Team opts for bargains over flash
Texans fans melting down over free agency: Don't panic (or do, a little)
Mar 13, 2019, 6:55 am
Team opts for bargains over flash
On the surface, the Houston Texans have some work to do in free agency. But despite what you read on Twitter, the sky is not falling because they did not dive in the first day with high profile signings.
To quote the cover of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy...Don't Panic.
Yes, they lost both Tyrann Mathieu and Kareem Jackson in free agency, but Jackson was not part of their future plans. They wanted to keep Mathieu, but were not willing to pay top dollar. Instead they signed former Jaguar Tashaun Gipson at roughly half the price.
At best, it is a break even move. But Gipson comes much cheaper than Matthieu ($14 million per season) and Jackson ($11 million). He also specializes in covering tight ends, which the Texans have struggled with for years. Is he better than Mathieu? Probably not. But is the drop-off that extreme? Not at all.
Peter Aiken/Getty Images
They also added former Broncos corner Bradley Roby. He has been inconsistent, but is young and has upside. He should replace Jackson. He is one a one-year, $10 million prove it deal, much like Matthieu signed last year. Is he perfect? No, but no one in free agency is. These are two smart, low risk high reward signings.
Jonathan Joseph is old.
Bob Levey/Getty ImagesAre they done yet? They should not be. But adding another cornerback after Tuesday's signings - perhaps Pierre Dessir - at least gives them serviceable players at the position. Adding those to Jonathan Joseph, who is closer to the NFL graveyard than being an elite corner, and free-agent bust Aaron Colvin gives them at least some options at the position. Colvin was hurt and could be better, but they should not count on that. And they did not overspend for Roby.
The offensive line, however, remains an abject mess. They needed to sign at least one decent player, and much like last year, they are down to scraps. They will have to nail the draft - something they have not done with offensive linemen - or next year will look a lot like last year. There is certainly cause for concern there unless they can make a deal or find a hidden gem. They tried that last year and we see how it worked out.
But at least they made an effort on one position group with decent, low-risk options. That should mitigate some of the panic.
It's hard watching teams like Cleveland push all their chips in the middle while the Texans plug holes with homeless guys. It is easy to panic. But free agency is not over. If this is all they do? Then they have failed. But there is still time. Let's wait it out.
Zack Short hit a walk-off RBI single in the 11th inning after Christian Walker tied it with a sacrifice fly and the Houston Astros beat the Texas Rangers 5-4 on Saturday night.
Short hit a 1-1 pitch to right field off Hoby Milner after Robert Garcia (1-5) walked two to load the bases.
Texas took a 4-3 lead when Adolis García hit the first pitch from Bennett Sousa (3-0) for a single — scoring automatic runner Marcus Semien.
Kyle Higashioka hit a solo home run off Josh Hader with two outs in the ninth to tie it 3-3. It was the first blown save for Hader after 25 straight to begin the season.
Jose Altuve hit his 17th homer — a two-out solo shot in the first off Jacob deGrom to tie it 1-1 after the Rangers scored an unearned run on Framber Valdez’s wild pitch.
Yainer Diaz homered for the 14th time for a 2-1 lead in the fourth. Mauricio Dubón hit his sixth homer off Jacob Webb for a 3-1 lead in the seventh.
Semien hit his 11th homer to cut it to 3-2 in the eighth.
Valdez allowed an unearned run on four hits with 10 strikeouts and no walks in six innings. The Astros have won his last 12 starts with him getting the win in nine of them.
DeGrom allowed two runs on four hits and a walk in six innings with eight strikeouts.
The Rangers struck out 19 times — two short of the club record for an extra-inning game.
Short entered as a pinch runner in the ninth and was just 4 for 17 before his game winner.
Houston hasn’t lost a season series with division rival Texas since 2016.
Rangers RHP Nathan Eovaldi (6-3, 1.62 ERA) starts Sunday’s rubber game opposite Astros RHP Hunter Brown (9-3, 2.21).
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