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The Astros current road color commentator on the TV broadcast is someone who every Astros fans should be familiar with as a both a giver and a taker. Geoff Blum spent five years playing for the Houston Astros, first from 2002 to 2003 then from 2008 to 2010. In those five years he had an 86 OPS+, which is the highest offensive number for any major league team he played for.
Blum had his best year with the Astros in 2002, the year in which they acquired him from the Montreal Expos for Chris Truby. That year he posted 107 OPS+ in 421 plate appearances, it would be his best offensive year as a major league player. After a 72 OPS+ season in 2003, Blum was traded to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for Brandon Backe.
After a 61 OPS+ season he would be released by the Devil Rays a year later and picked up by the San Diego Padres. He would post a 90 OPS+ in 78 games with the Padres. On July 31, 2005, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox for Ryan Meaux. With the White Sox he had a 33 OPS+ in 31 games.
Of course, as I'm sure you know, the White Sox made the playoffs and eventually the series. Blum got one plate appearance in the ALDS against the Boston Red Sox. Did he do anything there? No, he had a popfly to second base.
He would make one more appearance for the White Sox in postseason play, in the World Series. In game three of the 2005 World Series with the White Sox and Astros locked in an extra innings affair, Geoff Blum came into the bottom of the 13th inning as part of a double switch. He replaced pitcher Bobby Jenks and played second base. With two outs in the top of the 14th Blum strolled to the plate and hit what would be the eventual game wining home run. It didn't seal the Astros fate in the World Series but it did put another nail in the Astros coffin.
After his 2005 heroics Blum would again sign with Padres and play in San Diego for the next two years as a part-time player. On November 20, 2007, Blum would return to Houston where he would play for the next three seasons in a part-time role.
As I looked through Geoff Blum's highlights in his second stint as an Astros, so as not to leave this post on a sour note, I can't help but notice that he had quite a few nice defensive plays and home runs. And this falls right in line with the positive impression I have of Geoff Blum despite him ripping out my heart in 2005.
This Blum hit in particular caught my attention as it was a walk-off single for the Astros in the 13th inning.