While I'm very big in efficiency stats, playing everyday is a huge stat for baseball when you are talking about good players that are hard to replace. Baseball is a marathon. His injury does not diminish what he did on the field, but his time off the field definitely diminishes the quality of his season as he can't easily be replaced. Efficiency stats are a good measurement of what a guy could do if he played more. However, he didn't play more and no matter how you slice it, his improved efficiency can't match the sheer production he had when he had nearly 200 more at bats.
I'm no Cardinals fan but some people are just plain overlooking them. My friend who lived there keeps me updated on them very well. We virtually tied with the Cards last year and they were missing their Cy Young pitcher, Pujols played all year with a bad elbow and Wainright was injured as well. A healthy Wainright is a better pitcher than anyone we have other than Roy, even Kyle Losche is as well. Possibly the best 1-2-3 in the division. They actually have guys to bring up from the farm also to pitch in the bullpen this year. If Oswalt only started 3 games last year and or Lance played hurt, they would easily be our scape goat. Seems to me like the Cardinals had alot more excuses for not winning more than we did. You can squeeze Pujols between Ludwick and Ankiel and have a very nice batting trio that won't even need to score as many runs as last year. I just don't understand how we'll finish ahead of either the Cubs or Cardinals, and then the Mets or the defending champion Phillies for the Wild Card. I'll still always root for the Astros, but just because people here don't know anyone on St.Louis other than Pujols doesn't make them a bad team. They can probably only name Roy and Lance for us. I'm just frustrated we didn't at least get one good starter in the off season. I thought we would try and get Sheets. There are alot of veteran starters like Pedro, Sheets, Mulder, Hernandez, etc that would surely fill out our rotation. Alot of injury probables? Yes, but most are getting desperate and would take a one year deal by now. But at least try and get a couple and we could win the Wild Card if they produce. Unless you really think Wandy is a legit #2 starter and everyone else is a .500 pitcher.
I wish they had more starters too, but decrying the lack of pursuing Sheets and Mulder and Pedro is funny given that they *did* sign two formerly-good old guys with recent injury problems. And, Sheets was already slated to miss over half the season as soon as he hit the market! It's rebuilding time, even though they're afraid to use the word. They're not spending a ton on FA, they have nothing to trade, and they're drafting well. To me, that spells r-e-b-u-i-l-d. And, I'm not so displeased about it: the last major rebuild that started back in '91 produced quite a nice little run once it matured.
Too soon to tell if last year's draftees will be impact players. The Astros do get credit for actually signing their top draftees last year, which they did not do the prior year.
I agree because we're at the point where we could go all out by getting some pitching, or rebuild by trading away most of our talent. But there's no point of being stuck in the middle for years just so Lance and Roy can retire in an Astros uniform. Since we're not looking for pitching, are we aiming for the NL Central bronze medal? My only fear about rebuilding is that our scouts have proven to be as great as the ones who work for Pittsburgh. Then we'll be awful for decades instead of just mediocre.
Ha! True, I was indeed comparing last year's draft to a very, very low bar!! They haven't proven anything with the Astros, as the Astros just overhauled their scouting department before last season. The hirings look pretty good on paper. Perhaps better days are ahead.
I know you you follow baseball strongly MSN. I got blasted and flamed on this thread basically saying talent wins us games. I'm curious what will win us many more games, rather than the manager. I know your an avid Astros fan, what's your opinion? How many extra games do you think the perfect manager would win us?
