To the Kid, from a kid: a final goodbye to Gary Carter.
All week, I’ve been reading beautiful tributes by people who covered Gary Carter during his 19-year career and got to know him on a personal level. They lauded his work ethic and his professionalism and his genuine zest for life, and they stand in admiration for how much he appreciated the gifts that allowed him to earn a living by playing a Kid’s game.
I, too, admired Gary Carter. But I did not know him, other than one brief, passing introduction. I did not cover him as a reporter; he retired while I was still in college. By all logic, he was a virtual stranger. Yet, it’s quite possible no one had more of an impact on me while I was deciding who and what I was during my teenage years. And so much of who he was is directly tied to what I’m doing now.
I’d describe myself — back when I was a kid growing up in southwest Ohio — as a perfectly adequate Reds fan. I liked baseball, a lot, and enjoyed the two or three hour-long trips every year my family would take to Cincinnati to watch games at Riverfront Stadium. We’d buy the cheap tickets, my dad would pick up eight $1 hot dogs, we’d sneak down to the good seats and move around as we got booted by the ushers. We would leave at the top of the eighth inning — Dad’s orders — to beat the traffic, and listen to Marty and Joe finish out the game on the radio.
But in those days, baseball was just a fun, family-involved hobby that captured my attention when it was convenient, like when Pete Rose logged hit No. 4,192 and when Paul O’Neill — swoon — made his big league debut. But baseball wasn’t yet an obsession. That came later.
I was at a friend’s house watching the pregame show before Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, and the featured interview was with the catcher of the New York Mets, Gary Carter. He was handsome. He was smart. He had charisma. He smiled, a lot. My 15-year-old heart went pitter-pat, and I was hooked.
I watched Game 6 with rapt attention, mainly because over the course of 30 minutes, in all of my teenage wisdom, I was now a die-hard Mets fan. Because I was now so emotionally attached to this team, I was wholly unsatisfied with how Game 6 was going to end. Carter came to the plate with two outs in the ninth inning, and I could barely stand to watch. It was, clearly, over.
Except it wasn’t. That Mets comeback is, of course, one of the most famous, if not the most famous, in postseason history. When that ball rolled through Bill Buckner’s legs, and all heck broke loose at Shea Stadium, I sat there, in my best friend’s living room in Dayton, Ohio, in absolute disbelief. I was simply stunned at what I had just witnessed.
At that moment, something in me changed. Somewhere, hundreds of miles away, this game, this comeback, this miracle, was actually happening. In my decade and a half of living, I had never watched anything so…well, Amazin’.
I vowed never again to miss another baseball playoff game. For the most part, I stuck to it. The next year, I skipped out early on parties and youth organization activities to plant myself in front of the TV, and in turn, I witnessed a wonderful ’87 World Series between the Twins and Cardinals.
In ’88, at a classmate’s party, I snuck into a separate room and watched Game 1 of the Dodgers-A’s World Series. Late in the evening, a friend said, “Come on. We’re leaving.” Kirk Gibson was, at the same time, limping to the plate. “Can you pleeeeease give me just five more minutes?” I begged. Thankfully, she obliged.
Through all of this, I remained fiercely loyal to one player: Gary Carter. My bedroom became what my parents, brother and I now refer to as the Gary Carter shrine. Posters. Baseball cards. Box scores from the USA Today when he drove in the game-winning run. And on and on.
He wrote books; I’d read them in a single night. If he was on TV, I taped it. My girlfriends thought it was weird; my guy friends thought it was funny. Few understood how I could partially abandon my loyalty to the Reds for whatever team Gary Carter was playing for. I didn’t care. Most teenage girls in the ’80s rebelled by piercing their noses, coloring their hair purple or hanging out with questionable characters of the opposite sex. Me? I just rooted for the Mets.
Carter eventually moved on from New York, and I focused my attention back to the Reds. Except now, I was 100 times more passionate. Baseball was a part of me, in the deepest and most emotional sense. To this day, one of the greatest nights of my life was the night the Reds won the World Series in 1990.
This is where you’d expect me to say that my love for Gary Carter led directly to a career in baseball. That would be inaccurate, and disingenuous. A lot of other things had to happen as well, like going to college and being completely disinterested in math and science and pretty much everything else…except for writing.
I took the leap after grad school and pursued a career in baseball. By chance and luck and all sorts of other great things, I started working for the Astros in 1997. In July of that season, my boss, Rob, brought me along on a St. Louis-Montreal road trip. It was a training trip; Rob was bogged down with the planning and building of the Astros’ new downtown ballpark, and he needed someone to take over his share of road trips with the team.
Montreal happened to be where Gary Carter was working, as a broadcaster. I tried to plot the perfect plan to meet the man, but after going over various scenarios in my head, I decided not to introduce myself, for fear of coming off like a complete goober.
Sunday brunch in the press box at Olympic Stadium was famous in baseball circles as the very best in the game. The Expos had a chef who prepared made-to-order omelettes, and eager to experience this, I stood in line with Rob, waiting for my turn. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone making a beeline in our direction. He was walking quickly, with authority. It was Gary Carter.
I froze. What was he doing? (I also wasn’t aware, at the time, that everyone in baseball knew Rob, and everyone in baseball loved Rob.) Carter reached out, grabbed Rob’s shoulder, and gave him a hearty greeting and a handshake. Then he turned to me, extended his hand and bellowed, “Hi! I’m Gary Carter!”
I tried not to laugh at the ironic absurdity of the situation. He was telling me who he was, oblivious to the fact that it was beyond unnecessary. I shook his hand, mumbled my name, tried not to look too stupid and quietly walked back to my spot in the press box. I giggled, thinking, well, that was easy.
On a road trip the next season, we were sitting on the team bus after a game and Alan Ashby, then an Astros broadcaster, asked me what celebrity posters made it onto my wall when I was a teenager. I rattled off Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy and a few others, and then said, “Honestly, the only person that had any staying power was Gary Carter.”
I then happily chirped away for a solid two minutes about my admiration for Carter, about how much he had to do with my love for this game. Then I looked over at Ashby and saw a somewhat pained look on his face. “Gary Carter?” he said. “Please tell me you’re kidding.”
Today, I have a deep knowledge and appreciation of Astros history, but at this time, I was still learning. I hadn’t taken into account that so many of the people sitting on that bus — Ashby, Jim Deshaies, Jose Cruz, and probably more — remembered the ’86 Mets for a different, and painful, reason. “Game 6″ had always carried a special meaning for me. In Houston, I learned, there was another Game 6, and even all those years later, the wounds were still open for those who were a part of it.
So from then on, I clammed up about Gary Carter and the Mets. I rarely talked about this part of my past in my new life in Houston. Over time, I became so attached to the Astros and so fascinated by their history that even today, on many levels, I wish they had won that 16-inning NLCS game in ’86.
I saw Gary Carter several times over the next decade, mainly on All-Star Sunday, at the legends/celebrity softball game that he usually played in and I covered for MLB.com. By then, the years in baseball had taken a predictable toll, in that I was no longer affected by encounters with ballplayers — even Gary Carter.
Now, what I felt when I saw him (and snapped a few photos of him, from a distance), was wistfulness. I allowed myself only to harken back to a happy time in my life when the mere sight of him would have sent me into a frenzy.
I never tried to interview him. I simply gazed at him with muted amusement and a touch of sadness, remembering how I admired him, and how grateful I was that he impacted me as dramatically as he did at such an impressionable time in my life.
The news of Gary Carter’s brain cancer diagnosis last May was devastating. The recent news of his death has been overwhelming. It has crushed the baseball world and sparked moving tributes from coast to coast and up into Montreal, where his Hall of Fame career began.
In my own corner, quietly, I mourn. The pain is suffocating.
The one thing I learned in all of the years of following Gary Carter was that his on-field accomplishments paled in comparison to what he was in life. He was a kind, decent person. He was a terrific husband, a doting father and grandfather and a man fiercely devoted to his faith.
Carter’s mother passed away from leukemia when she was 37 and he was 12. Her death, and the way he found out the news — a neighborhood kid rushed up to him on the walk home from school and said, “Hey Gary, your mom died” — haunted him for the rest of his life. When he became a famous baseball player, he parlayed that grief into charitable efforts and raised millions for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. He went on to raise countless funds for a host of other charities.
The day he passed, I wrote, “When you are a Hall of Famer, yet you’re best remembered for being a good, decent, nice person, you know you’ve lived a great life.”
Gary Carter was a great ballplayer, but it turns out, that was the least of his accomplishments. He simply loved living his life. That, to me, is his legacy.
What a way to be remembered.
Lions and tigers and bears — oh my! An Astro honeymoons in Africa.
In the early stages of Spring Training every year, you’ll hear the same lines of conversation between players, staff and those who cover the team: how was your offseason? Where are you staying down here? Did you do anything fun over the winter?
Ask Jed Lowrie that last question, and you’re not going to get the typical, “Yea, hung out with the family, went to Cabo over Christmas” response. The new Astros shortstop got married last November and took a honeymoon that some of us could only dream of, and others of us wouldn’t touch with the proverbial 10-foot pole (and by “others,” I mean, me).
Lowrie and his wife, Milessa Muchmore-Lowrie, honeymooned in Tanzania, where they went on a two-week African safari. Lowrie, who took over 7,000 photos, called it the experience of a lifetime.
Brian McTaggart has the complete rundown in a fantastic write up on Astros.com, complete with a slate of breathtaking photos of wild animals living in their natural habitat. Speaking as a less adventurous person, if someone handed me an air horn and said, “Blow this if there’s a lion in your tent,” I’d be on the first flight back to whatever city prefers to keep its animals in zoos (preferably, Houston).
Lowrie is not your garden-variety ballplayer. He’s a graduate of Stanford University and an avid photographer, and his wife a foreign service officer for the U.S. State Department who will soon be relocated to Mexico.
When you have a spare moment, check out the story. The photos are amazing.
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For several years, we’ve been running Spring Training video reports on Astros.com, and we’ll continue to produce the same twice-a-week shows this spring. Our first one is posted now, and it features right-hander Jordan Lyles.
The plan is to run a player feature mid-week every week and one with general manager Jeff Luhnow every Monday.
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Today’s slate of photos captures players not only working out, but seemingly enjoying the process (remember, friends, this is baseball — it’s supposed to be fun). Also in the mix are a couple of photos that harken back to our past, 50th anniversary-style.
Enjoy.
Bud Norris watches with amusement as his pitching mates practice bunting.
Infielder Joe Thurston, a non-roster invitee, and outfielder Jason Bourgeois greet each other during BP.
Pitchers practicing comebackers is always an amusing drill to watch. The premise: Brad Mills hits balls back to the pitchers, at a high speed, one after another after another, with no break. Probably not the most pleasant experience when you're the pitcher fielding those comebackers, but it's fun to watch nonetheless, as you can see in this shot of two Rodriguezes -- Fernando and Aneury.
Chris Snyder watches pitchers throw bullpens and waits for his turn to crouch behind the painted plate.
Are there two more popular outfielders in Astros history than Jose Cruuuuuuz and Cesar Cedeno? Probably not. Here they are together, watching a round of BP on Field 4.
Cedeno watches from behind the cage with another former Astro, Enos Cabell.
Snapshots from Spring Training, Day Three.
A month ago, it looked as if catcher Jason Castro, who had two injury setbacks over the course of one calendar year, might not be ready to start the season when Opening Day rolls around on April 6.
Today, the level of optimism is much higher. It’s more likely than not that Castro, who had season-ending knee surgery last Spring Training and foot surgery this past December, is on track to start the season on time.
This isn’t to say that he’s maintaining the same workout pace as the other catches in camp. He’s not. He’s participating in drills and catching bullpens, but on a slightly lesser scale than the rest. The goal is for him to build stamina without overextending himself, even if it means not being quite ready to play when the Grapefruit season gets underway in another 10 days.
Regardless of when Castro appears in his first spring game, the catching situation this year, so far, is light years ahead of where the team was a year ago. There is no stat line that can truly describe how valuable a catcher is to a team. He’s top lieutenant on the field and can provide a huge sense of security to pitchers. On the flip side, if a catcher is inadequate in his ability to call games and block pitches in the dirt, it can wreak havoc on a pitcher’s psyche.
Castro’s return will be a big lift for the team, and the addition of Chris Snyder, a veteran catcher, should not be overlooked. The Astros now have three catchers in a pool that also includes veteran Humberto Quintero, giving them experience, depth and a plan B. They pretty much had none of those things a year ago.
A couple of housekeeping notes:
* The final Houston-based Astroline will air on Thursday at Buffalo Wild Wings in Midtown. Former outfielder Kevin Bass will join Milo Hamilton for the hour-long show, which can be heard on 740 KTRH and Astros.com.
Astroline will resume the following week on Feb. 29 at the Disney Boardwalk in Orlando. Keeping with tradition, the first Florida-based show will feature manager Brad Mills.
* The first full-squad workout will be held Feb. 26, and as always, workouts are free and open to the public. Gates open around 9:30 a.m. The first Grapefruit League game will take place at Osceola County Stadium on March 3 vs. the Nationals. Workouts on home game days are closed.
* Two spring games will be televised this year: March 20 vs. the Cardinals and April 3 vs. the White Sox (at Minute Maid Park).
And we conclude with images from Day 3 on a cloudy but rain-free morning at the spring complex:
Brian Bogusevic, Jed Lowrie
Practicing fielding comebackers: Brad Mills and Kyle Weiland.
Having some between-drills laughs: Jose Altuve, roving minor league baserunning coordinator Milt Thompson, Jimmy Paredes, Jose Cruz.
PFP: Bud Norris.
Two former first-rounders: Delino DeShields (2010) and George Springer (2011).
Batting practice: J.D. Martinez, Jose Altuve.
Jimmy Paredes waves to a fan.
Brandon Lyon and Jason Castro discuss Lyon's bullpen session when it ended.
Community Corner: Urban Invitational makes a splash at Minute Maid Park.
Welcome to our Community Corner, a soon-to-be regular feature on this blog that will give updates on some of the non-baseball events the Astros are involved with. Our guest blogger is Dairanetta Spain, the club’s manager of community affairs. This week, Dairanetta gives us highlights from the MLB Urban Invitational that was held at Minute Maid Park last weekend.
Historically black colleges and universities are known for their rich tradition in history and are a source of accomplishment and great pride for the African American community.
The Houston Astros and Major League Baseball joined forces to display HBCUs and their baseball programs on a national scale last weekend during the 2012 MLB Urban Invitational held at Minute Maid Park.
The 2012 tournament featured five HBCUS: Alabama State University, Grambling State University, Prairie View A&M University, Southern University and Texas Southern University along with NCAA Division I school University of California, Irvine. Texas Southern, Grambling, and Southern each finished the three-day event with a 2-1 record.
Many came out to Minute Maid Park over the three-day weekend event, taking in games, attending a college fair and enjoying entertainment by the Texas Southern “Ocean of Soul” and Prairie View A&M “Marching Storm” soulful marching bands. Jennifer Holliday, Grammy and Tony Award-winning artist and HBCU alumnus of Texas Southern, performed “America the Beautiful” before the final game of the Saturday lineup. Holliday’s performance and games played at Minute Maid Park that day aired live on MLB Network and MLB.com.
HBCUs have long offered quality educational and athletic programs and have a proud tradition of producing outstanding baseball players. Baseball Hall of Famers Lou Brock (Southern University) and Andre Dawson (Florida A&M University), as well as current Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks (Southern University) played in HBCU baseball programs. Thirteen HBCU players were selected in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, six of whom played in last year’s Urban Invitational in Compton. Through the annual Urban Invitational, MLB aims to help these programs continue providing young players from underserved communities the opportunity to play collegiate-level baseball.
Speaking as a proud product of an HBCU — Tennessee State University — MLB hit it head on capturing the essence of of HBCUs and all that their baseball programs have to offer.
High school students gained valuable information about the college admission process from over 20 colleges and universities during the MLB Urban Invitational College Fair.
Grammy and Tony Award-winning artist Jennifer Holliday performed “America the Beautiful” before the Prairie A&M-Texas Southern contest Saturday evening.
Texas Southern drum majors ushered in the “Ocean of Soul” marching band onto the field at Minute Maid Park during the Battle of the Bands competition.
Why Livan? One word: innings.
Much of the talk so far this spring has been about how many jobs are available, at just about every position, with the exception of just a few.
Let’s just say most of the players aren’t making permanent arrangements for Houston just yet. Instead, the mantra is one of caution: “I have to make the team first.”
If anything, that uncertainty will make for a more intriguing Grapefruit League season. Not only will several infield and outfield positions be up for grabs, but the starting pitching situation could also become pretty dramatic as the spring season draws to a close.
While there are no real guarantees in life beyond death, taxes and mind-numbing traffic at every corner of the greater Kissimmee metropolitan area, barring any unforeseen trades, it’s pretty definite that three of the rotation spots are going to Bud Norris, Wandy Rodriguez and Brett Myers.
That leaves a slew of candidates for the remaining two spots, and with that, of course, comes uncertainty about not only who will win these jobs by the time camp breaks, but also how reliable these pitchers will be over the course of a full season.
That is why a team must have more than one option and more than one plan moving forward. And that is precisely why general manager Jeff Luhnow saw enough in Livan Hernandez to sign him to a low-risk Minor League contract.
If healthy and effective, the 37-year-old Hernandez gives the Astros something they might find they desperately need a couple of months into the season: innings, innings and more innings. Specifically, around 200 of them.
Over the last five seasons, Hernandez has averaged 180.1 innings per year. The ERAs have been all over the map, from very good (3.66 in 2010) to not so good (6.05 in 2008) to respectable (4.93 in 2007 and 4.47 in 2011). What manager Brad Mills and the coaching staff like about Hernandez is his ability to do two things: keep his team in the game, and still be on the mound in the seventh and eighth innings.
The Astros will look at many candidates this spring to fill those final two spots in the rotation. J.A Happ and Jordan Lyles have an upper hand in that they were both part of the equation, for varying amounts of time, just one season ago. Lucas Harrell, Zach Duke, Kyle Weiland and Henry Sosa could see some starts this spring as well.
But it would be impossible (and irresponsible) to label any of the candidates with a broad brush, mark them down in red pen and declare them as guaranteed innings-eaters.
That’s why the Astros signed Hernandez. If he’s healthy and does well this spring, he could be a big lift for a rotation in transition.
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Randoms:
* Another day, another Astros tweeter. Harrell has joined the Twitterverse and can be followed at @lucasharrell34. On an unrelated note, he also lost a bet to a buddy a while back and can’t cut his hair for a year, which is why he looks a little unruly these days. And he’s only 7 1/2 months into paying up.
* There are more position players in camp than I can count, so I’m not going to attempt to give an unscientific number of who’s already here. But I did sneak into the batting cages today and spotted Jed Lowrie, Jake Gobbert, J.B Shuck and J.D. Martinez, among others.
(More than half of the players in there are also active on Twitter. This completely irrelevant, I realize, but it kind of made me feel like a proud den mom.)
* While a Major League coaching staff consists of only seven people (including the manager), a Spring Training staff is much larger. Nearly two dozen coaches and special assistants comprise the spring staff. That includes all Minor League coordinators and instructors and select members of the coaching staffs of the Minor League teams. For example, the Triple-A Oklahoma City manager and coaches are working in big league camp, and slowly, as cuts are made and the Minor League spring seasons get underway, they will filter back over to their regular-season assignments.
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Feeling peppy? The Astros will hold auditions for Park Patrol hopefuls on Friday, March 2 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, March 3 from 8 a.m. to noon at Union Station at Minute Maid Park.
The Park Patrol is an interactive squad that performs at Astros home games. Game presentation activities include t-shirt launches, prize giveaways and trivia contests, in addition to performing dance routines and “skits” with the Team Mascot.
Park Patrol members will perform these tasks live in the stands, on ballpark concourses and will be featured on the stadium video boards. The Astros Park Patrol will also make appearances at season ticket holder events, Astros in Action Foundation events, and any approved event in connection with the Houston Astros.
Qualifications:
• Must be able to perform activities and interact with fans on camera in front of 40,000+ people. Prior entertainment experience preferred.
• Squad will wear baseball-inspired, cheerleader-styled attire. Previous experience as a cheerleader, pep squad, or drill team member or some dance classes a plus, but not required.
• Individuals must have outstanding communication skills and a positive, energetic personality.
• They must also have stamina and fitness level capable of performing in conditions for several hours before and during games.
• Individuals must be available to work during Astros home games and other special events as needed.
• Must be reliable, punctual, and courteous. Good listening skills and ability to work with brief instruction required. Must also be flexible and able to handle situations with a quick and professional response.
• Those who are selected to the squad must be able to attend mandatory training sessions being held March 22 to March 25.
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And we leave you with more images from another sunny morning in Central Florida:
Thought this was pretty cool: after Livan Hernandez finished throwing his bullpen session, he hugged his catcher, Chris Wallace, and thanked him. I'm sure this is not the first time such an exchange has taken place in similar settings, but it was still a nice gesture from a veteran pitcher to a young prospect whom he just met two days ago.
Jason Castro takes BP on the back field with the other catchers in camp.
Castro and hitting coach Mike Barnett discussed the BP session when it was over.
Post workout stretching sessions often double as social occasions. Jorge DeLeon and Jimmy Paredes wrap up the day with some general chatter.
Jed Lowrie, jettisoned from Boston in the Mark Melancon trade, is one of many position players who are already here.
Bud Norris throws his first bullpen session of the spring.
Morning links: Schafer apologizes, Crane tours Kissimmee, and Manny gets yet another chance.
Jordan Schafer did the smart thing by speaking directly with reporters about his offseason troubles immediately upon arriving to Spring Training on Monday.
Schafer was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia during a traffic stop soon after the season ended. He’s currently taking part a court-ordered pretrial intervention in program and if he completes it without incident, his record will be cleared.
In this Brian McTaggart report on MLB.com, Schafer was contrite, apologizing to the Astros for the spot he put them into and thanking them for standing behind him.
“I got caught up in a bad situation, and hopefully I’ve learned from my mistake and moved on and become a better person for it, and hopefully we don’t have any more instances like that,” he said. “Hopefully, I can be a good role model and learn from this.”
Schafer is active on Twitter, and if you follow him, you were able to see first-hand, thanks to the magic of Twitpics, that he was serious when he said he put on 20 pounds of muscle this offseason. You also received this tweet from him as he turned in for the night:
“Goodnight twit fam, busy day n I’m beat. Good to finally get everything off my chest n move on. Thanks 2 all of u 4 the support. Muchluv.”
Other notables:
* George Springer, the Astros’ first-round pick from last year’s Draft, has reported to camp and will be one of a handful of top prospects spending some of the spring with the big league club. Springer won’t make the team this year, but the experience of going through a Major League Spring Training could be valuable for him, as well a few other key figures who could be a big part of the Astros’ future, including Jonathan Singleton, Jonathan Villar and DeLino DeShields, among others.
* For 90 days, Jim Crane, along with his partners, has owned a baseball business. Monday, he finally owned a baseball team, writes the Chronicle’s Zachary Levine. Crane spent the day in Kissimmee on Monday, taking in his first Spring Training. By all accounts, he thoroughly enjoyed himself.
“It’s a lot of fun,” he said. “I hadn’t been in a locker room in a long time, but you never forget what it’s like.”
* When word traveled through the baseball world that Manny Ramirez was looking to make a comeback, I surmised that 30 of 30 teams would pass on him. After all, he’s turning 40 in May, right around the same time that he’d be eligible to play his first game after serving a 50-game suspension for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
I was wrong. Twenty-nine of 30 teams passed on him, leaving just the Oakland A’s ready and willing to take a chance on Manny being Manny. The contract is almost commitment-free: it’s a Minor League deal, which means it’s non-guaranteed, and it’s worth no more than $500,000.
Risk-free, yes. But is it even worth it to take that chance?
Pitchers, catchers, bullpens and sunblock: Spring Training is underway.
I’m sure there was once a time, long, long ago, when position players reported to Spring Training on the very day that they were actually required to be there.
Those days are largely over. In more modern times, it’s almost as if there’s a race to see who can get to Spring Training first. Facilities open earlier and earlier, and when it’s finally time for pitchers and catchers to hit the fields, it’s normal to see close to half of the position players also at the complex, working out on their own, even though they don’t technically have to be here for several more days.
As Astros pitchers and catchers headed out to the backfields as Osceola County Stadium for their first workout Monday morning, the line of position players heading to the cages was almost as long. Chris Johnson, Jose Altuve, Brett Wallace, Brian Bogusevic and Jimmy Paredes are among the dozen or so position players already here. They’ll work out separately from the pitchers and catchers until Sunday, when the full squad will gather for the first time.
Notes from a busy first day of camp:
* Jason Castro was the main topic of conversation among reporters today. As you probably remember, Castro missed all season last year with a knee injury and then had surgery to repair a broken bone in his foot in December. The general feeling from manager Brad Mills and general manager Jeff Luhnow is that Castro will be eased back into action, slowly. He’s progressing well and he appears to have pretty decent agility in the early-going, which is good. He participated in catching drills with the rest of his brethren and seemed to be keeping up well.
They’ll monitor Castro to make sure he’s not overextending himself by catching too many bullpens, and at this point, there’s no concrete timetable as to when he’ll see action in a Grapefruit League game. But he is “coming along well,” as Luhnow said, and he’s still expected to anchor the bulk of the duties behind the plate.
“Jason can be a leader,” Luhnow said. “He can produce offensively and defensively and set the right tone for the team.”
* Owner Jim Crane was a star college pitcher in his day, but suffice it to say, it’s been a while since he’s spent any significant time on a baseball field. He seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself on Monday as he chatted with players and reporters and moved from field to field to watch the workouts.
Crane and President/CEO George Postolos flew in for the day on Monday and will be back next week when the full squad is together. They both addressed the pitchers and catchers briefly during a meeting before the workout, mainly just to introduce themselves, and it’s likely they’ll do the same when they’re back next time.
The message from Luhnow and Mills was more direct. The objective this spring is to work hard, follow instruction and pay attention to detail. Luhnow acknowledged that no one is talking about the Astros as contenders this year. “We’re not predicted to win this division,” Luhnow said. “Most say we’re not going to compete this year. But I don’t believe that.”
The other directive: pace yourself. Invariably, young players tend to come to camp eager to show management they belong on the 25-man roster. That is a great attitude, unless that enthusiasm overflows a little too much, too soon. That’s when injuries can pop up. Players were reminded to take it easy, even those who had played through the offseason in Winter Ball.
(Another directive from Mills: wear sunblock.)
* Remember Mike Kvasnicka? He’s the Astros’ supplemenental-round pick from the 2010 Draft, a college outfielder-slash-part-time catcher who was converted to play third base when the Astros signed him.
We caught up with Kvasnicka (Kwas-NICK-a) last season when he was playing for the Class-A Lexington Legends, and at the time, we knew only two things about him: he resembles Shane Reynolds, and Jeff Bagwell butchered his name when announcing the pick on MLB Network.
Now we know one more thing: he’s no longer a third baseman. About a month ago, Luhnow and his staff decided it was best to move Kvasnicka back to catcher.
That quickly solved two issues: It put the player back in a position where he was more comfortable, and it gave the system more depth in an area that could use some additional padding.
Kvasnicka, a Minnesota native, has been in Kissimmee for about two weeks, working out at the Minor League facility. On Monday, he was fitted for a uniform and told he would be in big league camp, catching bullpens.
Video: Mills, on jobs being wide open this spring
Scenes from the Astros’ first day of Spring Training:
Suddenly, Bud Norris is one of the "veterans" of the group.
Livan Hernandez, David Carpenter go through PFP drills (pitchers fielding practice).
Catching drills: Jason Castro.
More catching drills: Chris Snyder, Humberto Quintero in the forefront.
Two staples of Astros Spring Training: Jose Cruuuuuuuuz and Strech Suba.
Snyder (Chris Wallace and Carlos Corporan in background).
Pitchers running wind sprints.
Lots of media was in Kissimmee to cover the first day of camp. First up: Brad Mills.
Next: Jeff Luhnow.
And finally: Jim Crane.
Pitcher Lucas Harrell and Crane chat in the dugout next to one of the back fields.
Dierker hits the books — and the links — for a worthy cause.
The Astros retired Dierker's number in 2002, but that didn't mean he was ready to ride off into the sunset...
In the more than 10 years that have passed since Larry Dierker stepped down at the Astros’ manager, he’s had his hands in plenty of activities. He’s written books, dabbled with writing a screenplay, traveled and spearheaded forming an Astros alumni group that has, over the years, been quite visible in baseball circles in Houston.
Dierker has also allotted a lot of his time to charitable efforts. Most notably, he is a champion of Literacy Advance of Houston, a non-profit organization that has helped people through its free adult literacy programs for nearly five decades.
Dierker, an avid reader in his own right, has personally contributed more than 1,000 volunteer hours for the cause. And he’s set to host Literacy Advance’s Reader Cup – Larry Dierker Celebrity Golf Tournament on Feb. 27 at the BlackHorse Golf Club.
Each year, a host of sport celebrities participates in this golf tournament. This year, the guest list includes Phil Garner, Art Howe, Shane Reynolds, Kevin Bass, Dan Pastorini, Jim Deshaies, Bill Brown, Randy McElvoy, Burton Gilliam (of Blazing Saddles fame), Dayna Steele, Dave Elmendorf and Mark Dennard.
“I play in dozens of tournaments every year that raise a lot of money for various organizations, many of which represent serious diseases,” Dierker said. “I am happy to do that. I’m not a doctor; I cannot cure a disease. I can, however, teach adults to read and write. It’s relatively easy and quite rewarding. Tutoring makes giving personal.”
Available tournament sponsorship opportunities range from $500 – $10,000, with all proceeds benefiting Literacy Advance of Houston.
Registration on event day will begin at 8 am with a hot breakfast, followed by a shotgun start at 9:30. Post-tournament, sponsors and players will enjoy a hearty lunch and the chance to win auction items, including night on the town packages, gifts and sports memorabilia.
For more information on the event or a downloadable sponsorship/registration form, please visit www.literacyadvance.org/golf or call (713) 266-8777.
Milo Hamilton declares the 2012 season his last in the broadcast booth.
Jim Crane, left, Milo Hamilton and George Postolos announce that 2012 will be Milo's last season behind the mic.
Milo Hamilton mentioned a couple of times last year to friends and colleagues that the 2012 season would likely be his last as a lead play-by-play announcer on Astros broadcasts.
Milo will turn 85 in September, and, as he said last year, “That’ll be enough.” On Wednesday, he made that official, formally stating that he’ll retire at the end of the season.
Perhaps there’s no “best” time for a beloved figure to step down, but the timing of the announcement will allow the Astros to weave a season-long salute to their long-time broadcaster in with the celebration of the franchise’s 50th anniversary.
Plans to honor Milo this year will be officially announced in full at a later time, but here’s a sneak peek:
* Sept. 2, Milo’s 85th birthday, will be “Milo Hamilton Day” at Minute Maid Park.
* The Astros plan to host a special dinner in Milo’s honor during the season, with proceeds benefiting the Astros In Action Foundation.
* There will be an online vote for fans to select Milo’s greatest calls.
* We’ll start an appreciation Facebook page, dedicated to fans saluting Milo’s great career.
* The Astros plan to create a Milo Hamilton college scholarship for broadcasting students.
Stay tuned for more announcements.
“We will provide a fitting tribute for one of the all-time great broadcasters in our industry,” said Astros President and CEO George Postolos. “The unique bond that Milo has built with our fans is very special. With that in mind, we have created ways for our fans to participate in our tribute to Milo. They will have an opportunity to do that throughout the season.”
Milo’s plan is to only retire from the broadcasting side. He will still be a part of the organization in 2013 and beyond as an emcee for special events and fundraisers, and will take part in the caravan and FanFest. He’ll also appear at events for sponsors and season ticket holders and will be incorporated into the radio broadcasts.
Watch the video from Milo’s announcement
More video: Biggio, talking about Milo and his retirement
Milo, by the numbers:
66 — years as a broadcaster.
58 — years as a baseball broadcaster.
27 — years an Astros broadcaster.
5 — Halls of Fame that have honored Milo, including the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in 1992.
715 — Hank Aaron’s milestone, record-breaking home run, which Milo called as a Braves announcer in 1974.
4,000 — Nolan Ryan’s milestone strikeout, which Milo called as an Astros announcer in 1985.
3,000 — Craig Biggio’s milestone hit total, which Milo called as an Astros announcer in 2007.
From the photo archives: first, a few good ones from the past…
Jeff Bagwell and Milo in 2006, the day Bagwell announced his retirement.
Milo and former skipper Phil Garner at FanFest a few years back.
Milo celebrated his 84th birthday last year by wearing a gigantic blue bow on his head.
Keeping with the theme of intesting head gear, here's Milo and Brad Lidge a few years ago at Spring Training, reading Dr. Seuss books to kids.
…and finally, images from Wednesday’s press conference…
Craig Biggio, who announced his retirement from this very room a little more than four years ago, attended Milo's press conference.
Later, the two convened for an impromptu photo shoot.
The Houston media contingent surrounded Milo following the formal part of the presser.
Astros CAREavan wrapup, in pictures.
The Houston Astros 2012 CAREavan wrapped up another successful winter road trip with stops last Friday in Katy, Texas. The Astros CAREavan completed its annual tour making 47 stops in 13 cities over eight days, traveling more than 3,500 miles. More than 35 Astros players, alumni, coaches and front office staff participated in CAREavan.
The Houston Astros 2012 CAREavan hit the road on February 1, with three full days of visits throughout central and south Texas. The team made two-day trips to Austin (Feb. 1-2), Brownsville, Harlingen and McAllen (Feb. 1-2) and San Antonio (Feb. 2-3), and spent a day in Corpus Christi and Victoria (Feb. 3). Highlights included conducting several youth baseball clinics, visiting with military and pediatric patients at hospitals and serving fans lunch at Chick-fil-A.
During the CAREavan’s second week, the Astros traveled to Oklahoma City (Feb. 6) and visited with military personnel at Tinker Air Force Base, patients at Mercy Hospital and Oklahoma City RedHawks season ticket holders and sponsors. The week also included five, single-day trips in Houston, Sugar Land, Spring, Cypress and Katy. The local tours visited numerous schools for reading activities and Fielder’s Choice assemblies, conducted youth baseball clinics and made daily stops at Academy Sports + Outdoors stores for free autograph sessions.
The CAREavan experience, in pictures:
Austin: Dave Raymond, Jordan Lyles, J.B. Shuck, Kyle Weiland, Doug Brocail at Cedar Park Middle School.
Austin: Ronald McDonald House.
Brownsville: Fernando Rodriguez, Jose Altuve, Jimmy Paredes at Lucio Middle School.
Brownsville: Chick-fil-A
San Antonio: Brett Dolan, J.A. Happ, Angel Sanchez, Jarred Cosart, Humberto Quintero, Larry Dierker at RBI San Antonio.
San Antonio Military Medical Center
Corpus Christi: Jim Crane signs an autograph for a young fan at the Hooks' luncheon.
Victoria: Shane Reynolds givis pitching tips at a Baseball and Softball clinic.
Oklahoma City: David Carpenter and Milo Hamilton.
Meeting with the Oklahoma City RedHawks fan base.
Houston: Bud Norris serves drive-thru customers at Chick-Fil-A.
Houston: Astros front office members and players participated in a "Careers in Baseball" seminar at Carver High School.
Sugar Land: Bud Norris, David Carpenter, Chris Johnson, Brett Wallace visit babies and new parents at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital.
Sugar Land: Chris Johnson and Brett Wallace sign autographs at Academy Sports + Outdoors.
Spring: Brad Mills, Jason Bourgeois, J.D. Martinez, Brian Bogusevic, Jose Cruz at AVANCE-Southwest School.
Hanging with the kids at AVANCE.
Cypress: Jed Lowrie at a CAREavan Baseball and Softball Clinic.
Cypress: bilingual storytime with bilingual GM Jeff Luhnow.
Katy: Bill Brown, Jose Cruz and current Astros players participate in an assembly at Brookwood Community.
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