OFF THE TOP OF MY BALD HEAD
Barry Warner: Enough with the prelims; it's time for Rockets-Warriors
May 8, 2018, 5:15 am
Clint Capela is going to get paid. Jason Miller
By 9:30 tonight, the heavily favored Rockets will put the JV team from Utah out of their misery. Even with a healthy Ricky Rubio, the Jazz simply cannot score with the Rockets.
Clint Capela has turned Rudy Gobert into a bench player during crunch time. The Swiss born center will become a very rich man this summer as a free agent. It would not shock me if he got between $16-18 million per year. With his ability to set pick and rolls for the guards, plus defend the rim and get double digit rebounds, he will be highly sought after.
Golden State and the long awaited Western Conference Finals are next. When it starts is anyone’s guess, since it’s up to the TV networks.
Save the debate
There is no sense getting into a Michael vs LeBron debate as to who is the greatest.
Different times and conditions for each new generation in all of sports makes these arguments far more difficult.
Then there was Kareem, who like LeBron a high school All American. But James did not go the collegiate route, where Mr. Sky Hook was three-time Player of the Year and an 18-time all-star.
The greatest winner of all-time, with 11 rings, was Celtic legend Bill Russell. And it’s certainly understandable if most do not even remember this shot blocker and rebounder. He starred in the late 50’s and 60’s, when Boston dominated the NBA.
Be careful what you wish for
David Fizdale latest in the long line of Knicks coaches to work for James Dolan, who is a member of the lucky sperm club. The controversial owner of the Knicks, Rangers, Madison Square Garden and cable network inherited these assets from his late father.
Dolan rarely meets with the media, as he spends more time jetting across the country with his rock and roll band. For those keeping score, Fiz is the 11th coach in the last 14 seasons for the once proud Knicks.
His rift with Marc Gasol was the big reason Memphis fired the former Heat assistant.
"I get it, you want Gregg Popovich, and I want LeBron James," the coach told his star player, according to a source.
Astros struggles
Gerrit Cole’s 77 strikeouts in the first seven starts with a new club are the most by a player in Major League history. This year’s Astro team is getting phenomenal pitching, but the hitting sucks.
Every starter except 2-5 Dallas Kuchel has been tremendous. But the bullpen leaves so much to be desired. What has happened to normally reliable Will Harris? Joe Smith has been a big disappointment, while Brad Peacock’s slider is flat.
Besides Chris Devenski, the most reliable reliever has been former starter Colin Mc Hugh
Leadoff hitter and last year’s World Series MVP, George Springer seems to be addicted to swinging from his heels, while last year’s MVP, Jose Altuve would not be among the top 10 in the MVP voting, based upon the sample size of 2018.
The popular second baseman looks like a wanna be home run hitter with every swing.
Through 35 games thus far, Carlos Correa appears to be leaving too many pitches in the zone.
Evan Gattis has now struck out 29 times in 95 at bats, has one homer and just 8 RBI’s.
Marwin Gonzales is a mere shadow of himself, while Alex Bregman has failed to take the next step.
Clutch hitting is simply not there and the bottom third of the order is a joke. It is both too early to panic and way too early to bring up minor league star Kyle Tucker who is still trying to figure out Triple A pitchers.
JD Davis, who made the opening day roster, would be brought up first.
I’m not panicking, just merely concerned about a pattern that does not look like the way they were winning in last season’s magical moments.
Pujols joins 3000 hit club
One of the truly great people, as well as a major league star, 18-year veteran Albert Pujols got his 3000th hit in Seattle. In the process, he joins Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and A-Rod the cheater as the only men to have 600 career home runs in addition to the cherished 3000 hits.
How many years has Albert Pujols struck out 100 times in a season? Yep. Zero. You won’t find a single 100-whiff season on his baseball-reference page. And how many other members of the 3,000-Hit/600-Homer Club (or even the 3,000/500 Club) can say that? Only one: Mr. Henry Aaron, the elegant Hall of Famer.
Around the NFL
Safety first? The kickoff rule reccomendation is yet another example of where the NFL hides behind “player safety.” It is a violent sport, played by semi violet men, making millions for themselves and the owners, who do not want any more lawsuits.
It is part of the wussification of the game. From the last collective bargaining agreement about two-a-days, the number of practices where contact was allowed, the longer off season away from coaches...the game is not the same.
Faded star: Colorful former Dallas star Dez Bryant turned down a three year $27-million-dollar deal from the Ravens, figuring he was worth more.
The diva is still waiting by his phone for a deal.
Still out of work: The Raiders singed former UT and Kansas City star linebacker Derrick Johnson. That was bad news for ex-Texans star Brian “The Cheater” Cushing. It was Cushing’s first reported meeting with a team since he visited with the Seahawks in early March.
Big deal: Matt Ryan sets the bar for quarterbacks, signing a five year $150 million-dollar deal with Atlanta. Gee, I can hardly wait to see a bunch of guys running around in t-shirts and shorts.
Chirp!
Takeaways from the Tigers sweep of the Astros
Total butt kicking. The offense was dreadful, scoring just two runs over three games. However, what’s killing the offense the most is the outfield. Outside of when Altuve plays left field, Houston doesn’t have another major league-quality outfielder right now. Jesus Sanchez not only swung at a Charlie Morton curveball that hit him in the knee, he’s also ice-cold, going 0-for-28 at the plate. At least he’s someone you expect to turn things around, but he’s in a huge slump currently. Beyond him, Jacob Melton, Taylor Trammell, and Chas McCormick have all been dragging down the offense. Cam Smith is struggling too, with just one hit in his last seven games.
Is Framber Valdez going to be okay?
Starting pitching was another big issue against the Tigers, and Valdez was a key part of the problem, basically losing the finale in the first inning after allowing six runs. This isn’t an outlier—he’s got a 7+ ERA through four starts in August. Spencer Arrighetti isn’t faring much better, posting a 7+ ERA through three starts. One silver lining with Valdez: the Tigers know him well. They had success against him in the playoffs last season, and it looks like they’re continuing that formula—force him to throw strikes, hit the other way on the sinker, and if the curveball isn’t up, let it go. AJ Hinch knows the deal.
Is the return of Yordan Alvarez enough to boost the offense?
It has to be. The only real way to give this lineup a spark is getting Yordan and Jake Meyers back. Yordan had a successful first rehab outing, collecting a couple of hits, a walk, and even a stolen base. Adding him back to the top of the lineup gives the Astros a formidable top four: Peña, Altuve, Yordan, and Correa. As for Meyers, the outfield has been the biggest drag on the offense. The key is whether he can continue to hit near .300 when he returns from injury. If he does, Altuve and Meyers in the outfield makes a huge difference, and Joe Espada can figure out right field with Sanchez and Smith.
Is the schedule not as soft as anticipated?
We’ve seen some strange results across the league this week, and some of that has to be chalked up to the Dog Days of Summer. Players are tired, and results have been wild. Thankfully, the Mariners are struggling too, giving the Astros some breathing room. Player adjustments after the trade deadline could also be a factor—Sanchez, anyone? Many big free agents have struggled immediately after changing teams, Walker and Juan Soto included.
Can they recover and take advantage of bad teams?
One thing we know about this year’s Astros: they can flip the switch and win multiple series on a moment’s notice. They’re just as capable of sweeping a series as they are of getting swept. Let’s hope that starts with four wins in Baltimore.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode on Thursday!
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