It’s old news to talk about what the Astros need to improve on this season. They’ve already hit triple digits in the loss column yet again (so applause?), so the only rational thing to do is focus on the off-season and 2014, right?
Right.
But in all seriousness… At the Major League level, the Astros don’t have much to brag about, but those young, fresh faces in the farm system, the ones people have been talking about for years, those are the ones the Astros are going to have to pay heavy attention to this off-season and in Kissimmee at training camp. Three #1 picks in three years has got to pay off eventually.
Of course pitching is where it hurts the most for Houston. It wasn’t that long ago that the ‘Stros relied on the arms of Roy Oswalt, Wandy Rodriguez, and even Bud Norris.
The Astros are in need of, once again, a reliable and consistent pitching rotation. To be effective, Houston needs three pitchers that can consistently go 6-7 strong innings every game. Currently there isn’t even one in an Astros uniform. That shouldn’t be on your Wish List, but rather your Must-Have-To-Stay-In-The-League List. Or as @JohnReyes2013 on Twitter says, “sign an inning eating veteran.”
To date, Astros pitchers have walked 49 more batters than every other single MLB team and currently rank 30th (dead last) in the Win-Loss column and ERA. (The Cleveland Indians have the second most walks, in case you’re wondering.)
The days of the Biggio’s and Bagwell’s serving as leaders for the rookies are long gone, but the Astros need to cash in on some cheap veterans to help the team in pretty much every area, especially mentoring these younger guys.
If you’ve ever had a need to believe in a slogan, the Astros current one would be it: It’s a Whole New Ballgame. For Astros fans, lets hope that holds true in just six months.
10. Get new players
9. Pray
8. Hope other teams get worse
7. Go down to Triple A baseball
6. Better yet, go back to the National League
5. Even better, go back to 2005
4. Switch dugouts – clearly the stats heavily favor the other side. The Astros switched leagues, is a dugout swap really that far fetched?
3. No players taller than 5’4 on the roster (clearly it’s working for Jose Altuve)
2. Hire Joel Osteen as a motivational speaker
1. Add JJ Watt to the roster – he seems to make everything in Texas better
And a special thanks to my friends at the game earlier this week for helping me compile such a titillating Top 10 list.
Agree with what I had to say or think I’m the biggest, blondest idiot on the interwebs? Head over to my facebook page and tell me more. (Try to at least be polite though?)
This piece was part of The Blonde Side’s sports column on CBS Man Cave Daily. Click here to see the original article on their awesome website.
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In a short span of 24 hours I went from the raging and intoxicating excitement of Game 5 of the NBA Finals in San Antonio to a Monday night Astros game in Houston. Let that sink in for a minute. That’s like driving a Bugatti and then having to hitchhike.
Rather than going the negative route, which I often do with the Astros, I figured I’d play Positive Peggy and list some of the benefits of such a dismal turnout at Minute Maid Park – things that were a bit more difficult at AT&T Center just the night before were a piece of red velvet cake last night. Fervent yawning aside, even on a four-game win streak for the Astros, there were some advantages to having the 1,263,240 square-foot ballpark all to yourself and just a few close friends.
10 Benefits of Attending an Astros Game you won’t find at the NBA Finals
10. Free Tickets. Having worked for the Astros years ago, it’s not terribly hard to get free tickets, but walking up to Minute Maid Park last night, people were practically begging you to take tickets off their hands. And good seats too. (Opposed to the $650 ticket price for Game 5.)
9. Free and Easy Parking. Yup, just like the Dierks Bentley song. No need to arrive early to sit in traffic and be on the lookout for a spot, and no need to try and “beat the crowd” upon exiting, unless of course you’re just that bored, which is understandable.
8. Cell Phones. What was impossible the night before, took just seconds last night. We were able to post photos to Facebook and download that new Taylor Swift album with ease, as opposed to the FAILED message I got trying to upload an Instagram photo the night before that subsequently drained my entire battery.
Also, please note the difference in comments received. At Game 5 they were along the lines of “OMG, so jealous, I love your life, I wish I was there!” At the Astros game they were more like “Wow, you must be bored” or “Wouldn’t you rather be watching hockey or catching up on sleep?”
7. Leg Room. Stretch out and relax, this isn’t a United flight and there’s no one in front of you to make it awkward to prop your feet up.
6. Team Store. Want an Astros shirt? No problem! They have them in EVERY SINGLE SIZE (as opposed to Game 5 where there were slim pickins’).
5. Upgraded Seats. At MMP, there’s no need to wait for the StubHub Move of the Game for better seats, just get up, act like you belong, and go sit behind homeplate. Bring all your friends too, because there will be open seats all around you.
4. Discounted Beer. I’ve gone to more games than I can count in my lifetime and have never been offered a discounted beer. The Aramark beer vendors were so bored the guy in our section offered us a $7.50 Bud Light for $5. #Winning
3. No Lines. Not for bathrooms, beer or food. And probably not to go on the field and shake the players’ hands either, but I’m just guessing there. At Game 5 you’d miss at least 5 flops per team just by trying to use the restroom.
“Wow, that is so much more than I ever asked to hear about plushies.”
2. Conversations with Orbit. Although “Mascot Rules” indicate a professional mascot cannot speak while in costume, the furry guy was so bored he hung out snapping photos and being silly. Although the downside was he hung out a little too long and started to creep everyone out, even the children.
1. Social Media Contests. Every stadium runs social media contests for fan involvement to promote their sponsors. Last night, the video board (the largest in MLB, mind you), ran a contest for Wich Wich asking fans to tag #Strowich on Twitter to win some ham and cheese concoction. Seven minutes after the contest ran on the board, just ONE fan used the hashtag. ONE. Even better, she just used the hashtag and said nothing else. Congrats on your new sandwich Astros fan and I’m sure Wich Wich is throughout impressed with their ROI on that promotion.
For you number folks: I realize the baseball outing was just one of 81 regular season games at home and the other was an NBA Finals game, but there were 18,581 in attendance at the Spurs/Heat game (of a total capacity of 18,591) and only 13,870 (if you buy those numbers) in attendance at the Astros/White Sox game (of a total capacity of 40,950).
To see this original article on The Blonde Side’s CBS Man Cave Daily column, click here.
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Sugar Land Skeeters fans are no stranger to sellout crowds, long bathroom lines, or parking in far-flung dirt lots. Fifty out of the 52 home games played at the $37 million Constellation Field, just a 25-minute drive from downtown Houston, have been sellouts.
What’s new to them, however, is tickets exceeding $200 (according to StubHub, 33 of them eclipsed that mark) or the national media coverage. But that comes with the territory when Roger Clemens, a 50-year-old seven-time Cy Young Award winner, is making his Skeeters debut, five years after his last appearance on the mound with the New York Yankees.
To read the full article on Clemens’ debut with the Skeeters, visit ESPN Playbook.
Will Texas A&M have it even worse than the Houston Astros?
There are grumblings all throughout Texas, and quite frankly, the nation, about two massive impending sporting moves.
The first, mostly because of historically better performances and a much stronger fan base is Texas A&M University starting what’s sure to be an uncharted, bumpy and probably oft-embarrassing road into the SEC (the Aggies’ first football game of the season is on August 30 vs Louisiana Tech with the Florida Gators chomping their way into Kyle Field the very next week for their SEC opener).
The second is the newly owned, underfunded-but-bring-your-own-wine-to-the-field Houston Astros making the move from the National League Central to the American League West next season.
It seems both are in for a rude awakening, but if you had to put your hard-earned dollar on just one of these teams surviving (with perhaps a bit of dignity), which team comes out on top? Texas A&M football or Houston Astros baseball?
SEC vs. AL West
As we all know, the SEC has been housing enough crystal to make an all-Waterford casino in Las Vegas, with the last six BCS National Champions hailing from the Mighty SEC (Florida and Alabama twice each, LSU and Auburn once each). Eight of the 14 total BCS champs have come from the SEC (that’s 57 percent for you math geniuses).
All told, the SEC has sent nine teams to the championship game with the only loser being LSU (which lost to fellow-SEC Alabama this January). Compare that to seven and six total participants from the Big 12 and ACC respectively. No ACC team has even made it to the BCS National Championship Game since the 2002 season.
In short, the SEC has completely owned the college football landscape since that Tebow guy, down on one knee, graced The Swamp with his otherworldly virgin presence back in ’06.
Compare that to the robust AL West. In that same time frame, from 1998 to present, three teams from the division have made it to the World Series, with only the 2002 Angels taking home the Commissioner’s Trophy. Sure the Texas Rangers have made it to the last two (one strike away!) and will be a huge threat to do it again, but the AL West has no unprecedented SEC-type run.
On top of that, only six times since 1994 (the inception of the wild card) has an American League West team even made it into the playoffs as a wild card. Needless to say, the competition isn’t nearly as fierce.
In the grand scheme things, the SEC is the tougher test, but is mostly top heavy, very top heavy, as in a Dolly Parton kind of way. As of right now and for the foreseeable future, the AL West will also be a pretty top heavy division with the Rangers and Angels battling it out for supremacy for years to come. Although the Aggies and Astros are joining two very different leagues, it’s clear neither team will be competitive right away.
It’s like they’re both starting over as the neighborhood cover band trying to win a battle of the bands up against the likes of Led Zeppelin and The Beatles.
Astros vs. Aggies
The Astros will most likely enter the 2013 season coming off the worst record in all of baseball (again) with seemingly no help in sight. They have a ball club unfit for even the National League and they’ll be taking it into a division that has Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz and Albert Pujols swinging for the fences. That already-bad team ERA is destined to be at least a full run higher in the American League.
Try higher than the DOW.
It’s not good to get swept by the Pirates and the Cubs in back-to-back series, but imagine a Red Sox and Yankees back-to-back.
So the Astros will enter the AL with Bud Norris and 5-foot-5 Jose Altuve as their cornerstones barring a big-time, free-agent signing this winter. Sure general manager Jeff
Jose Altuve, Photo courtesy of Michelle Watson | CatchLightGroup.com
Luhnow will have another top pick to work with next June, but who knows if we’ll even be around to see it (Mayan forecasts and all). Simple answer here is the Astros will be staring the worst record in franchise history in the face yet again.
The Aggies are in a similar, yet uniquely different position. Coming into the SEC, Texas A&M lacks the cornerstone of any team — an experienced starting quarterback. With the departure of Ryan Tannehill (and his smoking hot wife), the Aggies are going to have to find someone else fast to throw for 5,000 yards against the most feared defenses this side of Southern California.
It’ll be interesting to see how coach Kevin Sumlin and his new Aggies perform against the hefty SEC defenses with that Cougar High spread system he ran at the University of Houston.
They will also be switching from a 3-4 to 4-3 defense, which we’ve seen a number of teams have trouble adapting to in football. This could be a good move if it weren’t for their exceptionally thin D-line which should make the Marcus Lattimores of the world pretty giddy. They do return a fairly experienced nucleus with tailback Christine Michael, a Julian Edelman 2.0 in wide receiver Ryan Swope and preseason All-American left tackle Luke Joeckel — it’s a pretty safe bet to take them over the Norris-Altuve combo.
To add to that the Aggies are working on a great 2013 recruiting class which hopefully will pay off and help in the transition. But the greatest thing Texas A&M gets to work with is the great tradition and support it will receive from its fans — some of the strongest, arguably even cultish, fans in all the land. Considering the fact that the Aggies’ two-deep roster will outnumber the amount of total fans at a future Astros-Mariners game, the 83,000 strong who will show up at EVERY A&M game will give them an edge their opponents may not be completely ready to face.
While Texas A&M may not hit the SEC championship game in the next 10 or even 20 years, there’s a high chance it will be bowl eligible right off the bat. There are plenty of Kentuckys and Ole Misses to beat up on and they will stand toe to toe with the representatives from Mizzou, Mississippi State and Auburn.
It may not be the start Aggie fans are hoping for, but they’ll bring some noise early on.
When it all boils down to it the Astros and Aggies are going to have a few things in common They both will get beaten handily by teams that will vie for championships. They both will be going to strange new lands filled with some of the best and baddest players in their respective sports — things neither team has much of.
There will also be some things they don’t have in common. The Astros will be moving divisions without anyone to lead their team. The Aggies will at least have some top-notch athletes to grace the field as well as their sidelines. The Astros will be sitting firmly in the cellar of their own division, while the Aggies will be playing for some form of postseason life, probably a bowl in Mobile or Boise, or something as equally unimpressive, but a bowl nonetheless.
Putting their leagues in perspective, the Astros just have to win some games for fans and analysts to see progress and a vast improvement over the past few years, whereas in college football, the only perfect season is just that — perfect, zero losses. Remember, the Aggies left of their own volition while the Astros hands were forced into this new level of domination, otherwise soon to be known as hell.
At the end of the day, each organization will go on. Diehard fans will cheer and argue whether or not this was a smart move for either team. In the end, the Aggies will have the upper hand. You’ll see.
This article was featured on Culture Map, Houston’s Daily Digital Magazine in the sport’s section.
Let’s be clear: Minute Maid Park is not a good place to catch a first-class baseball game and hasn’t been for some time, dating back to ‘05 when the Astros won the National League championship. Coming off one of the worst seasons in Major League Baseball in which the Astros posted a franchise-worst 56-106 record, they aren’t providing much enjoyment.
But that doesn’t mean you won’t find a different form of entertainment under that retractable roof, thanks to a guy whose job it is to provide entertainment, even when the Stros are striking out left and right.
For the past 14 seasons, that job has belonged to Nunee Oakes, audio engineer (fancy words for a DJ, he says) for the Houston Astros. After logging 14 championship-less seasons, the music man has lasted almost a decade longer than any of the 18 managers in the team’s history. But Oakes does a lot more than play variations of Jay-Z between innings. He’s the guy who controls every bit of sound you hear inside the 1,263,240-square foot ballpark — from the video board (the first 1080i HD scoreboard in MLB) to the PA system to longtime broadcaster Milo Hamilton’s radio show. He does it all.
While the team sporting the uniforms hasn’t been above .500 since 2008, the team “behind the glass” above left field (which is comprised of three other full-time employees and 50 game-day employees) has been honored numerous times, including winning the Best Overall Display Award (known as the “Best Show in Baseball”) for five straight years.
The team tries to instill a balance of Latino, country, hip-hop, top 40 and classic rock music for its fans.
Oakes works in tandem with Kirby Kander, senior director of creative services, doing everything from scripting music, picking player intro music (not all the guys pick their songs anymore), planning features/inning breaks and troubleshooting potential problems.
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If you’ve ever wondered what a professional baseball player does in his offseason, it’s probably a whole lot more than you think. Especially for someone like Chris Johnson, who struggled a bit last season (hitting .251 after a .308 average in 2010), going in and out of the lineup and even back to the minor leagues at one point.
Before he headed to Kissimmee, Fla. for spring training, I had the chance to sit down and chat with Johnson, the Houston Astros third baseman. Having just finished his five-hour morning strength and conditioning routine at Minute Maid Park with a few other guys (Bud Norris, Brett Wallace, Brian Bogasevic and Wandy Rodriquez to name a few), Johnson had just enough time to grab a shower and meet me for lunch.
In most clubhouses, Johnson would still be barely lurking past his rookie season, but here in Houston things are a bit different. Entering his third full season in the big leagues (with all of 212 career games played), he’s already forced to take more of a veteran role. Probably long before he’s ready.
For most teams, a guy in his third season is nowhere near considered a vet, but here in Houston, with a team this young, Johnson understands he needs to think more in terms of leadership.
“I need to play that veteran role and be one of the guys thinking about the team, not just myself,” he says. “I’m hoping that’ll be my role this year. Last year was hard for me because I felt I had to prove I deserved to be here.
“We don’t have guys like (Lance) Berkman to look up to anymore.”
Johnson recalls his own move up from Triple A Round Rock late in the 2009 season and his prominent and strategic locker placement next to All-Stars like Berkman and Roy Oswalt.
Despite spending part of his childhood around the big leagues (Johnson’s dad Ron has been a coach for more than 20 years, most notably with the Boston Red Sox), Johnson still soaked up all the advice he could manage from guys like Oswalt, Berkman and even Geoff Blum, his favorite guy on Twitter.
Enough With The Small Talk.
After a few minutes of polite small talk about Johnson’s offseason workout regimen (where he’s focusing on speed and power) and in between bites of me shoving chicken fingers in my mouth, I blurted out rather unlady like, “People are taking bets how badly the Astros are going to suck this year. Did you know that?”
There’s no way anyone, especially one of the guys sporting the Astros uniform, can shake this question. Understandably, they hear it everyday since the rotten performance the team turned in last year ranks as the worst record in Astros history (56-106).
Laughing and shaking his head, Johnson gave a very athletically PC answer: “We have to keep it reasonable. We need to take it one game at a time. One season at a time. We have to do better than last season . . .”
He trails off trying to maintain the optimism the Astros PR team has undoubtedly instilled in each of the guys. Picking back up, he admits, “We’re a young team. There’s no denying that. As a team we need to stay away from super lofty goals and keep improving. We’re headed in a really good direction — there’s really only one way to go.
“I’m excited to get to Kissimmee and see what we can do at spring training.”
The Big Game Of Numbers.
If you read anything about Chris Johnson on the Internet or ask any sports reporter, you’re bound to hear about his near All-Star (.308, 11 HR and 52 RBI in just 341 at-bats, getting named Astros Rookie of the Year) stats from 2010 which quickly plummeted to a dismal downward spiral his sophomore season.
“Last year was tough. I came into the season thinking I was the shit. I had to get out of my own way,” Johnson admits. “Pitchers and teams started looking at me and they had a game plan of how to handle me at the plate. As a rookie, you aren’t on their radar as much.
“I hit .160 my first month and it was definitely an adjustment both mentally and physically.”
Along with those declining numbers came talk about Johnson’s patience at the plate, or lack thereof. One article with some glaring stats courtesy of Bryan Curley pointed out that Johnson “struck out more than a quarter of the time (26.7 percent to be exact), walked only 15 times (4.1 percent) and swung at an astronomical 43.1 percent of pitches thrown outside the strike zone.”
What do you have to say for yourself Chris?
“Being patient at the plate is something I have to and am working on,” he says. “I have to learn that if I don’t get my pitch to just lay off and take a walk. The aggressiveness to want that hit . . . to be a playmaker . . . . that hurts me. That’s probably the biggest thing I’m working on right now.
“Laying off pitches is the mental side of hitting — you have to have discipline. Guys like Albert Pujols and Berkman have pretty much perfected it.”
Like a well thought out chess match, Johnson had the first move, then it was the opposing pitchers turn, and now in his third season, will it be Johnson’s turn for a rebuttal? Let’s hope so.
Comparing No. 9 to No. 23.
It’s as much a part of the game as sliding into second is: Comparing players. Whether it’s their batting stances, throwing mechanics, stats, defensive abilities or simply their place in the community, comparisons are made on the regular. It seems logical that when talking about Chris Johnson and his breakout rookie season, that he’s compared to none other than Hunter Pence.
On Sept. 24, 2010, Johnson became the 11th Astros rookie to reach 50 RBI in a season and the first since Pence (back in 2007). The last Astros rookie before Johnson with as many four-hit games in a single rookie season was Pence (who had four in 2007). Both Pence and Johnson posted a 14-game hitting streak in 2010. Both guys seemingly came out of the woodwork, found their spot on the Astros roster and put up alarming good numbers. Numbers so good even SportsCenter caught wind of it.
“He’s a great player,” Johnson says of the now Philadelphia Phillie Pence. “I have no problem being compared to him — he’s a hardworker, you can’t argue that. I don’t look into comparisons too much. I just try to be me and get better everyday. The people of Houston loved Hunter. This is the only team I’ve played for, so being liked by the fans is important to me.”
As sickening as the Pence pillow talk was, thankfully we managed to get on the topic of basketball, undoubtedly rubbing in a Duke loss to my Florida State Seminoles. Johnson professed his love (read obsession) for basketball, but admits he’s terrible at it. He’s a big Blue Devils fan and when it comes to NBA, he’s only got love for Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.
Of course we differ again as I’m a huge Miami Heat fan, which yes, includes LeBron James. Our talk of LeBron and the rest of the NBA world hating on him led Johnson to a little confession.
“I love being booed by opposing fans,” he says. “I love playing where we’re hated. It may sound weird, but playing in Chicago or St. Louis really pumps me up. The louder the fans boo, the harder I play.”
There’s A New Sheriff in Town.
Since Johnson answered those other hot-button questions so well I decided to throw more at him, this time in the form of Jim Crane. I firmly believe it was nothing more than a PR stunt when Crane attempted to get Astros fans rioting about the thought of a name change, and for good reason. That was the first time we’ve seen Astros fans up off their seats in what seems like ages — something Drayton McLane never seemed to do.
While many Houstonians are still undecided about Crane as an owner, Johnson is so far, a big fan.
“I know some folks don’t like some of the things he’s (Crane) doing, but I think he’s genuinely trying to turn things around,” Johnson says. “No matter what anyone says, he’s the boss and I listen.”
Back in November, Crane’s ownership group finally officially purchased the Astros for a whopping $680 million from grocery store maven Drayton McLane, who had owned the team for the last 19 years.
While fans are seeing lots of changes (or at least getting worked up over the possibilities), the guys on the team are still unsure.
“It’s a little too early to tell how things will be different with Crane’s interactions with us in the clubhouse and on the field,” Johnson says. “He’s a very outspoken guy — you’ll never have to worry about what he’s thinking because he’ll say it. I appreciate that kind of direct approach.”
Tweet Tweet.
Johnson is not only ready to excel at spring training and win the starting third base job for Opening Day. He’s ready to take on the Twitterverse as well. I believe he currently has thousands more followers than any other member of the Astros team (though he does have about 90,000 fewer followers than Pence).
Follow him for baseball (and of course basketball) related tweets at @cjastros23.
This article was featured on Culture Map, Houston’s Daily Digital Magazine in the sport’s section.
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My parents instilled in me the need to always seek the positive in any situation. They probably didn’t have baseball in mind when initiating my moral compass, but many situations often employ baseball in my world.
In the midst of a losing season chock-full of injuries, an ownership change, unruly fans parading through the outfield outsmarting and embarrassing security, and repetitive loses (did I mention that already?), it’s time we focus on something the Astros are doing right.
Focusing on their local community.
You might remember an article I wrote a few months back – Houston Astros Outsource Creativity – Out Of Their Hometown. I was reacting to a press release announcing the team’s proud choice to outsource this season’s marketing campaign. In doing so they neglected thousands of fully qualified creative geniuses residing right here in Houston – some of which are loyal season ticket holders even. Ones that undoubtedly could have come up with something better. (I still stand by the fact it’s excessively ironic that an agency IN CALIFORNIA developed the slogan, We Are Your Hometown Team.)
In a job market like the one we are stuck in for the foreseeable future, it’s hard not to notice (and subsequently call out) organizations and businesses that forego local resources and push work out of our community on a silver platter. A Texas born and bred entrepreneur, JR Cohen, founded a phenomenal movement repudiating this outsourcing concept known as #SLGT, which stands for Support Local Grow Together.
What started as a simple Twitter hashtag has now turned into a way of life designed to enlighten Houstonians on the vast amount of resources here in our very own city. Resources in the likes of capable workers, supplies and materials. While it’s not realistic to expect businesses as large as the Astros to use local in every aspect, it is appreciated and recognized by us locals when they do.
As a former Astros employee, my Outsourcing Creativity piece really ruffled the feathers of some of my old co-workers. Chatting with a friend, Bobby Forrest, who happens to be VP of Building Operations, I got on my soapbox defending my stance and the importance of utilizing local resources (as well as sermonizing how the creative minds in Houston rarely get enough credit).
As a rebuttal of sorts, Forrest pointed out that they used almost 90% of local contractors and businesses during the renovations to Minute Maid Park earlier this season. While obvious, it shouldn’t go unnoticed that Major League Baseball has an abundance of resources at their disposal for such undertakings. Resources that would likely be more affordable and make the lives of Astros employees, like Forrest and his staff, much easier.
Certainly the biggest “change” at Minute Maid this season was the addition of El Grande, the 1080i HD scoreboard (the Astros are the first team in Major League Baseball to have this type of scoreboard) in the outfield. With dimensions extending 54ft. tall x 124ft. wide and a process taking 4+ years (planning, proposals, bidding and construction combined), Daktronics, the out-of-the-area scoreboard manufacturer came to the table with a list of vendors (that were also out of the area) they usually work with. Abiding by a formal bidding process, checking referrals and going on positive testimonials from others, Forrest felt confident in hiring NEC, a respected local contractor to install all three video boards.
Over the years, Drayton McLane, the newly-former-Astros-owner, has taken the brunt of many fans disappointments maintaining he was an unfit mother – at least when it came to running a professional baseball team. While I may or may not agree with the above sentiment, there is one undeniable quality about Drayton – he appreciated and respected staff and fans alike. How many other team owners do you see regularly walking the concourse allowing themselves to be accessible to almost any and every fan (aside from Mark Cuban of course)?
Taking care of fans far and away includes supporting and employing local vendors (many of which are the actual fans) as it adds jobs and stabilizes our local economy. I’d say making a concerted effort to hire the guy next-door instead of the hair gel addict from the Jersey Shore counts as taking care of your fans, right?
Leading the Astros front office for nearly two decades, Drayton has encouraged the use of local and minority-owned businesses whenever possible. Forrest reiterated this Drayton initiative during our formal interview but said the Astros would not sacrifice quality and safety simply for the sake of using local businesses, hence the detailed bidding process and reference checks.
Flooring across the stadium was upgraded (eco-friendly vinyl “wood look” floors on the Club Level and Media Dining and carpet on the Club Level all using post-consumer content) and the bidding process for the project was like that of any other. “Texas Floor Covering came back with the best plan for not only our stadium but also our community. We were very happy with their work and would use them again”, Forrest said.
Insperity Club
Other notable renovations this season were the Press Box and the addition of the Insperity Club (which boasts eco-friendly reclaimed glass counter tops and automatic lighting features) by local General Contractor, Regas Construction.
Reputable companies like the Astros going on record about their dedication to the local community serve as a leader for other businesses across Houston. If local contractors and businesses are good enough for a multi-million dollar project for the Astros they’re probably good enough for almost anyone, yes?
Listening to Forrest talk about the changes they’ve implemented across the ballpark this year it’s hard to tell if he’s a proud parent or a kid at Christmas. Either way, he and the rest of the front office have an immense amount of pride in their updated ballpark, as they should.
As of now, it’s the only thing Astros fans (and staff) can hang their hat on.
https://theblondeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Insperity-Club-028.jpg12001600Jaymehttps://theblondeside.com//wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1526998321020-300x192.pngJayme2011-06-06 12:34:572011-06-06 12:44:52The Astros Score One With Locals
Right, wrong or indifferent, the Houston Astros have long been a team that pride themselves on being a hometown team. It’s because of that Texas flair and sense of entitlement we’ve all become accustomed to and our loyalty extends almost to a fault. It’s that unprecedented pride we feel about our barbeque, our cowboy boots and our country music…and damn sure our baseball. The Astros make a point of highlighting the Texas born and bred men they add to their roster each year as if it were a valid selling point. They beam about it in all facets of media using it to their advantage anyway they can. And like blind sheep, fans flock to these men in a Josh-We-Love-You-So-Much-Kind-Of-Hamilton-Way. Simply because they’re from Texas.
Last week, the Astros front office announced their new campaign, “We Are Your Astros”. This tagline was released in conjunction with the fact that they’d again chosen to outsource the campaign and all creative aspects to Lee Queano Creative in Torrance, CA. Having worked in sports marketing for over 5 years, and at one time specifically for the Astros, I can vouch that the creativity in most front offices is oftentimes lacking.
“This is perhaps the strongest communication we have ever created for the Astros,” the firm’s principal and chief creative director Lee Queano said. “The team belongs to the fans of Houston and this year’s campaign is supported by the continuing involvement and commitment of the Astros through countless community efforts to make the city an even better place to live,” Queano continued.
https://theblondeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/TBS_Astros.jpg761415Jaymehttps://theblondeside.com//wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1526998321020-300x192.pngJayme2011-02-21 02:18:122011-06-08 00:02:48Hometown Astros outsource creativity… out of their hometown?
Last week I went to an Astros game and my seats were behind this cute little suburbia-esque family. The dad was sporting his bright white Reebok high-tops, Lance Berkman jersey and jean shorts, and the mom had her Ralph Lauren nautical themed polo neatly tucked into her pleated khaki slacks with their son and daughter sitting between the two of them. The little girl asked, “Daddy, when is halftime? I have to go potty!” It was kind of cute and funny until the reality of what she said sank in and I felt a pit in my stomach. It was cute and innocent that she asked when halftime was AT A BASEBALL GAME, but her dad’s response was anything but cute and innocent.