Happy Birthday WTHB!!!

No, it's not my birthday personally. That was back in May. Remember I share a birthday with Jeff Bagwell which is pretty awesome for a lifelong Astros fan. Rather it's What the Heck, Bobby?'s second birthday. My baby is two years old today. And what a journey these last two years have been.

So far, I have put up 3032 posts (with help from weekend recap writer Buca Morris, of course, and from my recent collaboration with Appy Astros). By my count, I have conducted interviews with 102 individuals since I started (and multiple interviews with several of those), including 80 players, 14 coaches, four from the Astros front office, one minor league broadcaster, one minor league beat reporter (now sports editor), and prospect experts from Baseball America and MLB.com.

And I have racked up some miles, too. I am estimating that I have traveled 22,331 miles by air and by road in the last two years as I have taken in 38 minor league games in 11 trips to seven different ballparks in seven different states (plus Spring Training makes it eight states). I've planned three more trips before the season ends that will rack up another six games and another 6,356 miles to pad those totals to 44 games, 14 trips and 28,687 miles. When I say it's been a journey, I mean that more than metaphorically.

Some people are under the misconception that I am either employed by the Astros or that they in some way help me out with expenses for my trips. That is not the case. I am getting close to making a whole $100 from ads (after putting ads on the site almost 10 months ago), but that's not even enough to cover one night in a hotel for most of the places I have stayed. Believe me, I'll never get rich off this gig.

So why do I do it? Why do I spend my own money to travel to the minor league venues? Why do I get up at 5:00 most mornings to write recaps? Why do I spend hours every weekend transcribing interviews, writing articles, uploading and labeling photos and video? There are many reasons.

Mainly, I do this out of love for the Astros and my desire to see the team back in perennial contention with a strong minor league system. Partly, I do this out of a love of travel and meeting new people, particularly people who love baseball as much as I do. And those people are everywhere. Not just the fans, but photographers, camera operators, ushers, broadcasters, in-game entertainment crew, mascots, grounds crew, waitstaff, vendors. They all love the game. I have made so many new friends; I couldn't possibly name every person who has made a special impact in my life over the last two years, but you know who you are. Especially you. Yes, I'm talking about you.

But mostly, I do it for the players. I would have wearied of (dare I say it?) "the grind" long ago if not for the players themselves. I love getting to know the players and their stories. I love seeing their drive, determination, ambition and hard work. And I love pulling for them, particularly the underdogs. They have kept me young and relevant and have connected me to something bigger than myself.

Let me share two stories that will act as bookends for this past year. On August 7, 2012 (precisely one year after I started this blog), Brandon Barnes made his major league debut. I got to the ballpark early that night to talk with his former host family from Corpus Christi who had driven in for the occasion. They were sitting behind the Astros dugout and introduced me to Brandon's wife and beautiful baby girl. We were all talking and, at one point, Brandon approached the dugout and looked in our direction. Suddenly, I realized that he was not looking at his friends from Corpus or at his wife and daughter. He was looking at me. I had never met Brandon or spoken with him in person, but I had done an email interview with him and written an article urging his promotion to the bigs. In that split second, I saw an unmistakable 'thank you' in his eyes and in the upturned corner of his mouth, a 'thank you' for believing in him and for pleading his case.

Fast forward almost a year. I was at the game on Monday night for one reason and for one reason only. I went to see Brett Oberholtzer make his first start at Minute Maid Park. I met Brett briefly when he was still in Corpus last year, and interviewed him by phone later that summer. Brett was only on the periphery of my consciousness until we talked, but once we had that first conversation, I viewed him differently. I was so impressed by his work etchic, drive and determination that I became a big supporter. I could not envision a world in which he wouldn't succeed because he couldn't envision such a world. I spoke with him again in June when I was in Oklahoma City and my view of him remained unchanged.

On Monday night, Brett didn't dominate. He didn't need to. He pitched a good game, kept the ball down in the zone for the most part, and mixed his pitches well. Then came the seventh inning. A lead-off double followed by a sac fly and Brett was looking at a man on third with only one out. He hadn't struck out a batter in the first six, but Brett reached back and found that extra something to strike out the next two. Failure was not an option. I knew he could do it, but I sweated Every Single Pitch with him and I tweeted out something to that effect. A reply came from one of the minor league player's mothers, "Like a momma." Yes, exactly like a momma.

Players like Brandon and Brett keep me going. I want them to succeed individually and I want them to help my team succeed. I want to see a major league roster filled with men like Brandon and Brett who will give it everything they have every single day. And I want to tell you their stories so you'll love them as much as I do. Just like a momma.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for your support. Thank you for coming into my life and making it richer. This was one of the greatest memories I'll carry with me from this past year.

I can't wait to see what memories this next year will bring. I hope that you will continue to follow me on the journey.

Jayne