While the Cardinals appear to gathering steam for the stretch run, the Astros continue to scuffle.

The good news: They snapped an eight-game losing streak and won three consecutive series.

The bad news: The Astros waived Shawn Chacon in the aftermath of his altercation with general manager Ed Wade. Then staff ace Roy Oswalt bowed out of Monday’s 4-1 victory over the Dodgers with a strained hip abductor – just as he was looking more like his old self.

It’s always something with this team – which is why the Astros don’t carry the look of a contender this season.

“I’m not sure you can say anything you know for certain, other than we’re capable of winning a series from the World Series champions or we’re capable of being swept by the last-place team in the division,” slugger Lance Berkman told the Houston Chronicle. “I’m sitting here scratching my head what I would take from it. I’m having a hard time coming up with something I could say, `This is absolutely true.

“I don’t think at this point we’ve established ourselves as being either a good team or a bad team.”

Chronicle columnist Richard Justice summed him the situation: “Only an idiot would even mention the possibility of their getting back in the race. So no one should breathe a word about the Cardinals having a terrible bullpen and eight pitchers on the disabled list, or how Lou Piniella is burning out the back of his bullpen.

“For now, it’s enough that the Astros have not fallen completely apart. Let’s do a quick review of the last few weeks. Lousy hitting. Lousy pitching. General manager attacked. Players questioning everything from the overall direction of the franchise to the competence of the manager and the pitching coach.

“Onward through the fog.”

MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE

Questions to ponder while wondering if Mark Mulder will become an asset as the pennant race heats up:

• Will Cards fans lay off Chris Duncan now that he has resumed driving in runs?
• On the other hand, how can Tony La Russa get Duncan a lot of at bats with the way Ryan Ludwick, Rick Ankiel and Skip Schumaker are playing this season?
• Is anybody horrified by recent Internet speculation of a Madonna-Alex Rodriguez romance?
• Who could have guessed that receiver David Boston would suffer a season-ending injury in the CFL?

OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD

Swimmers love these new state-of-the-art Speedo LZR suits, but actually putting them on is a chore.

“It’s humbling when you’re in a locker room and naked and having two people stuffing you into a tiny little suit,” Natalie Coughlin observed, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

ALLURE OF THE BIG APPLE

During a USA Basketball media tour, LeBron James fired up Nets fans by discussing his affinity for their potential future home.

“My favorite borough? Brooklyn,” James told reporters. “Brooklyn is definitely a great place here in New York City, and some of my best friends are from Brooklyn, so I stick up for them.”

QUIPS ‘R US

Here is what some of America’s leading sports pundits have been writing:

Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, on the cutting-edge swimsuit technology: “If you wonder why mankind can’t cure cancer or solve the energy problem or climate crisis, it’s because all the world’s scientists have been diverted into R&D of the swimsuit.”

Dan Daly, Washington Times: “News item: Middle school teacher in Alabama sleeps with eight members of high school baseball team. Comment: That might be the strongest argument yet against the DH.”

Greg Cote, Miami Herald: “I looked up ‘jealous little man’ in the dictionary and saw a picture of IndyCar driver Scott Dixon accusing Danica Patrick of being a ‘menace.’”

Bill Simmons, ESPN.com: “True or false: Serge Ibaka is (A) a famous celebrity trainer, (B) an acclaimed indie director, (C) a famous celebrity photographer, (D) a third-world dictator, or (E) the 24th pick of the 2008 NBA draft?”

David Thomas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram: “I’m not buying into the notion that people won’t watch golf with Tiger out. I know I’ll keep watching the final round of the U.S. Open I recorded.”

MEGAPHONE

“I’m bored. I just eat and run and sleep.”

Cubs star Alfonso Soriano, on his life on the disabled list.