And it's not pretty. It's a big ol' piece, so we won't take too much from it, but it does address the need to trade Pence:
But if the Astros don't improve quickly, Pence and Bourn won't be prime-time players when the team comes together. And in the meantime, the team will have to face the prospect of re-signing them when they become eligible for free agency.
The biggest problem the Astros will face in rebuilding the team is the paucity of Major League-ready prospects. In the Astros' organization, if you are young and ready for the show, you are already in Houston.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
