AN OFFER HE CAN'T REFUSE?
How Houston Astros epic Godfather moment now sets the stage for a “New York” finale
Apr 21, 2022, 3:35 pm
Jeremy Pena looks like he’s built for the long haul. Composite image by Josh Jordan
Security Exchange Commission Rule 156 says “past performance is not indicative of future results” - a lesson many of us have learned the hard way - but 12 games into the 2022 baseball season, it looks like Astros rookie Jeremy Pena is outplaying departed shortstop Carlos Correa.
Carlos Correa, you remember him, right? He’s hitting a puny .190 with one lonely home run and two RBI for the Minnesota Twins who have settled expectedly into last place in the AL Central with a dismal 4-8 mark.
From the weather desk: the Twins home opener was postponed because the forecast called for an afternoon high of 40 degrees with rain and snow and winds gusting to 35 mph. Baby, it’s cold outside.
Meanwhile in controlled atmospheric conditions at Minute Maid Park, Pena is hitting .308 with two bombs and four RBI for the Astros who are keeping their heads above water at 6-6.
A dozen games is hardly a valid sample, but Astros fans seem plenty happy with Pena and, how’s that song go, they ain’t missing Correa at all.
Since Correa’s three-year, $105.3 million deal with the Twins allows him to leave after this season … what if Correa tells his agent Scott Boras, “I think I’ve made a big mistake. I want to go home.” Boras gets on the phone and calls Astros owner Jim Crane. Let’s imagine how that call goes.
Boras: “Jim, baby, long time, no talk. Anyhoo, just between us, Carlos wants back with the Astros. If I remember, you offered him $160 million over five years. What do you say, ol’ buddy ol’ pal?
That’s when Crane goes all Godfather on Boras. He deliciously repeats the words that Michael Corleone told corrupt Sen. Patrick Geary when the senator tried to extort millions in exchange for approving a casino license.
Crane: “Scott, You can have my answer now if you like. My offer is this … nothing.
Houston fans have taken to Pena in a big, big way. An Astros official told me, “Jeremy is everything you want in a young player. He’s courteous and friendly and he’s willing to do everything we ask of him. Everybody here loves him.”
No one should think that Correa will end up hitting sub-.200. And it’s likely that Pena will shrink from his current .308 mark. But no matter how you crunch the numbers, Pena is three years younger than Correa. More important, Pena is under Astros control for several more years.
And maybe most important, Pena is making $700,000 this season, which is 45 times less than the one that got away. The savings will allow the Astros to make roster moves down the road.
Pena looks like he’s built for the long haul. Correa broke down several times during his seven years in Houston. In 2019, when Correa was 24 (Pena’s age now) he missed more than half the season, including a 60-day stint on the injured list for a rib injury suffered during a massage at home.
Last year when the Astros wanted Correa to settle down in Houston, Correa wanted to play the field and flirt with other teams. Next year, when it’s possible that Correa will want to return to the Astros, sorry, we’ve fallen for someone else.
Remember what Pam said in The Office when it appeared that Jim would accept a job in New York and they missed their chance at everlasting sitcom love.
Pam said, “If he never comes back again, it’s OK, we’re friends. And I’m sure we’ll stay friends. We never got the timing right. You know, I shot him down and then he did the same to me. You know what? It’s OK. I’m totally fine.”
Except in The Office, Jim turned down the job, came back to Scranton, and wound up marrying Pam. That’s how TV works. In real life, unless Pena has a career-ending injury or the Earth spins off its axis, come next year it will be Correa taking that job in New York.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
NFL insiders hint at eye-opening future for Houston Texans offense
Dec 7, 2024, 2:38 pm
C.J. Stroud faced criticism in Houston's last few games as the Texans hit a rough patch after losing just two of their first eight games.
But the second-year quarterback remained confident and his strong performance last Sunday helped the Texans (8-5) to a 23-20 win over the Jaguars to enter their bye with a two-game lead atop the AFC South.
“When he is leading and playing the way he is playing, our entire team feeds off of him,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “I am excited for his second year. I think he is showing a ton of growth, he is in a really great spot for us physically, mentally. I really love where he is and I am excited to see how he comes back after the break.”
Stroud threw for 242 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville to leave him ranked fourth in the NFL with 3,117 yards passing this season. That game came after he threw two interceptions in a 32-27 loss to Tennessee a week before for the team’s third loss in four games.
Those two interceptions brought his season total to nine, which are four more than he threw in 15 games a rookie. But the Texans aren’t worried about that statistic and believe he has grown in his second year.
“He’s made a lot of progress,” general manager Nick Caserio said. “There are some plays, like all of our players, that we probably wish he could have back, but happy he’s our quarterback, happy with what he brings to the table. ... Wouldn’t want anyone else leading this team.”
The Texans are in position to win their division for a second straight season despite dealing with several significant injuries on offense. Running back Joe Mixon missed three games early with an ankle injury and leading receiver Nico Collins was sidelined for five games with a hamstring injury.
They also lost four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs for the season when tore an ACL in Week 8.
Mixon leads the team with 887 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns and has added four touchdown receptions. His work in his first season in Houston after a trade from Cincinnati has helped the team deal with those significant injuries to the receiving corps.
Mixon ranks third in the NFL by averaging 88.7 yards rushing a game and has had at least 100 yards rushing in seven games.
Stroud has continually raved about Mixon’s contributions on and off the field.
“He’s a servant, a helper,” Stroud said. “That’s ultimately what I want to be as well. Who can I serve and how can I help? That’s ultimately what the game of football is.”
While Mixon has been the team’s most important new acquisition on offense, Danielle Hunter has been Houston’s new defensive star. The defensive end spent his first eight seasons in Minnesota before joining the Texans this year.
He has helped Houston lead the NFL with 84 tackles for loss after piling up 15 this season, which is tied for third most in the league. He also leads the Texans with 10½ sacks to help them rank second with 42.
Hunter been a great addition to a team that already had defensive end Will Anderson Jr., last year’s AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. Anderson ranks second to Hunter on the team with 13 tackles for loss and 9½ sacks.
Ryans said this week’s break is much needed for a team that opened the preseason on Aug. 1 in the Hall of Fame game.
“It’s here and we’re going to take advantage of it,” he said. “We’ve been going at it for a long time.”
The Texans need to recharge this week with a brutal stretch of three games in 10 days when they return from their bye. Houston hosts Miami on Dec. 15 before a trip to Kansas City on Dec. 21 and a visit from the Ravens on Christmas Day.
“It’s Christmas and all that, but we can’t worry about that. All we can do is focus on Miami,” Caserio said. “And then when we get through the Miami game, then we kind of turn the page to the next. ... We’re either going to earn it or we’re not. Not to oversimplify it, but that’s the truth.”
The Texans will play those game without starting linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair after he received a three-game suspension for his violent hit to the head of Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, which led to a concussion.
Al-Shaair will be eligible to return for Houston’s regular-season finale against Tennessee.