Houston Astros (51-51); Tied for Third Place -- 4.0 GB

Last Week’s Record: 2-5

Last Week’s Opponents: New York Mets (1-2); Chicago Cubs (1-3)

Transactions:  
Designated RHP Chad Paronto for assignment.
Activated RHP Chris Sampson from the 15-Day DL.
Placed RHP LaTroy Hawkins on the 15-Day DL with shingles.
Called up RHP Bud Norris from AAA-Round Rock.
Optioned 2B Edwin Maysonet to AAA-Round Rock.
Activated RHP Doug Brocail from 15-Day DL.
Released RHP Russ Ortiz.
Recalled RHP Samuel Gervacacio from AAA-Round Rock.

Who’s Hot?:  
Carlos Lee -- .308/.367/.577, 8 for 26, 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 3 BB, 0 K
Wandy Rodriguez -- 0-0, 7.0 IP, 6 H, ER, 2 BB, 7 K

Who was Not?:
Ivan Rodriguez -- .136/.136/.136, 3 for 22, RBI, 0 BB, 7 K
Mike Hampton -- 1-1, 9.2 IP, 16 H, 13 ER, 8 BB, 8 K, .400 Opp. BA

Crash and burn.  That’s the week the Astros had.  There were plenty of opportunities for them to save it, but the loss of Lance Berkman and collapse of Mike Hampton as a productive starter has me wondering if these guys are going to make me a fool for talking them up all month.  At least the front office finally came to their senses when they released Russ Ortiz.  Bud Norris will finally get his opportunity to take over.  The big problem is the possible loss of Roy Oswalt who needed a cortisone shot in his back after leaving his start early on Tuesday.  Age appears to be catching up to this elderly team.

It’s a bit surprising that the Astros didn’t make a splash at the trade deadline, but at the same time it’s not.  They have so much money locked up in guys like Berkman, Lee, Tejada and Oswalt, they’re unable to take up any contracts despite the overwhelming need for starters.  What’s sad is that it took a week like this to push out guys like Ortiz for younger talent with slightly higher upsides.  There’s a good chance the Astros will be able to hang around when Berkman and Oswalt get back, but they could have gotten a head start if the front office wasn’t so scared of the youngsters.  Look for Bud Norris and Yorman Bazardo (The likely call up if Oswalt hits the DL) to get serious looks over the next few weeks.

Who’s Next?
The Astros can put themselves right back in the race this weekend with a good performance in St. Louis with an epic pitching matchup between Carpenter and Rodriguez on Saturday.   They’ll return home Monday to start a three game set against a revamped San Francisco Giants offense.


Cincinnati Reds (45-56); Fifth Place -- 9.5 GB

Last Week’s Record: 1-6

Last Week’s Opponents:  Chicago Cubs (0-3); San Diego Padres (1-3)

Transactions:
Activated SS Alex Gonzalez from the 15-Day DL.
Optioned SS Drew Sutton to AAA-Louisville.
Placed RHP Jared Burton on the 15-Day DL with right shoulder fatigue.
Recalled RHP Josh Roenicke from AAA-Louisville.
Placed RHP Micah Owings on 15-Day DL with a ‘tight’ right shoulder.
Placed OF Chris Dickerson on the 15-Day DL with a bruised right rotator cuff.
Recalled SS Drew Sutton from AAA-Louisville.
Traded RHP Robert Manual to the Seattle Mariners for OF Wladimir Balentien.
Called up RHP Justin Lehr (former Brewer) from AAA-Louisville.

Who’s Hot?:  
Jerry Hairston -- .333/.333/.600, 5 for 15, 2B, HR, RBI
Homer Bailey -- 1-02, 7.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, BB, 4 K

Who was Not?:
Willy Taveras -- .160/.160/.160, 4 for 25, 0 BB, 2 K, 2 RBI
Johnny Cueto -- 0-2, 11.0 IP, 18 H, 10 ER, 5 BB, 7 K, .375 Opp BA.

The Reds weren’t ever a great team with their current roster, but with Edinson Volquez, Bill Bray, Jared Burton, Chris Dickerson, Ramon Hernandez, Jay Bruce and Micah Owings on the disabled list, they’re not much of a team at all.  The 1-6 record is indicative of as much.  Sadly, this overwhelming amount of injuries may save Dusty Baker’s job at the end of the season.  The veteran manager has been destroying pitchers’ arms and blocking good ball players with bad ones for years.  I thought the collapse this season would be enough to push him out, but he suddenly has an excuse.

The loss of some of their best players as the Reds 15th out of 16 teams in the NL in BA (.244) and 14th in OBP and SLG (.313/.388).  You could have the best pitchers in the league put a rotation together and still lose games with those numbers.  The only team with lesser numbers is the San Diego Padres, and they nearly swept Cincinnati.  With Johnny Cueto starting to struggle, the Reds aren’t too far away from being worse than the Nationals.  That’s not saying much about the Brewers.

Who’s Next:
The Colorado Rockies are in Cincinnati this weekend for a three game set and will be followed by the Chicago Cubs for another three.  Everyone in the Central appears to have a day off on Thursday.

Pittsburgh Pirates (43-58); Sixth Place -- 11.5 GB

Last Week’s Record: 1-5

Last Week’s Opponents:  Arizona Diamondbacks (1-2); San Francisco Giants (0-3)

Transactions:
Traded RHP Ian Snell and SS Jack Wilson to the Seattle Mariners for 1B/C Jeff Clement, SS Ronny Cedeno, RHP Aaron Pribanic, RHP Brett Lorin and RHP Nathan Adcock.
Traded LHP Tom Grozelanny and LHP John Grabow to the Chicago Cubs for RHP Jose Ascanio, RHP Kevin Hart and minor league INF Josh Harrison.
Traded 2B Freddy Sanchez for minor leaguer RHP Tim Alderson.
Activated and recalled OF Lastings Milledge from AAA-Indianapolis.

Who’s Hot?:  
Ryan Doumit -- .333/.318/.381, 7 for 21, 2B, RBI
Zach Duke -- 1-0, 13.1 IP, 16 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K

Who was Not?:
Andrew McCutchen -- .120/.179/.200, 3 for 25, 2 BB, 8 K
Virgil Vasquez -- 0-1, 3.0 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K

The Pittsburgh Pirates that started the 2009 season are no longer the same.  Four of the team’s starting nine are playing for new teams, including another from the starting rotation.  Every move, however, made a lot of sense.  The Pirates have no chance of competing this season, but there is not a single big contract left in clubhouse, no whiners and a lot of talent with a lot of potential.  That’s an enormous improvement.  The key for Pittsburgh the rest of the season will just be learning.  They’ll need to figure each other out and develop some chemistry.

In the mean time, they’re going to be a bunch of pushovers.  Much of the talent they acquired this week is unproven with little to no Major League experience, weeks like this aren’t so surprising.  Nevertheless, it’s still very fun to follow this team as Garrett Jones and Andrew McCutchen bring two completely different types of play to the field.  Zack Duke seems to have figured things out, while the youngest guys in the bullpen, Evan Meek, Jesse Chavez and Donald Veal, appear to be the most interesting.  Tim Alderson is probably a few years away, but when he does arrive, the Pirates will have money to lock him up and the rest of the players who impress throughout the next few seasons.  Congratulations Pittsburgh, you may struggle for a bit longer, but you got all the guys you need to be on the right track.

Who’s Next:
The Pirates’ season may be over, but they’ve got a lot to prove on behalf of Neil Huntington.  This is a good week for that to start as they start a 13 game home stand this weekend.  It starts with four games tonight against the Washington Nationals and three games starting Tuesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.