NERDS AROUND TOWN
Nerds around town: Lakers dysfunction, NBA playoffs and home runs/unwritten rules
May 29, 2019, 6:42 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!
And just like that it's Wednesday! Stay with it and stay on it, don't let this week slip away!
GOOD DEED OF THE DAY
Feeding America is one of the biggest and highest rated and well reviewed national charities in America. It sounds tacky to say but when it comes to Food Banks, more than your canned goods and non perishables, the thing they need more than anything else is cash. They negotiate great deals from food vendors and are able to use the tax laws and incorporated laws to their advantage and turn that money into as many meals as possible for the hungry. This is just one of the hard truths of charity, that while it's a great thing for people to give them canned goods they really need your donations more than anything, so please please please, donate to Feeding America! #NerdsUnite
NBA FINALS
The NBA Finals start this Thursday night and that is exciting. I am honestly excited about what might happen. I think the Raptors win, I've honestly been of the mindset that it's just too hard to win four out of five and be in five straight at all. The Warriors are in unknown territory already in modern NBA, when the Celtics won eleven in a row it was pre free agency, and really it was a prehistoric NBA, now everything is different and these guys have a lot to prove and a lot on the line. The five appearances I didn't believe would happen as it's just a lot to keep getting back but they are one of the most talented rosters in modern sports and with that comes this opportunity. I think the Raptors will win it, I've been doubting them the whole post season as well but this feels like a scenario where there's enough trouble in Golden State that Toronto can surprise people.
ALL OF THE LAKERS PROBLEMS
So this story about The Lakers becoming dysfunctional, I think it's unfair to say it's because of Magic Johnson and these other people. I honestly think this franchise went in the wrong direction with the last few years of Kobe's run with the team. The Dwight Howard, Steve Nash, Kobe era I think is really where the issues come up. If you recall, in the meeting to get Dwight Howard to stay Kobe sat in the meeting and then there were meetings with other great players and Kobe basically made an ass of himself and Lamarcus Aldridge doesn't sign with the Lakers and goes to San Antonio and Dwight Howard leaves and Steve Nash is just too old honestly. The team had leveraged tons of picks and cap space to try and get Kobe some temporary help to chase one more title and the end result is the team we have in front of us today. A team that needed all this time to rebuild anyway, and I do agree that Luke Walton isn't a great coach and Lebron isn't enough on his own to carry a team in the West, but the idea of a part-time president? That's a terrible idea, and the idea that a sport's agent can be a general manager? That's an even worse idea. This was a bad set up but it's all built on an even worse foundation and I think people are forgetting that.
THAT'S CRAZY
So a weird stat appeared yesterday, there is an active streak of 36 seasons in a row that a player in the NBA finals has played with Shaquille O'Neal. That's a statement on a couple of things, first it's a statement that he and his team did a good job surrounding himself with talented players. It's also though an indication of how many rosters Shaq has been on. Orlando to LA to Miami to Phoenix to Cleveland to Boston, did you remember he played in Boston? I did, but I've looked it up before because I even doubted myself on that one once or twice. He's been out of the league since 2011 and still the streak is alive. Now Lebron helped there but Danny Green is on the Raptors and he's a former Shaq teammate so the streak is alive. It's an interesting facet of a massive basketball legacy that Shaq has built.
NOT THAT YOU ASKED
I hate "Baseball's Unwritten Rules." Seriously. They don't make any sense and one I hate the most is no showboating. There is no other sport where people say "no showboating;" there just isn't. The Reds and the Pirates have a series going on and a kid named Dietrich is jacking homeruns like nobody's business and likes to stand in the box and admire them. I don't mind that at all, I would admire homecruns too, especially if I struck out as much as this guy does. He's a classic power hitter, just as likely to strike out as he is to hit a home run and so yeah he showboats but he also strikes out. This is a professional league, if you don't want him to gloat, then strike him out. If he hits a home run he should gloat, he should take 12 minutes to round the bases, because I promise you, I would take 20.
I'm going to jump out and wish you guys a great Wednesday and remind everyone to be kind to each other and try a little harder to have a great day! I'm coming back Thursday 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 some proceeds help fight cancer 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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If you were hoping the Houston Astros could survive their injury avalanche without reinforcements, this past week should shake that optimism. Getting swept at home by the lowly Oakland Athletics isn’t just an embarrassment, it’s a warning flare straight to GM Dana Brown’s office.
Yes, this was a wake-up call. Houston’s offense is simply too depleted to keep treading water while waiting for reinforcements. The moment Isaac Paredes went down with a hamstring injury, the offense unraveled, and the numbers back it up. In the seven days since losing their best power bat, the Astros rank 28th in runs scored, 23rd in home runs, 25th in OPS and 20th in batting average. That’s a drastic drop-off for a team that ranks second in batting average and 12th in OPS on the season.
And it’s not just Paredes’ absence. Cam Smith, one of the Astros' brightest early-season surprises, is stuck in a deep slump. Over his last seven games, he’s hitting .087. Stretch that to 15 games, and he’s at .140 with a .175 slugging percentage. That's not a cold streak — that’s a free fall. Perhaps giving him a regular spot in the batting order might provide more stability for the rookie.
Help is on the way!
So is there any hope left? In theory, yes. The pitching cavalry is on the way. Spencer Arrighetti has one more rehab start before returning. Cristian Javier and Luis Garcia are expected to follow soon after. JP France isn’t far off either. On paper, that could give Houston the rotation depth needed for another deep October push.
But theory only takes you so far. Injuries continue to mount. Just days after praising the rotation’s resilience, Brendan Rodgers showed up with elbow inflammation and Lance McCullers Jr. landed on the IL with blister issues. If the reinforcements don’t all arrive — and perform — without setbacks, the Astros could be in real trouble.
Yordan Alvarez’s situation adds another layer of anxiety. Dana Brown might be tempted to rush him back at less than full strength, and while 75% of Yordan may still be better than some of the current options, it’s a risky bet. One wrong step could lead to a setback that erases any hope of getting him at all when it matters most.
So no, Brown can’t afford to sit on his hands at the deadline. In fact, this may be the most pivotal deadline of his tenure. With Framber Valdez likely in his final stretch in Houston and the rotation still featuring two frontline arms, the window is now.
Whether or not Brown is allowed to spend aggressively could ultimately depend on Jim Crane’s willingness to cross the luxury tax line. If he greenlights an aggressive push, the Astros have enough upside, even with the injuries, to go for it. But a quiet deadline may signal that the front office sees this team as a year away.
Bottom line: if the Astros truly believe they can get Yordan and several arms back in time for a playoff push, now is the moment to act. Because after a weekend like this, it’s clear the current version of the roster isn’t enough. We'll get our answer by Thursday's deadline.
There's so much more to get to! 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 LIVE episode this Thursday!
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