The Houston Astros had their best day of the season Tuesday. They didn’t play.

They may have exceeded that status by the time you read this; they may have actually won a game. But they didn’t win any of their first eight games, and in losing those games they didn’t show much promise for improving greatly as the season progresses. What has happened to the Astros?

This is a franchise that is only five years removed from playing in its first World Series. Yet as good as that team was and as bad as this team is there is a link between them.

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In the overall scheme of baseball things this season, the development that occurred just after opening day will pale in significance to what happens the rest of the season. But it deserves a longer shelf life and a more prominent spot on the shelf than it will have.

Last week USA Today published an article saying that baseball salaries for players on opening-day rosters and disabled list had plunged 17 percent from last year’s opening-day figure. The problem was it wasn’t true.

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When my vacation reliever, Zachary Kram, was 5 years old, I was taken by his knowledge of Major League Baseball so in the spring of 2000 I asked him to predict the division winners for that season. I don’t remember all of his picks, but one stood out. He picked the White Sox to win the American League Central title.

I don’t recall whom I picked to win that division, but I know it wasn’t the White Sox. (Zachary reminds me I picked the Indians, who finished 5 games back.) No one else said the White Sox would win the division. But the White Sox finished first, and I have paid attention ever since to Zachary’s predictions.

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