Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
The Rockets are an organization in a bit of turmoil right now. They've tried and failed the last few years to defeat the Warriors. The trade for Chris Paul and experiment of pairing him with James Harden appears to have fallen apart given the rumors of tension between the two. General manager Daryl Morey has been dangling every player that doesn't wear a number 13 jersey in the trade market. He also did a press tour to downplay the CP3/Harden alleged beef. Couple that with the fact that the Rockets are known for sending reports to the league on their losses and complaining when things don't go their way
They lived up to said reputation after Harden came in second to Giannis Antetokounmpo for league MVP this year.The team's verified Twitter account sent a tweet expressing their disappointment with Harden not winning. It amounted to reasons why Harden should've won instead of The Greek Freak. This was yet another chapter in why people think the Rockets are the annoying little brother of the NBA. It got me to thinking: what if the Rockets were a person and handled real life situations the way they handle rejection? Here's what I came up with:
A cheating partner/spouse
Look, I'm not even that mad. Over the year we've been together, you've gained too much weight, your cooking is terrible now, and you're about as clean as pig sty. Besides, I've been in talks with several other suitors to trade you in for the 2020 version and a future first rounder.
Getting exposed after sliding into Tim Donaghy's DMs
I never slid into Donaghy's DMs! This is ridiculous! I was clearly hacked. I would never DM someone like this! (sees screenshots of the DMs) This is Adam Silver's fault. Had he simply reversed the decision of the game after we submitted evidence of impropriety, we wouldn't have been this desperate to allegedly DM Donaghy. I only did so as a fact-finding mission to get his thoughts on officiating after our unfortunate game 7 loos to the Warriors in the 2018 Western Conference Finals because there's clearly an agenda in favor of the Warriors.
Getting a disconnect notice for the electric bill
Guys, can you work with me here? I'm trying to deal with the mortgage, home insurance, several car payments, and all the other bills. I tell you what, I'll give you half of the bill now and 10% of the remaining balance every other month over the course of ten months along with the bill due each month.
Car shopping
I see the sticker price and I know the deal you said you can give me as far as a discount is concerned. What I want to know is are you willing to take this 1978 Datsun pickup, the 1966 Mustang, $300 dollars, and a monthly payment of $124.62 for 120 months for this 2019 sports car? With some work on the rust spots, a new interior, new seats, and a new engine, the pickup and Mustang will be worth more because they're classics! I'm giving you a steal of a deal here!
As you can see, I think the way this organization handles things is a complete joke. From the way they make excuses for screwups, to the way they coddle players, even the way they go about making trades. The Rockets are like the entitled kid who grew up privileged and believes they should always get their way no matter what. They feel as though they're the smartest person in every room (Morey) and can out-think any and everyone. That is until they've backed themselves into a corner (Chris Paul and Clint Capela contracts) and can't find a way out. The constant excuse making, placing blame, and crying over spilled milk has gotten really old. It's time for them to put on their big boy underwear and get to work. Accept your successes and failures with the same energy. Some things you won't be able to change, and the things you can, do so positively. Here's to hoping the Rockets will grow up and finally act their age instead of pissing the bed and blaming their parents.
How latest reports abruptly shift Houston Astros rotation x-factors
Mar 18, 2024, 7:23 pm
Bruce Bochy doesn’t ever want the Texas Rangers to let go of those memories of their first World Series title.
“We just don’t want to lean on them,” said Bochy, whose first season with the Rangers ended with the first World Series championship for the 63-year-old franchise, and his fourth as a big league manager.
While Texas has the opportunity to be the first team in a quarter-century to win back-to-back world championships — the New York Yankees were the last, with three in a row from 1998-2000 — the Rangers aren’t even defending champs in their own division.
And they aren’t favored to win the AL West this season.
Houston is again the odds-on favorite in the division it has won each of the last six full MLB seasons since the Rangers finished on top in 2016. The Astros won their regular season finale last Oct. 1, matched Texas at 90-72 and won the AL West since they were 9-4 head-to-head.
The Astros have made the AL Championship Series the past seven seasons, even when not division champs in the 2020 season shortened to 60 games because of the pandemic. They made four trips to the Fall Classic and won two titles in that span.
Dusty Baker retired days after Houston lost ALCS Game 7 at home to the Rangers last fall, finishing with 2,183 wins over 26 seasons as a big league manager with five teams.
New Astros manager Joe Espada, their bench coach for six seasons, is certainly familiar with a lineup that has big hitters Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker, and a loaded starting rotation.
Espada isn't the division's only new manager. Ron Washington, who took the Rangers to their previous World Series in 2010 and 2011, was hired by the Angels, who still have Mike Trout but not two-way star Shohei Ohtani, now with the other team in Los Angeles.
Seattle again revamped its roster without big spending in free agency and hopes for a quicker return to the playoffs. The Mariners missed by one game last season, a year after its first postseason appearance since 2001.
And just like last year, the Athletics go into another season not knowing if it will be their last in Oakland.
HOW THEY PROJECT1. Houston Astros. Three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander, reacquired in a deadline trade last July, will start this season on the injured list. But the 41-year-old’s IL stint is expected to be a short one. The Astros still have lefty Framber Valdez (12-11, 2.45 ERA, 200 strikeouts and a no-hitter) and right-hander Cristian Javier. Eight-time All-Star second baseman Altuve signed a new $125 million, five-year contract that goes through 2029. But two-time All-Star third baseman Bregman, the only other position player to make all seven ALCS trips, is at the end of a $100 million deal.
2. Texas Rangers. After going from six losing seasons in a row to a World Series title, the Rangers should be playoff contenders again. They return ALCS MVP Adolis García and most of the lineup that hit 233 homers and scored an AL-high 5.4 runs per game. But World Series MVP and AL MVP runner-up shortstop Corey Seager (sports hernia), Gold Glove first baseman Nathaniel Lowe (oblique strain) and All-Star third baseman Josh Jung (calf) missed significant time in the spring. All-Star right-hander Nathan Eovaldi tops a rotation still missing injured multiple Cy Young Award winners Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom.
3. Seattle Mariners. The front office put together a roster that might be better than last year, but everybody has to stay healthy. Seattle should be better offensively with the additions of Mitch Garver, Mitch Haniger, Jorge Polanco and Luke Raley to go with young superstar Julio Rodriguez. If J.P. Crawford can replicate last season at the plate and Ty France returns to his 2021-22 form, the lineup will be deeper. Couple a better offense with one of the best rotations in baseball led by Luis Castillo, George Kirby and Logan Gilbert, the Mariners should once again contend in the division.
4. Los Angeles Angels. They feel like they’re starting over yet again and still haven't been to the playoffs since 2014. Ohtani left after six seasons for a record $700 million with the perennially contending Dodgers. The Halos added almost nothing in free agency, only revamping their bullpen again and taking low-cost flyers on Aaron Hicks and Miguel Sano. Trout and Anthony Rendon are back, and an open DH spot will allow them to rest their injury-prone bodies more regularly. Their rotation is last year’s group minus Ohtani. The 71-year-old Washington brings a unique blend of expertise and enthusiasm, which should benefit an exciting crop of young talent ready to break through in the majors.
5. Oakland Athletics. This could be the final season playing at the Coliseum with a lease set to expire. So the A's are still trying to figure out where they will play beyond this year with a new ballpark and move to Las Vegas scheduled for 2028. Manager Mark Kotsay has been committed to keeping his team focused on what it can do to be better on the field after two years with a combined 214 losses (112 last season). The A’s acquired Ross Stripling from the San Francisco Giants and added Alex Wood to the rotation.
OLD SKIPPERSWhen the 74-year-old Baker retired, Bochy became the oldest manager in the majors. That lasted only a few weeks until the Angels hired Washington. Bochy will turn 69 on April 16, just 13 days before Washington turns 72. Bochy, with 2,093 wins going into his 27th season, is one of six managers with four World Series titles, his first three coming in San Francisco (2010, 2012 and 2014). Washington won a franchise-record 664 games in eight seasons with Texas from 2007-14. He was on Atlanta's staff the past seven years, and part of the Braves' 2021 World Series title.
RELIEF HELPSeveral new relievers are in the AL West, including hard-throwing lefty Josh Hader with the Astros, veteran right-hander David Robertson and former All-Star closer Kirby Yates in Texas, Gregory Santos and Ryne Stanek in Seattle and Robert Stephenson with the Angels.
Hader's $95 million, five-year deal was the biggest after becoming a first-time free agent. The 29-year-old, once in the Astros' minor league system, turned down a $20,325,000 qualifying offer from San Diego.