Pat Mahomes and the Chiefs may be dealing with rain. Andrew Mather, Chiefs team website
This weekend the country will be split between red and blue, but not only because of the Supreme Court confirmation vote. What I really mean though is that an area of high pressure will be causing very warm temperatures in the eastern half of the country, and a dip in the jet stream will allow colder air from Canada to drop in over the western part of the nation (except California, because usual weather rules never seem to apply to California). In between these contrasting airmasses… WAR. Well not really, but there will be a good deal of rain. And wouldn’t you know it, this week’s game of the week is sitting smack in the middle of that rainy sweet spot.
Jaguars @ Chiefs (12:00 PM Sunday) This is easily the game of the week. You have the unstoppable force that is the Chiefs offense versus the immovable object of the Jags defense. Unfortunately though Kansas City is sitting right in the conflict zone between the warm air to the east and cold air to the west. On Saturday a cold front looks to push through Kansas City only to stall just to the south and waffle back north as a warm front on Sunday bringing some solid rainfall. At the moment rain looks like a possibility for the entire game but is definitely more likely during the early portions. How quickly the warm front moves back through the KC area will determine timing though. So, while you should set your lineups or wagers planning on rain, check back before game time for some more refined details. The wet conditions would obviously seem to play to the Jaguars as a defensive and run-first minded team. Kansas City on the other hand may be held back on offense a little more than they would be otherwise as airing it out will be a riskier proposition. Here are my thoughts on position group impacts (3 arrows possible)
QB: ↓↓
RB: ↑↑
WR: ↓↓
TE: ↓
K: ↓
DEF: ↑↑
Raiders at LA Chargers (3:05 PM Sunday) California is making a rare appearance in the weather report this week thanks to strong winds. October is usually a month that sees an increase in windy spells in the state in part thanks to the Santa Ana Winds. This game will see southwest winds around 15 MPH gusting up to 20 or 25 MPH. The stadium’s orientation will have winds blowing diagonally across the field and the relatively small and short-topped stadium the Charges play in will provide less of a wind break than other stadiums might. In these conditions look for negative impacts on the deep passing game and for kickers, but a slight positive bump for tight-ends in the short game and running backs. Position impacts as follows:
QB: ↓
RB: ↑
WR: ↓
TE: ↑
K: ↓↓
DEF: ↑
Cardinals @ 49ers (3:25 PM Sunday) This game will also have a wind issue, with winds in this part of northern California being even stronger than in LA. The wind should be blowing out of the northwest at 20 MPH with gusts of 25 to 30 MPH, which with the stadium’s orientation will cause the wind to blow diagonally across the field. Impacts here will be like the game above but slightly more pronounced (especially considering the caliber of quarterbacks in this matchup):
QB: ↓↓
RB: ↑
WR: ↓
TE: ↑
K: ↓↓↓
DEF: ↑
For more information on any other games, to check in on conditions before kickoff, or if you have any other questions you can find me on Twitter @stephenuzick.
So where does one turn now in Houston for mediocre, overpriced salsa? I kid, I kid. While wondering if Breggy Baked Beans are on the horizon. Congrats to Alex Bregman and agent Scott Boras for landing an on its face outlandish three-year 120-million dollar contract with the Boston Red Sox. With deferred money part of the deal the contract will be valuated in the neighborhood of “only” three years 90 million. Would Bregman have taken that from the Astros if offered? The Astros’ six-year 156-million dollar proposal was 26 mil per season. Bregman has the right to opt out after each of the first two seasons of his BoSox deal. If his decline (while still a very good player) of the last two seasons continues, or even if he holds steady, there is near zero chance of Bregman opting out unless he hates life in New England. At the end of the three years, will Bregman be able to land a three-year 66 million-dollar deal when he’s about to turn 34 years old? That plus the 90 mil with deferrals accounted for in his new deal would total 156 million. Massachusetts taxes personal income of just over a million dollars and upward at a nine percent rate. Playing half his games in the Bay State, Bregman will pay Massachusetts tax on half his salary.
Reminders...
Bregman obviously had an excellent Astros’ career, among non-pitchers he is top 10 all-time, but the excellence was frontloaded. Over Bregman’s first three big seasons he compiled a .289 batting average and .924 OPS. Elite numbers. Over the five seasons since: .261 and .795. Good, nothing legendary. After his monster MVP runner-up 2019 season (stats aided by the juiced balls of that season) Bregman was on a strong early Hall of Fame track. Now not so much, without some offensive resurgence. Fenway Park should suit Bregman well. He’ll bang singles and doubles off of the Green Monster, though the much higher than Crawford Boxes wall will not goose his home run numbers. In his time with the Astros Bregman mashed at Fenway with a .375 batting average and 1.240 OPS. That’s in a statistically not very significant 98 regular season plate appearances.
It is myth that Bregman in the postseason was some relentless hitting machine. He posted phenomenal numbers over seven Division Series batting .333 with an OPS over 1.000. Over 68 American League Championship Series and World Series games: batting average .196, OPS sub-.700.
For his career, Bregman’s worst month of performance by far has been April (plus any days in March, .737 OPS). In 2024 Bregman was baseball garbage into mid-May. Should a typical slow start happen again, we’ll see what the Fenway faithful patience level is. By far, Bregman’s best batting month has been August (.992 OPS). As it works out, both Astros-Red Sox series are in August this year. First in Boston August 1-3 then in Houston August 11-13.
Who's on third?
Over the last two seasons combined, new Astros’ third baseman Isaac Paredes has been as good offensively as Bregman. That includes Paredes pretty much stinking for two months in Chicago after being dealt from the Rays to the Cubs. Paredes, who turns 26 years old on Tuesday, was an AL All-Star last season. Bregman, who turns 31 March 30, was last an All-Star in 2019. The defensive drop-off from Bregman to Paredes is a fairly steep one.
There is no question that Bregman’s official departure weakens the Astros via a domino effect. Had Bregman wound up staying here, Paredes would have shifted to second base with Jose Altuve primarily in left field. Now, 600-plus plate appearances that Bregman would have taken project to be divided among Mauricio Dubon, Ben Gamel, Zach Dezenzo, and others. That projects as a substantial offensive downgrade. The lineup net result of the Astros’ offseason is negative. Christian Walker and Paredes joining the infield in lieu of Jon Singleton and Bregman is fine. Kyle Tucker out, hodge-podge in in the outfield, oh boy.
Alex Bregman is an unquestioned gamer, leader, and would seem to have the temperament to take well to the more intense baseball environment of Boston relative to that in Houston. Yankee fans should reeeeally love him now!
New beginnings
Considering baseball wasn’t invented until more than a century later, the poet Alexander Pope did not have baseball in mind when in 1732 he wrote “Hope springs eternal (in the human breast).” It works though. Other than the Chicago White Sox and Colorado Rockies, Major League teams have convened in Florida or Arizona thinking if things break right this could be their year! I’d probably put the Miami Marlins in with the ChiSox and Rockies. Many Astros’ fans are strongly disgruntled over the departures of Bregman and Kyle Tucker. This team still has “gruntlement” potential. The batting order appears Morganna-level (Google as necessary) top heavy, but one through five stacks well versus most other lineups. In the American League only the Mariners, Yankees, and maybe Royals have starting pitching rotations that should rate above the Astros’ rotation. Let the countdown to Opening Day begin!
Spring training is up and running. 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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