HOUSTON (AP) – The Houston Astros had everything they wanted: Roger Clemens was cruising, their first World Series berth was only 10 outs away and the St. Louis Cardinals were reeling.

But the 42-year-old Clemens started to look his age, Albert Pujols and Scott Rolen came up big again and the Astros wait for a World Series is now at 43 years and counting.

“I don’t want anyone to forget what this club accomplished,” longtime first baseman Jeff Bagwell said. “But we didn’t get this far just to get close. We want to win a World Series.”

The Astros will rarely have a better chance than they did this season.

“I just told my players that without question this is one of the greatest runs in the history of the game,” manager Phil Garner said after the 5-2 loss to the Cardinals in Game 7 of the NL championship series. “This just makes us more determined, the whole organization, to make that next step and get to the World Series and have a little taste of this now.”

The Astros clinched the wild card in the final game of the regular season after an improbable 36-10 finish that included 18 straight home wins.

The Astros paid back the Braves for postseason defeats in 1997, 99 and 01, beating Atlanta at Turner Field to win a playoff series for the first time in club history.

And after winning three straight at home to take a 3-2 lead in the NLCS, Houston appeared on the verge of knocking off a team that won a major league-best 105 games.

But the bullpen blew an eighth-inning lead in Game 6, and in the final game of the series, Clemens struggled late while the Astros’ offense failed to give him any run support.

Clemens, who came out of a brief retirement to pitch for his hometown team, wouldn’t say if it was his last game. He took the Game 7 loss after giving up six hits and four runs over six innings.

“I’m very thankful that I had the opportunity to come home and pitch and hopefully give a little experience and leave a little something behind for the younger guys that have been around this team,” he said.

Now the Astros face an offseason of tough decisions.

Among the likely free agents: outfielders Carlos Beltran and Lance Berkman, pitcher Roy Oswalt and shortstop Adam Everett. Craig Biggio and Jeff Kent are in the final year of their contracts, and have an option for another year.

Beltran will likely be the hardest to keep after his huge postseason in which he hit .435 with a league record-tying eight homers, 14 RBIs and 21 runs scored in 12 games. He came to the Astros in a midseason trade from Kansas City, and has few ties to the Houston area.

Only a handful of teams will be able to afford the 27-year-old All-Star’s soaring price tag – the New York Yankees likely chief among his suitors. The Chicago Cubs are also said to be interested.

Beltran made it clear he was going to explore his options, but said he’d definitely consider the Astros if they bring back the nucleus of this team.

“I experienced being on a team where they don’t do anything to help the ballclub,” Beltran said. “One of my priorities if I stay with this ballclub will be keeping the young guys … our young players have potential to be real good.”

More likely, the Astros will try to keep everyone else and be forced to let go of Beltran.

Improving team speed and upgrading the defense are also among general manager Gerry Hunsicker’s top priorities, along with straightening out the pitching staff.

Clemens led the league in winning percentage and Oswalt was the NL’s only 20-game winner, but season-ending injuries to Andy Pettitte (elbow) and Wade Miller (shoulder) thinned out the rotation considerably. Their return, along with the continued emergence of former reliever Brandon Backe, could give Houston one of the league’s deepest staffs.

The Astros will also look for more bullpen help, especially after shaky relief pitching cost the Astros three games in the NLCS and five overall in the postseason.

Almost certain to be back is Garner, who was given a contract only to the end of the season after taking over for Jimy Williams at the All-Star break.

Garner was perhaps the Astros’ most significant addition, infusing enthusiasm in a veteran club that was close-knit but rarely animated. The Astros began playing – and winning – with the enthusiasm of a college team.

“You feel a lot of emotions at a time like this,” Hunsicker said. “It hurts to get this far and not get it done. On the other hand, we did some great things. We did some things we can build on.”