Offseason Scorecard: Houston Astros

Now, we move on to the third place Houston Astros.

RECORD: 86-75
PYTHAGOREAN RECORD: 77.2-83.8 (-8.8)
THIRD ORDER WINS (FROM BASEBALL PROSPECTUS): 75.8-85.2 (-10.2)
TEAM WAR: BATTERS 20.3 | PITCHERS 9.3 | TOTAL 29.6 | WAR RECORD: 76.1-84.9 (-9.9)

ADDED THROUGH FREE AGENCY (CONTRACT | THREE YEAR AVERAGE WAR)

3B AARON BOONE (0.75M/1 YR | 0.2)
CA TOBY HALL (.4M/1 YR | 0.0)
SP MIKE HAMPTON (2M/1 YR | 1.2)
SP CLAY HENSLEY (.5M/1 YR | 0.9)
RF JASON MICHAELS (.75M/1 YR | 0.3)
SS JASON SMITH (.4M/1 YR | 0.1)

MONEY SPENT: 4.8M/YR

WINS ADDED THROUGH FREE AGENCY: 2.3

ACQUIRED THROUGH TRADES (THREE YEAR AVERAGE WAR)

CA LOU PALMISANO (0.0)

WINS ADDED THROUGH TRADES: 0.0

TOTAL WINS ADDED: 2.3

LOST THROUGH FREE AGENCY (THREE YEAR AVERAGE WAR)

CA BRAD AUSMUS (0.4)
2B MARK LORETTA (1.0)
3B TY WIGGINTON (2.0)
SP RANDY WOLF (1.1)

WINS LOST THROUGH FREE AGENCY: 4.5

TOTAL WINS LOST: 4.5

TOTAL WIN CHANGE: -2.2

PROJECTED ROSTER

CA: HUMBERTO QUINTERO, J.R. TOWLES
1B: LANCE BERKMAN, DARIN ERSTAD
2B: KAZUO MATSUI
SS: MIGUEL TEJADA
3B: GEOFF BLUM, AARON BOONE
LF: CARLOS LEE
CF: MICHAEL BOURN, REGGIE ABERCROMBIE
RF: HUNTER PENCE
SP: ROY OSWALT, WANDY RODRIGUEZ, BRANDON BACKE, BRIAN MOEHLER, MIKE HAMPTON
RP: JOSE VALVERDE, GEOFF GEARY, LATROY HAWKINS, DOUG BROCAIL, WESLEY WRIGHT, TIM BYRDAK, CHRIS SAMPSON

The Astros heavily outperformed every measure of true baseball talent last year. They were, even with the most optimistic of measures, a 77-win team last year, and there’s really no reason to think they’ll be any better this year.

There are some great players in this offense, with Berkman, Lee, and (sometimes?) Tejada, as well as the blooming Hunter Pence. Outside of those four, however, there’s really nothing there as far as offensive production, and with the potential platoon of Aaron Boone and Geoff Blum, they will really be missing Ty Wigginton.

Houston was hit hard by the economy and could not make any major moves. As such, expect a similar season to last year from Houston as far as talent, but not necessarily in wins.