Well, it's time for my annual spring post about Astros games. As you may recall, my season ticket group does not use all of our tickets, so we have several games available in April:

2-Apr-13 Tue 7:10 PM Tex
3-Apr-13 Wed 1:10 PM Tex <-- Philip Humber's start!
5-Apr-13 Fri 7:10 PM Oak
6-Apr-13 Sat 6:10 PM Oak
19-Apr-13 Fri 7:10 PM Cle
21-Apr-13 Sun 1:10 PM Cle
22-Apr-13 Mon 7:10 PM Mia
23-Apr-13 Tue 7:10 PM Mia
24-Apr-13 Wed 1:10 PM Mia

Our seats are Section 319, row 3, seats 5 and 6. The seats are exactly (and I mean EXACTLY) behind home plate, in the lower part of the upper deck. It's a great view of the field and the best value for money in the stadium.

The cost is $46 per game (i.e. $23 per ticket), which is face value.

If interested, please send me a PM, or call 713-269-5061

Self-serving bump

Have to admit (as a lifelong Cardinals fan) ... it really looks weird to see Texas, Oakland, and Cleveland as the upcoming Astros schedule.

Well, that was quick! The remaining available games are:

19-Apr-13 Fri 7:10 PM Cle
21-Apr-13 Sun 1:10 PM Cle
22-Apr-13 Mon 7:10 PM Mia

(03-31-2013 05:38 PM)georgewebb Wrote:  Well, it's time for my annual spring post about Astros games. As you may recall, my season ticket group does not use all of our tickets, so we have several games available in April:

2-Apr-13 Tue 7:10 PM Tex
3-Apr-13 Wed 1:10 PM Tex <-- Philip Humber's start!
5-Apr-13 Fri 7:10 PM Oak
6-Apr-13 Sat 6:10 PM Oak
19-Apr-13 Fri 7:10 PM Cle
21-Apr-13 Sun 1:10 PM Cle
22-Apr-13 Mon 7:10 PM Mia
23-Apr-13 Tue 7:10 PM Mia
24-Apr-13 Wed 1:10 PM Mia

Our seats are Section 319, row 3, seats 5 and 6. The seats are exactly (and I mean EXACTLY) behind home plate, in the lower part of the upper deck. It's a great view of the field and the best value for money in the stadium.

The cost is $46 per game (i.e. $23 per ticket), which is face value.

If interested, please send me a PM, or call 713-269-5061

Just took a look at the Astros' schedule for the next 20 games:

4 @ Boston
3 @ NYY
4 vs Detroit
3 vs LA Angels
3 vs Texas
3 @ Detroit

Wow! What's your over and under on how many of those games they will win?

6-1/2. I'll take the over - just!

SI has an article this week in which they predict when down-trodden teams might compete for a division title again. The dis-Astros are in a group predicted for 2017. Sounds about right. Yuk!

I think 2017 is about right. They'll be terrible at least through the all star game, then depending on how many of the kids are ready to come up, they'll start getting better as early as the second half. They'll win maybe 75 next year, hit .500 in 2015, win in the low to mid 80s in 2016 and hit 90 in 2017.

They are absolutely tearing it up at every level in the minors that is playing at this point--short season and below haven't started yet. I think they're right at or above .600 at AAA, AA, High A, and Low A. But they're still older than league average at most levels, so not quite as rich a prospect load coming as the records would suggest. They went from worst system-wide record in the minors in 2011 (for the 3rd time in 4 years, and 30 games behind 29th) to best in 2012 (counting domestic only, their Dominican team was still pretty bad). That's a pretty amazing jump, but will take time for that to translate at the big club level.

The nice thing about this model is that it will sustain itself, unlike Drayton's stars and scrubs approach. It will be harder when their draft position drops as they win more games. But Luhnow had some pretty good hauls drafting at the caboose end of the train in St. Louis, and no reason to expect different here. Bill James says that in 5 years they will be winning 95 a year, consistently. I tend to think he's right.

OK, time for my monthly update.
Here's what we have available for the merry month of May:

2-May-13 Thu 7:10 PM Det
3-May-13 Fri 7:10 PM Det

9-May-13 Thu 7:10 PM LAA

22-May-13 Wed 7:10 PM KC

26-May-13 Sun 1:10 PM Oak
27-May-13 Mon 1:10 PM Col (Memorial Day)
28-May-13 Tue 1:10 PM Col


The cost is $46 per game (i.e. $23 per ticket), which is face value.
If interested, please send me a PM, or call 713-269-5061

By the way, the Astros have more home games (18) in May than any other month. June is next with 15.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb...s/2125653/

I thought it was interesting USA Today is doing a series on all 30 MLB parks and ranking them worst to first. MMP is 27th overall, which I think is too low. The only parks it's ranked ahead of are the Rays (last), Oakland and Arizona. I haven't been to too many of the newer parks so I guess I can't compare them but I find it hard to believe MMP is behind some parks like the White Sox, Rangers and Atlanta.

(05-01-2013 05:44 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb...s/2125653/

I thought it was interesting USA Today is doing a series on all 30 MLB parks and ranking them worst to first. MMP is 27th overall, which I think is too low. The only parks it's ranked ahead of are the Rays (last), Oakland and Arizona. I haven't been to too many of the newer parks so I guess I can't compare them but I find it hard to believe MMP is behind some parks like the White Sox, Rangers and Atlanta.

MMP was built on the cheap and there are a lot of things that could have been done better. With Tal's hill and all the other gimmicks, it's a little too tricked up for my taste.

I would rank it ahead of St. Petersburg and Oakland. I kind of like Phoenix, so not sure I would rank it ahead of there. I would rank it ahead of White Sox. I prefer Rangers except for one thing. With luxury boxes between decks and the office building in the outfield, the field is completely encircled, with no way for air to flow through. July/August in DFW, that is not a good thing. I think I like Atlanta better except for location. I like Minute Maid better than Milwaukee, which is another one built on the cheap and kind of a dump. Cincinnati has nice amenities, but it plays so small that it kind of tricks up the game. If the Big Red Machine had played there, they would have scored 8 runs a game.

A few edits to the May list:

8-May-13 Wed 7:10 PM LAA
9-May-13 Thu 7:10 PM LAA
10-May-13 Fri 7:10 PM Tex

20-May-13 Mon 7:10 PM KC
22-May-13 Wed 7:10 PM KC

25-May-13 Sat 6:15 PM Oak
26-May-13 Sun 1:10 PM Oak
27-May-13 Mon 1:10 PM Col (Memorial Day)
28-May-13 Tue 1:10 PM Col (Heck, if you take one of the other games, you can have this one for free)

The cost is $46 per game (i.e. $23 per ticket), which is face value.
If interested, please send me a PM, or call 713-269-5061

(05-07-2013 06:23 PM)georgewebb Wrote:  ...
10-May-13 Fri 7:10 PM Tex
...

With outdoors sports on Friday likely to be rained out, why not catch the Astros-Rangers game??

Anybody know what is the explanation for the Astros' pitching changes in top of seventh tonight? At the game which is the worst place to get information. Injury to Wright is only thing that makes sense.

(05-09-2013 10:24 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Anybody know what is the explanation for the Astros' pitching changes in top of seventh tonight? At the game which is the worst place to get information. Injury to Wright is only thing that makes sense.

No one really knows - but it almost broke Twitter. Scoscia has game under protest.

Whatever Porter did, he had a lengthy conversation with the umps first, and they told him he could do it. But there was no apparent injury, and I don't know how he could do it otherwise.

(05-09-2013 11:04 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Whatever Porter did, he had a lengthy conversation with the umps first, and they told him he could do it. But there was no apparent injury, and I don't know how he could do it otherwise.

Particularly given that Wright appeared to throw a few warm up pitches.

(05-09-2013 11:16 PM)Orange County Owl Wrote:  

(05-09-2013 11:04 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Whatever Porter did, he had a lengthy conversation with the umps first, and they told him he could do it. But there was no apparent injury, and I don't know how he could do it otherwise.

Particularly given that Wright appeared to throw a few warm up pitches.

Heard Porter's post game. He basically talked the umps into breaking the rule. Had Astros "won" they were so going to lose the protest. As Buster Olney tweeted, not a good week for MLB umpires.

Still have a few for what's left of the merry month of May:

20-May-13 Mon 7:10 PM KC
22-May-13 Wed 7:10 PM KC

26-May-13 Sun 1:10 PM Oak
27-May-13 Mon 1:10 PM Col (Memorial Day)
28-May-13 Tue 1:10 PM Col <-- if you buy one of the above games, you can have this one for free!

The cost is $46 per game (i.e. $23 per ticket), which is face value.
If interested, please send me a PM, or call 713-269-5061 -- or come see at the Rice game today!

Monthly update: Here are the games available for the sunny month of June:

5-Jun-13 Wed 7:10 PM Bal
*6-Jun-13 Thu 1:10 PM Bal
14-Jun-13 Fri 7:10 PM Chi White Sox
16-Jun-13 Sun 1:10 PM Chi White Sox
18-Jun-13 Tue 7:10 PM Mil
19-Jun-13 Wed 7:10 PM Mil
*20-Jun-13 Thu 1:10 PM Mil

*If you take one of the other games, you can have one of these for free!

Good games available for Fathers Day weekend and the week following:

14-Jun-13 Fri 7:10 PM Chi White Sox
16-Jun-13 Sun 1:10 PM Chi White Sox
18-Jun-13 Tue 7:10 PM Mil
19-Jun-13 Wed 7:10 PM Mil
20-Jun-13 Thu 1:10 PM Mil (if you take one of the other games, you can have this one for free!)

if interested, send PM or email me at gwebb@alumni.rice.edu