Astros contending... Is Cooper Safe?

So all this talk about changing managers was a bit premature.  Is Cecil Cooper really doing a better job now than he was a few weeks ago.   If you listen to the talk coming out of Minute Maid some players still don't like playing for him, but they sure are playing better in spite of him.

The Astros after five straight series wins are just three games under .500 and four games out of first place in the the NL Central.  Yes they're still in last place but they're in it.   They've won 11 of 16.. funny how good you look when the pitching picks up.   The Astros are still just averaging a little more than four runs a game, but recently four has been enough. 

So the big question is..  how much credit do you give Cooper for the resurgence?  Do you believe he's the man that can keep things rolling or is this just a nice move up before a steady move down?   To me the Astros are exactly what they appear to be, a .500 team that will never be completely out of it until late September.   They are who we thought they were.

Bob Slovak