With or without Clemens, multi-armed Astros not sweating it

There was shortstop Adam Everett hollering across the clubhouse, asking infielder Mark Loretta where Loretta is staying down here this spring. Then Everett was inviting himself over to play golf upon finding out that Loretta lived near a golf resort.

And don't even ask about Berkman greeting a couple of pitchers in tortured Spanish.

They should issue shovels and dog doo bags along with the stirrups and practice caps before the Astros' first full-squad workout Thursday. Because this here group of position players again expects to challenge not only for the NL Central title, but also for the league lead in fun.

And general manager Tim Purpura has assembled such a large collection of pitchers that it might take him several days to dig out from under the pile of arms and locate Clemens if the big man even were to show up.

The Astros have 27 -- count 'em -- pitchers in camp, with one more minor leaguer expected after another annual rite of spring -- visa problems -- is sorted out.

"It's a significant number for us," Purpura concedes. "We usually try to come in the low-to-mid 20s."

Instead, Purpura spent much of the winter hoarding as many arms as possible because of a couple of significant deletions from last year's rotation: Clemens and Andy Pettitte, who re-signed with the Yankees.

The rotation's front three is set in Oswalt, the Cy Young caliber ace; Jason Jennings, acquired from Colorado in the Willy Taveras trade; and Williams, who at 40 might pitch longer than Old Man Clemens and Old Man David Wells at his current pace.

Wandy Rodriguez is the leading candidate for the fourth slot -- despite going 9-10 with a 5.64 ERA last season -- partly because he has been around the major league track a few times and partly because he's left-handed.

After that? Strong-armed Fernando Nieve, veteran Brian Moehler, hot prospect Chris Sampson, perennial prospect Ezequiel Astacio ... the race is on.

"That's our No. 1 issue to resolve, how the rotation sets up," Purpura says. "I always think people put emphasis on the opening day rotation, but the reality is that you're five starters really need to be seven or eight because, over the course of the season, that's the way it works. Unfortunately, you don't avoid injuries and things."

One under-publicized and crucial move was the hiring of veteran pitching coach Dave Wallace, formerly of the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets and Boston Red Sox. The Astros fired Jim Hickey last season, largely because younger prospects like Rodriguez and Astacio were developing neither rapidly nor consistently.

"He's had big star players, and he's had young players," Astros manager Phil Garner says. "He's had that high-pressure situation-type experience, and that's what we have here. We have great expectations here, real high expectations.

"We have real solid pitchers here still, veterans and young pitchers. And Dave has had a wide-range of players in his career. He can teach young guys and he can coach veteran guys."

In order to get all 28 of these pitchers some reasonable facsimile of work while sorting out the prospects from the suspects, it's going to take every bit of organizational ability Garner and Wallace possess.

"You're going to be able to get maybe 14 ready for the season," Garner says. "Somebody might surprise us.

"The unfortunate thing is that when you have this many, that means somebody is probably only going to get one or two innings (in Grapefruit League) games before he's cut. But when you're an organization that has won and expects to win, we're bringing in veterans -- and sometimes the kids have to fight that.

"But guys that are fighting for jobs, we want to give a fair chance."

As they do, you can almost feel Clemens yawn, stretch and roll over from somewhere back in the state of Texas. Maybe he'll eventually join this mix. Maybe he won't. As Berkman says, it's not like the Astros players themselves have any idea.

"We don't know anything," Berkman says. "People ask us, and we have no clue. It's not like we talk to him."

Ausmus, now serious -- sort of -- does not mind saying that he would love to see Clemens return.

"Not just because of the pitching, but he's high entertainment as well," Ausmus says. "That said, other than being in the hunt and winning a lot of games (if the Astros are in the race in May and June, it could persuade Clemens to return), there's not a whole lot we can do."

No, just two seasons removed from their first-ever World Series appearance, these Astros are as calculating as ever. Many of the Series pieces remain in place. The presence of Lee in the lineup behind Berkman finally should give the Astros some thump to brag about.

Why, even if Clemens retires, or signs with the Yankees, get this: The Astros are planning to field a rotation and play their schedule regardless.

"Absolutely," Purpura says, smiling. "We will not concede the season."