Greetings from Minute Maid Park

Greetings from cool, comfortable (the roof is closed) Minute Maid Park in downtown Houston, where the Astros are hosting the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Astros, as you know, ended their 10-game slide with a 10-2 victory last night over the visiting Cincinnati Reds.

If you're ready to write the Astros off, DON'T. This team showed the baseball world last night just what it's capable of.

This team is better than last year's.

Mark Loretta was 4-for-5 and Carlos Lee, Hunter Pence and Luke Scott were 2-for-4 as the Astros exploded for 16 hits last night.

Oh, and Lance Berkman homered and drove in three runs. (You don't REALLY think Berkman's going to finish the season hitting .244, do you?)

Early-season slumps are nothing new for the Astros. Under Phil Garner, a bad start means a fantastic finish. Remember 2004, 2005 and last year???

There's a LOT of baseball left -109 games, to be exact.

Here are two guarantees: The Astros WILL WIN the National League Central Division this year, AND Berkman will finish the season above .300.

Remember, you read it here first.