Astro's Opening Day

[JasperDog94]

A friend of mine at church has a guy on the inside of ticket sales for the Astros. He got 5 rows of tickets for opening day. With 24 seats per row, that totals 120 tickets. eek! WooHoo!!! :D

It's actually a double bonus. I'm sure that Roger Clemens will pitch opening day. So not only will I get to see Roger's first pitch as an Astro (I hope), they're playing the Giants. So, I'll get to be one of the first people to boo Barry Bonds this year.

Man, it's going to be a great game! :D :D :D

[Bellville22]

Roger won't pitch Opening Day. He'll be the #3 or #4 in the rotation.

[GWOOD]

JasperDog94:
A friend of mine at church has a guy on the inside of ticket sales for the Astros. He got 5 rows of tickets for opening day. With 24 seats per row, that totals 120 tickets. eek! WooHoo!!! :D

It's actually a double bonus. I'm sure that Roger Clemens will pitch opening day. So not only will I get to see Roger's first pitch as an Astro (I hope), they're playing the Giants. So, I'll get to be one of the first people to boo Barry Bonds this year.

Man, it's going to be a great game! :D :D :D Yes, I'm jealous. Have any extra tickets?

I don't know who they will throw opening day? Roger would make sense. But what about Oswalt. Came up through the organization and has been the #1 pitcher the last two years. Actually, he has had better stats than Pettite and Clemens the last two years.

[Cameronbystander]

You could move to Cameron. Drayton McLane is a Yoeman. He aranges tickets for Cameron folks several times a year. His graduating class went last year and got to sit in his box.
I am hoping to get to go to the All Star game (not through Drayton) but through one of our suppliers that are out of Houston.

[JasperDog94]

Bellville22:
Roger won't pitch Opening Day. He'll be the #3 or #4 in the rotation.HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...oh, you were serious? No way is Roger not pitching on opening day. He's still better than most. He's the reason they've sold so many tickets. Him and Andy.

[crzyjournalist03]

JasperDog94:

Bellville22:
Roger won't pitch Opening Day. He'll be the #3 or #4 in the rotation.HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...oh, you were serious? No way is Roger not pitching on opening day. He's still better than most. He's the reason they've sold so many tickets. Him and Andy.Don't be so sure about Roger starting on opening day...I bet the manager waits to see how everybody is performing in spring training to announce a starter...Roger Clemens is a name, but Andy Petitte may be a better pitcher at this point in their careers, and Roy Oswalt and Wade Miller are Houston-bred...so far the Astros organization has made it very clear that they don't have a "#1" pitcher, so I don't know why people are assuming that Clemens will get the start.

[JasperDog94]

For me, it's simple economics. Roger will put people in the stands. If he pitches opening day, it will be a sellout. You heard it here first! :)

[Bellville22]

JasperDog94:

Bellville22:
Roger won't pitch Opening Day. He'll be the #3 or #4 in the rotation.HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...oh, you were serious? No way is Roger not pitching on opening day. He's still better than most. He's the reason they've sold so many tickets. Him and Andy.I am absolutely serious. I don't think there is any way that Clemens will start Opening Day. Again, he's only the 3rd or 4th best pitcher on his team, and people are making it out like he's tops in the league. Remember, the Stros aren't getting a Roger Clemens in his prime, they're getting a 41-year old who's stats are on the fall. Don't get me wrong, he's still a good pitcher, I just don't want the Stros to think they've grabbed a guy who will win a Cy this year. He went 17-9 last year, for the Yanks, which usually inflates your Win numbers. He posted a 3.91 ERA, much higher than you'd like from your #1. The year before he posted a 4.35. And keep in mind these stats were put up with half his games at Yankee Stadium, a pretty big park. He's at The Juice Box now, and has Biggio in CF, the one big part of the field, which can't help his defense. Roy Oswalt, who's young and still improving, had an ERA of 3.00 last year. Granted he spent alot of the year on DL. But the previous year, a full year, 2.97. I even worry a bit about Pettitte. Granted, he put up 21 wins last year, and is clutch in the playoffs, but a 4.02 ERA, and a lefty coming to a park that is generally tough on LHPs worries me.

I still think the success of the Astros rides on the production of Oswalt, who I think, if healthy, should be the #1. If he can repeat his 2002 year, I think the Stros can do some damage.

I don't want to sound like I'm bashing the Stros here, because I don't mean to. I'm very happy with the off-season pick-ups. I think the starting rotation is much better than it was last year. I just hate to see fans get too overconfident. Let's let these guys go out an prove something first in a tough ballpark.

Again, Clemens is still a good pitcher, a very good #3, but he's on the decline, and I worry about him making it the whole year healthy. As you mentioned, the ONLY reason he may start is for the tickets/fans. But Pettitte would be the same, remember, Andy is still "the big pick-up" this off-season. Regardless of who's on the hill, they'll sell-out alot of games. The Stro's staff has improved, but I still think the Cubs is better, and yes 'JasperDog94', I am serious :D

[crzyjournalist03]

JasperDog94:
For me, it's simple economics. Roger will put people in the stands. If he pitches opening day, it will be a sellout. You heard it here first! :) Bingo! Roger's first start will be a sellout in Houston...

Opening day is a natural sellout anyway...Economically, it would make sense to pitch one of the returning pitcher opening day, then throw Clemens and Petitte in the other games in the opening series to guarantee huge crowds every game.