Um...I am going to need a scorecard to cheer for my home team next year.  I gave a shot 3 months ago on trying to be the GM of the mighty 'Stros, but I had my sights set a little low...

Our starting infield from the start of last year was generally Ensberg, Everett, Biggio, Berkman.  Trade, let go, retire, and still there respectively.  Wigginton, Tejada, Matsui, Berkman.  Not bad, but in no way did I forecast that one.  Upgrade in offense at 3B, SS, and 2B (sorry, but I am still a huge Biggio fan, but he had slipped), and Berkman should not have the HORRIBLE start like last year.  I see more errors, but I see many more runs.

The outfield, Lee, Burke, Scott, and Lane as the sub morphed into Lee, Pence, and Scott...We trade Lidge and a little more to get a CF from the Phillies system Bourn.  This is a wait and see move, but if he can hit .270 and play lights out CF (plus he is a local Houston Cougar), while moving Pence to the RF corner...it is an upgrade, slight, but still an upgrade.

Mentioned the Lidge trade and the Tejada trade, a lot of dudes went elsewhere...but another trade to snake Valverde fro mthe D'backs smells of a great move.  Lock up the 9th, and don't worry about which Lidge you will trot out there...

We suffered in depth, relief, and starting pitching in all of these moves.  Troy Patton and Matt Albers were young pitchers that we needed.  Chad Qualls will hurt... and Luke Scott and Adam Everett were good guys.  We did get super sub Loretta to accept arbitration, but the real killer will be the loss of Mika Lamb.  Having a guy that can handle both corner infield spots and hit .300 off the bench, he was an Ace in the Hole...

Our SP should go some form of Oswalt, Backe, Sampson, Williams, and Rodriguez.  I am not 100% on board with the latter two, but we have some depth, just not a lot of top of the rotation quality outside of Roy.  If we can stumble on some depth, set up, and middle relief help (and no, sniffing at Mark Prior does NOT count), it looks to be fun in 2008.