ASTROS WIN!!!

Every so often, a player comes in and steps up at crunch time. Someone who has always been a good player, but they take it to another level when it counts the most. Chris Burke is certainly doing it for the Astros this post-season. Watching Chris these last few games was like watching Josh Beckett of the Florida Marlins in 2003 and the performance he put up in the World Series. It is just amazing to see someone take it to the next level, especially when it is for the home team. I think it is a tribute to the Astros front office and farm system, which is one of the best in baseball.

As for me and my family, we will be going to Minute Maid Park today to present, together with the Astros, the Berkman and Burke home-run balls to the Baseball Hall of Fame and watch the team workout.

GO ASTROS!!!

Right before Game 1 of the American League Championship Series tonight, I followed Dusty Baker as a guest on "Stayin’ Hot" with Seth Everett and Darryl Hamilton. Here is the video if you missed it. Go Astros.

 

I wrote a first-person story for MLB.com about that incredible Sunday at Minute Maid Park, and now here’s another story in today’s Houston Chronicle about what’s happening.

Here was a FoxSports.com account. And this is the on-air script that was available on the website of the WB in Houston:

ASTROS FEVER AND THE GUY WITH THE AMAZING CATCHES—THAT
18 INNING MARATHON STILL HAS HOUSTON AND THE REST OF THE COUNTRY
TALKING. BUT AS THE ASTROS CONTINUE THEIR REMARKABLE RUN TO THE WORLD
SERIES, ONE REMARKABLE FAN HAS MADE A REMARKABLE DECISION AFTER NOT ONE
BUT TWO REMARKABLE CATCHES YESTERDAY. WHAT WILL HE DO WITH THEM? THE WB
‘S STEVE SIMON MET THE GUY TODAY AND STEVE IS HERE WITH SOME ANSWERS.
—–

SHAUN DEAN HAS BEEN TO ASTROS GAMES ALL HIS LIFE BUT YESTERDAY THE GAME
CAME TO HIM, NOT ONCE BUT TWICE. THE DAY AFTER THIS; THE TALK ISN’T
ABOUT GETTING HARD TO GET TICKETS TO THE GAMES AGAINST ST. LOUIS.
PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE GUY WEARING THE ROGER CLEMONS JERSEY
SITTING IN THE SECOND ROW OF THE CRAWFORD BOXES. SHAUN DEAN CATCHES TWO
PIECES OF BASEBALL HISTORY, LANCE BERKMAN’S 8TH INNING GRAND SLAM BALL;
HIS HIGH SCHOOL GLOVE HELPING OUT, AND TEN INNINGS LATER, CHRIS BURKE’S
MIRACLE BECOMES SHAUN DEAN’S GIFT.

AWESOME BECAUSE WELCOME TO SHAUN’S 15 MINUTES OF FAME. WHILE WE TALK TO
HIM, THEY TALK ABOUT HIM ON ESPN. AND THEN THERE’RE PHONE INTERVIEWS
WITH WGN-RADIO IN CHICAGO. HE CAUGHT TWO HOMERUN BALLS THAT COULD BE
WORTH A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS BUT THIS IS NO FINDERS KEEPERS STORY. DEAN
IS GIVING THESE BACK TO THE ASTROS. THE BALLS WILL LIKELY GO BACK TO
THE ASTROS ON FRIDAY. THE TEAM HAS INVITED DEAN TO WATCH A WORKOUT. HE
ALSO WAS GIVEN TICKETS TO SATURDAY’S GAME. THE ODDS OF CATHING A BALL
ACCORDING TO ESPN, ONE IN 5000. THAT’S HOW MANY FANS HAVE A CHANCE TO
CATCH SOMETHING.