Look to the Phillies for hope.

2004 Phillies: Manager: Larry Bowa (Hard nosed guy with a bad clubhouse…sound familiar)

1B – Jim Thome

2B – Placido Polanco (Chase Utley wasn’t a starter yet)

3B – David Bell

SS – Jimmy Rollins

RF – Bobby Abreu

CF – Marlon Byrd

LF – Pat Burrell (I may have them mixed Burrell and Byrd up)

C – Mike Lieberthal

Pitchers:

Brett Meyers

Kevin Millwood

Eric Milton

Randy Wolf

Vicente Padilla

Changes were made but it was players who came up from the minors not guys who they brought in via free agency. They brought in a new manager (Charlie Manuel) who had a better relationship to the players making for a better clubhouse.

2005 (Phillies who came up one game short after being, well, bad in 2004)

1B - Jim Thome (Ryan Howard waiting in the wings)

2B – Placido Polanco (Chase Utley playing a major role by years end)

3B – David Bell

SS – Jimmy Rollins

RF – Bobby Abreu

CF – Marlon Byrd

LF – Pat Burrell

C – Mike Lieberthal

Pitchers didn't change much.

(With young players like Victorino, Tucker and Michaels and veterans like Lofton helping along the way they finished just one game out)

Notice that they brought along their young talent as quickly as they could (we are starting to do this)  to get deeper and get the kids more time at the MLB level. They got better for a longer time by doing this....just ask the Marlin's if it works. Now they have two straight World Series appearances and could be three in 2010.

If you look at what the Astros are doing the "road map" is the same. I write all of this to encourage you as Astros fans to stay on board. Don’t lose hope. I believe there is a light at the end of this loser’s tunnel.

The Astros are following the same "map of success". We have a good mix of youth and experience. If this team can get healthy Berkman, Lee and Oswalt can point the way for Bourn, Pence and Norris to get this team back on top. Players like Johnson and Manzella are more pieces to the puzzle. With a better atmosphere; an atmosphere created by people who are used to winning; this is going to be a "good" team in 2010……… and I believe it will be even better in 2011 and for many more years to come.