Houston Astros: A unique perspective of ‘The Process’ from a baseball fan

Houston Astros fans — it’s easy for everyone to imagine life as a champion. As we get ready for another 2017 season, we sometimes wonder what life is like for an average baseball player to be crowned a champion. Perhaps the player is wondering what life is like for the average fan. Sometimes, it can be cool to combine the two thoughts in store.

A few entries ago, Houston Astros fans, I wrote down my 27 thoughts on things that need to change that I feel. First of all, I was not speaking politically even though I got someone telling me to stick to sports in the comments. I just wanted to speak from the heart without offending others. Second of all, item number 26 states there is no such thing as a World Series champion fan.

I’ll admit that I have self-proclaimed myself as a World Series champion fan as perhaps some of y’all have done already. But the more I think about it, what’s the point of that? I just happen to be a fan of a World Series championship team. I don’t get a postseason check or a ring. I’m not sitting on a firetruck at the parade or being on talk shows. Heck, I wasn’t even at the White House to celebrate, which I’m sure you all probably thought about deciding whether to go or not go if you were in their shoes.

It seems like the only thing I got is a rare picture with the Commissioner’s Trophy and I wasn’t allowed to touch it. So basically, I’m just a fan on the outside looking in. But there is a way I can imagine myself as being part of the in-crowd.

There is?

Before I explain what I have in mind, let me show you something. Jerome Solomon of the Houston Chronicle recently wrote an article about the Houston Astros visit in the White House. He talks about how diverse the Astros are. 

While I was never big on him or the Houston media in the past because of my paranoia thoughts of them hating our teams, I have to admit this is a piece of great work. I actually like the article and my feelings at least for our own media have changed somewhat. But you want to know what I think here?

We got players from Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Connecticut, Georgia, Cuba, Virginia, Oklahoma, and so on. But you want to know what strikes me as odd? There’s not a single player from Houston, Texas. Whether that’s just the buildup of the team or just a coincidence, there is not a single player from Houston. As general manager, Jeff Luhnow put it, “there are a lot of guys on our team that are not from Houston, Texas. But they’ve adopted the city.”

We appreciate these players for being there for us and wearing our city with honor and pride. But I sometimes wonder what it would be like to have a hometown player be a part of last season’s team. Then it hit me.

What’s your crazy idea this time?

Well, if there’s anything I like to write about, aside from posts about Houston sports, it’s stories. I’ve always loved writing about reality shows or just fictional adventures. So I figured I decide to put out a story about a fictional Houston Astros player that represents us from the good to the worse years and back to the best years as fans.

Just for fun, let’s call our player Henry Albright (I took the first letter of the words Houston and Astros). He’s an infielder who begins his rookie season in 2005 and goes on this incredible journey of being in the Houston Astros organization in the next twelve seasons. He endures so much laughter and humiliation while playing for a team that is bad but with a plan.

Reminder folks, this is a historical fiction tale. So anything that didn’t happen in the World Series will be featured. This is the way I wish it could’ve been had Mr. Albright been associated with the team. So please hang with me here. I do hope you enjoy the story.