The Astros Have Won One Game This Spring

by Freneau on Mar 18, 2009 1:49 AM EDT in Kansas City Royals News

The Astros are 1-14-3 (do you put ties at the end?) this Spring Training. That's right, they have one win, fourteen loses, and three ties. Can we contract the National League to like eight franchises? We might get some good teams that way.

Seriously, one win, which includes split squad games, games where thirty players get at bats, games where some slub from AA pitches three innings. One win. It's more impressive than futile.

I blame their failure to bring back beloved catcher Brad Ausmus. He was worth roughly eight runs a game with his defense and game calling, and another two with his veteran presence. He was the Babe Ruth of guys with an OPS+ below 65. You can win a lot of games with Brad Ausmus on your team, just ask 95% of broadcasters, talk radio guys, and, sadly, managers.

I hope they keep losing. I'm bored. It wouldn't be a bad thing if they went 3-25-5 this spring, then were their normal 79 win selves this season, as we could all put to bed the notion that your record in Spring Training matters. Or, we could read five Richard Justice, Jon Heyman, or Hal Bodley columns about how they've turned it around, probably thanks to Pudge. Either way, the people win.

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I guess that's why they are about to sign Pedro Martinez

Problem -———→ Solved

The immoderate moderator

by Scott McKinney on Mar 18, 2009 1:54 AM EDT reply actions

the astros were actually in a good position this off-season

since they are in their perpetual win-now mode that they’ve boxed themselves into (and hey, it is the nL) that they could have signed some reasonable FAs on the depressed market and made another run

by Freneau on Mar 18, 2009 1:57 AM EDT up reply actions

Abreu would have been the perfect bookend for Carlos Lee

guy who looks pretty good until you realize he can’t play defense

Maybe Hoagy for Berkman is still possible.

Bringing you more-or-less replacement level analysis and commentary to Driveline Mechanics and elsewhere since sometime in 2008.

by Matt Klaassen on Mar 18, 2009 2:10 AM EDT up reply actions

you'd think they could have upgraded their rotation fairly easily...

and may, a litle, if pedro works out/ somehow miraclously pitches 100 innings

Mike Hampton?

by Freneau on Mar 18, 2009 2:12 AM EDT up reply actions

I think I have a pretty good comment about the Astros in my

auto-posted Driveline Article (tomorrow at ~7 am PDT!)

Basically, they’ve got a stud pitcher (well,I really like Oswalt, anyway. He’s looks like a weird southern Leprechaun with about 7 pitches. I find it enjoyable) and Lance Berkman, who I still think is a very underrated superstar (although playing in the same division with Pujols will do that to a guy). And somehow they’re squandering both those guys. They might as well trade them now. Berkman, in particular, should just start being the biggest a—hole he can be so that all the papers turn on him (hell, Erstad is in town, it wouldn’t be that hard) and they are “forced” to trade him.

Funny thing about Ausmus — I know catcher defense is tough to measure, but CHONE has him as a defensive stud at the turn of the century. IN 2001, he not only got the catcher defensive adjustment, but was also +12 on defense.

He still came out with 0.0 WAR.

What a stud.

Bringing you more-or-less replacement level analysis and commentary to Driveline Mechanics and elsewhere since sometime in 2008.

by Matt Klaassen on Mar 18, 2009 2:17 AM EDT up reply actions

i blame Tyler Lumsden...

and Jason Smith, and all the other Royals AAA players they signed.

Founder of the Johnny Giavotella fan club.

by doublestix on Mar 18, 2009 4:50 AM EDT reply actions

And that one win?

Meaningless.

by 2X2L on Mar 18, 2009 9:42 AM EDT reply actions

I think they have a really good chance

Of being the surprise awful team this year. They might be the worst team in baseball. And trust me, a Royals fan more than anyone can spot a truly awful team.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Mar 18, 2009 9:45 AM EDT reply actions

I hope so.

Know a lot of irrational people that think signing Pudge pushed them into the playoffs.

If you were thinking, you wouldn't have thought that.

by Warden11 on Mar 18, 2009 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions

"a Royals fan more than anyone can spot a truly awful team."

I think that is how I correctly pegged the Nat’s as the worst team in baseball last year. Did not see the Tigers and Padres playing that poorly, though.

by marbotty on Mar 18, 2009 10:07 AM EDT up reply actions