The Astros removed the iterim title from Cecil Cooper yesterday, extending his contract through 2009.

When Cooper was made interim manager on Aug. 27, McLane suggested that the final month of the Astros' lost season amounted to an audition for Cooper, a five-time All-Star during his 17-year playing career.

Cooper said the team needed to play "with more excitement, more fire." He's tinkered with lineups and encouraged more steal attempts since taking over and the Astros have gone 13-15.

"The first couple of weeks on the job, I'd look around the dugout and all eyes would be on me," he said. "I know I have to stand up and be the right kind of leader, the right kind of guy. And I expect them to follow me. So far, they have."

The whole stolen base issue is nonsense. They attempted .60 steals per game under Garner, .62 under Cooper. They stole at a poor 66% clip under Garner, a better 72% rate under Cooper, although that's not far above break even. I'd really like to see Cooper address the real short comings of the team, poor hitting against right-handed pitchers and a very poor pitching staff. What kind of player does he want Ed Wade to acquire to fix these problems?