We knew this day was coming before the winter came to a close in Major League Baseball, but that does not mean this hurts any less. George Springer is going to be a Toronto Blue Jay and that just does not feel right at all. This unfortunately is a reminder of this being a business and that the Astros have really difficult decisions to make moving forward. They just cannot afford to keep every player they have.
For those of you that are down in the dumps this morning, keep that chin up, moves are coming for the Astros very soon and they will enter this season as the favorite in the AL West once again. It obviously just won't be the same without number four leading off for this club every night of the week.
Now to you, George. A huge massive thank you for what you have done for this city and fan base. You represented the first sign of hope after years of this franchise being so bad. We all sat around and waited on pins and needles from your debut, not having a clue what a special ride you were about to take us on. It is funny looking back on it now that a man known for all of his massive clutch Springer Dingers, started his career with a little infield single.
That rookie year brought us so much hope and of course also brought on the infamous Sports Illustrated cover.
It still blows my mind that this cover ended up being spot on. We watched you become a postseason legend over the years and nothing will ever be better than watching you set records like you did in the 2017 World Series.
For me personally, I have to say thank you as well. You and I sat for so many interviews and you were always so willing and great with giving your time. We had a lot of fun, talking about a lot of dumb stuff. You still owe me a boat race with those remote control boats you and Jake used to bring to camp every year. You helped me become a better radio host in all honesty, you were a guest on one of the very first shows that I hosted and I have listened to that interview so many times since. Look at us, just a couple kids without a care in the world.
The joy you gave me and so many others can never really be put into words and the fun that you and I were able to have on the radio are memories I will never forget. From fan fest interviews, to our yearly visits in spring training and your event with the SAY organization, thank you for so much fun.
Here's some of the interviews from the past few years.
I will never forget the night that was November 1, 2017. I sat in Dodger Stadium and nudged Chris Gordy right before your fifth home run of that series and said, "he's taking Darvish deep here". I laughed and laughed as soon as you hit that rocket over the wall, what an incredible moment that was.
Thank you for the memories George. Thank you for being the face of the golden era of this Astros club. You not being here will not feel right, but we all hope you crush it with your new club. Just don't do it when you face the Astros of course. Here's to hoping we get to do a few more fun radio interviews sometime down the road.