Community Picks: Houston 0% vs Texas 0%

Jim Bouton, whose groundbreaking book Ball Four was one of the first tell-all books in sports, has died at age 80. He passed today in Massachusetts from a brain disease linked to dementia. Bouton had great success as a pitcher with the New York Yankees in the early 1960s, winning 20 games and two World Series contests. Continue to Article

July 10, 2019 8:45:pm EST

Ten days into the second half of 2019, we already have a leader for Sportsperson of the Year, an award presented by a variety of media outlets, the most visible being the Muhammad Ali Legacy Award given by Sports Illustrated. The Golden State Warriors, back-to-back NBA champs willing to exercise social conscience, earned the distinction in 2018. The year before, Houston Astros star Jose Altuve and Houston Texans star J.J. Watt were honored excelling on the field and also their contributions to disaster relief in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. Continue to Article

July 10, 2019 4:30:pm EST

Right-hander Noah Syndergaard could be traded if the New York Mets are approached with the "right deal," MLB Network reported. Syndergaard and Zack Wheeler are reportedly available, but the Mets are not soliciting offers, according to the report. Last week, MLB Network linked Wheeler to American League East rivals. Continue to Article

July 10, 2019 11:39:am EST

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred on Tuesday pushed back on allegations from some players, including Houston Astros ace Justin Verlander, that the league has “juiced” baseballs amid an unprecedented home run surge. MLB players have hit 3,691 home runs through the first half of the 2019 season and are on pace to hit 6,669 home runs for the full year. Rawlings Sporting Goods has served as MLB's official baseball manufacturer for decades, and the league partnered with private firm Seidler Equity to buy the company for $395 million in June 2018. Continue to Article

July 09, 2019 1:42:pm EST

Houston Astros Record: 57-33 Last Week: 4 Justin Verlander will start for the American League in Tuesday night's 2019 MLB All-Star Game at Progressive Field in Cleveland. It's the second career starting assignment in a Midsummer Classic for Verlander, who has been somewhat mediocre over his last handful of outings but still boasts a 2.98 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, and 153/27 K/BB ratio through 126 2/3 total innings this year. In the American League's starting lineup, you'll find three different Astros: George Springer is at leadoff, Alex Bregman is batting sixth, and Michael Brantley will hit eighth. Continue to Article

July 09, 2019 1:42:pm EST