From the lovable manager, whose pregame media sessions are like sitting on a porch soaking up wisdom from your favorite uncle.
To veteran stars, class acts all, who play the game they love so hard, and thrive under pressure.
To a young core of players who hail from an array of countries that is so befitting the diversity of Houston, talented athletes beaming with joy, growing daily on the field as players and off the field as immigrants adjusting to a new land.
To the stud shortstop, who you have known since he was a kid, but is now a baaaad man.
The 2021 Houston Astros were easy to root for. Easy to love.
Dusty Baker created an atmosphere of family and fun for a team that was indubitably despised outside of Houston.
According to the tracking of geotagged Tweets by betonline.ag, only three states — Texas, Louisiana, and Delaware — were rooting for the Astros in the World Series against the Braves.
Big ups to the Blue Hen State, but considering that Fort Bend County isn’t too far behind Delaware in the number of residents, it is safe to say the Astros were not beloved by many.
What’s love got to do with it?
Well, how could you not love Baker? His six degrees of separation touches as many Major League Baseball players as anyone.
More than 50 years in the sport, he played with Hank Aaron, played for Tommie Lasorda, and on the flip side, managed Barry Bonds. The man even played on the same team as Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco.
It is understandable that people melt when they hear Carlos Correa talk about how playing with teammates’ kids touches his heart, and how he can’t wait until he gets to run around the baseball field with his soon-to-be-born son.
This from a kid, who wouldn’t stop saying “Yes sir,” the first time I interviewed him. It wasn’t because he was intimidated. It was because he was, is, and always has been, respectful.
When he blasts a home run and puts a hand to his ear to elicit an even louder reaction from the crowd, it’s not showboating. Love is loud.
I could go on and on about this team.
Jose Altuve, who is the best the Astros have ever had and well on his way to a Hall of Fame career, matched a career-high in home runs. Gorgeous shots reminding us that good things happen to good people.
Yordan Alvarez, rookie of the year two seasons ago, came back from missing an entire year with a knee injury to put up impressive numbers and hit so many memorable home runs. The ball is not supposed to fly that far, but this dude sends it there.
Yuli Gurriel led the American League in batting, and Michael Brantley, the consummate professional, finished second. Kyle Tucker, the unassuming assassin, had a breakout year with 30 home runs and a.294 average.
Across the board, Astros had special seasons on a special team.
The joke is MartÃn Maldonado couldn’t hit his way out of a paper bag, yet he won’t let you steal a bag. But just when most were ready to give up on him at the plate, he delivered three RBIs in Game 5 of the World Series.
In the end, after an albeit disappointing non-championship finish, this Astros’ year was worthy of celebration.
From Day 1, Weekend 1, when they pounded the Oakland A’s, a k a The Pretenders, 8-1 in the first game and 35-9 over the course of a four-game sweep, the Astros took their fans on a wonderful ride.
By mid-June they claimed sole possession of first place and stayed there for the final 3½ months of the season. In total, the Astros were in first place for 118 days.
What a summer.
For those of you from any of the spoiled-brat generations — with your smart phones, robotic vacuums and 4,768 TV channels (we had five) — some people grew up with an Astros team that spent all of 82 days in first place from 1962-1979.
Spend some time on baseball-reference.com and you’ll find out just how sad the Astros’ used to be.
These Astros aren’t good because the team used to be bad in the ’60s and ’70s. They are just good. Period.
Of course, comparatively, this era of Astros baseball, even with the loss to Atlanta in the World Series, has been more enjoyable for fans than any.
“It’s been phenomenal just watching us grow and get better and get to this moment,” Brantley said minutes after the World Series were over. “It’s something special that I’ll always keep in my heart in my career. I’m just very appreciative to have this experience and this opportunity with this coaching staff and these players.”
In a way, the 2021 season began with Brantley surprising many by re-signing with the Astros. With George Springer already having signed to play with the Toronto Blue Jays, Brantley was close to a deal to head to Canada as well.
So close, in fact, that teammates were blowing up his phone with goodbye texts wishing him well in his new locale. The Astros came to their senses and made Brantley an offer to return.
The 13-year veteran has been effusive in his praise for the organization with which he has played in two World Series in three seasons. The team coming up just short of a title doesn’t change that.
“Every year is special,” Brantley said. “It’s going to have different teammates, different coaches, however you want to look at it.
“We embraced what we did this year. It was a tremendous honor to play with everyone in that locker room and the coaching staff as well. Just very appreciative of this opportunity to be with this team, and we accomplished a lot this year.”
While it may seem trite, these Astros often talked about their chemistry, their camaraderie, their love for each other, and the difference that made in winning or losing.
Love didn’t win 95 games, finish first in the American League West, beat the Chicago White Sox 3-1 in the divisional round or come from behind to beat Boston in the ALCS.
The latter victory, with the Astros pummeling the Red Sox by a combined score of 23-3 in the final three games, was as impressive as any the team has had during this historic run.
They weren’t supposed to be capable of that. But six pitchers held the Red Sox to just two runs in Game 4, Framber Valdez threw the game of his life in Game 5 and Luis Garcia and four relievers were darn near perfect in Game 6.
Misty watercolor memories.
After that finale, following the trophy presentation and celebration, Brantley held his daughter Mariah while being interviewed. A reporter asked the little darling, who was sporting a sparkling jacket with her father’s No. 23 on the back, what she thought about all the goings on.
“I love my daddy,” she said.
Perhaps that’s what love’s got to do with it.
jerome.solomon@chron.com
twitter.com/jeromesolomon
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