NERDS AROUND TOWN
Nerds Around Town: Zoey's Angels, comic book Friday and Swamp Thing
Jun 7, 2019, 6:29 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!
Here it is, the Friday edition of Nerds Around Town, you made it.
GOOD DEED OF THE DAY
Zoey's Angels 8th annual Family Fun Walk is this Sunday. After the walk there are numerous events and tickets come with a plate of lunch there are all kinds of reasons to get out there and support these great people, not the smallest reason being the great cause. So get out there and help Zoey's Angels on Sunday. #NerdsUnite
STREAMING QUAGMIRE
DC Universe just cancelled its first show on its streaming service, Swamp Thing. If you recall, they were unhappy with both the expense and the direction of the show, cutting costs and rewriting the show to cut it down to 10 episodes from 13. Apparently, after just one week the announcement came down that they will air out these remaining nine episodes but that's it, series over. This isn't a great surprise to me, honestly, this was the one that most stuck out when they announced a line up. I could see the idea of a doom patrol, especially if they're doing a Titans show as they have similar themes and overlapping characters, but Swamp Thing when it was its best book was a big crazy god of the green comic book. The show was taking a southern horror vibe which is great and can be its own thing, but you could tell that same story with characters that are easier to create for the television screen.
WHILE YOU'RE OUT
So while you're running around this weekend, one place you should swing by is your local comic book shop. There are several great ones around town and there's more than likely one near you so hop in and check out some of these great titles and more. From Marvel there's lots going on with the War of the Realms stuff and all the side adventures a massive war brings on but also of note Matthew Rosenberg's run on X Men is coming to a close as they prepare for the massive Jonathan Hickman launch next month, so pick up Uncanny X Men #19 and check out how the series comes to it's rocketing conclusion. DC is in the middle of some cool storylines as well with Justice League finishing up a battle with the sixth dimension versions of their future selves and slowly kick off their "Year of the Villains", they also are in the middle of releasing Tom Taylor's what if zombie story, DCeased. It's a fun/scary run through the potential troubles of the DC Universe. Also an interesting Indy book that is well worth checking out is, Sword Daughter. Great art, Jose Villarrubia, amazing writer, Brian Wood and a very interesting story makes this one worth picking up.
ESCALATION IN VEGAS
So friend of Nerd Thug Radio, Dennis Barger has constantly pushed the definitely not a monopoly but only distributor Diamond to step their game up. In response they banned him from their summits for the next year and a half. He's a customer who is regularly in the top 20% of orders and has been pushing for such horrendous change as credit on damaged product and things of that selfish nature and they're just not happy with him. This is the kind of stuff that lets people say that the industry I love is "in trouble." I don't think it is, but I can't argue with people when stuff like this comes up. What am I supposed to say? No it isn't? Because honestly, it does make the whole thing look bad when you can't even take care of your retailers, they're the lifeblood and honestly they're Diamond's customers. What is their problem?
NOT THAT YOU ASKED
I need a fun weekend in my life, so this weekend, look out for Drunk Cory. Seriously, I haven't really pulled the pin in a little bit so stay tuned to some potentially devastating hangover horror stories in future editions of "Not That You Asked."
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 some proceeds help fight cancer or listen to Nerd Thug Radio. Thoughts, complaints, events and comments can be sent to corydlg@gmail.com.
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Pharrell Williams is ringing in my ears. Why? Because I’m happy of course (2013 music reference)! Less than one week to spring training opening for the Astros in West Palm Beach. The pitchers and catchers are required to report a few days before the rest. A number of guys among the rest will arrive early, but let’s focus on some pitcher/catcher issues. Catchers first.
We know Yainer Diaz is the primary starter, with Victor Caratini a solid complement in the final year of his two-year contract. Diaz had a fine season overall in his first as the primary backstop, but he has a couple of clear areas that need improvement if stardom is to be on his horizon. His pitch-framing metrics were poor. Maybe it’s as simple as more experience under the belt improving them. At the plate, Yainer brings major value for what he does when doing it as a catcher. Still, to be a bonafide great offensive catcher, Diaz needs to rediscover more of the home run power he displayed as a rookie. In 2023 Diaz smashed 23 home runs in 355 at bats. In 2024 he had 230 more at bats, and hit seven fewer home runs. He had a 30-game midseason homer drought (immediately after going deep in four consecutive games), and then went the final 31 games of the season (29 plus the two playoff losses) without clearing a fence. Diaz did bat .309 over those 61 games so it’s not as if he turned into Martin Maldonado, but you want more sock from a guy batting fourth or fifth in the lineup. Diaz’s slugging percentage tumbled from .531 to .448. Among catchers overall, 16 homers and the .766 OPS he posted in 2024 is fine, but that is not a great offensive player overall. The other area where Yainer needs a step up is plate discipline. With his 585 at bats last year he walked only a pitiful 24 times. As a result, despite his excellent .299 batting average Diaz’s on-base percentage was just .325. Jon Singleton posted a .321 OBP while batting .234.
Caratini is a solid pro whose switch-hitting adds flexibility. He was sensational as a pinch-hitter albeit in just 19 at bats (8-19, .421). Manager Joe Espada has some playing time juggling to do. Free agent signee Christian Walker will play almost every day at first base when healthy. Diaz or Caratini getting starts there will be very limited. Yordan Alvarez targeted for fewer starts in left field gobbles up more designated hitter games. However Jose Altuve winds up splitting his defensive time between second base and left field, closing in on his 35th birthday in May, using him at DH about once per week would make sense.
On the mound, barring injury the starting rotation is set. Off of their 2024 performances Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown, and Ronel Blanco are as solid a one-two-three punch as there is in the American League. Only unanimously-voted American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal posted a better qualifying earned run average (2.39) than Blanco’s 2.80 and Valdez’s 2.91. After tweaking his arsenal following an atrocious opening seven-start stretch to his season, Brown posted a 2.46 ERA the rest of the way. Framber may have a couple hundred million dollars riding on his 2025 performance as barring an extension he heads toward free agency. Will Brown and Blanco’s performance hold up after each set professional career highs in innings pitched? The fourth rotation spot initially goes to Spencer Arrighetti, who showed much promise pitching to a 3.18 ERA after the All-Star break. Kyle Tucker trade acquisition Hayden Wesneski has first dibs on the fifth spot. The Cy-Fair high school grad and Sam Houston State product flashes some solid stuff, but absolutely must do a better job keeping his pitches in the ballpark. In 190 big league innings pitched Wesneski has been hammered for 35 home runs. In 2024 he showed so improvement in that area yielding 12 dingers in 67 2/3 innings.
The two sure things so far as bullpen roles are concerned are Josh Hader and Bryan Abreu. Hader’s seasons in one word from 2020-2024: Meh, stupendous, atrocious, phenomenal, mediocre. The odd years have been the fabulous ones. Abreu moves up the totem pole with the salary dump (eight and a half of 14 million anyway) trade of Ryan Pressly. After Hader and Abreu most tickets are punched. Tayler Scott, Kaleb Ort, Forrest Whitley, and Bryan King all figure to have spots. The 32-year-old Scott faded over the last two months after having blown away anything he’d done previously in MLB. The 33-year-old Ort also way outpitched his prior big league resume. Former mega-prospect Whitley is out of minor league options, and opportunity knocks. King appears the only definitely makes the club lefty reliever.
Spring training doors open next week. Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
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