Houston Astros vs. Chicago White Sox - World Series 2005

[Guest sharpie]

]And Pedro Astacio sure looked Sub-Saharan African-complected when he played for the Mets.

Pedro is a Padre. Ezequiel Astacio is a 'Stro.

[Guest Edgy DC]

How about that? I'm way wrong, but right, because, Zeke still qualifies in my dirty little race-conscious book, even if he's, you know, not Pedro.

[Guest Rotblatt]

Please, for the love of God, win a game, Houston.

They're already starting their "the American League is SO much better than the National League" talk over at SoSH, which annoys me to no freaking end. I mean, for Christ's sake, these games have all been close and could easily have gone either way.

At this point, I'm rooting for the Astros to win it all, because not only would it silence those "AL uber all" jackasses, but it would ALSO push the Red Sox's comeback last season into the background.

Show a little pride, Houston, and win tonight.

[Guest sharpie]

I think the point they're making is that there are no African Americans on the 'Stros. Taveras and Astacio are Dominicans.

[Guest Edgy DC]

To which I'd reply that AP (and not really Morgan) is using a pretty narrow and insulting definition of the word "black."

[MFS62]

This reminds me of the pre-Jackie Robinson days when major league teams tried to bring in Black players and pass them off as Latin-American (I think many were called "Cuban").
The book "Only the Ball Was White" , I think the author was named Peterson, talks about this. I read the book about 20-30 years ago when it first came out, so I can't quote chapter and verse.

Later

[Guest Edgy DC]

I was up too late last night. I have a point to make and I'm making it all wrong.

The real problem, which the AP article only hints at, isn't really the fault of Houston. Yeah, they can do something about it, so can MLB. But the greater forces are societal forces outside of their control.

Joe Morgan seems to know that, but that's not the angle that the writer, or, more particularly, his editor headlline writer.

And the headline writer is probably from Newsday and not AP at all.

[Guest SwitchHitter]

It's not like the Astros have never had African-American players on the 25-man roster. They just don't right now. And the reason people are noticing is because they're in the World Series. There shouldn't be racial quotas in baseball so I'm not even sure why people are bringing it up. And I'm certain there are some AA players on the 40-man roster--they just happen to play in the minors. (Charlton Jimerson leaps to mind, waving both arms--I saw him go yard in Corpus Christi.)




This is Charlton Jimerson at AAA Round Rock.

[Frayed Knot]

The point of Morgan's comments and the article in general isn't to demean the Astros org for intentionally dodging black ballplayers; it's that the absence of black-Americans from their current roster serves as a symbol for the shrinking presence of blacks in baseball.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Agreed for the large part (and I said as much above), but misleading are the headline, "Astros Roster Has No Black Players" and the writer's statement, "The Astros are the first World Series team in more than a half-century with a roster that doesn't include a single black player"

Misleading or just wrong, and it's further exacerbated by pointing out that there are hispanics on the roster, without noting that some of them are Afro-hispanics.

The story is also 20 years old. The eighties Mets were widely criticized for their lack of blacks after Kevin Mitchell disappeared after 1986 and Raffy Santana after 1987. Of course many of those criticisms didn't count Santana as black either.

[Guest sharpie]

Spike Lee mentioned Mets lack of black players in one of his movies (either Do the Right Thing or Jungle Fever). Then he switched sides to the evil empire. And he moved out of Brooklyn. I used to live near him and he always said hi to my kids when they were in strollers. He is dead to me now.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Jungle Fever.

He played a guy with a gambling problem but he refused to bet on the Mets because he thought they were dodging blacks.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I see Mrs. Bush is being escorted by ol' 41 himself tonight.

Didn't think she'd have it in her to come back out tonight.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Backe pulling changes out of his ear and whiffing the side.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Backe has a clinic going on.

Struck that last guy out twice, for five in a row.

Freddy Garcia, of all people, stops him from getting a share of the World Series record.

[Guest mlbaseballtalk]

And the "experts" pegged this to be the game that the Sox had the decided, overwhelming edge starting pitching wise!

To borrow what has become John Sterling's favorite line to describe such things as Randy Johnson getting lit up for 4 HRs in an inning or the Yanks getting swept by the Royals and the Devil Rays

"You can't figure baseball out! heh heh heh!"

[Guest Edgy DC]

Wow, Rowand just pulled a Timo, of sorts.

[seawolf17]

Is there no one in this country who can actually sing "God Bless America"? I think it's time to retire this song gracefully during ballgames; I'm done with it.

[metirish]

] fell asleep. Did Mrs. Bush outlast me?

Yes she did, Joe Buck said she stayed for the whole game, bless her..I'm with seawolf...can the singers just sing the song ...Ronan Tynan does a good job but he's a MFY and he's over-used in that role...although not this year thankfully.

[metirish]

Backe is out, Bagwell is hitting for him, Backe was brilliant...

[Zvon]

The last thing I expected tonight was an 0-0 tie going into the 8th.

Another great ballgame.
I would really hate for this to be the last game of 2005.

Come on Astros......
Put something together.

Lidge,..hold em.
As I type the Sox get a lead off single and bunt the runner over.

[Frayed Knot]

Backe is an energetic little bastard innt he?

Lidge in for a tie game in the 8th ... must be 'no tomorrow' time

I find Everett hitting for Iguchi a bit odd - he grounds out.

[metirish]

Sox take the lead....Dye has had a great series, Ozzie making all the right moves..

[Zvon]

son
of
a beeatch.

Sox play small ball and put something together.
Off Lidge too,....damn.
damn.damn.damn.damn.damn.damn.

1-0 Chicago. 2 more innings for the Astros to work with.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

Lidge has had a rough post season.

Ensberg has had a nightmare of a World Series offensively. Not a good time for slumps from your stars.

[Frayed Knot]

A timely hit ot two could have turned any of the first 3 games in Houston's favor.
Here's comes another spot now that'll likely either make this interesting or kill the series.

[metirish]

And it's our old friend Vizciano...and this time he fails....I was hoping for a seven gamer..

[Guest Edgy DC]

So, is Lidge a choker or worthy of a Benitez label yet?

[Frayed Knot]

Jenks in to face Lane, Ausmus & Everett.

One or both of Ausmus/Everett will be PH'd for I'm sure.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Lane flares a single to center.

Looks like the Chicago secondbaseman pulled up too soon.

He's bifled to second.