FREE AGENCY FOMO?
How Houston Astros latest roster move wildly contrasts conventional thinking
Dec 20, 2022, 1:14 pm
Uncle Mike is back! Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.
Why am I hearing from Astros fans that the team hasn’t done enough to get better during this offseason?
You mean the team that just won the World Series? That’s made four of the last six World Series? That won their division by 16 games in 2022 and dropped only two games in the postseason? That has become the model for sports franchises in America?
Sure, the Astros haven’t spent dumb money, a 13-year contract for a 28-year-old shortstop, $86 million over two seasons for a 40-year-old pitcher who’s now tied as the highest-paid player in baseball history, or $185 million on an injury-prone, 16-game winning pitcher … that’s 16 games over the last three seasons combined.
Instead the Astros simply went out and made, not the richest, but the most important free agent signing, and I’m not even talking about Jose Abreau, the best first baseman available to fill a hole in the Astros batting order.
Michael Brantley will be back with the Astros next season.
Sometimes you don’t measure a player’s importance by statistics and salary. Otherwise the Dodgers and Yankees would be dripping in World Series rings. They’re not. Over the past two decades, they have one title each. The Astros have two.
Brantley is the piece that completes the Astros. It’s terrific that he’s been a .300 batter and clutch hitter over his four seasons in Houston. More important, he is everything that’s good and admirable about the team – a talented, productive player, strong leader and role model in the community.
Just like everybody else it seems in that Astros clubhouse.
That’s the confounding aura about the Astros. They are beloved in Houston, unparalleled recent excellence on the field and pillars of the community.
They are reviled everywhere else, lowdown dirty cheaters from 2017 who may or may not still be cheating. That last part surprised me, the “still” cheating. I talked with a prominent sports media figure from Philadelphia after the last World Series and he would not concede that the Astros won fair and square this time. He didn’t say the Astros were cheating. He was just asking questions. It was like watching the TV news.
It’s not certain where Brantley will play in the field or hit in the batting order. It doesn’t matter. He is a steady, respected presence on a veteran team whose players are mostly in the 20s, and their 5-man (or 6-man) pitching rotation all are under 30. He really could be some of the Astros’ Uncle Mike.
Brantley is coming off a serious injury, his success on the diamond may be a question mark, but we know this for sure, the Astros are better with Brantley on the team.
And the last thing 29 other teams need is the Astros to be better in 2023.
Sunday night matchups don't get much exciting than this, as the Houston Texans host the Detroit Lions in prime-time at NRG.
The Lions come into this game on a six-game winning streak looking every bit of the best team in football. Houston on the other hand has lost two of their last three games with a struggling offense unable to protect their quarterback.
CJ Stroud has only one passing touchdown over this span, and is clearly having trouble adjusting to life without Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins.
If Houston is going to come away with an upset victory, they will need big performances from Tank Dell and Joe Mixon. After catching 4 passes against the Colts two weeks ago, Mixon not only failed to catch a single pass against the Jets, but he wasn't even targeted.
Considering the Texans' offensive line issues, choosing not to use Mixon as a pass catcher is hard to fathom. Especially since he and Dell are the team's top 2 playmakers.
What's working in the Texans' favor?
They play this game at home, where they are undefeated this season. A lot of the team's protection issues have popped up on the road, so communication should be easier for the offense on their home turf.
Bulls on Parade
We have good news and bad news about the defense this week. On the positive side, Azeez Al-Shaair and Jimmy Ward have returned to practice. If they're able to contribute on Sunday night, that would give the defense a lift.
And now for the bad news. Will Anderson has yet to practice this week after rolling his ankle in the Jets game. If he is unable to practice on Friday, it's hard to imagine he'll be active against Detroit.
X-factors
The Texans have to show some improvement on the offensive line this week.
Houston must lean on Joe Mixon again, as Nico Collins isn't expected to play.
Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of the best receivers in the league, and he does most of his damage from the slot. If the Texans continue to deploy Jalen Pitre against premier receivers in man coverage, St. Brown is going to light up the scoreboard.
What would a win over the Lions mean to Houston?
The Texans are no longer considered a true championship contender because of their losses to the Packers, Vikings, and Jets. In fact, the Bills are the only team with a winning record that the Texans have beaten.
An upset win over the streaking Lions would change that narrative.
What does Vegas think?
The Lions are currently favored by 3.5 and the total is set at 49 points.
Don't miss the full preview of Texans-Lions in the video above!
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