Go Ahead and Get Excited

There is no way to know exactly how long the Astros current hot streak (and winning eight of the last ten IS a hot streak) will last. At some point the bats will cool again and the starting pitchers will have some struggles. That happens to every single team in baseball more than once during a season.

At the same time no one should worry about the inevitable until it becomes a problem. Right now just be happy for the home town team. If nothing else they have shown they CAN do the job. How often they can do it will determine their eventual fate in the National League pennant race.

Over baseball history there have been plenty of surprise division or pennant--or even World Series winners. The Astros would be one of those it it happened. The odds remain against it, but no odds are 100 per cent. In the meantime let us just look at what the club has now.

The starting pitching has been "pennant winnable". An earned run average of just 3.00 for starters over the last two trips through the rotation shows that. Roy Oswalt appears ready to return to the upper levels in the league once again--providing his balky back-hip problem doesn't re occur.

Wandy Rodriguez has again been steady. Brett Myers had given up a ton of hits, but has been stingy with the runs. Bud Norris has looked to be a dependable starter. Felipe Paulino has been the least effective for whole starts, but has had some very strong periods of performance as well.

That rotation is good enough to win a post season spot based on what we have seen so far.

The offense isn't good enough based on what we have seen so far. Of course, over the recent hot streak it has been much better. Facing weaker starting pitching or coming around which is it?
That it is a combination of the two may be most likely. Lance Berkman is back. He has not been tearing the cover off the ball, but at the same time, is likely getting his batting stroke together much quicker than some might have expected. After all he barely played in spring training and started this season two weeks late.

Carlos Lee has been playing harder than many have even recognized it seems. I still get emails and comments from fans about lack of hustle. Carlos has been guilty of that in the past. But during this period of low offensive output he has been running out every ball...hustling after everything of defense and even running wild on the bases. Sometimes the latter has not worked out. On Sunday, though, his stretching an easy double into a triple resulted in a bad throw and gave him a free trot the final 90 feet for what has been known as a "Little League Home Run."

Oh, and if you also have noticed Lee is starting to hit.

The team has stronger defense-at least in field coverage- from the recent past. There are still a few too many errors being committed at shortstop, in the outfield and behind the plate. Most have not cost runs, but a few have. That has to be tightened.

The most important factor with the Astros may be the managerial and coaching staff. Brad Mills may have been the second choice for the job, but it certainly appears he was the right choice and should have been number one all along. He and his staff know how to work with players, communicate and get their points across. The players to a man have been very receptive. It showed during the 0-8 start and it shows during this 8-2 run.

Pennants? Post season? World Series? All those thoughts are way too premature and frankly most likely pipe dreams. There are still the Cardinals, Phillies, Giants, Dodgers and others to deal with. Just be assured the Astros won't be anyone's joke or failure in 2010. They may not win the bigger prizes, but it won't be for lack of effort.