the astros all-star break update

Friends, the all-star break is upon us, and I haven't discussed the greatest baseball franchise on earth at length since opening day! An update is long overdue. My blog is named after this wonderful organization, after all. Plus, I recently published a post that was almost entirely about soccer, and I need to redeem myself and my brand here. We're over halfway through the season and I have attended twenty-four games so far (twenty-two in Houston and two in Arlington; my record is 15-9). Here are some thoughts, along with some vaguely related pictures I've taken this year.

The crowds are better than they have been in the past, but we still have a long way to go. I mean, strictly in terms of attendance. I'm seeing fewer empty seats than I have in recent years, but I want it totally packed every night, especially on weekends. And WHY are people still leaving games early!? What could you possibly have to do that's more important than watching the Astros, especially with our offense?! What if you had been at that A's game last week and left early? You would have missed THIS.

B+ on promotional giveaways this year. Very surprised/impressed that they are doing round FOUR of the ring giveaway next month! I got mine during round two, and the ring is a lot higher quality than I expected. If you don't have one yet, you should go on August 27th (and you better stay for the game). The bobbleheads this year have been pretty good, but I wish they would give out more than 10,000. I don't have time to get there seven hours before the gates open and sit in the heat. We also had yet another inexplicable fedora giveaway, and somehow it looks even dumber than last year's...so you know I got one. It's absolutely fantastic.

PEOPLE. PLEASE STOP GETTING UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INNING. This is just baseball etiquette / common sense. I know a lot of you bandwagon fans are new here but...come on now.

You can now purchase cookie dough at Minute Maid Park. It's available at several of the regular concession stands on the bottom level (the ones that say 'Home & Away'); look for it on the menu. The first time I tried to buy some they literally ran out before the game started, which makes no sense to me, but on a recent visit I finally acquired some. It is a cup of cookie dough, it's $5, and it was everything I hoped it would be.

Why is the wave still a thing. This is a particularly contentious topic among baseball fans / people on Twitter, and I was originally planning on going on a whole rant about it, but no one will ever change their mind on this issue. Besides, I secretly love complaining / making a whole ordeal about not participating whenever this absurd exercise begins. And this entertaining article already covered it pretty thoroughly. (But for the record, I learned on Twitter that both Geoff Blum and Lance McCullers are anti-wave.)

On the other hand, I am so glad that the "woos" are still a thing. So annoying. So pointless. So much fun. The best time to yell "woo" as loudly as possible is while walking in the crowded concourse after the game, or in the middle of the street after leaving the stadium.

We should boo more. It's fun. I have just recently, in the last season or so, come around to booing. I was against it for years, until I finally gave in to peer pressure and gave it a try. It really just changes the whole viewing experience. Jose Altuve is intentionally walked? Boo. The third consecutive pick-off attempt? Boo. HOWEVER. The booing of Ken Giles last week when he was pulled was totally unacceptable. Yeah...the dude is a disaster. But this is Houston. We don't boo our own team here, ever.

SPEAKING OF WHICH. Kenneth. Why. I started drafting the topics I wanted to cover on this post pre-Kenneth demotion. There really isn't much left to say about it. He has gone full Brad Lidge. You don't recover from that.

I have located the secret entrance that never has a long security line. And I'm not telling you which one it is. I know I don't exactly get a lot of viewers here, but I can't take any chances.

Completely non-ironically very impressed with Friday Night Fireworks thus far. The first one of the year was World Series Champions themed, obviously, and it was wonderful. The superhero themed one featured an elaborate video in which Orbit became Thor, and I loved every second of it. Last week was Disney themed. The fireworks displays themselves have been very impressive as well. Keep up the great work...whoever coordinates this!

I don't know why there is now a mural featuring the formula for xFIP, but I'm on board.

THIS PITCHING STAFF. Like we knew it would be good but it's just SO GOOD. (I'm talking ONLY about the starting rotation here). Who would have ever thought we would reach a point that Keuchel would be our WORST starter!? (I haven't given up on him though. He has looked good in the last few weeks.) And I'm literally watching #CFM in his first all-star game appearance as I type this...so proud! (He just gave up a game-tying home run...I probably jinxed it. Sorry about that). Also (not a starter but) shoutout to Collin McHugh killing it from the bullpen! I don't think he gets enough recognition.

Suggestion: tailgating? Who's on board?! I'm serious. How fun would that be!?

Taken at Baseball on Tap, my favorite event of the year.

My first dollar hot dog night of the year was a disappointment. Because of my travel schedule, I have only been in town for one Tuesday home game all year. ONE. I was so excited for dollar hot dog night. And it just...wasn't great. Even as far as mass-produced hot dogs go (trust me, expectations were not high). Don't get me wrong, I still ate like three. Can't beat that deal.

If you catch an opposing team home run, THROW IT BACK. Again, there are people who still don't know this...!?

The Astros official Instagram is killing it this year. I don't know what millenial they hired to run this account but give that kid a raise. This post is incredible.

That's all I have for now. There are plenty of actual sports journalists who can provide you with actual insights about statistics and what not. And I've shared my insider tips for attending games before. Or you could just follow some of those other Astros bloggers / Twitter accounts if you want to read some occasionally entertaining rants.

If you haven't made it to a game yet this year, GO! And if you retain anything from this list of unrelated thoughts, please let it be the part about not standing in the aisles in the middle of the inning. Seriously.

<3 liz