Houston Astros

...It's spring training .

No, I'm not trying to pull an Eeyore and lament in perpetual negativity, but this is the time of year other teams evaluate players, trim their rosters and work to get their starters into baseball shape.

"Duh, Zowie!" you're probably saying. "Who doesn't know that?"

Well, probably not many. But I feel the need to issue this reminder for those over-excited Houston Astros fans who look at the team's 11-9 spring training record and are already preparing to buy tickets in October for Minute Maid Park.

More than a decade after the last Major League Baseball game was played in the Astrodome, the "Eighth Wonder of the World" still elicits memories from countless Astros fans who found their way to Houston's groundbreaking stadium.

The 'Dome never hosted a World Series, but it was the site of two All-Star Games, two emotionally draining National League Championship Series, and a cavalcade of remarkable pitching performances.

With slugging first baseman Lance Berkman sidelined until at least Opening Day, the Houston Astros are in serious danger of a second straight anemic season at the plate.

In 2009, the Astros finished 14th in the National League in runs scored, 12th in home runs, and 15th in walks.

Much of the problem stemmed from Berkman's inability to stay healthy. In 136 games (his fewest since 2005), Berkman had only 562 plate appearances (his fewest since 2000).

As if the advent of the 2010 MLB season wasn’t stressful enough, the Houston Astros were dealt with a major blow today.

Lance Berkman is scheduled to have surgery on his left knee Saturday, and while his projected recovery time is said to be only two weeks, a month or longer is more likely, leaving the Houston Astros season in dyer straights.

As I read the news, watch bits of ESPN ,and look at videos on the Internet, I see some parallels between Houston Astros pitching this spring training and one particular scene from the 1988 movie Tucker: the Man and His Dream .

Imagine if Joe Morgan had spent his prime seasons in Houston instead of Cincinnati.

Picture Kenny Lofton setting the table for Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell during the 1990s.

What if the Astros had re-signed Randy Johnson, which would justified parting with three top tier prospects for what was nothing more than a two-month rental.

Let your imaginations run wild as we look back at five trades that left Astros fans shaking their heads and wondering what was on the minds of the general managers that pulled the trigger.

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