National media just made another attempt to stir pot with Astros leadership
ADDING FUEL TO THE FIRE
14 May
Nothing moves the needle like negative Astros content for the national media.Composite Getty Image.
Well, that didn't take very long. Just two weeks ago, we had a similar discussion regarding comments about Astros leadership in a piece written by USA Today's Bob Nightengale.
Nightengale wrote about the Astros slow start out of the gate and how the loss of Dusty Baker was having a negative impact on the club.
He also said in the piece that “the Astros now are recognizing just how much they miss the future Hall of Famer.” We questioned at the time where this information was coming from, as there weren't any sources mentioned in the article.
Now, here we are two weeks later and Nightengale once again wrote about Espada's leadership. This time saying, “two prominent players have privately expressed complaints about Espada’s communication skills in recent weeks.”
At least he's telling us the complaints are coming from the players in his latest article. Two weeks ago we were left to wonder if this was something Nightengale believed, something he heard in passing, or if he was informed by a current or former member of the organization.
While it's nice to have a little more clarity this time around, it would be even better if whoever is complaining would put their name on it. But at the end of the day, does it really matter?
No one in the Astros clubhouse can be happy with how the season is going, and there's plenty of blame to go around. But one does have to wonder how Nightengale is getting this information. Our guess, it's coming from an agent, but that's all it is, a guess. We just find it hard to believe that two “prominent” members of the team are repeatedly reaching out to the media to complain about Espada.
Be sure to watch the video above as we examine who the moles could be in the clubhouse, what this means for Joe Espada and the team in the short and long term, and why the national media continues to focus on the Astros leadership.
Catch Stone Cold 'Stros (an Astros podcast) with Charlie Pallilo, Brandon Strange, and Josh Jordan every Monday on SportsMapHouston's YouTube channel! We'll continue to drop more episodes throughout the week.
How Astros surging ace raises key questions about Houston's short, long-term rotation moves
Jul 25, 2024, 5:39 pm
It's no secret to Astros fans that the ascension of Hunter Brown is one of the primary reasons the team was able to rebound from a disastrous start to the season.
Astros manager Joe Espada has seen enough from Brown to start throwing around the word “ace” when talking about him.
Joe Espada on Hunter Brown: "He's having that ace feeling to him. We are expecting him to go out there and deliver what he just did. We knew all along that is in him and now he's starting to turn the corner. He's starting to have that swag where he knows 'my team needs a win.'"
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) July 24, 2024
And it appears the biggest key to Brown's turnaround was mixing in a two-seam fastball to keep right-handed hitters honest. Brown needed a pitch that could command the inside of the plate, which allows his other pitches to be more effective.
We learned just recently, from Chandler Rome of The Athletic, that Alex Bregman was the one that suggested the addition of the two-seam fastball to Brown's arsenal.
Come to find out, Bregman often shares advice on how to attack hitters. Or he'll ask pitchers why they chose a certain pitch in a specific situation.
This just goes to show that veteran leadership can make a big difference. Especially on a team with so many young pitchers and catchers. Bregman was able to help Brown when no pitching coach could.
For Brown, this small tweak could be the catalyst that changes the course of his career. And the Astros season for that matter.
However, some will say the difference in Brown is more about confidence than anything else. But confidence only builds after repeated success. Nobody knows where Brown would be without the two-seam fastball.
Looking ahead
If the Astros do make the playoffs, where will Espada slot Brown in the playoff rotation? Framber Valdez has the playoff experience, so he'll probably be penciled in as the number one starter.
Justin Verlander (neck) still isn't facing live batters, so it's hard to count on him. Ronel Blanco has been an All-Star level pitcher this season, but he doesn't have any experience pitching playoff games for the Astros.
So it wouldn't be surprising at all if Brown is the team's number two starter. In all likelihood, whoever is pitching the best at the end of the season may get the nod. But it's fun to discuss in the meantime.
Finally, how does Hunter Brown's arrival impact the Astros' plans at the trade deadline? And how could that affect Justin Verlander's future with the club?
Be sure to check out the video above for the full conversation!
Catch our weekly Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast. Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo discuss varied Astros topics. The first post for the week generally goes up Monday afternoon (second part released Tuesday) via The SportsMap HOU YouTube channel or listen to episodes in their entirety at Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
