In our continuing series of asking the enemy for intelligence, GROTA has reached out to Lisa Gray of "The Astros Dugout" on the MVN network. Lisa was kind enough to make an emergency trip to the public library after her computer blue-screen-o-deathed on her... just to answer our questions. Gracias, Lisa!

Without further ado, my lame questions, and her insightful answers.

Q: Ed Wade, eh? What's your opinion of that move? Are we foolish in Chicago to write off the Astros for the next five years because we have no respect for your GM?

- you know, EVERYONE asks me this question. I wasn't exactly impressed with his work with the Phils, as he had the help of Mike Arbuckle and wasn't "working with" the owner's "special assistant" Tal Smith. The Astros owner is very, uh, hands on, shall we say, and I have NO idea how much freedom Wade actually has after taking orders from Tal Smith. It's my opinion that Wade was ordered to get rid of the following players: Brad Lidge, Luke Scott, Adam Everett, Mike Lamb, Chris Burke, Chad Qualls and Matt Albers - with the exception of Scott and Lamb, all players that the fans hated and wanted off the team. He was also ordered to get Tejada, steroids or no steroids. Wade did the best he could. I will reserve judgement until I see if he is able to talk Drayton out of his unspeakably stupid stance of refusing to sign draft picks for more than slot and forfeiting them instead.

Q: The obvious big pick-up over the winter was Tejada, but who are the other new guys? Did you lose anyone over the off-season that you'll really miss?

- Essentially, half the team is new. The catcher, Towles, is a guy who started the beginning of last year in A-ball and ended the year in the majors. I expect him to really struggle, and hopefully, the Organization will let him work through it instead of sending him down. Shawn Chacon has taken Jason Jennings spot in the starting rotation and my granma in a wheelchair would be an improvement on what we got from the injured Jennings. We have the Diaamondbacks closer from last year, Jose Valverde, and who knows whether he will repeat his success of last year or revert to his previous form - that is, not good. Ed Wade signed some fairly average middle relievers in Oscar Villareal and Geoff Geary and found a little lefty reliever, Wesley Wright, on the Dodgers' Rule V list.

- I loved Adam Everett - couldn't hit for spit, but oh LORD, what a beautiful glove. I'll also miss Luke Scott, who should have been given the regular RF job last year. I'll also miss Qualls - a very good, if unspectacular reliever, a workhorse.

Q: Will the Astros break an all time team home run record this year? How good is your lineup? What are it's strengths and weaknesses?

- break the team HR record? Well, anything is possible except pregnant men, so youneverknow. But I think all the reports of Tejada exceeding 25 or so homers is wishful thinking. The lineup seems to be good. Berkman is a star, or he really SHOULD be, Pence is a very good hitter and Lee with ground into 25 DPs and drive in 100 runs, as usual. I would guess that Tejada will hit .300, but his power numbers have been declining for 4 straight years off steroids, so I don't expect miracles. I expect Matsui to be a black hole of suckage in the 2-hole, but he can run fast, so what can I say (think Dusty and his fetish for fast second basemen and you'll understand.) i HOPE that Michael Bourn, our new CF and leadoff man, will have an OBP of at least .330, which some projections say. Ty Wigginton will hit some homers, strike out a lot and GIDP 20 something times (and so will Tejada, by the way.) I would guess that Towles, the new catcher, will hit about as well as Brad Ausmus - at least THIS year. Unlike Brad, I have hopes that if they stick with them, he'll be better as he goes on.

- strength? 4 guys who hit .300; Michael Bourn will steal 40 bases, minimum; Berkman, Lee and Pence will hit for good power and perhaps Tejada will too. - weakness? Best I can tell, Berkman is the only one who isn't afraid to take a walk instead of flailing at sliders out of the strike zone. Also, Lee, Tejada and Wigginton will surely break the all-time team GIDP records. Wigginton is a dead pull hitter and he can't hit the low and away pitch. Matsui in the 2-hole is a waste - Pence should be there, not in the 6-hole.

Q: What's the scouting report on the Astros pitching?

- Roy is an ace. Great FB, curve he can throw at 3 speeds, good 2-seamer and sharp slider - Backe - pitches best under pressure when the national cameras are on him. He has been hurt most of the last 2 years, and who knows how he'll do? DEcent FB, decent curve
- Wandy Rodriguez - lefty who throws at 91-92. Has a good FB when he doesn't nibble, has a VERY good changeup he seldom uses and an excellent curve. Gets too emotional and loses control easily
- Shawn Chacon - a MUCH better reliever than starter
- Chris Sampson - a sinkerballer like Chien Mien Wang. Sampson needs excellent infield defense to be effective and our infield defense is dreadful. Sampson is not, never was and never will be a strikeout pitcher. Poor guy.

Q: What rookie is going to have the most impact for the 'stros this year?

- well, we only have 2 rookies - Towles, the catcher and Wright, the LOOGY. Michael Bourn spent the entire year in the majors last year and I am tired of hearing him labeled as a prospect or rookie. He isn't. I would HOPE that a position player has more of an impact than a LOOGY, but it is baseball and the one thing I can be sure of is youneverknow...

Well, that's it! Thanks again, Lisa. Gametime's at 1:20 today, and despite the horrid weather, your loyal correspondent will be there to bring you a first hand report of the Cubs overwhelming triumph over the hated 'stros!

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