MLB

How Can Things Get Any Worse For The Astros? Quick, Everyone Into The Statmobile!

It is very tough to be a Houston Astros fan right now.

At 15-30, the Astros currently sit 10 games in back of a first place tie between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds (both the Cards and Reds are 26-20), in the cellar of their division behind the likes of the Pittsburgh Pirates and OH SWEET MERCY THEY ARE BEHIND THE PIRATES!

As if that wasn’t enough, they’re tied with the Orioles for the title of fewest wins in baseball.  But to put this in perspective, the 4 non-Chesapeake-based teams in the AL East, whom the Orioles have played a combined 27 times, have at least 26 wins.

Why is this happening? When you look at the numbers–particularly with regard to team batting– it’s not tough to see why. To the Statmobile!

The Astros rank last in MLB in batting (.227 BA, .030 points below the ML average), OBP (.274, .046 points below the ML average), SLG% (.322%, .082 points below the ML average), HR (24 home runs, 21 below the ML average), RBI (129, 64 blow the ML average), runs scored (133, 72 runs below the ML average), and every other statistical category except triples (silver lining!).

Okay, it’s bad. But how bad is it really?

Bad enough so that both Roy Oswalt (who, despite posting a 2.66 ERA, is 2-6 including an 0-3 record in May despite allowing only 8 runs in 4 starts) and Lance Berkman–the two homegrown stars of the franchise who have been on the team since ’97 and ’99 respectively–have openly stated that, although they love playing for the only franchise they have ever known, they would wave their no trade clauses to play for a contender.

“It’s not like I’m not happy here…But I want to win, too. If you go into spring training and you’re not willing to win the whole thing, there’s no sense in playing.”

If the Astros continue to fail to win–despite the fact that reports have been shot down that they are currently shopping Oswalt–around July 31st, the organization may add insult to injury for their fans.