Interleague Series preview: Sox @ Astros

Houston Astros (37-42)

NL Central: 5th, 12 GB
Streak: W1
Last 10: 4-6

Offensive stats (NL rank)
AVG.: .262 (5th)
OBP: .321 (13)
RUNS: 345 (10)
HRS: 81 (7)
Pitching Stats (NL Rank)
ERA: 4.42 (11)
BAA: .270 (13)
RUNS: 377 (6)
SVS: 21 (4)

3 game series at Minute Maid Park
Game 1 Friday 8:05ET
Matsuzaka (8-1, 3.46) vs. Hernandez (NR)
Game 2 7:05ET
Lester (6-3, 3.13) vs. Backe (5-8, 4.82)
Game 3 Sunday 2:05ET
Beckett (7-5, 3.73) vs. Mohler (4-3, 4.03)

KEY 'STROS:
- 1B Lance Berkman .367, 21HR, 63RBI, .450OBP, 70R, 26 2B, .705 SLG% I would be remiss if I didn't mention Taylor Hicks' doppelganger first, since he is leading the club in every offensive stat including man boobs. Earlier this season he was hotter than jalapeno salsa, when a 17 game hitting streak had his average at .399, but now he is merely mildly flaming. And I mean that in a nice way.

- LF Carlos Lee .277, 17HR, 59RBI, 38R, 22 2B, .527 SLG% the gargantuan slugger had been off his game this season until a recent hot streak made his stats look respectable, but he can always hit the ball a mile at any given time. Close runner up to Berkman for the team leads in most major offensive categories, including man boobs.

-Miguel Tejada .288, 10HR, 43RBI, .327OBP, 54R, .455 SLG% the artist formerly known as Miggy has found a home in Houston, the perfect place for a former MVP/juicer who lied about his alleged involvement with PEDs as well as his age to hide out. After all, Clemens and Pettitte laid low there for years

EX SOX:
- 2B Mark Loretta .252, 2HR, 16BI, 10R, 8 2B, 14BB in 50 gms the 2006 Sox starting second baseman will forever be remembered in the Nation for blasting that game winning run against the Mariners on Patriot's Day. Not to mention he hit .285 with 59 ribbies and 75 runs scored and played solid D for the club that year.

He was just named the starter after Kaz Matsui was placed on the DL on Tuesday

PREVIEW:
Boston kicks off its 2008 interleague swan song in the city that is synonymous with heated Red Sox rivalries: Houston.

You remember all the times the Sox and 'Stros duked it out, going head to head by engaging in heated battles to decide...what's that? This is only the second time these two clubs have ever met, the first coming in 2003?

Never mind.

Either way Boston will say farewell to Bud Seligs's brainchild this weekend by taking on the embattled Astros. And I say embattled because the team just had to jettison tonight's scheduled starter, Shawn Chacon, after he went all Latrell Spreewell on the club's GM, Ed Wade.

In his stead Houston will call upon recently signed starter Runelvys Hernandez, a charter member of the All Name team whose previous claim to fame was when he started 4-0 with a 1.10 ERA for Kansas City in 2003 before injuries and ineffectiveness caused him to go 17-29 in parts of four season since then.

Another thing in Boston's favor is it won't have to face Roy Oswalt, who despite having an off season (6-8, 4.77) is still by far the best starter Houston has on its roster.

In other words, the Sox had better sweep these guys or face the fugly fact of having to head to Tampa Bay on Monday looking up at the red hot Rays in the standings.

If the Sox have any hopes of sweeping the 'Stros they must have a quality outing tonight from their own embattled starter, Daisuke Matsuzaka.

After spending almost a month on the DL with a shoulder ailment, Matsuzaka returned to the mound a week ago tonight and looked like one of my son's Little League teammates in an embarrassing effort against the Cardinals at Fenway.

Dice-K looked lost and lethargic in his one plus inning of work, allowing six hits, three walks and seven runs while retiring just three batters, and even though his numbers were made worse when reliever Chris Smith surrendered a grand slam to Troy Glaus after relieving Matsuzaka, everyone in the Nation knew how ugly and unsuccessful this return to action was.

Should Dice suffer a similar fate against the weaker Astros lineup, a team that is last in the NL in walks (221) and is near the bottom in on base percentage, then the club will have to do some serious thinking about what direction to take with the trade deadline a month away.

Do we want to mortgage the future by dealing for a CC Sabathia? Of course not. But if Matsuzaka really is running on fumes after pitching so many innings in Japan the team might have no choice but to go after a horse in order to keep its postseason aspirations alive.

All of this speculation could be put to rest if he comes out tonight and throws seven innings of 2-run ball.

But if he doesn't you can bet Theo's phone will be ringing off the hook this weekend, and it'll soon be deal or no deal time for the Boston GM.