Opinion

Astros' reboot a practical step toward upgrade

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For the Houston Astros, this lost major-league season represents something other than scoreboards, standings and swings and misses.

It's Marine Corps boot camp.

The organization, from top to bottom, is being stripped of its identity as surely as any wide-eyed band of recruits arriving at Parris Island, S.C., each year. Reduced to a collection of anonymous bodies in uniforms, sent out to march for a common cause, you can't find a star at Minute Maid Park these days unless the no-names on the field are wearing throwback jerseys.

And, as painful as it may be for franchise loyalists, that's just fine.

When Houston pulled off multiple-player deals with the Blue Jays and White Sox last week, shipping out a series of solid though unspectacular big-league pitchers for a grizzled reliever and an accompaniment of minor-league talent, it was the latest installment of a proactive rebuilding process that targets the future at the expense of today.

As any Astros fan will tell you, today is as dismal as any time in the organization's 51 years. The ballclub, which dropped a franchise-record 106 games a season ago, will hit the century mark in losses again this season in the kind of startling free-fall that usually includes a shredded parachute.

Houston, with manager Brad Mills working the levers and pulleys like a caffeinated wizard in Oz, has been the victim of a perfect game earlier this season and nearly was no-hit last week.

The Astros traded reliever Brett Myers (above) to the Chicago White Sox on Saturday for left-hander Blair Walters, right-hander Matt Heidenreich and a player to be named. The Astros traded reliever Brett Myers (above) to the Chicago White Sox on Saturday for left-hander Blair Walters, right-hander Matt Heidenreich and a player to be named. Photo: Gene J. Puskar, Associated Press Photo: Gene J. Puskar, Associated Press Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Astros' reboot a practical step toward upgrade 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

When an Astros hitter walks to the plate of late, opposing pitchers have to beware of getting illegal drool on the baseball.

But that's today. Tomorrow, even with its pending move to the American League West, increasingly holds the kind of promise that can hold off despair.

The trade with Toronto, which cost the Astros reliever Brandon Lyon and starter J.A. Happ off the active roster, imported a scattering of minor-leaguers with major potential. In particular, the club is pleased to welcome right-hander Asher Wojciechowski, 23, a former supplemental first-round pick. On Saturday, Houston got left-hander Blair Walters, the 2011 Pioneer League pitcher of the year, from the White Sox for reliever Brett Myers. Like Wojciechowski, Walters is projected to ascend to Houston sooner than later.

It's the latest infusion of muscle into a farm system that just a season ago was regarded as the weakest in baseball, gutted by former general manager Ed Wade and an ill-fated win-now philosophy.

The current lose-now game plan is a temporary one, and the system upgrades are the reason. Following the edict of recently appointed CEO and president George Postolos, a San Antonio native, the Astros are deconstructing with a reconstruction in mind.

Deals that shipped away the likes of Hunter Pence, Michael Bourn and Roy Oswalt have resulted in headline talent such as first baseman Jonathan Singleton, third baseman Matt Dominguez and shortstop Jonathan Villa in the developmental pipeline.

Further, draft picks such as outfielder Preston Tucker, second baseman Delino DeShields, outfielder George Springer and shortstop Carlos Correa, the overall No. 1 selection a month ago, have electrified a once-moribund farm system.

“Every decision that we make in Houston is with an eye toward eventually competing for a championship,” Postolos said during a visit to San Antonio in the spring.

Until that gain, there will be more pain. And that's just fine.

roliver@express-news.net

Twitter: @RichardCOliver