Schedule gives edge to Astros
The Astros don't need a stats geek to pinpoint their recent problems: a poor offense, a bad offense, a lousy offense.
Any which way the numbers are crunched, the Astros' offense is struggling. That much was evident when they were limited to 15 runs while losing four of six games on the recent six-game trip against the sub-.500 San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Six of those runs were scored when they won the first game of the trip, before the Astros lost four of the next five while managing nine runs total.
"We obviously need to get our offense going again," manager Phil Garner said. "And beyond that, who knows how many wins you need (to win the wild card)? The thing that's critical for me is we need to be back to where it looks like we're going to score runs, where you just know you're going to score runs."
As bad as the offense has been, the Astros have what, on paper, looks like the most favorable schedule among the teams within 2 1/2 games of the National League wild-card lead.
The other four wild-card contenders play in the tough NL East, where they finish the season playing most of their series against each other.
Favorable schedule Of the five wild-card contenders, only the Astros play more than one of their final 10 series against teams that aren't division leaders or among the top five wild-card contenders.
"I've long said the schedule is the most favorable," Garner said. "It's the best schedule for all things considered.
"Things like travel, we play teams we're going to compete against, and we finish at home (with a four-game series against the Cubs).
"There's a whole lot of things that are favorable. We shouldn't have any complaints of where we end up. Hey, it's right here for us. We have to be able to take advantage of it."
The Astros have one series each against the teams ahead of them in the wild-card race: the Phillies and Marlins. The Astros are 1 1/2 games behind the wild card-leading Phillies, the team they visit for three games next week.
Tough road for Marlins The Marlins, who carried the wild card to the World Series title in 2003, visit the Astros for a four-game series Sept. 12-15. Florida plays its remaining 10 series against division leaders or wild-card contenders.
Pedro Martinez's surging Mets play nine of their 10 remaining series against wild-card contenders or division leaders. But if they are within striking distance on the final weekend, they close with four games against the lowly Colorado Rockies.
Conversely, only four of the Astros' last 10 series are against wild-card contenders or division leaders. Six of their final 10 series are against the Reds, Cubs, Brewers and Pirates, and two are with the Cardinals, who visit Minute Maid Park for three games this weekend.
If last year was any indication, the Astros might catch a break when they play a two-game set at St. Louis Sept. 27-28. With a huge lead in the division, the Cardinals likely will start resting their starters in the final week of the season in preparation for the postseason.
Now it's up to Astros hitters to pick it up.
"It is imperative that we score runs," Morgan Ensberg said. "If we score five or more runs a game, we'll be in the playoffs. ... We have a World Series-caliber pitching staff, and we need to score for them.
"Hitting is just something that goes in cycles. You have to believe that you're not going to stay in a rut for an extended period of time. Eventually, you need to turn it around. What needs to happen is we need to score runs. It just needs to be a collective effort."
If hitting goes in cycles, most of the Astros have been on a bad run since the All-Star break.
Only two hot hitters Center fielder Willy Taveras and right fielder Jason Lane are the only starters hitting over .300 since the break, Taveras at .302 and Lane at .325.
The rest of the lineup hasn't been as effective, although Lance Berkman has hit a respectable .292 with seven home runs and 22 RBIs since the break.
Over that span Craig Biggio is hitting .232, Ensberg .265, Adam Everett .243, Brad Ausmus .277 and Chris Burke .252.
"We have to be more consistent offensively," general manager Tim Purpura said. "There's absolutely no doubt about it. We have to produce at the top, middle and bottom of the order. We haven't been able to do that. We have to be able to hit in crucial situations and drive in runs in those situations.
"We have pitched well, unbelievable in some ways. Now we have to get the offensive production going so we can get hot again."
During last week's road trip, Ensberg hit .085. Biggio and Lane each hit .182, Burke .235 and Taveras .250. Berkman, at .360, Everett (.333) and Ausmus (.350) swung the bats well.
California downer As a team, the Astros hit .231 with a .276 on-base percentage and a .327 slugging percentage during their West Coast swing.
"We just don't hit," Garner said. "It's unbelievable. We're having a tough time right now. Teams go through this. Every team I've had goes through it. We should have had our run of bad hitting.
"We have to break out. We have to score some runs. Our pitchers have been giving us good enough games. We have to buckle down."
Purpura has been busy on the phone with other general managers in hopes of acquiring a veteran hitter, but he isn't optimistic.
"It's less and less possible to add offense," he said. "We've obviously been trying to do that for some time. You don't know at the end what might shake out. Somebody might be available that wasn't available. That's why you go through your lists and talk to various clubs to see if their situations have changed."
Source: http://www.chron.com/
Any which way the numbers are crunched, the Astros' offense is struggling. That much was evident when they were limited to 15 runs while losing four of six games on the recent six-game trip against the sub-.500 San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Six of those runs were scored when they won the first game of the trip, before the Astros lost four of the next five while managing nine runs total.
"We obviously need to get our offense going again," manager Phil Garner said. "And beyond that, who knows how many wins you need (to win the wild card)? The thing that's critical for me is we need to be back to where it looks like we're going to score runs, where you just know you're going to score runs."
As bad as the offense has been, the Astros have what, on paper, looks like the most favorable schedule among the teams within 2 1/2 games of the National League wild-card lead.
The other four wild-card contenders play in the tough NL East, where they finish the season playing most of their series against each other.
Favorable schedule Of the five wild-card contenders, only the Astros play more than one of their final 10 series against teams that aren't division leaders or among the top five wild-card contenders.
"I've long said the schedule is the most favorable," Garner said. "It's the best schedule for all things considered.
"Things like travel, we play teams we're going to compete against, and we finish at home (with a four-game series against the Cubs).
"There's a whole lot of things that are favorable. We shouldn't have any complaints of where we end up. Hey, it's right here for us. We have to be able to take advantage of it."
The Astros have one series each against the teams ahead of them in the wild-card race: the Phillies and Marlins. The Astros are 1 1/2 games behind the wild card-leading Phillies, the team they visit for three games next week.
Tough road for Marlins The Marlins, who carried the wild card to the World Series title in 2003, visit the Astros for a four-game series Sept. 12-15. Florida plays its remaining 10 series against division leaders or wild-card contenders.
Pedro Martinez's surging Mets play nine of their 10 remaining series against wild-card contenders or division leaders. But if they are within striking distance on the final weekend, they close with four games against the lowly Colorado Rockies.
Conversely, only four of the Astros' last 10 series are against wild-card contenders or division leaders. Six of their final 10 series are against the Reds, Cubs, Brewers and Pirates, and two are with the Cardinals, who visit Minute Maid Park for three games this weekend.
If last year was any indication, the Astros might catch a break when they play a two-game set at St. Louis Sept. 27-28. With a huge lead in the division, the Cardinals likely will start resting their starters in the final week of the season in preparation for the postseason.
Now it's up to Astros hitters to pick it up.
"It is imperative that we score runs," Morgan Ensberg said. "If we score five or more runs a game, we'll be in the playoffs. ... We have a World Series-caliber pitching staff, and we need to score for them.
"Hitting is just something that goes in cycles. You have to believe that you're not going to stay in a rut for an extended period of time. Eventually, you need to turn it around. What needs to happen is we need to score runs. It just needs to be a collective effort."
If hitting goes in cycles, most of the Astros have been on a bad run since the All-Star break.
Only two hot hitters Center fielder Willy Taveras and right fielder Jason Lane are the only starters hitting over .300 since the break, Taveras at .302 and Lane at .325.
The rest of the lineup hasn't been as effective, although Lance Berkman has hit a respectable .292 with seven home runs and 22 RBIs since the break.
Over that span Craig Biggio is hitting .232, Ensberg .265, Adam Everett .243, Brad Ausmus .277 and Chris Burke .252.
"We have to be more consistent offensively," general manager Tim Purpura said. "There's absolutely no doubt about it. We have to produce at the top, middle and bottom of the order. We haven't been able to do that. We have to be able to hit in crucial situations and drive in runs in those situations.
"We have pitched well, unbelievable in some ways. Now we have to get the offensive production going so we can get hot again."
During last week's road trip, Ensberg hit .085. Biggio and Lane each hit .182, Burke .235 and Taveras .250. Berkman, at .360, Everett (.333) and Ausmus (.350) swung the bats well.
California downer As a team, the Astros hit .231 with a .276 on-base percentage and a .327 slugging percentage during their West Coast swing.
"We just don't hit," Garner said. "It's unbelievable. We're having a tough time right now. Teams go through this. Every team I've had goes through it. We should have had our run of bad hitting.
"We have to break out. We have to score some runs. Our pitchers have been giving us good enough games. We have to buckle down."
Purpura has been busy on the phone with other general managers in hopes of acquiring a veteran hitter, but he isn't optimistic.
"It's less and less possible to add offense," he said. "We've obviously been trying to do that for some time. You don't know at the end what might shake out. Somebody might be available that wasn't available. That's why you go through your lists and talk to various clubs to see if their situations have changed."
Source: http://www.chron.com/
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