Baseball Is For Sissies: The 1988 Houston Astros

[YetiTaz]

"Baseball is for sissies."
And with those four words, Dad had made his feelings clear on which sport he preferred.
Dad was a football guy. And why not? In south Texas, football was king. Don't plan a wedding, a funeral, a concert tour or anything on a Friday night in September, October or November.
Because you will be competing with a high school football game.
And you will lose.
"Boring! I don't know how these guys get injured. All they do is stand around."
So, with our one color television in the living room, we watched Starsky and Hutch, Charlie's Angels and the Six Million Dollar Man.
Baseball?
Go watch it on the small black and white tv in the back room.
That is, if the Astros had a road game. Home games weren't televised.
"Don't know why you would watch a Houston team anyways. All they do is get a good player and sell him."
Dad had two favorite teams in the NFL. The Dallas Cowboys (of course) and the ... Oakland Raiders? He never said but I get the feeling Dad was a George Blanda fan and followed Blanda from Houston to Oakland and his loyalty stayed with the Raiders even after they moved to Los Angeles.
Me? I liked baseball and Houston. Dad must have thought I was an alien or something.
Dad and I had a lot of conflicting differences besides just that. Dad wanted to stay in the garage all day and work on cars. I'd rather spend it outside fishing. Dad was a die-hard Democrat. I just so happened to like Ronald Reagan. Dad was a country western fan. I loved rock and roll. Dad preferred the written word. I loved playing with numbers.
Dad was a football guy.
My love was baseball.
"Baseball is for sissies!"

*****

I had signed up to join the Army during my senior year and so, on August 2, 1985, I sat on the runway aboard a plane in Dallas Texas when this happened:
Delta Air Lines Flight 191 was an airline service from Fort Lauderdale, Florida's Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, bound for Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California, by way of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. On the afternoon of August 2, 1985, Delta Air Lines Flight 191 crashed while on a routine approach to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, killing 8 of 11 crew members, 126 of 152 passengers on board, and one person on the ground. Two people also died more than 30 days after the crash, bringing the total fatalities to 137. This accident is one of the few commercial airline crashes in which the meteorological phenomenon known as microburst-induced wind shear was a direct contributing factor.
It's an eery feeling to be seated on an airplane on a runway and watching a plane in front of you become engulfed in flames. But I survived the flight to Fort Jackson, South Carolina, then survived my time in Basic Training and AIT, although I was unable to witness the atrocity that allowed the Royals to win Game 6 of the 1985 World Series.
After a brief time period back home, I was off to Germany to spend just a bit over two years overseas. In that time period, Houston Wrestling (one of my favorite shows) ceased to exist, the Rockets got whipped by the Celtics in the NBA Finals and the Cowboys had their first losing season in 20 years.
But the most painful of all was the 1986 NLCS.
Especially Game 3.
I still can't say the name Lenny Dykstra without addid "blankety blank blank" in between Lenny and Dykstra.
If only they had gotten to Game 7. Mike Scott would have been pitching and he had beaten the Mets twice in that series, both being complete games, having allowed just one run in 18 innings.
But for that Lenny Blankety Blank Blank Dykstra!
The NFL went through their strike and replacement players and somehow the Houston Oilers made the playoffs.
And the Astros had a terrible year.
And my time in the Army was coming to a close.
On January 15, 1988, my debt to Uncle Sam was paid.
It just so happened to be my 21st birthday.
That'a what you call proper planning.
Now, I was legal to drink in the states. In Germany, if you could see over the bar, you could drink. And I had developed a liking for one Jim Beam. And also became acquainted with the Marlboro Man.
So, as I walked back into the Houston airport on January 15, 1988, with a lit cigarette in my mouth, Dad took one look at me and said, "I should slap that thing out of your mouth." Then he lit his own Marlboro and off to the car we went.

*****

The reason for the military service was simple: GI Bill. College funds. While my grades hadn't been the best in school in certain subjects (Geography especially), I seemed to just have an ability to knock out the match classes and scored fairly high on the ASVAB. Now, that I was home, it was time to look into heading to college. I had to move fast, though. Semesters were scheduled to start on the 18th. I figured on going to Victoria College, just a 30 minute drive from our house. Dad had another idea.
"Me and Uncle /ray been thinking. Want to try Alvin Community College?"
Uncle Ray?
Uncle Ray lived in Alvin and quite frankly we couldn't stand each other. In the summer of 1980, my grandpa was staying with them in Alvin when he had a stroke. So my family trekked up to Alvin and we all stayed there for a few days. My cousin was in this 4H thing and raising chickens. Uncle Ray, apparently, expected me to stay out all day and help her with her chickens. I went in, instead, and watched an Astros game. On a color tv! Later, Uncle Ray came in and had one autographed baseball. Signed by Nolan Ryan. "People who work get these things." He gave it to my cousin. He said he could have gotten two bit didn't.
Sadly, eight years later, my cousin not only doesn't know where the ball is, but doesn't even remember getting it.
"You know, Uncle Ray knows Nolan Raysn," Dad said.
Yeah, way to rub it in my face.
"And Nolan Ryan said he could get you a small job with the Astros for home games if you went to school close by."
I looked at Dad and shook my head. Seriously, I began to wonder just how much Jim Beam I had drunk my last night in Germany. "I thought baseball was for sissies, Dad."
Dad laughed. "It is.Baseball is for sissies."
"So what gives?"
"Well, Uncle Ray's been bragging on his soldier-boy nephew and Nolan Ryan wanted to do something to show his appreciation for your service overseas. Plus, they have dorms so you can live on campus."
"Good." The thought of living with Uncle Ray and Aunt Hazel and their younger two daughters was beyong frightening. "So, any idea what kind of job I'm going to get?"

*****

"And this is the laundry room. Be sure you leave it the way you found it."
Sounuva....

[YetiTaz]

Hello, and welcome to my story. Here's hoping I don't fall flat on my face.
I am pretty new to the Sports Mogul game so I do hope you will forgive me for playing on Fan Level. I am using Baseball Mogul 2012 with all settings set at normal. However, I haven't actually started game play yet so any recommendations to make the game more realistic for a novice are welcome.
Some of my opening paragraph is true to life too. Especially the part about being on the runway when that plane crashed. And going to Germany.
And, of course, many parts of the story are fictitious.
Oh, and one more thing, my Dad (who passes away in 97) really did say "baseball is for sissies."
Thank you for reading and I hope I can keep you entertained.

[YetiTaz]

But, first, was getting enrolled in school.
Circumstances being what they were, it was easy to get a quick waiver to enter the spring semester a week late. That Monday I took the ACT. Getting results from the SAT would have taken to long for me to have been able to enter the spring semester.
On Thursday, I was registering for classes. Chemistry 401. English 301. American History 301. Speech 301. Health and Nutrition 301. And Swimming. What can I say? I was 21 and taking a class where college girls would be in swimsuits. And the government was paying for it!
God bless America!
Yeah, I was taking a full load. But I didn't want to take summer classes. I wanted to be free to hang out at the Astrodome as much as possible during the summer.
And the pickup lines I could use on the college girls. "Hi. I just got out of the army and now I work for the Astros."
So I got moved into an empty dorm room and slipped out into the hallway and saw one of the most beautiful blonde co-eds you could ever imagine.
Wearing a Dallas Cowboys t-shirt.
Sunuva ....

*****

I had bought a 1980 Toyota Corolla from a neighbor back in Victoria when I had gotten back from Germany for $600 and drove it to Uncle Ray's house one February Saturday.
To have dinner with Nolan Ryan!
To say that Nolan was my hero would be like saying that water is wet. I had started following baseball at the same time he came to the Astros from the Angels and the one time I had gotten to see an Astros game in person, he had beaten the Cardinals 2-0. That was the greatest moment of my school years by far.
Now, he wanted to meet me for dinner!
I walked into my uncle's house and grimmaced. My oldest cousin had moved to Wharton, gotten married and had a kid. The youngest cousin barely even knew me. Their middle daughter, though, was in junior high and playing the worst, most awful music I had ever heard.
"Well, I gotta have faith..."
What the hell was that? I would find out it was George Michael. No wonder it sucked! Now, it made perfect sense.

****

"What are you doing for spring break?"
I hadn't even thought about spring break. When you've been to Germany, France, and Spain, Port A and South Padre are just a couple of beaches in Texas that you've already seen and don't need to see again.
"Good. You will love Florida."
Been there already, too. Had a relative who lived in Miami that we'd visit every once in a while. Had been there in 1984. Even got to see Dusty Rhodes wrestle while I was there. Unfortunately, Papa Fred had passed away in 1986. So, there really was no plans for me to ever go back to Florida.
But, I had never ever been to Spring Training before.
"Really? I'd love to go!"
That was going to be great. Going to Spring Training. I wondered, if I could get one to join me, if it would be possible to bring a female companion.
Nolan gave me a look as if I had just charged the mound at him. I half-expected him to grab me in a headlock and start pounding away.
So, I couldn't take one of those hot girls in swim class with me, but at least I was getting to go to spring training and watch exhibition games! What could be a better vacation?

*****

"Load those bags onto the bus and then get back here!"
Sunuva.....

[birdsin89]

Good stuff! Looking forward to the next entries. Good luck with it!

[OONothing]

Great Start!

[YetiTaz]

Thanks for the kind words and for reading and commenting. Shall we continue our little make-believe story here?


"Lofton! Gonzalez! Bagwell! Ya'll are batting 1-2-3!"
That was me calling out the batting order. I had been given "the book" and was our scorekeeper of the day. Alas, it was a split squad game and I was with the rookie team. Still, all in all, they seemed to be a pretty decent bunch, even if Kenny Lofton came off as a tad bit surly.
I was a touch older than those three and they right away took a liking to me. Of course, being that I was 21 and not officially a member of the Astros organization may have had something to do with it. I could pick up a 6-pack and would be as if it had been bought by a fan.
And you better believe I was buying it for them!
I had put on 15 pounds of muscle when I was in Germany .. okay, 10 pounds of muscle and 5 pounds of beer gut ... but that still just brought me to a whopping 145 pounds on a not quite 6 foot frame. BagPipes, on the other hand, was 195, Gonzo was 180 as was Lofton. You just called him Kenny. Told ya he was kind of surly.
So, when three athletes who all outweigh you by nearly 40 punds each tell you to get them some beer, you find out if they prefer Bud Light or Miller Light and take a trip down to the 7-11 as fast as you can.
The setup wasn't too bad, though. We stayed back at the hotel and drank while the vets hit the town. And there are some really nice looking gals in Florida whom just love baseball players. And those girla fell all over themselves whenever we headed down to the hotel's pool. BagPipes, Jeff Bagwell that is, was the really popular one but Gonzo, aka Luis Gonzalez, was petty popular too.
Kenny had a smaller following of women. His surliness might have had something to do with that but I suspect that so did the color of his skin. But he wasn't left out, that's for sure.
So, this one bleach-blonde named Ginger who was, shall we say, well-compensated in the chest region....I mean they was some BIG gazoombas...studied me intently with my small frame and Revenge of the Nerds glasses. "Are you an Astro, too?"
"Yeah," Gonzo said with a chuckle. "He's the bat boy."
"Ohhhhhhhh!" She had no clue what he meant. She was as dumb as she was stacked.
"I'm going to go get us some more beer."
Sunuva...

*****

A couple of the other rookies weren't having near as good a spring training. Brian Meyer had a broken finger and Andy Mota had a bruised ankle. Word was that Meyer could possibly make the big league club someday but Mota was probably a career minor leaguer. One of the guys referred to Mota as a "zero tool player".
Others on that rookie team included Ken Caminitti, Louie Meadows, Javier Ortiz, Jose Tolentino and Craig Biggio.
Biggio would have none of the nonsense that was going on at the pool. Biggio was there for baseball. When we had a game, Biggio treated it like it was Game 7 of the World Series. When we were done, he was taking batting practice, talking with position coaches, studying tapes and just living and breathing baseball in every sense of the word. As the week went on, Biggio began to assert himself as the leader in the rookie class and he and BagPipes began to spend time together in the batting cage and scouting other games. Bagwell and Biggio were the heart and soul of the Astros rookie class.
By the time spring break was over, I had lost one of my drinking buddies. BagPipes didn't have time for the beer drinking with the girls at the pool anymore.
Ginger was so disappointed.

*****

The pitch just got away.
There was no malice or intent. These things sometimes happen.
Still, we could only stare in shock as Orlando Miller lay motionless on the ground beside home plate.
The ball sailed up and in and caught Orlando right in the ear hole of the batting helmet with some serious velocity. The trainers headed to home plate and looked him over. One shined a small flashlight in his eyes.
"It's just a mild concussion," the prognosis would come back later.
Thank goodness for that. That could have done some permanent damage.
Just a concussion. Orlando had gotten lucky.

*****

The week ended too fast for me. Baseball all day every day had been my life for a whole week! And then it was over.
Back to the Chemistry lab. Back to writing composition papers. Back to reading about the Industrial Revolution.
Oh yeah, and back to checking out Vanessa in her swimsuit.
So there was still one thing I had to look forwards to besides baseball.

[YetiTaz]

If ever the term "goddess" described a girl, that girl was Vanessa.
Dark wavy hair that flowed to her lower back. Soft brown eyes that could hypnotize the coldest of men. A curvy smile that produced the cutest of dimples. And an hour-glass figure that was poured into a blue swimsuit without a single over or under spill.
And yet, through all her perfections, she seemed to have this shy modesty that almost came off as if she were a tad bit insecure. In fact, if someone would have told her just how hot she was, she might have shrunk away even more!
Yet, I couldn't help but watch whenever she would ease herself down into the pool. And be amazed at how easily picking up each different stroke came to her.
I didn't do too bad myself but that backstroke was one of the most awkward swimming motions I ever tried to learn.
Dad had told me how to swim when I was 8 years old. He tossed me out of the boat and said, "swim or drown!" I swam! Didn't have the best of techniques but I made it back to the boat. But I sure didn't do it by backstroking.
I was having a hard time doing the backstroke. It just wasn't clicking for me. I was sinking. Water was getting in my mouth and nose and fustration was mounting when this soft voice spoke from above. "You have to keep your back straighter."
I stood up in the pool and Vanessa smiled at me from the edge of the pool. "You're bending your back in the middle and that's why you are sinking. Watch."
She climbed in and floated on her back. Then she took my hand and placed it on her back. "See how straight my back is?"
It's a good thing that the whole "electrical spark when we tough" is a myth because we were in a pool and soaking wet and that would have been a bad thing. As it was, I think we both lost our breath for a second. I know I did. I think she did because she blushed a bright crimson.
So, I did the manly thing and totally played it off like it was nothing.
And didn't fool anybody!

*****

The Astros opened their season at home against the Padres on Monday. April Fools Day even. (Actually, April 1, 1988 was a Friday but the game says Monday so we'll go with that). Then a trip to San Francisco to face the defending NL West Champion Giants and then back home to face the Mets and Lenny Blankyty Blank Blank Blank Dykstra. I had a busy weekend set. First I was to work with the equipment manager to make sure everyone had their right socks, shoes, bats, etc. Baseball players are a superstitious bunch and you give a guy the wrong color socks or wrong batting gloves and he'll freak out and be guaranteed and 0-for-4 day.
Then I worked with the Astrodome maintenance crew, sweeping, wiping down seats, cleaning the restrooms. You name it. What a fun time!
Finally we picked up the litter in the parking lot and called it a weekend. Opening day was just one night away! Nolan Ryan was going to be on the mound. Life was perfect!

*****

She waited outside the Y. Her hair had been dried and combed back, her face brown in the lunch-time sun. She wore faded blue jeans and a Jesus Saves t-shirt.
"On Monday's, over at the Baptist Student Union, we have a Bible study at 7:00. Would you like to go?" she asked.
Well, it wasn't exactly what I had in mind for a first date but it was a start. There was just one small problem.
"I can't tonight. I have to work."
"Oh. Okay. Where do you work?"
"I work for the Astros."
She looked at me incredulously and then giggled. "I get it. April Fool's!"
"No, really. I work for the Astros. My uncle is friend's with Nolan Ryan and he got me a job."
I thought she'd be amazed. In awe. Excited. I had no idea those brown eyes would get tears in them.
"Look, if yiou don't want to go, just say so! Don't treat me like an idiot!"
"No, really! I do..."
I was wasting my breath. She was already walking away.
Opening day! The day I had been looking forwards to since I had stepped off the plane and come back home.
And suddenly baseball just had no appeal to me.
"Snap out of it," I told myself. "There's plenty of girls out there."
Yeah, but there was only one Vanessa.

ASTROS 6 PADRES 4
Nolan Ryan went 8 innings, allowing 3 earned runs and Juan Agosto got the final out to record the save. The Astros had to overcome 1-0 and 2-1 deficits. Glenn Davis hit a 2-out, 2 RBI double in the bottom of the 5th to break a 3-3 tie and that was the difference maker.

ASTROS 4 PADRES 2
Bob Knepper pitched 8 innings for the win this time as Charlie Kerfeld got the save. This time Alan Ashby hit a 2-out, 2-RBI single in the bottom of the 6th to wipe out a 2-1 deficit. And Jeff Bagwell got his first hit as an Astro, as he pinch hit for Knepper in the 8th and hit an RBI triple to make the final 4-2.

PADRES 3 ASTROS 2
The Padres avoided the sweep. Bill Gullickson was tagged with the loss as this time the Padres got the come-from-behind win as Andy Benes not only pitched a complete game but also hit a 2-run homer in the 7th that erased a 2-1 Astros lead. Giving up a 2-run game-winner to the opposing pitcher? That's gotta hurt.

The Astros start the season 2-1 and head to San Francisco to face the 0-2 Giants. And I headed beck to class to face Vanessa. At least I had some evidence that I was where I had claimed to be.

[twinsGM]

nice job, i like the narrative so far.

[YetiTaz]

Thanks for the compliment. Hope you keep reading.

Swim class was Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11:10 to 11:55. It was also the only class I shared with Vanessa.
Though we were both listed as freshmen, she was in her second semester while I was in my first. History. English Composition. I was a semester behind. She was in Biology and I was in Chemistry. And she was taking Algebra. I was considering taking it in the summer. Simply because I had such a strong foundation in math.
So, I didn't see her Tuesday and on Wednesday she avoided me completely. That was okay, though.
Thursday, after Chemistry lab, I droe into Houston and met with the equipment manager and helped load the bus that would take equipment to the airport. Bagwell arrived and slipped an envelope in my hand.
"Show her this," he said.
*****
She was leaning against the door to the girl's dressing room when I entered the pool area. Her arms were folded under her breasts and pushed them out a bit. It was difficult not to notice. Quite the task to not make it obvious that I noticed.
"So, shouldn't you be heading to San Francisco?"
There was a slight smirk on her face as if to say 'I got you! Busted!'
I took a deep breath. Held it in a second. Remembered the advice I had been given. "It does sound far-fetched," Bagwell had said. "Don't get too defensive. Just give her something to make her believe."
I did smirk back at her, though. "Vanessa, all I want you to do is see something and then, if you still don't believe me, that's okay. I hope you just give me 5 minutes after class."
She tilted her head but her demeanor softened. She now viewed me with a curious study. "Okay," she conceded. Then she walked away and slipped into the pool and began to backstroke.
*****
She thumbed through the pictures silently, each photo moving slower and slower through her fingers. Fingers that had begun to tremble after about the fourth picture. Pictures of me sitting on the bench with Jeff Bagwell, handing a bat to Bill Doran, posing with Nolan Ryan. All pictures from the opening game.
"Oh man, I'm such a jerk," she said, her lip quivering. "I am so sorry."
I took the pictures, hand lingering on hers for a minute. "Yeah. Don't worry about it. I do know how crazy it sounded."
Then she told me how hard it was growing up and trying to stick to Christian principles and being excluded from all the cool kids and guys not looking her way because they knew they wouldn't get what they wanted from her. Even at 19, she was still a virgin and was saving herself for marriage.
I didn't have a problem with that. I did, however, have an uneasy feeling about whether she was interested in me or was she just trying to add a notch to her salvation belt.That was a question for another day.
"Hey, want to go grab a burger and a shake? Since the team is in San Francisco, I got the weekend off."
"Okay," she said with a grateful smile.
*****
Four hours later we were walking around the campus, talking about growing up. She laughed at the story of me falling in the snow in Germany. I listened to stories of her church camp trips to Palacios. I tried to explain things like ERA, how a pitcher can start a game and not get credited with a win or charged with a loss and what an in the park homerun is. She commented that it seemed unfair to the hitters that they only got three strikes before a strikeout but the pitcher gets four balls before there was a walk. Seemed like a legitimate complaint to me.
"What are you doing later?" she asked.
"Gonna watch the game."
She nodded and we walked quietly for a bit.
"In the dorm lobby?" she asked.
"I could. I'm pretty sure that's what will be on."
"Mind watching baseball with a girl?" she asked.
I grinned. "As long as she doesn't ask me who has scored the most touchdowns."
She laughed and gave me a punch in the arm. "Even I know touchdowns are a basketball thing."
I froze and stared at her.
"Gotcha!"

ASTROS 7 GIANTS 6
The past two NL West Division Champions met and the Astros had to rally again to get a victory. Nolan Ryan was awful, last only 3 and 1/3 innings, allowing 6 hits, walking 7, and giving up 5 earned runs. But the Astros rallied with a 5-run 6th inning, capped off with a 3-RBI double by Denny Walling for the winning runs.

ASTROS 7 GIANTS 6
This time it was the Astros that had nearly blown the game. Houston put up 3 in the 5th to break a 3-3 tie and seemed on the way to a victory for Joaquin Andujar, who left after 6 innings. But Danny Darwin allowed 3 in the 8th as the Giants came back to tie. However, Alex Trevino, pinch-hitting for Darwin, singled up the middle, moved to second on a Terry Puhl sacrifice bunt and then scored the winning run on a Bill Doran single to center field. Charlie Kerfeld set the Giants down in order in the bottom of the 9th for the save as Darwin got a most undeserved win.

ASTROS 4 GIANTS 3
A surprising sweep in San Francisco leaves the Astros at 5-1 and alone in first place in the NL West as the Giants have started the season 0-5. It was yet another rally that came through as the Astros went into the 9th trailing 3-1. But the Astros got 3 in the 9th, helped out by a Giants error committed by Phil Garner and Terry Puhl knocked in the winning RBI as Rick Reuschel of the Giants gets a complete game loss.

TRADE
Houston gets Terry Mulholland, Phil Garner, Paul McClellan and Candy Maldonado.
Giants get Charlie Kerfeld.

If you're going to make a trade, that's the way to do it. Trade with the team you are currently playing and travel costs will cut down.

[YetiTaz]

West Coast games meant 9 pm start times.
Vanessa lived with her parents in Alvin and had to get permission to stay out past 10. Even though she was 19.
The comeback win on Friday night was exciting. There were close to a dozen of us in the dorm lounge watching. Vanessa and I shared a couch and it seemed she scooted closer and closer to me as the game went on.
Past midnight.
By the time the final out was made, my arm was around her shoulder and she was leaning right up against me.
Then reality seemed to bring us back to our senses after the game was over.
"Oh man, I have to get home!" She hopped up and bolted towards her car.
"I'll call you tomorrow?"
She stopped and turned and that shy dimply smile nearly turned me into a bowl of pudding.
"Okay."
Then she was gone.

*****

"So, your'e the feller who kept Vanessa out til after midnight."
Oops. Seems like Vanessa doesn't even have her own phone line.
"Yes, sir. That's the way West Coast games go, I'm afraid."
"Well, I don't mind she was at the college watching a baseball game but I'm not comfortable with her driving so late on weekend nights. Too many chances she could get hit by a drunk driver."
It's a good thing I was raised to be respectful to my elders. Over-protective much, are we? I wasn't looking like there would be a second baseball game date. But, then, the strangest turn of events.
"If you want to watch the game with her tonight, it will have to take place at our house."
I was absolutely, in no way, ready for Meet The Parents yet. But, there was something about the way he had spoken that said that saying no was not an option.
"Dinner is at 5. Then we do some Bible reading. We'd like for you to attend."
In other words, you will be there.

*****

The dinner was delicious. Chicken-fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans and iced tea. Vanessa, her mom and her younger sister prepared it as that was a woman's duty. I sat in the living room with her dad and we talked for a while. He discussed his faith, his belief in family, asked me about my plans for the future and the usual talk. Good grief! Were they looking for a husband for her already?
Then we got onto the subject of the military. It just so happened that her father had been in the Navy for eight years.
"Really! Maybe me and you can get together in November and watch the Army-Navy Game."
"Navy-Army Game," he corrected me.
And the ice, at least from dad's side, was thawed a bit.
Mom was not going to be so easy to win over. But more about that later.
After dinner, we all moved into the living room for Bible reading. They had this program where they would read the entire Bible from cover-to-cover all in one year. Then, at the start of the new year, they would do it again. And it didn't go in order either. So, we spent some time before the Saturday game reading about the origin of the Jewish Kingdom and how God told one guy to annoint another guy king but the first guy was already king and wanted to kill the second guy. Oh, what a mess.
All through the night, from the Bible reading to the baseball game, Vanessa sat at the far end of the couch, avoiding any and all forms of physical contact with me. And her mom and dad sat through the entire baseball game, all the way past midnight again.
When the Astros had gotten the final out for their second straight 7-6 win over the Giants, they let two things be known.
One. It was time for me to leave.
Two. They had church tomorrow and they assumed I would like to visit.
It was kind of creepy, really. I wondered just how offended they would be when, not if, when, I didn't show up.

*****

I stayed at the dorm on Sunday. The finale in San Francisco was an afternoon affair. I enjoyed watching the sweep and then caught up on some History studying. I could not for the life of me remember what order each president had been elected or what year the Industrial Revolution began, but I had no problems naming off the last 20 World Series winners.
Man's got to have his priorities.
Priority number one, though, was school, which was why I would not be meeting the team at the airport that night. They were back home and playing the Mets.
Lenny Blankety Blank Blank Dykstra!
Both teams were 5-1 and leading their respective divisions. Could it be 1986 all over again?

ASTROS 3 METS 2
The Astros were become the kings of the 1-run game. It was the 5th straight one-run game of the short season and the 4th win in a row. The Astros went into the bottom of the 9th trailing 2-1 but then the Mets fell apart. Denny Walling and Terry Puhl each reached on an error, Kevin Bass bunted for a base hit that loaded the bases with nobody out. Steve Henderson then drew a walk to bring in the tying run and Alan Ashby singled to end the game. The Astros, 6-1, had the best record in the National League!

ASTROS 4 METS 3
Comeback kids do it again! The Mets seemed to have solved Mike Scott as they held a 3-0 going into the bottom of the 7th inning. The Astros got 2 in the 7th but went into the 9th trailing 3-2. But Denny Walling led off with a triple and scored the tying run on a Terry Puhl groundout to second base. The game moved into the 10th inning and Danny Darwin sent the Mets down 1-2-3, including making Lenny Blankety Blank Blank Blank Dykstra ground out to short. Then, in the bottom of the 10th, Alan Ashby led off with a double, reached third on a Phil Garner single and then scored the winning run on a sacrifice bunt by Craig Reynolds. At 7-1, the Astros had the best record in all of baseball.

METS 1 ASTROS 0
The win streak ended as the string of one-run games reached 7 straight. Nolan Ryan was tagged with the loss despite only giving up one run while striking out 10 in 7.2 innings. The offense, unfortunately, only put together 3 hits as they were shutout for the first time in 1988. Nolan Ryan now led all of baseball with 17 strikeouts on the season.

ASTROS 4 METS 2
The finale was a Thursday afternoon game as the Astros were headed out to Atlanta for a weekend series against the Braves. The one-run game streak finally comes to an end as the Astros take 3 out of 4 from the Mets. The Astros scored one in the first and three in the second to jump out to a 4-0 lead and never looked back. Dave Smith got the save, including making Lenny Dykstra ground out in the 9th. Sadly it was a year-and-a-half too late. Still, the Astros were 8-2 and looking good so far.

[YetiTaz]

They had invited me into their world.
Time for me to return the favor.
Monday swim class had been pretty uneventful. I said hi to Vanessa but that was about it. She headed to a study group afterwards and I went to the Astrodome for the opener against the Mets.
"I need four tickets for tomorrow's game."
"You got $11.60?"
"What?"
"That's it. $2.90 a piece. $11.60."
"That's all?" I was sure that ticket prices would be higher. But I took it! In a heatbeat.

*****

She was surprised to see me waiting for her in the Science Building. Her first class on Tuesdays was second semester Biology.
"Tell your folks thanks for dinner the other night and I hope they will accept my invitation to the game tonight.
"Aww, how sweet," she cooed as I put the tickets in her hand. Then she kissed me on the cheek and went into class.
I grinned and rubbed my cheek. "Crap! I have to get to class myself!"

*****

Tuesday's game was about to begin when I heard one of the ushers call my name. I looked and saw Vanessa wave. I made my way out of the dugout and headed to her. Denny Walling was headed to first base as the Astros were in the field to start the game. "Figures! Prettiest girl in the stadium and she wants an autograph from the batboy."
Vanessa turned beet red, as she had heard him loud and clear.
"It's true," I added. "You are the prettiest girl in the stadium."
"Oh, jeeze!" she blushed out again. "I'm going to leave if you don't stop!"
I took one of her hands and squeezed it lightly. "Thanks for coming."
She smiled. "My parents are getting us some cokes. They are actually excited to be at a ball game, though they would never actually say so."
I spotted them returning to their seats and waved. Dad winked at me and mom pretended not to notice. Boy, was she going to be fun to deal with.
"Okay, let me get back to work," I said and gave her hand a kiss. If blushing was an audible sound, she made it right then.

*****

For Vanessa, Wednesday night was church night so the game had to go on without her. And Thursday's game was an afternoon tilt, so it had to go on without me as well. Dumb Chemistry Lab.
Classes were starting to really pick up. There were just three more weeks after this one and then we would be taking finals. My GPA was looking respectable. I figured on a B in English, History and Chemistry. I had made a couple of errors in the lab work that would prevent me from getting an A there. Speech was a borderline C. I was not the public speaking type. My communication skills weren't the best in any event, as was perfectly illustrated by the awkward time I was having trying to express myself to Vanessa.
For the record, her family had a great time at the ballgame, although the extra innings had made them get home later than they had wanted. Her dad was starting to take an active interest in the team itself, she told me. He had decided that the Astros needed more offense. Mom thought the time could have been spent more productively but since it was a family outing, it was good bonding time. Her little sister decided that she was going to root for the Astros to lose every game from now on just so she could needle Vanessa.
"Tell her, I said, 8-2 baby!" I told Vanessa Friday after swim class.
We went to the student union and grabbed a couple of burgers. We talked about class and the upcoming end of the semester. Plans for the summer. She was going to be a youth counselor for a week at a camp in Waco at Baylor University and then, in August, the Baptist group at the college was going to a camp in New Mexico.
I planned on working with the team and going on road trips, unless I took Algebra in the summer.
She ate silently for a few minutes.
"Do you think we will see each other this summer?" she asked.
"Of course we will," I said. "There will be plenty of home games and days off. Besides, I have your number. I can call you. Heck, your parents are even letting you answer the phone yourself now."
She glared. I grinned.
"You jerk!" she said and threw a french fry at me.
I said thanks and ate it, very loudly, right in front of her.
"You are ... incorrigible!"
I had no idea what that word meant.
"Want to come over and watch the game at my house again?"
I raised an eyebrow.
"Call at 6:30. That way you won't have to read about David and Bathesheba."
"Okay, deal!"
She smiled softly then. I reached across the table and took her hand in mine. Her brown, innocent eyes looked at me.
"You know, Vanessa, maybe reading the Bible one night a week won't kill me."
The gratitude in her smile sealed the deal.
I was falling for her.
Man, I really didn't have time for a girlfriend!

ASTROS 11 BRAVES 3
The Braves came into the series at 4-5. The opener looked like it would be another one of those nail biters as the 6th inning ended in a 3-3 tie. Denny Walling broke the ties with a solo shot in the 7th and then the Astros scored 6 in the 8th to turn the game into a blowout. Walling ended up with 3 hits and 4 RBIs on the night putting him into the league lead with 13. The Astros also drew 10 walks as a team. At 9-2, the Astros again had the best record in all of baseball.

ASTROS 9 BRAVES 1
A 6-run first put this game away immediately. Bill Gullickson pitched a complete game and struck out 9 to take the team lead in strikeouts away from Nolan Ryan. With 18 Ks, only Dennis Martinez of the Expos has more strike outs among National League pitchers. 7 different Astros, including Gullickson, got a hit. Craig Reynolds had 3 RBIs as the Astros scored all 9 of their runs in the first two innings.The team ERA of 2.81 is currently the best in all of baseball.

ASTROS 12 BRAVES 5
The Astros improve to 6-0 on the road and 11-2 overall. Mike Scott gets his first win of the seaon, going 6.2 innings and allowing 4 runs (only 2 were earned) on 9 hits and striking out 8 while walking only 1. The Astros led 5-3 after 2 innings and then capped the night off with a 5-run 7th inning in outscoring the Braves 32-9 for the series. The Astros won in spite of committing 4 errors. It was an ugly game as the Braves committed 2 errors of their own. Kevin Bass had 5 RBIs and Denny Walling added 4 more and leads all of baseball with 17 RBIs. Terry Puhl got 4 hits as the Astros collected 16 as a team with 7 different players again getting at least 1.

[YetiTaz]

It was actually a good weekend.
Vanessa felt comfortable enough on Friday to actually sit beside me on the couch in front of her parents. Dad seemed to be accepting it quite well but mom still seemed quite aloof. Vanessa and I shared the same Bible during the reading and then we watched the game against the Braves. Dad and I discussed the game, mom needleworked on a quilt and Vanessa got to get in some good trash talk on her sister as the Astros rolled to the win in Atlanta.
Saturday was much the same way, with the exception of Vanessa locking her fingers into mine in front of her mom. Another huge win for the Astros over the Braves and Vanessa was giving it to her sister good.
Then mom spoke up.
"So, I assume you will be attending church with us tomorrow?"
That wasn't about to happen. Not with a 12:05 start time for the Sunday game.
"Our family puts the Lord first," she replied. "And if you want to continue to see my daughter, then you will put the Lord first."
I personally thought that was Vanessa's decision but I didn't vocalize that thought as it would surely have made things worse for her.
"Say goodnight to your friend, Vanessa." A strong emphasis was put on the word 'friend' as if to say that's all we would ever be.
Sunday came and I did laundry and went over some of the history material then watched the game. When it was over and the Astros had swept the Braves, I called Vanessa. And got her mom.
"Today is the Lord's day and we would appreciate it if you respected our decision to spend this time with the Lord."
Wow.
I really should have taken the hint but there was a stubborn streak in me (thanks Dad!) that refused to allow this crazy woman to stop me from seeing her daughter. Honestly, I think the challenge became more important to me than Vanessa herself.
So I waited until 5:45 and then drove down to the church they attended.
Sure enough, there was a Sunday night service.
And, sure enough, Vanessa and her family were there.
Vanessa's dad gave me a hearty-handshake. "Glad to see you make it. The Lord will bless you tonight."
I thanked him but I could not have cared if I was blessed or hit by lightning to be honest. I had gone simply to spite Vanessa's mom.
Some of the men in the church also were more than eager to greet me and shake my hand and say pretty much the same thing. Then I made my way to a rear pew and stayed standing as they opened their hymns to song # 281 and sang "He Lives". Vanessa's family apparently had a set pew further towards the front as they seemed to be drawn to that spot like a nail to a magnet.
The entire thing seemed forced, choreographed, as if everything had to be done a certain way in a certain order every Sunday. I honestly believed that if new people were to come in and sit in some the regular church members' places, those regulars wouldn't know what to do. It was a most interesting night.
And Vanessa made things even more interesting.
After the opening song, the preacher stepped up and welcomed everyone and told us to all greet our neighbors. Several people stopped and shook my hand and then I turned and was looking right at Vanessa.
"Hi," she said. And then she sat down right beside me.
It's a good thing her mom didn't have The Force or I think she would have mind-choked both of us right then and there.
As I said before, the rest of the evening seemed completely scripted. We sand two more songs, one seated and one standing, then they passed out the offering plate, sang another song, had a sermon and then had what they called the Invitation.
The Invistation consisted of the singing of yet another song while the preacher stood in front and waited for someone to go up to him. I'm not exactly sure what you were supposed to do if you did go up but I got the feeling from the hand squeeze and a curious look from Vanessa that she thought I should go up there.
I was thinking not!
They sang on. "Ye who are weary...come home."
Going home was sounding like a pretty good idea to me.
The song finally ended and someone was called to lead us all in prayer. Again. They had prayed before and after every song, before and after the offering, before and after the sermon. I wondered if we were going to pray before we were allowed to get in our cars and leave.
It wasn't that extreme but I did have an obstacle course of people to go through to get to my car.
"Was good to see you. We hope you come back! So blessed to have you here."
I wondered if any of those people would even remember me if they saw me at Casa Ole' the next day.
A solid hand gripped my shoulder. "So, what did you think?"
I looked up to see Vanessa's dad grinning.
"It was ... nice."
He laughed. "The first time I ever went to church, I thought they were a bunch of nerds. Give it a chance. It really can change your life."
And then they were gone.
What have I gotten myself into?

*****

The Reds were in town for three games and this was going to be a chance for the Astros to open a nice early lead in the division.
The Reds were in second place in the NL West at 8-5 and had their own 3-game win streak going. They had a really good rookie reliever named Rob Dibble who was out for a month with a wrist fracture. Eric Davis was hitting .419 and had 12 RBIs in 13 games. Buddy Bell was hitting .370. Ron Oester had hit 4 home runs already. Mario Soto, who was scheduled to pitch the finale on Wednesday, had struck out 15 batters already. Eddie Milner had stolen 4 bases and Dave Collins had stolen 3.
After that, the Astros were headed to Philadelphia for four games.
I decided not to get Vanessa's family any tickets this week. And, of course, with a Monday game at home, attending her student Bible study thing was out of the question.
"They don't have a game next Monday," she pointed out after swim class. "You can go with me then."
Think up an excuse. Think up an excuse. Think up an excuse.
Then those deep brown eyes studied my face and there was no way I was going to say no.
"I'll go with you next Monday," I said.
She smiled and gave me a light kiss on the lips. "Okay."
"Okay," I said back. "Now I really have to get going. Nolan is pitching tonight."

ASTROS 9 REDS 7
It certainly wasn't the pitchers' duel I was looking for. Nolan Ryan did go 7 innings, but he also gave up 5 runs on 5 hits with all the runs earned. He did, however, grab 8 more strikeouts and retake the NL lead with 25 in that department. The game itself went back and forth with both teams scoring 2 runs in the first. The Astros took a 4-2 lead in the 4th but by the time the 7th inning stretch came around, the Reds had a 5-4 lead. The Astros then went off for 5 runs in the bottom of the 7th, as four different Astros picked up an RBI in the inning.

ASTROS 3 REDS 2
This one was much closer to the pitching duel I thought the first one would be. Joaquin Andujar went 7 innings, allowing 2 runs on 7 hits, with only one of the runs being earned.


ASTROS 5 REDS 2
The Astros completed another sweep and won their 7th straight to run their record to an unbelievable 14-2 mark. Bob Knepper pitched a complete game as the Astros scored a run in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 7th inning. The Astros still have the best record in baseball and are the only team in the NL West with a winning record as they now lead the division by 6 games over the Reds and Dodgers.

INJURY REPORT
Terry Puhl will miss the next 4 games with a strained chest. Puhl is batting .323 with 8 RBIs. This will keep him from making the trip to Philadelphia. Steve Henderson is expected to start in left field for the 4 game series against the Phillies.

[YetiTaz]

The Astros were kicking butt and I had a girlfriend!
And was wondering exactly what I was thinking.
I had old high school classmates who were already married. One of whom was already divorced. At age 21.
I had never been the dating type. I had girlfriends like anyone else but they barely lasted a week and usually ended because I just never wanted that commitment. It's not like I had dated the homecoming queen but even if I had, I still don't think I would have wanted to be stuck with just one girlfriend.
I was much more popular with the German girls than I had been with the ones I grew up with in Texas. I had my regular bar I hung out in while I had been stationed in Germany. I was one of the most popular guys there and was frequently with more than one girl on the same weekend. Of course, it always seemed like I wanted the one I couldn't have. And if something happened and I could have her, I didn't want her anymore.
I could not figure out what I was feeling about Vanessa. On the one hand, we were in college and there were so many gorgeus young things there.
On the other hand ...
She really was unlike anyone I had ever known.
"Did you ever think that maybe it's because of that religion you seem so afraid of?" Bagwell said as we sat in the dugout during Tuesday's win over the Reds.
I was pretty sure that wasn't it. The Bible thumpers I had known back in school had been a rather conceited lot. They certainly would never had invited me to their house to watch a baseball game.
"That doesn't sound like Vanessa to me. You really should give her a chance. Unless you're chicken!"
Before I could reply, the inning was over and I was calling out the batting order again.

*****

"What are you thinking about?"
We sat on a bench outside the Y. My arm around her shoulders. Her leaning against me as if I were some sort of shelter from the storm.
What was I thinking about? I was thinking about the semester ending. I was thinking about getting to go on road trips with the team. I was thinking about how much hate when girls ask that question.
And I was thinking about why Vanessa was like no other girl I had ever met before.
"I didn't get along with Christians back in high school," I said. "They all seemed so uppity. Better-than-you. They didn't seem to have any interest or desire to have me become a part of their little clique."
"It's not my place to judge but that doesn't sound like real Christians. The exact opposite is true. We are supposed to welcome anyone in with open arms. So that everyone can know the salvation we have experienced."
She talked and I listened. Some of it was beyond me. Other things she said depended on believing that what the Bible said was true. I wasn't sure I could do that.
"But what if none of this is real?" I asked her.I
"The real question," she replied, "is...what if is real. Think about it this way. If I live my life as if the Bible is true and it's not, well, then when I die, I haven't really lost anything. But, if I live my life as if it isn't true and it is, then when I die I will have lost everything."
And that waa the end of that conversation. She kissed me goodbye and said, "just keep an open mind."
And she had my mind so wrapped up in circles that I forgot to yell out the batting order twice during Wednesday's win over the Reds.

*****

Thursday night, I begged off an invitation to her place, claiming an upset stomach. The Astros had played at 12:35, practically having to take the field as soon as they got off the plane in Philadelphia. They also had noon start times on Saturday and Sunday, leaving Friday as the only night game of the series.
I had to focus on my studies. I had to give my attention to the team that had employed me.
I didn't have time for a girlfriend.
I certainly didn't have a place for a girlfriend who was so different than I was.
I wasn't going to be able to be that kind of guy she was trying to get me to become.
It was best that we end it pretty soon before someone's feelings got hurt really bad.
Oh well, with the summer coming up and all the time we would be away from each other, that should handle it with no problems.
Wow, what a coward I am!

*****

The Phillies came into the series at 7-8. Phil Bradley had gone to Philadelphia from Seattle and was leading the team with a .392 batting average. 35 year old Bill Almon had 14 RBIs for Philadelphia. Pitching was a disaster for the Phillies who had a team ERA of 5.01.

PHILLIES 5 ASTROS 2
It was almost expected that they would lose this one after playing a night game and then travelling straight into a day game. Bill Gullickson was rocked for 5 runs and 11 hits. in 5.1 innings.

PHILLIES 6 ASTROS 2
Back-to-back losses for the first time this season. This time it's Nolan Ryan who gives up 5 runs on just 5 hits but also walks 6 in 5.2 innings. He did strike out 6 to once again lead all baseball with 31 on the season, but in the first two games, it was the Astros pitching that was dreadful.

PHILLIES 9 ASTROS 4
The skid reached three games as the Phillies chase Joaquin Andujar out in the third inning! They get 3 in the first and 5 in the third and coast to an easy win. Meanwhile, the Reds have won 2 straight and crept back with 3.5 games.

PHILLIES 9 ASTROS 6
And the sweep is complete and the Astros are glad to get out of Philadelphia! The pitching was awful again as Bob Knepper only lasts 5 innings, giving up 5 runs on 8 hits. The Astros get 2 in the 5th and 1 in the 6th to cut the lead to 5-4, but then the Phillies go off with 4 in the 7th inning off Danny Darwin to put the game away.

The Astros fall to 14-6 and lead the NL West by just 2.5 games over the Reds who have now won 3 straight. Even though the pitching was bad in Philadelphia, the team is still only hitting .256. The only NL teams worse are the Braves, Cubs and Expos. The long ball has also not been flying for the Astros who only have 10 as a team. Of all the major league teams, only the Expos and Yankees have hit less home runs. On the positives, Denny Walliing has 21 RBI and Phil Garner has 5 stolen bases.

Strikeouts have been a strong suit as Ryan has struck out 31 batters, Gullickson 22 and Knepper 21.

[YetiTaz]

By the time the Astros had lost on Saturday, that pretend stomach ache was real.
I went straight to the library and started studying, trying to forget abot what was happening to the team in Philadelphia and what was going on in my own head with Vanessa.
The logical thing was to end that now.
The safe thing was to end that now.
The cowardly thing was to end that now.
By the time I got back to the dorm, my roomate had written down four messages.
"Please call me!"
So I took a walk around campus.
It was a beautiful 71 degrees outside with just a slight breeze. The tennis courts were filled with flying balls and the occasional grunt. A couple sped by me on their 10-speeds. Another came my direction on roller skates.
So, I took the sidewalk path to the left and walked right in front of the Baptist Student Center.
Why me....

*****

The student center almost looked like someone's house from the outside.
And inside for that matter. Except for the rec room.
There were four rooms on the left once I entered the hall. Two of the rooms were occupied by students studying. To the right was a large kitchen, complete with a fridge, microwave, stove and sink. A dining table was in one of the rooms on the left.
The hallway ended and merged into a large rec room. A ping pong table was set up and two guys were smacking the ball back and forth with pretty decent skill. I myself was terrible at ping pong. The balls and paddles were just too small. But I didn't mind watching. So, I leaned against the wall as the two guys went back and forth with their intense game.
"That's 14-9, Mitch! Whacha gonna do, huh? Whacha gonna go when the ping pong ball runs wild on you!"
"You nerd! Serve already!"
I chuckled and they looked at me.
"Hey," one of them nodded as he served and they began to play again.
"Hi," a squeaky female voice said. I turned and shook the hand of a mousy little blonde girl with thick glasses.
"I've never seen you hear before," she said.
"Yeah," I replied. "I was just out for a walk and ended up in front of this building and thought I'd come in and see what's what here. A friend of mine comes here."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. Vanessa."
"Oh! Oh wait! You're that guy with the Astros, right? We've been praying for you!"
Yeah, the first thought in my mind was ... RUN! And I probably should have.
"Well, make yourself at home," she said. "I'm Regina. Folks here call me Reggie. Make yourself at home. We got some cokes in the fridge and a ping pong table as you can see. We also have a volleyball net out back. We sometimes get together and play."
I nodded and went to grab a ... coke? Why do people say they have cokes in the fridge when it's stocked with Pepsi?

*****

"Want to play?"
"Nah, man," I said. "I'm really bad at this."
"Go ahead, try it out."
I shrugged and took the paddle.
"Remember, keep your eye on the ball and just make contact. The key is accuracy and not power at first."
He served and I made contact. The ball bounced straight down and then straight up and hit the ceiling.
"Hold your paddle level and swing through."
He started to serve and I heard "getting over your tummy ache?"
The ball glanced off my paddle and smacked me in the eye.
"Oh my gosh! Are you okay?"
It stung but I was going to live. Still, Vanessa grabbed me and pulled me to a chair.
"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry!" She cradled my face in her hands and studied my eye for a minute. Then she smacked me in the shoulder. "That's what you get for avoiding me all weekend!" She then sighed and leaned back in her chair. I couldn't stand to look at her at that moment. Not with my mind still all in knots about what I should be doing.
"Vanessa," I began.
"I'm listening."
"All this is just....so sudden. It wasn't what I was looking for and certainly nothing I was prepared for."
"I understand."
"No. You don't. Because I don't understand. The smart, logical thing for me to do is to say goodbye and walk away."
"I know. I do. But, before you do," she said, "I want you to know that I think you are a great guy and have a good heart inside you and if you give yourself a chance, you just might find out that there is something else inside you that can do everything you think you can't."
I looked at her, studied her face, looked into those brown eyes.
"You're amazing," I said.
"Nah," she replied back. "I just believe in you is all."

*****

The smiles on her and her father's face the next morning told the story.
Even though I would miss about half of the finale of the Philadelphia series, I went ahead and showed up for church that morning. They were so glad to see me that they even invited me to sit at their section of the pews. Her sister needled me about the losing streak and her mom just glared but other than that, it was okay.
Until the preacher said something about visitors and Vanessa then introduced to me to the whole church.
Please, if prayer works. floor open and swallow me now!
I still was amused by the entire routine of the church service. Step-by-step color-by-numbers. And when it was all over, I was definitely ready to leave.
Back at the dorm, an NBA game was on in the main lounge. The Boston Celtics were playing the Chicago Bulls. Larry Bird scored 44 points and Michael Jordan scored 39 points and the Celtics won 126-119.
And, the Astros finished getting swept by the Phillies.

*****

Monday was an off day for the Astros. The Dodgers were coming into town for three games. I know it's silly to watch the standings in April but I can't help it. The Astros have always been my team and I watch them wire-to-wire from April to October.
LA was 4th in the NL West with a record of 8-10, having lost 7 of their last 10 games. Fernando Valenzuela was still awesome, having struck out 28 batters so far. Only Nolan Ryan had more Ks of all NL pitchers. Kirk Gibson already had 5 home runs and Steve Sax had 5 stolen bases. Mike Marshall led the Dodgers with 16 RBIs.

*****

Since Monday was an off day, I kept my promise to Vanessa and attended that Bible study thing at the student center. As Reggie had promised, a volleyball game broke out afterwards and I got to show off a little bit.
One of the things encouraged when I was in Germany was for all of us to participate in something outside of the military. There were softball teams and volleyball teams. Bingo. Weight lifting. Even an on-base casino.
I played on the softball and volleyball teams. I was terrible at volleyball at first but learned how to set pretty well by the end of my second season playing. So, at the Baptist Student Center, I was coaching-setting as my team was easily the more organized team out there and we won pretty handily both times.
I should mention that Vanessa was also on my team and she was pretty good too, having played competitively in high school.
After that, they made an unofficial rule that me and her were to never be on the same team again.
Considering how many home games the Astros would be having on Mondays, that hardly seemed like a problem.

ASTROS 3 DODGERS 2
The losing streak ends at 4. The Astros return to doing what they do best, winning 1 run games. We head into the bottom of the 8th trailing 2-0, but Bill Doran leads off with a double, moves to third on Denny Walling's groundball to short and scores on Terry Puhl's grounder to second. In the bottom of the 9th, with the Dodger leading 2-1, the Astros had Alan Ashby at second and Craig Reynolds at first. Rafael Ramirez hit a pinch hit single to score Ashby and tie the game. Then, in the bottom of the 10th, Terry Puhl led off with a walk, Kevin Bass moved him to second with a sacrifice bunt and Steve Henderson doubled in the right field gap to score Puhl and win the game. On the sacrifice bunt, the ball actually glanced off Bass' finger, breaking it, and sending him to the DL for 30 days.

ASTROS 5 DODGERS 3
Fernando Valenzuela vs Nolan Ryan! And another 10 inning game. It looked like the Astros had this one as Nolan enetered the 9th with a 3-1 lead. But the Dodgers tied it up and we had to go into extra innings. But Glenn Davis hit a 2-run walk off homer to end the game. In the battle for the early lead in strikeouts among NL pitchers, Nolan Ryan recorded 8 Ks and Valenzuela, who lasted 7 innings, ended up with 4.

ASTROS 8 DODGERS 1
Another sweep of another divisional foe. As long as we stay out of Philadelphia, we should be in great shape! After two extra-inning wins, the Astros cruise to an easy win in the finale. The Astros scored 3 in the 5th, 2 in the 6th and 3 in the 7th as Joaquin Andujar pitched a complete game for the win. Six different Astros recorded an RBI.

At 17-6, the Astros next travel to San Diego for a series against the Padres. San Diego, at 10-12, is in third place in the NL West.

Nolan Ryan continues to lead all of baseball with 39 Ks. Bill Gullickson has 26 Ks. Denny Walling has 21 RBIs.

[YetiTaz]

"Phys ed? I wouldn't major in phys ed. Not unless you want to teach science to junior high kids." Kevin Bass sat on the bench during Wednesday's game in street clothes. He had broekn his finger the night before and been placed on the 30 day DL."If you're going to take all those A and P classes, might as well become a physical therapist and get peid good for it.
The bench guys were discussing my college career.
"Yeah," Bagwell said. "Then maybe you can fix Kevin's finger."
"Shut up, rookie!"
The bench laughed as Kevin scowled at Bagpipes.
"You're good at numbers, right?" Candy Maldonado asked. "So, why not take business classes and get your degree there and then try to get into the front office."
"Yeah, and when my contract is up, get me a huge raise."
"Shut up, rookie!"

*****

The weekend series in San Diego would give me time to prepare for finals. There would be one more week of class and then Finals Week would be upon us. Then I would be full-time with the team. I was looking forwards and dreading it at the same time.
Ready for school to be over and have my days consumed with baseball.
So not ready for the weeks that Vanessa and I would be going our separate ways.
We sat in the Baptist Student Center on Friday after class. The game wasn't going to start til 9ish so we just hung out and talked for a while.
She was excited about her trip to Waco. She would be paired with another college student, probably a guy, and they would have a group of junior high kids to work with. I wondered if that little twinge in my gut was fear or jealousy. I said nothing to her. Silly insecurity. That's all it was.
Some of her other friends showed up with pizza and we all chowed down. What is about college students and pizza.
They asked me questions about the military, the baseball team and other conversation starters. One girl said she wished she could get to go to Europe. One guy had a brother in the Air Force stationed in the UK. Derek loved all things Dallas and nothing Houston. Cowboys. Mavericks. Rangers. If Dallas would have had a hockey team. he would have cheered for them too.
Then, as the conversation was destined to do, slowly they changed the subject to religion and prodded me on my relationship with Jesus Christ and had I been saved and all that stuff. Here it comes, I thought. And I said no. I haven't really given that much thought. I didn't think religion was something I really wanted to get mixed up in. And then I braced for the sermon.
"Well," Reggie said, "if you ever want to talk to one of us, we'll be here when you're ready."
And they left ti at that, to my shock and amazement.
As I walked Vanessa to her car later, I told her how stunned I was that no one pressecd me about being saved.
"We all know it won't help and might even chase you away," she said. "One must be open to hearing the message before it can be received." Then she kissed me goodnight.
With Saturday and Sunday games both schedule for 3 in the afternoon, I promised her I'd see her the next day and go to church with her on Sunday.
When I got back to the dorm to watch the opener against the Padres, a message was waiting for me to get ahold of Nolan Ryan immediately.

*****

The Astros headed to San Diego to face a walking wounded MASH unit of a Padres' team. Tony Gwynn was out with a sprained thumb. Eric Show was out with a wrist fracture. Tim Flannery would miss the series because of a chipped knee cap. And finally, Garry Templeton wouldn't play against us because of a strained knee. The lone Padre hightlight so far was Benito Santiago's .373 batting average. Still, at 10-12, the Padres were in third place in the NL West, 6.5 behind the Astros. A 3.74 team ERA was helping out their cause.

PADRES 8 ASTROS 5
So much for the idea that the Padres would be a pushover with all their injuries. They get 2 in the first and 2 in the second off Bob Knepper to take a 4-0 lead. A 4-run 5th gives the Astros a 5-4 lead but Knepper can't hold the lead, allowing 3 runs in the 6th inning that pretty much seals the deal. The Astros lose, despite tallying 13 hits to the Padres 11.

PADRES 3 ASTROS 1
The road woes continue as the Astros drop their 6th straight away game. Billy Hatcher's solo homerun in the first inning is all the offense the 'Stros can muster as Bill Gullickson gets the lose despite pitching a complete game. Andy Benes 5-hits Houston for the Padres.


ASTROS 3 PADRES 1
Finally, the Astros win a road game. as Danny Darwin goes 4-0 on the season with a complete game victory. Darwin allows 6 hits and walks 3 while striking out 7 to make sure the Astros avoid the sweep.

The Atros(18-8) return home for a 3-game series against the Giants(11-13). Nolan Ryan will miss his scheduled start due to a spiked foot. He is now tied with Mike Moore of Seattle for most strikeouts in all of baseball with 39. Bill Gullickson still has 29 and Bob Knepper has 26. The Astros have a 3.43 team ERA, 3nd best in the NL behind St Louis and 3rd best in all of baseball. The Astros bats however lack power as their total home runs of 12 ranks dead last in all of baseball. Denny Walling is an offensive bright spot with 22 RBIs. The Astros will be glad to return the Astrodome where they are 11-2 on the season.