Texans Turmoil

Former Texan Owen Daniels backs up Duane Brown's claim that McNair met with team after 2008 election

Former Texan Owen Daniels backs up Duane Brown's claim that McNair met with team after 2008 election
Owen Daniels tells ESPN 97.5 that Duane Brown was telling the truth about McNair meeting with the team after the 2008 election. Tim Warner/Getty Images

Former Texan Owen Daniels was on ESPN 97.5 with John Granato and Raheel Ramzanali onMarch 6th and spoke about the strange meeting Texans owner Bob McNair held with the players after the election of President Barack Obama in 2008. Despite any claims to the contrary, Daniels said that the meeting did happen, and he found it very peculiar that McNair would hold a meeting with the team to inform them about his displeasure with the results of the election. McNair has denied that this meeting took place, but now at least two players have confirmed that it did indeed happen.

Yesterday, McNair was in the news again for stating that he regrets apologizing for his controversial comments about the 'inmates running the prison.' McNair's recent statement led John Granato and Lance Zierlein to revisit the interview with Owen Daniels and and question why the Texans owner continues to keep giving live to this story. It may be time for McNair to step away from the organization because this is clearly not a good look for the league or the Texans. Houston may struggle to bring in free agents because of the reputation McNair has created for himself.

If you would like to hear the full segment with John and Lance's commentary today, you can listen here.  If you would prefer to listen to the Owen Daniels interview isolated, click here.

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Houston Astros survive ninth-inning threat to top Rays

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Astros let lead slip late in tough loss to Rays

Chas McCormick gets another start in Game 2. Composite Getty Image.

The Houston Astros will aim to lock up a series victory Tuesday night as they face the Tampa Bay Rays in the second game of a three-game set. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. ET.

Houston (25–22) took the opener 4–3 on Monday and has now won five of its last ten games, continuing a recent surge that has pulled them back above .500 and into second place in the AL West. Tampa Bay (21–26) sits fourth in the AL East and has struggled to find consistency, especially at home where they are now just 11–18.

The Astros will turn to left-hander Brandon Walter, who is set to make his season debut. Walter, a depth option from the Astros' system, gets the nod with the club working through recent rotation injuries.

The Rays counter with right-hander Zack Littell (3–5, 4.31 ERA), who has been solid but not dominant across his first nine starts. He’s struck out 32 batters in 54.1 innings with a strong 1.12 WHIP.

Team trends

Houston holds the AL’s fifth-best team on-base percentage (.318) and has gone 6–4 over its last 10 games, posting a .252 batting average and a 3.78 team ERA in that span. Tampa Bay is 5–5 over its last 10, hitting .236 while their pitching staff has combined for a 4.34 ERA.

Players to watch

  • Jake Meyers continues to provide timely power for Houston, while Isaac Paredes has been one of Houston's steadiest hitters, going 11-for-37 with three home runs over his last 10 games.
  • Jonathan Aranda leads the Rays with a .309 batting average and has been a consistent bat in the middle of their lineup.
  • Chandler Simpson, a recent spark plug for Tampa, is hitting .364 over his last 10 games.

Betting line

According to BetMGM, the Astros are slight road favorites at -114, with the Rays at -105. The over/under is set at 9.5 runs, signaling expectations for a potentially high-scoring matchup.

With the series opener in their pocket and Walter making his first appearance of the year, the Astros will look to keep momentum rolling in Tampa and inch closer to the top of the AL West standings.

Here's a look at Tuesday's night's lineup:

Yainer Diaz gets the night off, with Victor Caratini catching Walter in his big league debut. Chas McCormick is in the lineup again playing left field, and Zach Dezenzo gets the nod in the DH spot.

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