THE LEFT TURN
NASCAR at Richmond: Federated Auto Parts 400 preview, picks
Aug 12, 2022, 2:41 pm
Martin Truex Jr. is a driver to watch for. Photo via: Wiki Commons
As the regular season winds down, the NASCAR Cup Series makes its second trip to Richmond Raceway for the Federated Auto Parts 400. The race for the final two playoff spots is getting closer and closer and with 15 different winners, it’s truly anyone's guess as to who will fill out these last two spots. This track is a wide short track with 14 degrees of banking in the corners and flat on the front stretch. Richmond is one of the more tame short tracks on the schedule; we are accustomed to seeing lots of green-flag runs. The last race here, saw most of the action come after the restarts as we watched Denny Hamlin slice through the field to score his first victory of 2022. With the stakes being much higher, we should see drivers be more aggressive. Don’t be surprised if there is a bump and run at the end of the race.
Last week at Michigan, Kevin Harvick got back into the race for the championship after scoring his first win since 2020. It had been a difficult year and a half for the 2014 champion, his average finish has been way down under 10 and while he’s had good runs, the dominance we are used to seeing from him hasn’t been there. The biggest slight on Harvick’s record was in the win column. Because of this, Harvick entered the weekend outside the playoffs. The team was also coming off a DNF at Indianapolis. The chances of contending for the championship were bleak, some were even wondering if he’d continue racing after the season. But now it seems he and his crew chief Rodney Childers are completely rejuvenated going into the playoffs. They aren’t out of the woods yet as there is still a real possibility of more than 16 winners, but with Kurt Busch running into his struggles, it’s unlikely that Harvick will be the lowest point winner.
The troubles continue for Kurt Busch as it was announced that he would be out again this week at Richmond. Busch has missed this third consecutive race in a row, leading many to believe that he might not return this season. This would be a shame considering Kurt has advanced to the playoffs with a win. Fortunately, If he has to miss a race in the opening round, he will still be granted a waiver if he’s to win one of the next two races to advance. In the meantime, Ty Gibbs will continue to fill in. He’s been doing a great job at holding down the fort these past couple of weeks, with a top ten last week at Michigan. He appears to be ready to move up to the Cup in 2023.
Because of Ty Gibbs’s improvements, the rumors and speculation continue to run rampant as to who will drive the #18 car next season for Joe Gibbs racing. It appears that Kyle Busch and Joe Gibbs have reached a halt on their contract talks. According to the popular racing podcast, Door, Bumper, Clear, talks between the two-time champion and the team have completely stopped. It’s been implied by various insiders that his expected landing spot next season will be at Stewart-Haas racing.
The driver that I have winning this weekend is Busch's teammate Martin Truex Jr. I picked him to win last week at Michigan, and he definitely had a car that was capable of winning, but not quite as fast as Kevin Harvick or Bubba Wallace. Fortunately, this weekend at Richmond is probably his best racetrack. In the last four races, no one has a better finishing average than him (2.3). He’s won three of the last six races here and has led over 24 percent of the laps among all active drivers. It’s clear that he needs a clutch performance to move into the playoffs, as he’s now the first car below the cutline despite being fourth in points. This week, I think he’ll punch his ticket and contend for the title in the playoffs.
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How Hunter Brown's impact on the Astros sparks a fresh perspective
Jul 26, 2024, 2:42 pm
With Tuesday’s trade deadline fast approaching, the Astros will look to add the necessary pieces to sustain their recent winning ways and make another playoff run this season.
It's no secret Houston is in need of rotation help with players such as J.P. France, Cristian Javier and Jose Urquidy all needing season-ending surgeries. Even considering the presumptive returns of Justin Verlander and Luis Garcia in some capacity, it would behoove the Astros to acquire more pitching options to help solidify their rotation.
General manager Dana Brown has made it clear he will be looking to add both starting pitchers and players who can play first base.
Astros fans should expect their team to make a move or two by Tuesday’s deadline, just as they have done in years past.
Zach Eflin
Recent reports suggest the Astros are one of several teams interested in Rays’ pitcher Zach Eflin who has a 5-7 record and 4.09 ERA this season.
The 30-year-old signed a three-year, $40 million deal with the Rays prior to the 2023 season and would be an affordable option for the Astros if they were to acquire him.
Although the Rays have a 52-51 record, it doesn't seem like they will become buyers at the trade deadline and could sell off some of their pieces while staying competitive.
Historically speaking, Tampa Bay has never been afraid to let their higher level pitchers go as they did with Blake Snell prior to the 2021 season and Tyler Glasnow during this past offseason
The Rays have multiple pitchers returning from injuries and can afford to let someone like Eflin go.
The only pause the Astros might have is the asking price in return from the Rays. If this is the case, there are other short-term pitching options the Astros could look to instead.
Jack Flaherty
The Tigers are stuck in the middle between good and bad and don’t seem to be playoff contenders this season, making them an ideal candidate to become sellers at the trade deadline.
One of the biggest names on the trading block recently has been Jack Flaherty who has a 7-5 record with a 2.92 ERA and 133 strikeouts this season.
Considering he's a free agent at the end of the year, it shouldn’t cost the Astros much in return to acquire the Tigers' pitcher.
Houston has not been directly linked to the 28-year-old, but he could be a low-risk, high-reward rotation piece.
Flaherty could be a perfect number 3 or 4 option in the rotation behind Framber Valdez, Ronel Blanco and Hunter Brown.
Yusei Kikuchi
Similarly to Flaherty, Yusei Kikuchi is on a Blue Jays team with little to no playoff hopes this year and is set to become a free agent at the end of this season.
Toronto has already hinted at becoming sellers at the trade deadline and could look to offset many of their impending free agents.
Kikuchi’s record at 4-9 and 4.54 ERA might not be impressive, but he does have 133 strikeouts this season and can be a reliable back end of the rotation piece for the Astros if acquired.
Adding a starting pitcher is certainly a priority, but Houston will also scour the market for first base options as well.
Isaac Paredes
The Astros have been connected to Rays’ infielder Isaac Parades in the last few days and it seems to make sense for both sides.
As mentioned earlier, Tampa Bay is in an interesting situation this season and could become pseudo sellers by the deadline.
The Rays have a plethora of infielders in their origination and can afford to trade someone like Parades and still remain competitive.
The 25-year-old can play first or third base, and has been used as a designated hitter this season as well. Parades has a slash line of .250/.353 /.797 and could be an improvement at first base over Jon Singleton.
Acquiring him could be affordable as his salary is only $3.4MM this year. Parades has three additional years of club control, and his defensive versatility could make him a perfect long-term addition to this Astros’ roster.
Brent Rooker
This one might be a stretch, but would it be shocking to see the A’s let go of one of their best players? The answer is no. Brent Rooker has had a remarkable season, hitting near .300 and becoming one of Oakland’s most consistent bats in their lineup.
The 29-year-old has been the A’s primary designated hitter this season, but has the ability to play both corner outfield positions as well.
Even though Houston doesn't need another DH/outfielder, Rooker's bat would be an upgrade in the lineup and could give the Astros another weapon to add to their offensive arsenal.
Although not as likely as the other candidates mentioned, Rooker would be a more realistic and cheaper option to acquire than someone like Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Honorable Mentions
Starting pitchers Jameson Taillon (Cubs) and Erick Fedde (White Sox) have been linked to the Astros recently, and either would be an ideal fit.
Both players would add necessary pitching depth, and either could fit in seamlessly as a 4th or 5th starter in the rotation.
Needless to say, Houston seems to be casting a wide net to increase their odds of landing someone who can help the team immediately.
An ideal scenario would be for the Astros to acquire at least one pitcher and use a six-man rotation once Verlanader and Garcia come back at some point this year.
It would be beneficial for the Astros to acquire an extra starting pitcher or two to add to their rotation and maybe another option who can play first base as well to ensure this team continues to improve and make another run at the postseason this year.