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Here's why the Texans have another huge decision to make concerning JJ Watt
Nov 10, 2020, 9:59 am
These aren't easy conversations to have. Photo by Getty Images.
For all the fans ready to trade away J.J. Watt, you might be missing something
The Texans' season is just about in the toilet. At 2-6, they have about as good a chance to make the playoffs as I have making Joy Taylor my next ex. Impossible? No, not at all. Likelihood of it happening? I'll probably get struck by lightening first. With that being said, recent reports that claim to have well-placed sources suggest J.J. Watt will be traded in the upcoming offseason. If we're to take some of his comments in recent pressers seriously, Watt seems like he has one foot out the door. So why wasn't he traded before the deadline this season? This season is a wash anyway. They don't own their first or second round picks in the upcoming draft to benefit from such a poor season. Why not move one of your best assets for more draft capital?
Those are questions for Cal McNair. He still has faith in this team's chances of making the playoffs. I have faith he'd fail a drug test because of his belief in them making the playoffs, but that's not why we're here. If Cal still thinks they'll make the playoffs, what will change once they're officially eliminated from playoff contention? Will they give younger guys deeper down the depth chart some playing time to see what they have in them moving forward? Will they hold veteran players back and sit them to keep them healthy? More specifically: will Watt continue to play his normal playing time, or will they sit him to ensure he's not injured when they trade him? Let's take a deeper dive into why this is/isn't a good idea.
Why they shouldn't sit Watt
The Texans shouldn't sit Watt for a number of reasons. For one, they're still paying him. Why pay someone to sit on their butt and not produce? If things calm down more and the capacity grows in stadiums, wouldn't having one of your best players on the field be more financially beneficial? Not only that, but showcasing his talent and that he's healthy would only add to his trade value. I don't see why you'd lose. The most you're going to get for him would be a second or third rounder at the back end of either round. Acquiring more picks helps you flesh out an already talent-deficient roster. Playing him and him playing at a high level could add to his value.
Why they should sit Watt
Given Watt's injury history, the obvious thing to do is to sit him once they're eliminated from playoff contention. Teams who'd trade for him know who he is and what he's capable of when healthy. There's no need to showcase him as if he's some new toy nobody has ever played with so you play with it to create interest. He's the tried and true toy that'll get used no matter what. Knowing that he's been hampered with injuries, you run the risk of him getting hurt, lowering or eliminating his trade value, and leaving yourself in a position where you have to keep him or release him and get nothing. The decision is obvious: sit Watt and trade him to the highest bidder.
There are two schools of thought on most subjects. One group will feel the glass is half full, while the other will look at it as half empty. Either way, you have your opinion and others will have theirs. I'm in the camp of preserving your assets. I'd sit Watt and/or play him sparingly if the Texans are eliminated from playoff contention. They don't have to outright bench him. They could just pull back his playing time and use him as a situational pass rusher. They already passed on the opportunity to hold a contender over the coals at the trade deadline, they can't afford to mess this up again. Trade him to a title contender of his choosing and end the relationship on good terms. That way he'll always be grateful to the organization. Hell, they can still make a statue of him and unveil it when they retire his jersey and induct him into their ring of honor. Do right by the man. He deserves it.
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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.