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Monday's Three Astros Things

Talking about a 2005 reunion, drafting high school players and Stuart Scott...

By David Coleman

Some things to talk about while Max Scherzer still hasn't signed...

1) 2005 reunion?

Ten years ago, the Astros went to the World Series. Even though the current administration wasn't around back then, it seems the magnitude of the event isn't lost on them. From Alyson Footer:

Do you want to see the Astros make a reunion happen? Would you buy tickets to that game if you knew it was happening? Do you think Pettitte and Clemens will be involved?

2) Luhnow on HS draftees

Astros GM Jeff Luhnow talked with David Laurilia for this excellent piece on drafting and the college vs. high school question. His response on the balancing act between drafting guys out of college or guys from high school:

"The younger the players are, the more ability you have to impact how they develop," said Luhnow. "That applies to Dominican and Venezuelan players as well as high school players. But the younger they are, the more variability there is in the outcome. They haven't passed a couple of the hurdles that the college players have passed. They're more-insecure wagers, if you will."

It's just not a simple choice. For some players, that extra time in the minors, developing with a big league team can be huge. But, everything comes with tradeoffs. As we get into 2015 draft mode, this is something to keep in mind.

3) Thinking about Stuart Scott

Passing by a TV Sunday afternoon, I saw ESPN doing a tribute to Stuart Scott. My mind immediately flashed to, "Oh no, did Stuart Scott die?"

Anyone who saw last year's ESPYs knew that Scott was sick. He didn't hide it, though he continued to work as he underwent aggressive cancer treatment. I'd followed that story, reading about how Scott was training using mixed martial arts techniques while also undergoing chemotherapy.

Celebrities get deified an awful lot when they shuffle off this mortal coil. Few of us get to know them as people, so their passing can't impact us on a personal level. Yet, so many of these celebrities get tied up into our past.

That's what made Scott stand out for me. He was one of the big stars when I started watching SportsCenter every morning before 7th grade football practice. Back then, I'd wake up at 5 a.m., before either of my parents, and turn on the TV to one of the few shows on at that hour while I ate breakfast.

Stuart Scott was cool. His phrases entered my lexicon, right beside "En Fuego" and the rest of the stuff that Dan Patrick and Keith Olberman used. Scott brought personality to the job of talking about sports, back before ESPN became all about talking heads giving up cheap opinions on the hour, every hour.

Watch his speech last summer at the ESPYs. Read some of the comments on this article at Deadspin, with people sharing their personal stories of running into Scott. Check out what his co-workers said in the linked video below.

It sucks that he's gone.

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