[hiaspire]

Houston's playing better than us. If they are the new Orioles, are we the Royals or Pirates?

There's some truth to what you say, but I don't think teams need to waive the white flag and utterly quit these days like they used to or go into those devastating 7-year plan rebuilding cycles like the Rockies did for so many years while their unprecidented support was demolished.

These are businesses too, and especially down there they have an active owner that is very conscious of giving the fans their money's worth and playing out all 162. All too many organizations are quick on the quit. Throw in the towel, and fans (with their inflated season ticket prices) be damned.

Sounds like they won't have to give up much there if it's just a secondary pitching prospect as rumored, and who knows maybe Wolf is even traded again at the deadline (or at the waiver deadline) if they can't string a couple good series together and get on a streak as they have before. They'll get some players back from injury soon, and the possibility that guys like Hunter Pence pick it up in the second half to go along with Berkman and Carlos Lee having big years.

Houston has a recent history of some strong finishes, and part of it is that willingness to not quit as so many people would probably urge otherwise. There is something to be said for that.