Well, RyanED does have a point about the pitching lately. If you wanted to see an optimistic side, the starting pitching has been very good in recent games. Roy Oswalt seems to have returned to form (and his ERA would reflect that if Michaels hadn't dropped a flyball in Minnesota). Russ Ortiz is pitching very well. Wandy pitched well. And Moehler hasn't been that bad in recent games. To the extent that pitching is the key to winning over the long term, I would take those as fairly positive signs.

The down side, the Astros' sloppy defense costs them again. And the offensive team's poor construction continues to produce less than you expected.