Is it me or does the Stros normally solid pitching seem to be showing a lot of weakness this year? Pettite is looking really shaking and not like the dominating lefty he was with the Yankees. Lidge is now looking like someone who forgot to turn off the light when he left the room. The rest of the bullpen isn't the murderers row we had been used to. Even Oswalt doesn't look as fearsome as he did. Other than the nice surprises of Bucholtz and Wandy Rodriguez this Stros pitching staff doesn't seem like what we expect out of a Stros pitching staff. On the plus side the Stros hitters seem to be putting up decent numbers and its good we finally got some O but as many have pointed out great pitching is what makes great teams.
Here are some ERAs. Current starting rotation 5.66 Andy Pettitte (#2) 5.55 Fernando Nieve (substitute #3) 3.82 Taylor Buchholz (#5) 3.62 Roy Oswalt (#1) 3.02 Wandy Rodriguez (#4) our number closer (how many above 500 teams have a top closer with an ERA above 6?) 6.48 Brad Lidge (#1 closer) the rest of the pen 11.12 Ezequiel Astacio 7.56 Mike Gallo 5.40 Dan Wheeler (#2 closer) 4.50 Chad Qualls (#3 closer) 3.38 Russ Springer 1.93 Dave Borkowski Our top three closers have average (Qualls) or below average (Lidge, Wheeler) ERAs. We are lucky to have the record we do. The bright side is the starting pitching since Buchholz and Rodriguez are doing way better than expected. Even Nieve is doing about what is reasonably expected from him. As an aside, signing RC and a healthy Backe would strengthen both our starters but also allow Buchholz to shore up the pen.
3 starters with ERAs in the 3s, and 2 starters with ERAs in the 5s, sounds pretty typical, and about what we could have expected this far into the season. We just would have expected the good pitching to come from Oswalt, Petitte and Backe instead of Oswalt, Wandy and Buchholz. Those 2 youngsters have been a pleasant surprise that's offset Petitte's struggles. If they can keep it up, Andy gets it together again like we know he can, and Roger comes back sometime in June, this could be an unbelievable rotation.
