's MLB Playoff Predictions: Satan Is Our First Base Coach, Go D-Backs!

Craig Biggio Is Gone, Daddy, Gone. But What about Jose de Jesus Ortiz?

Fire Drayton McLane. Oh, We Can't Do That? Bummer. Cuz That's What Needs to Happen.

The Astros Have a New Utility Player. The Chron Has a Not-So-New Story on Sports Radio.

Is Purpura Going to Make a Trade? We Hope Not. Not.

Miss Cleo Answers the Bell

Living in Harmony

Global Groove's Wednesday-night jam puts the hump back in hump day

Old-School Rules

Wilfred Chevis provides the link between Clifton Chenier and the Zydeco Dots

Year of Living Dangerously

Sports palaces, city cell-phone shenanigans and subdivisions where Montrose once stood. Could any self-respecting survivalist leave the bunker behind?

Take Me Out to the Ball Game Cafe

Ruggles at Enron Field hits for the cycle without ever leaving the dugout

Strike Three, They're Out

Night & Day

August 20 - 26, 1998

On the edge in Edge City

Brad Tyer finds fun, more fun and big fun on the Richmond Strip