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Jovan Abernathy is an international marathoner and owner of Houston Tourism Gym. Read her blog, HTownRunTourist. Follow her on Twitter @jovanabernathy. Instagram @HTownRunTourist. Facebook @jovanabernathy
Is it May yet? Nope, it is only the first week of April. There is only so much beer, rest, and Tiger King that you can handle. Do you find yourself waking up wondering what day is it? Have you worn pajamas for the last week in a half straight? If you answered yes to any of these questions, I think I have something for you. It is the Let's Take it One Day at a Time" Challenge. Here are some FAQs about it:
Why should I do this challenge?
That's simple. To stay sane. It is hard to have purpose in your life when your routine is turned over. This is the perfect thing to find some grounding. Besides mental and physical health should be top priority now.
When does it start?
The official start date in Monday, April 13, 2002.
Where is it held?
We are definitely practicing social distancing. This challenge can be done where ever you can find some mileage. This could be at a park, in your neighborhood, on a hike and bike trail, or on a treadmill.
How do I do this challenge?
This is a running and walking challenge. Every Sunday, you will pledge your commitment on our Facebook page. The commitment goes as follows:
10 miles/week
15 miles/week
20 miles/week
25 miles/week
We will keep track of the miles and post them on Sunday.
When does the challenge end?
This challenge starts every Monday. Because we do not know when life will go back to normal, we will have a challenge every week.
What can I post on the Facebook group?
Post as much as you want. We love to see memes, pictures, your times and distances, and other motivational posts. The rules are on the Facebook group.
How do I join?
Follow this link to register. You will receive a welcome email with further instructions.
Is there anything else I should know?
Join us Sunday, April 12, 2020 from 4-5pm for our virtual Happy Hour on Zoom. You will be invited after you register for the challenge.
What is really cool about the challenge is you now have a community to be a part of. So tell us about your run. Ask any questions you need and I'll be there to answer them. So get those running shoes dusted off and meet us in the Facebook group.
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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.