This is great news for us Astro fans...In Houston, Beltran will take over in center field and the moment he steps on the field Friday night, he becomes the best all-around center fielder the Astros have had since Steve Finley. His arrival means Craig Biggio, a franchise player who once again demonstrates that he is also quite willing to take one for the team, moves to a new position for the second time in as many years.
Biggio will move from center to left field, with left fielder Lance Berkman moving to right field. The loser in this game of musical sluggers is Jason Lane, who was handed the starting assignment in right field last week when Richard Hidalgo was traded to the Mets only to lose the job Thursday.
Beltran and Berkman gives Houston's lineup two switch hitters to hit amongst the right-handed bats of Biggio, Jeff Bagwell and Jeff Kent. Beltran also means Houston's up-the-middle defense will have three Gold Glove caliber players with Beltran, slick-fielding shortstop Adam Everett and two-time Gold Glove winner Brad Ausmus at catcher.
Of course the loss of Dotel means Brad Lidge and his nasty slider go from setup man to closer, with David Weathers taking on the bulk of the setup duties. Lidge has very little experience at closer, but enough talent and early success as a closer for the Astros to take that gamble as well. But as Dotel had Wagner behind him before the lefty left for Philadelphia, Lidge is now the man with no one covering his back.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=neel/040624
NL Central
Contenders: Everyone but Pittsburgh is in it.
Pretenders: The Cubs and Astros are for real. Everybody else looks shaky to me. The Cardinals' offense is a wonder to behold, but can their bullpen continue to pick it up for the starters throughout the second half? The Brewers are putting up a spunky fight, but is there any way a Selig family-owned team makes the playoffs? No sir, and no sir. The Reds? They've been outscored by 25 runs and you're not going to remain 7 games over .500 by doing that.
Prediction: Houston, despite the fact that its five games back this morning, despite the fact that its ballpark has too much Anita Bryant in its name and the Astros' uniforms look like too much jammies from Gymboree, and because of the fact that the pressure in Chicago will keep ratcheting up as the summer wears on, will take it. The Cubs will win the wild card.
Biggio will move from center to left field, with left fielder Lance Berkman moving to right field. The loser in this game of musical sluggers is Jason Lane, who was handed the starting assignment in right field last week when Richard Hidalgo was traded to the Mets only to lose the job Thursday.
Beltran and Berkman gives Houston's lineup two switch hitters to hit amongst the right-handed bats of Biggio, Jeff Bagwell and Jeff Kent. Beltran also means Houston's up-the-middle defense will have three Gold Glove caliber players with Beltran, slick-fielding shortstop Adam Everett and two-time Gold Glove winner Brad Ausmus at catcher.
Of course the loss of Dotel means Brad Lidge and his nasty slider go from setup man to closer, with David Weathers taking on the bulk of the setup duties. Lidge has very little experience at closer, but enough talent and early success as a closer for the Astros to take that gamble as well. But as Dotel had Wagner behind him before the lefty left for Philadelphia, Lidge is now the man with no one covering his back.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=neel/040624
NL Central
Contenders: Everyone but Pittsburgh is in it.
Pretenders: The Cubs and Astros are for real. Everybody else looks shaky to me. The Cardinals' offense is a wonder to behold, but can their bullpen continue to pick it up for the starters throughout the second half? The Brewers are putting up a spunky fight, but is there any way a Selig family-owned team makes the playoffs? No sir, and no sir. The Reds? They've been outscored by 25 runs and you're not going to remain 7 games over .500 by doing that.
Prediction: Houston, despite the fact that its five games back this morning, despite the fact that its ballpark has too much Anita Bryant in its name and the Astros' uniforms look like too much jammies from Gymboree, and because of the fact that the pressure in Chicago will keep ratcheting up as the summer wears on, will take it. The Cubs will win the wild card.
