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It's too early to tell how the starting pitching is going to hold up over the full course of the regular season, but the overall offense ( runs scoring per game ) is about where many people expected it to be through 45 game. A few of the young hitters ( Towles and Bourn ) are starting to swing the bat a little better lately, but neither of them have been hitting as well as they probably can hit.

I mean hey, 25-20 after 45 games is certainly 10 games better than the 15-30 record the Astros had back in 2005 during the same year they went to the World Series. So naturally, my first inclination is to say that anything is possible, regardless of any negative comment you can conjure up for this year's team.

Starting pitching, the lack of not having one more reliable starter, not to mention Roy Oswalt hasn't exactly been the great Wizard of Oz we expect to see, and the shortage of bullpen depth are the only major concerns I have right now. But a heavy dose of a more determined and dominating Brandon Backe and some more life out of Brocail and Wright is just what the doctor ordered. Jose Valverde is dominating which is great, and getting Geary back healthy might be enough to carry the Astros' bullpen as time pushes forward. Obviously, Oscar Villarreal is struggling mightily and Dave Borkowski is always shaky at best. I think adding Fernando Nieve to the bullpen will be a big plus as times goes by ( he has great life on his fastball, sensational velocity ), and either Moehler or Sampson ( one of them ) will be moved into the bullpen once Wandy Rodriguez returns from the disabled list.

It's difficult to project much of anything to be honest with you. Prior to this season starting, I had predicted the Astros would win 87 games, while many other people predicted they would be lucky to win anywhere from 80 to 85 games. There are times I feel like this year's team can win 95 games, especially during the great baseball we've been seeing in May, but there are other times I feel less optimistic when the starting pitching or bullpen gets roughed up.

Ultimately ( as always ), the 2008 Houston Astros are only going to go as far as their pitching will take them. The offensive explosion is going to slow down at some point in time ( for at least a game or two every now and then ), and those are the games our pitching needs to be up to the task.