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Liftoff, at last: a switch in managers, a clubhouse coming-together and big contributions from Carlos Beltran and Brad Lidge launched the Astros back into postseason contention

Sporting News, The, Sept 27, 2004 by Stan McNeal

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Still, Houston was willing to give up Dotel (in a three-team trade) for what could be only three months of Beltran for numerous reasons. Among them:

* "We had put so much into this year and made such a commitment to this team," Hunsicker says. "You don't go out and get Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens and not give it that little extra push to win."

* This is likely the last season for this group. Craig Biggio, in his 17th season with the Astros, also is due to become a free agent and, at 38, will be asked to take a big pay cut if he wants to return. Also, there's virtually no chance Houston will pick up the $9 million option on second baseman Jeff Kent for next season.

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* The Astros have Lidge, a 6-5 righthander with a mid-90s fastball. He leads N.L. relievers in strikeouts (137 in 85 1/3 innings), ranks among leaders in opponents' batting average (. 187) and has been successful in 24 of 28 save opportunities.

With numbers like that, no one's going to be writing off Lidge--or the Astros--in the closing days of the season.

RELATED ARTICLE: A not-so-wild guess at the N.L. wild card: Cubs.

The top four wild-card contenders in the National League were separated by only three games when the week began, and a fifth team, the Marlins, couldn't be dismissed. All have plenty of pluses--and minuses--as they gird for a climactic run:

CUBS

PLUSES

1 The lineup is loaded with power, and power is good. Four Cubs have hit 30-plus home runs--Moises Alou, Aramis Ramirez, Sammy Sosa and Derrek Lee.

2 From No. 1 through No. 5, their rotation is still the best in the game. And that's without Mark Prior and Kerry Wood pitching with their consistency of 2003.

3 Can you say Cubcake? Their schedule down the stretch should be sweet for Cubs fans. Entering this week, the Cubs were 12-6 against their final three opponents--the Mets, Reds and Braves. And the only winning team of the three, Atlanta, will be setting up for the postseason when the Braves visit Wrigley Field.

MINUSES

1 Their bullpen has shown a knack for coming apart. In a recent six-week stretch, Cubs relievers blew seven save opportunities in 15 chances.

2 Being booed at home put Sosa in a funk, and remarks by the club's IV announcers prompted bellyaching from Alou. Dusty Baker has failed to live up to his reputation as a player's manager--he hasn't brought his guys together.

3 Nomar Garciaparra--surprise!--has been in and out of the lineup because of injuries. (There is an upside even here, though: The play of newcomer Neifi Perez, of all players, has made up for Garciaparra's absence.)

BOTTOM LINE

With their schedule, starters and sluggers, watch the Cubs surpass their 88 victories of last season and make the postseason again.

GIANTS

PLUSES

1 Barry Bonds is on their side.

2 Walking Bonds is having a downside beyond annoying ticket buyers. The downside is for opponents--since August 4, following a Bonds walk, the next San Francisco hitter is batting .388.

3 Jason Schmidt has regained his dominating stuff after a rough three-game stretch.

Liftoff, at last: a switch in managers, a clubhouse coming-together and big contributions from Carlos Beltran and Brad Lidge launched the Astros back into postseason contention

Sporting News, The, Sept 27, 2004 by Stan McNeal

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