Baseball legend Reggie Jackson raises nearly $1 million in star-studded golf tournament
Astros special advisor and Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson raised nearly $1 million for STEM education through his Mr. October Foundation Monday, at his charity golf tournament, according to the Houston Astros.
Houston Astros players among several A-listers attending 2024 Celebrity Golf Classic in Florida hosted by Reggie Jackson
โMr. Octoberโ Reggie Jackson, along with Houston Rapper Travis Scott will host the 2024 Celebrity Golf Classic next month, and several Houston Astros players are on the guest list.
Thereโs good news for Astros fans in 2023, key coaches and players are coming back
Hey Astros fans! Hope youโve had a great Thanksgiving week.ย This is KPRC 2 Sports Director Randy McIlvoy checking in with this weekโs Astros Newsletter. We will be touching base fairly regularly during offseason as news warrants and to keep you updated on all things about your 2022 World Series Champs!
โToday was a great day to be a Houstonianโ: Mayor Turner thanks Houston for successful Astros World Series Championship parade
More than one million people lined the streets of downtown Houston to celebrate the 2022 World Series Champions during a 1.7-mile parade that included marching bands, players, and confetti-lined streets.
Astros owner Jim Crane wants to keep Justin Verlander in Houston after the World Series
Not long after the Houston Astros secured the 2022 World Championship title Saturday, team owner Jim Crane candidly talked to KPRC 2 Sports Director Randy McIlvoy about winning after the cheating scandal, the impact Dusty Bakerโs had on the team, the fans, and the first phone call he plans to make now that the World Series is done.
WORLD SERIES CHAMPS: Astros are World Champions after defeating the Phillies in Game 6 at Minute Maid Park
Five years after the Houston Astros won the World Series on the road, the team delivered a championship performance in front of a home crowd at Minute Maid Park Saturday night. The Astros won four runs to one.
Astros to allow limited fans at Minute Maid Park for college baseball tournament
The Astros announced they will allow limited fans January 29-31 as they host the annual Winter Invitational. The tournament features six NCAA Division II schools including Central Missouri, the alma mater of Astros owner Jim Crane. The Astros press release indicated fans will need to adhere to guidelines, stating:โPer State and Local health authorities and ballpark and event regulations, all fans, staff and vendors must wear masks at all times while on property, except when actively eating and drinking in their seats. All fans will be subject to a health screening that may include temperature checks upon arrival.โThe last time fans were allowed in the stands at Minute Maid Park was during the 2020 College Classic, held Feb 28-March 1, 2020. So far, MLB hasnโt announced if fans can attend Spring Training or given details on the 2021 season, but this could possibly be an indication that limited fans will be allowed at Minute Maid Park.
Luhnow files $22M breach of contract lawsuit against Astros
Former Houston Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow has filed a breach of contract lawsuit against the team, seeking more than $22 million in salary owed under his deal when he was fired in January. Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch were suspended for the season last Jan. 13 by Manfred and fired by the Astros later that day. The team was fined $5 million and stripped of its first- and second-round draft picks in both 2020 and 2021. The contract called for disputes to go to an arbitration with Manfred or his designee, but Luhnow asked that to be set aside because of Manfredโs involvement. The lawyers say Hinch later told Manfred he failed to disclose to Luhnow the use of electronic equipment.
Former GM Jeff Luhnow sues Astros, claims he was scapegoated
HOUSTON โ Ex-Astros General Manager Jeff Luhnow has sued his former employer, claiming he was the scapegoat in the sign-stealing investigation. The Astros fired Luhnow even though he had no knowledge ofโor involvement inโthe sign-stealing schemes. Yet everyone above and below Luhnow in the Astros' organization came away unscathed (with the lone exception of Manager A.J. Luhnow told KPRC 2 that most of those who were involved with the scandal are still with the Astros. โThese thousands of messages documented the Astros' sign-stealing schemes in real-time and detail how coaches, video room staffers, and other employees openly discussed their sign-stealing activities.
What we know about the coronavirus testing site opening at Minute Maid Park on Saturday
HOUSTON The Houston Astros and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott teamed up to announce the opening of a new free testing site at Minute Maid Park. Thanks to the help of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, the testing site will be able to provide up to 2,000 tests per day. The State of Texas continues to work diligently to increase access to testing in communities that need it most, Abbott said. We are happy to continue to assist our community as we collectively fight this pandemic.The testing site will operate from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week.
'It's over now' - Astros eager to put scandal behind them
HOUSTON The Houston Astros spent the offseason reeling from a sign-stealing scandal that cost manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow their jobs. The change didnt stop the Astros from being the villains of baseball this spring. The Astros are preparing for the possibility of being without designated hitter Yordan Alvarez for the start of the season and potentially longer. The Astros are counting on McCullers to have a big season in his return after missing last season following Tommy John surgery. Tucker, who can play outfield and first base, has appeared in just 50 MLB games over the past two seasons.
Astros hope to move on from cheating scandal as MLB restarts
HOUSTON The first round of spring training was dominated by fallout from the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scam. New manager Dusty Baker, a respected MLB veteran, helped the team navigate reaction to the scandal during the first spring training, which was stopped on March 12 because of the virus. None of us have been through this before in spring training, the emotions that were out there." Several Houston players were dinged in spring training games before the pause. Some opponents had called for retaliation against the Astros, irritated that no Houston players were disciplined for their roles in the scandal.
Baseball scrambles back into action amid lingering concerns
As baseball scrambles to start an abbreviated season, the prevailing mood is one of nervous excitement. All of these issues could become moot if there's a major outbreak of the virus within baseball. "Ive seen the reports in Houston how COVIDs going up so Im going to have to really be careful. It will be unusual following new safety protocols that are at times incompatible with human nature on the baseball field. Theyre very focused on that and the staff thats going to be associated with the games once we fire up, Crane said.
Astros commit to paying minor league players through the summer while other MLB teams make cuts
HOUSTON Minor league players in the Astros farm system will be paid at least through August 31, officials said Friday. With the uncertainty that our minor league players are facing currently, this decision provides our players with the assurance that they will receive a paycheck through August, said Astros owner Jim Crane. We believe that this is the right thing to do.Having a farm system of talented minor league players is a key aspect of the success of the Astros franchise, said Astros General Manager James Click. We hope that continuing the stipend for our players will provide them support in these challenging times.However, many other MLB teams announced this week that they were cutting minor league players amid the COVID-19 pandemic. So did the Chicago Cubs, who announced they were cutting 30 minor league players, according to NBC Sports Chicago.
โThis is a long-term war.โ Texas Medical Center CEO discusses how the system is maintaining PPE supplies to fight COVID-19
HOUSTON โ At least 3,000 COVID-19 patients have been treated in the Texas Medical Center. "We saw the devastation it was causing," said Texas Medical Center president and CEO William McKeon. The PPE supply chain was vital in making sure the Texas Medical Center, where the hospitals provide 70% of healthcare in a nine-county area, had what is needed. The medical center has an ample supply of all these items. McKeon said all the different institutions in the Medical Center worked together as one entity when it came to purchasing PPE.
Dusty Baker replaces AJ Hinch as Houston Astros manager
(AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)HOUSTON, Texas โ Dusty Baker has been hired to replace AJ Hinch as the manager of the Houston Astros. The team announced the hiring on Wednesday and said Baker will be introduced in Houston on Thursday. โThroughout his successful career, Dusty has embodied the qualities that we were looking for in a manager,โ Astros owner Jim Crane said in a statement. A three-time National League Manager of the Year, Baker last managed the Washington Nationals, who let him go after a 97-65 season in 2017. He was selected MVP of the 1977 NL Championship Series and won a Gold Glove in 1981, when he helped the Dodgers to a World Series title.
Theyโre engaged! Alex Bregman proposes to girlfriend during Colorado trip
HOUSTON โ The off-season is often when Houston Astros players get engaged or hitched to their significant others. Astros third baseman Alex Bregman continued the tradition, getting engaged to now-fiancee, Reagan Howard on a family trip to Colorado. Instagram posts from Howard and Jessie Bregman, sister of the Astros star, show the smiling couple along with family members during a trip to Aspen. Reagan Howard shares her engagement with Astros player Alex Bregman via Instagram. Crane said Bregman was busy with personal stuff in Colorado that weโd all be reading about soon.
Jim Crane: Astros interviewed 7 potential managers; team will apologize during spring training
HOUSTON โ Houston Astros owner Jim Crane said he has interviewed seven people so far as he rushes to find a new manager in the wake of a sign-stealing scandal that rocked the team and Major League Baseball. โWeโre going through everybody we think... would be a good match for the team next year. We got a good team,โ Crane said in an interview with KPRC 2. โThe players have been beaten up a little bit and I think theyโve been all spread out,โ Crane said. @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/6t0g6fP8vx โ Randy McIlvoy (@KPRC2RandyMc) January 22, 2020He said the Astros players were โholding back a little bit.โโWe need to give them a little more time to get together in Spring Training.
Here are some possible candidates that could replace Jeff Luhnow as Astros GM
HOUSTON โ According to Houston Astros owner Jim Crane, the team will address the open field manager job before they move on to hiring a general manager. Currently, Crane is working with the remaining front-office leadership group to fill the duties of fired GM Jeff Luhnow. During interviews Friday night at the Astros Diamond Dreams Gala, Crane said he would start interviewing candidates for the general manager position next week. Itโs very late in the game for a GM hire, and Crane has mentioned internal candidates will get interviews. Hereโs a look at some possibilities for the Astros GM opening:THE INTERNAL CANDIDATEPete Putila - Astros Assistant GM/Director of Player DevelopmentPutila, 30, has worked for the Astros since 2011, starting out as an intern.
Astros Gala Raises Record Amount for Homelessness
Friday night, the Astros foundation held its fifth annual Diamond Dreams gala at Minute Maid Park. Over 1400 people attended the event, which featured a live performance by R&B legend Lionel Richie. All proceeds benefit the Astros foundation as well as New Hope Housing, an organization that fights homelessness by providing resources and housing for the areaโs most vulnerable citizens who live on limited incomes. โWeโre extremely proud of what this event has grown into,โ said Astros owner Jim Crane. โIt was a fun night, but more importantly, we were able to raise significant dollars to give back to the Houston community.โ
Mercilus, Crane announced as 2020 Legacy award winners
HOUSTON โ The Harris County Houston Sports Authority announced that Houston Texans outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus will be honored with the 2020 Sportsmanship Award at the Houston Sports Awards on January 21, 2020 at the Hilton Americas. Mercilus is committed to helping those in need and he does just that with his WithMerci Foundation. His mission is to serve children with disabilities in underprivileged families through WithMerci has raised $500,000 since its inception in 2016. Fellow teammate Texans defensive end J.J. Watt won the award the previous two years. Mercilus and Crane join Lifetime Achievement Award Bob McNair, the late Houston Texans owner, as the 2020 Legacy Award winners.