Astros turn to Oswalt Yet Again

When you think of the stud pitchers for the Houston Astros, who comes to mind first? Roger Clemens? Andy Pettite? Maybe Brad Lidge? Well, the best pitcher on the staff has been and currently is Roy Oswalt.

Forget those other pitchers. Not to take anything away from the often tested Clemens or Pettite, but there is no other pitcher manager Phil Garner would prefer to have on the mound than Roy Oswalt for tonight, a game in which the Astros absolutely need, already down 2 games to 0 in the 2006 World Series.

Oswalt is the only MLB pitcher to record 20 wins in both of the last two seasons, an impressive feat. If the Astros have any chance of coming back to win this series, Roy Oswalt will be at the forefront of it. Let’s not count out the Astros either by any means, they are from out of it at this point. The 1996 Yankees were down 2-0 to the Atlanta Braves before they came back and took four straight to win the World Series. Is there any reason to think the Astros can not do the same? Since I predicted the White Sox in 7 when this series started, I’m not going to waver just yet, but I do think the Astros have plenty of life, and will still take at least two of the next three at home to bring the series back to Chicago. That is, of course, if the umpires don’t blow anymore calls in favor of Chicago, and/or if Brad Lidge can remember how to close a game out…