Best Astro

Adam EverettBack in the days before A-Rod and Carlos Guillen, shortstops were scrawny whippets who vacuumed up grounders but couldn't break a lamp taking batting practice in a hotel lobby. Think Mark Belanger or Buddy Harrelson. The Astros' Adam Everett is a throwback to those classic days, from the six-foot, 170-pound physique to the bland offensive performance. He consistently makes dazzling plays in the field, but the Astros kept him in the farm system because Major League pitching simply overpowered him. The team decided 2004 was Everett's now-or-never year, and he's come through just fine. The fielding has remained as sharp as ever, and the batting is more than adequate. Things have been up and down in the Astros' expected cruise to a division title, but Everett has set himself up to anchor the team's defense for a long while to come.