NL West

Top Five-ish Things to Do in Houston Sports This Weekend: Memorial Day Edition

As a general rule, unless your team is in the NBA playoffs (I'd say NHL, but most of you wouldn't even know what I was talking about), this time of year can be pretty boring for sports fans. Baseball is still early in the year. There isn't the hint of football save OTAs and college sports are nearly ... More >>

Johnny Manziel Hits Batting Practice Home Run At Petco Park (w/ VIDEO)

In the game of "Bucket List," Johnny Manziel is officially running up the score on all of us. Over the weekend, the Texas A&M Heisman Trophy winning quarterback capped off a round at Pebble Beach with his parents by knocking in a birdie on 18 to break 80. About the only surprising thing about that ... More >>

Johnny Manziel Officially Concocts The Most Creative First Pitch Ever At Padres Game

Cabo spring breaks, courtside NBA seats, luxury boxes at concerts, appearances on Letterman, rounds of golf at Pebble Beach, batting practice in Major League Baseball stadiums... I'm pretty sure that soon it will make more sense to just create a Johnny Manziel specific blog on HoustonPress.com to c ... More >>

42: The Brooklyn Museum

42 almost makes a flesh-and-blood man of its hero.

One Man's (Idiotic?) 2013 Baseball Predictions

The major league baseball season opened up on Sunday night with the Rangers traveling to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington South to face the Astros. Most of the teams started up yesterday, and the rest of the league will get underway today. With the season getting underway, it's time once again to make ... More >>

The Screwball Economics of Major League Baseball

As another season begins, MLB faces an unsustainable future - and you're picking up the tab.

Here's Elton John In an Astros Jersey In 1986

Today, Houston Astros pitchers and catchers started returning to Kissimmee, Florida, for spring training in anticipation (and somewhat fright) of the 2013 season and their debut in the American League. Rewind: Rockin' Houston Site Is a Glorious Monument to Local Concerts Past In honor of baseba ... More >>

Pro Football's Birthday: The Oh-So-Manly Hupmobile, A Star Named "Pudge" And Drafting Off Baseball's Heat

For an incredibly high-profile operation like the NFL, the league's beginnings are somewhat murky. A loose collection of teams, players, schedules and shifting alliances, the early days of the league bear almost no resemblance to the streamlined corporate machine that dominates the current sports l ... More >>

Jeff Luhnow Declares Independence From Carlos Lee

Jeff Luhnow traded Carlos Lee to the Los Angeles Dodgers last week. Lee dilly-dallied and whined about his taxes, so the Dodgers pulled out of the trade. It appeared that the Astros would thus be stuck with Lee for the rest of the season as the Dodgers were really, really, really desperate for anybo ... More >>

The Astros Traded Carlos Lee, They Just Couldn't Get Him to Leave

No matter what else might happen with the Houston Astros this season, the fans should realize one thing: General manager Jeff Luhnow is a genius. What other word can describe a man who not only was able to trade Carlos Lee to a contending team for a good, young pitching prospect, but was also willin ... More >>

Suggested Baseball Fan Behavior: An Ode to Detroit's Comerica Park

Last week, the Press' Margaret Downing, in Detroit for the Association of Alternative Newsmedia convention, took in a Tigers game at Comerica Park. She brought a souvenir back to the office: A full-color, 60-page "A-Z Guest Guide," which basically breaks down how to be a fan in verbose and silly l ... More >>

Is It A Perfect Game If It's Against These Astros?

As you might have heard, San Francisco Giant Matt Cain threw a perfect game against the Astros last night on the west coast, retiring all 27 hitters with no hits, no walks, no errors. To which we say, eh. Against these Astros? We'd say it was more of an accomplishment that the Giants, who struggle ... More >>

MLB: 4 Season Win Total Bets You Can Still Get Down on Before Friday Morning

Happy Major League Baseball Opening Day! Oh, what's that? You say I missed Opening Day? It was actually last night when the St. Louis Cardinals helped christen the Miami Marlins' new ball park (and new name and new uniforms and new manager and...) with a 4-1 win? Oh, I'm sorry, that was the domesti ... More >>

In Which John Royal Predicts the Winner of the 2012 World Series

The major league baseball season officially started last week when the Oakland A's and Seattle Mariners played two games in Tokyo. Most of the other teams open on Thursday, and the Astros get started on Friday when they host the Colorado Rockies. Thus, here are my predictions for this season. NATI ... More >>

The Astros Are Heading To The Promised Land -- The American League!

Say hello to Yankee Fan​As a major league sport, baseball has always done a fairly good job of keeping itself relevant throughout the calendar year. (Football is the king of year-round relevancy. Basketball is the court jester. Baseball lies somewhere in between.) November is normally a fun b ... More >>

The Astros Curse: They Are The Damned

The Astros have been damned​The following is based on true facts, but names have been redacted to protect the innocent, and not so innocent... The Houston Astros are a bad baseball team this season. They're beyond bad. They're beyond awful. They're closing in on worst team in MLB history b ... More >>

Celebrating Women in Baseball While Forgetting Anita Martini

The Hall's Women in Baseball Exhibit ignores a very important woman.​While on the Houston Aeros beat a couple of weeks ago, I had the chance to travel to Binghamton, New York, for the Calder Cup Finals. There's not much to Binghamton, but about an hour and a half away, nestled amongst a beauti ... More >>

Starring Tim Russert: Five Awful, Mawkish Pieces of Father's Day Treacle

Heartwarming (the blurbs said so!!)​There are some good, honest, entertaining and trenchant books and songs out there done by people about their memories of Dad. On the other hand, there's a lot of crap. Cloyingly sentimental, predictable, tear-jerking crap. Five of the worst: 5. Tim Russer ... More >>

11 Modest Suggestions For Jim Crane

​After the Astros lose to the Chicago Cubs this afternoon, the 2011 MLB season will be one-thirds complete. And while it was expected the Astros would be bad, being the worst team in the National League was not expected -- an injury-depleted Minnesota Twins are the only thing keeping the Astr ... More >>

So You Want to Own a Baseball Team? Baseball Financing 101

​There are a lot of stories coming out about how the Astros are going to face a long climb to respectability. About how all of the team's problems can't be solved by spending money. About how we're just going to have to be patient while Jim Crane's baseball people rebuild the mess left behin ... More >>

Astros Finally Sold, Or So It Appears

​Ding, dong, the wicked witch is dead. The Astros have, it appears, finally been sold. At least that's what Drayton McLane has told Mark Berman over at Fox 26. The papers are still being finalized, though it is hoped that the parties will sign off on the sale next week. McLane was not wil ... More >>

Play Ball, Baby

A new season for the Astros, and hopefully a new team.

Astros 2011: It Ain't Going to Be Pretty

Bad news: The Astros are actually playing baseball this season.​The Astros are probably opening up the season tomorrow -- they're scheduled to play, but the weather in Philadelphia might not cooperate. And if the stories that have been kicking around are true, this might be the last opening d ... More >>

One Man's Predictions for This Baseball Season

​Believe it or not, it's time, yet again, for the Major League Baseball season to get underway. That's good news for those of us who enjoy watching the best players in baseball play the best sport ever created. That's bad news, however, for us Astros fans because, well, the Astros suck. But ... More >>

One Guy's Thoughts On The Sports Year: 25 Things To Remember

So with the end of the year fast approaching, I thought I would take some time to revisit some of the highlights, and lowlights, of this past sports year. Your list is probably different, but these are the things that caught my attention this year. maxim.com Thanks for everything, Jenn​1. ... More >>

Breast Cancer Awareness: Five Bad Attempts

As any sports fan knows, October has been Breast Cancer Awareness Month -- uniforms and gloves and wristbands have been pink; outside of sports the Empire State Building and the White House have gone pink to remind women to get themselves checke.The campaign has grown tremendously since the San Fran ... More >>

Ten Thousand Harmonicas Coming To Minute Maid Next Friday

Courtesy Pocket Full of SoulHarmonicas can multiply like cockroaches if you're not careful.​If you're going to try to break a world record by having 10,000 people play the same instrument at the same time, Rocks Off supposes the harmonica is a pretty good way to go, and a ballpark is a pretty ... More >>

Houston's Top Ten Sports Moments: Another View

The bosses came out their Top 10 Greatest Houston Sports Moments today, so I thought I would share mine.1. September 25, 1986: The magic number for the Houston Astros to clinch the NL West is one game. The Astros are playing a midweek day game against the San Francisco Giants, the team that just ... More >>

Game Time: Jose Lima, 1972-2010

"I was born for this, I love baseball, and remember guys, it's still Lima Time, and it's always Lima Time. You gotta believe that." -- Jose Lima, 2009 as a member of the Long Beach Armada in the independent Golden Baseball League Much like the man behind the movement, "Lima Time" is simultaneousl ... More >>

Kaz Is Gone, But The Astros Pain Endures

Photo by Aaron M. SprecherWhen the world is upside down, Kaz won't still be around​Kazuo Matsui is gone. He is no longer a Houston Astros. Things are well with the world. All of the Astros problems are solved. World Series, here they come.Okay, not really. The Astros still suck. They're goin ... More >>

Roy Oswalt Bitching About No Run Support: The Astros Fun Season Continues

Roy-O, your ERA is doing more than enough talking for you​Today's big Houston Astros news comes by way of the Harris County Family Courts where sources are reporting that Astros ace, Roy Oswalt, has filed for divorce from the Houston Astros citing irreconcilable differences as the cause for the fa ... More >>

Bud Norris Makes The Astros Fun To Watch, For Once

Bud Norris CAN believe it's not butter​Color me shocked.Who in their right mind would have thought the Houston Astros, having the season they're having, would be able to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals?Especially yesterday with Bud Norris throwing perhaps the best game of his career as the team defe ... More >>

Dirk Hayhurst's Bullpen Gospels Shows What The Minor Leagues Are All About

This generation's Ball Four​It's easy to become disillusioned about sports when night after night you watch the likes of Carlos Lee loafing around the outfield while making an insanely obscene amount of money. But you watch the guys like Michael Bourn and Hunter Pence going full speed every night, ... More >>

Sean Berry Is Failing The Astros

The blame has to fall someplace​With J.R. Towles gone, the Astros needed a new scapegoat to blame for their rotten season. It kind of appeared that Hunter Pence was turning into the one that Brad Mills was looking at for that role, as it was Pence that Mills has been continuously benching because ... More >>

Special Arizona Buycott Edition

Krayolas Attack Arizona Immigration Law On "I'm Your Dirty Mexican"

myspace.com/thekrayolas​ San Antonio Tex-Mex garage-rockers the Krayolas, who sharpened their political claws on the Little Steven-endorsed "Corrido (Twelve Heads In a Bag)," have set their sights on Arizona's controversial anti-immigration law on the band's new single "1070 (I'm Your Dirty Mexica ... More >>

Arizona's Immigrant Law Sparks A Protest At Minute Maid

Photos by Liana LopezProtesting at an Astros game, but somehow not about beer prices​ About 60 demonstrators were outside Minute Maid Park last night protesting the Arizona Diamondbacks in response to the state's newly passed SB 1070 anti-immigrant law.As baseball fans made their way into the sta ... More >>

Protests Against Arizona's Law At The Astros Game: One Way To Spend Cinco De Mayo

A team spokesman walks a tightrope in responding to the planned protests​Haven't found the perfect way to celebrate Cinco De Mayo yet? Some organizations have what they think is the perfect way to kick it off.Several Latino groups, including LULAC and Houston's Youth Coalition, will be protesting ... More >>

Carlos Lee Still, Somehow, Playing Outfield For The Surprisingly Despised Astros

Rare photographic evidence of Carlos Lee running​This is turning out to be a bad week for the Houston Astros.With a chance to get their record to the break-even mark, the Astros were instead swept by the Cincinnati Reds. Wandy Rodriguez is injured and has to miss tonight's start in Atlanta -- th ... More >>

It's Five O'clock Somewhere

We scout out happy hour in Houston.

Morgan Ensberg On Bags, The Rocket And Milton Bradley

Ensberg: from starry-eyed rookie to stat-head blogger​Last week I gave you part one of an interview I did with former Astros's third baseman Morgan Ensberg. Ensberg, now retired, is moving into the broadcasting field, doing college baseball game analysis for such networks as Fox Sports and ESPNU ... More >>

Game Time: The Caballo Chronicles, Volume 2: A Look at MLB's 20 Biggest Contracts Ever

​This is my second go round living in Houston. Prior to moving back here in the summer of 2007, the last time I was an H-town resident was between 1994 and 2001. As an Astro fan, that means I was here when the Bagwell/Biggio nucleus finally broke through in 1997 and made the playoffs, I was he ... More >>

Astros Live Down To Expectations In First Series

Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher​Three games in. Three losses down. If there's one thing to say about the Astros, they know how to play down to expectations.A still-injured Roy Oswalt had one bad inning on Opening Night, but one bad inning was all that the San Francisco Giants needed as they defeated ... More >>

For Opening Day: The Worst Pregame Renditions Of The National Anthem Ever

What so proudly we hailed... Can you pass the earplugs, please?​ You can be forgiven for not realizing Opening Day for baseball season was here already (yesterday, in fact). Maybe you've been too busy cursing the guy in your NCAA tournament pool that filled out his brackets using the coin-flip met ... More >>

The Opening Day Street Festival Is in Full Swing

Photo by Marco Torres​It's not just a nice day out -- it's a nice Opening Day. And the street festival in front of Minute Maid Park is already in full swing.A ton of Clear Channel radio stations are on hand, there are interactive games, Junction Jack is walking around, and later this afterno ... 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 >>

Astro Memories, Part Three: The Longest Night

​Apparently I didn't get the memo telling me that it's nostalgia week here at the Houston Press. So even though I'm a bit late, here's my favorite Astros memory.First, a few things. Lots of you think I hate the Astros. I don't hate the Astros. I hate what Drayton McLane has allowed them to be ... More >>

Astros vs. L.A. Dodgers

Call in sick and enjoy an afternoon game

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