calkins's Blog

Shaking and stirring while always recommending Café Montross for a summer treat of moules frites, or mussels and fries if you prefer.   

The Bloggorrhea prefers either with a tangy aioli.  And a shivering Duvel, or Stella Artois, when pils is the pref.  

And always enough crusty French bread to soak up the broth.  Rather tasty.  

Very little left in the Astros summer that The Bloggorrhea would care to stomach.  

The rag-taggers approach the All-Star break, and to repeat a well worn rant – “They are, who we thought they were.”  

Except for Roy Oswalt, not near the career-best season The Bloggorrhea was forecasting.  And Michael Bourn, not a sliver of the top-of-the-order catalyst counted on from Kissimmee.  But Brad Lidge should find ample investment opportunities for that $37 million that he’ll bank over the next three years. And his next blown save is coming, when exactly?  

Back to Minute Maid’s bad news bunch:  “The are, who we thought they were.”  

An outfit that The Bloggorrhea believed at the break of spring training would lose as often as they won, would win and lose routinely in 9-7 fashion.  Simply too many flaws, particularly in the starting rotation, behind the plate and at the top of the order.  Too many low-on-fuelers asked to pump more than they can provide.  Too few high risers infusing the gaps and voids with more than just “want.”  

So, why the collective hardline angst in the midst of Houston hardball’s long hot summer?  

They are, who we thought they were.  

Berkman has rebounded from his worst Astro season to legit starting All-Star status.  His May will live as the best month of his career, a 30-day stint on fantasy island - .461 average, 12 homers, 33 runs batted in, five stolen bases.  

Lee is delivering as advertised, $100m not to chase fly balls, but to hammer long fly balls, and drive in runs.  His roughly .300/75 RBIs at the break should bring few complaints.  

Explain why exactly Lee should be moved for prospects?  Why relinquish that sort of known for maybes and possible potential?  Trade the given, given the already shockingly low level of big league production on this roster, with the embarrassing low level of talent on the come?  

In a word, no.  

Keep Lee, Berkman, Oswalt, Pence as the core, keep at least some reason to visit the ball yard, admit and gulp at the blatantly misguided and short-sided personnel blunders of the last five years, concede that there is no immediate spontaneous fix, and put in motion that time-tested essentials that serve as the bedrock of any successful sporting franchise.  Stop skimping on scouting and draft-signing and player development.  Stop the all too predictable knee-jerk mid-summer firings within the coaching ranks and bi-yearly managerial blowouts.  Cease sacrificing the likes of Jim Hickey for strictly cosmetic reasons when his value has been proven through performance and the team's future performance is compromised.  Check out Tampa Bay's pitching staff this season compared to season's past (the bump is not just talent).  Compare the collective ERA of the bullpen so far in relation to 2007.

The current cast of Houston hardballers are as professional a lot as can be found in the big leagues.  There will be no quit in the clubhouse.  Playing through to the bitter end of the dreadfully long season will result in 79-80-81 wins, without the least hint of contention since Labor Day.  

They are, who we thought they were.

Now pass the mussels.  And the cold one.  What are you having?