Carlos Correa in the leadoff spot paid off. Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images.
Are the Astros giving us a preview of October?
The Astros finished the first inning of the regular season Thursday night. 18 games out of 162, one-ninth of the schedule. Viewing the season in single game form, they're behind 2-nothing going to the second. A deficit nowhere near insurmountable, but not inconsequential either. An 8-10 record is not a big deal. Still, for late April this is an important American League West homestand with four against the Angels followed with four against the thus far spunky Mariners. It's not remotely make or break. A winning homestand and the Astros are just fine. A 2-6 or 3-5 mess? Wouldn't be catastrophic though even this early in the season, falling five, six, seven games behind three teams within the division would be a bona fide concern.
The Astros enjoyed a much-needed breakout game Thursday night in routing the Angels 8-2. They sure didn't want their stretch of brutally bad baseball to drag into the weekend. It's been a team wide affliction. In losing nine out of 10 games the offense had been generally comatose, just once scoring more than four runs. Ironically it was in the lone win that the Astros plated the smallest number, a 1-0 victory at Seattle. Astro pitching had been straight lousy, just once during the ten game stretch allowing fewer than six runs.
Dusty Baker makes the occasional dubious tactical decision, but props to him for slotting Carlos Correa in the leadoff spot Thursday with Jose Altuve still out. First time in his big league career Correa led off. It's simple. You want your best batters up the most. It doesn't matter how fast Myles Straw is. Until/unless he demonstrates something resembling competence as a batter no way should Straw ever be higher than eighth in the lineup.
Mike Trout's greatness
The Angels in through the weekend means the beyond great Mike Trout is here. Among the greatest center fielders of all-time Willie Mays was no greater than Mike Trout. Mickey Mantle was no greater than Mike Trout. At their individual peaks Mantle has the edge for greatest offensive player. Willie was 34 at the end of his last absolutely awesome season, Mickey was 32 at the end of his last. Willie had a great season in his last as an everyday player when he was 40! Trout turns 30 in August. It will be fascinating to see how long Trout sustains baseball God level of play. He's under contract for eight more seasons after this one at more than 37 million dollars per. Alas in baseball, even the greatest everyday player can only do so much toward team success. Trout has been to the postseason once in his career (2014). The Royals swept out the Angels in three straight. Trout went one for 12.
By the way, Ty Cobb was more statistically dominant than any of them but most of his career occurred during the dead ball era. Comparisons can be made but they're a little more apple vs. orange-y.
Rocket science
The Rockets are closing in on nailing down a finish of the worst three records in the NBA and hence maximizing their chances of keeping their lottery pick at 52.1 percent. The Rockets have to finish worse than Orlando or Detroit. Even if the Magic or Pistons lose all remaining games (except the game someone has to win when the Magic and Pistons play), the Rockets would have to win four more to rise above the bottom three. Yeah right! The Rockets' remaining schedule: Clippers, at Denver, Timberwolves, Bucks, Warriors, Knicks, 76ers, at Milwaukee, at Utah, at Portland, at the Lakers, Clippers, at Atlanta.
Sterling Brown is fortunate to not be in worse shape as he recovers from getting attacked outside a Miami strip club early Monday morning. What could have been a life or death matter takes on the most importance, but the Rockets should be concerned, distressed, and ticked that Kevin Porter Jr. was among those out with Brown in the wee hours. On the Rockets' lousy roster, Porter is one of the few beacons of hope. During his freshman season at USC Porter was suspended for misconduct. His behavior with the Cleveland Cavaliers led to the Cavs basically giving away a first round pick in his second season to the Rockets. Porter is now basically suspended because he breached NBA/COVID protocols. It was an irresponsible and lousy job of "mentorship" by Brown and whatever other Rockets were on hand ahead of a game upcoming in Miami that night. Brown was on the trip while not even available to play because of a sore knee.
Buzzer Beaters:
1. Interesting timing by the Astros extending Martin Maldonado's contract through next season and giving him a 1.5 million dollar raise for it. Maldonado is batting .081. He's not here for his bat, but come on.
2. If the 49ers really traded their 2022 and 2023 first round picks plus a third rounder next year to swap up from pick 12 overall to third overall to take quarterback Mac Jones out of Alabama, they're nuts. Doesn't mean it can't work.
3. The next three (okay four) best center fielders ever: Bronze-Oscar Charleston/Ken Griffey Jr. Silver-Tris Speaker Gold-Joe DiMaggio
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The Texans make just their third ever visit to Lambeau Field Sunday. It’s a dandy matchup as the Texans try to run their record to 6-1 at the expense of the 4-2 Green Bay Packers. The Texans have one win and one loss in Wisconsin. In 2008 the gameday high temperature was 13 degrees. Kris Brown kicked a 40 yard field goal as time expired to give the Texans a 24-21 win over a Packers team that struggled to a 6-10 record under first-year starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Texans posted their second consecutive 8-8 finish that year. In 2016 the mercury reached a balmy high of 34 degrees as the Texans fell 21-13 at Lambeau. Inexplicably, Rodgers somehow managed to win the quarterback matchup with Brock Osweiler. The Texans and Packers each won their division that year. Both Texans’ trips to “America’s Dairyland” occurred in December. No risk of frozen tundra this time around. The forecast for Green Bay Sunday calls for a high of 75 degrees! That’s almost 20 degrees warmer than normal there for October 20.
It’s a dynamic QB matchup with C.J. Stroud and Jordan Love sharing the field. Love broke out in a huge way in 2023 after serving a two-year apprenticeship under Rodgers. After a stumbling 3-6 start to their season the Packers went 6-2 the rest of the way to snag a playoff spot. They obliterated the Cowboys in a Wild Card game in Arlington (before everyone obliterated the Cowboys in Arlington...) then led at the 49ers with under 90 seconds to go before San Francisco scored to win 24-21. The Packers made crystal clear their belief in Love by signing him to a four-year 220 million dollar contract extension in July. That’s 55 mil per season. Stroud becomes extension-eligible after next season. Anyone think he won’t be in position to command at least 65 mil per season?
Stroud sure looks to be the guy to finally give the Texans the long-term stability and excellence they have never had at the most important position in the sport. The Pack is all in on Love continuing its unreal long-term QB stability and excellence. Love took the reins after Rodgers helmed the offense for 15 seasons. Rodgers took the reins after Brett Favre’s 16-year tenure. So if Love makes it for nine years as the starter, that’s three primary QBs in 40 years. Absolutely amazing.
After missing two games because of a sprained knee ligament suffered in the final seconds of the Packers’ season opening loss to the Eagles in Brazil, Love has thrown 10 touchdown passes in three games. But he has only completed 59 percent of his passes, and has thrown at least one interception per game.
The Texans’ first trip to the NFC North this season went brutally badly, the 34-7 beatdown from Minnesota. The Vikings beat the Packers 31-29 in week four of the season. That was Love’s first game back, he threw four touchdown passes and three picks. One defensive weapon the Texans will have against the Pack they did not have against the Vikes is Denico Autry. The 34-year-old Autry returns from his six-game banned substance suspension. That happens as one of the fill-ins for him, Mario Edwards, starts his own four-game substance abuse suspension. That should be a net improvement for the Texans.
X-factors
The single biggest variable in swinging the outcome of football games is turnovers. So far this season the Packers have been a takeaway machine. Last season the Packers generated just 18 turnovers over their 17 regular season games, only six teams took the ball away less often. Through just six games this season the Packers already have 17 takeaways. No other NFL team has more than 13, the Texans have just seven. The Packers have produced exactly three turnovers in five of their six games, and got two in the other. Every defense preaches turnovers, so it’s not as if first-year Green Bay defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has introduced radical concepts that are yielding magical results. But the results are what they are.
If the Texans take care of the ball, they have a terrific chance to win. Having Joe Mixon back aids the cause on two fronts. One, Mixon is obviously the Texans’ best running back. Two, Mixon last fumbled in 2021. The Texans probably best plan to score 25 or more points to win this one because the Packers figure to score a bit. In Love’s four starts the Pack has lit the scoreboard for 29, 29, 24, and 34 points. On the other hand, the Texans’ D has been pretty stout, allowing the third-fewest yards per game (Green Bay rates 18th). It’s a strength vs. strength battle. The Texans have allowed no opponent more than 313 yards in total offense. The Packers have amassed at least 378 yards in five of their six games, and managed 328 in their worst performance.
For Texans’ conversation, catch Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me on our Texans On Tap podcasts. Thursdays feature a preview of the upcoming game, and then we go live (then available on demand) after the final gun of the game: Texans on Tap - YouTube
The Astros are always in season for discussion. Our Stone Cold ‘Stros podcasts drop Mondays: Click here to watch!