So....how have you been all these years?

Given the news that the Houston Astros are moving over to the American League, I should probably re-introduce & re-acquaint myself. The Astros are kind of like that friend from Junior High that I sorta drifted away from. School ended, summer was crazy, we made new friends & went our separate ways in high school. We'd nod & say: "Hey man" as we passed each other in the hallways. Cool school.


Buuut....When I was a kid the Astros were among my favourite teams. FWIW, my teenage self had a top 5 that looked like this:

1. Blue Jays
2. Mets
3. Cardinals
4. Expos
5. Astros

Anyways...back to the Astros. I guess there was something about their colours & that wacky dome that appealed to me. They were pretty faaaar out & I wore their Orange hunters hat with pride (what a crazy ass hat!).

A lot of my early baseball thoughts & opinions started to take shape in 1986. I was ten years old then & that's when the list above would have been from. The 1986 All-Star game was played at the eighth wonder of the world - the'Astrodome'. I taped that game on VHS & would replay the player introductions regularly when I got home from school. Watching Tony Fernandez get introduced at the Astrodome gave me goosebumps even on the hundredth viewing.


From '85 to 1989 there weren't many pitchers more dominant than 'Stros hurler Mike Scott. When I pulled one of his cards back then, the pack could be deemed a success.

I really like this card. The orange border on '88 Score Update worked perfectly with the Astros colour scheme. Outside of Griffey Jr, Craig 'babyface' Biggio was a fave of mine. He was a catcher like me & like my dad was.


August 30, 1990. The Boston Red Sox trade prospect Jeff Bagwell for pitcher Larry Andersen. Ouch.
It is scientifically proven that every pack of baseball cards from the late 80's & early nineties contains a Kevin Bass card.

Ken Caminiti - playing the field.

Nolan looks pretty fierce in this photo....hat pulled down low & about to un-cork something in the 100 mph vicinity. It was sooo strange to me when Nolan left the Astros for the Rangers. Seeing that 89' Topps Traded card for the 1st time was absolutely mystifying.

After the Killer B's - Bagwell & Biggio retired, it seemed like the 'Stros belonged to Roy Oswalt & Lance Berkman.

I didn't want the LaRussa's to win the World Series. But I was happy for Berk. The more I watched him play, the more I liked what I saw - 'Berk just Berked!' Good hitter, great beard.

See you in 2013 old pal...and don't forget to bring your DH.