Houston proud: Holy toledo, Astros win! Astros win!

This is your night! Memorialize your thoughts here in a time capsule for the ages!

For more than 50 years, I have have been a die hard fan of this organization. From lying in bed with a transistor radio to watching playoff games in the Astrodome, then from the Crawford Boxes at Minute Maid Park for the epic 18-inning game.

This blog began at the Houston Chronicle during the Astros’ first playoff run to their only World Series 12 years ago. At that time, it was Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Roy Oswalt, Lance Berkman and a fewer lesser known players like Chris Burke, Adam Everett and Jason Lane.

The important names in the 2017 run weren’t even a blip on any radar back then.

The 2017 heroes:

Mike Scott would be proud. Nolan Ryan is smiling. Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell have company. Drayton McClane will probably make a call to congratulate Jim Crane. Milo Hamilton, Bill Brown and Jim Deshaies would be celebrating.

Who are your heroes for the 2017 ALCS?

We’ll talk more about the World Series later, but here are a couple of thoughts:

  • Dallas Keuchel and Justin Verlander may not pitch at home in the Series.
  • How do you get Evan Gattis‘ bat into the lineup at Dodger Stadium?
  • Did Hinch redeem himself in Game 7?
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44 responses to “Houston proud: Holy toledo, Astros win! Astros win!”

  2. AJ showed so much confidence in LMJ this week. I hope that helps Lance grow up and pay dividends down the road. The thing that strikes me most is what a team effort this has all been. Crane stepped up with Verlander, Luhnow’s moves have worked far more often than not, Hinch has been up and down but I think he’s the right guy for this team, and on the field every single guy on the roster has had their time to step up and shine. Dodgers are in trouble.

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  3. Thanks for all you’ve done Chip. It has been a great ride since the Chronicle (spit!! Spit!!) days.
    This is the best I’ve ever felt about an Astros team – they just seem to have so many ways to win and they seem to be such a resilient team. They had never won a game 7 in their history. Of course they have not had that many chances.

    I’ve been with them since we moved to Houston in 1965. I had the transistor radio in bed for the late night games just like you. I would work so hard to get straight A’s because they gave away free tickets if you did way back when. I wish my dad were here – it hardly seems possible he left us 16 years ago never even seeing the first World Series team. My heart broke in 1980 and 1986 and continued through the close calls of the 90’s and 00’s. But this feels different. We will for the 3rd time be the team that the media does not really want to win. Boston, New York, LA are more important in the baseball world – but I think that is about to change.

    My heroes for this series?
    Verlander of course – no moment was too big for this man and he carried us to the brink.
    Morton/McCullers – they totally shut down one of the best offenses in baseball with only a whimper or two
    Gattis – Don’t leave those pitches up unless you want to see them whipped out of the park and the bald hairy guy got them on the board
    Altuve – Is just frigging amazing – I’ve never seen anyone hit the ball so hard so often and never saw someone his size show such power
    Keuchel is still my hero even with his game 5 struggles, because he got them off to the great start in Game 1
    Correa – When Aaron Judge was 23 he was hitting .228 in half a year of AAA ball. Carlos continues to be such a leader on this team and getting hits when they need it
    Alex Bregman – Was not a third baseman – really not built like most 3Bs – but he has turned himself into a terrific 3B and made some unbelievable plays in this series including the one that stuck a dagger in the Yankees
    Brian McCann – had a poor hitting series, but had some big ABs the last two days and really outshone Gary Sanchez behind the plate making some big tag plays and handling the pitchers to perfection
    Yuli Gurriel – The guy just cranks out line drive after line drive even when no one else is hitting them
    George Springer – Hit terrrrrrible this series, but as usual this did not keep him from being one of the best fielders on the team and making the biggest play in Game 6

    And what I love about this team is that in the World Series it may be Josh Reddick or Ken Giles or Musgrove or McHugh or Devo or Harris or Marwin who are the heroes. They have done what was needed all season.
    Four more wins!

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  4. Considering the situation, this ballgame goes down as the most remarkable shutout
    I’ve ever seen. Lance McCullers. Quite a few folks wanted to leave him off a playoff roster. Salty Morton. Arguably Luhnow’s best acquisition for the dollar. Yuli Gurriel. Arguably Luhnow’s best aquisition for the dollar. Justin Verlander. Had Luhnow decided all along to ignore the July deadline, knowing he would not need the ALCS MVP until October? Alex Bregman is one of the better defensive third basemen in the game. Quite a few folks wanted to pull him from that role early in the year. I think we went 6 for 60 something between Springer, the DH and Reddick. That won’t happen in the World Series. I’ve followed Jose Altuve since low A ball. He”s a joyful throwback and a Most Valuable Plasyer. My late father was rarely impressed with the modern day baseball player. He loved Jose though, even before he found out they were both born on May 6. More tomorrow.

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  5. Last night after the win I wanted to scream and yell to support my team. Instead I put on my new “Astros” hat and proudly walked through the sports bar like a peacock strutting through the yard not saying a word to the numerous Yankee fans. Tonight, I watched the game at a friends house and was subdued until the final out and then let out a big grin bigger than the Cheshire Cat. Boy does it feel good. Through it all this is a great team and the win was indicative of the whole season. LMJ said it pretty good after the game. He and CM were just super. No holes in the lineup and look at all the people who came through in the clutch. Now on to Tinsel town to whoop up on the Dodgers. As the line in the Matrix goes, “Dodge This”.

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  10. So this is how it feels to root for the best team in baseball. If you see my 8-year old self, let him know all the pain and disappointment is going to be worth it.

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  11. Just remember that behind every silver lining is a dark cloud. JL constructed the team for the AL. Do you go with a PH in Beltran and dump Centeno? Do you add a pitcher? Glad I don’t choose the roster. In the next 4-7 games Hinch might need someone he has not needed all season.

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  12. I took my life in my hands and walked around outside in the dark last night to try to de-stress and decompose. It was no fun watching that game to the end but I owed it to them.

    Saw two interviews with Lance McCullers and was impressed. He is articulate. Among other things, he said Brian McCann is the team’s MVP, just doesn’t seek or need the attention. Quiet, consistent contribution.

    Allow me to eat crow. I expressed considerable doubt about pitching in Game 7. I was shocked, yes, I’ll admit it, shocked that Morton and McCullers could not only face down but shut down the Yankee lineup.

    Guess you could say they yanked their chain. And crow is delicious.

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    • Don’t feel bad Diane. I had doubts right up to the last out. I was so nervous I didn’t even have my nightly bowl of Blue Bell.
      We can’t help it. It come from being an Astros fan.
      It was worth the stress.

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  13. Sometime in the ALDS one of the announcers said no one had ever beaten the Red Sox and Yankees to get to the World Series. Well here we are with another media giant on the horizon. Bring ’em on!

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  14. A huge storm came through here last night and wiped out satellite TV for the last inning and we couldn’t watch it. Mom and I took it in stride, as there were people everywhere and kids griping about having to go to bed and lightning and thunder and doors slamming.
    It was an unbelievable day for our family and it was capped off by 8 or 10 people in the little living room watching a team they know nothing about, but cheering them on because of their parent’s love of the Astros.
    Minute Maid was just like it was in 2004 and 2005. Noisiest place in the world.
    Charlie Morton was at his very best. Fabulous curve.
    LMJ was all bite to go with his bark.
    The Astros players were laser-focused on defense.
    Evan Gattis completed the trade we made to get him
    Yankee pitchers broke under the strain.
    Talk of tandem pitchers is in error. Hinch went with his two best curve throwing pitchers, who were rested, against a team who had struggled against good curves.
    Astros batters were too good for Yankee pitchers to contain for seven games.
    New York sports writers were dead wrong about their catcher being better than our catcher.
    Aaron Judge was big. Altuve was bigger.
    I’m waiting to see which four former Dodger players the network decides to bring in to give us some unbiased opinions on this series.
    I am so happy this morning. Our team is going to the World Series!

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    • I had an ear plug in one ear, and listening to the game on 790 am in the other. It was NO SECRET who Joe Buck was wanting to win, and his *love* for Judge is almost creepy.

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  17. Becky, OP, Dan, Tim, Billy, Astro45, Chip, and others: Do you have any idea how blessed you are to have family? To have anything to share with anyone? Good or bad? Do you have any idea?

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    • Thank you, Diane. This post is very timely because our family sat together in our living room for the entire game last night. Well, I didn’t sit much as I was pacing the floor for the majority of the game, but being able to watch and celebrate with my wife and our 2 boys was the perfect end to a great day of baseball. There is something special about this team and they may just bring Houston its first World Series title. Let’s go Astros!

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    • There is nothing I can say about this Diane that won’t sound stupid – my wife and son that is at home are not sports fans but they have been very sweet about my obsession with sports.
      I hope you have friends you can share this with even beyond the folks on this blog.

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    • So very true Diane.
      My husband, daughter, son-in-law, and their son all were together last evening. Joined by another son-in-law and grandson in Michigan and yet another grandson who is in the Army currently stationed in Mississippi. We all communicated via Facebook. It was a great family gathering.
      I realize how lucky I am.

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    • I can identify Diane. I am literally on an island, my family far away. But I do have a large extended family, just a text or a couple of flights away. I watched last nights game by myself, which was fine by me, as it’s tougher to miss things. But to get a crowd here, it would take a cricket match!

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    • I am very blessed Diane….even more blessed that I have THIS family that shares my love for this team. This is where I find people like me, who understand baseball and who love this silly game! My kids are all grown and gone, and it’s just me and my “I don’t like baseball” husband. I must admit he has shown more interest in the Astros this year, than in any year we have been married…..he even knows some players!
      Yes, I’m blessed and I don’t take that for granted…..I’m especially blessed to have you girls to hang with on this wonderful blog❤!

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  18. One more thing from McCullers: the team came back from NY dragging and then read local sports commentators — how they were beaten. He said only the fans came back yelling and pulling for them. It is indeed possible that the fans SHARE this victory in a more than symbolic way.

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    • Well they didn’t read it here – to quote from the “It’s not over” post – “the Astros need to win two ‘must wins’ to get to the World Series. And it says here, they will do just that.”

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      • This has been a tremendous ride, esp sharing insights, frustrations, doubts, support and everything else on this site with this hardcore Chipalatta family. While I did not get my Astros/Cubs WS wish im tickled orange/blue to see the Stros take on the mighty Dodgers and winning it all in 6, maybe 7. Thank you all for allowing me to share in this momentous celebration with you guys. Go Astros!!!!!!!!!

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  19. Alex Cora has agreed to a three year contract where he will manage the Boston Red Sox beginning after the World Series. Am I wrong to want to Astros to consider Carlos Beltran to take Cora’s place with the Astros?

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    • That’s a possibility. Brad Ausmus might also be under consideration. It will be interesting. I spent part of my day watching highlights of the last nights game and the series. At times I almost cried knowing that we have finally gotten there after the long dry spell. The emotion is almost overwhelming. Now it’s on to to start our journey for the next 4 wins.

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    • It’s not something I would bet on, but I think Carlos Beltran would retire if the Astros win the World Series. Beltran has made $222 million playing in the MLB and I think he wants to go to Puerto Rico and help out his fellow citizens.
      If he doesn’t get the ring, he still goes back to PR and then makes up his mind about his career later in the offseason.

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      • I agree. As much as the rest of the team was busy drinking….dumping champagne on each other, Beltran was busy talking to a national sports reporter about the completely destroyed island of Puerto Rico. His heart is there, along with the
        academy he started several years ago.

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  20. Game 1- Kershaw
    Game 2- Rich Hill
    Game 3- Darvish
    It ain’t gonna be easy, but I think our guys will be ready! GO ‘STROS⚾!

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  22. Dan, no, he was not referring you — just some of the local media, assume Chron, etc. You have consistently said the Stros were capable and you always made clear that once you’re in the playoffs, anything can happen.

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