GIVE IT A REST

Ken Hoffman on why announcers should stop talking about Jose Altuve's height

Ken Hoffman on why announcers should stop talking about Jose Altuve's height
Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images

This article originally appeared on CultureMap.

It's time that announcers stopped going on and on about how remarkable it is that Jose Altuve can compete in Major League Baseball standing only 5-foot-6.

True, Altuve is one of the 15 shortest players to make the big leagues. But let's look at some other players standing 5-foot-6 and under.

  • Wee Willie Keeler: 5-foot-4; lifetime batting average, .342; Hall of Fame.
  • Rabbit Maranville: 5-foot-5; played 23 years in the Majors; Hall of Fame.
  • Hack Wilson: 5-foot-6; Most Valuable Player; holds Major League record for RBI's in one season; Hall of Fame.
  • Phil Rizzuto: 5-foot-6; the "Scooter" played 13 years; 10 AL pennants; seven World Series titles; MVP; Hall of Fame.
  • Joe Sewell: 5-foot-6; batted .312; Hall of Fame.
  • Billy Hamilton: 5-foot-6; record for runs scored in one season; third all-time stolen bases; Hall of Fame.

In about 15 years, we'll be adding Altuve to this long list of short Hall of Famers

And then there's Eddie Gaedel, 3-foot-7, who was sent to bat one time as a publicity stunt by the struggling St. Louis Browns. Gaedel walked, and never played another game, which means his lifetime on-base percentage is a perfect 1.000, highest in history. The oddest thing about Gaedel's story is, after his one plate appearance, American League president Will Harridge voided Gaedel's contract and banned Little People from baseball. I wonder how baseball would handle a similar situation today.

Yes, it is amazing what Altuve is accomplishing in baseball, but his height really isn't a factor. Altuve is simply a dedicated, supremely gifted athlete with incredible baseball skills. If anything, being 5-foot-6 might give Altuve an advantage — smaller strike zone, pitchers overly concerned about not walking him, etc.

Continue on CultureMap for Ken Hoffman's final thoughts on Altuve.

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The Astros beat the Brewers, 9-1. Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images.

Framber Valdez pitched seven strong innings and Jeremy Peña homered and drove in four runs as the Houston Astros defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 9-1 on Wednesday.

Houston earned just its second victory in seven games to snap Milwaukee’s three-game winning streak and leave both teams with .500 records. The Brewers were attempting to sweep a series from the Astros for the first time since 2012.

The Astros led 3-1 before Peña broke the game open by delivering a three-run homer to left off reliever Elvin Rodriguez with two outs in the sixth inning.

Valdez (2-4) struck out seven while allowing three hits, two walks and one run to earn his first win since the Astros’ March 27 season opener. He threw a season-high 101 pitches.

Milwaukee’s only run off Valdez came on Eric Haase’s fifth-inning homer, a 425-foot drive to center.

The Astros took a 1-0 lead off Quinn Priester (1-1) in the second inning as Jake Meyers hit a two-out single and scored on Zach Dezenzo’s double.

The Brewers have lost all 13 games this season in which their opponent scored first.

Five-time All-Star closer Josh Hader worked the ninth while pitching in Milwaukee for the first time since the Brewers traded him in 2022.

Key moment

The Astros led 1-0 and had runners on third and second with one out in the fifth when Peña hit a bouncer to third.

The throw home beat Dezenzo to the plate. Home plate umpire Chris Conroy initially ruled Dezenzo out, but the Astros challenged the call and replays showed the runner slid home ahead of Haase’s tag.

Key stat

Valdez has now pitched at least seven innings an MLB-leading 57 times since 2020.

Up next

The Astros host the Cincinnati Reds on Friday. Scheduled pitchers are right-hander Hunter Brown (5-1, 1.67) for the Astros and right-hander Nick Martinez (1-3, 4.19) for the Reds.

The Brewers visit the Tampa Bay Ray on Friday. Left-hander José Quintana (4-1, 2.83) will pitch for the Brewers.

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