HOUSTON, TX - Former Houston Astros catcher and current television broadcaster Alan Ashby will be the guest on Astroline tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m. CT at Pluckers Wing Bar for the 11th installment of the offseason radio program. Astros radio color commentator Steve Sparks will serve as the host. Sparks and fellow radio broadcaster Robert Ford alternate hosting duties for Astroline.
Tomorrow night's Astroline, which is presented by Karbach Brewing Co., will air on KBME SportsTalk 790 AM and will stream online at Astros.com/Astroline. All shows are scheduled to broadcast on KBME SportsTalk 790, but are subject to change due to scheduling conflicts. Astroline broadcasts live, weekly from 7-8 p.m. CT during the offseason. For the third consecutive season, Astroline airs from Pluckers Wing Bar, which is located at 1400 Shepherd Dr., Houston, Texas, 77007. Pluckers Wing Bar is entering its third year of business in Houston after officially opening to the public in 2013.
Starting March 4, Astroline will return to the ESPN Club at Disney's BoardWalk for the final four broadcasts from Florida during Spring Training. Astroline runs through March (six remaining segments). On-site locations for Astroline are open to the public with no admission charge.
Fans can submit questions to the show via Twitter using the hashtag #Astroline, before and during the show. As always, fans will also have the option to call the show with questions at 713-212-5790.
Ashby has worked for the Astros organization for more than 26 seasons, serving as a player, coach, radio and television broadcaster for the club. Prior to rejoining the Astros broadcast team in 2013, Ashby had been calling games on radio and television for the Toronto Blue Jays for six seasons (2007-12). From 1998-2006, he worked as the Astros color analyst on radio alongside Hall of Famer Milo Hamilton. As a player he spent 11 of his 17 Major League seasons as a catcher with the Astros from 1979-89, during which he was a part of three postseason teams including the 1986 NL West Division Champions. Ashby compiled a career batting average of .245 with 90 home runs and 513 RBI in 1,370 games, and caught three no-hitters (Ken Forsch, Nolan Ryan, Mike Scott). As part of the club's 50th anniversary celebration in 2012, Ashby was named to the Astros All-Time 25-man roster. He was named to the All-Time Astrodome team in 1999, and in 2000 was inducted into the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame.
Sparks enters his fourth season as the Astros radio color commentator after being named to the post on Feb. 13, 2013. Prior to joining the Astros radio broadcast team, Sparks served as a pre- and postgame analyst for Astros television games over several seasons following a 17-year playing career. A knuckleballer in his playing days, Sparks pitched in the Major Leagues in parts of nine seasons (1995-2004) for the Brewers, Angels, Tigers, A's and Diamondbacks. His best season came in 2001 for Detroit when he went 14-9 with a 3.65 ERA and a Major League-best eight complete games while tallying 232.0 innings pitched.
*Media Note- Media wishing to interview Alan Ashby must do so immediately before or after the show.
Astroline preliminary schedule (subject to change).
Day           Date               Station
Thu.           Feb. 18           KBME
Wed.         Feb. 24           KTRH
Fri.             Mar. 4             KBME
Tue.           Mar. 8             KBME
Tue.           Mar. 15           KBME
Mon.         Mar. 21           KBME
-ASTROS-