Houston Sports Blog Roundup: Opening Day Edition

What's that you say? Opening Day was yesterday? The Astros lost to the Padres? Pssh. In our world, the Astros' season doesn't begin until the boys in red win a game. Which could mean that "Opening Day" may not happen until mid-month. Regardless, Houston is pretty much a baseball town, even when the Astros are facing a rough season ahead. Assuming that you want to keep track of the ups-and-downs of the hometown boys in more detail than we can provide here, there are two excellent new resources that rolled out over the past week to help you out.

- First up, the forum formerly known as Orange Whoopass, home to some of the best scouting and analysis related to the Stros, has retooled itself as a blog called Spikes And Stars. You'll get all the on-site minor league coverage, as well as brutally honest major league insight. Beware the forums: this ain't talk radio, so your "take" is irrelevant. The rule as always: read more, post less. Despite the venom, they're the "glass half full" types when it comes to the 2008 Astros.

- Not to be left out, the miscreants behind beloved Texans' blogs DGDB&D and Battle Red Blog have gotten into the baseball bidness. Matt, Tim, and a cast of thousands bring their peculiar brand of snark and single entendres to bear on the Astros and the rest of the NL Central. (somehow they let a Cards fan slip over the fence). They're calling this enterprise Warning Track Power, surely a sign that though he's now an Oriole, Luke Scott is not forgotten.

So, the season starts anew tonight in San Diego, and this time the Astros don't have to face a reigning Cy Young winner. Just a young phenom with a live arm named Chris Young. Craaaaap.

Full links return next week.

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photo: flickr user AlphaTangoBravo