The Caller-Times' Joel Roza posted his NL Central predictions, and has the Astros 5th:
St. Louis: 91-71
Chicago: 83-78
Milwaukee: 80-82
Cincinnati: 78-84
Houston: 74-88
Pittsburgh: 62-99
As for contention in the NL Central, the Astros are too involved in quasi-rebuilding and quasi-playing to win to be able to do hold up for 162 games. Myers, Norris, Lindstrom, Lyon, Castro, Manzella and Feliz are wild cards in the Astros’ overall success, but if things with Oswalt and Berkman don’t improve and those wild cards fail for the most part – it’s not going to be much of a season to remember. The Astros will look more alive under new manager Brad Mills and I’m pumped to see where they go with him, but this team needs time to develop if they’re going to succeed at some point down the road.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
