The Pallilog
Rockets face tough stretch, but 3 seed is within range
Mar 1, 2019, 7:56 am
Mike D'Antoni has a different looking roster now. Getty Images.
Don't look now (actually, do look now!), but the Rockets are within a game and a half of third place in the Western Conference. After two clunker shooting games in a row James Harden went nuts on Miami with 58 points Thursday night, so the Rockets roll with a four game winning streak into arguably their toughest three game stretch of the season. They're at Boston Sunday afternoon (though the Celtics have slumped badly of late) then at Toronto Tuesday before coming home for Philadelphia Friday. If the Rockets win two of those three they are a very good bet to reach 50 wins. 50 would be a big come down from last season's 65, but a fine recovery from this season's lame 11-14 start.
Call to arms
The first week of spring training games has produced the first mild "uh ohs" for the Astros. 40 percent of their projected starting rotation is ailing already. Collin McHugh lasted one inning of his spring debut before reporting a sore back. Josh James is down with a quad strain that has already knocked him out of the race for the fifth starter slot he was considered most likely to earn. But the Astros have depth options starting with Framber Valdez and Brad Peacock, plus Forrest Whitley almost certainly arrives mid-season. As long as Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole remain healthy and effective, the Astros rotation should be just fine. Just not as good as last season's.
Big deal
So, by one basic measure the Phillies got a "deal" in landing Bryce Harper with a 13 year $330 million dollar contract. Harper's average annual salary is "only" about $25.4 million dollars. Manny Machado gets $30 per over 10 seasons with the Padres, Nolan Arenado locked in $32.5 per over the next eight years with the Rockies. Only Harper has had a better offensive season then Alex Bregman's 2018. Four seasons to go before Bregman can hit the market, if he hasn't by then signed an Astros contract that could enable him to buy most of his hometown of Albuquerque.
Decisions, decisions
The Texans have until Tuesday to use the franchise tag on Jadeveon Clowney and keep him off the free agent market. He's gotten better doing so less than in the past, but Bill O'Brien this week chose to utter crappola in saying the Texans haven't reached a decision yet. Unless they reach a long term contract agreement before Tuesday 3 p.m. Central Time, of course the Texans will tag Clowney. They'd be football morons not to do so. Texans' brass certainly has never proven itself football geniuses, but they're not morons.
Catching back on
How about Jason Witten leaving the Monday Night Football booth after one season to return to the Cowboys? When the season rolls around Witten will be 37 years old. Over his last two or three seasons Witten was down to pretty much a possession receiver. He didn't even average nine yards per catch in 2017. But if Witten has what he had then, he can still help Dak Prescott and the Cowboys's offense some. I feel confident the MNF chair won't be kept warm for Witten in his absence.
Not so Smart?
Think about this: To coach UT hoops, Shaka Smart gets paid more than double what Kelvin Sampson pulls down at UH. Seems beyond ridiculous now but the explanation is simple. Smart was a very hot ticket after his VCU run to the 2011 Final Four in Houston. Smart stayed at VCU another four years before deciding the Longhorn job and oodles of Longhorn cash were too much to pass up. He wouldn't have considered the UH gig for more than milliseconds. Sampson had done good work as an NBA assistant while serving out what was basically a five year banishment from the college game. He did not have big time programs lined up to hire him.
Funny how life goes sometimes. A general reflection of their current job performances was evidenced Wednesday. Kelvin's Coogs dismantled awful East Carolina while Shaka's Horns gagged away a 17 point lead in the last 8:40 of regulation and wound up losing in overtime at Baylor.
Shaka Smart seems like a genuinely good person, but his record with the Longhorns is 65-63. Over the last 365 days Sampson's Cougars are 31-3. As MLB.com Astros' beat writer and ardent UH fan Brian McTaggart noted to me this week, the three losses have come by one point to Cincinnati in last season's AAC Tournament championship game, the one point heartbreaker to Michigan in the NCAA Tournament, and this season's one blemish, the four point loss at Temple.
Saturday vs. Central Florida at the Fertitta Center isn't a total gimme, but there is no core reason to believe UH won't emerge at 28-1 for the season.
Buzzer Beaters:
1. So who bats cleanup for the Astros vs. right handed pitching, Michael Brantley or Carlos Correa? 2. Robert Kraft. I mean, seriously? 3. Best Italian restaurant desserts: Bronze-Italian Cream Cake Silver-Tiramisu Gold-Cassata Cake
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
How Houston Rockets hold the cards for a franchise-changing summer
May 8, 2025, 5:45 pm
In Houston, the winning standard has been set so high that anything short of World Series contention now feels like failure. And yet, the 2025 Astros find themselves at an unfamiliar crossroads—caught between the fading brilliance of past stars and the uncertain promise of what comes next.
Jose Altuve is at the center of this issue. His early struggles (-0.5 WAR) may indicate more than just a temporary slump. And when he swung at the first pitch after Lance McCullers had just endured a grueling 33-pitch inning on Sunday, it raised a bigger question: who has the influence to talk to Altuve?
The Astros’ culture has long been praised for its accountability, but who inside the clubhouse has the standing to challenge or counsel Altuve or other vets when needed? With so many veteran voices gone, there’s a growing sense that no one does—and that’s a problem. That’s why the idea of bringing back Michael Brantley—not as a player, but as a respected voice—could make some sense. Brantley was always viewed as a quiet leader, and his presence could restore some of the guidance this roster desperately needs.
Batter up?
While the Astros have built a reputation for reviving pitchers' careers, their track record with hitters is far less impressive. There are few, if any, examples of a bat joining Houston and unlocking a new level. That failure in development becomes especially stark when considering how much they’re currently leaning on homegrown youth.
Which brings us to Zach Dezenzo. The 24-year-old rookie is showing he belongs—his .737 OPS makes him one of the more productive bats in a lineup that desperately needs stability while Yordan Alvarez nurses an injury. While Victor Caratini provides the Astros with the ability to switch hit, he's hitting just .217. Dezenzo should be starting every day in left, with Yordan out. Jose Altuve, who has already played too many innings this year, should be shifted to DH duties to ease his physical burden. The Astros should go with Cam Smith in right and keep Jake Meyers in center to round out the outfield.
GM Dana Brown has made clear that he views Dezenzo as a first baseman or left fielder for the future. So why not get him in the lineup while Yordan's out and see what he can do with consistent playing time?
Of course, losing Yordan Alvarez is always going to hurt. But the numbers tell a surprising story. Yordan currently holds a -0.4 WAR, right there alongside Altuve and Christian Walker as the only Astros with negative marks. On paper, the team hasn’t lost much production. But let’s not kid ourselves—Yordan’s mere presence alters how opponents pitch to this team. The lineup without him lacks fear factor, and the margins get razor-thin.
Speaking of margins, one move that may haunt this front office is the decision to sign Christian Walker. The veteran first baseman is hitting just .205 with a .617 OPS—far below the level expected from a player earning $20 million annually through 2027. Compare that to Jon Singleton, who posted better numbers in 2024 and currently boasts an .880 OPS in Triple-A with the Mets organization. Walker's defense is strong, but it's hard to argue that justifies the price tag. Singleton might not be a Gold Glover, or anything close, but he came much cheaper and was quietly more productive with the bat.
No regrets?
There’s also a broader question looming: if fans had known that Altuve’s massive contract extension would potentially cost the team the ability to re-sign current MVP candidates Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman, would they still have supported the deal? Hindsight is cruel, but with Altuve’s decline and Tucker and Bregman thriving, it’s a fair debate. Houston might have paid for the past instead of securing its future.
Big deals on the horizon?
All eyes now turn to owner Jim Crane. This winter, Houston's payroll will have considerable room to maneuver. But will Crane commit to restocking the lineup with All-Star-caliber bats, or will his reluctance to offer long-term deals keep the Astros stuck in a holding pattern? It’s one thing to let players walk. It’s another to fail to replace them.
The Astros still have the bones of a contender, but the road back to dominance is getting steeper. The team can’t simply rely on what used to work. It’s time for difficult conversations, bold lineup changes, and a rethinking of how this organization develops—and retains—offensive talent.
We have 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 episode now on Thursday!
*ChatGPT assisted.
___________________________
Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!