I LOVE the astros! but.... the aren't having a very good season! what do you think they could to to improve?

Answer 1

not give up clemens and pettitte....

Answer 2

The Astros could do two things to improve:

1. Bench or release Craig Biggio. Now, I'm not hating on Biggio (in fact, he's one of my favorite players in all of baseball). However, a team cannot trot out a past-his-prime player at second base. Biggio can't field his position anymore, can't run, and can't hit. The Astros did the same thing with Jeff Bagwell a few years ago (in that instance, Bagwell was finished, yet the team kept sending his weak-armed self out at first base, while Houston suffered defensively out in right field with Lance Berkman making an adventure of every fly ball hit to him). Just sit Biggio down in favor of Chris Burke or someone else, or better yet say goodbye to him. Releasing Biggio would be a horrible public relations move by the Astros, but the team has to look towards the present and future.

2. Fire Phil Garner. Garner is simply not a good manager. He has won basically with Jimy William's team the past three seasons. Garner is a much better coach than a leading man on a major league team. He failed with the Milwaukee Brewers. He somehow got a second chance (above the likes of Jim Leyland, Cito Gaston, and others back in 2000) when the Detroit Tigers hired him. He failed miserably there, too. The Astros should just drop him and bring in someone who actually won a World Series to lead the players...someone like Davey Johnson (1986 New York Mets), Bob Brenly (2001 Arizona Diamondbacks), or Cito Gaston (1992-1993 Toronto Blue Jays).

Maybe those ideas are a little on the worst-case scenario side. Simply put, the Astros have pieces needed for future contention. They need to get rid of the dead weight and rebuild. They are just not good this year, and won't be until they realize the need to go with youth.

Answer 3

Whoever said Lee needs to "step up" must think that Lee is a .400 hitter that hits 60 hr's a season. He is having a great season, and he is one of the few on the Astros.

My take:
Put Lidge back in the closers role and see what happens there. Give him his confidence back. If he does well, put him on the market and see what you can get as far as offense. Along with Lidge, put Everett on the market and see if you can swing some bullpen help(we need it). Throw Ensberg in with Lidge and in a possible trade for some offensive help. I just want to see Tim Purpura shake this damn lineup down and see what can happen. This may end up being a rebuilding year, I just hate to say that. The Astros have been a good team so much of my life that it's hard to swallow these awful season starts. I love the Astros and I am just about willing to give up anyone and anything to see something happen with this time. I think they are better than they have been performing.

Pence has been an asset and they better do everything they can in the offseason to make sure he is an Astro for years to come.

Answer 4

As a Phils fan who has witnessed your 'Stros give our team a very hard time for the last 3 seasons, i would say: back up the truck. In spite of the widespread belief that their division is weak, the Astros need to revamp their team. Berkman's a very good player, but he is really struggling this year, Enberg is overrated, and they need help in 2 outfield spots and behind the plate. They should trade at least one of their top relievers for prospects. Look at how the Mets and D'Backs were built; those 2 teams have done good jobs over the last few seasons revamping their clubs.

Answer 5

Fire Garner.

It's a start.

After that, get some real on-base guys. Biggio, luv ya dood, but you're not part of the 2008 team. Ausmus, buh-bye. A major league team should be able to survive one noodlebat in the lineup, and that can be Everett; anyone else who cannot post a .340 OBP can move on.

The Astros cannot win because they cannot get anyone on base, and do a poor job of moving them along when they do.

And the relief pitching is supposed to put out fires, not pour gasoline on them.

I'd give GM Purpura two, maybe three years more before he gets the axe. The team is now in the Berkman-Oswalt era and needs to capitalize on that while they're still in their primes. The current team isn't doing anything.

Answer 6

They will improve some now that Jason Jennings is off the DL. You guys really need to get an extra reliever to replace Rick White, and hope that your young pitchers like Wandy Rodriguez and Matt Albers can improve. If they do, you will have 3 solid starters, and 1 great starter in Oswalt. One of the best outfields in the game with Hunter Pence, Carlos Lee, and Lance Berkman, just pick up a first baseman.

Answer 7

Right now they are sacrificing their season in order to accomodate Craig Biggio and his chase for 3,000 hits. In order to win they need to get some more up and coming young players (ie Luke Scott, Hunter Pence) into the mix, and get rid of biggio, everett, ausmus and ensberg. Almost half of their lineup is made up of worthless, old, .200 - hitting, worthless players, and the other half is actually an exciting start:
Berkman, Lee, Pence, Scott

Their pitching is about the same...Oswalt is always a stud at the top and Chris Sampson has alot of promise...but Jennings, Woody Williams and WandRod as their bottom 3 will not cut it if they want to reach the playoffs.

Simply put..get rid of the old timers, bring up some young talent (or trade for it), and hopefully in 2 years they will be contenders.

Answer 8

It urks me to hear everyone wanting to get rid of biggio after all his sacrifices, yes he's past his prime but still comes thru in the clutch at least more than anyone else .Everyone forgets the pay cuts he took to keep players like bags and get ones like Randy Johnson,Gregg Swindle,Doug Drabek and Roger Clemens so give the man a little respect and credit and how great it would be for Houston to have a hall of famer that started and ended his career here they need to work on getting some quality starters , if anyone is past thier prime it's woody not biggio also they need to get a new hitting coach. and go stro's

Answer 9

They need to improve on their hitting. They need to trade there top players that are old for some solid young ones. They also need to work on RP.

Chipmaker and Snoop have the correct answers. Good job and I agree

Answer 10

the astros are one of my favorite teams, and they pretty much just need a more consistent offense. carlos lee needs to step up after all that big money they gave him

Answer 11

i say they pack it all in, let Craig Biggio get his 3000 hit and then hope for the cellar, where at next years MLB draft( on ESPN) they can have the number 1 pick and start fresh, in a couple years, can you imagine oswalt, pence, et al in a couple years. we could be talking dynasty , or not ??