I'm BAAAAACK!

It's been a while since I could generate enough enthusiasm for Astros baseball to spend any time writing about it. But with three years of hitting rock bottom (hopefully!) behind us, there's a lot to be interested about in this rebuilding team. After letting their farm go fallow for so long, the Astros have used their draft picks well, and the team has an exciting future. I'm not hoping for too much this year, but I am enjoying getting to know (via mlb.tv) a whole new crop of energetic young players.

I was really hoping to be writing this from Kissimmee this year, but it didn't work out. But, sadly,  I didn't have anyone who wanted to go to Spring Training with me. Yeah, I know, that's hard to believe. Who WOULDN'T want to be in Florida, when last night's temps in the DC area were in single digits and there's 6" of snow on the ground? So instead I'm spending most of this month visiting family, and catching the Astros games every afternoon on mlb.tv, via radio or video broadcasts.

Today's game is the first televised one for the Astros. Unfortunately, the broadcast is the Mets TV, not the Astros'. After getting annoyed with the Mets broadcasters, I finally just muted the video, and turned on the Astros radio in a different window. The radio is about two pitches ahead of the video, but it's worth it to not have to hear blah-blah-blah about the Mets, my life-long least favorite team. Mid-game, the Astros are down by a few runs. But in the first week of Spring Training, with so many players up for just a cup of coffee, much can change in an inning or two.

Although I don't have anyone here at home to watch games with (except my dog Shana, who prefers Nascar), I do have many friends online to keep me company. If you aren't following me yet on Twitter, I'm AstrosFanInXile (https://twitter.com/AstrosFanInXile). I tweet during games - hope to chat with you there!

GO 'STROS!!!