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?
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With the Astros now officially ten games under .500 for the season, manager Joe Espada is taking a lot of heat from the fanbase for the team's struggles.
While we don't agree with the sentiment, we even hear fans clamoring for the return of Dusty Baker and Martin Maldonado, thinking the Astros wouldn't be in this mess if they were still here.
Which is ridiculous. First of all, Maldonado has been awful for the White Sox, hitting .048 (even worse than Jose Abreu's .065). And for those of you that think his work with the pitching staff justifies his pathetic offense. Let me say this: Where was Maldy's game calling genius for Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier, and Framber Valdez last year? All of them regressed significantly.
And as far as Baker is concerned, we have no idea how much a difference he would make, we can only speculate. Baker would also be dealing with a pitching staff ravaged with injuries. And let's not forget, Baker was the guy that refused to move Jose Abreu down in the batting order, even though he would finish the regular season with the ninth-worst OPS in baseball.
The reality of the situation is managers can only do so much in baseball. Which leads us to something else that needs to be considered. Is Espada being handcuffed by the front office? Espada and GM Dana Brown both said recently that Jon Singleton was going to get more at-bats while they give Abreu time off to try to figure things out. Yet, there Abreu was in the lineup again in the opening game of the Cubs series.
It makes us wonder how much power does Espada truly have? The Astros have some other options at first base. Yainer Diaz may only have eight games played at the position, but how much worse could he be than Abreu defensively? Abreu already has four errors, and Diaz is obviously a way better hitter. Victor Caratini isn't considered a plus offensive player, but his .276 batting average makes him look like Babe Ruth compared to Abreu. Let him catch more often and play Diaz at first. Starting Diaz at first more often could also lengthen his career long-term.
Maybe that's too wild of a move. Okay, fine. How about playing Mauricio Dubon at first base? I understand he doesn't have much experience at that position, but what's the downside of trying him there? If he can play shortstop, he can play first base. He's driving in runs at a higher rate (11 RBIs) than everyone on the team outside of Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez. And he's producing like that as part-time player right now.
The other criticism we see of Espada is his use of Jon Singleton to pinch hit late in games. Let's be real, though, who else does Espada have on the roster to go to? Batting Abreu late in games in which you're trailing should be considered malpractice. Espada can only use who he has to work with. This all really stems from the Astros poor farm system.
They don't have anyone else to turn to. The draft picks the club lost from the sign-stealing scandal are really hurting them right now. First and second rounders from 2020 and 2021 should be helping you in 2024 at the big league level.
Maybe they go to Astros prospect Joey Loperfido soon, but after a hot start he has only two hits in his last six games.
Finally, we have to talk about what seems like a committee making baseball decisions. Lost in a committee is accountability. Who gets the blame for making poor decisions?
As time continues to pass it looks like moving on from former GM James Click was a massive mistake. He's the guy that didn't sign Abreu, but did trade Myles Straw (recently DFA'd) for Yainer Diaz and Phil Maton. He also built an elite bullpen without breaking the bank, and helped the club win a World Series in 2022.
The reality of the situation is Dusty Baker and James Click are not walking back through that door. And all good runs come to an end at some point. Is this what we're witnessing?
Don't miss the video above as we hit on all the points discussed and much more!
Catch Stone Cold 'Stros (an Astros podcast) with Charlie Pallilo, Brandon Strange, and Josh Jordan. We drop two episodes every week on SportsMapHouston's YouTube channel. You can also listen on Apple Podcast, Spotifyor wherever you get your podcasts.