THE NERD REPORT
Nerds around town: Fixing the Hedgehog, comic books and more
May 3, 2019, 6:40 am
ART BY JESUS RODRIGUEZ
Born with a comic book in one hand and a remote control in the other, Cory DLG is the talent of Conroe's very own Nerd Thug Radio, Sports and Wrestling. Check out the podcast replay of the FM radio show at www.nerdthugradio.com!
Hey Nerds!
It's Friday and the weekend is now upon us. There are so many good times to be had and enjoyed but as you're getting crazy and living the life just remember to take a few minutes to think of others and be kind.
GOOD DEED OF THE DAY
Stuff happens all the time, sometimes great stuff and sometimes bad stuff. We never know when stuff is going to hit us and how it will hit us. You're asleep in bed when suddenly the wildfires that were three miles away when you went to bed are burning your house down and you and your loved ones barely get out in time. Now you don't have your wallet, extra clothes, even a car or a tent literally everything is burning, these are the times people like the American Red Cross step in and help. Make sure to donate and help out. #NerdsUnite
WELL THAT'S DIFFERENT
This week history was made as the internet actually did something good. They got the director of a movie to acknowledge they messed up and to move away from the decisions they've made. Sonic the Hedgehog after being universally panned and hated by honestly everyone in the whole entire world, is going to be redesigned to be closer to the version everyone knows and loves. The director of the film made a tweet and basically said, we get it, if we do this movie as is we will lose tons of money so lets fix the dumb hedgehog. I can't think of a ton of times that the internet has whined about something and it actually happened, and it was for the better. This is a completely odd moment. Everyone take a bow.
WHILE YOU'RE OUT
This weekend while you're going by the hardware store and hanging out at the mall food court, and going to little Bobby's birthday, make sure you swing by the comic book shop. Your local comic book store has all kinds of goodies and things to check out and this week there are some cool things out. DC comic's is launching a new event called DCeased which features a world where a virus has spread dangerously and quickly and the heroes of the DC universe are caught quite unaware. Tom King is the writer and he's a rising star in comic books and this is going to continue that rise. Also debuting this week is Marvel's Savage Avengers, Conan the Barbarian is now a part of the Marvel Universe and he joins up with a team of crazy tough badass killing machines and form their own team of Avengers. Wolverine, Elektra, Punisher and Venom are hanging out with Conan. Also this week in the world of Indy comics comes Dragonsblood #1, it looks like it might be just the book for Game of Thrones fans to check out, I recommend giving it a look.
JAWS
I just saw a preview for a new movie about a city being flooded by a hurricane and a woman in particular in this small flooded town being harassed by a killer Croc. The movie looks tense and scary and I'm sure it'll be interesting but overall there's nothing overly original about the idea or the concept and it all comes back to Jaws. Young Steven Spielberg created the modern summer blockbuster by building a mechanical shark named after a lawyer named Bruce who ate pretty college co eds as they partied all summer on the beach. The gigantic and terrifying shark at the time winds up attack and destroying a boat and then finally is killed when an oxygen tank lodged in his mouth is shot and he explodes (spoilers, sorry). It was the original, scary what's in the water movie and since then sharks have been terrifying to me and some little kid gets to grow up with an unhealthy fear of crocodiles because of this movie. Get excited.
NOT THAT YOU ASKED
So I'm a little confused about something. Why on earth do we celebrate Cinco de Mayo? I know why Mexicans do, although it's not a great story, honoring a battle they lost in a bid for independence much in the same way that the Alamo became a rallying cry for Texans. The question that I'm getting at, is why do we celebrate it though? Why is Taco Cabana and whomever else giving away cheap margs and turning this thing into a three day party? How did we get to that? I'm sure people have the same question about St Patty's Day, I'm sure there are people thoroughly confused how these things became drinking festivals scheduled months out, with bands and crazy parties, but somehow we did and now the party just starts on the closest Friday for many. So be careful and be safe and be responsible and enjoy your now Cinco de Mayo (which makes no sense, but whatever).
I'm going to jump out and wish you guys a great Friday and remind everyone to be kind to each other and try a little harder to have a great day! I'm coming back Monday and we'll be bringing more good times your way. Feel free to check out my digital short story The Wilson House or buy a shirt from Side Hustle Ts where $.50 from every shirt is donated to a good cause or listen to Nerd Thug Radio or support our Patreon Page. Thoughts, complaints, events and comments can be sent to corydlg@gmail.com.
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It’s May 1, and the Astros are turning heads—but not for the reasons anyone expected. Their resurgence, driven not by stars like Yordan Alvarez or Christian Walker, but by a cast of less-heralded names, is writing a strange and telling early-season story.
Christian Walker, brought in to add middle-of-the-order thump, has yet to resemble the feared hitter he was in Arizona. Forget the narrative of a slow starter—he’s never looked like this in April. Through March and April of 2025, he’s slashing a worrying .196/.277/.355 with a .632 OPS. Compare that to the same stretch in 2024, when he posted a .283 average, .496 slug, and a robust .890 OPS, and it becomes clear: this is something more than rust. Even in 2023, his April numbers (.248/.714 OPS) looked steadier.
What’s more troubling than the overall dip is when it’s happening. Walker is faltering in the biggest moments. With runners in scoring position, he’s hitting just .143 over 33 plate appearances, including 15 strikeouts. The struggles get even more glaring with two outs—.125 average, .188 slugging, and a .451 OPS in 19 such plate appearances. In “late and close” situations, when the pressure’s highest, he’s practically disappeared: 1-for-18 with a .056 average and a .167 OPS.
His patience has waned (only 9 walks so far, compared to 20 by this time last year), and for now, his presence in the lineup feels more like a placeholder than a pillar.
The contrast couldn’t be clearer when you look at José Altuve—long the engine of this franchise—who, in 2024, delivered in the moments Walker is now missing. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Altuve hit .275 with an .888 OPS. In late and close situations, he thrived with a .314 average and .854 OPS. That kind of situational excellence is missing from this 2025 squad—but someone else may yet step into that role.
And yet—the Astros are winning. Not because of Walker, but in spite of him.
Houston’s offense, in general, hasn’t lit up the leaderboard. Their team OPS ranks 23rd (.667), their slugging 25th (.357), and they sit just 22nd in runs scored (117). They’re 26th in doubles, a rare place for a team built on gap-to-gap damage.
But where there’s been light, it hasn’t come from the usual spots. Jeremy Peña, often overshadowed in a lineup full of stars, now boasts the team’s highest OPS at .791 (Isaac Paredes is second in OPS) and is flourishing in his new role as the leadoff hitter. Peña’s balance of speed, contact, aggression, and timely power has given Houston a surprising tone-setter at the top.
Even more surprising: four Astros currently have more home runs than Yordan Alvarez.
And then there’s the pitching—Houston’s anchor. The rotation and bullpen have been elite, ranking 5th in ERA (3.23), 1st in WHIP (1.08), and 4th in batting average against (.212). In a season where offense is lagging and clutch hits are rare, the arms have made all the difference.
For now, it’s the unexpected contributors keeping Houston afloat. Peña’s emergence. A rock-solid pitching staff. Role players stepping up in quiet but crucial ways. They’re not dominating, but they’re grinding—and in a sluggish AL West, that may be enough.
Walker still has time to find his swing. He showed some signs of life against Toronto and Detroit. If he does, the Astros could become dangerous. If he doesn’t, the turnaround we’re witnessing will be credited to a new cast of unlikely faces. And maybe, that’s the story that needed to be written.
We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday!
*ChatGPT assisted.
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