Unbelievably, with three weeks to go, the Astros find themselves in two pennant races: a real one for the Wild Card, and a fanicful one for the division.
One does not know what to do with the Astros, one of the most exasperating teams of recent years. The team is an uneasy mix of veterans winding down (Clemens, Ausmus, Biggio, maybe even Pettitte), youngsters finding their way (Taveras, Burke, Scott, Bruntlett, Hirsch), and those in between, the ones who leave us all to wonder if they will ever amount to their promise (Ensberg, Lane, Lidge, Qualls, Backe). Remove all these gentlemen, and who remains?
Wheeler, a solid set-up man.
Oswalt, a perennial All-Star and 20-win threat, locked up long-term.
And Berkman, who trails only Ryan Howard and Albert Pujols for the title of best everyday player in the National League.
This will be some batting order in two years.
Anyway, tomorrow the 'Stros go out to reach .500 for the first time in months. The team that can't score, that can't hold a lead, that can't supply anything but solid starting pitching and above-average fielding is three games out.
Three weeks to go.
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