Looks like we're doomed to the bottom third of the pack, according to these guys. Funny how all the other perennially good teams are right where they normally are, including the White Sox. http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/powerRankings?GT1=7934 20 Astros - - 20/20 Even if Roger Clemens opts to pitch again in the majors and re-signs with the Astros, this team won’t be returning to the postseason. At the very least, they’ll be without Clemens’ services until May 1, and both he and Andy Pettitte are primed for regressions. The offense is awful, especially if the smoldering remains of Jeff Bagwell decide to play another season.
man, how does one become an expert...do you just wake up one day and your opinion suddenly matters? This is funny because we basically maintained the same team that went to the ws and the guy doesn't even give the possibility of us making the playoffs.
Well, but see, we're doomed without Beltran. I mean Clemens! Clemens. Got my years confused for a second. But we're doomed.
Man, I love this stuff!!! Stop letting this stuff bother you, guys. Part of the fun of the past seasons has been the fact that NO ONE gave them a chance. That everyone wrote them off. That at the beginning of every season we've seen the coronation of the Cards and the Cubs as teams to beat Honestly...this has become part of being an Astros fan to me. I love it.
20th is probably a bit low, but how can you disagree with his analysis? It's all true. If I were to guess, I'd say about 10-12ish for the 06 Astros. Quick questions for you guys. Which is more significant, not having Berkman for several weeks to begin the 05 season or (best case scenario) not having Clemens for several weeks to begin the 06 season? Oh and looks like the Astros had the 8th best regular season record last season.
and still went to the World Series. NL Champs. Pettitte is primed for regression? isn't this stuff said about Clemens EVERY year?? is Chris Carpenter also primed for regression? Mulder? missing clemens for several weeks means you miss about 4 starts from him. misisng berkman for several weeks means you miss his bat every single day. their offense isn't nearly as bad now or last season as it has been made out to be. We'll see. This is the same type of commentary we've seen at the beginning of every season. And every year, the Astros find themselves in contention.
This dude probably never even watches NL baseball. Why are 10 of the top 15 teams all AL? Clemens and Pettitte are due to decline but Schilling, Beckett, and Wells are supposed to be the anchor the best team in MLB? Are you kidding me? Schilling and Beckett are always broke and Wells is a tub of lard and almost as old as Clemens but without half the talent. I guess the Astros need a more unimposing rotation like the Yankees so that they can be the 3rd best team in MLB. How in your right mind can you ever pick the Mets to be the 2nd best team in the NL? How has Atlanta made themselves any better than the Astros? The rest of the teams that he has above us are seriously laughable. Texas? San Diego? Detroit? Please.
Dayn Perry has been so spectacularly, ridiculously, hilariously wrong on so many occasions that this article is truly a portentious omen.
I'd say having a healthy Berkman and the addition of Preston Wilson is much more significant than potentially losing a pitcher for several weeks whose team won 15 of his 35 starts.
The thing that irks me about these power rankings is for one, the potential pitfalls of our pitching doesn't seem to hold true for other teams like the Cardinals. If Pettite (and Clemens if he returns) are due for a down-season, then why not guys like Carpenter as well. Of course because they're the Cardinals the starting rotation is solid 1-5 And then there's the underrating of the club's offense. It's like they took a look at the teams numbers through the first half of last season for their analysis. We have a healthy berkman, a seasoned Lane, an added Wilson to completent solid performers like Biggio and Ensberg. And Bagwell is a wild-card; he was non-factor last year. If they're basing these rankings on off-season moves, how can they rank the team so low when we basically have kept this National League Championship team intact. They should be in the top ten, but then I don't really care cause I think Houston teams do better when they're dissed. (see current Rockets)
MadMax, Clemens will be missing around 12 starts if he starts on June 2nd (the earliest predicted start date).
Why is that his earliest predicted start date? He's already doing "spring training" with the WBC and in pitching shape. He could sign May 1st. I don't see why he couldn't pitch a few days after that if he wanted to.
Y'all need to re-read the Chronicle's R.I.P. gravestone article from last June 1st. It will tell you everything you need to know about prognosticators. They are all basically windbag assclowns, regardless of what sport they cover. Same goes with movie and music reviewers. I don't need anyone else to tell me what to watch, what to listen to, or where my team will finish.
