Here's a verrrry funny mailbag with the the Dallas Morning News' Gerry Fraley.
Q: Please name one lousy team that you see that has no real chance at contending any time soon. Any clue how you solve that?
A: It's the Astros. Hope the new owner recognizes the value of scouting and player development. The Astros are an example of what happens when a team follows the "slotting" recommendations on draft signings from the commissioner's office. The Astros have adhered to the slot numbers and either do not sign draft picks (Drew Stubbs) or pick players based on signability rather than ability. Astros are a mess. it's going to take years from them to climb out of this hole.
Jeez. There's too much here to get pissed off about.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
