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Certain things happen in October. In some parts of the country, the leaves change colors and the air turns cooler, signifying a change in seasons. In Houston, in four of the last five years, the Astros do their routine choke job in the playoffs.
Once again, this team headed into the postseason with high hopes and the mindset that this was their year. Where have fans heard that before? It was, however, expected to be different this season. Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio, who have had disastrous playoff performances that have tarnished their great careers, wouldn't have to carry the entire offensive load this time. The rotation was strong, and the bullpen was as good as it's ever been. The result? Another meltdown in Houston at the hands of the Braves. Yet, despite another disappointing playoff trip, Astros fans have every right to feel optimistic about the future of this team. Why? Other than a brilliant GM -- Gerry Hunsicker -- this team is loaded with young studs like Lance Berkman, Roy Oswalt, Tim Redding, Carlos Hernandez and Wade Miller.
Best Pitcher: With all due respect to Miller, who proved his worth in both the regular season and his one playoff start, Oswalt gets the nod here. The Astros had so much confidence in the young right-hander that had he been healthy, he would have been their No. 1 starter in the playoffs. Oswalt's numbers were outstanding (14-3, 2.73 ERA), and his home stats bordered on ridiculous. If you're going to criticize some of the hitters' stats because they play at hitter-friendly Enron Field, then you should give Oswalt his just due with what he did at home (8-1, 2.15 ERA). If St. Louis' Albert Pujols didn't have one of the most awesome offensive seasons ever by a rookie, Oswalt could have taken home the NL Rookie of the Year award this season. However, 2001 won't be the last time Oswalt will be contending for individual honors. Poise, talent, toughness. The 24-year-old has it all.
Best Position Player: In his first full season, Berkman made an All-Star appearance, the first of what is likely to be many. Padres future Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn called him a great young hitter and a star-in-the-making at this year's All-Star game. Who's going to argue with one of baseball's all-time great hitters? Sure, Berkman did tail off in the second half (.290, nine homers, 47 RBI), but maintaining the numbers he posted in the first half (.365, 25, 79) would have been quite an accomplishment. The switch-hitting outfielder is only going to get better, which is kinda scary -- if you're the opposition.
Grading the Manager: C- The Larry Dierker bashing didn't start in the playoffs. It did, however, culminate there. His resume included four division titles in five years, but that wasn't enough to save his job. The only numbers that mattered were 2-12 -- Dierker's postseason record with Houston. He resigned on Oct. 18, and it didn't come as much of a surprise. His questionable decisions on the field and his demeanor in postgame interviews in the divisional series didn't sit too well with fans or management. All season, Octavio Dotel had been the setup man to closer Billy Wagner, but in the biggest game of the year (NLDS, Game 1), Dierker opted to go with Mike Jackson -- he of the 4.70 ERA (0-1, 8.22 ERA in September)-- to preserve a slim lead. Huh? Also, shortstop Julio Lugo, who was the scapegoat during the divisional series, remained in the lineup despite his defensive and offensive struggles. Dierker admitted he had lost the respect of the veterans in the clubhouse, telling the Houston Chronicle that "it's obvious some of (the players) were getting tired of me." In the end, his departure from the managerial seat was the right move for all parties involved.
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Astros 2000-01 comparison
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2000
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2001
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W-L
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72-90
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93-69
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HR leader
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Bagwell, 47
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Bagwell, 39
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BA leader
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Alou, .355
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Alou, .331
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ERA
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Elarton, 4.81
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Miller, 3.40
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Most Improved: Despite being small in stature (it's a stretch to call this guy 6-0), he was dominating out of the bullpen, flashing a fastball in the upper 90s that blew away many big-league hitters. No, we're not talking about Wagner, but the right-handed version of Wagner -- Dotel. More often than not, if the Astros had the lead after six innings, (not inculding Dierker's playoff "strategy") the game was as good as won, and a major reason was Mr. Reliable out of the bullpen. How dominant was Dotel? In 84 innings in relief, he was 6-3 with an ERA of 1.93 and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 128/33. By comparison, last season he was 3-7 with a 5.40 ERA.
Biggest Weakness: As dangerous as the offense was (in the regular season, that is), the Astros were susceptible because they were a predominantly right-handed batting lineup, which could explain some of their postseason struggles. As a team, they struggled to manufacture runs. They don't really bunt that often, unless it's Lugo, and in the playoffs "little ball" can sometimes take you a long way. The Astros also stole only 64 bases, with the top two hitters in the batting order, Biggio and Lugo, combining for 19. Hunsicker said he hopes to address these issues in the offseason.
Gaining Momentum: Starting rotation. Oswalt, Miller, Shane Reynolds, Redding and Hernandez may comprise the starting five next season. Oswalt and Miller have proven they can succeed in the major leagues, and Reynolds provides the veteran presence on the staff. Hernandez and Redding were limited in their opportunities with the big-league club, but both showed flashes of their awesome potential. It's possible that Redding could be the best of this group, which says a lot given Oswalt and Miller's performances in the majors. Not only are they good, they're also young. Oswalt is 24, Miller is 25, Redding is 23 and Hernandez is 21. Only Reynolds is approaching the end of his career, although at 33, he still has a few good years left.
Kicked Off the Island: Why would anyone want to get rid of a hitter like Moises Alou? Maybe it's because he can never play a full season. Another reason? He's a free agent whose asking price on the market will likely be too steep for this medium-market team. When Alou's healthy, he's a great hitter. However, this season was probably his last with the Astros. Daryle Ward and premier prospect Jason Lane are waiting in the wings, which makes him expendable. Since joining the Astros, Alou has been out of the lineup for various freakish injuries ranging from falling off his bike to hamstring pulls to annoying calf strains. It was nice while it lasted, but this is one relationship that likely ended in the playoff loss to Atlanta.
Anna Sivadasan is an assistant editor at ESPN.com
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