5. .Getting third baseman Chris Johnson and first baseman Brett Wallace on the right track would be a pleasant surprise. Both were handed jobs when 2011 spring training opened, and both ended up being demoted to the minor leagues. At the moment, the Astros have no idea what they can expect from either of them. They’ll need to play their way onto the team in spring training.
4. Second baseman Jose Altuve, third baseman Jimmy Paredes and outfielder J.D. Martinez showed some nice spurts after being summoned to the big leagues last summer. If at least one of them could have a solid sophomore season, it would be hugely important for the future of the franchise.
3. Luhnow’s most attractive trade assets are Wandy Rodriguez and Brett Myers. If he can get a single prospect for each of them by the trade dealine, he will have continued strengthening the organization.
2. To get productive seasons from center fielder Jordan Schafer and shortstop Jed Lowrie. They were once highly regarded prospects with the Braves and Red Sox. Now they’re getting a fresh start in Houston. There’s no question they have talent, but so far have been unable to stay healthy or make the necessary adjustments every player must make. If just one of them ends up being a contributor over the next few years, it would be significant.
1. To have a bunch of young players take positive steps up the ladder. If Wade’s four No. 1 picks–catcher Jason Castro (2008), shortstop Jiovanni Mier (2009), second baseman Delino DeShields (2010) and outfielder George Springer (2011)–all have good seasons, it would be a huge boost for the timetable.
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1. base ball chick Posted: February 09, 2012 at 12:30 AM (#4056933)2 - schafer had exactly ONE year - 4 years ago in AA, in which he did not suck. i'd rather have bourgeois and bogusevic. and Glass Doll Lowrie will stay healthy because????
3 - you trade away wandy (and the ol WB) you have j happ as your ace and bud norris as your #2 and henry sosa and livan hernandez and jordan lyles to fill out the rotation. no closer, no setup man, no really GOOD reliever
4 - altuve can actually field like a ML second baseman - who knows if he can hit like one. yes it would be noce if JD martinez could hit but luhnow has already paid jack cust and travis buck and justin ruggiano and fernando martinez to replace him. paredes is a for shtt fielder and runner but they like him a lot bettern chris johnson, because they got him in a trade for roy oswalt, which brings me to
5 - brett wallace is slowern a pregnant grrrl, has huge gaps in his swing and couldn't make it in winter ball. they are trying to trace chris johnson, who they never liked
and i don't see where any "success" is gonna come from, let lone winning
and if justice had bothered to do any sort of REAL investigationg and REPORTING on jim crane instead of spending all his energy trying to get to be a MLB.com writer, we wouldn't be in this mess
2. Bring back the Killer B's in their primes
3. Bring back the Joe Morgan of 1975 and trade him back to Houston
4. Bring back the Mike Scott of 1986
5. And bring back the Colt .45s name. Down with government giveaways, up with protecting your home and state!
1. plane crash killing the Cardinals
2. plane crash killing the Brewers
3. plane crash killing the Reds
4. plane crash killing the Pirates
-----well there are no other teams in the NL central, so I guess it's just four things. :)
umm........
I'm not sure the Astros win the Central even if all 5 other teams entire MLB roster is raptured on April 1, and that's not even counting the MLB disaster plan restocking draft. Which current Astros would get taken in that draft might be an interesting question.
* throws chair, retroactively *
2. Sign Kelly Leak.
3. Sign Joe Hardy, Nuke LaLoosh and Bugs Bunny.
4. Sell the team to Rhubarb the cat.
5. Bring back those awesome rainbow Skittles jerseys. (NO SARCASM INTENDED; PEOPLE WHO DISLIKE THOSE JERSEYS ARE LOST SOULS)
2. Destruction
3. Pestilence
4. Famine
5. ???
Newt Gingrich?
Conquest. You know, if you are going to be preachy über-devout in half the threads you post in, you should at least get the 4 horsemen right.
Rock the #### out?
Profit!
Ah, you must be an arms dealer.
Lighten-up Francis, I went with the ones from the Grantland Rice piece for the sports connection. Take it up with him.
I think the question is, how long do Wandy and the wife-beater stay in Houston?
The team migh be merely bad through the All-Star break, and then descend to the 9th level of suckitude as everyone making more than league minimum is shipped out.
Kaos. (Who left the riders because of artistic disagreements before they became famous)
On a serious note: I can see universes where the 2012 Astros put up a league-average offense, and cobble together enough innings to win 70+ games. I don't think they'll be as bad as everyone is suggesting.
Amen brother!
At which point he changed his name to Ronnie Soak, and became a milkman.
towles is no longer with the astros
bud norris is barely above average, j happ sux
i can't figure out how the astros won't lose 120
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