How loose are the Astros these days? Brad Lidge, who pitched the ninth for his 32nd save of the season and first since Sept. 8, walked toward the team bus cracking a black leather whip that went with the skimpy outfit worn by rookie Taylor Buchholz as part of a hazing rite.If this had been a college fraternity intramural team people would have been up in arms over such a display. So which is it? Is hazing a harmless way of integrating new members into a group through a shared "trial", or is it a demeaning humiliation that can be dangerous or even deadly?
Winning induces smiles, and even the rookies wearing revealing tight skirts laughed along while their veteran teammates joked at their expense.
More importantly, the Astros are cracking the right whip heading into their season-ending three-game series against the Atlanta Braves, which starts tonight at Turner Field. The Cardinals lost Thursday's opener 9-4 of a four-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Astros trail Cards by less than a game
