Predict How The Astros Will Do This Season

[v3.0]

I don't have a good grasp of how good this team will be. Can they win the NL Central Division? The Wildcard? An above .500 ballclub. .500, or below?

I'm not taking into account if Clemens joins us, it looks like he'll figure out if we are contending if he'll sign or not. Correct me if that's not a good prediction on him.

Just want to see everybody's opinion, especially the ones who follow the Stros closely.

I also just wanted to regular season predictions, but I'll put choices for postseason predictions in the poll, and multiple choices are allowed.

[msn]

Spring is the time for optimism!

[Groogrux]

90-72

NL Central Champs
World Series Champs

[rrj_gamz]

NL Central Champs and WS Champs...this is the year...Besides, the Cards were swept in the WS by Boston, we were swept by White Sox, the Cards won last year, so now its our turn...

[NJRocket]

86-86-10

[texanskan]

Well there is no option for world series champs but I don't think they are gonna need it. Anyway I say around 82-85 wins and I hope things click and they get in but I am not holding my breath.

[NJRocket]

86-76 Wild Card Lose to Mets in 1st round.

[Buck Turgidson]

Somewhere between 162-0 and 0-162.

[Groogrux]

Somewhere between 162-0 and 0-162.

You find out if you're going Opening Night or not? I'm still thinking Mr. C's.

[Joe Joe]

I'm going NL Champs as I think the Astros are not worse than the Cubs and Cards this year.

[Buck Turgidson]

You find out if you're going Opening Night or not? I'm still thinking Mr. C's.
Nah, I dunno nothin yet. Could be a plan though.

[Groogrux]

Nah, I dunno nothin yet. Could be a plan though.

I just hope Drunkie and his friend are there to buy more pizza.

[No Worries]

92-70

NL Central Champs
NL Champs
Berkeman NL MVP.

World Series Champs
Clemens WS MVP.

[Mr. Clutch]

jojobabbu thinks they will win the World Series with a sub .500 record.

[AzCkR]

Just looking over the previews for the NL Central teams on ESPN and I noticed we're definately not the only one's with questions surrounding our rotation. I'll take Oswalt and Jennings over any of other teams top two starters, so as long as Woody holds it together and we Garner realizes Wandy sucks I think we got a pretty decent shot at the division.

[rezdawg]

88 wins...NLCS.

I cant freaking wait to start the season!

[BrieflySpeaking]

im thinkin theyll miss the postseason, i hope that i am wrong, i just dont have the confidence in our pitchin other than Oswalt

[Creepy Crawl]

As we stand right now , I say we miss the Playoffs by a few games . If Roger comes back , or we add another pitcher via trade we make the WC . I don't know from there . I think the offense will do better than some think . I'm just worried about our Starters .

[rhino17]

88 wins...NLCS.
I was thinkin the same thing

Just looking over the previews for the NL Central teams on ESPN and I noticed we're definately not the only one's with questions surrounding our rotation. I'll take Oswalt and Jennings over any of other teams top two starters, so as long as Woody holds it together and we Garner realizes Wandy sucks I think we got a pretty decent shot at the division.

i agree, everyone's pitching is down this year, they definitely have a legit shot at the division

[Buck Turgidson]

they definitely have a legit shot at the division
I may be forgetting somebody, but other than Pittsburgh, what NL team doesn't have reasonably legit playoff hopes?

[JunkyardDwg]

I really don't see how the team's pitching is any worse than last year... Aside from Oswalt, we had Pettite who was shaky for more than half the season, inconsistant Wandy, Backe was lost for the season, Clemens was here for only the second half, and a combo of Buchholz/Hirsch/Sampson.

So this year we have Oswalt...I think you could argue that Jennings would offer a little more during the regular season than Pettite did last year, Woody who'll probably be on par with Pettite's performance last season (10 or so wins), Wandy again, Backe is again lost, Clemens may come back and a combo of Nieve/Sampson/Moehler maybe.

Then add a more potent lineup and how could you not believe this team will improve upon last year and make a serious run at the division.

[ROCKETS1972]

79-83 3rd place

[ROCKETS1972]

CENTRAL STANDINGS
Team W L
Cubs 92 70
Cardinals 81 81
Astros 79 83
Brewers 78 84
Reds 76 86
Pirates 72 90

Team Leaders
Average Lance Berkman .305
Home Runs carlos lee 42
RBI Lance Berkman 126
Runs Lance Berkman 110
Stolen Bases 3 tied for 20
Wins Roy Oswalt 18
Saves Dan Wheeler 34
ERA Roy Oswalt 3.48

Why I picked the Cubs to win
they spent alot of money this offseason
they look good
why 79-83
we have only 1 good starter
even with Lee we will have dry spells hitting
our relief piching will get used to much, and wear down
in August and September,

MAN I HOPE I'M WRONG

[Greg M]

MAN I HOPE I'M WRONG

You are.

You're underestimating Jennings. This team has two glaring needs to make it to the playoffs: somebody to emerge as a fourth starter and production out of 3B. Purpura wisely has a few options at both of those spots.

I'm a bit concerned about Moehler's strong spring. He might be a serviceable 5th, but somebody needs to leapfrog Wandy. That'll have to be Sampson, Nieve or Albers.

[rodrick_98]

MAN I HOPE I'M WRONG

you will be... the cubs winning 92??? :confused:

they'll win 80-85 if they stay healthy, which means we gotta do better than .500

[hatemavs4life]

90-72

NL Central Champs
World Series Champs

I think this is a good starting point. The Stros can go anywhere from being in the hunt to the last week of the season to winning the division.

Some question marks will have to be answered for us ...

1. Will our 4th/5th starters give us enough consistency to keep from taxing our bullpen constantly?

2. How will Lidge be for us this year?

3. Ensberg & Lane put up or shut up?

4. How good can Pence be for us? I think we will find out that by midseason.

5. Is Luke Scott the real deal?


Finally, with at least 3 or more of these questions adequately answered, coupled with our NEW dynamic duo of Carlos Lee and Sir Big Puma, I think we can definitely make some real noise in this division once again!

STL lost a lot in their offseason especially pitching wise but they're always a pain for us irregardless as long as Pujols is there. The Cubs are well, the Cubs even with Soriano but who is going to deliver for them pitching wise outside of Zambrano? A darkhorse in our division don't laugh could be the Pirates. Probably not enough to win our division but, I bet they make things interesting potentially. Then there's the Brewers and the Reds ho hum ...

So yeah, I agree with RM95 perhaps in addition a deal at the trade deadline perhaps, Rocket wants to go out with us winning it all-hey why not us?

[BigM]

i voted for world series champs. i wouldn't put money on it, but coming out of spring training and looking down the lineups, we have as good of a shot to get there as anyone else. i love baseball.

[dharocks]

I may be forgetting somebody, but other than Pittsburgh, what NL team doesn't have reasonably legit playoff hopes?

Washington :D

[Mr. Clutch]

79-83 3rd place

That's about where I see it also.

[russian88]

3rd place behind milwaukee. I dont see how wandy, lidge and woody are going to help this team. Sorry, I just dont see our pitching holding up this year. The cubs are the cubs, and the reds MIGHT give us a battle for third.

[MadMax]

I really don't see how the team's pitching is any worse than last year... Aside from Oswalt, we had Pettite who was shaky for more than half the season, inconsistant Wandy, Backe was lost for the season, Clemens was here for only the second half, and a combo of Buchholz/Hirsch/Sampson.

So this year we have Oswalt...I think you could argue that Jennings would offer a little more during the regular season than Pettite did last year, Woody who'll probably be on par with Pettite's performance last season (10 or so wins), Wandy again, Backe is again lost, Clemens may come back and a combo of Nieve/Sampson/Moehler maybe.

Then add a more potent lineup and how could you not believe this team will improve upon last year and make a serious run at the division.

i completely agree with this. we're letting names stand in the way. jennings > pettitte at this point.

pettitte and clemens won 21 games combined last season. i recognize run support was an issue. this year, i don't think run support will be an issue. certainly not like it has been.

as with last year, if clemens comes back, the rotation will be fine. next offseason you need to add another jennings-type pitcher, assuming one of the young guys doesn't step up. patton will eventually find his way here, hopefully.

we need to stay healthy....and we need brad lidge to be brad lidge again. every team has question marks...particularly in the Central. i like our chances.

[texanskan]

i completely agree with this. we're letting names stand in the way. jennings > pettitte at this point.

pettitte and clemens won 21 games combined last season. i recognize run support was an issue. this year, i don't think run support will be an issue. certainly not like it has been.

as with last year, if clemens comes back, the rotation will be fine. next offseason you need to add another jennings-type pitcher, assuming one of the young guys doesn't step up. patton will eventually find his way here, hopefully.

we need to stay healthy....and we need brad lidge to be brad lidge again. every team has question marks...particularly in the Central. i like our chances.

No doubt everyone has question marks, heck even the Yanks have question marks but I really keep searching for a reason to belive that this team can do it and I don't see how it's gonna happen.

I will say this, the Astros are close enough that if things break the right way they will be in it, the problem is they need many things to break right.

You got to get more from your 3rd baseman, catcher and second baseman than last season. I am not too worried about bench production or the outfield as a whole. Of course I am not worried about first base nor am I really concerned about the bullpen as a whole.

Still three everyday players with HUGE question marks plus a very shaky rotation not to mention sub par team speed and average overall defense it just does not look like a championship team.

Still can't wait for Monday, I got my tickets on first base down low and I'm taking the day off like I have every year since I can remember.

[MadMax]

if you "can't find a reason to believe that this team can do it" with the improvements that they made and on the heels of a season where a team with 83 wins won the World Series, then your glass is half empty.

[solid]

Besides Roy O, extremely suspect pitching. Should have some "pop" in the hitting, but, unless they get more pitching, they are not going to the postseason. This team will need some surprices like breakthroughs of young players. Pitching just looks grim.

[Achilleus]

Peter Gammons picked the Brewers to win the division.

[MadMax]

Peter Gammons picked the Brewers to win the division.

he didn't pencil in the red sox for each division?

[justtxyank]

I'm going to peg them at 86 wins and second place in the division.

I really think Woody is going to implode. PETCO and a weak hitting division have helped him stay above water the past two seasons. I also have very low hopes for Jennings. I know his bad years are written off as "Coors," but I'm not sure that's the case. We'll see. I think he's a fine #3 but a bad #2.

And for those who talk about Andy being bad last year, he was bad in the first half. Then he got fully healthy, got his velocity back up, and went on a tear in the second half. There was also a lot of luck involved to keep them in the playoff hunt including injuries to other teams and the Cardinals collapsing.

I just don't see it all coming together this year.

[justtxyank]

he didn't pencil in the red sox for each division?

Haha

:D

[Achilleus]

Astros

120 - 42

El Caballo - MVP
Wandy Rodriguez - Cy Young

[Buck Turgidson]

Washington :D
Thanks!

[The Cat]

3rd place behind milwaukee. I dont see how wandy, lidge and woody are going to help this team. Sorry, I just dont see our pitching holding up this year. The cubs are the cubs, and the reds MIGHT give us a battle for third.

You're right, how could a starting pitcher with a 3.65 ERA last season, only in the top 10 or so of the NL, help this team? That's garbage.

[Major]

You're right, how could a starting pitcher with a 3.65 ERA last season, only in the top 10 or so of the NL, help this team? That's garbage.

Before we go too far with Woody's ERA, he also pitched in one of the best pitcher's parks in all of baseball.

2006:

Home ERA/WHIP: 2.93, 1.09
Road ERA/WHIP: 4.29, 1.45

2005:

Home ERA/WHIP: 3.72, 1.24
Road ERA/WHIP: 6.38, 1.64

[The Cat]

Before we go too far with Woody's ERA, he also pitched in one of the best pitcher's parks in all of baseball.

2006:

Home ERA/WHIP: 2.93, 1.09
Road ERA/WHIP: 4.29, 1.45

2005:

Home ERA/WHIP: 3.72, 1.24
Road ERA/WHIP: 6.38, 1.64

While PETCO is a pitcher's park, it seems silly to attribute the splits solely to that based on the huge discrepancy. It is likely that some of that split is simply based on the comfort level of pitching at home and general home field advantage aside from the park dimensions, much like the many Astros pitchers with notably better performances at MMP even though it's clearly not a pitcher's park. Also, his limited time at MMP the last two seasons and the 2004 postseason has been very strong.

[Major]

While PETCO is a pitcher's park, it seems silly to attribute the splits solely to that based on the huge discrepancy. It is likely that some of that split is simply based on the comfort level of pitching at home and general home field advantage aside from the park dimensions, much like the many Astros pitchers with notably better performances at MMP even though it's clearly not a pitcher's park. Also, his limited time at MMP the last two seasons and the 2004 postseason has been very strong.

Certainly true, although none of the Astros had nearly the same of splits that Woody had. As for his previous MMP time, I'd attribute some of that to adrenaline from the uniqueness of pitching in front of family and friends. I'm not sure how that translates over the course of a full season if the novelty disappears. I would suspect that benefit would dramatically decrease, but then, that didn't really happen with Clemens.