EVERY-THING SPORTS
Houston Texans may have a trick up their sleeve when it comes to addressing QB
Apr 20, 2023, 12:07 pm
Composite image by Brandon Strange.
DeMeco Ryans has big plans for the Houston Texans
You feel that? Can you hear it? Do you smell it? Are you able to taste it? Take a minute to absorb the atmosphere and get back to me in a sec…NOW are you getting it? No? It's the season we all know and loathe: Lying Season! Lying Season AKA NFL draft season is definitely upon us. Fans are getting upset with the media because they're “putting out false info,” but won't get mad at the teams they love for putting the info out there for the media to report. Where do you think the media gets their info from? I addressed some of this the last couple columns I wrote on Texans draft rumors, and mock drafts.
My main gripe about Lying Season are the fans who believe the hype. Some get so upset, they'll do and say crazy things when opposing sources report opposing things about their team. When reports came out about the Texans potentially trading, not drafting a QB, or drafting a QB at number two overall, people became unglued! The “build around the defense” crowd were ecstatic and salivating at getting a pass rusher. The “trade back” crowd were happy because they want to acquire more picks in order to continue building. The “QB at two or bust” crowd was not happy at all, especially when these reports coincided with reports of Bryce Young being Carolina's pick at number one.
While Young is widely considered the best QB in the draft, C.J. Stroud, Will Levis, and Anthony Richardson are the other QBs expected to go in the first round. Some think these guys will all be gone in the top half of the first round. All have traits and skills I like. Stroud is a proven winner with prototypical size, a good arm, and above average athleticism. Levis has prototypical size, a cannon for an arm, and good athleticism. Richardson is built like a tank, big arm, and off the charts athleticism. Stroud seems like the safest of the three. Levis has some concerns. Richardson is the most intriguing. But what if the Texans go in a different direction?
Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker could be who the Texans are targeting
Let's say the “build around the defense” and “trade back” crowds both win. What if Texans take best defensive player available at number two, then trade back out of number 12 to acquire more picks, but still address QB at a different time in the draft? It could be in the backend of the first round, second round, or even later. Hendon Hooker was a former first round prospect and leader for the Heisman before his ACL injury this past season. What if there's another guy like Clayton Tune or Jaren Hall that they like that can be drafted in the mid to later rounds? What if they want to make a run at trading for a guy they like? Mac Jones? Trey Lance?
The possibilities are endless. So are the frustrations. What I ultimately recommend to folks is to enjoy the ride as much as possible. Don't get too hung up on what conflicting reports say or don't say. If they take an alternative route to addressing QB, let's focus on the guys they're drafting to make this team better. With as many holes as this team still has, best player available at every pick is exciting. There are not many positions that they'll draft in which the rookie won't at least have a chance to compete for time. QB is the most important position on the field and the organization knows this. They'll address it when they feel they have the right target in mind, along with the means to get said target. For now, woosah and try to enjoy the buildup to the season finale of Lying Season.
Astros close series with a performance worth the wait
Jun 5, 2025, 11:59 pm
All-Star balloting opened up this week for what used to be known as the Midsummer Classic in Major League Baseball. I guess some still refer to it as such but the All-Star Game has been largely a bore for many years, though the honor of being selected on merit remains a big one. As always, fans can vote at all positions except pitcher. The fan balloting has resulted in mostly good selections for years now, though pretty much all teams still do silly marketing stuff trying to drum up support for their players. The Astros’ part in that silliness is their campaign to make it the “All-’Stros” game on the American League squad in Atlanta next month. It’s one thing to be supportive of your team, it’s another to be flat out ridiculous if voting right now for Yainer Diaz, Christian Walker, Yordan Alvarez, Mauricio Dubon, or Cam Smith. The Astros tried to game the system in submitting Jose Altuve as a second baseman where the competition is weaker than it is in the outfield, but given Altuve has played only about 25 percent of the games at second base this season he should not be an All-Star second baseman selectee for what would be the tenth time in his career.
Isaac Paredes’s recent freefall notwithstanding, he has a legitimate case as a backup third baseman, especially with Alex Bregman likely missing more than a month of games due to his quad injury. Jake Meyers is having a fine season but is obviously not an All-Star-worthy outfielder unless he is sensational for the rest of June. That leaves Jeremy Peña, who is simply the best shortstop in the big leagues so far this season. To be clear, no team in baseball (including the Astros) would rather have Peña going forward than the Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr., but we’re talking about the here and now. There are another 100 games to be played, but Peña not only is about a lock to deserve his first All-Star nod, but he is in contention to put in the books the greatest season ever by an Astro shortstop.
Over his first three seasons, Peña was a consistently mediocre offensive player. His highest batting average was .266, best on-base percentage .324, top slugging percentage .426. He is blowing away all those numbers thus far in 2025. While unlikely to come close to reaching his preseason goal of 50 stolen bases, Peña is swiping bags at the best success rate of his career. Add in Peña’s stellar defense and that he has played in every Astros’ game so far this season, and Peña has been irrefutably one of the 10 best and most valuable players in the American League. You could certainly argue as high as top three.
If Peña's productivity holds up for the rest of the season there are only three other seasons posted by Astro shortstops that are in the same league as what would be Peña’s 2025. Carlos Correa has two of them. Lack of durability may be the biggest reason Correa is not tracking to be a Hall of Famer. In only two seasons as an Astro did Correa play in more than 136 games. He was fabulous in each of them. 2021 was his peak campaign, playing in 148 games while compiling an .850 OPS, winning a Gold Glove, and finishing fifth in AL MVP voting. Correa’s Baseball-Reference wins above replacement number for 2021 was 7.3. Peña is at 3.6 with nearly 20 games still left before the midway point of the schedule.
For the other great Astro shortstop season you have to go back to 1983. Dickie Thon turned 25 years old in June of ‘83. He put up a .798 OPS, which gains in stature given Thon played his home games in the Astrodome when the Dome was at its most pitching-friendly. Thon won the Silver Slugger Award as the best offensive shortstop in the National League, and played superior defense. His Baseball-Reference WAR number was 7.4. He finished seventh for NL MVP playing for an 85-77 Astros’ squad that finished third in the NL West. Dickie Thon looked like an emerging superstar. Then, in the fifth game of the 1984 season, a fastball from Mets’ pitcher Mike Torrez hit Thon in the left eye, fracturing his orbital bone. Thon missed the rest of the ‘84 season. While Thon played in nine more big league seasons, his vision never fully recovered and he was never the same player. It’s one of the biggest “What if...” questions in Astros’ history.
Arms race
Players and the Commissioner’s Office pick the All-Star pitching staffs. Unless he suddenly starts getting lit up regularly, Hunter Brown can pack a bag for Georgia. Framber Valdez wouldn’t make it now but has surged into contention. Josh Hader’s first half is going vastly better than last year’s, so he is in line for a reliever spot.
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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