selltheastros.com

after trying to screw him on his contract extension in 1988 and forcing him to record his 300th win, 5000th strike out and final two no-hitters in Dallas, the Houston Astros have finally figured out what to do about Nolan Ryan:

Ryan Instills His Toughness in the Rangers

stay classy, Astros!

In an abrupt about-face, Wal-mart McLane now says Liar Clemens is no longer allowed to act like part of the Houston Astros’ staff.

Don’t miss the sunshine in that Chronicle story: payroll is up $10 million for 2009!  $10 million!

In related news, Wal-mart McLane has said he will stop using gold-leaf toilet paper in his executive suite.  Gotta make cuts so that all you ungrateful fans can enjoy that extra $10 mil for payroll.

Ken Burns is planning on adding an update called The Tenth Inning to his documentary on baseball – that’s good news because I like his work.

The bad news?  I am hoping this is taken out of context:

“We live in the age of Viagra,” he said. “People take (medications) to make things better. Why would players be any different?”

To answer his moronic question, let me just posit: steroids are harmful to the body.  Last time I checked, that Little Blue Pill he mentioned doesn’t shorten one’s life span.

Ken, if you are OK with making things better, can we go back to Bouton’s days and also allow Little Green Meanies?  Heck, let’s just skip that and allow crack!

Sigh, oh well, so much for dreaming of a sport that returns to being honest and wholesome.  Nice quote, Ken.

Ed Wade is back from Las Vegas…it appears that his attempt at bankroll management is right on schedule.

no real news in this post – the Astros have done pretty much nothing that is exciting and they are already blaming the economy for what will surely be a poor ticket sales season.

wonder how Yankees games will sell?  no one is excited about Sabathia or Burnett, right?

in other news, Wal-mart profits are up.  go Drayton!

ttfn!

there is some press coming out about Bud Selig and the decision to require the Astros to play games directly after Hurricane Ike.  I can only venture to guess that the baseball media and punditry is just now paying attention to the matter due to Selig’s full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle.  otherwise, shouldn’t this have hit the media round about September 15th?

anyway, lots of fans are lining up to take shots at Selig – and they should – but let’s not forget who else is implicitly to blame: our man, Wal-mart McLane.

does anyone besides me think that Wal-mart McLane could have stopped this abomination?  i highly doubt had McLane pitched a fit and planned to take his complaints to the fans, Selig would have held his ground.

but one billionaire to another, all those guys saw was a chance for the Cubbies and the Astros to play a game for Selig’s hometown.

just another instance of our teams ownership and leadership not doing what is necessary and correct for our team and fans.

Drayton, seriously, please, sell the fscking team and let someone else who really cares about the product have a chance.  go back to selling cheap Chinese fiberboard crap and sucking at the teat of corporate America.

all season i’ve had the feeling that the Astros’ clubhouse is not really happy with their management, specifically Cecil Cooper and Ed Wade. last night Shawn Chacon put a whole lot of credence to that.

certainly Chacon was in the wrong and is going to get his due. it was no secret prior to his signing that he had issues, mostly due to his emotional outbursts, but also with his lack of respect for authority. but unless i missed a story, Chacon has never attacked a member of management. so why now?

i have a sneaking feeling that Ed Wade has some issues too and Cecil Cooper is no angel. both men haven’t earned the respect of their team and it is evident that they are not being given the proper respect based on their roles in the organization. so in that absence, they are going to exert their authority. the results? well, let’s just say it’s chickens coming home to roost.

it’s no secret that as a fan i am not happy with the Astros play, but i am even less happy with our organization, from top down. leadership is a learned skill, not an innate attribute. you can’t make every man a leader. it might be noble of Drayton McLane to attempt to promote from within but the end result must be a fulfillment of job duties. Ed Wade lacks that fulfillment. Cecil Cooper does too.

it is not surprising that this happened. McLane operates the Astros like any other good ol’ boy network. chummy foot soldiers are promoted, not based on skills or success, but often on how much ass they can kiss on the way up. this is how you get a life long marketing guy running a major league baseball team.

and i am sure the price was right.

the ESPN Baseball Tonight Clubhouse has taken notice of our plight.

Astros’ nine-game road trip…
W-L: 2-7
BA: .227
Runs per game: 2.3
ERA: 4.01

…followed by nine-game homestand
W-L: 2-7
BA: .286
Runs per game: 4.1
ERA: 4.78

thanks for the stats, boys!

it was a lot of fun in May when we were playing over our heads. couple this with June’s heat and lack of rain and spirits are not too high in ol’ H-town.

at least we are not as big a laughing stock as the Mets…nice management you guys got there.

get out the hip “waders” b/c it is about to get deep:

Astros defend decision to sit regulars
Fans voice displeasure during final game of Yankees series
By Alyson Footer / MLB.com

Lance Berkman was one of three regulars out of the lineup in Sunday’s finale. (Eric Risberg/AP)

BALTIMORE — Many fans who attended the game between the Astros and Yankees on Sunday afternoon at Minute Maid Park voiced their displeasure regarding the home team’s lineup, and the Astros have taken note.

Three-fourths of the regular starting infield had the day off — first baseman Lance Berkman, second baseman Kazuo Matsui and third baseman Ty Wigginton. Berkman was rested because of a left shin bruise he suffered legging out a double-play grounder during the ninth inning the night before, but injuries had nothing to do with Matsui and Wigginton not playing.

With one of the premier American League teams in town and ticket prices running twice what they normally cost, many fans were unhappy that the Astros seemingly put a product on the field that was at less than full strength. Losing 13-0 didn’t help, either.

General manager Ed Wade acknowledged on Tuesday that the situation has been addressed.

“We want to first make sure we give guys days off that they need, but at the same time, we have to make sure we’re putting the type of [regular] lineup on the field, particularly for a home game,” Wade said. “[Manager Cecil Cooper's] primary responsibility is to put the team on the field that he thinks has the best chance to win that day. But at the same time, if we can balance the days off where Sunday doesn’t become the day of rest, it’s probably best for everybody involved.”

Regardless of the importance of the Yankees series, Berkman was unequivocally a “no go” on Sunday, according to Wade, who had spoken with head athletic trainer Dave Labossiere prior to the game and was told the first baseman shouldn’t play.

Cooper perfers to give Matsui a day off after he plays five or six days in a row, in order to keep the second baesman strong. Matsui has a history of back problems, and his workload has to be handled with caution.

The decision to rest Wigginton was solely Cooper’s decision.

Wade said the club is aware of the angry reaction from the fans, and said the team will “pay attention as we’re going forward.” Presumably, star players without injury issues will play when the Red Sox come to town at the end of the month.

“It’s not about ticket prices, it’s about trying to balance what’s right for the club, first and foremost,” Wade said. “But also recognizing that we’ve got very loyal fans, where their only opportunity [to attend a game] might be that particular Sunday. We’ll try to balance it out.”

the firestorm over the Father’s Day Massacre finally caused someone in the Astros organization to speak up.  so what did Drayton, the CEO of the Astros have to say?  not a thing.  but his mouthpiece of a president did.  we now find out that Lance was a “no go”, despite other media reports that quote Lance as saying he could play.  good ol’ Lancelot, not wanting to throw his King under the bus.

here’s my favorite part of Wade’s bullshit:

“It’s not about ticket prices, it’s about trying to balance what’s right for the club, first and foremost,” Wade said. “But also recognizing that we’ve got very loyal fans, where their only opportunity [to attend a game] might be that particular Sunday. We’ll try to balance it out.”

suddenly, after having “premium” priced tickets for a game in which they sat three starters, it’s NOT about price.  you hear that Astros fans – when it costs you north of $250 for a family of four to attend a game, well, it’s about ‘balance.’

Ed, you know what your problem is?  since 1977 you have worked in the vacuum of MLB.  while i am sure you think it is the real world, the truth is, it is a sheltered, protected monopoly, where often times ignorance and loyalty are rewarded over skill and intelligence.  you are proof of that, my man!

you know, one thing i live my life by is that you vote with your dollars.  if an organization, business, charity, church, etc doesn’t live up to your expectations, then the best way to react is to withhold your money.  the Astros under Wal-Mart McLane’s tenure have taken one of the best farm systems in MLB and run it into the ground.  every year ol’ Wal-Mart signs off on being just about average in everything he does.  he puts forth a product, from top to bottom, that is of the quality of the Chinese-made crap that is stacked deep in Wal-Mart stores.  he will never spend for the talent that teams like the Yankees have and he will never spend to hire the intelligence that organizations like the Red Sox have.  every year he applies more lipstick to the pig and sells it to us, the fans.

are you still paying for mediocrity?

Associated Press
ANAHEIM, Calif. – Willie Randolph is out as manager of the New York Mets, fired 2½ months into a disappointing season that has followed the team’s colossal collapse last September.

Bench coach Jerry Manuel takes over on an interim basis for Randolph, who led the Mets to within one win of the 2006 World Series. They got off to a strong start again last year but plummeted down the stretch and have been unable to rebound.

can we make Coop the second?

by the way:

Lance Berkman, who missed Sunday’s game and has been nursing a sore lower left leg, is expected to return to the lineup tonight in Baltimore. He likely will be the designated hitter.

Berkman, in a 6-for-30 slump (.200), has been designated hitter in two of three possible games this year, with Carlos Lee doing it once. Astros designated hitters are a combined 4-for-13 (.308) this year.

The Astros will use the designated hitter for the last time this week when they face the Orioles and Tampa Bay.

good thing he sat out Sunday.  now he is all rested for DHing!