bjm676 Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 White Sox and Astros put futility behind CHICAGO (AP) -- When Chicago last hosted the World Series back in 1959, there were just 16 teams, no divisions, no wild cards, no designated hitters -- and no Houston Astros. Windy City vs. Bayou City. Deep dish pizza vs. Texas barbecue. They have one historic theme in common: decades of futility. And one current trait that got them to where they are: deep starting pitching. ``I only saw the White Sox play three games. I don't know their team very well,'' Houston manager Phil Garner said after the Astros beat St. Louis 5-1 on Wednesday night to win the NL pennant. ``I'd just as soon not watch them any more, they look pretty good.'' Houston wasn't even awarded a franchise until Oct. 17, 1960. At that owners' meeting, which happened to take place in Chicago, it would have been hard to envision that the club's first NL pennant wouldn't come for 45 years -- but then again, the team's first name was the Houston Colt .45s. The club wouldn't become the Astros until 1965, when it moved into the Astrodome, the so-called eighth wonder of the world. Both teams' current ballparks have had more names than pennant winners. Houston moved in 2000 to Enron Field, which became Astros Field in February 2002 after the trading company got into financial trouble. Then a juicy deal was signed in June 2002, and the stadium was renamed Minute Maid Park. Chicago moved in 1991 from the old Comiskey Park, its home since 1910, to the adjacent new Comiskey Park, which in 2003 became U.S. Cellular Field. And the two ballparks hosted the All-Star game in consecutive years: Chicago in 2003, followed by Houston. For four straight seasons, from 1997-2000, the teams met in interleague play, with the White Sox winning seven of 12. But they haven't met since. Now they'll share baseball's October spotlight. ``I've never played in that ballpark,'' Houston's Lance Berkman said. ``It's going to be fun.'' Chicago, which hasn't won the title since 1917, won the AL pennant Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels and is coming off the best postseason performance by starting pitchers in nearly half a century, with Mark Buehrle, Jon Garland, Freddy Garcia and Jose Contreras throwing consecutive complete games against the Los Angeles Angels. Not since the 1956 New York Yankees strung together five straight had a team pitched four in a row in a postseason series. Houston became the first team since the 1914 Boston Braves to win a pennant after falling 15 games under .500 during the regular season. The Astros have seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Roy Oswalt and Brandon Backe, who haven't gotten the complete games but have been just as effective. ``Yeah, they obviously have a tremendous pitching staff,'' Houston closer Brad Lidge said of the White Sox. ``Just watching their games on TV, it's amazing that their starters have been able to do what they have done and they seem it get stronger at the end of games. Even if they give up a couple of runs at the beginning or middle, they seem to finish up stronger.'' Chicago is likely to use its bullpen more in the Series. And Houston's bullpen is among baseball's best. ``Lidge is probably one of the nastiest pitchers in baseball,'' Buehrle said. A friend of A.J. Pierzynski's was ready Monday for a White Sox-Astros series -- before Albert Pujols hit the three-run, ninth-inning homer off Lidge that forced Game 6. ``Right before he hit that, I got a text message from a buddy asking me for tickets in Houston,'' Pierzynski said. ``And seconds later, I was like, `Don't get ahead of yourself.''' The Astros got there Wednesday night, and next week they'll bring the World Series to Texas for the first time. ``It doesn't get any easier,'' Garner said. ``They are a good ballclub and their pitching is excellent. They are certainly rested by now. Their offense, they can do a lot of things, they are a multifaceted offense. We are an unusual team. We are a team that has managed to piece together games, come back and win ballgames. It should be a good series, I would think.'' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 It is nice that Houston finally got to the Series. I remember that series against Philly, and that had to be HARRRRRRRD for Astros fans. Last year, too - you have Clemens on the mound for a clinching game and it doesn't happen? Tough, tough stuff. It's just too bad that they'll have to settle for being National League Champions.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greasywheels121 Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 QUOTE(The Critic @ Oct 20, 2005 -> 12:02 PM) It is nice that Houston finally got to the Series. I remember that series against Philly, and that had to be HARRRRRRRD for Astros fans. Last year, too - you have Clemens on the mound for a clinching game and it doesn't happen? Tough, tough stuff. It's just too bad that they'll have to settle for being National League Champions.... Haha I like it. I'm very happy for Biggio and Bagwell. It's impossible to hate those guys, but it's going to be very easy to root against them this next week and a half. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 Bayou City? Some columnist didn't do his homework. Using a term about Louisana to describe the biggest city in Texas is a capitol offense down there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mreye Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Oct 20, 2005 -> 11:05 AM) Bayou City? Some columnist didn't do his homework. Using a term about Louisana to describe the biggest city in Texas is a capitol offense down there. What is Houston's nickname? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 QUOTE(mreye @ Oct 20, 2005 -> 10:11 AM) What is Houston's nickname? Wikipedia. Officially, Houston has been nicknamed the Space City because of the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center nearby. "Houston" was the first word uttered on the moon, as Neil Armstrong reported back to NASA. Many locals, however, prefer to call it the Bayou City. Other nicknames include "H-Town", "Clutch City", and "Magnolia City". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 QUOTE(mreye @ Oct 20, 2005 -> 11:11 AM) What is Houston's nickname? The City That Lost In Six Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mreye Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Oct 20, 2005 -> 11:13 AM) Wikipedia. Thank you very much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Oct 20, 2005 -> 12:13 PM) Wikipedia. I don't care what that site saids, NO ONE down there calls it that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mreye Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Oct 20, 2005 -> 11:22 AM) I don't care what that site saids, NO ONE down there calls it that. What do you call it, Mr Smarty Pants? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 QUOTE(mreye @ Oct 20, 2005 -> 12:24 PM) What do you call it, Mr Smarty Pants? Houston, but that is just me. I heard Space City and H-Town more than anything when I lived down there. Texans associate bayous with Louisiana. It would be like referring to Chicago as Hoosier Town, and then offering them a hotdog with ketchup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mreye Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Oct 20, 2005 -> 11:27 AM) Houston, but that is just me. I heard Space City and H-Town more than anything when I lived down there. Texans associate bayous with Louisiana. It would be like referring to Chicago as Hoosier Town, and then offering them a hotdog with ketchup. Mmmmmm...hotdogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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