Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Surprise for Phil!!!!!!!!!!

One day while preparing to close our donut shop for the day, my oldest daughter told me she wanted to send a thank you to Jimmy Wynn for the autographed baseball he had given her. She was only four years old and we wanted to nurture in her a spirit of gratitude, so I told her I would write down what she wanted to say, and we would mail it on the way home. I don’t remember the exact words of the note, but she thanked him for the ball and for calling her beautiful. She told him if he ever came to our little town he should come to our shop and she would give him a free donut.

We did not know the actual address, so we just sent the note to Jimmy Wynn, Astrodome, Houston, Texas. I had my doubts it would ever reach the Astros’ star, but I did not tell my little girl. We dropped it in the mailbox on the way home that night.


A few weeks later we went to another game at the Dome. As was usual for us, after the game we went to the loading docks gate, which is where the home team players exited the building. We were waiting at the base of a long ramp, maybe fifteen or twenty yards from those crowding around the door. I saw a boy from the summer league team I coached among the gathering; he was working hard for autographs. He greeted us and asked what we were doing so far back from the action. I told him we were waiting for Jimmy Wynn, so my girl could say hello to her friend. Phil had his doubts that Jimmy Wynn was her friend, and he went back to the door to obtain more signatures.


A little while later Jimmy came through the door. He had a box under one arm and a couple of bats in his other hand. He was walking fast and obviously was not interested in signing a bunch of autographs that night. Phil was trailing him all the way down the ramp, trying to get him to stop, without any luck. As he approached, my daughter called out, “hi Jimmy.”


Wynn walked directly to where I was holding my little one, switching the bats to his other hand so he had an arm free. He said, “Good Evening, Stacey, I received your card. Thank you very much.” He took her from me, kissed her on the lips and proceeded to visit with her about what kind of donut he should get if he came to the shop.

Phil’s jaw bounced off the sidewalk!


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Saturday, January 23, 2010

Is Arbitration In Store for Wandy?

THe Houston Astros have three players that remain arbitration eligible; Hunter Pence, Tim Byrdak, and Wandy Rodriguez. The exchanged figures are not too far apart for Pence and Byrdak and the club. But there is a significant hurdle between what Rodriguez wants and the team is offering, a two million dollar hurdle.

Wandy had his best season year, winning 14 with one of the best ERA's in the league in 2008. I think he is on the verge of being a consistent winner and being left handed, hi is very valuable. I don't really care if he makes $5 million or $7 million. My concern is that Wandy has been the most easily distracted and emotional pitcher on the staff for most of his career. I hope that he does not have to go to an arbitration hearing and listen to his weaknesses presented by the team, who is trying to save a few (relatively speaking) dollars.

Here's hoping that a settlement is reached before the hearings start.


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Saturday, January 16, 2010

One Month To Go!

It is getting closer to baseball season, I can feel it. Every day now there is some baseball related story in the newspaper. Two of the Astros arbitration eligible players signed contracts yesterday--Jeff Keppinger and Chris Sampson. In a month the players will be in training camp and we will see pictures on the evening news of the workouts and then Grapefruit League games. I know the football playoffs are going on right now, but for me that is just a diversion till baseball gets back underway!


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Monday, January 11, 2010

'Stros Added Myers!

I was away from home and the media for the first week of the new year, so I was a bit late in hearing that the Houston Astros had made a deal with right handed pitcher Brett Myers. It was a surprised because I did not think the Astros would spend the money for a free agent.

I am pleased that the move was made because I think Myers has a chance to really improve the starting staff this year. And of course that makes there be a chance to have a better season. Myers will likely be the third pitcher in the rotation, behind Roy Oswalt and Wandy Rodriguez. That is a lot better than Mike Hampton or Russ Ortiz.

I am feeling a bit of optimism.!



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