THE PALLILOG
Pallilo's View: Is there any reason left to watch the Texans?
Dec 15, 2017, 8:26 am
DeAndre Hopkins is on pace for a career year. Tim Warner/Getty Images
So what it would take for you to sit through three hours of watching the Texans at Jacksonville Sunday? For me a thousand dollars would definitely do it. OK, $250 would definitely do it for me. Since such an offer seems unlikely, skimming through the game in an hour or so via DVR will be punishment enough. The awful drudgery that the 2017 Texans devolved into is a reminder that while they were a mediocre squad the last three seasons, at least their games mattered in December. Part of the sadness with this team is that the Texans have hardly any young players developing in a way that makes you think “hey that guy might become really good!”
Over the last six seasons the Jaguars BEST record was 5-11. Combined record over the six: 22-74. Last season they were 3-13. The Jaguars clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Texans Sunday. Seems likely. The Texans offensive line is no better now than it was opening day when Calais Campbell played as if in his prime Deacon Jones and the Jags slapped the Texans silly. With a win Sunday, and if the Steelers beat the Patriots in Pittsburgh Sunday, the Jaguars take the inside track over New England for the number two seed in the AFC and the bye that comes with it. If that happens the Jacksonville Freaking Jaguars stand a good shot of beating the Pats.
If searching for a watchable angle over these last three Texans games, DeAndre Hopkins needs 24 receptions and 289 receiving yards to establish new career highs in each category. Hopkins already has 11 touchdown catches this season, his second 11 TD catch season. Andre Johnson never caught 10 in a season.
Black out?
If you are reading this before the Rockets-Spurs game Friday night, take a gold star out of petty cash. If reading at some point after, you are still very much appreciated. An odd Rockets’ choice to declare this their first Black Out Night. I presume they know that black is one of the Spurs’ team colors. The color the Spurs wore here last May in administering the most embarrassing loss in Rockets’ history, the 114-75 game six humiliation to end their Western Conference Semifinal series.
Arms race
The Astros’ signing of reliever Joe Smith this week wasn’t a headline grabber but was an excellent addition. Major League Baseball is flush with cash so two years $15 million dollars for a set up reliever is not an overpay. Smith turns 34 before Opening Day but has been solid for years. He has two calling cards: 1. His sidearm delivery is extremely tough on righthanded hitters, and 2. He is married to SEC on CBS sideline reporter Allie LaForce. Over his career Smith has yielded a puny .586 OPS to righthanded hitters. The Yankees now may have the most powerful righthanded trio ever assembled in Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Gary Sanchez. The Astros adding Smith isn’t a direct response to that, but they certainly are aware. In 2017 Smith pitched 54 innings, walking only 10 while striking out 71. It appears Ken Giles will get the opportunity to bounce back from his worse than brutal postseason. Smith joins Chris Devenski, Will Harris, and Joe Musgrove as certain pieces of the Astros’ pen. Francis Martes, a lefty to be determined, and the sixth starting pitcher (meaning the one who doesn’t make the rotation if all are healthy to start the season) should round it out.
Sign of the times
Ominous sign against Dallas Keuchel being an Astro for life with his change of representation to Scott Boras. Keuchel turns 30 New Year’s Day. If the Astros can’t work out an extension with him this winter, Keuchel hits the open market after the coming season. With a healthy and solid 2018 campaign Keuchel could be looking at five years $125 million. Would the Astros go there? Marwin Gonzalez also switched to Boras. Marwin is highly likely entering his last season as an Astro. Also in the Boras/Astros portfolio are Jose Altuve and Lance McCullers.
The race is on...sort of?
The Angels, Mariners, and Rangers have all made multiple moves. None is anywhere close to having the look of a legit challenger to Astros AL West supremacy. Now, if one of them trades for Manny Machado…
Bowled over
With the college football bowl season kicking off Saturday, which of the six games excites you most? The correct answer is none of them. If forced to choose, I’m going with the Las Vegas Bowl. Not that Oregon vs. Boise State does the slightest for me, but at least the game is in Las Vegas.
Buzzer Beaters
1. Still waiting on the Texans owning up to wasting 50 million dollars for their retractable roof. 2. Waiting for Godot was more fruitful. 3. Best Star Wars movies: Bronze- The Empire Strikes Back Silver- Return of the Jedi Gold-Star Wars. I haven’t seen the other 37.
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With the Astros now officially ten games under .500 for the season, manager Joe Espada is taking a lot of heat from the fanbase for the team's struggles.
While we don't agree with the sentiment, we even hear fans clamoring for the return of Dusty Baker and Martin Maldonado, thinking the Astros wouldn't be in this mess if they were still here.
Which is ridiculous. First of all, Maldonado has been awful for the White Sox, hitting .048 (even worse than Jose Abreu's .065). And for those of you that think his work with the pitching staff justifies his pathetic offense. Let me say this: Where was Maldy's game calling genius for Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier, and Framber Valdez last year? All of them regressed significantly.
And as far as Baker is concerned, we have no idea how much a difference he would make, we can only speculate. Baker would also be dealing with a pitching staff ravaged with injuries. And let's not forget, Baker was the guy that refused to move Jose Abreu down in the batting order, even though he would finish the regular season with the ninth-worst OPS in baseball.
The reality of the situation is managers can only do so much in baseball. Which leads us to something else that needs to be considered. Is Espada being handcuffed by the front office? Espada and GM Dana Brown both said recently that Jon Singleton was going to get more at-bats while they give Abreu time off to try to figure things out. Yet, there Abreu was in the lineup again in the opening game of the Cubs series.
It makes us wonder how much power does Espada truly have? The Astros have some other options at first base. Yainer Diaz may only have eight games played at the position, but how much worse could he be than Abreu defensively? Abreu already has four errors, and Diaz is obviously a way better hitter. Victor Caratini isn't considered a plus offensive player, but his .276 batting average makes him look like Babe Ruth compared to Abreu. Let him catch more often and play Diaz at first. Starting Diaz at first more often could also lengthen his career long-term.
Maybe that's too wild of a move. Okay, fine. How about playing Mauricio Dubon at first base? I understand he doesn't have much experience at that position, but what's the downside of trying him there? If he can play shortstop, he can play first base. He's driving in runs at a higher rate (11 RBIs) than everyone on the team outside of Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez. And he's producing like that as part-time player right now.
The other criticism we see of Espada is his use of Jon Singleton to pinch hit late in games. Let's be real, though, who else does Espada have on the roster to go to? Batting Abreu late in games in which you're trailing should be considered malpractice. Espada can only use who he has to work with. This all really stems from the Astros poor farm system.
They don't have anyone else to turn to. The draft picks the club lost from the sign-stealing scandal are really hurting them right now. First and second rounders from 2020 and 2021 should be helping you in 2024 at the big league level.
Maybe they go to Astros prospect Joey Loperfido soon, but after a hot start he has only two hits in his last six games.
Finally, we have to talk about what seems like a committee making baseball decisions. Lost in a committee is accountability. Who gets the blame for making poor decisions?
As time continues to pass it looks like moving on from former GM James Click was a massive mistake. He's the guy that didn't sign Abreu, but did trade Myles Straw (recently DFA'd) for Yainer Diaz and Phil Maton. He also built an elite bullpen without breaking the bank, and helped the club win a World Series in 2022.
The reality of the situation is Dusty Baker and James Click are not walking back through that door. And all good runs come to an end at some point. Is this what we're witnessing?
Don't miss the video above as we hit on all the points discussed and much more!
Catch Stone Cold 'Stros (an Astros podcast) with Charlie Pallilo, Brandon Strange, and Josh Jordan. We drop two episodes every week on SportsMapHouston's YouTube channel. You can also listen on Apple Podcast, Spotifyor wherever you get your podcasts.