Quote:
It's possible the Reds will displace the Astros because they hired a new GM who simply made better moves, than Pupura, to improve his club.
No way Clack, and I think you know that blame for the Astros' woes this season does not lie with Purpura. The Reds may displace the Astros, but I believe it would be more accurate to say that the Reds' players performed better. Or rather, the Astros' players performed like *%^$.

Is it Purpura's fault that Ensberg hit below the Mendoza line for 2+ months? Is it Purpura's fault that Lidge is lost? Is it Purpura's fault that Lane has been at the Mendoza line all season? Is it Purpura's fault that Biggio, Everett, and Ausmus swing at pitches way out of the strike zone way too often? Is it Purpura's fault that Ensberg watches pitches go right through the heart of strike zone for a K too often? Is it Purpura's fault that Astros' pitchers throw pitches down the middle of the plate on 0-2 counts way too often? Is it Purpura's fault that the Astros' situational hitting is pathetic? Is it Purpura's fault that this pathetic offense is contagious - see Aubrey Huff (unless your name is Berkman)? Is it Purpura's fault that the bullpen trio of Qualls, Wheeler, and Lidge, that formed one of the best bullpen's in baseball for 1.5 years, would totally suck during stretches of this season? Is it Purpura's fault that Pettitte has sucked this season? The answers to all of the foregoing are a big fat NO!

The fact is, the Astros' players have not performed, and too many of them have performed so far below their norms that it makes you wonder if there's not something more going on here. I've put this out there before, and I still believe that there's something to it. The only player seemingly immune to it, is Berkman. Major league baseball clubs don't have offensive slumps of this magnitude multiple times during a season, and this has been going on since 2004. And I'm afraid that bringing in another player (by trade or promotion from the minors); whether it's Tejada, Lee, A-Rod, or Pence, will likely be more of the same. They will slump just like the rest of the team. Just look at Huff. He was "hotter than a depot stove" when he arrived. (Sorry about the Milo quote.) Huff had one good game, and now he's in the tank with the rest of this offense and is not doing too well on the defensive side either. I'm wondering how long it's going to take Luke Scott to join in the festivities.