There’s an old country song goes something like – All Mah Exes Live In Texas. There’s a new Astros song goes something like – All The Astros Done Left Texas. Berkman and Oswalt re reunited in Saint looey, Pence is in Philly and Bourn is in Atlanta. Goodness know where Wandy, Clank and the ol WB will end up by the beginning of the season.
We’ll have a champeen rotation consisting of ace pitcher JA Happ, solid pitcher Bud Norris, um, and, I guess, Lucas Harrell and/or Aneury Rodriguez and/or Henry Sosa and/or Zach Duke.
Guaranteed 120 losses, looks like.
Zach Duke – my GAWD, seems like yesterday that he was gonna be an ace for years. He was drafted by the Pirates in the 20th round of the 01 draft, called up in 2005 at age 22, started 14 games over 84 innings with a 1,81 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP and a low K rate of 6.2/9 IP.
The low ERA wasn’t sustainable because of the low strikeout rate and although he threw 34 games over 215 innings in 06, his ERA jumped to 4.47 and his WHIP to 1.50. He continued to post mid 4 range ERAs, low strikeout numbers and high WHIPS because of his high BABIP numbers. He had a somewhat better season in 09, but 2010 was dreadful – he had a career high 5.72 ERA with 29 GS over 159 IP with a 1.65 WHIP.
The Pirates finally gave up on him and traded him to the Diamondbacks for some guy. He started 9 games and relieved in 19 more, posting an ERA of 4.93 and a WHIP of 1.57. He just doesn’t strike out enough hitters – he’s draopped all the way to 3.7 K/9. His walk rate of 2.2 is great, but coupled with a hit rate of 11.9/9, that spells failure.
He’s Kirk Rueter extra Lite.
Man this year’s rotation is going to be simply awful. And you don’t even want to start to look at the dreck that composes the bullpen.
120 losses, here we come.
Tags: Houston Astros
Think Kyle Weiland might start if space “becomes available”?
I see Carpenter settling in as closer (hopefully needed a lot more than is anticipated), and Downs as our super-utility secret weapon (as long as he plays like he did in the second half of 2011, not the first half).
bruce,
kyle weiland might start. i wouldn’t be surprised if one of the 2 pimpees (cosart of clemens, though can’t neither one of em find the strike zone with a GPS) started. in fact, i wouldn’t be surprised if this year’s team goes with whoever is hot for spots 3,4 and 5.
sigh
the pennant seems like a lifetime away. sometimes i go back and click on 2005, just to make sure i really really WAS there and didn’t dream it all…
I just read on another blog that the scouts describe Weiland as “lanky”. There is a baseball term I hadn’t heard in a long, long time!