Full speed ahead to the playoffs

You might not realize this, but the Astros are involved in a playoff push. While the Pirates and Reds have spent the last month trying to restock for the future, Ed Wade has added LaTroy Hawkins and Randy Wolf in his unlikely push to catch Milwaukee for the wild card, further depleting the shambles that were once known as a minor league system. Today, he's come up with another coup; he's claimed Jose Castillo off of waivers.

"We just felt that at this point with (Ty) Wigginton playing a lot of outfield and (Kazuo) Matsui down — if we had a chance to get this guy he'd give us another experienced infielder — and it gives (Cecil Cooper) a lot more flexibility," general manager Ed Wade.

[...]

Wade remembered the raves Castillo would get from former Pittsburgh Pirates manager Chuck Tanner, who was scouting out of the Pittsburgh area when Castillo played for the Pirates from 2004 through 2007.

"When you look at it, he's 27 and he could do more than just serving a reserve role for us at the end of the season," Wade said. "He's got a chance to help us going forward as well, so it made sense."

Don't quotes like that bring back awful memories? Aren't you happy to have a GM that doesn't make a career out of saying those kinds of things? Do they REALLY think Jose Castillo will help them going forward?

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