BRAWL IN THE BIG APPLE
Here's how the Houston Astros blueprint for success is being built
Jun 28, 2022, 3:00 pm
The New York teams are a good measuring stick for Houston. Composite image by Jack Brame.
How Astros final stretch of games will perfectly set the tone for postseason
We know what hedonism is – the pursuit of pleasure and sensual self-indulgence. Hedonists care only about their personal happiness, physical gratification and living the fine life.
Hedonism II, for example, is the notorious clothing-optional resort in Jamaica where, according to the brochure, “one of the greatest pleasures of life in indulging in our most hedonistic desires. Here there’s never too much of a good thing. People live out their fantasies and escape their inhibitions. From that extra slice of decadent chocolate cake or a lobster tail smothered in lemon butter, an extra shot of 12-year-old rum in your punch to a sensual midnight tryst in the pool.”
You had me at chocolate cake, but I think I’ll pass on getting into that pool. Also, I’m a clothing-mandatory guy. You’ll thank me later.
On the opposite end of hedonism is a psychological condition called Anhedonia. Someone who suffers from Anhedonia is unable to find pleasure in anything. They’re like that Joe Btfsplk character in the comic strip Li’l Abner who has a dark rain cloud constantly over him.
Fun fact, Woody Allen originally wanted Anhedonia as the title for his 1977 Oscar-winning comedy Annie Hall.
This past week, if you looked up Anhedonia in the dictionary you might have seen photos of Houston Astros fans. I’ve been reading sportswriters and listening to talk shows griping about the Astros blowing two leads at Yankee Stadium. There was whining, the Astros shoulda, coulda, woulda” won all six games against the Mets and Yankees.
Like the bartender said to the horse who walked into a saloon and ordered a martini – “Why the long face?”
The Astros swept two against the NL East-leading Mets in Houston and split a four-game set against the MLB-leading Yankees in The Bronx. That’s 4-2 against the two best records in baseball. Despite the Astros’ weirdly powder puff schedule thus far in 2022, DraftKings has the Astros at No. 2 in its power rankings. Fangraphs goes one better, they have the Astros as favorites to win the World Series.
Astros starting pitchers completely shut down the mighty Yankees. That’s pretty good. Three hurlers combined for a no-hitter, including hanging the loss on former Astro Gerrit Cole. Not too shabby. Jose Altuve answered Yankees fans’ chorus of boos and profanity with big hits, including a first-pitch homer. Loved that.
The Astros are leading the AL West by 10 full games. They’re the only team in the division with a winning record. Houston, we have no problem.
Now it’s on to the Mets at Citi Field for two games before returning to Minute Maid Park for a one-night stand with the Yankees on Thursday.
Sure there are problems that need to be addressed. Manager Dusty Baker went all Floyd the Barber explaining why he didn’t intentionally walk Aaron Judge in the 10th inning on Sunday. Earlier that game, Baker sent Jason Castro to pinch hit for Martin Maldonado. Castro is hitting .095. Maldy is hitting .147. Somebody needs to look it up, this deep into a season, is that the lowest combined average for a pinch hitter and pinch hittee? Also, I think we’ve seen enough of Phil Maton out of the bullpen.
General manager James Click, get to work.
Cheer up Astros fans. All’s well that, according to Fangraphs, will end well.
You want something to really be concerned about? There’s a blooper in H-E-B’s new commercial featuring Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve, Jeremy Pena and Lance McCullers.
Bregman and Altuve think salsa night means chips and dip, while Pena and McCullers come prepared to dance the night away. They battle back and forth … “Salsa!” No, “Salsa!”
Look closely, McCullers’ man bun is tightly wound in the first two exchanges, is combed out and free-flowing in the third, but his bun is magically recoiled two seconds later.
That wouldn’t have happened under Scott McClelland’s watch.
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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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