Pudge..Welcome To The Astros..Thank Heavens For The Little Stubby Rodriguez

I never put stock into Spring Training. In fact, even though I consider myself one of the biggest Houston Astros fans on the planet, I rarely ever pay any attention until opening day.

Why?

Partially because there is really no home field advantage during spring games, but also because the games are moslty played mainly by guys who will end up on the Round Rock Express or Corpus Christi Hooks for the majority of the season. I've always come to the conclusion that as a fan and viewer, spring training is a waste of time.

Sure, you get your 4 inning runs by Oswalt and that occasional full game for Carlos Lee, Hunter Pence, or Lance Berkman, but it's nearly impossible to gauge anything by the Astros play in spring training.

Lesson to note: Don't be so hasty Astros fans.

The outlook is dismal when you glance at the spring training standing and see that the Astros are at a pathetic 1-12-1, but like I said...don't be hasty...it's not even real baseball at this point. The guys who have already made the team are laying low, taking it easy, trying not to get injured and enjoying a mini-vacation where stats don't matter until the start of the season. Things will change next month. I guarantee.

If the Astros do not have a winning record at the end of April, I will wear a shirt that says "Astros Suck Like Me" around downtown Austin on a Saturday night.

You may be one of these numskull fans who actually gets into spring training, and for that...I'm sorry...but if you are down on our boys for the idiotic reason of a poor spring training, through the darkness of the last 3 weeks now comes the light.

Filling the GAPING void left behind from the exhaunt of long time catcher Brad Ausmus, the Houston Astros have signed fourteen time All-Star, 13 time Golden Glove, 7 time Silver Slugger, and MVP of 1999, Ivan "Pudge Rodriguez to a one year contract. It has been flying around the rumor mill and FINALLY has come to fruitation.

Pudge may be 37 years old, but he still has what it takes to be a solid presence behind the plate with either his mask and armor or holding a bat. Although it won't answer their mediocre pitching woes, this signing will bring the Astros out of their several year hitting ones.

With Pudge, Berkman, Carlos Lee, and Tejada all swinging hard and the possibility of Hunter Pence waking up from his sophomore slump, things can be looking up.

So, help me, my fellow Astros fans and want-to-be Astros fans in welcoming Pudge Rodriguez to the Astros roster...an old perro with tricks nuevos.