THE PALLILOG
Here's what the Astros' rotation could look like against A's
Oct 2, 2020, 9:24 am
A longer series presents a different set of challenges. Composite photo by Jack Brame
It's on to Los Angeles for the Astros, for a best of five with their good pals the Oakland Athletics in an American League Division Series starting Monday at Dodger Stadium. The Astros dispatched the Twins in two straight games in large part because of a pitching strategy that will be tougher to use vs. the A's. With a maximum of three starting pitchers needed in a best of three, Dusty Baker was able to use Framber Valdez for five innings of relief in game one, and then Cristian Javier for three innings in game two. The ALCS will be played with no off days, meaning games Monday through Friday should the series go the distance. If it does the plan going in would be to use five different starters. The track record in this era of starters going on three days' rest is not good, and it's not as if the Astros have an ace you'd consider it with other than under exigent circumstances.
In what order would you slot the Astros' starters? If like vs. Minnesota it's Zack Greinke, Jose Urquidy, Lance McCullers 1-2-3, that would mean Valdez and Javier in some order as the plan for games four and five. Plans are changeable.
Thanks to the pitching the Astro offense did enough, but it didn't do much in the two games vs. the Twins. One earned run in game one, three in game two. The attack likely needs to be more productive to get past the A's but the series doesn't figure to be a slugfest. The A's offense is middling and minus injured stud third baseman Matt Chapman (as the Twins were without their stud third baseman Josh Donaldson). Oakland's pitching dominated the Astros over the regular season series which the A's took 7-3. In the 10 games the Astros totaled a paltry 25 runs. Mike Fiers pitched in none of those games. He's the A's number five starter.
The Astros are only in the playoffs because of the expanded format. That would not detract from the achievement of winning the tournament. If the Astros wind up winning the World Series (unlikely but sure not impossible) more than a few around here would find it amusing that the Astros would do so in the Texas Rangers' new ballpark.
It was amusing to hear Carlos Correa say "What they are going to say now?" after the Astros closed out the Twins. If it works as motivation for the Astros to harbor resentment toward the "haters" that's cool, but they can't unring the bell that tolled. The Astros are proven and acknowledged cheaters in 2017 and 2018. Nothing will ever change that. It doesn't matter what other teams did or may have done. None were proven to have done what the Astros did. They tainted themselves.
Fans in the stands for Texans vs. Vikings
What excitement for Texans-Vikings Sunday! 0-3 vs. 0-3. The allowed crowd of about 13,000 seems appropriate. The schedule has done them no favors but describing the Texans' performance to this point as anything better than dismal is sugarcoating and/or propaganda. If grasping for a marketing slogan about the most credible they could go with right now is "At least we're not the Falcons!" On the other hand, the Falcons own their first and second round draft picks next spring.
The Texans' run defense has been a sieve thus far, yielding 5.2 yards per carry. Sunday it has to contend with Dalvin Cook who's coming off a 22 carry 181 yard day vs. the Titans.
Doc Rivers won't be coaching the Rockets
The 76ers Thursday hired Doc Rivers as their new Head Coach. The Clippers may hire Tyronn Lue. Both had been mentioned for the Rockets' opening created when Mike D'Antoni basically told the organization to take a hike. Whichever direction the Rockets go among other candidates, I'm pretty sure Tilman Fertitta will not be heartbroken at his next head coach coming in at a lower salary tier.
Buzzer Beaters:
1. The Miami Heat led game one of the NBA Finals 23-10, then the Lakers obliterated them 77-32 over the next 24 minutes of play. Barring a LeBron/Anthony Davis injury, the series is over.
2. It's just three games out of 16, but DeAndre Hopkins is on pace for 170 receptions. 170. One. Seventy. Michael Thomas set the NFL record last season with 149.
3. Justin Verlander had his Tommy John surgery this week. More positive elbow mentions: Bronze-macaroni Silver-room Gold-grease
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Expectations
The Texans are favored to win the AFC South for a third straight season with a team led by young stars quarterback C.J. Stroud and defensive end Will Anderson. Stroud’s strong first two years helped the Texans turn things around and this year they’ll try to reach the playoffs in three straight seasons for the first time in franchise history. Stroud will be directing a new offense led by first-time offensive coordinator Nick Caley, who took over after Bobby Slowik was fired this offseason following Houston’s loss to the Chiefs in the divisional round. General manager Nick Caserio also beefed up the team’s receiving corps, led by Nico Collins, by adding veteran Christian Kirk and drafting Jayden Higgins in the second round and Jaylin Noel in the third. Coach DeMeco Ryans has vowed the offensive line will be better this season after Stroud was sacked 52 times last season, which was second-most in the league. But it’s difficult to see how his protection will be better after they traded left tackle Laremy Tunsil and didn’t make any big moves to replace him. Defensively, Anderson should take another step forward in his second year playing with veteran Danielle Hunter after the third-overall pick in the 2023 draft had 17 sacks combined in his first two seasons. Cornerback Derek Stingley returns to lead a talented young secondary after earning first team AP All-Pro honors last season when he had five interceptions and defended 18 passes.
New faces
OC Nick Caley, WR Jayden Higgins, WR Christian Kirk, WR Jaylin Noel, LT Cam Robinson, RB Nick Chubb, RT Aireontae Ersery, LG Laken Tomlinson, C Jake Andrews.
Key losses
LT Laremy Tunsil, WR John Metchie III, G Kenyon Green, TE Brevin Jordan, CB Eric Murray, WR Robert Woods, CB Kris Boyd.
Strengths
Stroud and Houston’s stacked receiving group should be the stars of the team this season. The 2023 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year has been great in his first two seasons to bring the Texans back into contention after an awful stretch. His interception rate was up last season but he’s looking for improvement this season in Caley’s offense, which he has described as “exciting.” He’ll have plenty of strong targets to throw to, led by Collins, who had a second straight 1,000-yard season last year despite missing five games with injuries. He’ll be joined by Kirk, who should fill in at the slot with Tank Dell likely to miss all season recovering from an injury he suffered in December. Higgins and Noel come to Houston after combining for 2,377 yards receiving and 17 touchdowns last season at Iowa State.
Weaknesses
It’s hard to see how the offensive line will be improved this season with Tunsil gone to Washington. Though he was penalty-prone, he was the team’s most consistent lineman. They completely revamped the line after his trade and return just one starter from last year’s group. They’ll likely rely on rookie Ersery to protect Stroud’s blind side after taking him in the second round of the draft. He started 38 games at left tackle over three seasons at Minnesota. Veteran Tytus Howard returns at right tackle after starting 16 games there last season. The center is Jake Andrews in his first year in Houston and he returns after missing all of last season with an injury before being released by the Patriots. Left guard Laken Tomlinson and right guard Ed Ingram are also new to the team.
Camp development
Houston’s secondary sustained a big blow in camp when safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson suffered a leg injury. The injury isn’t season-ending but he is likely to miss significant time. Gardner-Johnson is in his first year in Houston after he was acquired from the Eagles in March in exchange for left guard Kenyon Green. He was expected to be the team’s starting free safety after the Texans lost Eric Murray in free agency to the Jaguars. The Texans will also be without backup Jimmie Ward indefinitely after he was placed on the commissioner exempt list Tuesday as he faces a felony domestic violence charge after a June arrest.
Fantasy player to watch
Collins should have another big year after finishing with more than 1,000 yards receiving in each of the last two seasons. He’s had 15 touchdowns combined in the last two seasons despite missing seven games with injuries.
BetMGM Sportsbook
Win Super Bowl: 35-1.