Space City, Created Created, Created City. Welcome to another Space City Saturday
on Sports Talk seven ninety Dan Matthews Live at local h Town, breakdown of
the world that matters to you, the Houston sports world, all these great
Houston fans here. We love you all, So finish up on that to
do list. Lout up the jeweler, because you can't drink in talk sports
all day if you don't start now. This is Space City Saturday. Here's
seven nineties Dan Matthews, Sports Talk seven ninety Space City Saturday. Are we
doing out there? I know that's kind of ross Villa Reale sing. Switched
it up a little bit because you know, I don't want to take gimmick
infringement there. But anyway, I know how most of us are feeling right
now. I mean, you know, in the ideal world, we would
be getting ready for Game two of the World Series tonight. But the world
is not always ideal, and the Astro season is over. Sad music.
I know it is not something that I want to remind myself of. It's
not something I want to remind you of. But as we've talked about numerous
times before, the shows of the past being where you know, it would
be I don't know, eighty five ninety percent Astros talk. And we will
continue in sort of the same vein today if you want to weigh in at
seven one three, two one two five seven ninety it's a college football Saturday.
Don't know how much college football we will get into, but anyway that
is around Texans on the road in Charlotte. We are going to get into
some Texans talk. I mean, something we haven't done a ton of during
my time taking over these two hours on Saturday, but we will do that
a little bit later on also too. As part of the show today,
kind of circling back to the Astros side of things, we will let you
hear some of the interviews that we had from earlier this week from Chandler Rome
of the Athletic when he joined us on the A team earlier this week,
a couple of days ago. In fact, we'll let you hear that also
to coming up next hour Brian McTaggart when he was on with the Matt Thomas
Show. We will be talking all of that as well. So let's just
start off though with the Astros and the season is over and it is one
of those things that when situations like this happen, Well you do the autopsy
a little bit, and well the season is dead, so we gotta do
the autopsy, and we will do that here on the show as well as
Dusty is done. And how I think we need to remember him because I
think that some of us will have certain memories. But I think you're being
I don't know if intellectually dishonest is the right term to attach to it,
but I think that maybe you know, it is one of those things that
sometimes recency bias can kind of creep in a little bit, and I think
if you're doing that, you're just being not only unfair to him, but
also unfair to yourself in terms of robbing yourself of good memories and also to
jump into a little bit on who the next manager will be and sprinkle in
a little bit of Rockets talk as well, let's just be honest here too.
I mean, it is one of those things that I'm sure some of
us, including me, we're a little bit more excited about what the Rockets
could bring their zero and two to start the season. That's not exactly the
way that we were hoping to see things start off, to see, but
I think more than anything. Come back to two words with the Rockets this
year that I'm going to share and I will talk about as the show goes
along, slow Burn. That is what I think you need to kind of
keep in mind with this Rockets team because the core of this team is still
incredibly young, incredibly inexperienced, and a team that probably will have results like
we saw on Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic and then of course last night
too, where it looked like they were going to win that game and then
they dropped it a little bit later. You know, It's one of those
things that I know that Ema Udoka when he goes to the podium, he's
probably going to at times praise his guys, but probably also too at times,
you know, have situations where he talks about the defensive effort. When
you're dealing with a young team, usually defensive effort is something that lacks in
certain categories. So we will definitely touch on all of that as well.
But let's start it off, and again, as I get started here,
you can weigh in at someone three two and two five seven ninety and the
Astro season is over, and there are a lot of different ways that people
can point to assessing blame to the situation. You know, I know that
some people in Game seven, look at what the Rangers are doing. They're
using Jordan Montgomery to kind of stemy a rally here, and we're not bringing
in Justin Verlander. And before the game and fairness, Dusty Baker was asked
about that very thing, and I thought his answer was incredibly fine. I
had zero issues with what he said about possibly using Justin Verlander in the game,
and he had said, We're not going to necessarily do something in the
short term that could affect somebody in the long term. Because people might say,
oh, it's a no brainer, especially to the way that Christian Javier
scuffled out the gate, why wouldn't you have Verlander up and ready to go
and have him come into the game. You have to remember that Justin ver
Land is not the same Justin Verlander that I think most of us remember him
to be. He's a little further on in his career. The recovery time,
everything else of the sort is not as quickly as it would have been
earlier in his career. And I think that Dusty looks at him and probably
even Verlander if he's being honest with himself as well, says, Yeah,
probably not as good an idea for me to come out of the bullpen and
be able to throw, especially to not too far off of when he threw
last which Monday night. The last time he'd thrown was on Fridays, so
that would be what three days that he could be able to come out there
and turn around and try to be as effective. And it's also too you
have to keep in mind that when pitchers are getting warmed up that there is
very much a different warm up for starters as opposed to relievers. Relievers they
know them being there in that confined space of the bullpen, you're not gonna
be able to get the long toss in as much of flat groundwork anything else
in order to be able to get you ramped up to be able to start
throwing off the mound. So they prepared that way. They know how to
prepare their ready to go. For starters. It's a little bit different because
when you've done something for over six months in a year the same way over
and over again. Yeah, there is a little bit of muscle memory there.
There is a little bit of routine and repetition that goes into setting yourself
up to be the best version of yourself that you can be on the field.
So yeah, there is a little bit more time and thought and effort
that goes into it before you're going to be able to come out there on
the field. Now again, I know some people out there might say,
well, Jordan Montgomery could do it. Jordan Montgomery is getting started in his
career, Justin Verlander is at the end of his career. But when it
really comes down to it, there are multiple other reasons why the Astros are
not in the World Series right now, and it's much more than pitching.
Pitching did not have and we will talk about the offseason here a little bit
later on in the show in terms of how do you address certain things on
this team and the Astros when it came down to it. You know that
they say this time of the year, pitching wins in October. We found
that out in twenty twenty two because the Astros had better pitching than the Phillies
and they hit a little bit better than the Phillies at times, and their
go they were able to finish it off in six games and win the World
Series. Their bullpen was out of this world effective I mean historic even some
people throwing at them, and this year not as much the same. And
also too, it was also a situation where your starting pitchers did not put
you in the best position to be able to win. We asked for good
Fromber in Game two or Game six. Game two we did not get good
Fromber. But game six of the ALCS and I think for the most part
we got that. Here's the next part of it. The hitters let this
team down. And you can say all you want about Jordon. Jordon did
his job, and nobody can dispute that. Joseah Bray you at times did
his job, and Jose Altuve at times did his job, especially Game five.
But overall the lineup, when you really stack it up against what the
Rangers were throwing at you, you were not competing with them at the end
of the order. I mean, it's kind of a situation too with Kyle
Tucker where he was not anywhere close to being the player that he was in
the regular season. That hurt. And this time of the year, I'm
not asking for a torrid pace out of my hitters, but I'm asking for
you to be able to contribute. And he was a non factor. Let's
call it what it is, and other bats in the lineup were not as
strong for this team as they needed to be in order to be able to
win. I talked about the bottom end of the order. You were looking
at a Rangers lineup that had Leodi Taveres batting ninth. For the most part,
Leodi Taveres is in all intents and purposes, a leadoff hitter, will
be some time in his career, and he is going to be a very
good major league player. You did not have that at the bottom of your
order. You also had Josh Young, who likely will be American League Rookie
of the Year, batting at the bottom of the order. You didn't have
that either. And you also had Nate Lowe hitting down at the bottom of
the order, who for the most part, was not all that great for
the Rangers during this series, but he still was better than what you had
batting in the seventh spot in your order. So when it comes down to
it, they pitched better than you, they fielded better than you, and
they also hit better than the Astros did in that series. And that's why
when it all unravels, you're looking at the Rangers where they are and you're
looking at you where you are right now. And I know that some people
will say, oh, you can't win it every single year, you can
damn well try and they did. And I think that this was an Astros
team that when I was thinking about this the other night, because lord knows,
I had experience like this when I was in school. Remember back when
you were in school and there was a class and I still have dreams about
this, by the way, there was a class that maybe you didn't get
off to the greatest start in and then the midterm came and you did not
do well on the midterm. So what are you having to do the rest
of the semester. You're having to try to play catch up. Every other
test, every other major project, every other thing. You've got to absolutely
be able to try to knock out the park in order for you to be
able to get a decent enough grade, a passing grade. And said class,
So you're scrambling, right, You're rushing, You're doing everything you can
in order to be able to make up for lost time. That's what the
Astros were in twenty twenty three. Really, when you look at it,
if you had told people back in April May June when they had fallen behind
like they had in the American League West, that they would have finished in
the ALCS. I think most of us looking around would have said, yeah,
absolutely, I'll take that right now. I mean, we don't go
to the World Series, but still no Altuve, no yord On Alvarez for
a large amount of time, and you're having to try to rely on players
like Mauricio Dubon, Corey Jolks, and Chas McCormick in order to be able
to keep your season afloat, which for the most part, those guys did.
And I think that all of that probably caught up to the Astros at
the end, because I think what most of us were probably hoping for with
Altuve and Alvarez coming back from injury is that, all right, this team
will be fresh when it matters the most, and they will be able to
put up the numbers that we need for them to be able to put up
in the production that we need for them to be able to put up in
order for us to be able to move on to the World Series. When
it really came down to it, excuse me, had the cough there for
a second. When it really came down to it. They were a team,
the Rangers, who were in better position to be able to compete and
be able to produce and to be able to win than you were. I
mean, this was an Astros team that had a little bit of a tougher
time in the Alds and aside from really Games one, although the Twins did
make it pretty tough in Game three, in that series, you had pretty
much a sprint in every single one of those games. Game two was solely
dominated by Pablo Lopez in the Minnesota Twins, but Game four, I mean,
that was one you it was pure postseason baseball. It was a team
fighting for their season lives and twins and you trying to avoid seeing Pablo Lopez
again, and the Astros were able to do that. Then they got to
a series against a team who was rested, ready to go, and also
to a team that said, hey, they got the division from us,
it's time for us to take the even larger thing from them. And credit
to the Rangers they did. And it's unfortunate, and it's not necessarily the
situation that you wanted to be in as an Astros fan, but it is
the reality of the situation where they outplayed you, they outmanaged you, and
they are now one up in their series. And I didn't really watch much
of the World Series last night. I'm sure most of us probably felt the
same way. You know, I know that Ranger fan boy. They're having
their fun on social media right now. And here's the beauty and also the
curse of being in the situation the Astros are in. Everybody wants to see
you lose. And this is the same treatment that the Yankees have gotten for
years. This is the same treatment that Lakers, the Laker fans and the
Lakers have gotten for years. And also two where I come from in the
college football world, Alabama gets the same treatment from everyone. Everybody wants to
see Alabama lose. And it's because when people don't like you because you win,
well, that's an enviable position for you to be in. And it's
also too, it's jealousy from them, and that's why you also and I
understand what twenty seventeen has and all of this and everything else, Yeah,
I trust me, I understand all of that. But at the same time,
it is also too where the Astros have pretty much become for the ca
asual fan out there, these guys again and you know what, it is
fun to be these guys again, and the Astros will still be that.
I mean, all this talk to and it's just so lazy, it's unbelievable
of people. I think the Astros done is to ended that night based off
what I mean, that's that's the follow up I have for those people,
based off what based off Josel Tuba is going somewhere. I don't know about
Jan Alvarez is going somewhere. I don't know about Alex Bregman is going somewhere.
I'm not really aware of. Kyle Tucker is going somewhere. I'm not
aware of Justin Berlander and from ber Valdez, Ryan Presley, Brian A Bray
you. I mean, the names go on and on of people who want
because that's more of wanting it to be the case as opposed to what is
in reality, and it's recency, it's all of those things. It's prisoner
of the moment. Think I guess if you will. Because the good news
of all of this, this team, this team is still in position to
be able to to put together a roster this offseason. Go to West Palm
Beach in February and get ready for the season and be in position to compete
and make a run again next year and the year after that. This team
is not going anywhere, and I think anybody that thinks that that's going to
be the case, you're really fooling yourself. And not only that, I
think that probably the other flip side of that coin is for some of those
who say it, and I will listen to this argument, other teams are
catching up to them. Okay, fine, I'll listen to that. I'll
listen to you saying that the Orioles are gaining on them. Sure. Absolutely,
they were the best team in the American League all season. They were
one of the best teams in baseball. If not, I don't think they
had the best record, It doesn't matter. But the Rangers obviously are the
Mariners are going to be very much in competition. If you think that next
year is going to be just an easy sprint to the finish, maybe you
can let up a little bit because you don't have to get it done on
the final day of the season. I don't see that being the case.
I think that are probably going to be looking at another contentious race next year
between the Astros, the Rangers, and the Mariners again, that's probably what's
going to be ahead. Lord knows. The Yankees are going to try to
be able to get back to the ALCS where they were a year ago and
try to be able to put themselves in position to be in contention again.
And other teams as well, the Red Sox, you know, the Tigers,
you know, whoever else. I mean, I'm just throwing out team
names here at this point, but you get my point is that other teams
are improving and getting themselves in position to be able to try to be able
to knock off the Astros. Because when you've made seven straight alcs's, you're
going to have player, You're going to have people who look at you and
say you're the team the beat. And even though they weren't the team that
won the al this year, they're still going to be looked at by Vegas
and by everybody else as a strong favorite to be able to get back to
this point next season. And I do fully expect that they will be back
there next season. All right, coming up next my experience in Atlanta could
help paint a picture of what's ahead here in Houston for the Astros. We
will talk about that plus If you want to weigh in as well, you
can do that at someone three two one two five at seven ninety. Once
again, that's someone three two one two five at seven ninety. We will
continue right here Space City Saturday on your Home with the Astros and the Rockets
Sports Talk seven ninety, which is not four Space City Saturday on Sports Talk
seven ninety. Yeah, it is that time of the year. What's everybody
going as I mean, not all at once if you want, but uh
I know that, uh me the girlfriend and family, we are going to
be the Adams family. I am Uncle Fester, So I'm looking forward to
that. I think I have to get made up and everything because you know
how Halloween now goes. I mean, the adults do the partying on the
weekends and then of course the kids of course go out to trick or treating
and the weather they're gonna cool down a little bit for us. We got
that going for us, which is nice. Huh. All right, seven
one three two on two five at seven ninety. I am Dan Matthews here
on Space City Saturday, and again too. If you want to weigh in,
you can send one three, two and two five seven nineties. So
my experience in Atlanta. Where am I going with this? And that is
what I think Dana Brown will be as a GM for the Astros, because
really, the report card for Dana Brown is incomplete because we don't necessarily know
what the acquisition portion of Dana Brown's tenure looks like. I mean, we
saw it a little bit during the trade deadline, right where you trade Drew
Gilbert and Clifford for Justin Burlander and get him back from the Mets, and
of course, you know, and in return as well, the Mets swallowing
up some of that money too as well, so you're not on the hook
for that. So that's good, right, but it also too makes you
wonder how he is going to be when it comes to acquisitions. And I
set this up because I'm going off of what I knew during Alexanthopolis, which
I mean, he's still the GM of the Braves, but how he handled
his business, and that's where I truly believe is going to be the kind
of emphasis and jumping off point for Dana Brown. And I will go ahead
and preface it this way. The way that he will do some moves is
going to make some of you very happy. But it's also going to make
a large sloth swath is that the right word, A swath of Astros fans
frustrated and annoyed, because it's going to mean that some players are gone,
and that's unfortunate. It's not what you want to have happen. But at
the same time, you're going to have some very tough decisions to make in
terms of players that you're very much at that will no longer be part of
this organization. I am not going to attach names just yet, but free
agency. The way that Alex Anthopolis approached free agency is he looked at it
as very much a this is a building block, not the piece. I
mean, there were so many times during the offseason where people would look and
say, oh, Bryce Harper, absolutely go make that happen, Craig Kimbrel,
bring him back, all of these different types of things, and they
would be frustrated because you'd be signing Josh Donaldson to a one year deal,
or you'd be signing I don't know, I mean, just numerous other players
two deals and it would not be the sexiest pickup, but obviously it would
work. I mean, Donaldson had an incredible season with the Braves, and
I think that you're going to be looking at free agency. And I understand
that the names that are out there, but if Dana Brown is anything like
alex Anthopolis, you're going to be setting yourself up to be let down because
man, seeing the team, you're going to probably be having people out there.
And I'm already seeing it on social media of saying, oh, you
know, show Heyo Tani, we could dream, right, I mean,
look at him in an Astro's Uni. Look how great he looks at an
Astros Uni. I would be very shocked and surprised if showe Heyo Tani was
here. I think you're looking at, like I said, building blocks and
deals being done one year one with an option. Any of these types of
scenarios out there are probably what you're looking at. And I think you're probably
looking at scenarios like I threw this out the other day on Twitter. Adam
Duvall would be somebody that would fit that mold, probably a one one with
an option, and a guy that fits versatility. And I know that some
people out there throughout well not a left handed bat. That doesn't matter.
I mean, as so many people get caught up in this oh left right,
all of this. Trust me. If it's somebody that could fit the
mold that I just said right there, they will definitely be in consideration.
And Duvall is a guy that would fit in really well. He's a great
clubhouse guy I know from my experience in Atlanta. And also two, he's
a high power guy. He is a high strikeout guy. But also too,
he's got the versatility of being able to play both left and center and
also has the veteran experience that would be somebody that fits that mold. For
the most part, the free agent signings that were made in Atlanta were those
of addition in terms of a guy that can be versatile, a guy that
can provide depth, a guy that yes, could be a starter for us,
but also two for the most part, would be a platoon player.
Probably one of the few mistakes that I saw alex Antopoos make during his time
was Eddie Rosario. He basically signed him off of a very good postseason and
for the most part the last couple of years has been pedestrian at best,
where even to the point that pretty much the everyday starting left fielder for the
Braves was Kevin polar Man. Seeing the t is killing me right now.
It's that time of the year, right, But that's where that situation went.
I think that for the most part, if you're going to be hoping
for changes to this roster, it's going to come another variety trades, and
then if they trade for somebody that's young enough and in position to be able
to sign an extension, that's where they would go. Saw numerous times there
with Alex Anthopolas, they moved on from Freddie Freeman, and Braves fans were
like, oh my god, what are we doing. We're moving off of
a guy that's won an MVP and one of the best hitters in all of
baseball. Oh, Matt Olson, Okay, well, I can understand that,
and that's the scenario that I think you would look into. And I
understand there are players who are going to be coming up after this next year
for free agency. I mean, I know that the Kyle Tucker situation continues
to be one that the Astros look at and try to get a deal done,
but not sure if maybe they could. I think that if you are
trying to be able to keep this team in contention, then trades need to
be talked about, and maybe that is a situation that you look at.
But I think if you are going to be banking on the largest deal of
this offseason based off the really experience that I think that Dana Brown has,
it's going to probably come from that variety. And there is something killing me
in the back of my throat. I apologize to everybody out there, but
that is probably the variety that you're going to be looking at in terms of
building up this roster and having this team still in position to contend for the
American League and beyond next season. So free agency probably going to be pretty
underwhelming if I'm being honest, then if you're looking at something else in terms
of adding a player, I would probably bank on the trade variety because that's
the other thing as well, is that Dana Brown's not trying to win this
offseason. He's trying to be able to win multiple seasons. In a way
that you can do that is being able to have control rollable talent, and
that's what I think the Astros are going to try to bank on it going
forward. Really quick, before we get to Chandler Room coming up next,
Martin and Angleton wants to weigh in here on Sports Talk seventy ninety Martin,
what's going on? Hey? Actually I'm up in East Texas. But hey
man, Yeah, I just wanted to bring up this point. I don't
know Dana Brown's philosophy and on signing free agents because he's so brand you,
but I just hope that we do not Astros do not sign any free agents
that have been tendered to a qualifying contract offer to where they have to compensate
like a second or a third round or a first round pick. I forgot
what it is now, but too it's just too high of a price to
pay for a free agent because we need our draft picks now with all that
has happened, with the punishment and all that. So I just wanted to
just bring that up that I don't Astros. We need all our draft picks,
so we can't on any contract qualifying offers of free agents. So that's
all I have. All I appreciate it now, I mean no, And
that is something because based off of the punishment you got from the signed ceiling
scandal, that's a real thing. And the Astros are in a position right
now where they're saying we can't mess around with the draft anymore. And the
draft is not what it used to be. The draft used to be.
Those guys are three or four years away from making an impact on this roster,
especially two if they're college guys. But in this case, right here,
it is something to absolutely consider. I mean, as it stands right
now, I'm looking at spot track, the Astros one hundred and seventy three
point six million dollars in estimated active money that is being spent at this moment
and estimated pre arbitration six point seven million dollars. So they're not necessarily hamstrung
at this moment because the luxury tax threshold, if I'm not mistaken, is
to an A thirty three million, so they can be able to spend some
money this offseason. I just think that it's also too you want to be
able to set yourself up because another thing that Alexandthopolis would always talk about was
flexibility, and that used to always just annoy people of flexibility. Flexibility,
here we go again. You're just basically saying that you've been told that you
have to be very frugal with the money that you have, and you're not
going to break the bank spending. And I think the other part of it
as well. Is it part of lessons that he learned? Alexandthopolis used to
come on with us all the time and tell us two things. At the
old station I worked at Number one, he had learned his lessons from when
he was in Toronto, and he said, we spent, and we spent,
and we spent, and it really got us nowhere, of course paraphrasing
what he said, but he also said something else that I think probably you're
going to see in the same vein with Dana Brown, and we would rather
sign a lot of really good players to good deals. Twenty to twenty five
million is where you were looking in terms of yearly payouts to those guys.
You weren't looking to pay guys the thirty five forty plus million dollars in order
to be able to get the huge name free agent. And you look at
the way at the Braves that built up their roster. They've got a good
core of seven to eight guys that are going to be there for the long
foreseeable future. And that's a good position to be in, especially when you
factor in what you think of these guys and what they have shown for you.
And the Astros have done that in the past. I think they're going
to continue to try to do that, especially with the core that they've got.
Right now, they've already locked up yourd on Alvarez. My god,
how lucky are they that they went ahead and got that done when they did,
because right now that price tag would be even larger at this point.
And I think that they're going to try to do their best with Kyle Tucker.
And I know that some people out there and I've seen it too,
No, don't do that with Tucker. Stop being prisoner of the moment with
that, all right. I get that he had a bad postseason, but
the guy was one of the best players in all of baseball this season and
he is still one of the best players in all of baseball. He's a
true five tool player, and he is a guy that absolutely you are better
with than you are without. So I think if people are saying, oh,
don't do that, and you know they have him go to arbitration and
be embarrassed, no, don't do that. You go you try to make
an effort. And I had said it that if going with that number right
there, eight twenty five a year, that I think my offer to him
would be eight years two hundred million, and if he turns it down and
he wants to roll the dice in free agency, then let him roll the
dice in free agency. But I think that you make your best offer at
that point. And I think if I were Kyle Tucker and I'm getting twenty
five per right now, and he's what twenty six years old, so when
that's done, he could still probably get a pretty decent deal at the end
of his career. I think that's something that I would seriously consider. And
we'll see how it all plays out when it's all said and done. Ryan
and Caldwell and also John, I see you all want to weigh in.
I will get to you here in just a second before we get to at
sham Rome. Coming up, but Chandler Roam a guy who broke the story
on Dusty Baker stepping away as manager. He joined the A team for his
weekly visit. We will hear from him coming up next. We'll knock out
some of those calls though, before we get to that right here, all
that's still to come right here on Sports on Space City Saturday. I was
about to called Sports Saturday, Space City Saturday. I'm off a climp dear
who cares. It's your home of the Astros and the Rockets. Sports Talk
seven ninety. We now return to Space City Saturday. Sports Talk seven ninety
do a real life wire. It's a go killers see Sports Socks seven ninety
Space City Saturday. And by the way too, I mean, I know
I explained it last segment, so not sick or anything. I know that
that's always the you're not sick or anything, huh. But you know,
like you get that kind of like tickle in your chest and in your throat
kind of deal and it just will not go away. That's what I was
dealing with right there. And it sucked. Oh my god, it sucked,
and I was trying so hard to get rid of it and it just
kept just tickling me and it was just like whatever. So I apologize for
that. Thank you for bearing with me, and we will continue the conversation
like with Ryan and Caldwell once a weey in right here. Sports Talk seventy
ninety Ryan, what's going on, buddy? Hi you Dan? How are
you doing this long? I'm doing great, buddy? How are you?
I'm doing all right? I just wanted to throw out there, thinking the
other day about the menagerial situation, and I don't know if it's been brought
up. I did hear his name mentioned, but I really think that Martin
Durosso would fit in real good with this group. And on top of that,
and I'm not saying Josh Miller needs to be replaced by any means,
but I know a lot of those guys like to bring in their own people,
and I understand that they're in the WBC, that him and Andy Pettitt
became really close. I just wanted to hear your thoughts on maybe Mark de
rosa manager and Andy Pettitt if they wanted to get rid of Josh Miller pitching
coach. Yeah, I mean, you know, in terms of DeRosa,
I appreciate the call. Yeah, I mean, he did a really good
job with the WBC, and he's been somebody that's been bandied about for managerial
opens in the past. I think that the only thing that kind of scares
you off of DeRosa is this would be his first real managerial job. And
I look at a situation like this, and we use the college football example
for the longest time, like a program like Texas, we can't hire a
first time coach. This is a This is not a job for a first
time head coach who's been a proven coordinator somewhere, and I think the Astros
probably view open as the same deal. I would probably guess that they will
be skewing more towards a manager who has experience. And I know some names
have been thrown out, and I know some names have really upset some people
out there, But when it's all said and done, I think that's probably
the route that they want to go. And who fits that mold that is
out there right now. A name that seems to upset a lot of people,
And I'll talk about this a little bit later on is Brad Austmas and
I do have some thoughts on that and I will share that here coming up
shortly. But also to you know, Jeff Banister, I know he was
asked about it as a matter of fact, I'll play that audio for you
guys a little bit here in the show as well of what he thinks about
the Astros opening and the possibility of that. And he was able to win
in Arlington with the Rangers, and that had said even the other day when
he was asked about it by Heesus de loo Orties at the World Series media
day that yeah, he'd like an opportunity again. And I think that probably
it's a situation that Jim Crane, which he talked about the other day,
and I know that there was the report from Brian McTaggart that this would be
an effort spearheaded by Jim Crane and Jeff Bagwell, and of course immediately that
was people saying, well, well here comes Brad Oustmas. But Crane the
other day at the press conference said me and Dana, So I don't know
necessarily what the makeup is going to be of trying to make this meal,
but I do think that probably with what he said the other day was in
response to the report that we saw from mc taggart, and I think that
probably there is an inherent distrust right now in Jeff Bagwell, especially off of
some of the moves that were made last year when he was kind of spearheading
the roster building effort before Dana Brown got here. So I get all of
that, but in terms of this job as a whole, I personally I
think you know, and this is also too, this is not a job
that's going to be easily turned down by people. This is going to be
a job that's going to be very coveted, and if people are approached about
it, they will absolutely listen, especially with what you have at your disposal
of being able to come in and have a roster that is ready to compete
again and ready to win the division and ready to be in position to play
for huge prizes in the MLB postseason. That's winning the American League, and
that's winning the World Series. And that's something that I think you also have
working for you. This isn't a job that I think you need to take
the first guy that says yes to you. You don't need to be that
desperate. You don't need to be you know, oh hey, what girl's
going to say yes to me to go to the homecoming dance. You are
the good looking one that's walking down the hallways. You are the one who
has the full dance card. That's how you approach this. If you're the
Astros, you approach it of this is a hell of a job, and
we need to get a hell of a manager to be able to run this
thing. And I think that probably that's what they're trying to work through right
now, and we'll see who they settle on when it's all said and done.
You know, I said that Chandler Rome is gonna be now I have
butchered the clock. I'm sure that my bosses, Chris Gordy and Brian Erickson
are probably yelling at their radios right now, so I'm going to try to
get them from yelling at me. So we will actually come back with Chandler
Roome next to close out this ten o'clock cour and also too, if any
of you want to weigh in, you can do that at someone three two
one two five seven ninety. So let's go Chandler Rome next. We will
do that and much more still to come. Right here. It is Sports
Talk seven nineties Space City Saturday, on your home of the Astros and the
Rockets. Sports Talk seven ninety Space City Saturday continues find Sports Talk seven ninety
Carle's getting right to it. Earlier this week on the A Team the Athletics,
Chandler Rome joined us with some tidbits on the end of Dusty Baker's tenure
with the Astros, but also too what could be next. Here's Chandler Rome
the Houston as this exclusive Astros segment on Sports Talk seven ninety. It's brought
to you by Exfinity TENJI, the Next Generation Network. Yes, let's go,
Hey, let's go, guys, think it's stop me. I'm all
away got something new for you here Today. We're gonna talk some Astros Baseball
Chandler Rome of the Athletic who's been with us all year, this year and
many years prior, still with us as the Astros during this golden earrow.
We'll be on to manager number three, Dusty Baker's retirement press conference with the
owner Chairman Jim Crane and the general manager Dana Brown, one of whom hired
him, one of whom did not, and the future of this franchise.
Start with if you wouldn't mind, and welcome to the show. Chandler.
Obviously, a lot of time today was spent on looking back at these four
years, and quite honestly, strictly from the baseball stampoint, I kind of
thought we got the gist of all that we needed from Dusty right out of
the gate when he said it kind of went by very quickly because we did
a lot of winning, and that is the ultimate of what his time here
was. He took a team capable of winning a championship and won a championship.
Yeah, I thought today was really appropriate for Dusty. I mean this
he is a legend. He's a guy that is going to be in the
Hall of Fame in very short order. And today he he rightly you know,
got his flowers, he got his praise, and and it was good.
It was nice to see that for him. You know, I think,
you know, just kind of thinking back, I don't think people understand
just how difficult of a job this was that he walked into. And it
wasn't just because of the you know, the sign stealing scandal obviously had a
ton of stuff to do with it. I mean they kind of knew that
he was inheriting something pretty unprecedented. But you know, two months into his
tenure, COVID hit and everyone's on zoom. This is a guy with a
lot of you know, risk factors for the disease as well, and you
know, he went out there and he managed, and you know, it
made it difficult on him to you know, sometimes get those personal relationships that
he's so good with because he just couldn't be around each other at that time.
And for him to kind of shepherd this franchise through COVID, through I
mean they had the lockout in twenty twenty one, everything that went on,
all the abuse that the team has taken, that the players took, and
just you know, the people they lost in this time for Antino, Carlos
Correa left, Zach Grinkey left, Garrett Cole left the season before or the
winter, Dusty got hired, Garrett Cole left, the transformation, and just
kind of the new faces and the talent that they lost. To win the
Division three out of four years, to go to the ALCS all four years,
to be in the World Series twice and win it once. It's it's
pretty easy to say that Dusty was the perfect manager for the time, for
what they needed, for what Jim Crane needed his manager to be. Dusty
was the perfect choice, and he succeeded. You can't do better than what
he did. Yeah, it was kind of acknowledged by Jim and his comments
about Dusty today, that very thing that you said, you know, you
kind of look at some of the other things personnel wise that took place there,
you know, Other than four months of twenty twenty three, Justin Erlinander
was under contract for Dusty's team the entire rest of the time and barely pitched
for him. Pitched one game in nineteen or twenty his first year, none
in twenty one, was awesome in twenty twenty two and won the Cy Young
and then this year he was only on the mound for two months. It's
amazing how much time was technically spent with him as the ace of this staff
that he really couldn't go out there and do anything. A little bit of
a similar situation with lancemac colors, and they still ended up winning a lot
of games. I'm curious about how Dusty explained his future, saying he still
feels like there's a lot left in baseball for him to give his words.
Where I'm stepping away from the field here with the Astros, What could you
baseball related envision for him in his future. Yeah, I could see a
situation like a special assistant, an advisor or something like that. You know,
he did mention Darren today too. Darren his son is pretty close to
making the big leagues there in Washington's. He was in TAA for a good
part of this year, so he's going to be maybe getting called up next
year, and I think Dusty would like to be around to see that as
well, you know, go watch him play as much as he can.
He's missed out on a lot. He's missed out on a lot of getting
to watch Darren in the minor leagues because that coincided right when he took the
Astros job, when Darren got drafted. So I could see a special assistant,
an advisor, you know, maybe something akin to what Reggie Jackson does
here for the Astress. I don't know if Dusty's going to stay with the
Astros. He does live on the West Coast, he lives in California.
Would not be surprised if he wants to stay somewhat closer to home. Maybe
maybe latch on with a team there. Who knows. Maybe the Ashers will
let him work remote if he wants to. I'm sure they would be open
and amenable to letting him work remote. But Dusty has engendered such a reputation
in the game and is so beloved that I think he could pretty much pick
whatever job he wants with any team and they let him do basically anything.
Is Jeff Bagwell going to pretty much pick whatever manager he wants next? You
know, I don't know. I do know that you know he's gonna have
a he's gonna have a say. You know, this is I think one
thing about today that and you know this is just maybe just being nitpicky,
but I wish and again today was about Dusty Today. I don't begrudge anyone
for asking anything other than Dusty questions, but you know, I do wish.
You know, Jim Crane was on the podium today, so I was
Dana Brown, and we didn't have a ton of time to address everything else,
right the manager search, what what the winter is going to look like?
Things like that. I wrote it this morning and I think I've said
her on a couple other platforms. With the astros and decisions like this,
it's difficult to gauge like who's in the running, who's a favorite, and
everything because we never really know who's making the decisions, like is it Jim
Crane, is it Jeff Bagwell, is it Dana Brown? Is it some
combination of the three? Is it? You know? I asked Jim today
how involved he planned to be, and he didn't answer the question. So
rest assure Jim Crane will be very involved. I think Dana Brown will have
to say, but it's going to be I don't think this is a situation
where Dana Brown's going to go find a manager and go to Jim and say
this is what I want to hire, and it's just going to be a
rubber stamp process. I think there's gonna be a lot of collaboration and a
lot of a lot of minds, a lot of brains and a lot of
minds into this search. So the follow up would be, give me percentages
on a Brad awsmas higher as the ASTROS general or at the ASTROS manager.
Well, he didn't become a finalist for their general manager's role by accident,
you know, he was the other finalist when Dan Brown got the job last
winter. Brett Austini's also interviewed when Dusty was hired in twenty twenty. It's
no secret that he and Jeff Bagwell are friends, you know. I and
Brad has said to other reporters and to other people that he does want to
manage it. He wants to get back into managing. And I mean,
this is a this is a this is a pretty you know, this,
this is pretty obvious fit. Just when you put two and two together,
it's an obvious fit. But as far as percentage chances, again, I
don't know. I think they have a lot of candidates that they could consider,
both internal and external. I think maybe the best processes and the best
best way to go about, just in my opinion, is to get as
much feedback as you can, like, do as many interviews as you can,
see as many faces, get as many trains of thought and points of
views as you can, then just make the decision from there. You know,
Jim Crane said it's going to be a fluid search. It's about the
only thing we got out of him about the manager search. So obviously you
know the internal candidates that are there. They have a lot of external candidates
with Houston ties outside as well, so there's a wide pool that they could
reach into. It's just I think, you know, my biggest question is
how narrow is their focus or are they really going to cast a wide debt
just out of curiosity With some of the names that are in that piece you
wrote in The Athletic who could be the next manager for the Astros, And
I think we recognize some of the ties that some of them might have,
maybe with two guys who don't I'm curious about them specifically, the Rangers associate
manager Will Venable, who's been on the interview circuits and including an interview here
in Houston over the last couple of years. And Mark Kotze, who is
the current manager of the A's also very highly thought I've also had interest from
this team. What do you think would take for the Astros to end up
hiring either of those two and what makes them candidates strong candidates for this job?
Well, Mark Kotse when they interviewed in twenty twenty and they were interviewing
to replace aj Hinch, I had heard from people that were in the process
that Mark Kotze really really stood out to them, like he he emerged as
a pretty solid candidate from the beginning. Again, like we talked about earlier
in the interview, I think Jim Crane made the right decision and who he
hired with Dusty, I think there was only really one person in the game
that could have done what Dusty did and so, but Mark Kotz made a
lot of good impressions that first time around. You know, there is precedent
for the A's letting a manager under contract, interview elsewhere and leave. Bob
Melvin did it two years ago and went to the Padres again, I'm not
even sure if the Astros have a legitimate interest in Markotze, but he is
someone that you know, the record doesn't suggest it from his age tenure,
but he's been given no chance there. The rosters he has he has had
not been good. But I mean that team was playing well in September.
They came in here and took two or three from the Astros. I think
he saw he kept that team engaged. They played hard for him, and
that's the biggest thing you can say about a manager when a team that's got
that sort of record is still playing hard. In September, a lot of
young guys up playing the game the right way. That was a lot And
then you know, Will Venable's kind of he's kind of the next big thing.
I think he's the guy that's really been talked about for a lot of
managerial openings. Went to Princeton, played ten years in the big leagues and
now is Bruce Bochie's basically right hand man. I know he is. I
think I know for a fact he declined the interview with the Mets. I
think he also declined the interview with the Guardians. You know, I wrote
that, I even wrote this in the piece. You know, Jim Crane,
I think he would like to maybe stick it to the Rangers, and
he likes to do that when it's a rival or something like that. He
likes to be able to have the last laugh. So does Luring, Bruce
Bochie's right hand man. Does that count? Does Will Venable even want to
come? I'm not sure, but again he's one of those guys he interviewed
in twenty twenty. He's a bright young mind that I think, you know,
if I was running the search, you know, I'd want to get
as many viewpoints and as many trains of thought and as many different perspectives in
the process as I can. And I think he's certainly someone that he's certainly
someone that should warn an interview and someone that would kind of fit the mold
I think for what they're looking for a younger a younger guy that is a
little bit more analytically tuned, but is not so beholden to the analytics that
it's gonna it's gonna destroy him because, like like I said, well Venable
play ten years in the big leagues. This is not a guy that I
think is going to go just based on numbers he's got feel, he's got
gut, and I think he'd be a I think he'd be an ideal candidate
for this job. Maybe Jim Crane can also stick it to the Astros by
signing Jordan Montgomery this offseason too. He's well, I think he's going to
get more than fifty eight and a half million dollars or whatever that Astros are
only allowed to pay free agents, so he's probably gonna he's probably going to
get one hundred and fifty two hundred million dollars. He is, He's made
self a lot of money this month, this October never ever changed, Chandler
Rome. We appreciate the time as always, all right, thank us chandlerome
here on Sports Talk seven ninety four his weekly visit. He of the Athletic
and uh he will no doubt be in the thick of covering this entire thing
as it unfolds in front of us, the managerial search and everything else that
happens as the Astros try to get back to where they were this time,
almost this time last year, becoming World Series champions. Space City Created created
created, Welcome, Welcome to another Space City. Saturday on Sports Talk seven
ninety Dan Matthews Live and local Beach Town breakdown on the world that matters to
you, Houston Sports or all these great Houston fans here. We love you
all, so finish up on that to do list. Lout up the cooler
because you can't drink in talk sports all day if you don't start. Now.
This is Face City Saturday. It's insane. Here's seven nineties Dan Matthews.
Indeed, as we are live from here at our uptown Galleria Studios leading
you up to all day of college football fun. I know that college football
games getting going right now, the Aggies and South Carolina game Cocks actually kicking
off over in College Station. I know a little bit later on here on
your home of the Longhorns in Houston Sports, SOX seven ninety gonna have the
Horns and BYU Cougars coming your way over on KPRC nine fifty. As a
matter of fact, right now it is going to be the Cougars and the
Kansas State Wildcats taking on each other. So got all that still coming as
well. Still want to get into some Texans talk, We will do that
also too. Going to continue the Astros conversation and maybe even a little bit
of Rockets conversation as well. You can hop in if you want at seven
one three, two one two five, at seven ninety if you want to
jump in. And one of the things though, to continue the Astros conversation.
And I thought about this last night, and I know that some of
you are not going to be on board with this, and some of you
will say, all right, fine, you convinced me, And if either
of those are where you fall in, then that's fine. But I really
just can't think of any wrong reason for if, indeed the Astros managerial hire
is Brad Oustmas, for us to say anything other than okay, all right.
And I understand, like I said, what that's going to carry is
that there is an inherent distrust right now of Jeff Bagwell in terms of his
executive prowess of running this team. I get all of that, but it's
also one of those things that I was talking with a buddy of mine who
has covered the Tigers for some time and followed the organization, and I just
asked him, I said, what was just a simple question to him,
I said, what was your overall thoughts of Brad Oustmas when he was the
manager of the Tigers and it was pretty much. I think what Adam Wexler
here on the A team, what he had said of Look, when he
had good players, he was fine, and when he didn't necessarily have good
players, then he struggled a little bit. But this is the part that
I think, more than anything, that people are going to have an issue
with his thought. His response wasn't a fan of the Tigers hiring a first
time manager in a win now aging team mode. But aside from that,
in hindsight, I think he did a pretty good job. His first season
twenty fourteen ninety and seventy two the mark that the Astros just had this year,
and they were first in the AL Central. Of course they lost to
the Baltimore Orioles in the Alds. They finished seventy four and eighty seven,
the following year eighty six and seventy five, and in sixty four ninety eight.
In twenty seventeen before he was shown the door, and of course his
one season with the La Angels of Anaheim he went seventy two and ninety fourth
in the AL West and again shown the door. Here's the other part that
I think people won't be the hugest fan of. He wasn't really analytically inclined
back then. Not sure if he has a different philosophy now. And he
went even further as well to say, look, you know, simply enjoy
Simply demand that your manager be aggressive with base running and responding in high leverage
situations with your best relievers. That's pretty much all you need to ask for.
And I think that Austmis would be a guy because he's definitely not a
guy that lacks for brains. I mean, the guy went to school at
Dartmouth. He definitely has that. He has a baseball pedigree of not only
being a former player but also to a guy that has managed, so he
checks that box as well. And obviously he is already someone well thought of
in that building. You just heard Chandler Rome mention it right there where.
He is a guy that was up for the job when they gave it to
Dusty in twenty twenty, and also to a guy that when they were making
their GM higher that was also in position to possibly be that guy. So
I necessarily look at Austmas and I'm like, is he necessarily any worse than
anybody else that you could bring in, Because we've all seen the other names
out there that people have thrown out for the Astros possible manager job. You
know, Jeff Banister is one of them. I would be fine with that.
You know, you've also seen you know, if indeed he could get
out of his deal with the Oakland A's and move on. But Mark cottsay
with somebody else that you heard Chandler Rome mention that they thought very highly of
And it's a situation two of Just because managers have failed elsewhere does not mean
that they're going to fail where they are the next time. I mean,
remember when Terry Francona was hired in Boston, it wasn't necessarily a heralded oh
yeah, this is the guy. This is the guy that's gonna make us
forget about Grady Little leaving in Pedro Martinez in that game against the Yankees,
and eventually Aaron Boone beating us and is going to lead us to finally breaking
the curs of forgetting about nineteen eighteen. But he did, and eventually he
was the guy that was able to lead them to that point, and he
won two world titles with them. He put himself in position when he was
with the Cleveland Now Guardians a chance to be able to win the World Series
that year. Of course, they lost to the Cubs in twenty sixteen,
but we all think of Terry Francona a lot differently, now, don't we.
And another example too, and I heard Matt Thomas bring this up,
and it's very much a salient point in this regard that when Joe Torre was
hired as the manager the Yankees, there wasn't parades and everybody's saying, oh,
absolutely a great hire. He's a guy that did not do well in
Atlanta. He's a guy that didn't really all do all that well when he
was the manager of the Cardinals and he finally got the opportunity. And the
other part of it as well, is managerial hires only matters so much because
it's about this some of the parts that you have. It's about the players.
Remember Bill Parcels years ago. If you're gonna ask me to cook the
meal, at least let me buy the groceries. Well, in this case,
right here, the groceries and the ingredients to the meal are pretty good
already. And if you have somebody who is capable and can come in and
do those things that I just mentioned right there, manage the clubhouse, manage
the guys, be able to be sound in terms of situational baseball, that's
base running, that's being able to make the decision of sending a guy up
for somebody else's a pinch hitter, and also to how you manage the bullpen.
And it sounds like that's at least the guy that I talked with was
pretty comfortable with what Brad Osmis did. So if indeed that is the case,
it's not going to signal the end for the Astros. And he's not
somebody that's, you know, completely in over his head taking this job.
He's somebody who has absolutely learned from what he's done in the past, and
somebody that if he got another opportunity with a better team, probably could be
able to be in position to be successful. And I know that. For
example, when Dusty Baker was hired, I'm sure that people looked at his
past and said, oh, man, his management of the bullpen, you
know, not being able to get over the hump in the postseason. We
did that second part here, and he did it in a huge way by
winning the World Series last year. So it's not necessarily a situation with the
manager where when someone's hired, a lot of times it usually is the underwhelming
choice is the one who ends up being the best. It's usually the ones
that we look at and say, oh, man, home run higher,
this is gonna be great, that it doesn't necessarily work out so oh again,
like I said the chorus, here, some of the parts are here,
and it is a team that is in position to be able to win
and win now, and I think they will absolutely be able to do that.
All right, Coming up next, let's get into some Texans talk,
because I think tomorrow is actually the largest test of the season for the Texans,
and it wouldn't be for a reason, you think. We'll talk about
that and much more if you want to weigh in as well. At someone
three, two and two five At seven ninety, I'm Dan Matthews. This
is Space City Saturday. We are your home of the Astros and the Rockets.
This is Sports Talk seven ninety. Welcome back to Space City Saturday one
Sports Talk seven ninety. It is need Space City Saturday, Sports Talks seven
ninety. Dan Matthews here with you for about a little under forty five minutes
or so. As we continue on with the conversation here and get into a
little bit of Texans if you want to weigh in at some one, three,
two and two five seven ninety Texans on the road tomorrow, twelve o'clock
kick in Charlotte against the Carolina Panthers. And the test for the Texans in
this one is getting up for this game, because this is a Carolina Panther
team that is the worst in the NFL right now, oh to six on
the season, and a rookie quarterback who I think their realization right now is
what we had worried about with c J. Stroud, a porous offensive line,
a rookie quarterback trying to be able to find their footing in the game.
And it hasn't necessarily gotten going just yet for Bryce Young, whereas c
J. Stroud is far and away the runaway candidate for the Rookie of the
Year right now. But when you've got a team like the Texans who are
still very young and very inexperienced, it's games like this that can be the
most dangerous. Because we've seen it in the NFL all season long that it's
the old saying, and I try not to do cliche radio with you any
given Sunday, anybody can beat anybody in the NFL. And that is the
case. I mean, we've seen it. I mean the Carolina excuse me,
the Arizona Cardinals loan win of the season against the Cowboys, a team
that people think not only has aspirations to win the NFC East, but to
maybe be able to finally get even further in the playoffs and be able to
be in position to win the whole thing. And I know some people out
there are probably laughing at that. With Dak Prescott as the quarterback. You
gotta be kidding me. Get this guy off the air. But no,
I mean, the Cowboys are an incredibly talented team and would have every chance
to be able to go for those goals, and they beat them. And
it was not a good Sunday for the Cowboys in that regard because it was
the lone win for the Arizona Cardinals. But in this case, right here
a team where when things are going bad immediately in an NFL locker room,
the thing that players look to is saying, I'm fighting for a job.
And that's what probably probably players in Carolina are at this point are saying,
is I've got to be able to show what I can do, because in
the future, if it's not here in Charlotte with the Carolina Panthers, it's
going to be somewhere else. And I've got to be able to show I
can play at this level. And that's what players right now in that locker
room are talking about. It Owen six and for the Texans, it's a
thing where remember after the second game of the season and the Sexans lost c
toity Indianapolis Colts and you had Damiko Rans and you had players talking about,
Yeah, we just didn't have the fire today. We just didn't have what
we needed to be able to do in order to come out and put out
a good performance for our fans and to be able to win this game.
And they talked about that going into the Steelers game, of saying, that's
something that we had to do. We had to start fast, we had
to keep our crowd in it, and we had to be able to win
this game. And I think the same charge is gonna be Adam again tomorrow
because human nature does take over in situations like this and you say to yourself,
they're zero and six, how how good could they be? They could
be good enough to beat you tomorrow, Absolutely no doubt about it. Texans,
a three and a half point favorite on the road, haven't been favorites
very much this season, probably won't be favorites very much this season. But
this is one of the games that they will be. And that's the charge
that you have for CJ. Stroud and for Will Anderson and the young core
that is leading this team at this moment. If you're Demiko Ryans of do
not take these guys lightly because four and three is a lot different than three
and four. And you get into a part of your schedule two where you're
about to be done with this NFC South swing that you're in right now,
where at the moment, the Texans are one and one losing to the Falcons,
beat the Saints, bye week. Now you get this opportunity and then
the following week, following week, you're gonna be taking on the Tampa Bay
Buccaneers. But that is what the charge is for a young team like this
who is continuing to try to learn how to win. Let's go on the
way back here for a second. Remember when the Texans were knocking on the
door to make the playoffs, and we thought that two thousand and nine.
That was the year. That was when this team was going to finally be
able to knock down the door and make the playoffs. And they had kind
of an up and down season where they would win some games that they probably
weren't supposed to win, and then they would lose games that they were probably
supposed to win. And in this case right here, I think that you're
probably looking at it with a team that is trying to put themselves in position
to play for and win meaningful games in November. I said before the season
began, and I put it up on Sports Talk seven to ninety that I
said, probably you're looking at a seven to ten football team. And I'm
not going to break down the schedule from here, but they're three and three
at this moment, and I said that the ultimate goal for this team this
season would be playing meaningful football games in November and December. And if this
team is doing that, and if we're going through our weekends and then it's
a Sunday where you say no more Honeydewes noon, I got to be in
front of the TV because I got to see this team play. A huge
reason for that is the guy that wears number seven c J. Stroud because
he has played even better than I think even the coaches inside the building over
there at NRG Stadium had hoped that they could see from him. He's been
unreal. He's been even better than advertised in most cases of how good he
could be this season. And that's the reason why they sit where they sit
with wins on the road over the Jags, of course, the win at
home over the Steelers, and then the win a couple of weeks ago against
the New Orleans Saints. That you go into a game like this and I
think that, if nothing else, the message has to be we haven't accomplished
anything yet. There is still much more to be gained from this season,
and if you're going to put yourself in position to play in some of those
games that I just mentioned, a game like this tomorrow is a huge part
of that. When you're favored and when you are in position to be able
to win these games, you got to take advantage of those chances. And
that is the charge that they're going to have tomorrow of it's going to show
growth in this team if they are able to be up for this game and
they are able to go in there and control it and win and get after
Bryce Young. I mean, I know that some people have looked at to
Will Anderson and said, hey, could tomorrow you know, be able to
add to the sack total. It should because, like I said, this
is a team that right now is realizing what people had worried about with CJ.
Stroud behind this offensive line. It's been the case this season for the
Carolina Panthers. It has been a rough go so far to this point for
Bryce Young, and it is also too something for them where they are.
The other thing that you look for on an NFL team is you look for
a reason to feel good. There's a reason why in the buildings they have
victory Mondays is because it's hard to do in this league. And that is
a team that is looking at the Texans and saying, hey, it's a
team that's kind of in our same situation right here. They're building. They're
trying to be able to create a culture of winning in their building, much
like we're trying to do here. Let's kind of rejump start our season and
be able to try to take this game, and they're going to have every
effort to try to do that tomorrow. I mean, Adam Dielan playing incredibly
well for the Carolina Panthers, and the Texans are going to be facing a
test in that regard where that's going to be a team that is trying tooth
and nail to be able to win this game. And for the Texans,
again, it's the mark of if I see a team that comes out tomorrow
and is prepared and is firing and is putting themselves in position to be able
to get a convincing win on the road, then I'm going to probably believe
in this team even more because again four and three coming back home for the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers next week, that's a lot better of a feeling. I
gotta believe that that building will probably have a little bit more juice in it
if indeed that is the case and the Texans are able to do that.
But that is the test that I feel like is in front of them tomorrow
is are you going to be able to get up for this game? And
that is going to be what the Texans are going to try to put in
themselves in position to try to do, because again, it is a situation
where if you lose that game, you probably look at this team and say
hmmm, Probably not necessarily where I would hope they would be at this point.
But again, that shows growth when you have situations like this facing your
football team and you're able to go out there and handle business, and if
they're able to do that tomorrow, then again the belief meter turns up even
more. All right, let's get back into the Astros conversation. As we
heard from Chandler Rome a little bit earlier, but another Astro writer joined us
this week right here on your Home of the Astros Sports Talk seven ninety.
Brian McTaggart joined The Matt Thomas Show as he has an idea of what's ahead
this offseason for the hometown baseball club. You will hear that next right here.
It is Space City Saturday of Dan Matthews on Your Home the Astros and
the Rockets Sports Talk seven ninety. This is Space City Saturday on Sports Talk
seven ninety. Sports Talks seven ninety, your home of the Astros and the
Rockets, the first team that I just mentioned right there, although we'll get
into a little bit of Rockets conversation, but first let's hear from Brian McTaggart,
who joined the Matt Thomas Show. Earlier this week, you Siro.
This exclusive Astros segment on Sports Talk seven ninety is brought to you by a
spin Aty Tenji, the Next Generation Network. Yes, let's go, Hey,
Let's go guys. One O three Sports Talk SEVENINTI our final appearance of
the twenty twenty three season with Brian McTaggart of MLB dot Com. Brian,
thanks for the time. It's been great working with you all season long.
Obviously, I don't think any huge surprise about Dusty Banker, any revelations from
the press conference that you can explain to our audience that kind of took you
a gas or was it kind of much pretty much as advertised about how Dusty
broke down the remaining moments of his career as a Houston Astros manager. Yeah,
it went. It went pretty much as I thought it would. I
mean, it was like thirty minutes and probably twenty seven of that was Dusty
going down memory lane. And you know a lot of the stories we've heard
before, you know about Hank Aaron and Jay Bruce and Bill Walsh and everybody
in between. I guess the takeaway maybe is that he thought about he started
to think about retirement last winter. I mean I think, you know,
he kind of told everybody he was going to go for two because he wanted
to match Seedo Gaston and went back to back championships, one of his mentors.
But I guess the most interesting comment he said right after that is there
were some instances or some things written late in summer that helped push them over
the top. So not exactly sure what that meant. I mean, Dusty
was treated exceptionally well by the media here, you know, through all four
years. In fact, when the press conference ended, there were about thirty
media members that bum rushed the podium for selfies and I think somebody even give
him a gift. So I think the media had treated him pretty well based
on what I saw. Yeah, that was a little weird, and that's
fine to each his own. Again, when he is out of his most
affable, he's a great storyteller. He knows everybody. We had some great
business on this radio show. But I think there were people around him,
maybe a son, maybe some friends that did spend a lot of time looking
at articles and uh, I think a lot of the wear and tear of
the Chas McCormack relationship was part of it. I also believe a lot of
it was defending Martine Malmano playing so much over yarn there, das and and
you know, for a guy like Dusty that has been around, been there,
done that as both the player and as a manager, when you get
a little bit older and people still question a thing like a lineup card,
not to the not viciously. I mean, there were some Astro fans that
did that, but generally speaking, the media that covered them were respectful of
it. Uh. I think that probably took its toll way more than he
would ever let it let it on to be. Yeah, I think I
think he got tired of asking questions about the lineup and why he was told
that a few times like now I'm answer these questions, and there was you
know, he's one of the like most managers or even players, they're like
they tell y'all, I don't read anything you write. I don't read it.
But quite the minute something you know, they feel as negative, then
he's like, woll why did you do that? Why did you write that?
There there was a case. You know, Dusty says he hasn't anything
about him since nineteen seventy seven, I think, but there was a case
in the middle of the season where we were in his office after a road
game and there was an article printed out with some things highlighted on his desk.
So I think you're right. There is somebody that was, you know,
giving him some articles. Hey look at this, and you know,
for all the positive articles that were written, I don't think those were being
put in front of him. It was probably the negative ones. I mean,
that's the way the world works. But regardless, I mean, great
run for Dusty. I mean he came here during a very turbulent time and
I think he was the right man to a job at the time, and
for ALCS one a World Series. And you know, he said he wanted
to leave things better than when he got here. Yea, I think he
did, because when he got here things were in a lot of turmoil.
Brian McTaggart of MLB dot com recover the Ashros for astros dot Com with us
here on Sports Talk seven to ninety And of course that in turn means Brian,
that the Astros are looking for a manager. You've written it, others
have as well, that it's going to be Jim Crane with the final say
and a lot of influence from Jeff Bagwell, what direction do you think this
goes as far as top candidates, How heavily will a guy like Brad Austmas
being involved, and how do you think this manager managerial sturge plays out?
Yeah, I mean I think they'll relatively quickly. I mean I think they
would just like to get somebody in place, get the offseason started. I
mean, they really can't a house anything until after the World Series, which
doesn't mean they can't here a few people. I think we'll see the interviews
starting, uh, pretty quickly. I think it's going to be a collaborative
effort. I mean, you know, at the end of the day,
it's Jim Crane's team and he's going to decide. Uh, you know,
he's got to sign off on who the manager is. Dana Brown's going to
have He's going to have a say, And I think there's part of Jim
Crane that wants Dana Brown to put, you know, a stamp on his
team a little bit and bring in his own manager. And if Crane's okay
with that, he'll he'll he will be. But yeah, I think Austina's
will be a candidate. I mean, he's a guy that's interviewed for the
GM and the manager spot and I think he was a finalist for both.
Very tight with Jeff Bagwell, of course, you know, I think Joe
Spot has got to be at the top of the list. He's paid his
dues. I asked I remember the front office today specifically about a spot,
and I got a pretty interesting comment. He said, well, the player
is going to play for him. I don't. I'm not saying that as
an indictment on Joe Spot. It's just that's one of the questions that they're
asking the other player is going to play for this guy or that guy?
You know Jeff Banister's interview before he's the Dback's bench coach. He's from here.
I would be shocked if he doesn't try to get in the mix.
You know guys former managers like uh, you know Andy green Wise, he
was in Colorado's now with the Braves. I named to watch is Eric Young,
the first base coach of the Braves who played high school baseball with with
Dana Brown. I would be surprised if he would not get an interview.
I don't know if he's ready to be a manager or not. He's learned
a he's learned a lot, you know, from his time in Atlanta on
that staff from Ron Washington. So he might get a shot, but I
think they'll cast a white net and it's gonna be a coveted job because it's
a team that you come in next year, turnkey, and he's going to
be in the position to win another championship. Interest comment there on Joe Aspota,
why do you think he is? Somebody who has interviewed at a number
of other places the last couple of seasons, and it just feels like it's
with the success that they've had and the fact that he's been here would almost
feel like a shoe win that Joe Aspota would be maybe the next man up.
But it just we're not necessarily getting that feel. Yeah, I agree.
I don't know why. I mean, he's interviewed I think for at
least seven or eight jobs the last three or four years. I mean,
I thought for sure he was going to get to Miami job. Last year.
I think he almost got the White Sox job before they hired Tony LaRusso,
which turned out to be a disaster. You know, I'm not sure
what goes on in the interviews or what have you. But you know,
he's very qualified. He comes. You know, he's got a lot of
experience on a couple of different benches with a couple of different teams. He's
worked under two different worlds here, he's winning managers. Now, I think
he's ready. He's a great communicator, he's a great guy. I know
the players like him in respect. So, you know, doesn't get a
chance here. You know, I just wonder if he's gonna move on and
go somewhere else or maybe throwing another staff because you know he's had a couple
of manager openings here now, well he's been here and he hasn't gotten that
shot yet. So or I guess one. I guess with Dusty, So
I think he's going to be at the top of the list. But like
I said, they're going to bring in other guys to see what's out there,
and there's gonna be a lot of people blowing up Jim Cranstone that want
to be the manager at astres Brian mctagger with his MLB dot Com of the
Matt Thomas O'Brien, you're with his team every single day. It feels like,
So you tell me you've been in that clubhouse. You got twenty six
egos in that group. You've got coaches, you've got a front office,
it's going to have egos in it as well. What type of manager with
that, particularly naming a name suits this organization best, well, I think
number one that they're going to need a manager who I think is a little
bit more collaborative with the front office. I mean we saw that with UH.
With with Dusty, I think he obviously he butted heads with James Click,
and James Click and Crane weren't on the same page. But I think
even with Dana Brown in the what ten months Dana Brown's been on the job,
that Dusty and Dana Brown didn't always see eyd eye and I think there
was some friction there. So Number one, I think they're going to bring
in a manager who who is in line with their goals, that they're all
in the same page analytically, they're on the same page with lineups and who
should be playing. You know, it's pretty tough when you have a manager
and then the GM comes in and the manager is such an established presence in
the game, and somebody that the owner UH brought in during such a turbulent
time he's got He's got a lot of sway in power. Dusty Baker did,
so it was probably a tough situation for Dana Brown. But going back
to what I said before, Dana Brown's gonna have a huge stamp in this.
He's gonna he's gonna, you know, want to bring in somebody that
works with him. And I think that is the number one thing we're gonna
see. They're gonna have to have a collaborative front office and managerial office chair
because they just haven't had that in the last few years. If Brian Ostmas
is a serious candidate, wouldn't that basically give everyone in this that as much
as Dana Brown may be holding the title of GM, that Jeff Bagwell would
have as much power, if not more than Dana if indeed Brad gets the
job because he was a finalist under two different situations. Yeah, I mean,
I think he could certainly make that leap. I mean you could also
make the case that, you know what, if he interviews and you know
these Dana Brown gets blown away by Brad Ostma sor he thinks, you know,
this is the right guy for the job. But you know, but
uh, yeah, I think certainly with Bagwell's influence that he's at least going
to get an interview, and the fact that he was a finalist a couple
of times lead you believe that Jim Crane thinks highly of him as well.
Ultimately, I don't think he will get the job. I think we'll go
in a different direction. I'm not sure what direction they're going to go.
I mean, I think certainly they're going to go younger. I don't see
Buck show Walter coming in here. I just think they're going to get a
younger analytical and like I said, somebody who's going to be on the same
page with the front office. And there's gonna be some changes in the front
office too, and there already has been. So I think when we get
the spring training, a lot things are gonna look different. Dana Brown's gonna
put his stamp on a lot of things, and he and the manager are
definitely gonna have to be aligned. You mentioned the alignment. It has to
be in play because it hasn't been the last couple of years. Do you
think there will be a super analytical manager here or just as based on relationships
about Hey, I see your side of things, you see my side of
things, because, let's face it, Aj was a very successful manager here
because he and Jeff shared a lot of the same sentiments about the analytics of
baseball. Yeah, that's exactly right. I mean, I think that's what
they're looking for. I don't think they're going to, you know, bring
in some you know, baseball nerd who doesn't you know, look good on
a uniform or doesn't know what he's doing. I mean, they're going to
bring in, you know, somebody that's I think somebody has probably got some
experience. But one of the issues with Dusty was was the lineups and and
Dana Brown wanted him to play ir Diaz more and he didn't, and you
know that just you know, led to you know, some arguments and things
here and there. So I don't think that was healthy for anybody in the
front office or the coaching staff. So they're gonna bring in somebody who's who's
gonna understand what they're trying to do and put the best players in position to
succeed, because that wasn't always the case. I think the last few months.
All right, rossting else from you, I think I'm good. Thank
you, Matt. That's it. No, man, Matt you go ahead.
No, I'm gonna go. I'm gonna I'm just gonna give him.
Uh. Are you gonna be going to Galvison, Bay Brut and Brian mctager.
I hope I will see you out there a few times. Yes,
well, I uh the season ended Monday night and I was there on Tuesday
night, had a couple of the Octoberfests. Uh. You know, the
Octoberfest is gonna be there until they get tapped out, so I'm trying to
I'm trying to get my Otoberfest. Philip. Yeah, I'll be out there.
I'll be out there from time to time, so uh yeah, hit
me up. All right, very good, Brian. Great having you with
us, and we're gonna bug you over the course of the offseason when big
things happen, my friend, talk to you soon. All right, sounds
good. Thanks guys, appreciate it. You got it all right. Brian
mctagger with us here on the NB beat with the Astros dot Com and was
always a great visitor with us here Thursdays on the show. All right.
Brian McTaggert, who was on with the Matt Thomas Show, as he had
some good information there for what could be ahead all right, coming up next
to close out this edition of Space City a Saturday. Some remember this guy
fondly, and they should. But if you're not giving the same treatment to
this guy, I think you're doing it wrong. We will close it out
by talking about this right here on your home of the Astros and the Rockets
Sports Talk seven ninety. Space City Saturday continues on Sports Talk seven ninety Sports
Talks seven nineties Space City Saturday. Dan Matthews here with you for another a
few minutes. Heard from Brian mctagger today, heard from Chandler Rome, of
course, two great guests that join us every week here on your home of
the Astros Sports Talk seven to ninety. During the season, of course,
we'd had visits all year with Jeff Blum, and you know, it's one
of those things that once the baseball season is over, it's the time of
the year where the days are shorter, the weather is cooler, all of
those different types of things. But then soon enough, as soon as football
season ends, that's when it's time to get fired back up for baseball season.
So it's good and the bad with your season being over. I mean
the bad is obviously it's over. Your team's not playing anymore. But then
the good you don't have to wait that long. I mean football. The
off season in football is an eternity, right, I mean, because the
season ends for most in December. College it's over in January if you're the
lucky few, and then you've got to wait all the way until next Labor
Day to get things fired up again. But I don't have to do that
in baseball. That's the good thing. Dusty should be remembered more fondly than
aj Hinch. There I said it. I mean, we remember aj Hinch
incredibly fondly, as we should. He won the first world title for this
team. He had jump started the success of this organization on the field that
we had never seen in the history of this organization. Sure they'd made the
postseason, Sure they'd won divisions, they'd done all those different types of things,
but it was not to the level of what we saw during aj Hinch's
tenure every single year in the ALCS. And I know that the first season
it got started on a rocky notes when they finished the truncate at COVID at
twenty twenty season under five hundred, they made the postseason, they dispatched the
Oakland A's who had been talking all that mess and everything, all their little
social media e clips on the NBC Sports Bay Area page and everything else of
the sort. Well, the Astros went out there, they took care of
business, and then they made almost miraculous down three to zero comeback against the
Rays, and we're just unable to win Game seven to move on for a
chance to claim another World title. Following year the World Series, then the
year after that, the third year, the best year of all a World
Series and a historically great season for the Astros that year, and this year
a game away from making the World Series. And I understand the shortcomings that
people are gonna point out with Dusty Baker, his lineup. I mean,
the way he used Martine Maldonado, even the way that he handled the pitching
staff, all of those different things. I understand that that's going to come
into the fold. But I threw this out on social media, both Facebook
and Twitter earlier this week, and I said it, fun fact, you're
gonna hate the next manager, and you're gonna hate the next manager after that,
and you're gonna and you're going to have, you know, not the
greatest things to say about any manager, because I feel like baseball managers are
a lot like offensive coordinators in football, that everybody looks at the shortcomings for
them. How could you put John Singleton in that spot? What are you
thinking? How could you not use Justin Verlander in that spot? What are
you thinking? All of those things nobody ever says, Man, you know
why they won that game. They won that game because of great managerial work
by the manager. And that's just part of it. It's not a dusty
thing. It's not just him getting the slings and arrows that nobody else got.
He got them as much as anybody else. I will be the first
one to say, with aj Hinch of that twenty seventeen or excuse me,
twenty nineteen World Series chance of going to Will Harris in that spot, and
you had a disgruntled Garrett Cole in the bullpen who was saying I should have
been used, and I wanted to be used, and I told them that
I had a couple of innings left in me. All of those things,
and that's the thing that we're gonnappoint you as I just did right there.
But in terms of Dusty Baker's tenure, with the Astros. It should be
remembered exactly the way at the organization has remembered him, the way that I
think the overwhelming majority of fans have remembered his time as the Astros manager,
and most importantly the players, because you've seen almost to a man, every
single player who played for him during their time here. I think even Julie
Guriel jumped in as well, if I'm not mistaken on Instagram, but almost
every single player has reached out with their support of saying love that guy really
enjoyed playing for him, because I think they did. And when you factor
in everything, I mean what we heard from Jim Crane the other day during
the press conference when they made his retirement official, he was the right man
for the job at the time because you were looking at the time, fair
or not, at a baseball world looking at you and looking down on you
in terms of what had been revealed through the twenty seventeen cheating scandal, and
you needed somebody to be able to try to rescue your reputation from the dirt,
and Dusty did that in and he continued to be the same class manager
that he had been all throughout his career and somebody who is so widely regarded
in all of baseball, and not only in baseball. I mean I posted
this yesterday on the seven ninety Twitter account being over at basketball media day for
the UH Cougars. First question that Kelvin Sampson was asked about his thoughts on
Dusty, and he went on for about a minute and a half about not
only his admiration for Dusty as a manager, but also Dusty as a guy.
I mean, this is somebody else who is also in a leadership leadership
position and trying to lead a program like Kelvin Sampson is. And we've seen
the UH basketball program retights that hadn't been reached since the five Slama Jama days.
But the nice things that are being said right now about Dusty should only
continue and every single time he comes back, because there will be a day
I'm sure that probably he is back in the building. I'm sure as we've
seen with people throwing out first pitches or even two to do the let's play
ball call on the field, every time that happens, he should be met
with nothing other than a standing ovation of Hey, you know what, Dusty,
thank you so much because you were outstanding, and I understand the other
parts of it as well. I mean, we just heard from Brian McTaggart
right there, and I know that Dusty was asked during his press conference about
his treatment from the media and some of it too. I had made this
comment I think even on air, that Dusty kind of had a football coaches
approach to dealing with the media. Football coaches, for the most part,
don't even want to let you know that there's going to be a game on
that Saturday or Sunday. You ask him about injuries, they're going to side
step it. You ask him about personnel, they're going to side step it.
You ask him about an individual player and just what they mean to the
team, Then of course they're going to wax poetically because it's a chance to
be able to tap up one of their guys and put them over the top.
And I understand that that type of tact is going to rubbed some people
the wrong way, but it's the way that he decided. And it's also
too it obviously came from experience. I mean I was warned when I first
got here in August of Yeah, the two things he doesn't necessarily want to
answer questions to are injuries in the lineup, and somebody surmised that maybe that
was because he felt like he was burned in the past in terms of answering
either of those questions. And this is somebody that had a ton of experience
in the managerial spot with the Giants, with the Cubs, with the Nationals,
with the Reds, and again too when the hire was made at the
time, I'm sure a lot of people looked at it and said, a
guy, that's that's been you know, a journeyman, you know, manager
in this game. That's who we're going to turn to after aj Hinch.
So, you know, as it goes forward now, and like I said,
as we continue to see the names so and so is interviewing with the
team today, and we'll probably see a lot of those this week, would
be my guest, and I would probably have to guess that shortly after the
World Series is over, we'll be back over at Minute Made Park for a
press conference announcing the next manager of the team. And as things progressed throughout
the off season. But like I said, I think if nothing else,
you can remember him. However, you want to remember Dusty Baker's tenure with
the team. I'm going to remember him as somebody that was outstanding in terms
of the way that he was able to lead this organization through a really uncertain
time. And I think when it's all said and done, it was incredibly
like what Kelvin Sampson said yesterday, job well done, because yes it was
job well done. He was outstanding. All right. That's going to do
it for us here on Space City Saturday. I want to thank Adam Snyder
behind the glass also too. It was good to hear from Chandler Rome and
also from Brian McTaggart. The two hours they came and they went, and
we will do it all again next Saturday. Dan Matthews, it was a
lot of fun hanging out with you all again. We'll do it again next
week right here on your home of the Astros and the Rockets Sports Talk seven
ninety. Enjoy the Longhorn game a little bit later on today and enjoy your Saturday