EVERY-THING SPORTS
How Astros final stretch of games will perfectly set the tone for postseason
Sep 29, 2021, 11:51 am
These 2 teams present the perfect tune-up for the Astros heading into the playoffs. Composite image by Jack Brame.
Major League Baseball is drawing close to the end of the regular season. Brace yourselves. Playoff baseball is upon us. There are fan bases out there that will have unreal expectations while holding on to hope looking at their teams' Magic Number. Look away because your team won't make it. The teams that will make it, mainly the ones in the Wildcard games in both leagues, won't be around long either.
The Astros aren't one of those teams. They have designs on winning another World Series and shutting up all the haters. Winning in 2017 is "tainted" according to others. Coming within five outs of winning the 2019 World Series is still seen as them "cheating", even though MLB's report says otherwise. Perception is often reality for the willfully ignorant. Winning a World Series this year would undoubtedly be the biggest middle finger salute to all the haters out there.
All season long, this team has either played up or down to the level of its competition. Coming down the stretch, they're playing the Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland A's. The Rays are the best team in the American League. The A's are behind the Astros by a handful of games in the AL West, as well as a handful of games behind the Red Sox and Yankees for the two AL Wildcard spots. These two teams present the perfect tune-up for the Astros heading into the playoffs.
Playing the Rays is a preview of a potential ALCS matchup. The Rays have the number one seed in the AL locked up. They'll have home-field advantage throughout the AL playoffs. The Astros are pretty entrenched at the number two spot. They'll have home-field advantage over the third seed in the second round most likely. This series gives the Astros a good look at the team they'll have to overcome if they expect to get back to, and win, another World Series. They have a perfect blend of pitching, hitting, youth, and veteran presence. If you want a good sparring partner, they're it.
The A's are like that pesky little fighter who fights the full 12 rounds, doesn't get knocked down, barely wins a couple rounds, but manages to hang on while gracefully losing a unanimous decision. They have enough talent to fight you tooth and nail, but not enough stamina to outlast you. The A's will make the Astros get more consistent and fine tune things right as they hit their stride into the playoffs.
If the way they've played so far this season is any indication, the Astros should win both series and head into the playoffs with some much-needed momentum. While both teams present a challenge, the Astros have enough to meet each challenge. I can see them owning this home stretch and having it catapult them into another ALCS appearance. The petty part of me wants them to beat the Yankees' Gerrit Cole at Minute Maid in the playoffs to end their season, then go on to beat either the Red Sox or A's in the ALCS. It would be satisfying getting the series clinching hit off that snitch in Oakland. However, since that's not in the cards this season, poetic justice would be hoisting another Commissioner's Trophy followed by another parade through downtown Houston. Oh, how I would love for them to force the haters to EAD!
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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.”