The Pallilog
Texans still have work to do, right move for Oliver and Rockets-Warriors
Apr 26, 2019, 6:11 am
Tytus Howard out of Alabama State could develop into a tremendous offensive tackle who protects Deshaun Watson for the next decade. He probably won't but he certainly could. If Howard is a good, dependable starting tackle he's a good pick. He went 23rdoverall not third. It's still difficult to not think that Texans' General Manager Brian Gaine got beaten to the punch for his first first round selection, and was forced to some extent, settle. To my knowledge, no one credible thinks Howard is the tackle prospect that Andre Dillard is. The Texans had been regularly linked to Dillard. The Eagles paid a modest price of fourth and sixth round picks to trade up three spots and select Dillard immediately before the Texans went on the clock.
The Texans aren't thinking they got a stud o-lineman from Nick Saban's Crimson Tide, right?
With two second round picks and one third rounder, the Texans absolutely should be thinking another offensive lineman and a cornerback for two of those selections. With the other pick "best player available" expanding to running backs to complement/challenge/succeed Lamar Miller, wide receivers to give depth beyond the fragile Will Fuller and Keke Coutee, and a pass rusher since J.J. Watt is 30, Jadeveon Clowney's future is up in the air, and Whitney Mercilus enters the last year of his contract having produced just five sacks in 21 games over the last two seasons.
Oliver to the Bills
Only silly people criticized Ed Oliver for not playing in the University of Houston's bowl game. Playing would have entailed only risk, no reward. Especially for a guy whose final UH season was disrupted by a knee injury. Oliver's decision needed no validation, but going number nine in the draft to Buffalo made for a very good Thursday night for him. The ninth pick last year (o-lineman Mike McGlinchey to the 49ers) signed a guaranteed four year contract worth more than $18 million dollars.
Oliver is just the sixth UH Cougar to go in the top 10 overall. Of the prior five, Riley Odoms is the only one to start an NFL game after he turned 28 years old. Those who didn't: Mack Mitchell, Wilson Whitley, Andre Ware, and David Klingler.
Finally, Rockets-Warriors
Unless the Golden State Warriors complete an epic collapse we will get the long anticipated Rockets-Warriors rematch. The champs are clearly vulnerable having lost two home games already to the Clippers. If the Warriors close out in six they face a quick turnaround to game one with the Rockets Sunday afternoon in Oakland. If the Clippers force the two-time defending champs to a Game 7 the Rockets would have time to kill until Tuesday. If somehow the Clippers win the series the Rockets would get homecourt advantage for round two.
With loads of respect to the Clippers pushing things this far, Rockets-Warriors remains the desired marquis attraction. It should be a tremendous series. It better be a tremendous series, because other than one incredible game and shot from Damian Lillard, the first round of the NBA playoffs has generally been awful.
On paper it still sets up as advantage Warriors. If both teams play their best ball, Golden State simply has more top end talent, with the tipping point player being Kevin Durant. James Harden didn't have a great series vs. Utah (37.4 percent field goal shooting stinks) but as a player he's better than he's ever been, and he'll have to be because Chris Paul isn't. In boxing terms, and probably basketball terms, as a tandem Harden and Paul have to outpoint Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
Eric Gordon probably needs to be outstanding. He's not remotely of Durant's caliber but needs to score well, and likely is the primary defender on Thompson, with Harden hidden on Bogut, Andre Iguodala, or Draymond Green.
The injury loss of DeMarcus Cousins takes away one very potent Golden State option, which makes life easier for Clint Capela. But having brought back Andrew Bogut was a shrewd Warrior moves. He's not an offensive threat, but Bogut is a better and smarter defender than Cousins.
Along with the historic ramifications of winning a third straight title and fourth in five years, before moving across the Bay to their billion dollar playpen palace in San Francisco next season, the Warriors want to finish their Oakland era with one last title at Oracle Arena. The Rockets would so love to be the detonator that demolishes Oracle a few weeks early. All dynasties end. I just don't think this one does quite yet.
Buzzer Beaters
1. John Havlicek died Thursday at 79. An acknowledged all-time great, eight time NBA champion, but I think underappreciated as more time passed. 2. The Rockets have zero reason to regret trading for Chris Paul, but given the circumstances the Clippers did great in getting Pat Beverley, Lou Williams, and Montrezl Harrell. 3. Best Paul/Harden insurance commercials: Bronze-Clutch Fires Away Silver-The Bot Gold-The Microwave
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Astros lose tight one despite brilliant outing from Hunter Brown
May 15, 2025, 10:29 pm
It’s a fun series between the Astros and Rangers through the weekend in Arlington, but by no means is it a critical series. It would be nice for the Astros to not lose three out of the four games (or obviously all four) to their upstate rivals. The Astros have lost their last five road series, dropping two out of three games in each of them. As with the Astros, pitching has been the strength of the team for the Rangers thus far. After the humdinger Hunter Brown-Jacob deGrom mound matchup Thursday night, the Rangers give the ball Friday to Nathan Eovaldi with his earned run average at 1.78, then Saturday it’s Tyler Mahle with his even more sparkling 1.47 ERA. Heading into Thursday play, the Mariners having lost five of their last six games meant just a game and a half separate first from fourth place in the American League West. The Astros, Rangers, and Athletics are all right there. Only the Angels are inconsequential.
Star power!
There is an asterisk to attach but Jeremy Pena is making a real charge at becoming a first-time All-Star game selection. Among American League shortstops, the Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. is clearly the best. The clear number two in the pecking order coming into this season was the Orioles’ Gunnar Henderson, who is on fire after a slow start that began with him missing seven games on the injured list. Athletics’ rookie Jacob Wilson goes into the weekend batting .350 and amazingly has struck out just nine times in 164 at bats. Rangers’ stud Corey Seager being on the injured list with a balky hamstring for the second time this season helps the Astros this weekend and likely frees up an All-Star spot.
Now to that aforementioned asterisk. Pena has been sensational so far, indisputably the Astros’ best everyday player. We just need to see more staying power of performance before fully slotting Pena in the top tier of shortstops. Pena’s four-hit game Wednesday night hiked his batting average to .315, his OPS to .840. Well, last year Pena put head to pillow the night of May 15 with his batting average at .333, his OPS at .830. The rest of the season Pena hit .240 with a meager .653 OPS. That Pena drew a paltry 18 walks over his last 114 games. 2025 Pena has showed markedly better plate discipline. He’ll never be a high walks-drawn guy but incremental improvement matters, and can bear fruit in other ways.
Fruitless continues to describe an awfully high percentage of Christian Walker’s plate appearances. 2023 Jose Abreu was better (2024 Abreu was not). Plenty of season still remains for a turnaround, but more than a quarter of the season is gone and it’s not as if Walker is trending in the right direction. In three games against the Royals he went zero for 12 with seven strikeouts. With his final whiff, Walker reached the 50 strikeout “milestone” for the season in his 154th at bat. Feeble and lousy are fair characterizations of a .208 batting average and .625 OPS, magnified for someone batting clean-up most nights. Starting play Thursday 13 big leaguers actually had struck out more than Walker so far this season, among them only the Pirates’ Bryan Reynolds carries a lower OPS. Walker has been even worse with runners in scoring position, batting just .171, with a sub-abysmal 20 strikeouts in 41 at bats.
Using Baseball-Reference's Wins Above Replacement statistic, the Astros’ three worst non-pitchers this season are Walker, Yordan Alvarez, and Jose Altuve. Those are the three highest paid players on the team. Altuve’s extended funk has him hitting .202 over his last 27 games with a .538 OPS. Altuve was dropped to second in the batting order basically at his request. It has not sparked him. If Altuve doesn’t pick it up, manager Joe Espada will have to consider dropping Altuve several more spots down the lineup. Alvarez is at 11 games and counting missed with a muscle strain in his right hand. He will not be approaching the career-high 147 games played last season.
Relief pitcher Tayler Scott was a revelation last season. Before joining the Astros at age 31 Scott had a big-league ERA of 9.00 in 46 innings scattered over three seasons. So it was pretty much out of nowhere that the only South African pitcher in MLB history posted a scintillating 1.36 ERA into early August before fading and winding up with a still stellar 2.23 mark. The clock struck midnight on his Cinderella story this year though, and with the Astros needing to open a roster spot this week, Scott was designated for assignment.
Book it!
Longtime Astros’ broadcasting stalwart Bill Brown has authored several books. His latest is Wartime Athletes, which tells the stories of athletes across a number of sports who served in the U.S. military during various wars. If you know anything about Bill Brown, you know each story was meticulously researched and makes for an interesting read. I’m no Oprah when it comes to the power of suggestion for reading material, but Wartime Athletes is worth your time and/or is a worthy gift for someone else.
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. Click here to catch!
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