Fantasy Forces:
2B-Jeff Kent (35)- The prospect of playing in offense friendly Minute Maid Field must have Kent drooling after only mustering 11
HRs last year at home in Pac Bell (as opposed to 26 on the road). So far, Kent has shown no signs of slowing down, and hitting behind the
three B's should allow him once again to finish right near the top of most offensive categories for all second basemen.
1B-Jeff Bagwell (34)- Bagwell continues to be one of the game's premier forces at the plate, but hasn't seemed to recover from
shoulder surgery over a year ago. He is a career .302 hitter and will once again be a huge run producer, but until his shoulder heals
he'll have to settle for less than 40 homeruns and his days as a basestealer are winding down.
LF-Lance Berkman (27)- Following his .331 season a year earlier, Berkman took a hit in his average but displayed his tremendous
power potential as he became just the fifth switch-hitter to hit 40 homeruns. Were it not for a slowdown after the break he would have
topped 50. Not only is an MVP in his future, but he is a legitimate triple crown threat on a yearly basis and should be considered one
of the most valuable hitters in the game.
SP-Roy Oswalt (25)- After a sneak preview in '01, Oswalt firmly established himself among the best with a near Cy Young
sophomore season. Ranking among the league leaders in nearly every category, the dominating righty tamed everything from the
league's top hitters to then-Enron itself, where he produced the NL's 6th lowest home ERA. While it seems as if he would take a back
seat to the big boys in Arizona, the offense in Houston makes Oswalt the NL Cy Young favorite.
CL-Billy Wagner (31)- Not only do the Astros have arguably the best hitter and pitcher in the game, they may also have the two
toughest players. While Biggio's grit has been respected for years, Wagner's return from being smashed in the face is hardly the stuff
of the weak. Instead of cowering in the face of fear, Billy the Kid came back with a vengeance, his fastball once again topping triple
digits. With stellar control and the pitching in front of him, Wagner should be on the cusp of 40 saves again.
SP-Wade Miller (26)- Despite missing nearly two months with a pinched nerve in his neck, Miller showed he is to be regarded as
one of the top #2 pitchers in the game. Comfortably nestled behind Oswalt, Miller finished second in winning percentage while going
11-1 after the break. The sky is the limit but as long as he is on a team with Oswalt, Miller will play second fiddle.
Better Days Ahead:
OF-Jason Lane (26)- With Hidalgo's career swirling down the drain, Lane's stock continues to rise. While versatile and
speedy, the righty has the potential to be a steady .290/30 hitter. At 26, the Astros will give him every chance to win the right
field job from the under achieving, over-paid Hidalgo. Should he start, he is a prime NL ROY candidate.
P-Kirk Saarloos (23)- One of the many young pitchers Houston has produced of late, Saarloos was called on prematurely after
success at Double A and paid for it with a return trip to the minors. Upon a recall, he was more effective but surely his time is not
the immediate future. He will be given a shot at the rotation, but Williams has stated he is likely to work out of the pen to start
the season.
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Supporting Cast:
SS-Julio Lugo (27)- His tenure as starting shortstop is due more to the lack of development by the one-time heir, Adam Everett
than to anything that Lugo has done. While being a steady fielder with moderate power and speed, he is extremely impatient and any
success he does have, seems to be the result of his home stadium. For now he is the leadoff hitter but only until something better
comes along.
RP-Octavio Dotel (29)- Finally rid of the desire to start, Dotel is perhaps the most valuable reliever in the game who is not a
closer. His years of long relief and starting allow him to put in heavy workloads while the results are second to none. His
strikeouts to innings ratio is higher than nearly anyone and he provides periodical wins as well as a few saves. His future is as a
closer, but that spot is well occupied at the moment.
3B-Geoff Blum (29)- At the moment the switch-hitting Blum is the lesser of two evils at the hot corner. Struggling to
find a steady bat since Ken Caminiti's departure, Blum steps in as another prospect fails to pan out. With steady if unimpressive
all-around production, the job is Blum's to lose but don't expect any miracles.
SP-Brian Moehler (31)- Signed as a free agent, Moehler's value rose when Hernandez went down for the entire '03 season. A
proto-typical blue collar pitcher, he has average stuff with less than stellar command who's veteranship is his biggest asset. While
there seems to always be a place for someone of his caliber, Moehler's stay in the rotation should be temporary.
C Brad Ausmus (33)- Ausmus is in the lineup for one reason, his glovework behind the plate. While collecting his second
straight Gold Glove award, his experience was invaluable to the steady stream of young pitchers coming through Houston. Minimal
production but a steady hand.
SP-Tim Redding (25)- While fellow sophomore Oswalt was contending for a Cy Young, Redding was struggling to hold a spot in the
rotation. He showed flashes of his top-of-the-order talent but still has to battle control problems while harnessing his vast
repertoire. He is the favorite for the fifth spot in the rotation heading into camp.
Risky Business:
SP-Shane Reynolds (35)- Once one of the steadier pitchers in the game, Reynolds was shut down for the season in June with an
ailing back. He has now been on the disabled list the last three years after remaining relatively injury-free his first 8 years.
At 35, it will be tougher and tougher to come back and although he opens as the #3, his depleting health and the youngsters coming up will
eventually force him lower in the rotation or out of town.
RF-Richard Hidalgo (27)- Since exploding onto the season in '00 and fooling the Astros into giving him a hefty contract,
Hidalgo has done essentially nothing and last year was finally benched for his efforts. While questions are raised as to his
conditioning and focus, he is anemic versus righties and not nearly as selective as he needs to be. With Jason Lane on the horizon,
Hidalgo's starting job is on a day-to-day basis.
Past Their Prime:
CF-Craig Biggio (37)- Biggio proved how tough he was by coming back from knee surgery successfully, but he still isn't the player
he was prior to the injury. A little slower afoot and some speed lost in his bat, his shift to center field will keep him in Houston.
Although he could fill the leadoff spot, he is best suited for #2 and, while continuing to put up solid numbers, his days are winding down. |
