Welcome, Citizen Chris

Citizen Chris comes to us from America's Attic - Alberta, Canada - and runs his own entertaining blog, which you can read here.

If you could go back and pick your favorite team over again, who would it be?
I was actually a Blue Jays fan until around 1996. I went to an Edmonton Trappers game one time around then, and received an Astros mini-helmet as a giveaway that day (it was random what team you got). I got reading up on the Astros, and read a lot about Craig Biggio - he quickly became my favorite player, and as a result, the Astros became my favorite team. Had I never received that mini-helmet or had never read about Craig Biggio.....who knows who I would be cheering for! But I will never cheer for anyone but the Astros now.

Who is your favorite all-time Astro and why?
Easy....Craig Biggio. The guy played the game the way it was meant to be played. He poured his heart into the game, and put the maximum effort into every single play for 19 years. He ran out every single routine groundball as hard as he could, he dove for every ball that was hit close to him - he did so many great things on and off the field (Sunshine Kids, etc.). Craig Biggio is my all-time favorite baseball player period.

Among all Major League players past and present, I hate (this player) more than all of them combined.
Now this is a tough question...you know, there aren't many players that I really hate long-term. I hated Albert Pujols for quite some time after that homerun off Lidge in the 2005 NLCS....but he is such a good athlete and classy guy that I can't hate him long-term. The only player I hate right now is Manny Ramirez. The guy just turned out an offer that would make him the second highest paid player in the game (behind A-Rod) because he's holding out for a long-term contract...give me a break. The way that he behaved in Boston near the end of his tenure there, he reminds me of the next Barry Bonds (oh wait, that is another guy I kind of hate).

Would you give Cecil Cooper a contract extension? How many games back would the Astros have to be for you to fire him?
I'm not sure Cecil has really been given a fair shot yet, given the pitching staffs he has had. However, I don't think he's really cut out to be a long term MLB coach. He doesn't have enough fire or passion during games. He argues the occasional call, but he's so timid that it doesn't really fire up his team anyway. I would let him finish up this next year, even if things get pretty bleak, and then do a proper coaching search next off-season. Of course, Cecil could prove me wrong and the Astros could finish with 95 wins this year....but I don't see it.

Miguel Tejada - 3-hole or 7-spot in the lineup?
I guess 7-spot.......although really I don't think he belongs on our roster at all. If the Astros are going to rebuild their club, they need to get younger - not much, much older. Tejada's second half stats from last year scare the hell out of me. I honestly thought his power numbers would bounce back with the move to Minute Maid Park....but I was wrong.

Interested in answering some questions? E-mail Astros County at astroscounty@hotmail.com.