Did We Bury the Astros Too Early

S

salonghorn-70

2,500+ Posts
After the first three series we were all ready to bury this season (including me). I But now they have won 5 straight games. The bats are producing runs. Pence is out of his slump. Oswalt seems to have recovered and there are some other good pitching performances. So does anyone want to change their predictions for this season.
 
no. we are still a flawed team. check back with me after St. Louis and Arizona.
 
Husker, I bow to your wisdom. I admit Arizona and St. Louis will be the true test. Can't I hope a little?
bow.gif
 
Some things that are impressive that look to be the real deal.

-Tejada hitting and solid fielding.
-Bourne speed in center and on the bases.(hitting TBD)
-Strong middle part of lineup

Pitching is still such a huge question mark though. I really wish we would have picked up Lohse as an extra starting option. When one pitcher (Wandy) goes down we have a 4 game rotation of Backe, Sampson, Cassel, Chacon... That is bad. Valverde looks improved since changing back his set position, but the bullpen is pretty brutal overall.

Overall, I think they need solid work out of Wandy, and out of body experiences from at least one of Backe and Chacon to be competitive. If these guys play too close to their expectations, the Astros will just give up way too many runs to be contenders. It will be more fun to watch than 2-0 shutouts though.
 
Decent "end of the line up," too.

I mean what used to be Everett and Ausmus, is now Loretta and Towles...

I like that a little better.
 
I never bought into or understood the projections that this was a 70-75 win team. I was thinking .500 at a minimum.

This team is going to hit, and they will hit a lot and score 900 runs. 900 run teams not named Texas Rangers are not pitiful teams. Oswalt should win 20 (if he's straightened out) and I like the other guys to be able to pitch break even.

I'd expected the bully to be a strength and have been disappointed. I thought the leather might be a problem but I think it's going to be pretty strong up the middle.

I really like this team, I see no reason why it cannot compete for a playoff spot. They aren't going to be in contention to win 100 games or anything, but if 86 wins has you in contention I don't see why this team couldn't do that.
 
If the Astros can stay injury free, and pick up a middle of the rotation starter and a shutdown setup guy before the deadline, this team can definitely compete. Those are big ifs.
 
anybody drawing any conclusions after 10 games of a 162 game season aint the brightest bulb on the tree. the bats are starting to come around, and thats a good sign.

one conclusion i can draw: lidge just got his 6th save and has a 0.00 era. valverde just got his 3rd and has a 8.18 era. might have been a not so smart move getting rid of lidge.
 
I'm afraid that the Astros just don't have the talent to compete against the better American League teams, and the National League West looks strong, as well.

My view is that you're either in contention for title or not. If you're not, you need to re-evaluate what you need to get there. The Astros are in a terrible position in the minor leagues and this year really is their last best chance to even get into the playoffs.

I've really been kind of pushing for them to lose because I'm hoping it hastens their rebuilding (and McLane and the scouting staff have got to get on board with signing the best talent available in the draft and ignoring the stupid slotting).

Unfortunately for any rebuilding project, Lee, Berkman, and Oswalt all have no trade clauses, and they are the three most likely to bring back something in return (okay, not Lee, who's contract vs performance I think is one that almost a perfect null gain)
 
Fine- 800 + runs. The best offense in the league. Over 5 runs a game average. Yes, that offense is really freaking good and will be most of the year.

Not 9 runs a game good like lately, but they are going to bludgeon some teams.
 
This offense is damn near perfect for the NL and about how you would draw it up.

Bourn is doing a vince coleman impersonation on the basepaths wrecking ****.

I love Matsui in the 2 hole- he can handle the bat, spray the ball all over the place, hit behind the runner, make contact- just about anything you want from a traditional two hitter.

Tejada
Berkman
Lee

obvious how good those guys are.

You mentioned Blum- but that isn't the long term solution, it's wigginton who is incredibly consistently about a 20 HR 80 RBI guy

Pence at 7 is far and away the best hitter at that spot in the league.

Towles has some pop and will be the best astros 8th hitter I've ever seen.

Backe and Sampson are former positon players that can handle the bat, and so can Roy O (almost always good at getting down a sac bunt).

I had my reservations about Kaz in the two hole in the offseason but I really like what I see from him.

The astros don't have any black holes in the lineup like they have had in years past and like most NL teams do.

The 2 guys at the top can both fly (I hope bourn can get on base that will be key but I like his patience and approach and plate dicipline) and might combine for 100 or 120 steals and guys 3-8 can all hit the ball out of the yard.

Go ahead and bookmark this- I'll be happy to admit I'm wrong if it goes down that way but I really think this is gonna be a kick *** offense, like best or 2nd best in the league.

I love philly's offense, and they play in a bandbox park so they might end up better, but I'm perfectly content with going to war with the astros lineup.

Note- they have not all played an entire game together yet- Kaz was out early, then wigginton, now bourne.

Also, I like Erstad, Loretta and Blum on the bench. That's a solid group of guys that can step in and play well for periods of time. i don't know if I see a great pinch hitter yet though. Cruz ain't getting it done.
 
This thread is the poster child of typical HornFans overreaction. So we've buried, and now exhumed, the Astros after only 24 games?

There is still a LOT of season left to play.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Weekly Prediction Contest

* Predict HORNS-AGGIES *
Sat, Nov 30 • 6:30 PM on ABC

Recent Threads

Prediction Results Threads

2024 Schedules

Back
Top