How Houston Astros ALDS chances versus Twins won’t hinge on familiar frustration
STONE COLD 'STROS
10 October 2023
One of the area's of frustration all season long for Astros fans has been Yainer Diaz's lack of playing time. While we expected manager Dusty Baker to start Martin Maldonado at catcher, we were hoping that Diaz would be used as a pinch hitter in critical situations.
In the 5th inning of Game 2 down 5-0, Dusty opted not to bat Diaz for Maldy after a lead off double. To be fair, this decision did not cost the Astros a win, and Diaz did bat later in the game. But this is just another example of Baker's hesitance to go away from Maldonado, especially early in the game.
Yainer is reportedly slated to start at DH in Game 3, but when that happens, Yordan has to play left field which will leave Michael Brantley out of the lineup against Sonny Gray.
Will the Astros be able to score enough runs against Gray with Javier on the mound?
Series deciding factors
Plus, whether Diaz or Maldy swing the bats well or not, the outcome of this series is going to depend on the success of the heart of the order from an offensive perspective. If Bregman, Tucker, and company don't get going, it's hard to imagine the team will advance past the Twins.
Be sure to watch the video above as we look ahead at Game 3 and much more!
And watch Stone Cold 'Stros (an Astros podcast) every Monday on SportsMapHouston's YouTube channel!
Exciting Houston Rockets trade scenarios that could change everything
May 20, 2025, 3:19 pm
Don't be surprised when the Rockets make a bold move. Photo via: Wiki Commons.
In today’s episode, we’re diving into the heart of the Houston Rockets’ offseason — the trade rumors, the dream scenarios, and the hard questions every fan is asking right now. Whether it's chasing stars or shuffling the role players, nothing is off the table.
We start by taking a serious look at Donovan Mitchell — is he the kind of talent worth giving up a major package for, or would he disrupt the current build? From there, we shift to the impact of injuries on trade value and ask: who should the Rockets move, and what’s the realistic return?
We’re also talking big picture: what are the Rockets actually missing to make the leap? Is it scoring? Defense? Veteran leadership?
Then there’s the Ace Bailey debate — is he the future or fool’s gold? We break down the hype vs. reality.
And of course, we had to touch on the Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors. If he’s committed to staying in the East, does that shut down any Houston hope — or was that pipe dream already dead?
Finally, we explore a wild card: Jrue Holiday to Houston. Could his leadership and defense be the missing piece? Or is it just a mismatch?
Plenty of hot takes, real questions, and trade-machine madness. Let’s talk Rockets.
Don't miss the video below as ESPN Houston's Jeremy Branham and Joel Blank break it all down.
*ChatGPT assisted.
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