As the dust settles on the winter meetings…….

…….and I calm down; I have taken time to reflect on the moves made by the Astros during the recently ended winter meetings. Maybe I should change my posting name to "Fly’s off the handle". Perhaps before flying off the handle and writing foolish, uninformed, poorly thought out post as I did; we should look at these moves and see the thought that has gone into them.

Instead of rehashing what we all know has happened; here is what I see. Ed Wade is trying to improve the team for 2010 without financially crippling the team and without hurting the upgrades made in the minor league system. I can see that in these moves. Low price, short term deals that allow the young players coming up through the system easier "access" to the big club when they are ready to be help at the major league level. Lyon and Lindstrom could turn out to be the answer in the late innings we once had with Dotel, Lidge and Wagner. We all remember the days when a starter could get through 6 innings with the lead the game was basically over. Perhaps with Fulchino, Lyon and Lindstrom in those roles it could shorten the game actually improving our starting rotation.

Pedro Feliz at third is nothing more than a "semi-low" priced stop gap while we wait to see if Chris Johnson is our long term answer at 3rd base. This is a defensive upgrade and a player that can give some stability to the 6-7 spot in our lineup. He’s not a great hitter but a greater power threat yes Blum. Blum now gets to go to the bench to add some much needed depth and a solid back up at all of the infield positions.

Basically Ed Wade has improved the team but not put us in a position where there is no financial flexibility on the team.

If we keep in mind the good things Ed Wade has done with this team in the short time he’s been here; we must give him the benefit of the doubt and believe that this is not all that will be done and the plan is in motion to make this a good team for a very long time.