HOUSTON, TX - Houston Astros outfielder George Springer will be the guest on Astroline tomorrow, Thursday, Dec. 22, at 7 p.m. CT at Pluckers Wing Bar for the fifth installment of the offseason radio program. Astros play-by-play broadcaster Robert Ford will serve as the host. Ford and fellow radio broadcaster Steve Sparks will alternate hosting duties throughout the offseason.
PLEASE NOTE FOR AUTOGRAPHS: Fans can pick up a free raffle ticket at the Pluckers entrance tomorrow between 5:00-6 p.m. (one raffle ticket per fan). 50 winning tickets will be selected at 6 p.m. and autograph vouchers will be distributed to the holders of each winning ticket. Fans must have a winning voucher to receive an autograph.
MEDIA NOTE: Media wishing to interview Springer at Astroline are asked to arrive by 6:45 p.m.
Thursday's Astroline, which is presented by Karbach Brewing Co., will air on the Astros Radio Network, the Astros flagship station 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 fourth consecutive season, Astroline airs from Pluckers Wing Bar (1400 Shepherd Dr., Houston, Texas, 77007). Astroline runs through March 2017 (13 remaining segments), and is open to all Astros fans 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. 
Springer, 27, is coming off the best season of his career and has established himself as one of the top outfielders in the Major Leagues. In 2016, he was one of just three Major Leaguers to play in all 162 games of the season, becoming the seventh player in club history to accomplish this feat. In addition to being named a finalist for a Rawlings Gold Glove Award, Springer set career highs in home runs (29), doubles (29), hits (168), RBI (82) and walks (88) while leading the Majors in plate appearances (744). Springer's eight leadoff home runs tied a franchise record set by Craig Biggio in 2001, and also tied for the American League lead with Detroit's Ian Kinsler.
    
Ford just completed his fourth season as the Astros radio play-by-play commentator after being named to the post prior to the 2013 season. Before joining the Astros, Ford spent four seasons as the pre-and postgame host for the Kansas City Royals radio broadcasts on 610 AM KCSP, the Royals flagship station. The 2001 graduate of Syracuse University spent seven years broadcasting minor league baseball, calling more than 800 games during his stints with the Binghamton Mets, Kalamazoo Kings and Yakima Bears. Ford was twice named Frontier League Broadcaster of the Year (2003, 2004).

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