Despite last night’s impressive win, the Astros continue to be the Co-Ardinals doormat. Actually, they’re the doormat of just about anyone not called Pittsburgh. Despite all of Jimy’s machinations, and God knows he’s been machinating, the offense can score runs in bunches only once or twice a week and goes horribly barren for the remainder.

This latest series was just more of the same. Despite outscoring the Co-Ards 14-13 over the three games, the Astros come out 1-2 losers. They have hammered out 233 runs so far, 4 less than the Red Birds while allowing a mere 217, 2 better than the Red Birds. Yet we’re staring up a Co-Shit Pipe to the tune of 7.5 games. Stick that in your Pythagorean theory and smoike it!

I don’t think I’m doing anything other than stating the bleedin’ obvious here when I say it’s the offense that’s at fault. What’s maddening, though, is that Jimy has no bullets to fire. Biggio may be clawing his way back to respectability and Ward may sport a flattering BA, but the truth of the situation is that only Lugo is doing what needs to be done when it needs to be done. And that, dear reader, is a recipe for disaster; bigger than taking fruit steeped in Everclear to the Miller Outdoor Theater. Trust me on this one. (more…)

Their first 28 games of 2002, in spring training, the Astros went 19-9. They followed that with a dismal 14-21 performance, finding themselves in fourth place on May 11 and leading many of their so-called fans to write them off with just a fifth of the marathon that is the regular season completed. Since that time the Astros have won seven of eight games, putting them at one game below .500 after passing the quarter post last week. In 2001 the Astros languished at one game below .500 as late as May 29, when they were 24-25. They failed to get over .500 permanently until June 18.

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The Astros and Co-ards are right there at the top of the NL batting table. The Astros lead the league in average and are second in slugging (to Arizona who’ve pounded an amazing 40 homers already) and only the freakish Montreal tops them in OBP. However, once you look past the two fancied Central division power-houses, you have to go a long way down the list to find the next NL Central club.

All the way to the bottom, actually.

Cincy (.238 Team BA), Chicago (.235), Milwaukee (.234) and Pittsburgh (.232) occupy the last 4 places on the hitting table. Chicago, presumably thanks to Skippin’ Sammy, shows some life in the slugging category, but otherwise it’s lights out for these clubs - in the bad sense of the phrase.

So how come the Astros and Co-ards aren’t running away with this thing? (more…)