National league preview: the Braves and Mets in the East, Cardinals and Astros in the Central and Diamondbacks and Padres in the West will be in the thick of the pennant race in '06.

From: Baseball Digest | Date: March 1, 2006| Author: Rutter, Joe | Copyright information

IF THE HOUSTON ASTROS PROVED one thing last year on their way to reaching the World Series, it's that a worn-out baseball adage just happens to ring true.

It really isn't about how you start, but how you finish.

The Astros were sitting 15 games under .500 on May 24 and talk of breaking up the 2004 team that won its first-ever playoff series started to intensify throughout Houston. That is until the Astros caught fire and made an improbable run toward history. ...

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