TRICKS AND TREATS
Houston athletes as Halloween candy
Stephen Uzick
Oct 31, 2018, 3:04 pm
In the spirit of Halloween I thought I would compare some of Houston’s sports stars to the various types of candy one might expect to receive on Halloween night. As with our sports stars, some types of candy always bring the excitement, while others never make it out of the bottom of the bucket.
Jose Altuve – Snickers. A 3 tool MVP player. Chocolate, caramel, and peanuts. You just aren’t the same without it.
Alex Bregman – Sour Patch Kids. A sour exterior followed by an oh so sweet interior. Impossible to quit once you start on them.
Justin Verlander – M&Ms. A gold standard of candy that never seems to age.
Carlos Correa – Three Musketeers. Is solid but more forgettable than you would hope.
JJ Watt – Gummy Bears. You think that eventually they would get boring, but they consistently deliver and are ultimately lovable.
Deshaun Watson – Pop Rocks. Deliver that kick of excitement just when you need it.
DeAndre Hopkins – Reece’s Peanut Butter Cup. Simply the best. You know its good but it is always even better than you thought when you bite into it.
Will Fuller – Butterfinger. Disappointingly brittle.
James Harden – Candy Corn.Is the face of Halloween candy but no one actually likes it.
Chris Paul – Hershey Bar.A known entity that commands respect but is likely to be melted by the end of the night.
Carmelo Anthony – Candy that has been sitting in a drawer for 3 years.You think “Hey candy is candy how bad can it be?” You take a bite and realize you have made a huge mistake.
You can find me on Twitter @stephenuzick.
Two first-place teams, identical records, and a weekend set with serious measuring-stick energy.
The Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs open a three-game series Friday night at Daikin Park, in what could quietly be one of the more telling matchups of the summer. Both teams enter at 48-33, each atop their respective divisions — but trending in slightly different directions.
The Astros have been red-hot, going 7-3 over their last 10 while outscoring opponents by 11 runs. They've done it behind one of the best pitching staffs in baseball, with a collective 3.41 ERA that ranks second in the American League. Houston has also been dominant at home, where they’ve compiled a 30-13 record — a stat that looms large heading into this weekend.
On the other side, the Cubs have held their ground in the NL Central but have shown some recent shakiness. They're 5-5 over their last 10 games and have given up 5.66 runs per game over that stretch. Still, the offense remains dangerous, ranking fifth in on-base percentage across the majors. Kyle Tucker leads the way with a .287 average, 16 homers, and 49 RBIs, while Michael Busch has been hot of late, collecting 12 hits in his last 37 at-bats.
Friday’s pitching matchup features Houston’s Brandon Walter (0-1, 3.80 ERA, 1.10 WHIP) and Chicago’s Cade Horton (3-1, 3.73 ERA, 1.29 WHIP), a promising young arm making one of his biggest starts of the season on the road. Horton will have his hands full with Isaac Paredes, who’s slugged 16 homers on the year, and Mauricio Dubón, who’s found a groove with four home runs over his last 10 games.
It’s the first meeting of the season between these two clubs — and if the trends continue, it may not be the last time they cross paths when it really counts.
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Astros -112, Cubs -107; over/under is 8 1/2 runs
Here's a preview of Joe Espada's Game 1 lineup.
The first thing that stands out is rookie Cam Smith is hitting cleanup, followed by Jake Meyers. Victor Caratini is the DH and is hitting sixth. Christian Walker is all the way down at seventh, followed by Yainer Diaz, and Taylor Trammell who is playing left field.
How the mighty have fallen.
Pretty wild to see Walker and Diaz hitting this low in the lineup. However, it's justified, based on performance. Walker is hitting a pathetic .214 and Diaz is slightly better sporting a .238 batting average.
Screenshot via: MLB.com
___________________________
*ChatGPT assisted.
Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!