THE PALLILOG
Here's how the Astros stack up against Chris Sale and the Red Sox
Oct 15, 2021, 9:30 am
Framber Valdez will start Game 1 against Chris Sale. Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images.
There were a lot of people furious about Major League Baseball basically forcing the Astros to switch to being an American League team starting with the 2013 season. The owners would not approve Jim Crane and partners' purchase of the club from Drayton McLane unless the incoming owners agreed to go to the AL. I'd say it's worked out pretty well. Crane and his partners got a 65 million dollar rebate on their purchase price for accepting the move, and the Astros Friday night play in their fifth consecutive American League Championship Series.
Lance McCullers is NOT on the Astros' ALCS roster, so he's out for the series. Jake Meyers is active.
— Jake Kaplan (@jakemkaplan) October 15, 2021
The loss of Lance McCullers is a blow, but does not change the Astros being the favorite to win the pennant. It does tighten things up. The decision to use McCullers in the successful bid to close out the White Sox meant he would have started game three and a prospective game seven vs. Boston. McCullers was the stingiest starting pitcher in the AL this year in terms of giving up home runs. The Red Sox can mash with the Astros. Boston will run out a lineup with seven guys who hit at least 20 homers this season. Rafael Devers, Kyle Schwarber, and Hunter Renfroe all topped 30.
After the obvious choice of Framber Valdez to start game one, Dusty Baker is going the way he should have against Chicago, opting for Luis Garcia in game two at home. That means in games three and four at Fenway Park it's Jose Urquidy and either, gulp, Zack Greinke or Jake Odorizzi. The Red Sox will be patching things together themselves.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora made an interesting call going with Chris Sale as his game one starting pitcher, holding back Alvin native Nathan Eovaldi until game two Saturday afternoon. Sale has been terrible in his last two starts. Most recently he went against the Rays in game two of their Division Series and lasted one inning, torched for five runs. In 2017 the Astros began their postseason run to winning the World Series by blasting Sale in game one of the ALDS. Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve hit back-to-back homers in the first inning. Altuve took Sale deep again in the fifth, then in the seventh hit his third homer of the game off of reliever Austin Mattox. The Astros won that series in four games, with Sale taking the loss in relief in the finale. In the 2018 AL Championship Series the Astros beat Sale in game one, though the Sox swept the next four games.
Astros in six seems a decent chuck at the prediction dart board.
Meanwhile over in the National League, despise the Dodgers or not (okay…despise them) only the foolhardy lacks respect for them. The reigning World Series champs survived the Wild Card game against the Cardinals that was tied 1-1 in the ninth, then Thursday won a decisive game five at San Francisco that was tied 1-1 in the ninth. The Dodgers play the Atlanta Braves in a rematch of last year's NLCS, which the Braves led three games to one before the Dodgers took the last three games.
Texans vs. Colts
The 1-4 Texans are at 1-4 Indianapolis Sunday. You pumped up?!? Next week at least brings an interesting subplot when the Texans head to Arizona. A couple of guys named Watt and Hopkins are no doubt enjoying life with the only remaining unbeaten team in the NFL. J.J. is thus far sackless with his new team. DeAndre is on pace for his lowest reception total since his rookie season, but has four touchdown catches. The 5-0 Cardinals get tested at Cleveland Sunday. As for Texans-Colts? Of the 12 games in the NFL Sunday Texans at Colts is definitely one of them.
NCAA
What a win for Texas A&M over Alabama, following losses to Arkansas and Mississippi State. Sports! The Aggies can't help but have some emotional letdown this week, but still should have enough to win at Missouri. For Texas meanwhile, what is the bounce back after the Longhorns' gut wrenching loss to Oklahoma? Oklahoma State arrives in Austin with a 5-0 record and ranked number 12 in the nation.
Buzzer Beaters:
1. The Rockets open their season Wednesday at Minnesota. Their season projects to deliver not many wins but much future promise. The Rockets will be rooting for the Astros-Red Sox series to end in five games max. If there is a game six, it's Friday night at Minute Maid Park while the Rockets play their home opener.
2. Would the Astros become even bigger "villains" if they roll to the World Series crown by tearing apart the Red (Sox), White (Sox), and (Dodger) Blue?
3. Greatest Mookies: Bronze: Spike Lee's character in "Do the Right Thing." Silver: Pearl Jam (original name Mookie Blaylock) Gold: Betts
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The Houston Texans have a chance to win a third straight AFC South title this season with quarterback C.J. Stroud and coach DeMeco Ryans.
The challenge?
Nobody has won three straight titles since Peyton Manning was in his prime with the Indianapolis Colts in this division’s early years. The Tennessee Titans most recently came the closest only to come up short in 2022.
“I’m not really sure like what the next step is,” Houston general manager Nick Caserio said. “I mean we have a good football team, so we’ve been one of the best eight teams in the league the last two years. So what’s going to happen beyond that nobody has any idea.”
The Texans have advanced to two straight divisional rounds each of the past two postseasons, losing both with the most recent to Kansas City 23-14 in January. Caserio made a variety of moves to help Stroud, and coach DeMeco Ryans switched offensive coordinators as well.
Houston tight end Dalton Schultz said they just have to do one thing to get past the divisional round.
“It’s never the same as the year before, and there’s always some little wrinkle that is going to hit the league or hit your team,” Schultz said.
Houston went 10-7 in 2024 with the Colts at 8-9 with everyone working furiously to catch up — or else.
Indianapolis switched starting quarterbacks. Jacksonville hired a new coach and general manager before trading up to draft Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. Tennessee has No. 1 draft pick overall in Cam Ward starting at quarterback after firing and hiring a new general manager.
“This league is a year-to-year league and what do I feel is best for the Colts in 2025,” Colts coach Shane Steichen said.
Texans’ challenge
Houston has to protect Stroud better. Only Chicago’s Caleb Williams was sacked more than the 2024 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. With the pounding, Stroud’s production dipped as he was sacked 52 times with his interceptions more than doubling to 12 from his rookie season.
Stroud still threw for 3,727 yards and 20 touchdowns. Ryans fired Bobby Slowik and hired Nick Caley as offensive coordinator.
“He comes from a different style than I’m used to, at least in the NFL,” Stroud said of Caley. “So, it’s cool just to learn something new and put another tool in my toolbox.”
Caserio traded five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil to Washington during the offseason to clear space to sign younger players. The Texans are expected to start a rookie at left tackle in second-round pick Aireontae Ersery with Tytus Howard at right tackle where he started 16 games last season.
Houston also acquired Christian Kirk, signed Justin Watson and drafted a pair of receivers out of Iowa State to provide depth behind Nico Collins after letting Stefon Diggs leave in free agency. Caserio also sent wide receiver John Metchie to Philadelphia for tight end Harrison Bryant on Aug. 17.
Hey Danny Dimes
Indianapolis has missed the playoffs the past four seasons, and a fifth straight could cost Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard their jobs with the late Jim Irsay’s daughters now running the franchise.
Going with Daniel Jones means the franchise who went two decades with Manning and Andrew Luck at quarterback will have yet another starter on opening day. Since 2017, only Anthony Richardson has started back-to-back season openers.
Yet the fourth overall pick in 2023 couldn’t stay healthy or help Jonathan Taylor nearly enough. Taylor ran for 1,431 yards and 11 TDs as Richardson completed just 47.7% of his throws, the lowest rate of any regular starter in the NFL.
Steichen said Richardson, 23, was thrown into the fire. The Colts coach isn’t ready to talk about Jones’ future.
“Let’s see how the season goes,” Steichen said.
Jacksonville’s youth movement
The biggest makeover came in Jacksonville, firing a Super Bowl-winning coach in Doug Pederson and GM Trent Baalke. The Jaguars hired Liam Coen as coach and James Gladstone, 34, as their new GM.
The Jaguars are trying to fix a team that went 3-10 in one-score games in 2024 with the franchise losers of 18 of its past 23.
In his first head coaching job, Coen, 39, has a pair of first-timers in offensive coordinator Grant Udinski and defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile. As coordinator in Tampa Bay, Coen became the first NFL coordinator in at least 25 years to help a team average more than 28 points a game.
He has Trevor Lawrence, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft, who was limited by injuries to 10 games in 2024. Wide receiver Brian Thomas now can get help from Hunter, even if the rookie will also play some defense.
Tennessee time
Brian Callahan also was a first-time head coach a year ago with the Titans. He brought in a former NFL head coach in Mike McCoy this offseason among a handful of other changes to apply his lessons learned.
Mike Borgonzi was hired as GM when Ran Carthon’s big offseason spending spree didn’t pan out. The Titans have embraced their rebuild even if they added veteran receivers Tyler Lockett and Van Jefferson along with left tackle Dan Moore Jr. and right guard Kevin Zeitler.
Predicted order of finish
Houston, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Jacksonville.