JJO's article this morning deals with some of the positional question marks the Astros are facing as they head into the off-season. But there aren't any question marks in the outfield, due to youth and talent, and a bloated contract.
The contact process will likely begin this weekend for the manager search, and what remains of the infield is...bad. We do get an interesting quote from "One Club Official" on Berkman and his level of play since the 2008 All-Star Break. The quote, with a lead-in from JJO:
Moreover, some in the Astros' front office have privately complained that Berkman has received a free pass for his play on offense and defense.
“If he had been playing in any other city, you guys would have ripped his (behind),”
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Behind the plate, Wade says:
“With Towles and Quintero, I think we have two guys that can go back there and buy us some time until Castro is ready. We'll look at the catching market to see what is there.”
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And the rotation? Roy is the key:
“I think we're a better rotation than people give us credit for. But a lot of it is going to depend on where Roy is health-wise. We got to hope that he stays dedicated to the exercise program that's been prescribed and he does everything he can to make sure that his back isn't an issue.”
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
