NL Central Preview: Houston Astros

My NL Central preview is going to be a little bit different from your typical preview. Let's be honest - nobody wants to hear what I think about the division.

Instead, I've scoured the interweb, and found a couple of fan comments about their particular team that I think are fairly representative of what each team's fans think of their prospects this season. These were gathered mostly from the comment section that most websites now include with their stories (ESPN.com, Fox Sports, etc.)

Please remember that any spelling errors or other ridiculous statemens are not mine - they come straight from fan comments.

First up is the Houston Astros...without further adieu:

oldoug

The Stros hit the offseason needing to add starting pitching. Instead, they sacrificed defense and gutted a week farm system to add offense. Their ruling troika of McLane, Smith, and Wade have set the team back many years, and they will join the once proud Cardinals in fighting off the Pirates for fourth. The only hope of improving is for McLane to ignore Selig's slotting money in the draft, trust their scouts, and sign the best available players for the future. Definitely need Pence, Bourn, and Towles to come through, though the latter two are definitely lacking in experience. Will still be cheering them, but don't have high expectations.

p_rez

I know I was one of the first to start worring about all the players (prospects/starters) GM Ed Wade was sending away. It was an all too familiar site for me as Astro's fan. There was a time that I started to accept the fact that we had to just start over and rebuild from the ground up. I figured we would have to wait years and years for another contending team. To my surprise Ed Wade started to add peices to this broken puzzle. Unfortunatley, in my opionion, it still isn't enough. We still need a quality number 2 pitcher to help out the Wizard. One Ace and a mediocre pitching staff is not going to cut it. The Astro's are going to have to rely on there offense to out score their opponents. There is no other way I see it as of now..........

In summary, no farm system and no pitching means it's going to be a long season for Astros fans.