We have many great articles planned leading up to the 2010 Fantasy Baseball season including sleepers, busts, rookies, strategy, full player rankings and projections all wrapped up into a nifty draft kit to help you win your league next year. Stay tuned for more, but for now, here's a team preview for you.

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2009 RECORD: 74-88, 5th in NL Central

The Houston Astros struggled through a tough season in 2009, posting their lowest divisional finish since way back in 1991. Many of the club's top stars battled injury problems last season, including staff ace Roy Oswalt, who failed to reach 200 innings pitched for the first time in six seasons. Big Bopper Lance Berkman missed a sizable chunk of the season and struggled when he was able to gut it out and play -- and the loss of his big bat dug the 'Stros into a hole from which they could never extricate themselves. The team's outlook for '10 rests on the health of their aging stars -- if that group can stay healthy, the Astros can again be a contender in the NL Central division race.

LINE-UP

1. Bourn, Michael CF
2. Matsui, Kazuo 2B
3. Berkman, Lance 1B
4. Lee, Carlos LF
5. Pence, Hunter CF
6. Feliz, Pedro 3B
7. Keppinger, Jeff SS
8. Quintero, Humberto C

The Houston lineup is not a formidable group, and things could really get ugly if Lance Berkman doesn't get back to mashing the ball again this year. Bourn is a speed merchant, whose .285 average last season was a pleasant surprise. Matsui has battled injury woes his entire career, and it wouldn't be wise to count on that changing in 2010. Lee's home run numbers have dropped the past two seasons, but a guy who can hit .300 and launch 25-plus bombs is still a viable Fantasy commodity. The team brought Feliz in to play third, but expecting more than about .260-15-75 would be a reach. Keppinger has shown flashes of ability during his career, but he doesn't have much pop nor will he steal many bases. Quintero and former uber-prospect J.R. Towles will platoon behind the dish.

STARTING ROTATION

1. Oswalt, Roy RHP (back, should be ready for spring training)
2. Rodriguez, Wandy LHP
3. Myers, Brett RHP
4. Moehler, Brian RHP (knee, should be ready for spring training)
5. Norris, Bud RHP
6. Paulino, Felipe RHP
7. Chacin, Gustavo LHP
8. Loux, Shane RHP

Oswalt had a forgettable 2009 season, but he believes that a new training regimen will help him overcome the back problems that plagued him last year. He makes a great fantasy sleeper pick 12-15 rounds or so into most drafts. Rodriguez's fine season escaped much notice -- perhaps because his home/road split was so dramatic. Wandy was great at home but mediocre on the road, making him a high-maintenance option in roto league formats. Myers will try to recapture some of the glory he has not seen since back in the '06 season with Philly. We wouldn't draft him until he gives us some sign that he's back on track. Of the remaining group, the 25-year-old Norris is the most intriguing, as he went 3-0 with a 1.57 ERA in four September starts last season. 

BULLPEN

1. Lindstrom, Matt RHP
2. Lyon, Brandon RHP
3. Fulchino, Jeff RHP
4. Wright, Wesley LHP
5. Arias, Alberto RHP (knee, should be ready for spring training)
6. Sampson, Chris RHP
7. Byrdak, Tim LHP
8. Majewski, Gary RHP

Lindstrom and Lyon will compete for the closer's job this spring, but this situation has "closer by committee" written all over it. Neither Lyon nor Lindstrom has shown the ability to hold down a ninth-inning job for long, but none of the other Astros relievers have much in the way of closer's experience. Watch this battle as spring training unfolds, but don't count on the winner as a long-term answer. Fulchino, Wright and the loser of the closer's battle stand to share the set-up duties.

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