I would love to see someone predict, with better than 50% odds, teams over/under performance based on perceived chemistry. These post-hoc rationalizations aren't worth the electronic ink they are printed with.

The smug, fawning tone of these types of pieces irritate, but given Justice's perspective, it's understandable that he wants there to be a connection between the team's having guys he likes and guys that talk to him, and the team's winning:

"It's Pence peppering Erstad with questions. It's Tejada's constant chatter. It's Carlos Lee's big laugh."

This is the old-school "insider-beat writer" sportswriting response to the "outsider-blogger" perspective, and I can see why the Astros' hot streak makes Justice feel very good about being on the beat.

Give Justice another week and he might write a column which says just the opposite. I have never seen a sports columnist flip flop as much as he does. He is so well known by local bloggers as a flip flopper that Justice, himself, makes jokes about it. I think this has a lot to do with Justice's desire to take the immediate events and make a story out of them; if the events change, then make a new story.

I suspect that I give more credibility to team chemistry then many people on this board. However, even though I believe there is a kernel of truth to what Justice says, his "story" about it is so syrupy and contrived that I have to cringe. Moreover, the idea that Wade, or any other GM, can design team chemistry, when they put the team together, isn't credible. For example, Wade brought Erstad in for a specific role--outfield/1b reserve player, LH pinch hitter, and mentor to Pence and other young players (Towles and Bourn)--and he has performed well in that role. It's fine to give Wade credit for finding the right role for Erstad. But it's going overboard to portray it as some grand chemistry experiment.

justice isn't one of the beat reporters - but he most definitely IS a baseball man. he has to write about all the other sports, but except for longhorn anything, he sound like a sleeping woman trying to fake an orgasm

i think he writes these sappy things because it get him more comments/emails.

i started listening to him on the radio the day he had MGL on as a guest and i was pretty surprised that he wasn't a total moron like he sounds in the paper. he actually knows baseball, has a pretty good understanding of stats and how to use them and where to. and i guess he leave that to the stat guy who writes a stat column.

only thing i can't stand about richard is his incredible worship of bud selig and all of his actions about everything

uck

- however, i will say that the guys last year looked like they were going through the motions waiting for the aging prima donna to get his 3000th freaking hit, which is what last year's team was all about. and it was real uncomfortable about what happened with pettitte, luke scott and chris burke and mike lamb.

- they got rid of most of last year's players and although they aren't expected to win the pennant by anyone except their nutty owner, well, at least they don't look like they trying not to say the wrong thing all year and they don't look so grim

- i know it is politically incorrect to say that i think putting biggio's interests way over all and any other team interests wasn't a good idea for the rest of the guys on the TEAM although it was great for marketing, gotta say that

justice isn't one of the beat reporters

Ooops. Sorry.

i think he writes these sappy things because it get him more comments/emails

Probably. But the writers in LA/OC also constantly wrote stuff like this about Erstad, and note who is quoted the most. Erstad, like Mark Grace, deals with the media in the Pete Rose circa 1976 style, and I think few writers with clubhouse access can resist that, so I don't think the piece is all calculation.

The interesting question is whether the Astros can contend all year. And, as Tricky Dick notes, what Justice will be saying about Erstad and Team Chemistry if they don't.

Hey bbc how is that big power-hitting kid of yours?

robin

yeh, for some reason erstad gets serious bonus points for kicking footballs, like that makes him a better baseball player. but erstad really is not talking real too much this year - berkman really is the "official" team media deal with-er. and unlike bagwell and biggio, berkman actually says interesting stuff and don't just vomit the bull durham crap like the {professional" good guys did for years. blech.

i doubt that astros can contend all year. fact is that the defense is not this great defense like the media sez - they based that strictly on # of errors. and matsui is NOT a good fielder from what i've seen. tejada is not bad, but he does NOT throw accurately. bourn can catch bout anything, but his arm isn't real too strong. and wigginton is a nightmare at third - i don't CARE what UZR says. and clank lee just sux in left.

and coop does stuff like put in the world's worst fielding SS when a ground ball pitcher is pitching

starting pitching is weak. to be nice about it - not sure how in the heck they did so well for the first month, but hey, all good things come to an end - it's too bad valverde blew so many in the early days that we could have won.

justice will say whatever he needs to to get comments. every now and then he'll come out and say what he REALLY thinks, but it is rare. besides, no one cares what he thinks - they just want to argue. except, like i said - when it is about buddy boy. uck

da bull is great.
i was trying to get him to hit lefty so as he could learn to switch hit and he folds his arms and scowl and sez - no mami, i don't want to (he sez that a lot)
he's lousy at throwing, he's lousy at catching, but oh myyyyyy, he swings like manny/albert and that ball flies offn his bat.
- sigh
that child
- right now he wants to be a teacher and a fireman and a ballet dancer (picture frank thomas in tights) and also hit baseballs. as long as he don't have to run, catch or throw.

BBC, good luck with the Big Hurt in tights!

He knew about Darin Erstad’s professionalism and figured it would fit nicely with Miguel Tejada’s enthusiasm. A piece here, a piece there, and a team was on its way to being constructed.

...Even before the Astros became baseball’s hottest team, Erstad was impressed.

“You could just feel it,” he said. “I don’t know if I can describe it. It’s one of those things you don’t talk about. You just know.”

Funniest article of the week. Thanks for the giggles, Richard!