THE PALLILOG
How Astros could get creative with final offer to Carlos Correa
Nov 19, 2021, 10:01 am
Would Correa accept a record-breaking short-term contract? Composite image by Jack Brame.
After surprisingly renewing vows with Justin Verlander, the Astros probably have one more "Wow!" move left in their offseason. Adding outfielder Starling Marte or shortstop Trevor Story would qualify. The 33-year-old Marte would be an excellent get if on no more than a three-year deal. Story is overrated by many because of stats accrued in Denver's mile high freak show hitting environment, but he's good and certainly projects as better than prospect Jeremy Pena. Re-upping reliever Kendall Graveman wouldn't be a "Wow!" move but retaining Ryan Pressly's number one set-up man matters.
Keeping Carlos Correa is extremely unlikely to be the "Wow!" move. If Correa is hellbent on topping Francisco Lindor's 10 year 341 million dollar contract with the Mets, he may be waiting eternally, though as with Lindor it only takes one team desperate and/or stupid enough to go there. Even if Correa "settles" for say, a nice round 300 mil, the Astros are on highly reasonable ground in refusing to bid at that level.
Losing Correa will be a bummer. Talent, leadership, charisma, etc. Correa is coming off an outstanding 2021, but it is simple truth that 2021 is his only healthy and excellent season in the last five years. It is mythology that Correa has been a non-stop stud and annual postseason monster since he exploded on the scene as a 20-year-old phenom back in 2015. He was a mediocre player in 2018 and again in the short season of 2020. His postseason production was fantastic in 2017 and 2020, meh in '18, '19, and '21.
Correa is in his prime at 27 years old, but there is essentially no chance he is as good over the second half of a 10-year contract that he was this year. It's possible Correa doesn't match his 2021 going forward. If healthy I like his chances of putting up two or three more elite seasons, but note that during Jose Altuve's far and away two best seasons he turned 26 and 27 years old. Alex Bregman's two best may have come and gone when he turned 24 and 25. In the plus-sized shortstop department, Cal Ripken had just one great season after he turned 28.
The Astros' five year 160 million dollar offer was no insult, but also not remotely close to enough to strike a deal. If the Astros would stretch to seven years 225 million that would be a more than credible final offer. If another suitor or suitors dwarf that, so be it. One last thought is offering record breaking per year money in a shorter term proposal. Three years 125 million would sync up contract expiration with Altuve and Bregman after the 2024 season and enable Correa to be a free agent again at age 30. As confident as he is, I doubt Correa would bet on himself that way.
Texans back in action this Sunday
Well, we made it! Survived an autumn weekend without a Texans game. The resiliency of the human spirit is a wonderful thing. While the Astros keep doing things to extend their dynastic era of relentless championship contention, it's back to action this weekend for Houston's 2-ring circus clown we call the Texans and Rockets. Off their open (not bye!) week the Texans likely absorb their latest beating at Tennessee. The Titans are without injured beastly running back Derrick Henry. The Texans are without a credible NFL roster. Even minus Henry, the Titans being only 10 point favorites seems low. As this column posts (Friday November 19), the Texans last road touchdown came two months ago today. That's four games without reaching the end zone. Final scores of those games: 40-0, 31-3, 31-5, 17-9.
Amazingly, as pathetic as the 1-8 Texans are, and even with a presumed loss in Nashville, they could log their second win of the season before the Rockets get theirs. At 1-14, the Rockets play at the Knicks Saturday then at the Celtics Monday. So 1-16 looms probable ahead of home games next week against the surprisingly good Bulls and the never very good Hornets. Losing those two would mean a 17 game losing streak and a 1-18 record for the Rockets when the Texans play host to the lousy Jets a week from Sunday.
Buzzer Beaters:
1. Correa finished fifth in American League Most Valuable Player balloting. Shohei Ohtani rightfully won. None of Ohtani, runner-up Vlad Guerrero Jr., or third place finisher Marcus Semien sniffed the playoffs. Last time no top three AL MVP finisher was in the postseason Bush was President. George Herbert Walker Bush. 1991. Before wild cards existed. None of the National League top three played in the postseason either. In the NL that last occurred only six years ago.
2. Warren Moon turned 65 Thursday. A year ago many would have bet that by maybe 2025 he'd be thought of as the second greatest quarterback in Houston's pro football history. Warren remains safe at number one for the foreseeable future.
3. Biggest 2021 Lone Star sports embarrassments: Bronze-Kansas 57 Texas 56 Silver-Rockets Gold-Texans
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Rich Eisen lays out how Stefon Diggs trade will impact Texans next season
Apr 19, 2024, 3:03 pm
Impersonal as it might seem to have their dynamic on-field relationship end with an exchange of phone texts, Bills quarterback Josh Allen made it clear on Thursday how much receiver Stefon Diggs meant to him during their four seasons together in Buffalo.
Allen made no mention of Diggs’ mercurial temperament or the occasional sideline flare-ups by expressing only praise in his first opportunity to discuss his now-former teammate being traded to the Houston Texans earlier this month.
“Just thanking him for everything that he did for me, and (I’ll) always have a spot in my heart for him. I’ll always love that guy like a brother. And I wish him nothing but the best,” Allen said, in disclosing what he texted to Diggs. “My lasting memory of Stef will be the receiver that helped me become the quarterback that I am today.”
Brought together in March 2020, when Buffalo gave up a first-round draft pick to acquire Diggs in a trade with Minnesota, the duo went on to re-write many of Buffalo's single-season passing and scoring records, and lead the team to four straight AFC East titles.
Diggs, now 30, also brought an inescapable sense of drama with him in raising questions about his commitment to the Bills and whether his tight relationship with Allen had soured.
A day before being traded, Diggs posted a message, “You sure?” on the social media platform X in response to someone suggesting he wasn’t essential to Allen’s success.
Whatever hard feelings, if any, lingered as Buffalo opened its voluntary workout sessions this week were not apparent from Allen or coach Sean McDermott, who also addressed reporters for the first time since Diggs was traded.
“Stef’s a great player, really enjoyed our time together. Won a lot of games and he was a huge factor in winning those games. We’ll miss him,” McDermott said. “You never replace a player like Stef Diggs, and we wish him well.”
Allen turned his focus to the future and a Bills team that spent much of the offseason retooling an aging and expensive roster.
Aside from trading Diggs, salary cap restrictions led to Buffalo cutting respected center Mitch Morse, the breakup of a veteran secondary that had been together since 2017, and the team unable to afford re-signing No. 2 receiver Gabe Davis.
“I don’t think it’s a wrong thing or a bad thing to get younger,” said Allen, entering his seventh NFL season. “I think it’s an opportunity for myself to grow as a leader. And to bring along some of these young guys and new guys that we’ve brought in to our team. And that’s an opportunity, frankly, that I’m very excited about."
Despite the departures, the Bills offense is not exactly lacking even though general manager Brandon Beane is expected to target selecting a receiver with his first pick — currently 28th overall — in the draft next week.
Receiver Khalil Shakir enters his third year and tight end Dalton Kincaid enter his second following promising seasons. Buffalo also added veteran experience in signing free agent receiver Curtis Samuel and Mack Hollins.
While Beane acknowledged the Bills lack a true No. 1 receiver, he noted there’s less urgency to fill that spot now than in 2020 because of how much the offense has developed under Allen.
“Now that Josh has ascended to the player he is, is that a requirement? I don’t think so,” Beane said.
Diggs’ role also began diminishing in the second half of last season, which coincided with Joe Brady replacing Ken Dorsey as offensive coordinator. Brady placed an emphasis on adding balance to a pass-heavy attack and getting more receivers involved, which led to an uptick in production for Shakir and Kincaid.
While Diggs’ numbers dropped, Buffalo’s win total increased.
With the Bills at 6-6, Diggs ranked third in the NFL with 83 catches, seventh with 969 yards and tied for third with eight TDs receiving. Buffalo then closed the season with five straight wins in which Diggs combined for 24 catches for 214 yards and no scores.
”(Diggs) meant a lot. You look at the statistics, they don’t lie,” Allen said, in referring to Diggs topping 100 catches and 1,000 yards in each of his four seasons in Buffalo. “I don’t get paid to make changes on the team. I get paid to be the best quarterback that I can be and try to lead the guys on this team.”