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Entering the season, the pitching staff for the Astros was suppose to be a strength for this team but after two weeks the results have not been good outside of Brett Myers. The Astros have a team ERA of 5.57, which makes the team 28th out of 30 teams.

This was partially expected as some of the Astros pitchers, like Wandy Rodriguez and Bud Norris, is perennially slow starters and usually get it together the second half of the season. However, there are some pitchers within the Astros organization that could potentially help the Astros pitching staff.

Spring Training is primarily used to get the players ready for the season as well as allow players to battle it out for any open spots in the lineup. The Astros roster was pretty much set before pitchers and catchers showed up so this was a good opportunity for management to evaluate some of it's young talent.

Before spring training started, some people had guarded optimism about this team heading into 2011. After trading away top stars Lance Berkman and Roy Oswalt, they had a record above .500 and were playing pretty good baseball down the stretch. They had four rookies in their starting lineup and rotation and if these young players continued to develop, the Astros would be competitive this season.

After the Houston Astros traded Roy Oswalt last summer, there has been a glaring need for a true ace, someone who can anchor the top of the rotation and set an example for the rest of the pitchers. Brett Myers pitched well down the stretch for them last year but does not have the talent to be that true ace the Astros need.

With pitchers and catchers reporting to Spring Training next week, teams around the league are looking to shore up their rosters and prepare for the season ahead. In Houston, Astros GM Ed Wade has some big decisions not only in the next few months, but also important choices for the future of the franchise.

Wade made a lot of big deals this offseason, notably bringing in Bill Hall and Clint Barmes for veteran support in the middle of the infield and also signing veteran ace Wandy Rodriguez to a new three year, $34 million contract.

The New York Yankees were probably very disappointed this week to hear that Andy Pettitte has decided to retire instead of return for another season with the Bronx Bombers. Now heading into spring training this leaves two big holes in their starting rotation that will most likely be filled by either Ivan Nova, Sergio Mitre, Bartolo Colon or Freddy Garcia.

The Houston Astros about halfway through last season decided to enter rebuilding mode by trading both Lance Berkman and Roy Oswalt.

However, there is one more expensive piece currently on the team that could offer some quality pieces in return to help the rebuilding process, and that is Carlos Lee.

With every pitch, Roy Oswalt's time with the Astros comes one step closer to its end.

One of the game's premier pitchers since 2001, Oswalt is the biggest bargaining chip for an Astros franchise in desperate need of an overhaul.

After snapping an eight-game losing streak on Carlos Lee's walk-off home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks in a 4-2, the Houston Astros are now 9-18 on the season. They are comfortably nestled in last place in the N.L. Central.

Don't get too excited about the win, Astros fans. The home run was only the first of the season for Lee, who plays in a very right-handed hitter-friendly ballpark and is now dead-even with the infamous Mendoza Line at .200.

Right about now, some may be questioning whether or not Houston’s turnaround is legit; especially after the Astros got swept by the Cincinnati Reds after winning eight of their prior 11 games.

But, let me tell you something: this team has begun the turnaround, and the Houston Astros are well on their way to contending in the National League Central this season.

Although they may not be the hottest thing to hit the diamond in April, May will likely be a different story and it will be a time for the Astros to prove to the doubters that they can and will contend in 2010.

Here are five re