The Astros can match sob stories and oddball tales with anyone.
The 1980 postseason, when they needed one victory to go the World Series, and dropped back-to-back extra inning games to the Phillies.
Or 1986, when they lost two games on walk-off Mets' hits, and another in 16 innings.
Or 1997-2001, when Dierker won all those divisions, but was fired when the Astros went 2-12 in the playoffs.
A pitcher named Ken Johnson once threw a no-hitter, and lost.
Wilson, a tortured star who threw two no-hitters, ended up dead in his own garage from carbon monoxide.
Richard, one of the game's top pitchers, collapsed on the field, never to regain his form.
This is the franchise that has somehow managed to employ three of the top four strikeout pitchers of all time, and all three went to the World Series somewhere else. Nolan Ryan stayed for nine years, Randy Johnson for two months, Roger Clemens TBA.
Clemens enlisted because Andy Pettitte did. Pettitte is hurt. The only Pettitte to see the field lately has been his wife, who sang the national anthem the other day.
An amusement park ride history like that, doesn't it deserve one lousy World Series?