Houston last in division, 8 1/2 games out of wild card going into second half

By CHRIS DUNCAN Associated Press HOUSTON -- The defining moment of the Houston Astros' season so far is the ugly confrontation between pitcher Shawn Chacon and general manager Ed Wade in the clubhouse before a game on June 25. What the Astros have done on the field has been mostly forgettable. Houston hit the All-Star break at 44-51, dead-last in the NL Central and 8 1/2 games out of the wild-card spot. Wade, hired in September 2007, made a flurry of offseason moves to kick-start the franchise just two seasons removed from its first World Series appearance. A few changes have paid off, but most have fizzled and despite strong offensive starts from Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee, the Astros are on pace for their second straight losing record after just one in the previous 12 seasons. "We've got to come out of the chute pretty... [read full story]