ok, it looks like, barring a massive, oiler-like collapse, that the astros are going to once again crash the postseason dance. and frankly, i have no idea how its going to play out. i don't THINK we can beat ATL; but i also don't know how we're 15 games over .500,... at this point, anything's possible. anyway, regardless of how it plays out over the next few weeks, and before we get knee-deep in the emotional upheaval of the postseason, i think we should take a moment to appreciate what the 2005 astros have accomplished. they were freaking 15 games under .500 in may. they could now conceivably win 91 games. they've done it w/o beltran; w/o kent; w/o bagwell; they've played long stretches w/o berkman; they've lost ensberg for spells; they've started essentially two rookies (tavares and lane); added no bats during the season and continue to field a line-up that is among the weakest in baseball and puts the fear into absolutely nobody. and yet, here we are, less than a week away from ANOTHER playoff appearence. it may end like many before it, with a loss to the braves. garner may call on the wrong pitcher from the bullpen; biggio may lay a zero for the series; the braves could sweep, leaving us all angry and disappointed... after all, we're fans, so we'll ride the emotional rollercoaster as we always do. but i wanted it on record that wherever and whenever this journey ends, this has been a pretty remarkably resilient and special team and we shouldn't allow the next few weeks (days?) to define them. no, it hasn't been pretty. but it's been impressive. so thanks, astros, for another year to remember, and good luck. kick atlanta's ass!
Hell yeah!!! I'm going to wear my Atlanta Suck shirt I got last year during the playoffs all week next week! BTW, does anyone have a better record in the last 113 games?
IMHO, the 2005 Astros winning the wild card is a bigger feat than the 2004 Astros winning the wildcard, because this year they did it with so many rookies/1 or 2 year veterans.
Since May 24 here are the records for the Braves, Cards, and Astros. Braves 64-50 Cards 68-46 Astros 72-41
thanks, Astros! And, thanks...Beltran...for leaving. I like Taveras much better...and at a great price.
If we make the playoffs, I think Atlanta is in trouble. Our pitching is better than theirs with Pettitte, Clemens, Oswalt and Rivera, errrrrrrr Lidge in the bully. Wheeler has been fantastic this year for the most part. Remember when the Rockets beat the Jazz in the playoffs, then over time because of various roster moves by both teams, the Jazz matched up better with the Rockets and beat them in the playoffs in 97 and 98? Well, that's how I view the Astros and Braves now. The Braves matched up better with the Astros in the past, but over time the Astros changed their roster and now match up better with Atlanta. Back then, the Braves had killer instinct guys in Glavine, Maddux. Now the Astros have killer instinct guys like Clemens, Pettitte and Lidge, plus more opportune offensive players. I think Morgan Ensberg is going to shine in the playoffs, if we make it.
I wrote this team off in May, much like I wrote lasts years team off in early August. I am going to continue to write this team off so, the results seem to be positive for the Astros when I do this. So here is my official line. The Astros are no good. They can't possibly be in the same league as the other playoff teams. They must have reached this point with nothing but smoke and mirrors.
I started a thread much like this one a couple of weeks asking all the bbs what their favorite moments of 2005 were. This team is pretty amazing and the die hards like us this team and this season is short of unbelievable. now I know the astros still have ALOT of WORK to do to get in the playoffs, but either way I will always hold the 2005 team as one of my favorites.
This Astros team reminds me a lot of the old Braves teams. Three dominate pitchers with some mediocre hitting. The Braves had problems winning it all with this formula, but they managed to win one of them.
I dont see why we cant beat atlanta. Their offense isn't exactly stellar. Aside from andrew jones and jeff francoeur they really havent had that much going for them. Chipper Jones has been injured and inconsistent all year and no one else has really stepped up. Also, their bullpen is TERRIBLE. When Kyle Farnsworth is your closer, you know your bullpen has issues. Also their starting rotation which was touted to be Atlanta's best ever never really materialized. Aside from Smoltz and Hudson (although he goes bad randomly), their rotation is barely average. I think the Astros should be able to take this one like last year but it will probably go to 5 games again.
Go figure,the Astros are going to make the playoffs. I TOLD YOU SO! Thank you, please go about your business
Why must you make this a house of lies? I think we match up better with the Braves than anytime in the past 1,000 times we've played them in the NLDS. Their pitching does not scare anyone, especially their pen. It's not going to take a lot of runs to beat them either. I like our chances of getting back to STL for the NLCS.
