Whats up with the STROS'

If you take last year lineup vs this year. There is not much difference.  They have subtracted Adam Everett for Micheal Bourn not much diff.   Luke Scott for Tejada, Not much diff.  Biggio for Matsui  not much diff.  Towels for Ausmus, only time well tell.    I no this is not exact on position changes, I'm just looking at the batting order all together.  

Getting rid of Everett was good but getting rid of Scott was not.  They gave up to much for Tejada.   Scott could have been part of the future and Tejada only has a couple of years left.    Biggio was retiring anyway so Matsui was not a bad thing.  I just wish they would work with the farm system more.   They always seem to hold on the the wrong guys for too long (Ensberg, Everett,  and Scott).  And get rid of the good ones to early (Scott).   

Everyone needs to look at this one guy in the farm system.  His name is Colin Delome.  He was drafted last year and is going to be a lot like Hunter Pence.  They have the same build and same type of skills.  This guy needs to be brought up.   He is going to be the real deal.   But I'm sure the stros will make some mid season trade that doesn't work out.  And he will be included.   

Ok Tejada is way better than Scott and Towles is way better than Ausmus. The reason that the offense isnt there yet is because its never been fully healthy. Kaz Matsui played his first game yesterday, Pence isnt in his normal lineup spot plus he has to learn to adjust in his second year, Wigginton is out with injury and its Towles first year in the majors. Its only been 3 weeks of a season that lasts 6 months give it break.

Do you really think the Marlins and Royals are this good? No you learn very little in the first month of the season.

I think we are in for a lot of 7-5, 9-6, 11-9 games this year.  Bullpen does not seem better and Valverde needs to stop leaking gasoline.

I still like the direction of the team in the off season.  I little steadying from the top 3 in the rotation and we'll win more than we'll lose. 

But you also can't script April, May, June, July, August, and September.

That's baseball. Ain't it grand? This is why they play the games. You don't have a season on paper. Etc. etc. All the Biggioesque cliches I could throw out here...

I am LOVING the starting pitching for the most part, and I was fearing it going into the season. And the bullpen has let me down when I thought they would be fine.

The truth is, things will flip at some point, and nothing will be predictable, at least for many many weeks. Let's give this offense a chance to gel and come together now that Matsui is getting playing time. I liked what I saw in that 6-4 win the other day, and today's 10-3 lead is impressive (though I missed most of the game, so I'm not sure exactly how we scored 5 runs in the 1st inning, and 3 runs in a later inning, I just glanced at the box score when I first turned on the game 15 minutes ago).

GO Astros!

Tejada is amazing. Berkman and Lee are solid. Matsui is a revelation.

Bourn and Pence need to work on being a bit more patient, taking more walks, and not striking out too much.... but once they're on base... watch out.

And backups like Blum and Erstad are actually... almost as thrilling to watch lately as our starters.

Let's not even get into how much better Towles is than Ausmus.

This is awesome. Screw pitching battles, damnit. I know they're the more pure form of REAL (i.e. National League) baseball, but as an Astros fan.... I don't mind a little variety for once. This is the sort of team we COULD have had had we managed to keep Beltran back after 2004.

6 game wining streaks sure do cure a lot of ills...here's to the starting pitching holding up al year long.  which genius signed chacon--was that wade?  he's been terrific for a #5 starter.

back at .500--okay, we're ready to start the season.  eh?  what's that?  oh.  never mind...