Every-Thing Sports
Returning to play: different opinions and the tension it may cause
Jun 23, 2020, 9:34 am
Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images
As we await for things to return to normal, we must also adjust to a new normal. Gone are the days of going out and socializing in crowds. Instead, we practice social distancing and wear masks. Some sports have returned to play, but they're all playing in front of empty stands. Even pro wrestling has staged fellow wrestlers around the ring as a pseudo-audience. Some government officials are pushing for reopening in order to stimulate the economy, while others are seeing a spike in positive COVID-19 cases and want things to flatten out with more restrictions. That being said, we still have several major sports that aren't back yet.
The NBA and NHL cut their seasons short when Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz tested positive for COVID-19. MLB stopped during Spring Training. The NFL and college football were both lucky enough to be in their offseasons, so they haven't been impacted yet. Talks have started as to when, where, and how some of these season will either resume or begin and how this will all look. Couple all of this with the recent protests on police brutality and how athletes have been taking a stand, there's a real powder keg brewing. Some players are ready to get back to work, while others are against it. So how could this play out when it comes to team chemistry?
It could hurt
Pessimism prevails in the minds of those who naturally feel the worst case scenario is unavoidable. Whenever there is a difference of opinion (especially strong ones), it can always turn out bad. For example: Texans wide receiver Kenny Stills has some concerns about returning to sports that aren't necessarily COVID related, which he expressed on Twitter.
Sports are a distraction from the movement.
— Kenny Stills (@KSTiLLS) June 15, 2020
He undoubtedly has teammates who don't feel the same way. Imagine the conversations J.J. Watt and Stills could have. You think they'll agree on things? What happens if their opinions collide, and they're unable to find common ground? This could bring about some division.
It could help
Optimism is the outlook of the eternal positive thinker. When optimists are able to attract others closer to their point of view, it can lead to some productivity. Not necessarily saying they're convincing people to agree with them, but healthy conversations and finding some common ground can open the door to better days ahead. Austin Rivers of the Rockets was outspoken about coming back to play in response to Kyrie Irving's opinion of not coming back. What if Rivers and Irving were teammates with these differing opinions? Opposites attract. In those cases, this could be a catalyst for positive change. Guys with a chemistry and relationship could easily work things out and help create a more communicative environment to promote impactful change.
Not only could something like this help or hurt, but what if it made matters worse? What if these discussions were so disagreeable that it caused teammates to truly question whether or not guys had their backs? What if they were so agreeable, it caused guys to switch stances on key issues, and they're now seen as the enemy? I highly doubt any of this happens, but there's always the possibility. My hope and prayer is that this leads to healthy and productive discussions, regardless of which side of the argument people fall on. That is the only way we'll ever get through our differences as a society.
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The NFL Draft, NBA playoffs, and NHL playoffs all dwarf baseball in the sports pecking order this week, but that doesn’t detract from the Astros playing their best stretch of baseball in the still young season. Following up taking two of three from the previously sizzling hot Padres by sweeping the Blue Jays three straight has the Astros’ record at a just fine 13-11 as they open a three-game weekend series in Kansas City. 13-11 may not sound special, because it isn’t, but having come home from St. Louis last week with the record at 8-10 makes 13-11 a quality leap. Plus, a 13-11 pace over 162 games extrapolates to 87 wins, which last season were enough to win the American League West and for an AL Wild Card spot.
Batter up!
While no one will be confusing the potency of this Astros’ lineup with those of the 2017 or 2019 juggernauts, some welcome perking up may have kicked in, despite Yordan Alvarez still not getting rolling. After Joe Espada gave Christian Walker a “mental rest” game off Monday, Walker produced a three-hit game Tuesday and a two-hit follow-up Wednesday, including a home run. Walker’s .202 batting average and .640 OPS are still lousy, but a much lesser grade of lousy than the statistical abyss he was in starting the Toronto series. Yainer Diaz has been much worse than Walker to this point. Diaz managed at least one hit in all three games of the Jays series. Baby steps. He is still sitting on an unacceptable three walks in 78 plate appearances.
Speaking of hits and walks, Jeremy Pena carries a 14-game hitting streak into the weekend. One-quarter of the way to Joe DiMaggio’s big league record! Willy Taveras set the Astros’ record with a 30-gamer back in 2006. Pena hasn’t been crushing it during the streak, during which he has just two multi-hit games. He’s had stretches where he has hit better and slugged harder (2022 postseason anyone?), but while too small a stretch to declare a leap has been made, it is noteworthy that over the 14 games Pena has drawn six walks. That gives him eight free passes in 24 games this season. More math fun! That’s one walk drawn per three games, which over 162 games would make for 54. Last season in 157 games played Pena drew a paltry 25 walks. Add in that his defense has been superb so far this season with a number of fabulous plays made and just one error committed, and Pena could be making modest offensive improvement that makes him a meaningfully better player.
Furthermore speaking of hits and walks, it’s been a struggle on both fronts the last couple of weeks for Jose Altuve. A two-week funk does not represent a crisis, but there are troubling trends that bear watching as Altuve sets to turn 35 years old May 6. Over his last 14 games, Altuve’s OPS is a sub-Maldonadian .547. In this stretch he has two doubles as his lone extra base hits and drawn just two walks. Altuve has struck out 22 times in 24 games. Setting aside the short 2020 COVID season when Altuve never got it going, last year he had the worst strikeout percentage of his career, while his walk rate was his worst since 2015. So far this season, Altuve’s strikeout rate is more than 20 percent worse than last year’s, with his walk rate down 30 percent from 2024. He is hitting line drives at a much lower rate than ever before, and struggling to get the ball in the air. The season still isn’t 20 percent old, but since Altuve last season finished with his lowest OPS (.790, again, exempting 2020) since 2013, and his current .728 OPS is 62 points lower than that, the antennae of at least mild concern are up. This is the first season of Altuve’s five-year 125 million dollar contract extension. Remember, the Astros would not offer Kyle Tucker a contract that took him to age 35.
Bringing the heat!
Hunter Brown makes his next start Sunday in Kansas City. Good luck Royals! Until getting a doubleheader against the pathetic Rockies Thursday, K.C. was averaging under three runs per game. Brown's earned run average through five starts is 1.16! It's waaaaay early to focus on this, but the best season ERA for an Astro pitcher who qualified for the statistical lead (one inning pitched per team game played) belongs to Nolan Ryan who posted a 1.69 in the strike-shortened 1981 season. Over a full-schedule season, Justin Verlander's 1.75 in 2022 is the standard. Brown has fired 24 consecutive shutout innings. Ryan Pressly holds the Astros’ record with 38 consecutive scoreless innings pitched. Orel Hershiser set the Major League record by finishing the 1988 regular season with a ridiculous 59 straight shutout innings. Yes he won the National League Cy Young Award. The Cy Young is strictly a regular season award. Hershiser in 1988 also won the League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award, and World Series MVP.
For Astro-centric conversation, 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.
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