Just Can't Get Enough!

The current 6 game win streak for the Houston Astros calls for celebration. And what better way to do so then by referencing a Depeche Mode hit for my post title? It really is one of the most perfect 80s songs, with a happy-go-lucky synth beat. Additionally, that band is about to go on another one of those many revival tours you see happening lately from a lot of artists of the latter part of the 20th century.

Of course, the must see tour for us fans just happens to be, what I have dubbed, "The September Stretch." The stars of last night's performance were newly acquired acts, Justin Verlander and Cameron Maybin. JV made his pitching debut, only giving up one earned run and fanning 7 batters. Meanwhile, Maybin made some pyrotechnics fly with a go-ahead 2 run bomb to left center field to seal the fates of the opposing Seattle Mariners.

The multiple talents for this show are gonna rock all of us to a world championship. An event that, I'm absolutely positive, would sell out as fast as passes were made available to the public. Had enough of these concert references yet, readers? Yeah, I thought so. Let's move on.

Today, the team will get back Lance McCullers, and activate James Hoyt. Both have had their ebbs and flows throughout the season, but have also come through in some tough situations. That extra depth will be a nice luxury for the spacemen to have. And it doesn't stop there!

Michael Feliz and Colin Moran are rehabbing in the lower A affiliate, the Quad City River Bandits up in Davenport, Iowa. This will add another bullpen arm back, and also have an additional infielder in case anything should happen to the likes of the veterans in that squad. Moran's timetable is unknown, but Feliz can be activated this coming weekend, when the team is in Oakland to face their divisional rivals, the Athletics. They'll be in the bay area for 3 days and for 4 games, including a doubleheader this coming Saturday.

Who else will be joining Feliz in both Quad Cities and Oakland? That's right, ladies and gentlemen. It will be none other than your people's champion and mine, Evan Gattis. As it turns out, there was some conflicting reports about his right wrist. While the team originally said "soreness," one source said that an X-Ray in Tampa showed a potential minor fracture. An MRI on it was conducted shortly afterward, and no fracture was found at all.

With that knowledge, doctors and the team have cleared him to begin his rehab assignment up in Quad Cities, which begins this evening. The exact plan has not been released yet, but El Oso Blanco/Bull figures to maybe start catching tonight, DH Thursday, and then catch again Friday. Assuming no setbacks happen in those games, he should be good to accompany Feliz in rejoining the Astros in Oakland.

I know I'm certainly hoping and praying for all the best for the bear, as I usually do. His playing time has been significantly tampered with this season, and things really need to change in 2018. And the Astros can start by dropping the big contract dead weight that is Carlos Beltran. I say that, of course, with all the due respect to the future HOF. Still, he's played unbecoming of his career in 2017, and there is plenty of veteran presence around now to mentor the young guys. So he can feel free to finish his career with another team, or upon getting a WS ring, can just go ahead and retire already. But I digress....

Whether it has been the surging wins, the nagging injuries, trade acquisitions, or other odds and ends, the 2017 Houston Astros ball club will already go down in many record books as being the best ever. They'll even rival the one that made it to the World Series back in 2005, and two of those players have been inducted into Cooperstown already. It's been a whirlwind ever since this past February, when everyone reported to camp. And for us fans, we truly JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH!

Original Photo Credit: Jayne Hansen on Twitter

The face many Astros fans are making right now, including myself. And with the Bear beginning rehab assignment tonight and then returning this weekend, this reaction will pale in comparison to the one I will eventually be making!!!!

Shop for official Houston Astros fan gear from Majestic, Nike and New Era at Shop.MLB.com

Comments

Popular Posts