Author: Chip Bailey
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Changes to my favorite game may be on the way
Let me set the record straight and be very clear from the start. I am a purist. Pure and simple. The older I get, the more certainI become of that fact. I like the game of baseball as it was intended. I’ve lived with the designated hitter, I’ve watched the mound go up and down,…
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A few Saturday observations from a team that shoulda, coulda, woulda
Just a few Saturday thoughts while touring Colorado and heading into Wyoming later today and Yellowstone tomorrow. This looks like a college team. When you look at Bregman, Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve and even George Springer, Kemp and Preston Tucker, they look young, slim and very collegial. Not that they play that way necessarily, not…
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2016 season has been The Perfect Storm for Astros
If 2015 was a snapshot of things to come and 2017 is the Year of the World Series, what in the heck is 2016? I’ll tell ya! It’s The Perfect Storm! Could — or even should — Jeff Luhnow and/or A.J. Hinch have seen this coming? I mean, if they’re rocket scientists and magicians with…
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No news, good news for Astros at trade deadline?
So much for all the trade talk hoopla. Well, at least for the Astros. Maybe no news is good news though. No Jonathan Lucroy. No Carlos Beltran. No Jay Bruce. No upgrade to the rotation. And, nope, no bullpen help. Instead, it’s one of the quietest trade deadlines in recent memory as Scott Feldman was…
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Taking the next step: Moving from contender to league leader
If Sports Illustrated will make good on its 2017 Astros’ World Series prediction, many pieces will have to fall into place for your favorite baseball organization. Are the Astros close? Could there possibly even be a decade dynasty-like team in the making? Is the team one dominant starter away? One middle of the order hitter?…
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A sneak peek at things to come for the Astros
So the Astros suddenly have a crowded infield. With real possibilities. Sometime next month, Houston will likely have as strong as an infield in a decade. Or longer. Problem is, where will they play? When Yulieski Guriel and Alex Bregman join the team, manager A.J. Hinch will essentially have four players who can play the…
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King of the hill: Easier to get there than stay there
It’s easier to get to the top than to stay on the top. And that’s what Jeff Luhnow and A.J. Hinch are learning in 2016. Yes, Luhnow made some significant changes to the framework of the roster over the winter, but it’s a continual process. The scary part of the process at present is this:…
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Help needed: Questions — and no answers — for Astros
Happy Mother’s Day to everyone! Spending the day in my childhood home with my parents. My dad is 87, my mom 81 and they are celebrating their 62nd anniversary this Mother’s Day! Double celebration! While sitting around with them, I had a few questions and realized I’m not sure I have the answers. Will you…
ALL THINGS ASTROS 