Astros Preview

I hate to start the baseball season as a pessimist. The reality of the situation is that baseball isn't the same game it was in the 70s and 80s when I was a fan. But seeing a starting five like this (umm, past the Oswalt & Backe combo, that is) does little to lift my spirits:

Astros starting five
Roy Oswalt: 14-7, 3.18 ERA, 212.0 IP
Brandon Backe: 3-1, 3.77 ERA, 28 2/3 IP
Wandy Rodriguez: 9-13, 4.58 ERA, 182 2/3 IP
Shawn Chacon: 5-4, 3.94 ERA, 96 IP
Chris Sampson: 7-8, 4.59 ERA, 121 2/3 IP

The name of the game is that Minute Maid is once more TenRun Field. First team to 10 wins. On the plus side, Jose Cruz, Jr. made the cut. So there's a tie to history (sorry to see Lance Neikro didn't make it) and a role player to root for. I'll also be interested in seeing Matsui at second base. But beyond that, about all there is to truly hope for is that the time or two I make it to a game, it ends up as a pitcher's duel.