In order to ensure the protection of public safety and the environment, the Railroad Commission maintains rigorous inspection programs over the various industries it regulates, and the Legislature holds the agency to those high standards by setting annual performance goals.
In fact, the RRC, which has district offices throughout the state, exceeded the Fiscal Year 2021 legislative goals for a broad range of inspection categories concerning oil and gas; intrastate pipelines, the alternative fuels LNG, CNG, and LPG; and surface mining of coal.
Inspections are critical to ensuring compliance with statewide rules designed to prevent pollution and dangerous situations that could affect residents and communities or provide a safety net to allow us the luxury of such activities as weekend barbecuing with the use of propane.
RRC has managed to exceed the Texas Legislature’s goals for inspections despite the global pandemic that impacted the agency’s operations and its regulated community.
“I am proud to say that our dedicated staff continues to meet these challenges and others that have come our way and have excelled,” said Wei Wang, RRC Executive Director. “Throughout all of this, lawmakers have maintained their high expectations for the Railroad Commission to protect all Texans, and we would not want it any other way.”
Many of RRC’s success measures for division and inspector levels are highlighted below:
Category
Legislative Target
Achieved
Number of oil and gas well and facility inspections performed
189,367
308,922
Number of LPG/CNG/LNG safety inspections performed
20,000
20,604
Number of standard and follow-up comprehensive pipeline safety and inspections performed
3,129
3,598
Number of pipeline accident investigations and special investigations performed
1,200
2,043
Number of Coal Mining Inspections
400
416
Average number of oil and gas well and facility inspections performed by district office staff
1,199
1,816
Average number of LPG/CNG/LNG safety inspections per inspector
1,350
1,386
About the Railroad Commission:
Our mission is to serve Texas by our stewardship of natural resources and the environment, our concern for personal and community safety, and our support of enhanced development and economic vitality for the benefit of Texans. The Commission has a long and proud history of service to both Texas and to the nation, including almost 100 years regulating the oil and gas industry. The Commission also has jurisdiction over alternative fuels safety, natural gas utilities, surface mining and intrastate pipelines. Established in 1891, the Railroad Commission of Texas is the oldest regulatory agency in the state. To learn more, please visit http://www.rrc.texas.gov/about-us/.
The seventh consecutive month of double-digit growth as the first dredging contract awarded for Houston Ship ChannelExpansion.
Port Houston, America’s distribution hub for the next generation, saw double-digit TEU growth again in September. Port Houstoncontainer activity for September 2021 was 281,500 TEUs, up 11% compared to the same month last year. This is the seventh consecutive month for containers to show double-digit growth, driven largely by increased consumer spending. Year-to-date, TEUs are up 16% compared to 2020.
Steel imports are also up, increasing 161% this month compared to September 2020, and are up 28% year-to-date. This growth reflects increased activity in the energy industry. Texas onshore and the offshore rig count is up 243 rigs from October 1, 2020, almost double compared to last year, fueling an increase in demand for Oil Country Tubular Goods (steel pipe) for drilling operations.
“We expect container, as well as demand for steel to, continue growing through the remainder of the fourth quarter and into next year,” said Roger Guenther, Executive Director at Port Houston. “It’s an exciting time at Port Houston, and we are accelerating infrastructure expansion now for increased capacity in the future.” Earlier this week the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority awarded the first major dredge contract for the billion-dollar Houston Ship Channel Expansion – Project 11.
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company, LLC was awarded up to $95.4 Million to dredge 11½-miles of the 52-mile channel, widening a major portion of the Galveston Bay reach from 530 to 700 feet. The work includes the construction of a new bird island and oyster mitigation. Port Houston negotiated multiple options and selected the approach with the most reduction in overall NOx emissions, using more efficient equipment and providing for retrofitting emission-reduction technology.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) will hold two virtual public meetings for the Draft 2045 Transit System Plan on Wednesday, October 27 and Thursday, October 28, 2021.
The North Texas region continues to grow rapidly into the future, adding nearly 4 million new residents and approximately 2.2 million jobs by the year 2045. At the same time, the mobility landscape is changing with new technology and innovative services.
To address this rapid growth and new mobility trends, DART created the Draft 2045 Transit System Plan as an update to our prior long-range plan. The Draft 2045 Transit System Plan will shape DART’s new mobility future through strategic improvements and investments to create a more accessible, sustainable, and reliable system.
The Draft 2045 Transit System Plan focuses on five themes with key goals to improve our system and your mobility choices in the future.
Two virtual public meetings will be held on Wednesday, October 27 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. and on Thursday, October 28 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. One public meeting will be recorded and available on our website to watch at your convenience. Visit www.DART.org/2045 for the virtual meeting link.
Governor Greg Abbott has reappointed Tilman Fertitta and Beth Madison and appointed Ricky Raven to the University of Houston System Board of Regents for terms set to expire August 31, 2027.
Tilman Fertitta of Houston is the sole owner of Fertitta Entertainment which owns the restaurant giant Landry’s, the Golden Nugget Casinos and Hotels, and the NBA’s Houston Rockets. He is considered one of the foremost authorities in the restaurant, gaming, entertainment, and hospitality industries and is a New York Times Best Selling Author of the business book, “Shut up and Listen.” He serves as Chairman of the Houston Police Foundation, the Houston Children’s Charity, and for the past seven years as Chairman of the University of Houston Board of Regents. He currently serves on the boards of the Greater Houston Partnership, Central Houston, Inc., and The Better Business Bureau of Metropolitan Houston, Inc. Additionally, he serves as a lifetime executive committee member and board member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Beth Madison of Houston is a Shareholder and Managing Director of Higginbotham and Associates and co-founder of Madison Benefits Group. She is a member of the Society of Certified Employee Benefits Specialists and the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters Society and she is a life member of the University of Houston Alumni Association and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. Additionally, she is a board member of the Foundation for Teen Health, board secretary of the Rice University Shepherd School of Music Society, and a trustee of the Madison Charitable Foundation. She is senior board chairman of the Houston Grand Opera, board secretary of the Alley Theatre, and a board member and past president of the World Affairs Council of Houston. Madison received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Houston.
Rickey Raven of Sugar Land is Senior Vice President – Deputy General Counsel for Allstate Insurance. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, International Association of Defense Counsel, International Association of Trial Lawyers, and the State Bar of Texas. He is an appointee to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and a board member of the University of Houston Foundation. Raven received a Bachelor of Science and Juris Doctor degree from the University of Houston.
The Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council (SETRAC) will host the 2021 Annual Regional Healthcare Preparedness Coalition (RHPC) Symposium on October 20-22 at the Galveston Island Convention Center.
The event is an opportunity for national collaboration, sharing of information, best practices, and innovations. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the symposium was cancelled in 2020.
“We felt it was important for our healthcare and emergency management partners to have the opportunity to discuss the incredible events of the past 18 months,” said Darrell Pile, SETRAC CEO. “COVID-19 was challenging but it sparked tremendous innovation and there are lessons learned that need to be shared.”
The Preparedness Symposium promotes resiliency in the healthcare community and will feature esteemed guest speakers from around the world as well as panel discussions. This year’s topics include healthcare, public health, EMS, public safety, trauma, and emergency management.
The RHPC Symposium is comprised of headliner keynote speakers along with practical learning and sharing sessions. The Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HCOHSEM) is collaborating with RHPC. Below are the subject matter experts who will participate and topics covered during the event.
Dr. Jamal Hoballah, MD. MBA. FACS., American University of Beirut Medical Center Vascular Surgery/ Surgical Critical Care
Vered Kater RN, MsN, Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist, Assistant Clinical Professor of Nursing, St. Louis University, Global Health Educator
W. Nim Kidd, Chief of Texas Emergency Management Texas Division of Emergency Management
Michael Lambert CHPP, MBA, Emergency Management/Homeland Security at Houston-Galveston Area Council of Governments
Justen Noakes, Director of Emergency Preparedness at H-E-B
Mark Sloan, Homeland Security & Emergency Management Coordinator at Harris County
Topics include:
Real World Events
Crisis Leadership
Trauma
Emergency Management
In addition, attendees will be able to tour a new, 53-foot trailer specifically designed to perform mobile kidney dialysis infusions. The trailer is able to support eight simultaneous infusions, a team of 4 providers, and is fully wheelchair accessible. It is completely self-contained and can operate independently of electric, water, and internet utilities.
About RHPC
The RHPC is divided into five corridors, served by a Chair and Vice-Chair. A major component of the response is the Catastrophic Medical Operations Center (CMOC). The CMOC is an industry recognized best practice for ensuring resiliency of the regional healthcare infrastructure by a multi-disciplinary group. At the request of a jurisdictional authority, CMOC will activate according to the current Regional Emergency Preparedness Plan that is on file at the City of Houston Office of Emergency Management.
About HCOHSEM
HCOHSEM is a national model of best practices in emergency planning, preparation, response, and recovery. HCOHSEM helps prepare, safeguard and protect the residents and property of Harris County from the effects of disasters through effective planning, preparation, response, and recovery activities. HCOHSEM collaborates with regional transportation, industry, healthcare, education, and non-profit groups to ensure Harris County is resilient and ready to respond to any emergency. Harris County is the third largest county in the United States, covering 1,777 square miles.
Who: Photo and interview opportunities will be available with symposium organizers; guest speakers may be available by special arrangement
Bail jumping charges have been filed against Camilo Morejon, 48, the Cuban national accused of filming himself drinking and driving on Facebook Live just moments before causing a crash last year that killed three people, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced Tuesday.
“When someone kills three people while bragging about drinking and driving, they need to face justice,” Ogg said. “We owe it to the victims. We owe it to the community.”
Morejon was charged with four counts of bail jumping following having been charged with three counts of intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault for slamming into a pickup truck in the 12200 block of FM 529 near Jersey Village.
He can be seen bragging about drinking and driving on a Facebook live shot by a passenger just before the crash that happened about 8 a.m. on Oct. 25, 2020.
The wreck killed Leosveyka Gonzalez, Massel Rodriguez, and Ricardo Rodriguez-Tamayo. A fourth person, who was in another vehicle, was injured and survived.
“It’s terrible because there is video right before the crash happened that shows the defendant drinking and driving,” said prosecutor Lynn Nguyen, with the Vehicular Crimes Division. “And we know now that he has just fled.”
A judge revoked Morejon’s bail Thursday after he failed to appear in court. Officials also said he had violated his curfew requirements. He had been ordered by the judge to remain under house arrest and, according to prosecutors, he is no longer at home.
When he is re-apprehended, he will face 2 to 20 years in prison for each charge of intoxication manslaughter. He will also face the four bail jumping charges, which each carry a sentence of two to ten years in prison. The case was investigated by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to his capture.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477).
América aumentó su ventaja como el líder general de la clasificación y se perfila para terminar el semestre en la cima y tener la ventaja de la localía en liguilla.
Concluyó la fecha 13 del Apertura 2021 de la Liga MX y América se escapa rumbo a concluir la fase regular como el líder general. Las Águilas aprovecharon los tropiezos de sus tres perseguidores más cercanos para tener ahora una ventaja de seis puntos sobre el segundo lugar, la más amplia que ha tenido en toda la campaña. Mientras tanto, los Tigres todavía lideran la zona de repechaje junto con León. En el último puesto, todavía tenemos a los Xolos de Tijuana, que están a punto de perder sus opciones matemáticas de meterse al repechaje. Revisa aquí las estadísticas completas y la clasificación general del torneo Grita México 2021.
En el país hay cerca de 100 establecimientos que reciben pagos con divisas digitales. Las autoridades alertan de que no se trata de dinero real y que los bancos que acepten esas transacciones cometen un delito
El interior del Bitcoin Embassy Bar, en en el barrio Roma de Ciudad de México.ALEJANDRA RAJAL
Iván López, mesero de 23 años, limpia la barra poco tiempo después de subir la cortina. Pronto llegarán los clientes, pero no necesariamente llenarán la caja de billetes. Muchas veces bastará con un código QR o que la persona pase a un cajero automático que está enfrente de él y cuya pantalla revela que no se trata de un local cualquiera: “Bitcoin ATM”. El establecimiento, ubicado en el barrio capitalino Roma, es una especie de meca de entusiastas de criptomonedas. Así como este, hay cerca de 100 de locales en todo el país que aceptan divisas digitales como forma de pago, según el sitio especializado CoinMapp, pese a que las autoridades no las reconocen como moneda de curso legal. Esto ha puesto el foco, nuevamente, en un debate que sigue en curso en el mundo. Mientras Hacienda y los economistas cuestionan la viabilidad de estos negocios, empresarios como Lorena Ortiz, dueña del Bitcoin Embassy Bar, insisten en que el dinero tradicional es cosa del pasado.
Entrar en el local de Ortiz, de 31 años, es dar un salto al futuro. Un pizarrón anuncia descuentos para los que paguen con divisas digitales, un vitral reúne gorras, tazas y libros firmados por expertos mundiales en el tema. Y, para coronar la escena, encima de la barra cuelga una pantalla con el tipo de cambio con respecto al dólar. Aquí el bitcoin no es solo una manera de pago sino una declaración de principios. La empresaria, de blusa sin mangas y con un collar plateado con forma de B (el símbolo del bitcoin), desconfía del sistema financiero: “Los banqueros dicen que no se le puede considerar como moneda porque no está regulada por un banco central. Eso no es cierto. La historia nos ha enseñado que el dinero no debe ser emitido por una institución. Es un consenso de la población”.
La forma de pensar de Ortiz, y de una gran mayoría de criptoentusiastas, choca de frente con la opinión de Gabriela Siller, directora de análisis económico de Banco Base: “Es una moda que desafortunadamente terminará por ser utilizada para cuestiones ilegales”. El comentario de Siller no está aislado. Organismos como el Fondo Monetario Internacional (FMI) y la Comisión Nacional para la Protección y Defensa de los Usuarios de Servicios Financieros (Condusef), en el caso de México, han alertado de que estas divisas pueden dar pie a la financiación del crimen organizado o a fraudes —algo que los defensores del bitcoin insisten que ya pasa con el dinero oficial—. Estas posiciones tan dispares, entre un lado y el otro, representan para usuarios como el artista digital Gustavo Grillasca, de 42 años, un choque entre el pasado y el presente: “Los banqueros que se la pasan criticando son como los taxistas que se quejan de Uber”. Grillasca, sentado a un lado de Ortiz, es el primer cliente en entrar. Son las 15.00 y el bar sigue vacío. El tiempo tampoco ayuda, fuera del local hay una lluvia torrencial.
Además de funcionar como restaurante, el Bitcoin Embassy Bar organiza talleres informativos, debates y videoconferencias con personalidades internacionales que apoyan el uso de criptomonedas, como el estadounidense Max Keiser. En la segunda planta del local hay una galería de arte de cuadros basados en tokens no fungibles (NFT, por sus siglas en inglés). Los NFT son elementos virtuales únicos que pueden ser comprados en línea. Por ejemplo, en marzo, un artículo de The New York Times fue subastado por casi 500.000 dólares. Ortiz fuma un cigarrillo electrónico, tres clientes más se acercan a la puerta del primer piso. Grillasca, quien la convenció de adornar su establecimiento con arte digital, la interrumpe por un momento: “Ya no hay manera de detener al bitcoin”.
Una moneda sin carácter oficial
Desde su creación en 2009, en plena efervescencia antiestablishment por la crisis económica, el bitcoin —y todas las divisas digitales que le siguieron— han sido rechazadas por las principales instituciones financieras del mundo. El anuncio de El Salvador de adoptarlo como moneda de curso legal en junio ha envalentonado a sus defensores y provocado un rechazo frontal de sus detractores. México no es la excepción. A las pocas semanas de la noticia, Hacienda, Banxico y la Comisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores (CNBV) emitieron un comunicado conjunto en el que recordaron que las criptomonedas no están admitidas en sistema financiero y que, por tanto, los bancos no pueden operar con ellas.
A Ignacio Flores, bitcoiner (usuario de la divisa) y director ejecutivo de FIDO, una empresa de protección de operaciones monetarias, la posición de las instituciones no le sorprende: “Esto es como en los noventa cuando llegó el internet. Había radio y televisión y de repente llega un canal alterno que transmite audio y video. La tecnología siempre va por delante de las leyes”. Al no estar regulada por un banco central, el precio de las divisas digitales está sujeto al poder de la oferta y la demanda.
Este año, el valor de un bitcoin pasó de 63.000 dólares en abril a 30.000 en julio. Ahora se encuentra por arriba de los 57.700. Esta oscilación puede variar por el entusiasmo de los compradores. Parte del porqué de esta volatilidad reciente se debió a la decisión del excéntrico dueño de Tesla, Elon Musk, de aceptar bitcoin y que al poco tiempo se echó atrás. Gabriela Siller pone el dedo sobre la llaga: “Los negocios que aceptan criptomonedas corren un riesgo porque fijan precios con la moneda oficial y van estimando, pero el valor fácilmente puede variar un 15% en un día. Para una empresa, el riesgo es mayor que el beneficio”.
Otra de las críticas al bitcoin gira en torno al fraude fiscal. Es decir, como no es dinero reconocido por el Gobierno, no se podría tributar. Carlos Serrano, economista jefe del BBVA en México coincide en esa preocupación: “En un país como el nuestro, antes de pensar en más negocios que acepten estos pagos, habría que asegurarse de que esto no se convierta en un vehículo de evasión. Hoy por hoy no puedes pagar tus impuestos con criptomonedas”.
La realidad es un poco más compleja. Como no pueden usar la app de un banco, y mucho menos una terminal, lo que hacen empresarios como Lorena Ortiz para tributar sus ingresos en bitcoin es convertirlos en pesos y notificar al fisco la cantidad de sus ventas en el valor de la moneda oficial. La mayoría de los negocios que han comenzado a aceptar pagos digitales son pequeñas y microempresas, muy lejos de la imagen de un pirata virtual en busca de una gran estafa.
El consultorio de la dentista Carmen Salgado, de 28 años, es uno de ellos. Su despacho está en un departamento que renta con otro odontólogo en el segundo piso de un edificio estrecho en el sur de Ciudad de México. “Yo creo que es el futuro. Pero como mis pacientes ven que este es un negocio muy formal no piensan en pagarme en criptomoneda”, dice mientras atiende a un hombre. Salgado decidió aceptar este tipo de divisas hace tres años, pero hasta el momento solo ha conseguido que un curioso le pregunte por Facebook sobre esta forma de pago.
La regulación como punto medio
Hay una palabra que sobrevuela las intensas discusiones entre los entusiastas y los críticos: regulación. Los más fervientes defensores de las criptomonedas creen que esto contraviene el espíritu original de bitcoin: una especie de desafío al sistema financiero, que se autorregula y que, además, sirve como un valor refugio para futuras crisis, como lo ha sido el oro, pese a su alta volatilidad.
Carlos Serrano cree que los bancos centrales y los gobiernos han llegado tarde a la discusión. Propone que los países aprovechen la tecnología de cadena de bloques — blockchain, y que es la base de datos que permite el funcionamiento del sistema bitcoin— y comiencen a emitir sus propias divisas digitales. “Es urgente que los bancos centrales discutan alternativas. Es innegable la ventaja de deshacerse del dinero físico”, sentencia.
Puede ser que la regulación trastoque el aura combativa de las criptomonedas, pero es el punto medio que para muchos puede significar una victoria. De hecho, en 2018 entró en vigor una nueva ley que, justamente, regula los pagos electrónicos y los activos virtuales como las criptomonedas. Pero la norma solo dejó un vacío porque no se tocó el tema de fondo: ¿un negocio puede aceptar, por ejemplo, bitcoin? Según los expertos consultados sí, pero no porque estén cobijadas con la legislación. Sin embargo, un establecimiento puede justificar esa transacción como una forma de trueque.
Ortiz coincide en parte con la noción del economista jefe del BBVA y no cierra la puerta a aceptar algún tipo de regulación: “Bitcoin es un movimiento social. ¿Y qué pasa con los movimientos sociales? O se extinguen o se institucionalizan”. Y remata: “No será lo que queríamos, pero será una forma de converger dos mundos”.
En el pequeño café Demente en el barrio Nápoles de la capital mexicana, Francesco Sasso, de 38 años, cuenta cómo unos ladrones le robaron la tableta con la que cobraba en criptomonedas. Ahora utiliza una app en su celular. Realmente es poco lo que factura con divisas digitales. En un mes inusual, quizás llegan a pagar en criptomoneda un par de entusiastas. Así como él, muchos otros pequeños empresarios han visto que los ingresos en bitcoin son casi anecdóticos. Sasso se sincera: ”He recibido 500 pesos, que llegaron a ser 1.500 y ahora son 600. Prácticamente ni movemos ese dinero porque sería especular. Me voy a cansar de estar jugando para sacar una ganancia”.
Biden had ended “Remain in Mexico,” calling it inhumane because of the violence migrant asylum-seekers faced while waiting in Mexico for court dates.
After having lost a legal battle, the Biden administration tentatively plans a mid-November restart of a Trump-era policy that forces migrants seeking asylum to wait in Mexico for their U.S. immigration court hearings, according to a court filing late Thursday.
President Joe Biden had ended the Trump administration’s “Remain in Mexico” policy when he took office this year, saying it was inhumane because of the violence migrants faced waiting in Mexico for their court hearings.
Texas and Missouri sued the Biden administration in April over the suspension of Remain in Mexico, which is formally known as the Migrant Protection Protocols, or MPP. In August, a federal judge in Texas ordered the Biden administration to reinstate the policy pending the outcome of the suit.
The Biden administration fought the order but lost in federal appeals court and in the Supreme Court and then said it would comply with the court’s order.
Senior administration officials told reporters Thursday that under the updated Biden administration version of Remain in Mexico, immigrants will get court dates set no more than six months in the future and will attend hearings with immigration judges in one of 10 courts to be set up near Brownsville and Laredo, Texas.
The plans to implement the revised policy, however, would be put on hold if the Biden administration ultimately wins the lawsuit filed by Texas and Missouri.
Mexico will also have the power to amend the policy, the officials said, and the administration has been consulting with it about the details.
“There are certain issues Mexico has also raised about the prior implementation” of Remain in Mexico, one of the officials said. “Any reimplementation would have to take those into account.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said: “As noted in the declaration filed on Thursday, DHS is taking necessary steps to comply with the court order, which requires us to reimplement MPP in good faith. We are working to do so, despite our appeal of the court’s order, including, for example, by issuing contracts to rebuild temporary immigration-hearing facilities near the Southwest border.
“Significantly, Mexico is a sovereign nation that must make an independent decision to accept the return of individuals without status in Mexico as part of any reimplementation of MPP,” the statement said. “Discussions with the Government of Mexico concerning when and how MPP will be reimplemented are ongoing.”
Remain in Mexico, which the Trump administration started in January 2019, created a population boom in migrant camps on the Mexican side of the border. Human rights organizations documented hundreds of kidnappings, rapes, and assaults of migrants who were waiting in the sprawling camps for their asylum hearings.
The Biden administration has continued to implement — and defend in another court case — Covid-19 restrictions known as Title 42, which push immigrants back into Mexico or deport them to their home countries without giving them court dates. The officials said that the administration will continue to use that policy and that only immigrants who are not subject to Title 42 — for a variety of reasons — would be subject to Remain in Mexico.
When it comes to dynamic duos, there’s often a clear-cut top dog and a trusty sidekick.
That’s not the case with second baseman Jose Altuve and shortstop Carlos Correa, Houston’s middle-infield combo who both shine equally bright for the Astros.
“A lot of times you have one All-Star caliber (player) and like a … Robin,” manager Dusty Baker said. “But this time you’ve got two Batmans.”
The pair played its 66th postseason game together on Saturday, which is the most by any shortstop and second base duo in MLB history.
The two cornerstones of the franchise, or to use Baker’s term, the team’s vertebrae, have played together since Correa’s debut in 2015, a year that featured their first trip to the postseason.
Altuve doesn’t recall a specific conversation they had back then about their expectations for the future, but he knows they often discussed “winning and playing together for a long time.”
They’ve certainly accomplished both of those goals. This season marks their sixth postseason trip and they’ve helped the Astros to a fifth consecutive AL Championship Series where they’re tied 1-1 with the Boston Red Sox.
They’re looking for a third trip to the World Series after losing to Washington in 2019 following their 2017 World Series win that was later tainted by a sign-stealing scandal.
Houston won more than 100 games in three of the seasons since Correa made it to the big leagues and finished this regular season with 95 victories to capture their fourth AL West title in five years.
“It’s hard to imagine something like this,” Altuve said. “What we’re living is a dream come true. We thank God every day for the opportunity to play together, for what we’re doing. And it’s been, it’s been amazing.”
Altuve hit a two-run homer to tie Game 1 of the ALCS Friday night before Correa’s solo shot in the seventh inning put them on top in a 5-4 win. Boston hit two grand slams in Game 2 to tie the series with a 9-5 victory.
Game 3 is Monday night in Boston where the Astros will have to rely more heavily on Altuve, Correa and the rest of their high-powered offense after rash pitching injuries.
Altuve’s home run on Friday was the 20th of his postseason career, tying him with Yankees’ great Derek Jeter for third-most in MLB history. Not to be outdone, Correa’s blast gave him five RBIs this postseason and 55 in his career to pass Albert Pujols for most of any active player.
“I don’t know if they’re trying to one-up each other, but they’re trying to do the best they can every time out there,” Baker said.
Though Altuve now sees Correa as an equal, Correa still looks up to Altuve like a kid who idolizes his older brother.
Asked about Altuve, Correa reels off a list of some of his many accomplishments, which include the 2017 AL MVP, five Silver Slugger Awards, and capturing the AL batting title three times. But what impresses Correa the most about Altuve is not that he’s won those many awards, but rather the way he continues to work after collecting all that hardware.
“When you have the best player of your team, that captain, that franchise player that everybody looks up to working that hard, it’s just contagious,” Correa said. “Everybody else in the organization does the same thing, so I feel like he inspires everybody in that clubhouse every single day.”
Correa becomes a free agent at the season’s end. And there’s increasing concern that the Astros won’t be able to keep him, despite owner Jim Crane saying recently that he believes they’ve got a chance. Correa would like to stay in Houston and teammates and coaches alike want him to remain with the team.
But Altuve seems to be the only one who truly believes that he will. He mentions that he doesn’t believe these are the last games he’ll be playing with Correa without even being asked.
“I still feel like we’re going to go and sign him,” Altuve said. “We have to. If we want to keep doing what we’re doing, we need to sign Carlos.”
Since Altuve’s been so vocal in the media about his desire for his buddy to remain alongside him in Houston for years to come, he believes Crane should have already received his message loud and clear.
But just in case he hasn’t, Altuve is prepared to plead his case to Crane personally.
“I have to talk to him,” Altuve said. “I’m going to call him for sure and tell him we have to keep Carlos.”
When it comes to dynamic duos, there’s often a clear-cut top dog and a trusty sidekick.