Tag Archives: Astros

Welcome to Daikin Park

Posted on November 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Out with the old sponsor, in with the new. Minute Maid Park’s time is up. Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez and their Houston Astros teammates will play home games at the renamed Daikin Park when next season begins. The Astros on … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

New Sports Authority CEO

Posted on October 15, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Not sure what to make of this. The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority on Friday fired CEO Janis Burke after 18 years with the organization, a high-profile termination that came hours after Mayor John Whitmire and Houston’s sports executives gathered at … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics, Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on New Sports Authority CEO

The Ted Cruz Curse continues

Posted on October 6, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, Astros fans. Guess who was at the Astros game today? #Cruzcurse 😡 — Barbi (@Barbi__7) 10:00 PM – 02 October 2024 The Ted Cruz curse strikes (no pun intended) again. Allegedly. The Texas senator’s attendance at sporting events across … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Election 2024, Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Ted Cruz Curse continues

Here’s our World Baseball Classic schedule

Posted on August 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

In case you want to start filling in your 2026 calendar now. When the World Baseball Classic hits Houston’s Minute Maid Park in March 2026, the ballpark will host games featuring the United States, Mexico, Italy and Great Britain. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Here’s our World Baseball Classic schedule

The NFL will use facial recognition for its ticketing at all stadia

Posted on August 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The future is here, like it or not. It’s just a month away from the Cowboys’ season kickoff, and fans better stay on their best behavior once the stadium doors reopen. This year, the Cowboys and the rest of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports, Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The NFL will use facial recognition for its ticketing at all stadia

The CenterPoint criticism

Posted on July 12, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Lots more people in positions of power with things to say about CenterPoint’s performance this week. Here’s Rep. Sylvia Garcia: U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia is tired of feeling left in the dark by CenterPoint Energy – both literally and figuratively. … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Houston will get some World Baseball Classic games

Posted on May 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Very cool. Houston will be one of four host cities for the World Baseball Classic when the international tournament is next played in 2026, Major League Baseball announced on Thursday. Minute Maid Park will host group stage games and a … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

“Facial authentication”

Posted on February 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’m still thinking about how I feel about this. The Astros will be one of four Major League Baseball teams using facial authentication technology at this year’s opening day in an effort to speed up fans’ entry through the gates … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on “Facial authentication”

Houston bids for the 2026 World Baseball Classic

Posted on January 7, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Ooh, cool. Houston is bidding to be a host city for the World Baseball Classic when the international tournament is next played in 2026. The city hosted WBC representatives for a visit in September and submitted its bid prior to … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Houston bids for the 2026 World Baseball Classic

The Astros meet the President

Posted on August 13, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Bill Kelly, Director of Government Relations for Mayor Sylvester Turner, got to visit the White House with the Astros to celebrate their winning the World Series last year. Here’s his report on what that’s like. For anyone who has ever … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Rob Manfred’s regrets

Posted on July 1, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

He has one in particular that is of interest. In an extensive interview with TIME that was published Wednesday, the baseball commissioner talked about a lot of his successes in the sport, including the recent rules changes that has made for quicker games, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Your 2023 Hall of Fame ballot is out

Posted on November 22, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Should be a quieter year, at least for the writers. The National Baseball Hall of Fame revealed the 2023 Baseball Writers’ Association of America Hall of Fame ballot on Monday, with several notable names appearing for the first time, as … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Your 2023 Hall of Fame ballot is out

Click out

Posted on November 12, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Gotta say, this is shocking. Six days after winning a World Series title, the Astros parted ways with general manager James Click on Friday, ending months of intensifying speculation with unprecedented action and throwing one of the sport’s most successful … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Click out

Rob Manfred speaks

Posted on July 4, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

About the Astros and other things. When it comes to the Astros’ sign-stealing saga and its aftermath, Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred does have one big regret. Was it his non-punishment of any individual players or granting immunity to … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Rob Manfred speaks

We finally see that Manfred letter to the Yankees

Posted on April 28, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron headline is blaring, but I kind of think we already knew most of this stuff. Major League Baseball fined the New York Yankees $100,000 in 2017 for using their replay room and dugout phone to steal their opponent’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on We finally see that Manfred letter to the Yankees

Courts keep turning the Yankees down

Posted on April 23, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Time to give up and move on, y’all. The New York Yankees keep taking losses in court. A federal appeals court has denied the team’s latest attempt to keep a 2017 letter from Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred detailing … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

JC Hartman

Posted on April 17, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Good column from Jerome Solomon about the first Black baseball player for the Astros, who were still the Colt 45s at the time. You have probably never heard of many of the first Blacks to play modern-day baseball for franchises. … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on JC Hartman

Do tell, Chris

Posted on April 6, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. A rival of the Astros during their current run as a Major League Baseball power said Houston wasn’t the only team that’s resorted to cheating. Red Sox lefthander Chris Sale, who pitched … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Carlos Beltrán speaks about sign stealing

Posted on April 5, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. Carlos Beltrán, the venerated designated hitter painted by Major League Baseball as a ringleader of Houston’s electronic sign-stealing scheme during the 2017 season, said this week he “wished somebody would’ve said something” and stopped the trashcan banging scheme. … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Yankees still fighting to keep that MLB letter under wraps

Posted on April 4, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I mean, it can’t hurt to ask. The New York Yankees plan to continue to fight the unsealing of a letter from MLB detailing alleged sign-stealing by the organization. The Athletic, citing a source with knowledge of the team’s plans, reported … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Yankees still fighting to keep that MLB letter under wraps

Appeals court upholds ruling to unseal MLB’s 2017 letter on sign stealing

Posted on March 23, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Look, if you’re going to follow a weird story, you’ve got to stay committed to following that weird story. A September 2017 letter from Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred detailing alleged sign-stealing by the New York Yankees should be … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Appeals court upholds ruling to unseal MLB’s 2017 letter on sign stealing

They’re the Space Cowboys

Posted on January 24, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Bet you weren’t ready for that. You can call them the Space Cowboys. That’s the name the Astros have picked in their rebranding of the Sugar Land Skeeters, the team’s Class AAA affiliate. The official announcement will come on Jan. 29 … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

No vax needed to see a Rockets game

Posted on October 8, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

No, thanks. The Rockets will not have any entry or seating restrictions beyond those required by NBA health and safety rules this season, according to Rockets president of business operations Gretchen Sheirr. The team does provide an option for fans … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Astros reach settlement with the family of the girl hit by the foul ball

Posted on August 20, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Some closure to a tough story. The family of a girl struck by a foul ball at Minute Maid Park during the 2019 season has reached a confidential settlement with the Astros, the family’s attorney said Friday afternoon. Because the … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Astros again seek to dismiss Bolsinger lawsuit

Posted on July 16, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

They will probably succeed. The Astros have submitted their proposal for a Harris County judge to dismiss former Toronto Blue Jays reliever Mike Bolsinger’s lawsuit against the team. Bolsinger has alleged trade misappropriation and sought more than $1 million in … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Astros again seek to dismiss Bolsinger lawsuit

Former MLB pitcher re-files lawsuit against Astros

Posted on May 17, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s the second attempt to sue them for damages over the sign stealing scheme from 2017. Continuing to maintain that the Astros’ 2017 sign stealing cost him a job in the major leagues, former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Mike Bolsinger … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Should Harris County lower its threat level?

Posted on April 16, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe? According to Harris County’s COVID-19 guidance, residents should avoid all unnecessary contact with others. They should not go to bars or barbecues or ballgames. They should work from home if possible and leave only for errands, such as groceries … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Our COVID numbers are staying down

Posted on April 9, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s keep this going. While the East Coast struggles with a fourth wave of rising COVID-19 infections, Texas experts say the state is doing “reasonably well” as case rates stabilize across the state. Case rates and hospitalizations have plateaued in … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Astros aim for half-full

Posted on March 26, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

To start out with. The Astros are expanding their previously planned attendance numbers at Minute Maid Park to start the regular season but will not exceed 50 percent capacity during April, senior vice president for communication and marketing Anita Sehgal … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Astros aim for half-full

Take me out to the ballgame?

Posted on March 14, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know about you, but I’m not ready for this. The Texas Rangers plan to open Globe Life Field to a full-capacity crowd of 40,518 for their final two exhibition games and their regular-season home opener on April 5. … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Luhnow lawsuit dismissed

Posted on February 14, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Nothing left to litigate about, apparently. Former Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow’s lawsuit against the ballclub was dismissed on Friday after both parties “resolved their differences,” severing the final tie between the team and its most successful executive in history. … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Luhnow lawsuit dismissed

More on the Luhnow lawsuit

Posted on November 13, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Because I now have the brain space to think about stuff like this again. While baseball fans and courtroom voyeurs might long for a public legal showdown between Astros owner Jim Crane and former general manager Jeff Luhnow, attorneys say … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Luhnow sues Astros

Posted on November 10, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to be entertaining. Jeff Luhnow sued the Houston Astros for breach of contract on Sunday, alleging that Astros owner Jim Crane and Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred negotiated penalties for the sign-stealing scandal that enabled the team … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

What more is there to be said about the Astros sign stealing scandal?

Posted on November 7, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

There’s at least one podcast’s worth of material out there. Rather than writing a sequel to “Astroball,” his 2018 book about the improbable rise of the Jim Crane/Jeff Luhnow-era Astros, former Sports Illustrated writer Ben Reiter opted for a six-episode … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on What more is there to be said about the Astros sign stealing scandal?