Hope: Revived in a Measly Two Games

I'm often accused of being too optimistic about the Astros. In the past few years as play has been depressing, I tried to look for the bright spots. The things I could focus on until the play on the field improved. Something, anything that could feed my fan fire and tide me over until the talent from the minors started creeping into the majors. I consoled my wounded heart with the draft and the plan the front office had going, with the minor league records and the shiny new uniforms.

This year as Spring Training approached, friends and family began asking my opinion on how the Astros would fair this season, I decided that sunshine, lollipops and rainbows had left me a pissed off fan for 3 seasons, so it was time to expect nothing.

I told everyone that would listen, "Yes, the Astros will suck again this year. It will be painful to watch and you'll want to crawl into a warm bed and not come out until 2015." I didn't even try to sell them on the improved concessions and fan experience. I didn't give bonus points for the change in the Community Partners signs - all things I would have done in the past. I think I even convinced myself that it was true. I knew that the front office had made some smart off-season moves. I paid attention from the cheap seats watching and waiting, but decided that expecting the worst would be the healthiest thing for me.

I knew that there was talent that would be walking onto the field on Tuesday, but felt certain that at the VERY best the Astros would take one game from the Yankees. We all know now that I was dead wrong.

The Astros...the Astros that I promised would be stinkin' it up again this year...have taken TWO games from the Yankees. And you know what that means? It means that hope is creeping back into my head and heart.

Damn you, Astros.

You better live up to it now. I'm not sure I can take another heartbreaking season. So, now that you've shown us that you are capable of nearly-perfect baseball, I'm going to expect it. I know you'll still lose more than you'll win. You're not ready for a .500 or better season yet, but that 100 loss thing? I think it's safe to say that you've shown us you've got the goods to put that in the rear view mirror. Time to deliver...the resurrecting hope in my little heart is counting on it.