With all the trials and travails impacting Houston the past few months, it’s been a wonderful relief and distraction for the area to experience our Hometown Team in the World Series. The Astros are a combination of youthful exuberance and steady veterans who truly seem to enjoy playing together. The energy they ignite flows outward as if a resonant wave embracing all fans.
Leading two games to one – and with a big chance playing at home to put the Dodgers in a big hole – George Springer hit a home run that gave them a 1-0 lead going to the 7th inning last night. Then the bullpen took over… and the Astros lost 6-2.
Any system – or sports organization – is only as good as its weakest link Think: broken sprinkler head in your backyard, field goal kicker in college football, or busted hose on the engine of your car; if everything isn’t working in unison, there’s going to be a brown spot, broken dreams or you stranded on the side of the road.
Unfortunately, for all the Astros’ maneuvers to create a sustainable winning franchise, the failure to acquire a reliable closer prior to the trade deadline in July may prevent them from claiming their first world championship after 55 years of disappointment.
That said, hope springs eternal and all they need is for Dallas Keuchel and Justin Verlander to throw nine shutout innings each the next two games… and they’ll be spraying champagne in L.A. on Tuesday night and hanging a banner in Minute Maid Park come the start of the 2018 season. Even weak links can be overcome – as long as someone else picks up the slack.
