What is wrong with the Astros?

Question

They have a some of the best players in the league (Berkman, Carlos Lee, Oswalt, etc.),but they have a 31-44 record. What is wrong with them and how can they improve?

Answer 1

Overall:
Their starting pitching is mediocre, the Bullpen has been terrible lately and the offense is hit and miss. Berkman is having a terrible year and they over paid for Carlos Lee. Overall this team is in shambles right now.

Free Agents:
Personally, I think they should have waited to sign Adam Dunn after this season. He's from the Houston area and will be a free agent upon season's end. Dunn is much more of an offensive threat than Carlos Lee has ever been.

Since 2004 the Astros have lost Carlos Beltran, Roger Clemens and Andy Pettite to free agency. Brandon Backe has missed most of last season and all of this season because of injury. That's 3 of the 5 starting pitchers from the 2005 squad.

Don't forget about losing Jeff Bagwell to retirement.

Bull pen:
Brad Lidge will never be an All Star closer again, at least not in Houston. Wheeler is not the answer, he's average at best.

Trever Miller can't get anyone out, he's only on the roster to get out lefties and he can't do that anymore. Brian Moehler has been shelled in almost every outing so far and he's sporting a 6.12 ERA.

Starters and Bench players:
Ensberg, Lane, and Burke are having pathetic seasons. Luke Scott at 29 years old is not a player to build your franchise around.

GM:
Signing Woody Williams and Jason Jennings has turned out to be a big mistake. Williams has aged over night and Jennings can't stay healthy. Pupura also traded away the only Willy Taveras who was the only stolen base threat the Astros had. Overall bone head moves by Astros GM Tim Pupura.

Answer 2

1. they lost some good players and other players got old
2. they kept getting second basemens and shortstops (biggio,bruntlett, everett, burke, loretta, maybe we need an OF :-\)
3. our pitching isnt as great as everyone thinks. we have oswalt whos good, and everyone else is not consistent and mediocre or less (why the fck did we get woody williams, only because he had a lousy statistic at our ballpark). jason jennings will be good, but we have too many undeveloped youngens. and our bullpen isnt all that great. only one left hander (trever miller) and he sucks nuts.
4. our closer situation with lidge and wheeler isnt so good
5. our batting is inconsistent, berkmans been on a huge slump
6. we are a second half team and can never muster an above .500 first half record which kills when it comes down to playoff time
7. we dont keep a solid roster (we change things around alot and dont keep a consistent basis of a team)
i.e.- red sox dont do it and look at them (francona ssaid that explicitly and its been all over the news)

Answer 3

Yeah it's the pitching that needs some work. Oswalt is good, but he needs some help. Wandy and Woody help sometimes but that's about it. And if they do have a lead, the relievers usually screw that up in one or two innings, especially Qualls. I cringe whenever I see that he's going in.
Their bats have gotten hot lately, they just need the pitching to get hot too.
I'm also a Rangers fan so I know about bad pitching. But the Astros have a better chance of getting into the playoffs than the Rangers any day.

Answer 4

When the pitching rotation is working, the big bats aren't performing.... and vice versa. They need to pour some money into a solid rotation that can perform regardless of who is hurt or having an off night. Look at the crank players they have lost because they wouldn't pony up with competitive money.

Answer 5

Pitching, which has been the team's strength the past 2-3 years, is pretty weak... but also, these guys cannot get on base if you spot them a 3-0 count and have the pitcher soft-toss underhand.

First one to go, though, has to be Garner. He doesn't have a lot to work with, but he makes the least of it nonetheless.

Answer 6

this happens every year but astros have lost alot of good players over the past examples bobby abreu,billy wagner,carlos beltran,curt schilling,randy johnson,jeff kent,johan santana.just think what the astros could have done if they keeped any of these players.bad thing is that they dont have many good prospects only about 5 or 6 that it and there a few years away from the pros.

Answer 7

1. Morgan Ensberg can't crack starting lineup.
2. Lance Berkman in season-long slump.
3. Starting Pitching one of worst rotations in baseball.
4. Defense mediocre except for SS, C and CF.

Answer 8

U forget they lost some good players the last 2-3 years like Beltran-Clemens-Bagwell-Pettite. This has hurt them in the long run.

Answer 9

They had the best pitching in the league last year.

The announcers said last night that they are currently ranked 16th in pitching this year.

That is why they have a bad record.

Answer 10

So now you're beginning to feel what rangers fans feel. The answer to your question is simple. Starting pitching woes.