Texans: Power Play

Story by Gene Duffey | Pictures By Erik Williams

The good news for the Houston Texans going into the 2008 season is they are coming off an 8-8 record, their best since the franchise opened for business in 2002. Starting coach Gary Kubiak’s third year, things can only get better, right?

The bad news is, remember that the Texans reached that .500 record by closing out last year with a 42-28 victory at home over a Jacksonville team that had already clinched the playoffs. The Jaguars didn’t need to win the game and acted accordingly. Jacksonville quarterback David Garrard and running backs Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew never played a down.

 Houston also entered the final week of the 2004 season at 7-8, but lost the finale at home to the lowly Cleveland Browns that marked the beginning of the end for the Dom Capers/Charley Casserly era. Record wise last year wasn’t much of an improvement over that ’04 season.

The good new is that the Texans achieved an 8-8 second with two of their key offensive components, quarterback Matt Schaub and receiver Andre Johnson, missing a combined 12 games with Schaub playing less than a half in two more. They were only on the field together for a full four games.

“It was very frustrating,” said Johnson, who sat out seven games with a knee injury. “To see how close some of those games were. Maybe if I was out there, I could have made a play that was the difference.”

The Texans went 2-5 without Johnson, three of the losses by 10 points or less.

Houston did benefit in the long run because it gave receivers Kevin Walter and Andre Davis the chance to become a bigger part of the offense and improve their games.

“I think we found out a lot about our team,” said Johnson. “Andre and Kevin stepped up tremendously. I knew once those guys were given an opportunity, they would go out and show people they can play in this league.”

Davis added another dimension by averaging 30.3 yards on kickoff returns, returning three for touchdowns.

Walter has been a Kubiak favorite for several seasons.

“He’s turned into a heck of a player,” said Kubiak. “He’s a special worker. He’s a tough player, too. We have to have guys who dig out safeties in the run game. People say guys like that are lacking this or lacking that. (But) they find a way to make up for it.” 

Walter led the Texans in receiving last year with 65 catches with Johnson third, also behind tight end Owen Daniels.

The offensive line has been a work in progress from the beginning. Kubiak hired veteran offensive line coach Alex Gibbs, whom he had worked with in Denver, to help get the running game going.

Gibbs’ system relies on zone blocking.

“We brought the expert in to make sure we’re doing it the right way,” said Kubiak. “We want to cut down on (the number of) plays and get good at the ones we’re going to run.”

“I’ve been in the system before,” veteran offensive tackle Ephraim Salaam said of the zone blocking scheme. “It’s not a lot to learn. But it’s definitely different. It gives us a chance to be more athletic and aggressive, going up to linebackers and safeties. There will definitely be more holes and clearer lanes for running backs, which in turn makes the passing game a lot better.”

Good news on the defensive side is that end Mario Williams, the No 1 picked in 2006 draft, went from a major disappointment as a rookie to a breakout season last year with 14 sacks.

“Everybody’s going to have high expectations when you’re picked first because you’re the best guy coming out of college,” said middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans. “People have to understand with defensive linemen there’s a lot of technique things that fans don’t understand. You’re going from playing against boys to grown men. Now Mario’s caught up.”

Rosevelt Colvin, a pass rushing specialist with 52 ½ sacks in his nine-year career, was signed as a free agent from New England in the offseason and should take some of the attention off Williams.

Ryans, drafted in the second round behind Williams, has quietly become one of the best middle backers in the game.

“It feels like I’ve been here for a while, even though I’m going into my third year,” he said. “I’m like the old vet. I know a lot of the guys look up to me for leadership. It’s just a role I’ve fallen into. I take it very seriously.”

Most of the media attention goes to Williams, which is fine with Ryans, who made 127 tackles last year.

“All eyes still on Mario,” he said. “That’s our guy. He’s the face of the organization. I like it like that.”

The bad news on the defensive side is that cornerback Dunta Robinson, Houston’s best player in the secondary, will miss the first half of the season after undergoing knee and hamstring surgeries.  

“Nobody can replace Dunta, the intensity he brings to our secondary,” said Ryans. “He’s our enforcer back there.”

The Texans hope a strong pass rush can help save the secondary.

There is one more bit of bad news for the Texans. The schedule. 

Houston plays three of its first four on the road, opening at Pittsburgh, plus games at Tennessee and Jacksonville. The Texans’ fifth game is back home against Indianapolis.

A good team could easily go 1-4 or 2-3 against that type of competition.

This isn’t college football, where you can go out and buy a win against a Division I-AA team to give a team confidence early in the season. There are no layups in the NFL.

Are the Texans good enough to make the playoffs for the first time?

“We’re going to find out if we should be in the playoffs,” said Kubiak. “That’s our goal. To get in the playoffs in the National Football League, you’ve got to do something special. You’ve got to be dang good. This is a young franchise, going on year seven. We open with a team (Pittsburgh) that’s been around 60-some years. We have the talent. I think we’re getting a hell of a lot better.”

Dynamo: Home Again

Story & Pictures By Erik Williams

In May, the Houston Dynamo looked to be on track to assume command in the MLS’s Western Conference. However they had a rough go of it in June and July, playing half their games away from Robertson Stadium, and it showed in a slip in the standings. Fortunately, Houston has four home games in August, all against playoff-caliber opponents, and they are aware that those games will be pivotal in their playoff hopes. 

After a long stretch of games away from home, the Dynamo plan to play four of their five MLS league games in August at home, and the team knows that having their home supporters on their side could prove to be the difference in their play, especially on offense, which has seen a lack of goals in thus far in the summer. ““I think it’s a matter of time before we get our timing right on crosses and start scoring some goals,” said midfielder Brad Davis. The Dynamo hope to regain their scoring touch that saw them score only four goals for the month of June, three against Toronto FC. Lead striker Brian Ching echoed Davis’s sentiments saying, “This little stretch can have a pretty big impact on where we finish the rest of the season. We have that in mind; we have a lot of home games we are looking forward to. We hope we can play better than we have the first third of the season. Hopefully we can come out of this stretch near the top if not at the top.” Goalkeeper Pat Onstad adds that the team’s defensive presence, affected by the long-term injury to central defender Eddie Robinson, has to improve as well for the team to prosper in the second half of the season. “All the way up, including defensively, we have to be a lot sharper.” 

Along with regaining their scoring touch, the Dynamo hope to get back to their winning ways, in general, having recorded draws in eight of their 16 MLS league games and seeing an early exit from the U.S. Open Cup again. And thankfully, they’ll be at home for most of the MLS’s seasons second stanza, hosting such teams as Chicago, Chivas USA, D.C. United and Los Angeles, all of whom are vying for playoff spots themselves, and all of whom are staunch opponents. “It’s not a very forgiving second half of the year,” coach Dominic Kinnear said. “You want to pick up maximum points in every game.” 

Though the MLS schedule is predominant in the minds of the players, the teams also has to contend with the Superliga tournament as well. Semifinalists in last year’s Superliga action, the Dynamo have qualified for it again this year, but will face a steeper challenge, being grouped with D.C. United, on the road, and Mexican powerhouses Atlante and Chivas Guadalajara at home. However, the team is confident of their success in the tournament. Those are two difficult games. Playing D.C. in D.C. and then Chivas is hard,” said Ching, “They are traditionally strong clubs and playing them takes a lot out of us. I don’t think we have the same depth as some of the Mexican league teams.” Ching also said that losing in the semifinals last year to eventual champion Pachuca, from Mexico, is added motivation to winning this year’s Superliga, aside from the first prize of $1 million to the winning team. “Any competition we enter we want to win. Outside of the MLS Cup, we haven’t won too many trophies. We feel we have to do it if we want to become one of the franchises in MLS. It’s something that’s on our minds and something we are going to try and do this year. Pachuca is a great team and they played a good tournament, all credit to them. Hopefully we can turn things around this year, get to the final and win it.” 

Astros: Take a quiz

Story by Gene Duffey | Pictures By Erik Williams

Quickie quiz.

Which Astros’ veteran began the season only two points behind Lance Berkman’s career .300 batting average?

a) Carlos Lee

b) Miguel Tejada

c) Mark Loretta

While many may guess the better known Lee or Tejeda, it is Mark Loretta who started the year with a .298 average for his 12-year career in the majors.

“It would be nice to reach (.300),” said Loretta, “It’s kind of a magic number.”

Loretta may be the most under appreciated Astro.

“He’s not a guy who’s going to grab headlines or toot his own horn,” said Geoff Blum, another veteran infielder. “I’m sure most fans don’t know (his career average). The players know. They have an understanding of what Mark’s done.”

The versatile Loretta has started games at second base, shortstop and third this season. He has delivered as a pinch-hitter. He has shared his experience with younger players.

“He’s very professional with the way he approaches the game, the way he goes about his defense, his preparation,” said Houston manager Cecil Cooper. “You can see that in the way he takes his at-bats, he takes pitches, he works counts, he looks for certain pitches. He just a professional player.”

Loretta hit .335 with 47 doubles for San Diego in 2004, playing in a 154 games. He hit .287 with 23 doubles last year for the Astros playing part time.

His consistency makes him one name that is often mentioned when people talk about trading veterans and building for the future, because Loretta has trade value. The Astros first acquired him from Milwaukee for the stretch run in 2002. Houston fell short of the playoffs, but it wasn’t Loretta’s fault. He hit .424 in 21 games, then signed with San Diego after the season.

Would he be surprised to be traded to contender?

“You can’t take too much stock in the rumors, because it’s out of your control,” he said. “I’ve dealt with it many times. I’m not going to say I’m immune to it. 

It doesn’t seem like this organization is going to have a wholesale firesale.”

The Astros’ trend has been to attempt to improve the team in the second half of the season, not start building for next year. 

Loretta enjoyed that September run with the Astros in ‘02, part of the reason he returned as a free agent in January 2007. He wanted to be in the National League, where those who don’t start get more chances to pinch-hit and get in games on double switches than in the American League.

Despite more downs than ups through the first four months for the Astros, Loretta still believes in the team. 

“I haven’t given up on this team this year,” he said. “Everybody has professional pride here. No matter what the standings say, everybody’s going to go out and give it their all. The game is always intense, no matter what. I think we’ve got a real good run left in us.”

Loretta, Blum and outfielder Darin Erstad are in the falls of their careers, versatile veterans who contribute anyway they can, bringing a selfless attitude to the ball park every day. 

Their jobs are tougher than they appear. It is not easy to hit consistently when you don’t play consistently.

“It’s tough,” said Blum, who can play all four infield positions. “You know what your job is. You take ground balls all over the place. You try to maintain your swing, so when you do get the call you’re ready to go. Most of the guys who have been around a while have been through similar situations.”

“It’s not an easy job to do,” said Cooper, the former Boston and Milwaukee first baseman. “Early in my career I did that and didn’t like it. Over time these guys have kind of grown into that. They know what’s expected of them. One key is you know yourself. You know what you can and can’t do.”

Loretta played part time when he first broke in with the Brewers in 1995. He made the return switch from playing every day to being a role player smoothly.

“I’ve been slated to be a part-time player and gotten a lot of at-bats,” he said. “Last year when Adam (Everett) got hurt, I played a lot. I sort of enjoy moving around a little bit. I’ve kind of come full circle.”

“He’s just good people all around,” said Blum.  “Even if he wasn’t a veteran, he’d be a good guy to have around just because he’s got a great mentality for a ball club, all the information he brings.”

Loretta’s career went the opposite direction than most.  

He played baseball and basketball in high school in La Canada, Calif. He wasn’t giving up on baseball when he left the sunshine for the cold and snow of Chicago, enrolling at Northwestern. 

He viewed the Wildcats baseball program as a place he could play right away. He had talked with Stanford, but no scholarship was offered. UCLA and Loyola Marymount told him he could probably play -- by his junior year.

 “The first semester was a cultural shock,” he said of moving to the Midwest. “You don’t get used to (the weather). In January and February you don’t see the sun for 20-30 days at a time.”

His parents encouraged him to stick it out through one year, at least. When baseball season began, despite having to practice indoors, Loretta became more comfortable. He discovered Big Ten baseball was pretty good and the university gave him a good education, earning a degree in business.

It was good enough that Milwaukee drafted him in the seventh round out of Northwestern in 1992. He made it to the majors in 1995, the year after the last strike nearly destroyed the game.

Loretta has done quite a bit for the game off the field. He is an active member of the Major League Players Association.

“Baseball was in dire straights,” he said of 1995. “To be involved in 14 years of labor peace is something I take pride in. There’s a little bit better relationship between owners and players than there has been. It’s a healthy business from a revenue standpoint. The drug thing has been one of the hardest (tasks). I think we’ve done just about everything we can. You can certainly make arguments that it took too long. There isn’t a perfect solution to it. It’s a fluid situation. I think it’s better than any other sport. It’s always a work in progress, but I think we’ve come a long way.”

He will turn 37 Aug. 14 and isn’t sure how many more years he will play. He talks about “job opportunities,” sounding more like a businessman than a second baseman.

He won’t be bored in retirement. His wife, Hilary, whom he met at Northwestern, was a junior Olympic skier. Loretta said he would like to do some skiing and try snowboarding. He is already involved in everything from a horse racing syndicate to the fashion business to the technology industry.

          “I like trying to make deals and trying to understand capitalism,” he said. “I’d like to stay connected (with baseball) some way. I don’t think that necessarily means jumping right into coaching at the professional level. That’s a tough grind. Maybe some front office stuff, or coach in high school. I figure that’s my expertise.”

“Mark is a real cerebral guy,” said Cooper. “In his personal life, it seems like he’s got everything together.”

Loretta understands that being a baseball player is better than being trapped in an office 9-to-5 for 50 weeks a year.

“If it ended today, I’d be very satisfied,” he said. “I’ve had some great teammates, had some good years and bad years, had some injuries, kind of done it all. It’s the camaraderie and the competition everybody misses when they leave. This type of atmosphere is such a close knit group. You spend more time with your teammates than your family. The guys I’ve talked to who retire, really miss that. You can’t simulate going out in front of 40,000 people and trying to beat somebody. I’m sure I’ll miss that about the game. But it can’t last forever.”