this team 2007

[JimR]

gonna be a fun season

[Dobro]

gonna be a fun season

Not if they have to battle J.J. Hardy and the boys too often.

[remy]

Not if they have to battle J.J. Hardy and the boys too often.

The brewers have been "pesky" for a few years now, but this could be the year they finally are able to contend, as long as they stay healthy.  Anything is possible in this division.

[Holly]

gonna be a fun season

Already is! I like the tenacity on display already.

[JimR]

Not if they have to battle J.J. Hardy and the boys too often.

oh, please. you played. that was a great series and both teams were a couple of big plays away from sweeping.

i like the way this team battles. if Berkman ever begins hitting....

[DVauthrin]

oh, please. you played. that was a great series and both teams were a couple of big plays away from sweeping.

i like the way this team battles. if Berkman ever begins hitting....

that ab by lee in the 9th was one of the best i've seen in a long time.    Only thing I would have like to known is why biggio as the ph over lamb against cordero?   He has a nasty slider and we know that is craig's achilles heel, that move shocked me a bit.   Was mike not available?

And poor OP taking self induced punishment off the helmet.   Can't say i've seen that before.    Berkman did get a good swing off bush in the 9th though, driving a ball back through the box.

[Alkie]

Because Lamb had already been used?

[das]

oh, please. you played. that was a great series and both teams were a couple of big plays away from sweeping.

i like the way this team battles. if Berkman ever begins hitting....

No kidding.  The end-of-game heroics are exciting but if Berkman gets out of his funk, they become significantly less necessary.

[Dobro]

Because Lamb had already been used?

Yes.

[utastro]

Because Lamb had already been used?

I was surprised to hear Biggio coming to the plate (couldn't see it, I'm in Austin).  I was thinking Lane would be next up.  But hey, Biggio did already get 1 GS against the Brew Crew this week, why not go for 2.

[Noe]

I was surprised to hear Biggio coming to the plate (couldn't see it, I'm in Austin).  I was thinking Lane would be next up.  But hey, Biggio did already get 1 GS against the Brew Crew this week, why not go for 2.

I was thinking Lane too, but suffice it to say, that was for the pitcher and Garner choose Palmeiro instead.  It was the smart choice too, because all you need is contact to the right place to plate the tying run.  And you get to save Lane in case this goes into extra innings.

Francisco Cordero just cowboyed up and get the job done.  Props to him.  That was a tough situation to battle out of.

[Limey]

I was surprised to hear Biggio coming to the plate (couldn't see it, I'm in Austin).  I was thinking Lane would be next up.  But hey, Biggio did already get 1 GS against the Brew Crew this week, why not go for 2.

I trust Biggio to make contact more than Lane.  A hit was all that was needed, as opposed to extra bases.

[Dobro]

Garner choose Palmeiro instead.  It was the smart choice too, because you need all you need is contact to the right place to plate the tying run. 

Palmeiro never settled down after he fouled the ball off his coconut.

[pravata]

I trust Biggio to make contact more than Lane.  A hit was all that was needed, as opposed to extra bases.

Palmeiro was their best hope.  And he knocked himself silly with the rare foul ball off the helmet.

[Noe]

Palmeiro never settled down after he fouled the ball off his coconut.

I know I'm whining (sorry about that), but dang I wish I could've seen that inning unfold.  There was some very interesting battles going on, including the one you're talking about.  It is what I enjoy most about watching baseball at this level.

[Noe]

gonna be a fun season

I won't say it because it will cause a bit of furor once it leaves my keyboard... but this team reminds me of a particular squad that was a very successful team of a few years back (won't say the team just yet).  The bench, the pen, the starters and especially the lineup all remind me eeriely of a team I marveled at not too long ago.

I'll hold on to that for mid-season to say who it is that this team is rounding out to look like, IMNSHO.

[WulawHorn]

Agreed- these last 5 games on the road were the kind that last year's team would not have won and would not have made interesting.

I was very bummed OP couldn't get it done.  I trust him to make contact more than any guy on the team- he was our perfect guy in our perfect scenario.  Cordero got nasty with him, such is life, tip you cap and go pound the budweiser.

[MusicMan]

gonna be a fun season

The PR office has already abandoned "return of the good guys."

It's now: "Astros 2007 - better stay through the 9th, fuckers."

[Mr. Happy]

This team is good enough to win 85 wins.

[WulawHorn]

I don't know, if Berkman gets on track, and Oswalt stays awesome, Backe comes back at the All Star break and Jennings isn't a waste, they could win 90 or 92.

[BudGirl]

gonna be a fun season

Absolutely no doubt.

[Limey]

I don't know, if Berkman gets on track, and Oswalt stays awesome, Backe comes back at the All Star break and Jennings isn't a waste, they could win 90 or 92.

I foresee the Astros, Brewers and Cards beating the crap out of all year, which will keep the wins down for all and allow some pile o' shit from the East or West limp into the W/C spot.  The Central will be a race to watch this year.

[Zan]

gonna be a fun season

Heck freaking yeah, it is!

[Fredia]

gonna be a fun season

the new pieces seem to all be fitting together. the first few games may have been an anomoly of fitting together with the new guys. going to be interesting to see how the central plays out

[utastro]

Absolutely no doubt.

Most people get props for their new avatars.  I'm going to have to vote no no no no no for yours BudGirl.  Just not a fan of seeing Ausmus half naked NTTAWWT.

[BudGirl]

I foresee the Astros, Brewers and Cards beating the crap out of all year, which will keep the wins down for all and allow some pile o' shit from the East or West limp into the W/C spot.  The Central will be a race to watch this year.

I think the Cards are in bad shape right now.  I think the Astros and Brewers are leading the race.  But a lot can happen between now and the end of the season

[BudGirl]

Most people get props for their new avatars.  I'm going to have to vote no no no no no for yours BudGirl.  Just not a fan of seeing Ausmus half naked NTTAWWT.

Yeah, I don't really care.  Thanks for your opinion though.

[Noe]

This team is good enough to win 85 wins.

To early to tell, but what I've seen from the bench and bullpen, winning more games than losing is definitely going to happen if they're for real.  How many games?  I'm not prepared to say.  All I'm prepared to say is that this is a very good team that will have some fun games for us to watch this year.

[utastro]

Yeah, I don't really care.  Thanks for your opinion though.

No problem.  I'll just avert my eyes.

[EasTexAstro]

Most people get props for their new avatars.  I'm going to have to vote no no no no no for yours BudGirl.  Just not a fan of seeing Ausmus half naked NTTAWWT.

Now, if Alyson....

I'll be in my cabin.

[pravata]

Now, if Alyson....

I'll be in my cabin.

It's "I'll be in my bunk."

[EasTexAstro]

It's "I'll be in my bunk."

I was a little flustered.

[Mr. Happy]

I don't know, if Berkman gets on track, and Oswalt stays awesome, Backe comes back at the All Star break and Jennings isn't a waste, they could win 90 or 92.

See Wiiliams, Woody and Rodriguez, Wandy.

[Noe]

See Wiiliams, Woody and Rodriguez, Wandy.

See: Bergman, Sean and Schourek, Pete.  What's your point?

[matadorph]

Yeah, I don't really care.  Thanks for your opinion though.

Don't lose it BG. Brad Ausmus is the reason my gf lets me watch so many Astros games.

[WulawHorn]

See Wiiliams, Woody and Rodriguez, Wandy.

See- if what I said happens I think that you can carry Wandy and Woody and still win 90 something games.  Really, if Backe is back then one of them probably gets demoted anyway- so long as Alkie fav Sampson keeps it up.

[JimR]

Don't lose it BG. Brad Ausmus is the reason my gf lets me watch so many Astros games.

"lets me watch?"

if a girlfriend is doing that to you before she gets a ring, you'd better drop her like a hot rock. it does not get better with the passage of time.

[das]

Don't lose it BG. Brad Ausmus is the reason my gf lets me watch so many Astros games.

Your gf "lets" you watch games?  You need to get a new girlfriend...

[BudGirl]

Don't lose it BG. Brad Ausmus is the reason my gf lets me watch so many Astros games.

I gotta agree with those others, that lets makes it seem like you are whipped.

[MusicMan]

"Seem like"?  The only question left is a matter of degree.

[BudGirl]

I was trying to give him the benefit of the doubt.

[WulawHorn]

"lets me watch?"

if a girlfriend is doing that to you before she gets a ring, you'd better drop her like a hot rock. it does not get better with the passage of time.

If only all of us young people had the hard fought knowledge that comes with 317 years on this planet ;-)

[DVauthrin]

Because Lamb had already been used?

That explains it, I asked my parents that question when biggio came up and they told me he hadn't been used.  That is what I get for listening to them about baseball.