A NEW LOW
Astros all too familiar with true identity of Mariners fans
Sep 26, 2023, 12:59 pm
Mariners fans cheered when Jose Altuve was hit by a pitch Monday night. Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images.
I don’t dislike the “other team.” Sure, I root for the Astros to win, regardless who they're playing, but especially this week against the Seattle Mariners. This is do-or-die time for the Astros. Win, they're in the playoffs. Lose, let's not even think about lose.
I’ve got nothing against the Mariners players, though. Who knows? The way baseball operates these days, some of them could be Astros before spring training next season. They got any free agent lefty relievers in their bullpen?
Look at Justin Verlander. A few months ago, back on June 20, he was on the mound for the New York Mets pitching against the Astros, the team he pitched for last season. Monday night, improbably back in an Astros uniform, he just may have saved the season for the defending World Series champs. Verlander was marvelous, throwing eight innings of three-hit ball in what, no cliché for a change, was a must-win game. It may not have been a death blow for Mariners' playoff hopes, but it surely has them reeling in despair.
So cheer for the Astros. But be careful who you boo.
Except in the case of Seattle Mariners fans. What a bunch of awful jerks. They're evil.
Not all of them. But it sure sounded like most of the 39,920 fans who attended Monday night’s game at T-Mobile Park.
In the ninth inning, with Mariners’ playoff hopes dimming at the hands of the Astros, Seattle pitcher Dominic Leone unleashed a 96-mph heater that struck Jose Altuve on his left elbow. It looked bad. Astros fans remember that Altuve was hit by a similar pitch, a 96-mph sinker that broke his right thumb, during the World Baseball Classic back in March causing him to miss the first seven weeks of 2023.
Losing 5-0, Mariners fans cheer Jose Altuve getting hit, a player who never cheated.
Altuve has received unnecessary hate for something he didn't do. Booing is one thing but cheering getting hit?
Mariners fans are the most classless pic.twitter.com/X1DMYVip1w
— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) September 26, 2023
Monday night, Altuve flipped his bat backwards, doubled over and grimaced in pain. A Major League fastball, even if it strikes a protective elbow guard, is scary business.
How did Seattle fans react? They cheered.
Idiots.
Altuve is used to being jeered in ballparks around the Major Leagues. Deserving or not, and as more information comes out, it’s undeserving that Altuve is the face of the Astros sign-stealing scandal.
But to cheer for a player to get injured is just plain disgusting. This applies to all players, but in Houston, especially Altuve.
Jose Altuve is this generation’s favorite Astro. I happen to think that when his career wraps up, he will be a Hall of Famer and the undeniable greatest Astro ever. He is more than a mountain of statistics. He is a role model, not just an All-Star second baseman, but a generous, charitable public servant. In 2017 he was named Sportsperson of the Year by Sports Illustrated, not just for helping his team win the World Series, but for helping his city through a devastating hurricane.
The Astros could say goodbye to George Springer, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Correa, Yuli Gurriel, yes Justin Verlander, too. The one player that management shouldn't dare think about parting ways with is Jose Altuve. He is the embodiment of the Houston Astros spirit. Fans' forgiveness and understanding have their limits.
Not that the Mariners need any extra boost to fall out of the pennant race, it's what they do best all on their own, but here's hoping that Mariners fans enjoy another October watching the Astros play baseball on TV.
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Astros keep doing this, and it’s getting hard to ignore
Jun 25, 2025, 10:01 pm
While the rolling Astros have a week of possible World Series preview matchups against the Phillies and Cubs, it’s the Rockets who made the biggest local sports headline with their acquisition of Kevin Durant. What a move! Of course there is risk involved in trading for a guy soon to turn 37 years old and who carries an injury history, but balancing risk vs. reward is a part of the game. This is a fabulous move for the Rockets. It’s understood that there are dissenters to this view. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, including people with the wrong opinion! Let’s dig in.
The Rockets had a wonderful season in winning 52 games before their disappointing first-round playoff loss to the Warriors, but like everyone else in the Western Conference, they were nowhere close to Oklahoma City’s caliber. While they finished second in the West, the Rockets only finished four games ahead of the play-in. That letting the stew simmer with further growth among their young players would yield true championship contention was no given for 2025-26 or beyond.
Kevin Durant is one of the 10 greatest offensive players the NBA has ever seen. Among his current contemporaries only Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokic make that list. For instance, Durant offensively has clearly been better than the late and legendary Kobe Bryant. To view it from a Houston perspective, Durant has been an indisputably greater offensive force than the amazing Hakeem Olajuwon. But this is not a nostalgia trip in which the Rockets are trading for a guy based on what he used to be. While Durant could hit the wall at any point, living in fear that it’s about to happen is no way to live because KD, approaching his 18th NBA season, is still an elite offensive player.
As to the durability concern, Durant played more games (62) this past season than did Fred VanVleet, Jabari Smith, and Tari Eason. The season before he played more games (75) than did VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and Alperen Sengun. In each of the last two seasons Durant averaged more minutes per game (36.9) than any Rocket. That was stupid and/or desperate of the Suns, the Rockets will be smarter. Not that the workload eroded Durant’s production or efficiency. Over the two seasons he averaged almost 27 points per game while shooting 52 percent from the floor, 42 percent from behind the three-point line, and 85 percent from the free throw line. Awesomeness. The Rockets made the leap to being a very good team despite a frankly crummy half-court offense. The Rockets ranked 21st among the 30 NBA teams in three-point percentage, and dead last in free throw percentage. Amen Thompson has an array of skills and looks poised to be a unique star. Alas, Thompson has no credible jump shot. VanVleet is not a creator, Smith has limited handle. Adding Durant directly addresses the Rockets’ most glaring weakness.
The price the Rockets paid was in the big picture, minimal, unless you think Jalen Green is going to become a bonafide star. Green is still just 23 years old and spectacular athletically, but nothing he has done over four pro seasons suggests he’s on the cusp of greatness. In no season has Green even shot the league average from the floor or from three. His defense has never been as good as it should be given his athleticism. Compared to some other two-guards who made the NBA move one year removed from high school, four seasons into his career Green is waaaaaay behind where Shae Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, and Devin Booker were four seasons in, and now well behind his draft classmate Cade Cunningham. Dillon Brooks was a solid pro in two seasons here and shot a career-best from three in 2024-2025, but he’s being replaced by Kevin Durant! In terms of the draft pick capital sent to Phoenix, five second round picks are essentially meaningless. The Rockets have multiple extra first round picks in the coming years. As for the sole first-rounder dealt away, whichever player the Rockets would have taken 10th Wednesday night would have been rather unlikely to crack the playing rotation.
VanVleet signs extension
Re-signing Fred VanVleet to a two-year, 50 million dollar guarantee is sensible. In a vacuum, VanVleet was substantially overpaid at the over 40 mil he made per season the last two. He’s a middle-of-the-pack starting point guard. But his professionalism and headiness brought major value to the Rockets’ kiddie corps while their payroll was otherwise very low. Ideally, Reed Sheppard makes a leap to look like an NBA lead guard in his second season, after a pretty much zippo of a rookie campaign. Sheppard is supposed to be a lights-out shooter. For the Rockets to max out, they need two sharpshooters on the court to balance Thompson’s presence.
For Astro-centric conversation, join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
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