The Astros avoided arbitration by signing the rest of the fold. Morgan Ensberg, Adam Everett and Jason Lane all signed one year deals. Ensberg struggled last season signed for 4.35 Million. Everett signed for 2.8 Million and Lane for 1.05 Million.

I’m personally glad that all are back for next season. Ensberg is really the player on the spot. If he has the season he did two years ago, the Astros are going to have a feared line up. If he plays like that year, I doubt the Astros will make the playoffs. The question on him is was last year mostly due to injuries or has the National League pitching figured him out.

Last year was suppose to be Jason Lane’s break out season. If he did break out it must have been from acne not with the bat. The thing frustrating about Jason Lane is you can see the talent. He has the tools to be a 30 homerun hitter, but his problem is when he struggles he gets inside his own head too much and makes things worse. When he is struggling at the plate like all players do over a course of a full season, he can turn coal into diamonds. (This isn’t meant as a positive metaphor.)

I know there are Astro fans that are down on Everett. They see the .239 batting average and think he sucks. He doesn’t suck, he is the best defensive shortstop in MLB, PERIOD! No room for argument, discussion, or debate, he is. Just about every game he makes one play that most shortstops can’t make, and makes it look easy.

All pitchers know that one hit that gets by can change the course of the game.  I wager that if you Roger Clemens who would you perfer out there, Adam Everett or a .300 hitting shortstop with average defensive skills, Roger will say Adam.

The Astros lack of hitting last year wasn’t Adam’s fault. The team last year wasn’t designed to get production from Adam. His job was to play short. The team failed because the lack of hitting from Right Field and Third Base. (See Above!) If those two hit to the level of their talent, we wouldn’t be having this conversation and the Astros would have kept the Cardinals out of the playoffs.

While talking about Adam, I have one last thing to say. I’m a fan of Biggio, but I really think it is time for the infield of Ensberg, Everett, Burke and Berkman. Another reason why it is so important for the upcoming season for Morgan to return to form is that he is also the best defensive third baseman we have. He isn’t up to Rolen’s caliber but he is pretty damn good. A ground ball hit to the left side with Ensberg and Everett has to find the right spot to get by these two.

I would also say that at this point Burke is also better defensively than Biggio and most likely a better hitter. Biggio is one of the all time greats and deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. The problem is he is now a back up role player not an everyday starter. I think Burke right now is the better player.

I do have to concede that Biggio does deserve the respect to go into Spring Training as the starter. However, if the end of April he is hitting in the low .200 the Astros need to put Burke at second and figure out who to play in Center Field.

Lambo

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