Go Astros...

Last year I was silent about the Astros run through the playoffs for fear of jinxing anything. They lost.

So this year I'll be up front about my support. This is going to be a very tough series - similar to the Braves series, I think the 'stros have the better pitching, the Cards' have the better bats. But the Cardinals are much better than the Braves, so this will be tougher. But...Pettite, Oswalt, Clemens - I'm cautiously optimistic.

Here is some reading:
Pettitte, Carpenter front and center a year later: Both sidelined for 2004 playoffs, starters make up for lost time in big way

No long faces over new faces: Skippers like what moves did to help their teams

Pitching's good reason to be relaxed

Cards on another level

Two loaded pitching staffs face off in NLCS rematch

Let's go Astros!