YYYYEEEESSSSSSS!!!!!!! (thanks terry)

So what's your interestin the 'stros?

finally... the sporting world's greatest, most storied franchise can take it's rightful god-given place at the spring's table (the head of it, i trust)... Greatest Astros (all-time) (which by extension of course means Greatest Players (all-time)) 1B... jeff bagwell bob watson (resv.) 2B... craig biggio joe morgan (resv.) 3B... doug rader ("the rooster") ken caminiti (resv.) SS... dickie thon denis menke (resv.) C.... alan ashby johnny edwards (resv.) (i know he was a cardinal, terry... but he finished his career in houston... and he was a hell of a player) OF... jose cruz cesar cedeno derek bell moises alou (resv.) jimmy wynn (resv.) rusty staub (resv.) starting pitchers: james rodney richard; nolan ryan; larry dierker; don wilson; joe niekro; mike scott relief pitchers: joe sambito; dave smith; fred gladding; billy wagner manager: larry dierker (naturally)

(from this week's Baseball Weekly): (the Mighty) Houston Astros The Astros reached the midway point of the season at 49-32 � the second-best record after 81 games in club history. The best start in franchise history was 50-31 by the 1979 club. ''We've got a long way to go, but getting to the halfway mark in first place and being able to do so with some of the injuries we've had. . . . Obviously, I'm pleased,'' manager Larry Dierker said. � Astros' right-hander Chris Holt is out for the season. Holt, who hasn't pitched since last season because of rotator-cuff problems, had surgery Monday. ''There was no structural damage, just some tightness, but he's going to need lengthy rehab,'' general manager Gerry Hunsicker said. ''That being the case, he won't be back this year.'' Holt made 32 starts last year and pitched 2092/3 innings. He has been on the disabled list since spring training because of surgery to repair a frayed rotator cuff in November. ''We had initially hoped he might be back in time to help us in August or September,'' Dierker said. ''That's out of the question now.'' � Scott Elarton will likely head back to Triple-A New Orleans after giving up five runs in six innings Thursday at Colorado. Dierker had indicated Elarton had a chance to stick around following his strong showing against Cincinnati earlier this week, but Hunsicker said otherwise. ''We have five starters doing a good job,'' Hunsicker said. ''Unless another starter gets hurt, we're not going to need (Elarton) right now.'' Mike Hampton is expected to come off the disabled list Tuesday. Barring any injuries, Elarton will probably not rejoin the team until September. � The Astros reacquired outfielder Ken Ramos from the Minnesota organization and assigned him to Triple-A New Orleans.

T E A M � N O T E B O O K From Pro Sports Xchange -- July 2, 1998 INSIDE PITCH Just call them the Monsters of Murworth Street. They lead the league in hitting and runs scored and they've scored 48 runs in their last four games. Their lead in the National League Central Division is at season-high seven games. Even long-time Houston observers cannot remember a Houston team with as much firepower as the Astros have shown this season. "This franchise has usually been known for pitching and defense, but this team certainly should be considered as more of an offensive team first and defense second based on what we've seen during the first half (of the season)," manager Larry Dierker said. Chicago White Sox manager Jerry Manuel, who saw his team outscored 27-6 in back-to-back losses to the Astros, raved over Houston's offense. "One through eight they're as impressive as any team I've seen in a while," Manuel said. "They have got some bats on that team, and they're swinging them real well right now." The Astros, who hit .294 during June, saw every starting position player record at least one hit and score at least one run Tuesday, then have six of eight turn the trick Wednesday night against the White Sox. "Our offense can't perform any better than it has been these last few days," manager Larry Dierker said. "This is the kind of stretch where you sit back and enjoy and hope it continues." The Astros have been scoring at a healthy pace all season, but lately they've picked up the pace and a big reason has been the hitting of Moises Alou and Jeff Bagwell. Those two have seven homers combined in their last three games, including four in 11 at bats by Alou. Bagwell, who hit only .234 in May, is hitting .340 since May 30 with 11 homers and 30 runs batted in. "Those two hitting like they are it's hard to pitch around both of them," Dierker said. "You've got to face one or the other, and usually lately Craig (Biggio) or Derek (Bell) has been on base in front of them, and with the way Carl Everett has been hitting behind them. I wouldn't want to pitch to them. Right now the lineup is doing what we'd hoped it would do when we put it together." And the Astros are putting it together. Big time. "It's a shame we're having the (All-Star) break now," Alou said. "This is a lot of fun." BY THE NUMBERS: 301 -- The number of at bats it has been since Ricky Gutierrez hit his last home run. QUOTE TO NOTE: "I said to (plate umpire Gerry Davis) what was I supposed to do, grab you and tag the runner with you?" -- Astros catcher Brad Ausmus after a wild pitch bounced into Davis' pocket Wednesday night, allowing Chicago's Ray Durham to score from third. NOTES, QUOTES, ANECDOTES Derek Bell was left off the All-Star team again despite hitting .331 with 11 homers and 60 runs batted in. "I've been snubbed before but I don't worry about it, it's out of my hands," Bell said. "I may not be an All-Star, but I feel like I'm an All-Star in this community. I'm not going to get mad about it, it's just one of those things that happens. I didn't make it two years ago but the managers voted me on their All-Underrated team. I take pride in that." Craig Biggio was voted in as the starting second baseman and Moises Alou was added as a reserve. "In truth I was looking forward to going home," Alou said. "But it's an honor. It will be a chance to see some of my old teammates." Left-hander Billy Wagner was hit on the left ankle with a line drive off the bat of Chicago's Mike Cameron during the ninth inning Wednesday. Wagner had the ankle iced down after the game. "It will be sore tomorrow for sure, but I don't think it's anything more serious than a bruise," Wagner said. No one on the Astros had ever seen anything like it. It happened during Wednesday night's game against the Chicago White Sox. With Ray Durham at third and Frank Thomas hitting Houston pitcher Doug Henry uncorked a wild pitch in the dirt. The ball bounced up and landed in plate umpire Gerry Davis' front shirt pocket while catcher Brad Ausmus scrambled around looking for the ball. Durham raced home before Ausmus finally located the ball. "I was yelling 'It's in his pocket, it's in his pocket," Henry said. "Then I stopped yelling because I figured it was a dead ball. But when the crowd started booing I knew it wasn't a dead ball." Davis said he didn't see the ball at first but under the rules, if a ball gets caught in his equipment the runner is awarded one base. "He made the right call," Ausmus said. "I guess had I known where the ball was I could have grabbed it and tagged him but I didn't see it. I've never seen anything like that." Neither had the Astros. "No one in the dugout had seen anything like that before," manager Larry Dierker said. The Astros went over the one million mark in home attendance Wednesday night. It took them 39 dates. The quickest Houston went over the one million mark was 1980 (34 dates) and the second-fastest was 1965, the year the Astrodome opened, when it took 38 dates. ROSTER REPORT Mike Hampton pitched a two-inning simulation prior to Tuesday night's game vs. the White Sox and experienced no discomfort. Hampton, who has been on the 15-day disabled list since June 16 with a strained right groin muscle, will be activated in time to start Saturday vs. Arizona. Right-hander Jose Cabrera pitched a one-inning simulation before Tuesday's game and threw without pain. Cabrera, who has been on the disabled list since April 5 because of a right shoulder injury, will get one more inning later this week and if he passes that test he will be sent on a rehab assignment in the minor leagues. Bill Spiers left Tuesday night's game in the fifth inning because of tightness in his right groin. He was replaced by Sean Berry. Spiers is day-to-day. The Astros gave veteran right-hander Lee Smith his outright release Tuesday. Smith, the all-time major league saves leader, had been attempting a comeback. He was 1-1 with two saves. The Astros agreed to terms on a contract with right-hander Brad Lidge of Notre Dame, the club's number one pick in last month's amateur player draft. Lidge, 21, was selected 17th overall. "Brad has an above average fastball and a good-looking curveball with a decent delivery," Astros Director of Scouting David Lakey said. "He is a big and strong kid and is exactly what you would be looking for in a pitcher." BATTING ORDER -- 2B Craig Biggio (.329-11-48), 3B Bill Spiers (.289-2-25), RF Derek Bell (.331-11-60), 1B Jeff Bagwell (.280-18-52), LF Moises Alou (.321-19-71), CF Carl Everett (.332-8-45), SS Ricky Gutierrez (.299-0-19), C Brad Ausmus (.243-4-20). PITCHING MATCHUPS -- Thursday (July 2) vs. Chicago White Sox, Jose Lima (7-4) vs. James Baldwin (2-3). Friday (July 3) vs. Arizona, Shane Reynolds (9-5) vs. Andy Benes (6-8). Saturday (July 4), Mike Hampton (8-3) vs. Brian Anderson (5-7). Sunday (July 5), Sean Bergman (7-4) vs. Willie Blair (3-11). DISABLED LIST -- RHP Ramon Garcia (strained medial collateral ligament in his right arm), RHP Chris Holt (recovering from surgery to repair a frayed rotator cuff), RHP Jose Cabrera (stretched ligaments in right shoulder), 1B Jack Howell (dislocated lunate bone in his left wrist), CF Richard Hidalgo (separated right shoulder), LHP Mike Hampton (strained groin). MINOR LEAGUE REPORT -- Right-hander Brian Sikorski, promoted from AA Jackson to AAA New Orleans, retired the final 16 batters he faced in his first appearance with the Zephyrs in an eight-inning complete game. Sikorski is believed to be at least two years away from making the major league club but has been steadily moving through the system during the last three years. HOUSTON ASTROS TEAM PAGE TEAM NOTEBOOKS Copyright (C) 1998 Pro Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved. Reprints, duplication or redistribution is prohibited without written permission from Pro Sports Xchange.

this current (championship) season is the astros 37th, since their inauguration saved the national league (all of baseball, really), lo so many years ago (in 1962)... few people realize this- and many that do still find it nearly impossible to believe- but... the houston astros have NEVER WON A WORLD SERIES... never... as in... well, NEVER... (never even participated in a world series, actually) (well, at least not until the conclusion of this- doubtless- current championship season)... HOW CAN THIS BE??????? how can this franchise- the most hallowed in all of professional sports, known to move the most jaded and impartial of baseball-lovers (like me, for example) to firth-like revery- have never achieved what is regarded as the pinnacle of achievement in their sport? i have several theories... 1) BAD SCOREKEEPING... i am convinced that this little-known deficiency has cost my boys a minimum 10-12 games per season since their inception... (it is outrageous, and something must be done)... 2) MILO HAMILTON.... has ANY team milo broadcast for even played in a world series (while he was with them, i mean)? (braves, cubs, white sox, etc...?) is milo the Kiss of Death? 3) ROAD GAMES... do you realize that since the national league adopted the 162 game schedule, the astros have been compelled to play an average of EIGHTY-ONE road games PER SEASON? this is terribly unfair... and... and outrageous, even... and something must be done... 4) THE CURSE OF THE DOG... joaquin andujar... (need i say more?)... referring to this loopiest of latin fruit loops, sparky anderson said, "every dog has his day"... we've been having our's for more than twenty years now, and i'm getting sick of it... maybe if joaquin could somehow be located... a ritual sacrifice, perhaps... to appease the baseball gods (specifically the god in charge of the astro's account, i.e., the God of the Whammy)... i dunno, i'm up for it if anyone else is... 5) IT'S ALL BEEN A BAD DREAM... think this's the excuse- explanation- i actually give most credence to... i'm asleep... these past thirty-some years are only a manifestation of my baser fears... a lurid and fantastic dream... the astros have won 15 world series... 5 in a row... only i'm not (fully) aware of this... cause i'm sleeping, you know? (i'm sure of it)

Wake up, snap out of it! If the Stros can only get past the Braves and Yankees...

afraid we're a quality starter away from getting past either of those guys... (hmmmm... wonder if todd stottlemeyer's available?)... QUOTE TO NOTE: "Go to Austin and swim, catch some rays and do nothing." -- Astros manager Larry Dierker when asked how he would spend the All-Star break. NOTES, QUOTES ANECDOTES

He picked a great place to swim and do nothing. (unabashedly, he said).

The Big Unit trade was a work of genius, even if he'll only be around half a season. I'm really a life-long White Sox fan, but since I've been living in Texas, the Stros have become my second team. They're also in the same division with the Cubs, a team I have always despised, so that gives me all the more reason to root for them. I hope the Cubs blow their shot at the wild card. If the Astros finish really big, they won't have to face the Braves in the first round.

Braves in the first round would not be good. But they have to face the music eventually. The home run race has been eclipsing the pennant race this year. Looks like Sosa or McGwire will break the record soon.

it was all just a very very bad dream there are no houston astros there is no baseball these are each only figments haunting my conciousness (this is how i'm able to carry on)

Well gee, the Padres and the Indians won yesterday. So don't say Braves and Yanks is a foregone conclusion. The Indians always hang around. Buh bye Cubbies.