Holly's Take
Could XFL shutdown be a clue that the NFL is delaying the start of the 2020 season?
Apr 13, 2020, 2:42 pm
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Friday night on Late Hits I checked in with Patrick Creighton and Jayson Braddock.
Earlier Friday morning there were rumors out of the XFL closing shop. Shortly after, ESPN alerted everyone that the league shut down for good.
I spent all day talking to my fellow colleagues around the league. From players, to personal, coaches… Whoever. In case you missed the segment, here's what I was able to report:
There was a 9-minute conference call between the head office and XFL employees (not players). In this call, they were given specific instructions and guidelines on turning in their things. They were also asked NOT to ask any questions. The call was ended when the head office hung up on everyone.
I reached out to multiple players also got conformation that they were paid on Friday with an additional amount added onto this check. While some players told me they expected this to be their last check, others told me they were to be paid until May 31st. No word from HR yet. It is now Monday and the XFL officially filed bankruptcy. Safe to say that the additional amount on their check was not a Good Friday gift from the Easter Bunny.
The worst part of what I was told was from another side conference call. According to a source, ALLEGEDLY there was a call that happened between Vince McMahon and Roger Goodell. I was not on this call, OBVIOUSLY but here's what my sources said: Goodell wanted XFL shut down because "when the COVID-19 vaccine is found and we are allowed to be in large groups again," the NFL wanted to be the first to host live stadium games. The word from this call is that the NFL does plan on postponing or eventually cancelling the 2020 NFL season. As of now, the main focus is the virtual draft that we're all looking forward to. I strongly believe that IF this call did happen, the NFL will not tell us that they plan on postponing until the absolute last minute when they have to. It's their job to give us hope and keep us positive during these crazy times. I respect that. It may be way into the end of summer before we hear anything. IF we hear anything.
Now, BEFORE you freak out... Please note, this is what I've been told from a source. However, I received this information from the same sources that confirmed the conference call AND the paycheck information. (And the first positive COVID test on an XFL player I reported to you… That was a humble brag real quick). As much as I hope this news is fake and I am completely wrong, it's my job to let you know. As much as I do NOT want to believe that the NFL could be postponed, there is a very good chance it eventually is. As Patrick Creighton talked about on Late Hits a few days back, there was a phone call between Donald Trump and some "guys in high places." Obviously, the President knows more than the public is told. I'm pretty sure the elite business men such as Roger Goodell and others know as well.
So now I leave you guys with this...
How much Netflix, online poker and Instagram Live stories of pushup challenges can we take? How long until we really get sports back? Are we prepared to face this IF we don't get sports back in 2020?
It’s May 1, and the Astros are turning heads—but not for the reasons anyone expected. Their resurgence, driven not by stars like Yordan Alvarez or Christian Walker, but by a cast of less-heralded names, is writing a strange and telling early-season story.
Christian Walker, brought in to add middle-of-the-order thump, has yet to resemble the feared hitter he was in Arizona. Forget the narrative of a slow starter—he’s never looked like this in April. Through March and April of 2025, he’s slashing a worrying .196/.277/.355 with a .632 OPS. Compare that to the same stretch in 2024, when he posted a .283 average, .496 slug, and a robust .890 OPS, and it becomes clear: this is something more than rust. Even in 2023, his April numbers (.248/.714 OPS) looked steadier.
What’s more troubling than the overall dip is when it’s happening. Walker is faltering in the biggest moments. With runners in scoring position, he’s hitting just .143 over 33 plate appearances, including 15 strikeouts. The struggles get even more glaring with two outs—.125 average, .188 slugging, and a .451 OPS in 19 such plate appearances. In “late and close” situations, when the pressure’s highest, he’s practically disappeared: 1-for-18 with a .056 average and a .167 OPS.
His patience has waned (only 9 walks so far, compared to 20 by this time last year), and for now, his presence in the lineup feels more like a placeholder than a pillar.
The contrast couldn’t be clearer when you look at José Altuve—long the engine of this franchise—who, in 2024, delivered in the moments Walker is now missing. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Altuve hit .275 with an .888 OPS. In late and close situations, he thrived with a .314 average and .854 OPS. That kind of situational excellence is missing from this 2025 squad—but someone else may yet step into that role.
And yet—the Astros are winning. Not because of Walker, but in spite of him.
Houston’s offense, in general, hasn’t lit up the leaderboard. Their team OPS ranks 23rd (.667), their slugging 25th (.357), and they sit just 22nd in runs scored (117). They’re 26th in doubles, a rare place for a team built on gap-to-gap damage.
But where there’s been light, it hasn’t come from the usual spots. Jeremy Peña, often overshadowed in a lineup full of stars, now boasts the team’s highest OPS at .791 (Isaac Paredes is second in OPS) and is flourishing in his new role as the leadoff hitter. Peña’s balance of speed, contact, aggression, and timely power has given Houston a surprising tone-setter at the top.
Even more surprising: four Astros currently have more home runs than Yordan Alvarez.
And then there’s the pitching—Houston’s anchor. The rotation and bullpen have been elite, ranking 5th in ERA (3.23), 1st in WHIP (1.08), and 4th in batting average against (.212). In a season where offense is lagging and clutch hits are rare, the arms have made all the difference.
For now, it’s the unexpected contributors keeping Houston afloat. Peña’s emergence. A rock-solid pitching staff. Role players stepping up in quiet but crucial ways. They’re not dominating, but they’re grinding—and in a sluggish AL West, that may be enough.
Walker still has time to find his swing. He showed some signs of life against Toronto and Detroit. If he does, the Astros could become dangerous. If he doesn’t, the turnaround we’re witnessing will be credited to a new cast of unlikely faces. And maybe, that’s the story that needed to be written.
We have so much more to discuss. 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!
*ChatGPT assisted.
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