The Houston Astros responded to a slide from 86 wins in 2008 to 74 wins in 2009 by cutting their payroll by $10 million.

Gone are LaTroy Hawkins, Miguel Tejada and José Valverde. They may have helped the team this season, but by the time the Astros had reached contender status, they would be gone.

If the Astros are going to match last year’s win total, they’ll need some players to step up and replace their production.

Tommy Manzella fills Tejada’s spot at shortstop. He won’t be able to match Tejada’s production at the plate, but if he can produce a more consistent offense and if the Astros can see some additional production from others in the order, the Astros might not miss Tejada too much.

The other replacement is Kaz Matsui. He represents an upgrade on defense, but his offense will probably make Astros fans miss Tejada.

Houston added Brandon Lyon and Matt Lindstrom to bolster the bullpen. They should help reduce the number of blown saves this season.

The Astros likely won’t match last season’s production with the trades they’ve made. They should win around 70 games, which will probably put them at the bottom of the Division.

Astros fans’ biggest concern shouldn’t be how the team plays, but where they play. With the team sinking, there’s a good chance the owner is looking to sell. A new owner could help get the team relevant again, or it could just move the franchise.