Astros are rarely picked to go far and yet they are in the playoffs every season. No different this season. The Astros finish strong every season becase of their exceptional pitching. Clemens will probably arrive in June; Oswalt and Pettite are strong and Lidge is the closer. Berkman is my preseason choice for NL MVP. Getting back to the Series is questionable but not out of reach.

No offense. . .they hit with toothpicks instead of bats. . .

Not much on offense besides Berkman and Ensberg. Bagwell is just about done and Clemens returning is doubtful. I like Willie Taveras though. I think the Mets will barely beat them out for the wildcard.

3rd or 4th, they have Oswalt and Pettitte, but mediocrities behind that if Clemens doesn't return, though the pen is solid. Berkman and Ensberg are good hitters, but Bagwell is, barring a miracle, all done, and perhaps this is the year that Biggio runs out of gas, though I wouldn't quite bet on it yet. The rest of the team is rather ordinary at best, weak at worst in my view.

Of course I'm bias since the Astros have been my favorite team since I was born. My main problem is that people don't give the Astros enough credit most of the time, people seem ot think that Clemens is the only thing putting us in the Playoffs, well we got great pitchers(Oswalt, Pettite, Lidge) great hitters(Ensberg, Biggio, Bagwell, Berkman) and we got a great manager. I think we will make the playoffs and maybe the World Series.

People keep saying that the Astros are a whole lot worse than last years NL Championship team. I say... how so? They still have Ensberg, Biggio, Taveras, Lidge, Oswalt, Berkman, Ausmus, and they signed a good-but-not-great player in Preston Wilson. It's Roger Clemens that's the big factor. If he comes back, which he most definantly should because ending his career after a horrible performance in the WBC would be down right terrible, the Astros still have a good team. I gave them a two, however, because they will be competing with the Cardinals, Cubs, Brewers, Padres, Giants, and other teams for the limited playoff spots. The NL Central could be the best division in MLB this season, and if the Astros are going back to the World Series, they will have to win 90+ games, maybe even 100. The World Series is probably more like a dream than a goal for Houston this year. But I say don't count them out just yet. They might surprise some people.

The Astros will probably be on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoffs in 2006. Bagwell might be completely done at this point in his career, and Craig Biggio is pretty old as well. They still have a good pitching staff led by Pettite, Oswalt, and Lidge. However, who are there other starters? Clemens may return to the club after May 1st, but he isn't really showing a lot of enthusiasm about it. I think last year was their great chance to win a World Series, but the window appears to have closed.