The Pallilog
Billy Bluster is back and trying to defend the Hopkins trade
Apr 17, 2020, 5:35 am
Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images
Texans Head Coach and General Manager Bill O'Brien finally deigned to speak with the media Thursday for the first time since the DeAndre Hopkins trade. Emperor O elaborated in defending the virtually universally criticized (evaluating the Texans' side of things) deal. He didn't come across as insane or even unreasonable, but he just isn't going to win an argument on this.
O'Brien framed moving Hopkins as pretty much a financial call given Hopkins's raise request. No one asked O'Brien a question that obviously should have been addressed. Why didn't the Texans simply tell Hopkins that they love him (unless O'Brien was in Billy Bluster mode in saying all flowery things about how great Hopkins is), but he wasn't getting a reworked contract two years into a five year deal? Did they think Hopkins would have retired? Or staged a one man mutiny? I mean, come on. The Texans would have been on solid ground in telling D-Hop that his five year 81 million dollar deal is not some woeful underpay and that the team should not/will not re-do a deal simply because the market goes up elsewhere. Hopkins cashed about 41 million dollars in checks the last two seasons. Using similar logic to claiming he's now underpaid, one could argue that as great as he was Hopkins was overpaid the last two years. Plenty of guys topped 11.2 yards per reception and seven touchdown catches last season.
O'Brien explained that he thought it untenable to pay elite level money for Hopkins in addition to elite money for a left tackle, quarterback, and defensive end. Flawed logic. Deshaun Watson is dirt cheap in 2020 and under his fifth year contract option for 2021 will still be a tremendous bargain. That covers two of the three seasons left on Hopkins's contract. Watson and Hopkins combined carry a 2020 cap hit roughly five million lower than Ryan Tannehill's on his new deal with the Titans, about eight million lower than Phillip Rivers's with the Colts.
The Texans are on the hook for David Johnson in 2020 at a higher cap hit (over 11 million) than a running back playing on the franchise tag. Reminder: Johnson's last good NFL season was 2016. Wide receiver Will Fuller makes more than 10 mil in 2020. Hopkins makes 12.5. Fuller has missed 20 games to injury over the last three seasons. Hopkins has missed two games in his seven season career: the last game of the 4-12 disaster that was 2017, and the meaningless regular season finale in 2019. Among Johnson, Fuller, and Hopkins who is the best player/economic value? J.J. Watt has played more than half the regular season once in the last four years. Watt makes 15.5 mil for 2020. Better value: Watt at 15.5 or Hopkins at 12.5?
A week from when I type this the first round of the NFL Draft will be in the books. Barring a stunning trade the Texans will have been bystanders. They of course can't throw a draft party this year. Next year's will be a drag with the Texans having neither a first nor second round pick.
ESPN isn't teeming with great options as it desperately fills programming hours with video game competitions, spelling bee marathons, years old WNBA games, HORSE games, and other. Other than maybe some fans of the winning team, is anybody sitting through a replay of an entire Super Bowl? Finally, something worth watching start to finish! We all should check out The Last Dance which starts airing Sunday night with the first two episodes of the ten part series that goes deep into the end of the Michael Jordan-led Bulls dynasty.
Dennis Rodman turns 59 next month. 20 years ago if asked, I think I'd have bet the under on whether Rodman makes it to 59. Heck, Rodman probably would have bet the under.
What might have been item one. Catch the doozy of a claim that in 2011 the Warriors offered BOTH Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson to the New Orleans Hornets for Chris Paul?
What might have been item two. The Astros' should have been series this weekend would have had the Angels at Minute Maid Park. Again. The Angels were to have opened the season here with the Astros in Anaheim the following weekend. 10 of their 19 regular season meetings would have occurred before April 20. Weird. Weirder, the Astros and Athletics might have had a fantastic season long race in the American League West but all 19 Astros-Athletics matchups would have been completed before the end of July.
Buzzer Beaters
1. Caesar's opened the Texans over/under win total at 7 ½. Which way do you go? 2. Would you prefer the Texans again go 10-6 and again lose in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, or free fall to 5-11? 3. Best non-meat pizza toppings: Bronze-Ricotta cheese Silver-Spinach Gold-Mushrooms
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How Houston Rockets hold the cards for a franchise-changing summer
May 8, 2025, 5:45 pm
In Houston, the winning standard has been set so high that anything short of World Series contention now feels like failure. And yet, the 2025 Astros find themselves at an unfamiliar crossroads—caught between the fading brilliance of past stars and the uncertain promise of what comes next.
Jose Altuve is at the center of this issue. His early struggles (-0.5 WAR) may indicate more than just a temporary slump. And when he swung at the first pitch after Lance McCullers had just endured a grueling 33-pitch inning on Sunday, it raised a bigger question: who has the influence to talk to Altuve?
The Astros’ culture has long been praised for its accountability, but who inside the clubhouse has the standing to challenge or counsel Altuve or other vets when needed? With so many veteran voices gone, there’s a growing sense that no one does—and that’s a problem. That’s why the idea of bringing back Michael Brantley—not as a player, but as a respected voice—could make some sense. Brantley was always viewed as a quiet leader, and his presence could restore some of the guidance this roster desperately needs.
Batter up?
While the Astros have built a reputation for reviving pitchers' careers, their track record with hitters is far less impressive. There are few, if any, examples of a bat joining Houston and unlocking a new level. That failure in development becomes especially stark when considering how much they’re currently leaning on homegrown youth.
Which brings us to Zach Dezenzo. The 24-year-old rookie is showing he belongs—his .737 OPS makes him one of the more productive bats in a lineup that desperately needs stability while Yordan Alvarez nurses an injury. While Victor Caratini provides the Astros with the ability to switch hit, he's hitting just .217. Dezenzo should be starting every day in left, with Yordan out. Jose Altuve, who has already played too many innings this year, should be shifted to DH duties to ease his physical burden. The Astros should go with Cam Smith in right and keep Jake Meyers in center to round out the outfield.
GM Dana Brown has made clear that he views Dezenzo as a first baseman or left fielder for the future. So why not get him in the lineup while Yordan's out and see what he can do with consistent playing time?
Of course, losing Yordan Alvarez is always going to hurt. But the numbers tell a surprising story. Yordan currently holds a -0.4 WAR, right there alongside Altuve and Christian Walker as the only Astros with negative marks. On paper, the team hasn’t lost much production. But let’s not kid ourselves—Yordan’s mere presence alters how opponents pitch to this team. The lineup without him lacks fear factor, and the margins get razor-thin.
Speaking of margins, one move that may haunt this front office is the decision to sign Christian Walker. The veteran first baseman is hitting just .205 with a .617 OPS—far below the level expected from a player earning $20 million annually through 2027. Compare that to Jon Singleton, who posted better numbers in 2024 and currently boasts an .880 OPS in Triple-A with the Mets organization. Walker's defense is strong, but it's hard to argue that justifies the price tag. Singleton might not be a Gold Glover, or anything close, but he came much cheaper and was quietly more productive with the bat.
No regrets?
There’s also a broader question looming: if fans had known that Altuve’s massive contract extension would potentially cost the team the ability to re-sign current MVP candidates Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman, would they still have supported the deal? Hindsight is cruel, but with Altuve’s decline and Tucker and Bregman thriving, it’s a fair debate. Houston might have paid for the past instead of securing its future.
Big deals on the horizon?
All eyes now turn to owner Jim Crane. This winter, Houston's payroll will have considerable room to maneuver. But will Crane commit to restocking the lineup with All-Star-caliber bats, or will his reluctance to offer long-term deals keep the Astros stuck in a holding pattern? It’s one thing to let players walk. It’s another to fail to replace them.
The Astros still have the bones of a contender, but the road back to dominance is getting steeper. The team can’t simply rely on what used to work. It’s time for difficult conversations, bold lineup changes, and a rethinking of how this organization develops—and retains—offensive talent.
We have 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 now on Thursday!
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