Defending the NL Championship...(Go 'Stros Thread)

[SammyKid11]

So, granted the schedule here at the beginning of the season is favorable for the Astros...but after having to climb out of such devastating early holes the last two seasons, I have to say I'm relieved at the early start.

Lance and Morgan are knocking the cover off the ball so far, hitting .380/6HR and .409/4HR respectively. Willy T is looking good leading off, Biggio continues to get a lot of doubles, Jason Lane already has 3 HR's (but a poor average), and Adam Everett has even started off the year with a pretty hot bat.

Oswalt is picking up right where he left off, mowing people down. Pettitte has started rough but I have no reason to believe he won't bounce back. Lidge appears to have shaken the demons, allowing only one earned in his first six innings of work. Backe looked great before he got hurt -- six weeks without him will sting, but at least it looks like he's got quality stuff from the get-go this year. Wandy Rodriguez has been the staff surprise so far...2-0 (and the team won a no-decision in his other start) with a 2.84. Those kinda numbers may not hold, but if he can grab 12-15 wins, that'd be fantastic.

I suppose the whole thing might still rest on the decision of Roger Clemens. If he comes back and can perform like the second or third best starter on the staff (I think Oswalt is now obviously the ace), then I think the 'Stros have a great shot at once again making the playoffs. With all the serious-level arms they've got, they will continue to be a difficult team to beat come playoff-time...my worry has always been whether they'd have enough lineup to get there. So far, so good.

Can't complain with the start...we'll see how things go!

GO STROS!!!

[prohornblower]

They are definitely playing well out of the gate!

I don't see why we won't get 10 wins out of Buchholz this season. He looks like he's making a pretty quick transition into the league.

Wandy could get us 10-12 wins.

Backe/spot-starters could get us a dozen wins.

Pettitte 15

O 18-20

Thats like 66 wins out of our starters. Could the bullpen get 26 wins? I doubt it, but I think there will be more victories from spot-starters throughout the season. They really need to fend off the Cards though.

I think the wild-card is going to come down to STL, HOU, NYM, ATL. If they can just keep the cards behind them, I think they'll be OK.

Berkman is a BEAST. And they have one of the, if not THE BEST DEFENSIVE SHORTSTOP IN THE GAME. (People need to recognize).

I <3 DJ Qualls aka The New Guy aka Adam Everett.

[THAY3R]

Taveras is horrible.

[prohornblower]

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Taveras is horrible.

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At what?

[Aceshigh7]

So great to see this thread. GO STROS!

By the way, Taveras is great. The guy has made huge improvements this year and is currently around .300 with a 10 game hitting streak. Hard to see how he is horrible.

[junglewarfare]

[ QUOTE ]
So great to see this thread. GO STROS!

By the way, Taveras is great. The guy has made huge improvements this year and is currently around .300 with a 10 game hitting streak. Hard to see how he is horrible.

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He doesn't walk, and he doesn't hit for power. That is why people don't think he is that good. Unless he improves those things as he ages, he will be average or mediocre.

[THAY3R]

[ QUOTE ]
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Taveras is horrible.

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At what?

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At being a baseball player. He has to hit over .340 to be effective.

[grdeadhead]

if they make it that far they will get swept bye the white sox again, and they still wont win a WS

[The4Aces]

Wild card is stupid

[Aceshigh7]

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if they make it that far they will get swept bye the white sox again, and they still wont win a WS

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Are you joking? The Astros clearly have the better team. You guys needed a perfect storm of breaks to go your way to win last year, and even then it was extremely close.

If any WS victory deserves an asterisk, it was the White Sox last year.

Get over yourself.