Shout It out

Exclamation point added to Astros perfect season as Jose Altuve is named MVP

Jose Altuve hits home run against Boston in Game 1 of ALDS

Astros fans were right.

Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images

After much anticipation, it's official: Jose Altuve is your American League Most Valuable Player for 2017. Minute Maid Park will get to continue to chant "MVP!" into the 2018 season when their best player steps up to the plate.

It should be no surprise that Altuve was able to claim one of the league's top honors for this season, at least for anyone outside of New Yorkwho was probably feeling strongly about the Yankees' Aaron Judge after his stellar rookie year.

Altuve had an outstanding regular season, a career year, in fact. He led the AL in hits with 204, making it his fourth straight 200-hit season, and finished with an incredible .346 batting average to earn his third batting title. In addition to the best batting average of his career thus far, Altuve also had his best on-base percentage (.410), slugging percentage (.547) for a combined .957 slugging plus on-base percentage which was third in the AL.

Altuve was second in the league in runs scored at 112 and in stolen bases at 32. He was also second in WAR, wins above replacement, at 7.9 games, a pretty telling number that shows that without him, the Astros would've been a totally different team.

He was also solid on the defensive side of the ball, finishing fifth among AL second basemen in fielding percentage at .982 and fourth in assists at 351 while committing 10 errors on the year.

All in all, even though the postseason is not considered in the MVP voting, Altuve's remarkable year was definitely one of the driving forces that led the Astros to their first championship in franchise history.

It's hard to say if Altuve still would've been named MVP if Judge hadn't had his second-half slump, or if Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout hadn't been sidelined for a chunk of the season, but there's no question that all things considered Altuve deserved to be in the running, and it's no surprise he won this year and should continue to be a contender for years to come.

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This story originally appeared on SportsMap.

sports

Cougar Red and Houston Blue

UH expands 'Houston Blue' uniforms, despite NFL cease-and-desist

UH continues using Houston Blue uniforms despite NFL rebuke

Photo courtesy of Houston Athletics

Luv ya Blue running wild.

University of Houston Athletics are in a “Luv ya blue” mood and they don’t care who knows it — not even the NFL.

The university has announced that its football and volleyball teams will wear new Houston Blue jerseys, reminiscent of the classic colors of the Houston Oilers era. The volleyball team's uniform will debut theirs starting November 9 against Texas Tech, while the football team will debut theirs against Baylor on November 23. At the latter event, the first 20,000 fans will receive commemorative Houston Blue rally towels.

The resemblance of the new colors to the Oilers brand was not lost on the NFL. When UH Athletics started incorporating Houston Blue into their uniforms in September 2023, the NFL sent a cease-and-desist letter claiming the uniforms were an attempt to leech off the legacy of the Oilers and the intellectual property of the team now known as the Tennessee Titans. As if to prove the point, the Titans have occasionally worn Columbia blue throwback uniforms at certain games.

UH is unbothered according to vice president for intercollegiate athletics Eddie Nuñez.

“As a university deeply connected to the fabric of Houston, incorporating ‘Houston Blue’ into our uniforms is a powerful way to celebrate the city’s rich history,” he said. “From iconic blue street markers to the Houston Police Department’s signature blue police cars and helicopters, this color holds a special place in the hearts of Houstonians. We’re thrilled to share this tradition with our fans and offer them the chance to show their pride through exclusive merchandise, making it an exciting time for Cougar Nation to rally together.”

The accompanying press release for the uniforms came with a helpful history lesson showing that the Oilers adopted a color widely associated with Houston, not the other way around. The city has incorporated blue into public infrastructure, from street curbs to city vehicles, since the 1920s. The Oilers weren’t even the first Houston team to use blue in their uniforms. That honor belongs to the minor league baseball team, the Houston Buffs. In addition, the university made minor changes to the uniform in response to the NFL's concerns.

UH will be offering a wide range of merchandise to sell in the new Houston Blue colors in person and online through the University of Houston Bookstore as well as at select local retailers. These include shirts, hats, polos, jerseys, and hoodies. Get them before the NFL sends a more strongly-worded letter.

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Fans of Houston sports and Houston food can now score tickets to The Tailgate, CultureMap's all-out party devoted to everyone’s favorite way to get in the gameday spirit. The event, presented by Verizon, goes down from 6-9 pm November 11 at 8th Wonder. Find out more about it here.

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