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Texans fans have gone through enough lately. The come from ahead playoff loss to the Chiefs was enough. Yet this fan base has been nothing but loyal and supportive through it all. Despite their loyalty, It seems as if the Texans don't give a damn about what the fans think, as long as they're footing the bill. Not only did the fans weather the storm of that debacle in Kansas City, but they were rewarded with Bill O'Brien getting more power! And what does this dumbass do? He trades the best wide receiver in Texans' history!
What did they get in return
Simple answer: not a thing that's worth a damn. The actual answer: running back David Johnson, a 2nd round pick, and a swap of 4th round picks. Johnson hasn't been a real factor in the last three seasons. The 2nd rounder and 4th round swap should've included a 1st rounder, if not more. To get so little in return was like rubbing salt in the wound while pouring alcohol on it, then wrapping it in sand paper.
Stunting Deshaun Watson's growth
Having a receiver like Hopkins is a quarterback's best friend. He's relaible because he runs immaculate routes and catches anything remotely close to his catch radius. He may not have the blazing speed, but he will win most one on one battles for the ball. The only thing fans can hope for is for the team to take a receiver in the draft that can fulfill some of the Grand Canyon-sized void Hopkins leaves behind. Without a 1st rounder, that will be tough. Watson no longer has his security blanket, which will hurt his growth because he no longer has that one guy he can rely on to make the tough catch in a critical time.
O'Brien's history of buffonery
Getting what he got for Hopkins feeds the narrative of him being a dumbass as a GM. Extending Whitney Mercilus, Ka'imi Fairbairn, Nick Martin, and Bennardrick McKinney were all boneheaded moves for one reason or another. Trading Hopkins, Jadeveon Clowney, and Duane Brown for quarter waters, half-smoked cigarettes, and leftover wing dinners adds uel to the dumpster fire that he's been as a personnel guy. O'Briwen is the type of GM that would not fill up his gas tank during hurricane season, only to run out of gas trying to leave the city, then get flooded in his vehicle because he get stuck in a high water area because he tried to drive through it. He's woefully inept at many of the hats he wears, yet the McNairs seem to be okay as long as the bottom line is in the black instead of the red.
Only one thing stops this madness
More and more I'm hearing Texans' fans say they're fed up. Whether they show it when it counts is another thing. The only way this type of behavoir is deemed unacceptable is if it starts to hurt the bottom line. When the team starts to lsoe money, the McNairs will finally listen. I was told by a very trusted source that only six to eight teams every year actively pursue winning a title. The others are solely out to make a profit. Should they happen to win, that's just an added bonus. The Texans are proving to be one of those profiteers.
There are moments in which a sports fan won't forget where they were or what they were doing when they heard the news. When Mark McGuire hit 62. The time Deion Sanders played in a World series and NFL game on the same day. How about the time Magic Johnson announced he was HIV positive? Or the day we all found out Kobe Bryant had passed away? Some memories are fond. Others are painful. But the common thread is a memory you won't forget. For the next couple years, Texans fans have to hold out hope that this egotistical idiot knows what he's doing. They must rely on a guy who's head is so far up his own ass, his ears are clogged poop so he can't hear the logic others are trying to reason with him. All he sees and smells is his own crap so he's fully convinced it's the only way to go. Hopefully one day these fans are treated to a respectable franchise instead of a laughingstock. Unfortunately, that day seems so far off, our kids may not even get to enjoy it.
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Texans HC DeMeco Ryans reveals what he values most at scouting combine
Feb 28, 2025, 3:51 pm
Now that spring training is officially underway, we're able to make some observations about how the Astros 2025 roster is taking shape.
Houston's starting rotation is basically set, but we got to see Hayden Wesneski make his first start in an Astro uniform. Wesneski pitched two innings against the Mets on Tuesday, allowing one run with three strikeouts.
He's working on a curveball that's a new pitch for his repertoire, and he saw some success with it. Hopefully, adding this pitch will help keep batters off balance (especially left-handed hitters) and help elevate his game. Which is nothing new for the Astros, who have a history of helping pitchers get to the next level.
Forrest Whitley also looked good, pitching a clean inning and finishing off his final hitter with a 97 mph fastball. Whitley finally realizing his potential in the big leagues could be a huge deal for the Astros, as they're looking to lighten the workload for Bryan Abreu and Josh Hader this season.
Hader in particular could benefit from this adjustment, as he was much worse when pitching in non-save situations last season. An easy fix with Hader could be trying to limit his workload to mostly save situations. That way, you get the most out of him and achieve the goal of him pitching less innings this year.
The Houston Chronicle's Matt Kawahara wrote about Hader's struggles pitching when games were tied or Houston was trailing.
“Hader converted 34 of 38 save chances but faced more batters in non-save situations (142) than in save situations (136), a sharp pivot from his previous few seasons. Opponents slugged .271 against him in save situations and .411 in non-save situations, while his ERA was more than two runs higher (4.98) in the latter.”
And while it's easy to say “suck it up, you're getting paid a fortune to pitch,” if he's not having success in those situations, and you're looking to back off his workload, this seems like an obvious way to pivot. He's under contract for another four seasons, so the Astros are right to want to be careful with him.
Astros plate discipline
Manager Joe Espada has made it very clear that he would like his offense to see more pitches this season. And we're seeing a stark difference in the approaches from the newly acquired players (Isaac Paredes, Christian Walker) and Houston's returning hitters.
Keep in mind, Paredes was first in pitches per plate appearance last season, and Walker was 10th.
So it shouldn't come as a surprise that Paredes and Walker both worked a full count in their first at-bats on Tuesday, while Mauricio Dubon, Yainer Diaz, and Chas McCormick swung at every pitch in their first at-bats.
Hopefully the new blood in the clubhouse will rub off on the rest of the Astros lineup, which is full of free swingers, especially with Alex Bregman now playing for Boston.
Which is why we're so excited about Cam Smith's early results. While we're super pumped about his two home runs on Tuesday, we're equally impressed that he walked in his first two at-bats this spring. If anyone would naturally be jumping out of their shoes to make a strong first impression, you would think it's the guy that was traded for Kyle Tucker. But Smith was patient, and he was rewarded for it.
What is Dana Brown saying privately?
Just last offseason, Brown was talking about extending Tucker and Bregman while also signing Hader to a shocking 5-year, $95 million deal. Plus, the team signed Jose Altuve to a whopping $150 million extension. Fast-forward one year and Tucker has been traded, Bregman left in free agency, and Ryan Pressly was dealt in a salary dump. Safe to say, his vision for the ball club has changed drastically in one season. Welcome to baseball economics under Jim Crane!
We're just scratching the surface on everything covered in the video above. Be sure to hit play to watch the full conversation!
The countdown to Opening Day is on. Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
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