As a Houston Astros fan during the 2011 season there were two ways you could behave. You could be a realist, know the team was not a good baseball team and enjoy the season for the love of the game or you could be an idealist hoping things would get better, but be constantly disappointed. I chose to be a realist.

I decided in mid to late June that baseball in October wouldn’t be happening in Houston for a few years, so it was time for me to love the game for the game itself and not get caught up in the wins and losses of my favorite team. It wasn’t always easy. As fans we get personally attached to these teams and to their records.

But what this attitude shift did do for me was allow me to celebrate the little things in the game. I was overjoyed to watch so many rookies take the field for the first time as an MLB player, to get their first hit, to make their first big defensive play. Maybe it’s the mother in me, but it was a lot of fun to see the guys having fun.

And that brings me to favorite moment #9. For a guy who just came up from the minors in a year that no one expected to see him any earlier than September, Jimmy Paredes put on quite a show for his first Major League hit. I was sitting in section 215 at Minute Maid Park and found myself quickly on my feet celebrating not just any old hit, but a two run triple for the rookie.

Click the photo to watch the video…and watch him run. Jimmy’s fast!

Terri Schlather (AGirlintheSouth) is the tortured Senior Houston Astros Writer for Aerys Sports. You can email her at agirlinthesouth@gmail.com, or follow her ridiculous ramblings on sports, vodka and the weeone on twitter @agirlinthesouth.