GAMES 38-44: On Our Way to the Pennant, 2005 Style... Or Maybe Not...

GAME 38 - May 17: Dodgers 6, Astros 2
GAME 39 - May 18: Dodgers 7, Astros 3
GAME 40 - May 19: Astros 7, Rockies 3
GAME 41 - May 20: Rockies 4, Astros 0
GAME 42 - May 21: Astros 2, Tampa Bay 1
GAME 43 - May 22: Tampa Bay 4, Astros 2
GAME 44 - May 23: Tampa Bay 10, Astros 6

It's been a lousy week for the Astros since my last blog posting. They've played so badly that our ace has asked for a trade, after his teammates declined to score even one run in his latest quality loss. I've been missing in action for a good cause: I've been out in California for my daughter's wedding. I'd hoped to be at last Monday's Dodgers game, but my flight was cancelled and we arrived 7 hours late and missed the game. Not that we missed much: It was a rainy night and the Astros lost. Today, while the rest of the family is off to the beach and sightseeing, I watched my first live ballgame since last Sunday. For a short time (when the Astros scored 4 runs in the first inning), I thought they might actually win today. They lost 10-6. I'm not going back to watch the rest of the games from the past week - I'm not a complete masochist. And I'm not going to try to write up the week of games that I missed. You can see the scores above and read the gory details on the Astros web site. Enough said.

Today's game was #44 for the Astros, and at 14-29, they are very close to approximating their awful start from the 2005 season. That year, I thought the Astros would win the pennant, despite the gruesome start - and they actually did. However, as my friend Austin keeps reminding me, this is not the 2005 Astros team. That's true, but folks didn't think much of that 2005 team the first couple of months of the season either. Except for me, of course, but I'm crazy for the Astros. I have to admit that (unlike 2005) I did not get that "vision" of the Astros in the World Series at Spring Training this year. I just like to be optimistic.

The Astros may look like kind of a different team after another couple of months. This week while I have been off in California doing family stuff, the team released Matsui, who was batting .141 and not getting much playing time. They brought up Oswaldo Navarro from Round Rock to take the roster spot. Then, after the team was shutout in his last start, Roy Oswalt let them know that he was interested in being traded to a team that might actually win some games this year. I don't know if Oswalt's desire to move to some other team that understands the term "run support" will amount to anything. Now that he's gone beyond saying "I'll do whatever's the best for the team" to "I'd rather play for a winning team," it might be hard NOT to go ahead and trade him. It would be ironic if the Astros did trade Oswalt, and Pence, Lee, and Berkman immediately went into huge hitting streaks -- kind of an O Henry touch to the season. I would not put that past this Astros team. Not sure who they'd bring up to replace Oswalt - or rather, his spot in the roster. No one would replace the Wiz.

For some bizarre reason, I'm still holding on to the fantasy that on June 1, the Chronicle will run another tombstone RIP, and then the Astros will miraculously start to win. Or maybe not.

On a sad note, former Astros pitcher, salsa singer, and clown Jose Lima died today of a massive heart attack. He was only 37. It was a very sad day for the teammates and fans who treasured his wacky sense of humor, not to mention the great pitching he did for the team in the past. Maybe the Chronicle should just save their Rest in Peace for the real thing.