PIn an interview between Alyson Footer and Cecil Cooper, Cooper had some things to say about the 2009 season - not so much the 2009 Astros Spring Training.
Highlights:
-"Brandon [Backe's] kind of a big concern, but other than Brandon, I am pretty happy with the health of everybody. But let's hope it continues. We have to get through the next three weeks first."
On having Roy Oswalt in the rotation:
-"I'm very happy to have that one horse that you can count on. It would be great if we had two or three, but it is a good feeling knowing you have that, you've got that one anchor you can go to."
-Mike Hampton is the biggest key for Coop.
-Defense and veteran leadership are the two biggest strengths.
On the offseason:
-I kept hoping we'd find some money somewhere, to reach out to these guys. It didn't happen and we know why it didn't happen. It was definitely a roller coaster for me. One day, I thought there was a good chance late in the year, the early part of the offseason, that there was a chance we'd pick a couple guys. There were some names thrown around -- [Ben] Sheets, [Derek] Lowe, some of those names thrown around -- then all of a sudden, there was one guy [Randy Wolf], then, nobody. Am I disappointed? A little bit. But you've got to deal with the cards you've been dealt."
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
