Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Let's Be Real about Your Astros

What were your expectations? They should be an average baseball team, so to me, they are in fact underachieving. I know it's a long season so there is still plenty of time for their out-of-nowhere completely inexplicable second half run. They should not be quite this bad. With a payroll like theirs and established stars like theirs they should not be fighting with the Rockies and Nationals for the league's worst record.

Roy Oswalt has got to either figure out what he's doing wrong or acknowledge there is an injury that he has yet to disclose. 11 starts this year and only 3 times has he allowed less than 3 runs. It's even worse when you consider 1 of the three so-called "good" starts came because he threw just 1 inning before a rain delay.

The Kaz Matsui signing continues to make Ed Wade look really foolish (Or Tal Smith or Drayton McLane whoever you feel like blaiming for giving an oft-injured, light-hitting second baseman $16.5 million bucks for 3 years.) Among NL 2B he's the only one with an .OBP under .312, he's at .285. I won't even get into the fact that Cecil trotted him out there in the lead-off spot almost all year.

Release Russ Ortiz. Buyout Doug Brocail. Start working in players who might actually be a part of the Astros future. Trade Tejada in mid-June before he starts to slide. Trade Valverde after he makes a week's worth of good appearances upon his return from his calf injury.

When 2010 begins with Oswalt, Wandy Rodriguez, Berkman, Lee, Pence & Bourn - it will not be rebuilding, it will be a fresh start.

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