If You Boycotted the Astros, Would Anybody Notice? Would It Make Any Difference?

By John Royal Fri., Aug. 17 2012 at 10:00 AM

In Luhnow we trust.

Listening to sports talk radio yesterday afternoon, I heard a caller demanding that the fans boycott the Astros. First, it's pretty evident from the lack of attendance this season that many of you are already boycotting the ballclub, but secondly, just what it is that you want the Astros to do?

This is a ballclub that has been on a downward slide for a long, long time. While Drayton McLane was wasting money on the likes of Carlos Lee and Woody Williams and Kaz Matsui and Brandon Lyon, he was not spending money on the farm system or for draft picks. And when you don't spend money on your farm system, and when you draft players not because they're good but because you can sign them, the baseball team is on its way to sucking.

I realize that many of you are angry about the ballclub the Astros are fielding every night. There is not very much talent on this roster. And it's not fun to watch guys like Steve Pearce, Scott Moore, Tyler Greene, Ben Francisco and Armando Galarraga -- guys who have washed out with other teams -- flail around each night for the Astros. But just what was it that you expected from the Astros this season?

This team didn't just become bad this season. It was bad last season. It was bad the season before. It was bad when Roy Oswalt and Lance Berkman were traded. It was bad when Hunter Pence and Michael Bourn were traded. And it was bad this season when Carlos Lee, Wandy Rodriguez, Chris Johnson, Brandon Lyon, J.A. Happ, Brett Myers, etc. were traded.

Yes, new owner Jim Crane and his new general manager Jeff Luhnow have blown up the Astros this past month or so. But it's not like they've blown up a pennant winner, or even a team that was competing to hit .500. Luhnow was amazingly able to find not one, but two teams desperate to take Carlos Lee -- he should win an award for getting the Marlins to take Lee after Lee had vetoed a trade to the Dodgers, a team that was competing for the playoffs -- and just weeks later, Lee vetoed a trade that had the Marlins sending him to the Yankees, another team competing for the playoffs.

What Astros fans are experiencing now is what fans of the Royals, Pirates and Orioles have been experiencing since the 1990s. Only now are the Pirates and Orioles getting good, and part of the reason it has taken so long for the Pirates and Orioles to become competitive is because they did things like signing free agents and depleting the farm system (especially Baltimore, which has to be the best comparison for the Astros with stupid ownership, inept general managers and not very bright managers), and not being very smart about which players they signed -- it's still puzzling that the Pirates thought they should make Derek Bell the centerpiece of their team. The Royals have been stocked with talent, but once again, the front office and the dugout management have been inept.

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Minute Maid Park

501 Crawford, Houston, TX

Category: General

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Houston Astros, Jeff Luhnow, Rebuilding

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awindes

Let's face facts here. The Astros are acting, and have acted for a long time, as if they are a small market baseball team. That's not the case. Houston is one of the largest cities in America, and the fans have proven that they will fill up the ballpark when a winner is fielded. If management was willing to spend money, there would be plenty of fans in the stands. All of the great Astros teams of the past were fielded after the owners decided to pry open their wallets. Someone, somewhere, has made the decision that it is more profitable to field a team full of losers than it is to spend money and draw fans. Secondly, it is ridiculous to assume that fans have abandoned the team simply because the team is losing. The new ownership, and the league, abandoned the fans when they threw 50 years of tradition out the window and forced the league change down our throats. Given the circumstances, how could anyone possibly remain loyal to this team. As far as I am concerned, the new management might as well start shopping for a new city and move the team. The loyal fan who has supported the team year in and year out for decades no longer cares, and he/she is never coming back.

Dexter

This team doesn't deserve the fan's support. They had crappy ownership with Moron #1 and it will continue with Moron #2. What's worse is they are moving to the AL which takes away the only thing baseball has going for it...history and tradition. It might be different if they started charging $5 for tickets and $2.50 beer to numb you from the atrocities occuring on the field. Wise up Houstonians and take that short walk to BBVA Stadium to watch the best team and the best fan experience in Houston.

Stuart48

Screw the DH. Chickenshit idea that takes one of the most intriguing strategies in baseball (knowing when to change pitchers) and throws it out the window. The position should be abolished but probably never will because of the AL money. Such a pisser

omar08ruiz

it's houston baseball, everyone will come around if they win like any other team that wins. look at the rangers, nobody cared about them until they go back to back now every loud-mouth idiot is sporting the claw & antlers tshirts and b/s. this is the first real time the 'stros are sucking and everybody wants to bail, lol. such babies. try being a cubs fan or an orioles fan where they've sucked for such a long time.

gossamersixteen topcommenter

1 Like

I'm all for a boycott, I personally hate the American League. I hate the DH, I hate the way it's played in the AL, and I'm not a real fan of Crane basically caving to the leagues demands, when we all know the effing brewers are the ones who belong BACK in the AL. Not a 50 year NL team, like the Astros, people would commit Hara-kiri if the Cubs or Reds were about to switch leagues..

EatenTheSun

@HoustonPress Boycotting baseball til Houston returns to NL. Would happily watch the rebuilding years otherwise.

TrioLeader

@HoustonPress whats an Astro? #mlb #lostorganization

glwyvern

1 Like

We where lead to believe that this team would be better that last year. That we would not look like the fools this team is and that we fans not be treated as fool as well. WE thought in some of those trades there might be a player to help NOW, We thought WE would have a manager that can manage. We thought we would have better players than a catch on the team for the season hitting 180 or less that half the team would hit above 230. We were lead to believe this team could play and play well, That is what we wanted nothing more nothing less, We all know how bad the team, the farm every thing was yes we all know it takes time to build, but your time line sucks and YOU know it,

johnnybench

@glwyvern Who the fuck led you to believe all that? Why would anyone with a thimble full of sense think that? The major league team is being completely dismantled this season, as was the plan. Why would you think the major league team would improve while finalizing the dismantling?

big.red.guy

I think it may be a reach to say that just because the Astros are rebuilding, that they will be good in three or four years. The Pirates have been terrible for almost the last 20. There is no guarantee that this rebuilding effort will succeed. Who knows, we may look back in five years and slap at head at some of the moves made by the current GM. About all we do know is that the Astros are the worst team in the NL this year, and will be the worst team in the AL next year. And worse than KC will be saying something.

johnnybench

@big.red.guy As long as Luhnow doesn't suddenly turn into Cam Bonifay 2.0 you can lose the Pirates' comparison.