Houston Astros Fan Fest: Craft Beer Connection

Yes, the Houston Astros Fan Fest was a week and a half ago. Yes, I’m just now writing about it. No, this post is not about the Q&A session that everyone else has already covered. Yes, this about craft beer and the Houston Astros.

Our friends over at Climbing Tal’s Hill already covered that angle pretty extensively. Be sure to check out their post when you get a chance.

Last week, our editor Yoni Pollak tweeted out:

The story as to why I am so late on this post, really isn’t interesting. In fact, it’s more along the lines of a horror story.

After attending the Houston Astros Fan Fest, I went home and typed up some notes about it on my Chromebook. I had a work event later on in the evening, so pending a massive hangover, I was hoping to have a post live early Sunday.

I was tasked with filming the event, and putting together the recap video. I brought my Chromebook with me just in case I needed to look at some of the shots.

The event went swimmingly. When it was over and after having a few cocktails, I decided to play it safe by leaving my car in a gated parking area, and riding with a friend of mine, to a bar down the road, then catching a ride to my house.

I had my Chromebook with my keys to my car in a bag, that I threw in the back of his SUV. We valeted at the bar. When we closed up at the bar, my buddy’s ride came back with a busted window. The only thing missing, were my belongings.

Now, my ass may be dumb, but I’m no dumbass.

Judgement told me that I made the right choice by not driving, and bringing my valuables. Yeah, blah blah blah valets are shady… still, that’s circumstantial.  (I know for a fact this was a inside job, because four other cars got broken into that valeted at the same bar. One of the cars didn’t even get its window busted.)

All that said, some jerk off now has a Chromebook that’s synced with all of my Google products and the keys to my house. Any computer literate person could open that bad boy up, and find out where I live and whatnot.

I didn’t change my password immediately. I wanted to see if I could catch an IP address, in case they logged on. I waited til noon on Sunday, then pulled the plug. It was a catch 22. It had to be done. I had to chalk up my losses and move on. Start fresh and try to clean up the mess I was in.

What does that have to do with or even relate to the Houston Astros other than the fact that my Chromebook had notes on it from Fan Fest?

Answer: After Jim Crane bought the franchise, he found himself in a debacle. Blow this thing up or try to sort through the mess and hope to get things sorted out, without harming the franchise even more. It was a catch 22.

He made the right choice and wanted a clean slate. He brought in “money ball” stat nerd Jeff Luhnow. Luhnow then hired Bo Porter. A year later, Reid Ryan walks through the door.

After getting to hear all three of them chat at Fan Fest here’s my quick takeaway.

Reid Ryan – Ryan preached about the organization building a local connection with the fans. He gets it. There’s a void here that needs to be fixed. He knows that it starts with the team getting better and ends with their partnerships off the field.

Bo Porter – I asked Bo Porter, who the Astros’ get fired up to play against, now that we’re in the AL (trying to see who’s the Astros new rival). He danced around the question in a very PC way. After, not hearing what I wanted too, I phrased the question a different way by saying, “I ask because, when we were in the NL, I know I hate the Cardinals, and I hate the Cubs. So, what I need to know is, who do I need to hate?” He chuckled, and told me that he’ll leave that one up to me. Porter spoke like a natural leader in the front of the room.

Jeff Luhnow – I’ll be honest, I’m not an Astros farm system guy. I’m not in that deep. There were a lot of questions regarding the farm system, and I sat there like a lost child at a grocery store for most of that conversation. Luhnow does have real expectations and goals for the franchise.

All three of these men are faced with some big challenges. All three of their jobs play a intricate role into each other’s. Porter can only do so much with the talent that’s given to him. Luhnow can only hope that the players that he drafts and trades for pan out. Finally Ryan, has to deal with the bringing in revenue amongst other responsibilities.

They’re in a “hurry up and wait” scenario. We’re all waiting for these players in the farm system to develop, so moves can be made to make this team watchable.

And now, let’s talk about beer…