Astros grab 3 straight, Big 12 non-conference schedule

Three straight series' wins for the Astros (Rays, Rangers, Red Sox) but without a sweep in any of them, they're still 4 games under .500. Backe's start on Saturday in those 9 games in which the Astros allowed more than 4 runs. As long as that unlikely trend continues they'll make he second half of the season interesting.

I stand firm that they simply are not good enough to be among the league's top 4 teams. They should be right around .500 - I'm still pegging them for an 82 or 83 wins. They played sound baseball, didn't give away outs by stealing ineffectively and committing foolish errors, both mental and physical. But they have been fun to watch again.
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Ty Wigginton seems like he gets on base quite a bit. His OBP is second only to Lance Berkman. His batting average (.278) is right there with Carlos Lee (.279) and Miguel Tejada (.287). But his RBI total is alarmingly low. Try 13 RBI in 188 plate appearances. The only way to come up with putrid numbers like that is to be extremely un-clutch.
Average w/ runners on - .185
Average w/ runners in scoring position - .121
Average w/ runners in scoring position, 2 out - .125
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You want college football, so here's the non-conference for the Big 12 to get you thinking. Games of note in bold.
BIG 12:
Baylor - Aug. 28 Wake Forest; Sept. 6 Northwestern State; Sept. 13 Washington State; Sept. 19 at Connecticut
Colorado - Aug 31 Colorado State (Denver); Sept. 6 Eastern Washington; Sept. 18 West Virginia; Sept. 27 at Florida State
Iowa State - Aug. 28 South Dakota State; Sept. 6 Kent State; Sept. 13 at Iowa; Sept. 20 at UNLV
Kansas - Aug. 30 Florida International; Sept. 6 Louisiana Tech; Sept. 12 at USF; Sept. 20 Sam Houston State
Kansas State - Aug. 30 North Texas; Sept. 6 Montana State; Sept. 17 at Louisville; Sept. 27 Louisiana-Lafayette
Missouri - Aug. 30 Illinois (St. Louis); Sept. 6 Southeast Missouri; Sept. 13 Nevada; Sept. 20 Buffalo
Nebraska - Aug. 30 Western Michigan; Sept. 6 San Jose State; Sept. 13 New Mexico State;
Sept. 27 Virginia Tech
Oklahoma - Aug. 30 Chattanooga; Sept. 6 Cincinnati; Sept. 13 at Washington; Sept. 27 TCU
Oklahoma State - Aug. 30 Washington State; Sept. 6 Houston; Sept. 13 Missouri State; Sept. 27 Troy
Texas - Aug. 30 Florida Atlantic; Sept. 6 at UTEP; Sept. 13 Arkansas; Sept. 20 Rice
Texas A&M - Aug. 30 Arkansas State; Sept. 6 at New Mexico; Sept. 20 Miami (Fla.); Sept. 27 Army
Texas Tech - Aug. 30 Eastern Washington; Sept. 6 at Nevada; Sept. 13 SMU; Sept. 20 Massachusetts