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Houston Astros: 16 positives from the year of 2016

By Eric Huysman

Sep 18, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Houston Astros right fielder George Springer (4) is greeted by teammates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run against the Seattle Mariners during the third inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 18, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Houston Astros right fielder George Springer (4) is greeted by teammates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run against the Seattle Mariners during the third inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /
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16. WiFi installed at Minute Maid Park

Sep 14, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; General view inside Minute Maid Park before a game between the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 14, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; General view inside Minute Maid Park before a game between the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

As a blogger, this announcement was music to my ears. I remembered times during the 2015 magical Houston Astros season how I had trouble Tweeting. When Reid Ryan told us at Fanfest that they were installing the WiFi routers throughout the stadium, I was pumped. It worked great when the demand was not as high.

When attendance was low, it worked great, but it did not work with the high capacity crowds. I’m not a technical geek, but it did help alleviate those using the cellular LTE or 4G network. With the improving technology, the Astros will further enhance the Minute Maid Park WiFi network.

15. No more GoGo

When the Houston Astros acquired Carlos Gomez in 2015, I was cautiously optimistic. A player like Gomez doesn’t come available unless the team is rebuilding or the player is having a bad season. As a former All-Star, Gomez came with many expectations. For whatever reason, he was unable to live up to those expectations with the Astros.

After misplaying a crucial fly ball in a game versus the Red Sox last year, the Astros finally decided to move on from Gomez. They designated Gomez for assignment with the hope of trading him, but nothing materialized. While it’s unfair to put all the blame on Gomez for 2016, it was a breath of fresh air. The scapegoat was no longer on the team. He went on to help the Rangers make the playoffs but cooled off after a hot start.

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