Sometimes it's nice being a baseball fan. We get 162 games a year and our off-season is considerably short compared to most (well if your team makes it to the playoffs, that is). And yet, I feel like I've been waiting for the 2012 season for a lifetime. And while my friends probably aren't ready to lose me to my MLB At Bat app on my phone, I am beyond ready for some baseball. With Opening Day just around the corner (this Thursday!), I thought I would make a few observations about the upcoming season:
Let's just get this one out of the way - the Miami Marlins, really? Why fix something that ain't broke? That will take some getting used to.
2012 is the last season that the Astros will be in the National League. This has been a bit disconcerting to me ever since they announced we would be moving to the AL West in 2013. I found it pretty stupid when the Brewers moved to the NL back in 1998, and even stupider that they didn't just move them back this time around. I never really realized how much league loyalty I had until now. Or how much I hate the idea of a designated hitter. I love having the pitchers bat. It makes for some exciting moments (like in 2006 when Roy Oswalt and Andy Pettitte hit home runs on two consecutive nights - to date, their only career HRs), and in my opinion, it makes guys earn their keep. I am not a fan of paying a guy millions of dollars for 4 or 5 at bats a game and NOTHING ELSE. Especially if he can't even bat above .300. I feel like the DH role is where baseball players go to die. So I guess at least it'll give Carlos Lee something to do. Anyway, I am glad I have a whole season to get my head around the move, but I don't think I'll ever be really excited about it.
The one positive thing that I took from the upcoming AL move is that at least we wouldn't have to face Albert Pujols (the Kryptonite to our Superman, if you will) but a couple of times a year at best. But, as luck would have it, he signed a record-breaking $254 million/10-year deal with the Angels (I'll save my thoughts on the stupidity of that contract for another blog), who just so happen to be in the AL West. So we really should enjoy this season because after 2012, we'll be seeing him a whole bunch.
I am excited about the new Astros owner, Jim Crane. I am a big Drayton McLane fan, don't get me wrong, and I have a lot of respect for him as a man and as a Christ-follower, but his "let's blow our budget on washed-up superstars and trade away our farm system every year" mentality was getting pretty tired. I am pretty hopeful that Crane is going to do more to develop our up-and-coming players. Even though these next couple of seasons will be a time of restructuring and rebuilding, I think there are happy days ahead. I'm excited to see some of our young talent develop this year. We've got a number one pick in June and we've acquired a lot of young players through trades last year and in the off-season. I'm particularly excited to have Jason Castro back from ACL surgery, and to see what Jonathan Singleton and Jarred Cosart are going to bring to the table in Corpus Christi. And mark my words, Delino DeShields is the guy to watch this year. I think we'll see him in OKC by the end of the season, and maybe even in the big show come September.
The schedule this year is not going to be too kind to me. There are games in DC and Philadelphia, but they are during the week, so it's unlikely I'll be able to go to them. It may be the end of August (when they have a series with the Mets) before I'll get to see them play live. Boooooooo.
Wandy is getting his first Opening Day start. Not sure if that is the smartest move they could've made (I personally would've gone with Bud Norris or maybe even J.A. Happ), but when he's good, he's realllll good, so it could work out for us.
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