Say, Created, Created, Welcome to another Space City Saturday on Sports Talk
seven ninety Dan Matthews Live and 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. Flute
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,
Space City Saturday. What is going on? Everybody? Dan Matthews here
with you for the next couple of hours. Phone lines are gonna be wide
open at seven one three two one two five, seven ninety if you want
to get in. Gee, I wonder what we're gonna talk about today.
I mean, you know, there's not much happening this weekend, right,
we don't. We don't have much going on here in the area, right.
I mean? Oh no, Hey, the Astros are doing that workout
thing today over at Minute Made Park. That means that baseball is still being
played in this town. You dang right, We're gonna be talking some Astros
and Rangers in the ALCS. It'll both be me. It could be a
little bit of you if you like it, and also too, it'll be
others involved in the conversation as well. Over the next couple of hours.
It is gonna be Lion's share of that. Remember a couple of weeks ago,
because last week we had Texas so you during this time, I mean,
how dare they preempt this show? Right? No, it's all good.
Well, I guess it wasn't all good for Longhorn fans. Sorry about
that, as they will be in town next week to take on the UH
Cougars in a three o'clock game. But you know, we had early college
football for you, so I missed you last week. All good, But
remember at that time, I think I set the number at like eighty five
percent. I said we were gonna be about eighty five percent Astros and Ranger.
Excuse me Astros for that conversation, because at that time, nothing was
set as I talked to you at that time. Remember we were going into
that Saturday game and it was the scenario of the Astros needed one win in
order to just make the postseason, and had they just gotten that one win
and not one on Sunday, then we would have been talking about the Astros
being where the Rangers are right now, and instead of us getting ready for
two home games tomorrow and on Monday, we would be getting ready for two
away games in Arlington at that time, because had the Rangers won both of
those games, then they would have been the AO West champions. But as
fate had it, that did not happen. And now we are to the
ALCS. Uh oh, by the way too. Along with that as well,
the seventh straight time that the Astros have made it to the ALCS,
and not only that, a chance for them to be able to go to
there, let's see one, two, three, third straight World Series?
Am I right on that? Yes, third straight World Series? So a
chance that that is definitely something that we want to look forward to. I
already got a couple of you lining up. More of you can jump on
at seven one three, two, one two five seven. Ninety is the
way that you can get in on the conversation I mentioned. Others are going
to be involved, and by the way to the number that I'm going to
put on this one, I'd say ninety percent Astros Alcs conversation that is going
to be today, because look, even though the Texans are probably exceeding our
expectations to this point, because I had said at numerous times when I was
sitting in this very chair and Matt Thomas was sitting on my left, I
said, what should be the goal for the Texans this year? And that
was I believe they were going into their second game of the season, they
had already lost to the Baltimore Ravens. I said, what would be a
win for this year's organization? This team? The organization is the organization as
a whole, the team itself is. If we are in November, and
even if the string plays out and the Astros are able to repeat as world
champions, at that time, we're in the Astros offseason. We're in the
Rocket season at that point, but we're full throat into Texans season at that
point. And I said, if we're in November and they on Sunday Night
Football have that graphic up of you know, the division leaders, the wild
card teams, and then there's always that third group right there in the hunt,
and you see the Toro head right up there, the Liberty red battle
Red, Liberty Whites in deep steel blue head up there for in the hunt.
That's a win because you're playing meaningful football games at that point, and
with a team as young as this and a team that probably is nowhere near
as being complete as they want to be to be able to go for not
only the AFC South but also to be able to make it into the AFC
playoffs, then you probably still need about another year or two of building up
this roster. But as they stand right now, they at least sit at
two and three, a winnable game tomorrow against the Saints, and we'll get
into Mismidge of Texans talk on this show today, But the Astros and Rangers,
I think an interesting part of all of this, and the other people
that are going to be joining along in the conversation RJ Choppy, who is
part of Sean and RJ the Morning Show on one O five to three,
the Fan up in DFW. He is going to join us, as you
know non Chop for some time, and you know he's a ball fan.
I mean, you know, if you know my history of previously a sabbatical
way working in Atlanta, I was in the heart of SEC country and I
gotta tell you, you know Ranger fans on Twitter, you're a little Vall
fan like and if you know Vall Twitter on the SEC Twitter sphere. You
know the Vall fans, Boy, they get after you on Twitter, and
you know Astro fans do too, So you know, that's the part of
all of this that I think I love the most in terms of the fan
interaction. And we're gonna get into that a little bit later on because I
do have a segment where I do want to get into that fan behavior.
How do you handle all of this this weekend and beyond? That's what I
think we need to get into. But RJ Choppy, as I said,
part of Sean and RJ The Morning Show, they're on one oh five to
three of the fan Like we are the flagship for the Astros, they are
the flagship for the Rangers up there and DFW and Chopp is a great baseball
guy, so definitely want to pick his brain a little bit later on to
Jeff Blum his visit with us yesterday on the A Team. We will talk
with Blummer. Hear from him as he had a great visit. Obviously,
it is an hour long every single week. Well, I'm gonna play at
the bottom of the hour and this show is over at noon, so do
some math there. We cut it down to about ten minutes, so you're
gonna hear some of that visit that we had with him yesterday. If you
missed it and you want to hear the entire thing, Dan, Where do
I go? Sports seven ninety dot com is where you can find it.
The iHeartRadio app that is another place that you can find it. But in
terms of this series and everything else that goes into this, I think that
Number one, a lot of people look at the series and say, well,
the Astros are their favorites. I don't think that there's anybody that's going
to doubt that. I think that people, even with the Rangers being perfect
here in the postseason so far to this point, that you probably look at
this and say the Astros are the better team. The Astros should win this
series. I'm not just saying that because I'm on air here in Houston.
I'm saying it because I truly believe it, and it really is just honestly
a fact. I think that this is a team that has proven at time
and time again, especially too with what they have done in terms of this
recent run of getting to the ALCS seven straight Alcs's. I mean, we
heard justin Verlander the other night we did our best to bleep it out,
which we did. I'm not saying we did our best. We fully did,
although you know, kind of you know, it's one of those things.
I'm gonna let you guys know. This is gonna be the show of
honesty here on Space City Saturday. So anytime I can give you a peek
behind the curtain where you can see what the Wizard of Oz really looks like.
You know, I was at home that night and I get a little,
you know, a little notification on my phone that's Josh c Hey,
buddy, you know, trying to get the guys on air from Minnesota.
Can you help me edit down some of the stuff I'm gonna send you,
Verlander, Can you do some serious bleep in here? And I said,
yeah, man, absolutely, I can do that. Well got it and
got got it all. So we were able to do that and able to
have it for you. Of course, if you haven't heard it, you
can find it pretty much anywhere. We don't need to play it for you.
But the crux of Verlander's message to the guys was I think a message
that I think Astros fans need to hear because we are in the middle of
what great dynasty fans have dealt with, because look, when you do what
the Astros have just done to this point right now, that's a dynasty and
two world titles, one more that cements you as a world champion dynasty.
I mean, I understand how some people view twenty seventeen, but if you're
able to hang a third banner up there, and I mean, if you
want to get greedy even more, then yes, absolutely you're in the middle
of it. But what I also tell fans when you're in the middle of
things like this, enjoy it, man, enjoy it. Enjoy it.
Enjoy it. You know, as I said a couple of weeks ago,
and I had the same conversation with a buddy of mine the other day.
I said, you know, there's a generation of fans out there who have
no idea what it's like to be an Astros fan, zero idea. Because
even though I moved away, born and raised here twenty seven years of my
life before I moved away to Atlanta and now back. And even when I
was in Atlanta, I mean, Clanton, Gordy, everybody, Matt Thomas
can tell you, I was still locked in on this team. And even
though I was in the heart of Braves Country. I still had MLB dot
TV. I was still watching Blummer and TK. I was still listening to
Robert and Sparky on Sirius XM or whatever. I mean. I was still
very much rocking my blue and orange there in Atlanta, and of course too,
you know, when you wear the Astros gear everywhere else, everybody starts,
eh, you know, seventeen cheaters, Oh, you know all that,
which more often than not, I just pretty much just tell people,
hey, you know, what's your name? Oh it's tim, to mind
your own business and keep it walking, all right. I don't need to
hear from you. But regardless, that's besides the point. But in this
case right here, it is a series that I'm incredibly looking forward to because
I think that more than anything, it is going to be one that it's
got everything on the line. And what it reminds me of so much is
I'm going to use an SEC football example here. This is Alabama against Georgia
for the SEC championship, and that has been a rivalry that has built up
over the last few years, especially to Kirby Smart when he went to Georgia
after being at Alabama and he started to really up the recruiting there and they
started to really experience what winning is at that program, and then they finally
got them in twenty twenty one. And in that case right there, it's
two fan bases that are incredibly proud. There are two fan bases that will
absolutely get after each other. But I think that when it comes to the
game portion of it, there is a massive amount of respect between both sides.
Obviously, Nick Saban and Kirby Smart a huge amount of respect for each
other. Also to the players. I mean, you know, when you
get into the college football recruiting portion of it, all these guys know each
other. They all know each other from going on visits and also to going
to camps and everything else, and then they finally get a chance to play
against each other, and whether they are at either school, they absolutely want
to beat the other side senseless. In this case right here, I think
that that's probably in terms of the player side of it, because I'm gonna
be over at Minute May Park a little bit later on and they're going to
have Justin Verlander talking with the media, Dusty Baker others also going to be
addressing the media as well. And while they're doing that. We'll do our
best to try to peek in for the early part of it. I will
be there for Verlander and the workout, so of course, follow us on
Twitter at Sports Talk seven to ninety is the way that you can follow us
on Twitter and be able to catch up with everything because they're going to have
open clubhouse everything as such, so they'll have that. But then you also
heard too, I mean Dusty on the field. I believe that it was
with Tom Verducci. He was asked, all right, you got the Rangers.
He was like, hey, look, Boach knows us, he knows
his guys really well. We know them really well. Boy. It's going
to be a great series. And that's the tenor you're going to hear from
both sides as they address the media. And I'll get into a little bit
more of why, especially with something that happened this week outside of either organization
that I think that's going to be ratcheted up even more as we'll get into
a little bit later on in the show. But we will get your inputs
in on the phone lines as well. Brandon, I see you right there.
I am going to get to you here momentarily. Got a few others
that want to weigh in as well. Got Jeff and Tiffany there as well.
Got a couple of phone lines open if you want to hop in.
I know that you got some thoughts on this series. I want to hear
from you as well. At seven one three two one two five, seven
ninety, we will have the majority of the Lion's share Soup to nuts this
series Space City Saturday. It's Dan Matthews in with you until noon right here
on your home with the Astros and the Rockets. Sports Talks seven ninety.
Space City Saturday continues find Sports Talk seven ninety. I love it. I
love it. Got Adam Snyder behind the glass spinning the hits right there.
It's a good call right there. I mean that's I think a good tone
setter, Adam to the weekend that we've got a head here in the Space
City as I got a chance for you all to hop in on the phone
lines as well at seven one three, two one two five At seven ninety,
real quick, let's go to Brandon here in Houston. Brandon, what's
going on, buddy? Good morning? How are you very well? You
doing, Buddy? I'm doing okay. It's there to day for sure.
Yep, you're talking about the Astros. They do need to win tomorrow.
Yeah, No, I mean you want to be able to have the one
zero series lead, and no matter what I mean, a split is a
must for them to be able to get this thing going. And then you
get up to Arlington and I understand how people you know think that things are
going to go up there because of how the regular season went. I'm going
to get into that a little bit later on, because there was something said
by somebody who's going to be a part of this series that I think probably
when you look back at it, if it goes one certain direction, I
think you could say, all right, yeah, that's very true about postseason
baseball. But yes, you got Justin Verlander going. If you win that
one, you feel really good about your chances. If you don't win it,
you go to a guy who's coming off a shaky start in fromber Valdez
that you're hoping could be able to bounce back from it. I mean,
the problem is with Fromber this season is you don't know which Fromber you're gonna
get. Are you gonna get really good Fromber? Which we've seen no hitter
Fromber at times. I don't know if you can ask for that, it
would be nice. But we've also seen not so great Fromber, which is
like what we saw last Sunday. No, we we went to the game
on Tuesday, we had a no hitter. Yeah, no, I mean
it was it was looking good so far to this point. But you know,
in terms of how you know this just this series could go. I
mean that's where you know, you look to a guy like Justin Verlander,
and that's why you brought him back. And Britain Brandon appreciate the call,
by the way, that's why you brought him back. You brought him back
to be able to not only pitching games like this, but to win games
like this. And you know the way that he pitched last Saturday against the
Twins to get the series started. It was where kind of starts that we've
seen out of Verlander at times. Well, we've seen him, you know,
kind of be shaky with the strike zone at the beginning of the game.
I understand how some people would view how balls and strikes were called.
Game two was a pretty rough one. Game three there are also some interesting
ones. I know that Twins fans and Max Kepler in particular, are saying,
dude, what about Game four. I mean, look, I think
for the most part, the umpiring and Major League Baseball two for what we
think about umpiring, they are not going to put the guys that are incredibly
low graded in series like this. I know that Brian McTaggart shared who the
six person umpiring crew because you know in the postseason two as well, it
goes to a left field and right field umpire as well, because they want
to be able to give themselves every single opportunity to make sure that that element
does not enter into the equation in terms of a call that could swing a
game one way or the other, and for the most part it doesn't.
I mean, Tom Verducci did a really good piece on umpiring years ago.
I think I think that they said it graded out to excluding balls and strikes
because that's a judgment call, right. I mean, I understand we've got
kzone now. I understand that we you know, feel like, all right,
you know there's a defined what a strike call is. But I think
that they averaged it out that umpires get ninety five percent of the calls,
right, and when you have the human element of all of this and you
have that, you know, possibility of error to be made five percent error.
I think it's pretty dang good. And for the most parts, I
mean, we haven't had any instances in Major League Baseball, at least in
recent memory, that I can point to and say, wow, they really
blew that one. I mean, we're not looking at, you know,
the the Fiesta Bowl between Ohio State and Miami, that one year of a
terrible pass interference call or anything like that that completely swings the game. I
mean, in that case right there, it was an awful pass interference call.
Miami should have been the repeat national champions and Ohio State should have broken
their national championship droughts back in twenty fifteen when they beat Oregon to win the
College Football Playoff. But that's neither here nor there. You don't have that.
You seem to have this in the NBA, you seem to have this
in the NFL, and you seem to have it in this some point in
college football as well. I don't really think that you have that in Major
League Baseball. But in terms of how this series goes, and like I
said, we'll get into the nuts and bolts a little bit more here as
the show goes along. But I mean, you know, when it comes
to umpiring, I understand that you know, we're upset about Hey, that
should have been a strike call. I mean, twenty nineteen, remember Brent
Strom still saying, Oh, my phone screen is the change up that Zach
Grinkey threw that should have been called strike three? And that doesn't allow for
I believe, what was it that seventh inning there in Game seven that got
out of hand for the Astros when the Howie Kendrick home run off the right
field foul pole and all that kind of stuff. Look, I'm not trying
to rehash bad memories here, but you know, it's just something that you
look at. And it's also too players will be the first to tell you
that. You know, whenever they're asked about umpiring or officiating in whatever sport,
that they're usually the first to tell you. It shouldn't come down to
that. It should come down to us handling our business and not leaving it
in the hands of somebody else to make a call that can swing things one
way or the other. That's how it should go, and I think that's
probably how it's going to continue. And the other part of this as well
that we're going to talk with RJ. Choppy of one oh five three of
the Fan in Dallas with in a few minutes about is you know. The
other part is something that we'll get into a little bit later on in the
show, and that is kind of what I touched on in the first segment
of the you know, whole trash talk element of all of this, I
understand, as a buddy of mine pointed out this morning when I was talking
about it with them, said, well, I think there's bad blood between
Marcus Simon and from er Valdez, and also, you know Martin Maldonado.
That's going to be out the way because you're not going to have guys getting
thrown at. You're not going to have any of the emotional element of all
of this because frankly, when you get to this time of the year,
you don't have time for any of that. You don't want any more distractions,
You don't want to add any other elements to this thing other than what
it is. It's a race to get to four. Four wins moves you
on to the next round. You reach four wins, you don't have to
worry about anything else. You get bragging rights and you're able to move on.
And that's what the Astros are trying to do and they are definitely in
a position to be able to do that, and of course too, Brandon,
as we pointed out right there, getting that first win against the Rangers
tomorrow night will be crucial for them because, like I said, nothing less
than a split can suffice here, because if you go back to Arlington down
two, you are in a really rough spot. And people might say,
like I said, oh, well, hey, you know, look at
the way they played on the road all season long. I get all of
that, but guys, this is such a fish bowl of a scenario now
that everything else does not matter. Now, nothing that has been done to
this point matters. And John Smoltz brought that up the other night at the
end of the Rangers Orioles game in his broadcast on Fox with Joe Davis.
Is you know he was talking about, guys, the regular season really doesn't
matter. It's a bridge to get to this point, and you have to
be able to win in the regular season to get to this point. But
everything else, the nine to four record, all of those things doesn't matter
anymore. The Rangers are not looking at it as well. They beat us
nine out of four times, so we really don't have any chance in this
series. Beloney, they're now thinking, hey, we've got a chance at
these guys. That part didn't go the way that we wanted it to,
but the other part can and we are in position to be able to make
sure that it can. So if anybody is necessarily, you know, riding
on that, then I think that you're riding on the wrong things. Now,
I understand having confidence heading into this series. You should have confidence.
Like I just pointed out, this team has made seven straight of these things.
That that breeds confidence. They've won two world titles. That breeds confidence.
And I don't think that you're going to have a group and we're gonna
hear Jeff Blum talk about this a little bit later on from his visit yesterday
with the A team. But you know, it's also too you know,
I think that Clinton brought up the point of, you know, there was
worry that maybe complacency was starting to settle in and he said, no,
you look in that dugout, and I think he pointed to something that Michael
Brantley said that you can't have complacency in that dugout because there's so much competition
in that group that you just you feel like, all right, somebody else
is out doing me. I've got to be able to try to outdo them.
When you have that that type of competition on your team, that usually
bodes well in terms of what you're able to do on the field. All
right, coming up next, so we're gonna get the Rangers a side of
things. As yesterday, Dave Raymond joined the Matt Thomas Show. Another guy
from the Ranger side of things, RJ Choppy from Shawn and RJ in the
morning on one O five to three the fan in DFW. He's gonna join
us to talk a little bit about the team up north, as we will
get into that and much more as we roll along here Space City Saturday.
It's Dan Matthews here with you until noon on your home the Astros and the
Rockets. This is Sports Talk seven ninety. Welcome back to Space City Saturday
one, Sports Talk seven ninety. This is what she said holiday. All
right, let's get right to it's this man is a busy man on a
Saturday after I guess moving into the afternoon, but he is RJ Choppy Shawn
and RJ Mornings five thirty to ten on one O five three the fan up
there in DFW, the flagship home of the Rangers. RJ. Appreciate the
time, buddy, Like I said, busy morning into afternoon, because travel
baseball today, right, yeah, about an hour away dropping them off right
now, big travel day. It's not even travel, b It'll call it
tra I guess it's not like travel up here because we don't have to go
anywhere, right, you know youfug is such a great, you know,
baseball spot for kids that you don't have to leave town to get good competition.
So no, it's it's throw all local today. There you go.
Gotta love it. You got to fall ball going, got fall ball of
a larger variety even going on too with the n State teams, Astros and
Rangers taking on each other here in the ALCS. Let's start first with just
kind of the tenor of this series. Because you're on Twitter at RJ shoppies
how you could find RJ on Twitter. You see the back and forth between
Astro and Ranger fans. That's where that is happening. But on the field,
are you kind of getting a sense that you're not going to get any
of that from at least the Ranger side, and sounds like you're not gonna
get any of it from the Astros either. Yeah, I think at this
point, like in the year, like that doesn't necessarily always happen. I
mean, the stakes are just so high for that for any kind of you
know, angst and activity like that for happening. And I don't know that's
gonna happen on the field. They'll definitely happen in the stands. But I
mean, like you know, from Houston standpoint, I mean, they've been
in it so much and i'd be interested to see, like if they even
consider the Rangers their chief rival. I would probably think they don't. And
maybe like Dodgers or Yankees considered they always see them in the U or at
least they had to in the World Series and then the Alcs. So I
think from a Ranger standpoint, there's a lot of anger and hatred towards them,
But I just don't know if the same as reciprocated. And I mean
in terms of what has worked for the Rangers. I mean, you know,
we had seen up and down time for them, we'd seen them get
on streaks. We'd seen them get on streaks the other way. What has
worked for them during this five game run that has really got them playing the
baseball they are right now. Well, they got to starting pitching back,
pitching the way they were the first half of the year. There was a
stretch they were giving up you know, I have big innings early. You
know, if Baldy wasn't pitching well, Sureser was hurt, Ivaldi was hurt
too, John Gray got hurt. And from Valdey standpoint, at least he
is back and he's pitching as dominant as he has, you know, all
year. And you know, Montgomery is just a solid, steady pitcher.
He's not gonna he's not gonna blow you away. He's not gonna light up
the you know the v Lo charts under that, but he keeps you off
balance and allows a lot of weak contact. They'll scatter five, six,
seven, eight hits. And you look up as the sixth inning he's only
allowed one run, but he's given up a ton of hits and the other
team had a ton of base runners. I think that's it. I mean,
you know, their offenses has gotten the right guys up at the right
time, and those guys have been hot. It's another key componing of it.
You know, like if if if you look at it and and Jordan
comes up with two outs and nobody on you know, eighty percent of the
series, then I mean that's that's a big advantage for Houston. And the
same thing here Seeger and a Doolie and you know, uh, Mitch Garb
will come up and nobody's on base. I mean how different as the series
is all, Yeah, no doubt about it. R J Chappie again,
co host of Shawn and RJ Monday through Friday, five thirty to ten on
one oh five three. The fan up there in DFW. One of the
names you mentioned there the offensive side of this, uh getting Josh Young back
and what he has been able to do for them, but also to Evan
Carter, what he's been able to do for this offense as well. What
do those guys mean to this roster? Well, Young like deepens deepens the
lineup though when he was out that lineup, I mean it was the nearlyest
potent, you know, like you can extend this lineup to seven, eight,
nine hitters that are real threats as opposed, but you just lose one
guy, You've got a hole in your lineup, and all of a sudden
they changed things up and then you know, like the the underlying saving part
of the season was adolse Parcia getting hurt with that knee, because that'll have
him to bring Evan Carter up. But they brought him up and he's been
tremendous. You know, if they don't do that, he hasn't hurt himself
and he's healthy now and he's playing and everything. But if he doesn't hurt
himself, I'm not sure that Eving Carter gets called up this year. And
if he didn't get called up, I'm not sure they make the playoffs.
So it was those two, you know, Young obviously getting healthy again and
Carter's been tremendous. I'm interested to see what happens when the league catch up
to him and figures him out and they make adjustments and he's gonna have to
adjust. That's kind of the true test. But you know, until that
happens, I mean this guy, I mean, he is rocketing up that
lineup a couple more again. R J Choppy join us here on Space City
Saturday Sports Talks seven to ninety Uh, you mentioned starting pitching. It sounds
like Max Schurzer is going to try to give it a go. What do
you expect from him? And also too, what do you know about John
Gray and his availability for this series? Well, you know the Gray they're
gonna from what I know, they're trying to make it available for the series.
I'm not banking on it. I'm more apt to see him there for
the World Series that they get there. But I don't know anything you get
John Gray's a plus at this point in terms of sures are. It's interesting
because there's been such a long layout, at least with Gray, it's only
been a couple of weeks. Sure, you know it's it's been six weeks
now since he's last throwned. And we saw how how how much of a
lack of command the starters had for the division winning teams that had buys,
and that was just off of like a ten day absence for a lot of
these guys, not let alone five or six weeks. I think the way
they use Shurzers, they kind of use Surezer as he'll start out a bullpen
day, like, I don't think they're expecting him to go six or eight
innings in any game. I think it'll be like, all right, let's
get as much as we can out of him. If it's four, it's
four, if it's three, if it's five, whatever, Like that's how
they're gonna roll with it. I think that's the plan with sirs. Final
one for you. The bullpen has pitched really well in the postseason. We
know their struggles in the regular season. Is there still, at least amongst
you all in the media up there and Ranger fans kind of Oh, man,
don't don't let that shoe drop? Or do you feel like that group's
kind of started to come together? Oh, there's still a lot of still
like that shoe drop. Absolutely, you know. Chatman showed that in the
game in Game three and they clinched me. He just throwed very wild that
they got six ron lead and he can't get the ball with the plate.
He's walking everybody. I don't nobody trusts Josh Sports. I don't even I
can't tell you the last time I saw Will Smith. You know, the
clerk is the guy that you trust out there the most right now out of
the pen. But you got to get to him so and we all know,
like you know, with Houston and Chapman. That is that is scary
at best for a role as chap Though. Yeah, there's no there's no
confidence out there. I think you have the bullpen. It's just like just
the average if you're just an average ble py the cmbok. There you go,
RJ Choppy, RJ appreciate the time, man, get that get that
right wing, you know, getting going. I know you got to get
the l screen in front of you, start throwing a little bit, get
get the guys ready for the game. So good luck this afternoon, and
I'm sure we'll we'll be checking in with you here as the series goes along.
Sounds good man. I appreciate again RJ Choppy part of Sean and RJ
on one oh five three the fan up there in DFW as they get ready
for the series. As you know, one of the things he touched on
right there, I think is interesting because it's kind of I think something that
you look to in a series like this that is so closely contested, it
comes down to matchups, and in terms of the lineup right now, I
mean I think we can probably look at it and say it's a toss up.
I mean, you know, it could kind of go either one way
or the other. Who's hitting the baseball at that point, I think is
the way that you look at it between the and the Rangers starting pitching,
even with the injuries to John Gray and Max Schurzer, as you just heard
from r J, you know, bring up about both of those guys.
I mean, you know, you look at the Astros outside of Verlander,
it kind of is a question of who are we gonna get because from ber
Valdez, that's been the question with him all season long. This year,
it's been all right, is it gonna be really good Fromber? Because when
he's that, he's the top of the rotation guy. When he's been shaky,
Fromber, he's probably a bottom of the rotation guy the way that he
has thrown this season, and that's gonna be a question with them. And
then it comes to the bullpen. I mean, yes, Jose la Clerk,
but they've also relied on Jose le Clerk a lot so far in these
five games, and even with the few days off that the Rangers have had,
you know, along with the Astros coming into this series, I mean,
those pitches start to rack up, and you know it's also too.
In the age of video, you start to get a book on a guy,
and that's something that you know, as Dusty has talked about during the
off days that they've had, you know, they had the off period before
the Alds, and it obviously bode well for the Astros. They were the
one of the few teams that didn't have the people asking them, hey,
you know the off days, did it hurt you? The Astros were emphatic
and saying no, it helped in terms of us being able to do that.
So when it comes to the bullpen part of this, I mean,
you know, you even heard r J bring it up right there that there's
still kind of a little bit of when that element enters into the equation for
the Rangers, their fans are kind of like, oh boy, I hope
whereas the Astros, I understand, you know, we got a rough first
appearance out of Hector Naris. You hope that the second appearance out of Hector
Nears is what he has been because in the second appearance, that's what he
had been all regular season and especially two in the months of September and here
into October. He'd been that guy of being able to come in get outs.
Not only get outs, it gets strikeouts and be able to keep guys
off base. And that's something huge for him because in that first game against
the Twins, that was uncharacteristic. Hector nears of not only the long ball.
We saw some of the long balls early on the season. We had
not seen that as of late. But it was the first guy he beams
and puts on bass and then you're having to try to kind of battle from
behind, and you get the three run hover from Polanco, you get the
home run down the left field line by Royce Lewis, and all of a
sudden you're looking at it and saying, Wow, we can't let him figure
it out. Now, this isn't that time of the year. We got
to move on and you had to get extended work out of Brian A Bray.
You Brian a bra You my gosh, I mean, how much nails
has that guy been? You know. I brought it up with WEX the
other day when I sat in with them at the end of the A team
we were over at University of Houston, and it was, you know,
the question asked by my good buddy Michael Schwab on Twitter of who was the
alds MVP. I just responded to Bray you pick one because either Brian A
bray you or even jose A bray You, both of those guys are a
huge reason why you're playing to where you are right now. So the long
answer to the bullpen element of the equation and bullpens play a huge part and
you being able to advance an October and if it comes to that, I
definitely like the Astros' ability to be able to come in and get outs because
they've been able to do that. And the other key of it too is
we'll hear in about forty five minutes from Jeff Blum, is you know,
are you able to keep the Rangers in the yard, because that's been a
huge part of their success in this postseason is the long ball. I mean,
you get the grand Slam. I believe that it was from Mitch Garver
being able to hit that grand Slam to put them up huge in Game two
of their alds against the Orioles, and then also too a Doulas Garcia has
started to hit as well. I mean, that's a tough lineup over there,
and that's going to be the key is if you do give up long
balls, make sure you're giving them up of the solo variety. Don't have
guys on base. That's what's going to be huge, and that's why it's
also too, don't get these guys extra outs. Fielding is so huge.
The Astros fielded incredibly well. They were impeccable in that alds and then also
too keeping guys off bait and Games three and four they kept guys off base,
and when they did have guys on base, they were able to limit
damage and not even allow for much damage. I mean, you have,
you know, Christian Javier striking out the last two batters in that bass is
loaded fifth inning, and then also to even the inning where Hunter Brown,
I mean you get the crucial double play to Jeremy Pania to be able to
close out that inning. So I mean, those are things that you're gonna
need. You're gonna need great fielding and you're also too gonna need to be
able to throw strikes in this series. If you do both of those things,
like I said, the Astros do what they're capable of their winning this
series. I am fully confident in that that if the Astros play the way
that they are capable of playing, you're going to be talking about a third
straight World Series for this team. That's just what's going to be the huge
question of this team is do they continue that type of play, which,
look, I talk about the back of the baseball card, Dusty talks about
the back of the baseball card. And if the Astros continue that, then
I think that we are talking good things in this series. A right coming
up next, there was once a wise philosopher out there that had three simple
rules. Astro fans follow these three simple rules. We'll break those down next
as we close out the ten o'clock hour right here on your home of the
Astros and the Rockets Sports Talk seven ninety. This is Space City Saturday on
Sports Talk seven night. Alright, Space City Saturday, Dan Matthews here with
you for another hour plus on your home of the Astros and the Rockets,
Sports Talk seven ninety. I want to give a shout out to RJ.
Choppy from one O five to three the fan and DFW four joining us.
And like I said too, I mean, of all the things he talked
about there, I mean, you know, there's different elements in the equation
here. I mean number one talking about if Josh Young doesn't go down.
That was something that was a huge part of the last series, the last
time these two teams faced each other up there in Arlington, that he was
not part of the lineup, and now he is back. And also to
getting Evan Grant, who has been a huge part of their lineup, and
then also to the bullpen. I mean, that's something that, like I
said, of all the things, you know, the other things I think
are a little bit more of a toss up. That one right there is
decidedly advantage Astros in that regard. All right, how many of you out
there have seen the movie Roadhouse show a hands? I mean I see you
out there. I see some of you and Katie with your hands raised.
Oh, I definitely see some of you out there in Cypress with your hands
raised, especially too, right there near Barker Cypress, right there off two
ninety. I got you. There's a few places that look like the Double
Deuce out there, all right, So Dalton, remember when he's got his
crew of bouncers there before the bar opens up, he's kind of breaking down.
What's it gonna be like with me as the cooler Now at Double Deuce,
We're not gonna allow the Double Deuce to be what it's been. Brad
Wesley out. We're throwing him out. He's done, He's not gonna have
his hands in this place anymore. We're gonna make sure this becomes more of
can you ever make a dive bar classy? I don't know if you ever
can, but this case right here. He laid out three simple rules because
there was some unruly behavior there at the Double Deuce. So when Dalton took
over as the cooler, he had three rules and I think they apply to
this weekend because we talked about it. The players on both sides, there's
mutual respect. Now, have there been some things said by some on either
side about the other that would probably lead you to wonder is their mutual respect?
Sure, it's competition, it's emotions, it's all those different things.
Sure that happens. But for the most parts, I think that probably to
a man one through twenty six on the Rangers, they say, hey,
it's a pretty darn good ball club over there. And then in the Astros
clubhouse when I'm over there later today and I've got a microphone in front of
players faces in the clubhouse, They're probably gonna say the same thing that that's
a good ball club over there, and the managers immense respect for each other
many years going up against each other of Bruce Bochie and also in Dusty Baker.
So it comes down to you, the fans. So if you're going
to the Minute Made Park this weekend, or you're on social media, whatever
it might be, follow these three simple rules. Rule number one, Adam,
what is it? One? Never underestimate your opponent. Expect the unexpected.
All right, hey, that fits absolutely right, because even though you've
got the nine and four record against the Rangers so far the season, you
won the silver Boot, you did all those things. I talked about what
John Smoltz said, and it's so true. It's been proven time and time
again in postseason play that what you've done to that point is out the window.
It doesn't matter. What matters is get to four wins. That's number
one. And the Astros, I think, look at this, it's not
lost on them what the Rangers have done so far to this point. I
saw somebody on Twitter throwing out it's perfection in terms of the Rangers. Yeah,
they've been perfect at this point. Hard to argue with it. They're
five to zero in the postseason. You're three and one. That's nothing to
shake a stick out either. So you've got that going for you. So
yes, never underestimate your opponents. Rule number two, sir two, take
it outside. Never start anything inside the bar unless it's absolutely necessary. All
right, So the bar in this case is the ballpark. And yes,
no fighting. No fighting. I know we saw Astro and Astro fan fighting
last week down the right field line in game one of the Alds, and
it is just not what we need to see. I understand the emotions are
running high. I understand there's been a lot of trash talk. I understand
it's Dallas against Houston. It is good versus evil, it's all of those
different things. I understand all of that. Let the players on the field
settle it. I've never understood the whole point of a talking trash to another
fan at a game if they have not said something to me. I'm there
to watch a game. You're there to watch a game, root for your
team, be happy for your team when they're doing well, and leave me
alone. And I'll leave you alone and do the same thing at the games.
There's no need to be able to do that because you know what honestly
happens in situations like that. If you are anybody that has a decent enough
brain around you, it is afterwards. That was pretty stupid. Wasn't it,
Like you're with your buddies after the game, if you got into somebody
and you're like, that was pretty dumb. Wasn't it like I shouldn't have
yelled at that guy? That was pretty stupid? Like it just why did
I allow myself to have my emotions take the best of me at that point?
And I understand it's gonna be hard in certain cases, but absolutely no
fighting. We don't need it. It's ridiculous. That's trash behavior and it's
not necessary. Enjoy the games. Have fun, root like hell for the
Astros in hope that they get both of these games and put the Rangers back
on their heels going back home. Rule number three, sir, in three,
be nice. That's it simple, right to the point. Be nice.
Be nice. I understand that it's going to be tough at times,
and you're gonna have people who are obnoxious, You're gonna have all those different
types of things. But rule number three, be nice. What if somebody
calls my mama, is she that's what Dalton said. The wise philosopher that
was Dalton, pain don't hurt. Well in this case right here, losses
hurt, and you don't want losses. But that's also too. It's the
guys on the field settling things, not you with your trash talk, not
you threatening to punch somebody across the jaw or anything like that. Let's not
have it. We've got a great atmosphere at minute Made Park. Let's keep
it that way. It's an atmosphere that I understand came under a little bit
of scrutiny in the series against the Twins, because I think that there is
a little bit now of look, like I talked about, think some of
us has forgotten what it's like to be Astro fans, because this run that
they're on right now is unreal and it is something that you look at and
if you had told me when I left town in twenty twelve, hey Dan,
starting in twenty sixteen, even twenty fifteen, excuse me, twenty fifteen,
when they made the postseason for the first time since two thousand and five,
you know they're gonna miss the postseason the following year, But then after
that, be prepared for what's coming, dude, because it is going to
be a run like you could not even imagine. I would have said,
okay, But now that it's here and it's reality in the present, man,
it's awesome. You love it. And it's everything that you could have
imagined and hoped for and maybe even more and it has been awesome. So
yes, please, Astros fans, underestimate your opponents. Take it outside if
you get in any of those things which don't do it, but don't do
it. Got kids there, we got families, We got people who just
want to watch a ball game, paid a lot of hard earned money to
be able to watch a ball game. They don't want to see two knuckleheads
in front of them ooh yeah, hoo yah. And then you know,
try to start a fight, and then you know, somebody tries to break
it up and security has a rundown, and that just starts the whole thing.
The cell phones come out. It's just ridiculous trash behavior. Let's not
have it. And in three, most importantly, even if those from up
there in North Texas won't be nice, be nice, show them what Houston's
about. We're not about that type of life. We ain't about that life.
We don't want to be that way, So Dalton, thank you so
much for that lesson. All right, Our one is in the books.
Our two is coming up. Because coming up next I got asked, I
got great news for Astro fans that I don't know if you've thought about so
far to this point. We'll get into that and much more here in the
final hour of Space City Saturday. It's Dan Matthews here with you on your
home of the Astros and the Rocket, Sports Talk seven ninety space City Created,
Created, Created, Welcome to another Space City Saturday on Sports Talk seven
ninety Dan Matthews Live and local h town breakdown of the world that matters to
you, Houston Sports World. All these great Houston fans here. We love
you all, so finish up on that to do list. Flute up the
cooler 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. Oh that's
true. As we roll along here in this eleven o'clock hour, you just
heard also too before me hopping back in with you, Chris Gordy and Rossville
a reale out at Dick's Sporting Goods, Baybrook Mall down there, Friendswood forty
five South Golf Freeway. See that's the other part of it as well,
is that, you know, it's one of those things that you know,
a guy called in of course, you know, I produce the A team
and a guy goes, I know you're not from around here. And I
was like, well, actually, and you know, I try not to
be the well actually guy because that guy's so annoying, are they not?
You know, whenever you say something and then you have somebody who wants to
try to impress the group. Well, actually, Georgia, Arma'll said this,
Okay, I don't care. And in this case right here, it
was a guy trying to tell me, you know, no, you're not
from around here. It's like, well, I was born and raised here,
lived here the majority of my life. I just lived somewhere else for
some time and decided to come back home. What's of it, Bud?
But you know somebody also too, you know, oh yeah, you know
we name our freeways, like I said, I know, Southwest Freeway,
Gold Freeway, North Freeway, the Loop, Katie Freeway, East Texas.
Come on, now, who do you think you're talking to here, I
know what I'm talking about. In this case, right here, Golf Freeway
go in that direction, towards Galveston Baybrook Mall, Great Mall down there,
Dick Sporting Goods. The guy's gonna be out there eleven until one. So
right now, until one, Jonathan Joseph can be stopping by. And even
with the Astros doing what they're doing right now, I know that we are
very much orange and blue around here. Right now there is still the the
Texans playing. And also too, I mean, if nothing else, you
know, I think you know, I was talking with some buddies of mine
actually that had me on at my old station in Atlanta, and they were
asking me, you know, what's the fan reaction, because you know,
we know about the Jackie Easter stuff and everything else. And yes, I
mean even from Afar, I knew that the you know, just thought about
the organization had kind of soured a little bit during that entire part of the
way that this organization had been run. And also too, I mean with
the coaching changes everything else. But then finally getting Demko Ryans back, I
think absolutely brought back some of those feelings that we got starting pretty much in
two thousand and nine when the Texans made their first push for the postseason.
They need a little bit of help. That year, they didn't get that
help, but you know, they were still able to make it a couple
of years later and finally be able to taste playoff football here in Houston,
and a lot of that with Gary Kubiak and Rick Smith and now, I
mean it kind of feels like with Demiko Ryans. I mean, he brings
that mindset back and there's at least competitive football once again in this town.
And that's something that we can all be excited about. But we're talking Astros
right now, as I see Martin John, we got a few other phone
lines open if you want to hop in at seven one, three, two,
two, five, seven ninety you want some really good news, Astro
fans, really really good news. I got some for you. Kyle Tucker
has not hit Dan. How's that good news? No, it's good news
because again the back of the baseball card shows you it's only a matter of
time when this guy gets going. In the Alds, Tucker was a little
rough two for fourteen during those games. Of course, he had the huge
RBI single in the game Game three win up there, the huge nine to
one win the Astros got, and also to had the double in Game one.
But aside from that, Fers for three in Game two, oh for
four in Game four. And I understand that we look at for good reason
what jose Abray has done. Wow, I mean, he has been unreal.
I think, if nothing else, it is a situation that Astro fans
look at the way that that signing had broken down. During the regular season,
we were not feeling good about it, but during the month of September
and in the postseason, we felt great about it. Because you don't win
that series out in Arizona without Josea bray You and what he was able to
do with his bat. You don't win that series in Seattle the triple despite
if you want to call it a triple, which is what they did rule
it as. But also to the glove, what he was able to do
over there at first base. I mean, kind of like what we got
last year out of Yuli Guriel, We're getting the same deal right now out
of Josea bray You. Because Juli was a guy that struggled, was pedestrian
at best going through the regular season. Once he got to the postseason,
you started to see postseason Yuli. So we're seeing postseason Josea Bray you.
But for Kyle Tucker, that is something that you look at and you say,
hey, like him to pick it up a little bit, And yes,
he would like to pick it up a little bit too. And that's
another element in the equation that you feel good about if you're the astros of
looking at your offense which has started to click a little bit more than it
had at points during the season this year, and that feels good. And
he is a guy that if he is able to get going as well,
boy, do you feel even better about your chances of being able to move
on and face either the Diamondbacks or the Phillies in the World Series. So
that is something to keep an eye on here in this ALCS. So real
quick before we flip it over to the next segment, Martin and Angleton wants
to weigh in here on Sports Talk seven to ninety Martin, what's going on,
buddy? Hey, yeah, I heard you. You you produce the
A team, right, that's correct? Why don't they take phone calls?
From phone calls? They just talked amongst themselves that Adam and what's his name?
And that's no good. You need to have you need to have them
take phone calls from us and having interaction. I don't understand that. Do
you want me to yell out, Martin? This is all you want me
to do? Do you want me to yell at my radio hosts? Tell
me right now? Martin, Well, I'm just saying, just hear them.
Hear them talk amongst themselves between the two hosts. That's no good.
I like interaction with with phone callers and the hosts. That's all I'm saying.
What do you got on the astros? Martin? Well, what can
I say? I hope, I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm nervous and uh well
not nervous, but I'm just you know, I always get this way about
my Houston teams and uh we're the spoiler detections, uh rockets, even the
comments to the w n B A. I just get real antsy, you
know. And but anyway, but anyway, Yeah, they need to take
phone calls. Man. Well, hey, look, we take plenty of
phone calls here on Sports Talk seven ninety and Martin, you were always welcome
to call in on Space City Saturday. I mean, you know, you
know, in terms of how the shows go, I mean, hey,
it's just the way that sometimes it goes. The guys bring content. The
guys are here to inform and entertain, and that's what we do. So
you know, I appreciate the call there, buddy, And we do take
calls on the A team, mind you, we do do it. So
it's all good. But in terms of the astros, look, I understand
the nerves. I understand the nerves from the standpoint of you just don't want
the other result to happen because it is a scenario of you want to be
able to beat DFW, you know, kind of the chance beat La beat
la. You know that are out there in this case right here. You
want to be able to say, hey, you know what, you guys
might look down on us here in the space city, but we're proud of
our city, and we damn well should be proud of our city. And
you know, everybody you know tries to say how great of a place Dallas
is and everything else. In terms of the people itself. Have you ever
heard people always say that whenever they go up to Dallas. If I don't
mind the city, I just don't like the people. I've always had that
interaction up there in Dallas in this case right here, you know, you
don't want them to have their hoity toitiness up there in uptown, you know,
Mockingbird Lane and SMU Boulevard, you know, right near SMU to be
like we beats Houston. You know, you don't want any of those types
of things. But in terms of you know, being able to win this
series, yeah, you want to be able to have your chest out a
little bit. You want to be able to when you have Thanksgiving, you
know, coming up a little bit later next month. If you've got DFW
family, which I've got my mom, you know, with her family,
they did the Midwest migration from Iowa out to California years ago and then they
settled in the Metroplex. And I've got Ranger fans in my family, which
I've been hearing from the better part of the last week, especially once this
series became a reality, and we've got all of that. So look,
it's really all fun, and you know, it's all fun and good.
I mean really, when it comes down to it, yes, I mean
it's a pride factor when it comes down to it, because We're prideful in
the state, right we should be. It's an amazing state. We're prideful
in the city, right, it's an amazing city. We should be.
And that's all part of it. But in terms of everything else we win,
there's still going to be business at hand. If they lose, it's
going to hurt the pride, but also to this organization is not going anywhere,
and seventh straight is not going to fall off overnight. This team would
still be in position to be able to make a run at getting to this
point again the following year and be able to go for it all over again.
But we're not even gonna think about that because we haven't even had an
honest pitch in this series. I see Alex and Roger wanting the way in
we'll do that coming up also too, I do want to get into a
little bit of college football, especially to the variety that we saw the other
night over in third Ward. I was in the building a few things that
I want to share on that won't spend too much time on it, because,
like I said, ninety percent of the show today is going to be
Astros and for good reason. So like I said, Alex and Roger Stick
and stay. We got a couple of other lines open if you want to
hop in at seven one three, two one two five, seven ninety,
we will do all of that right here. Space City Saturday. It's Dan
Matthews here with you for another forty five minutes on your home of the Astros
in the Rockets Sports Talk seven ninety. Space City Saturday continues on Sports Talk
seven ninety. Frocks Sad it got to the cour me at Snyder. You
really did rock I have an unhealthy obsession and love for the police, and
I believe I just misssting, which I'm a little upset about. But I
love the police. Thank you for that, buddy, I really do appreciate
that. Seven one three two on two five, seven ninety if you want
to jump in. As a matter of fact, one of the last shows
that me and the girlfriend Megan saw before we moved back to Houston was there
was a little kind of music club in studio in Woodstock, which is kind
of I guess you could say a little bit the woodlands of Atlanta and a
place called Madlife. You ever find yourself in Woodstock, Georgia, a place
called Madlife Studio and Stage, and they had a police cover band and the
guy looked exactly like Sting and I was singing along with every single song.
I'd had a few cocktails at that point, so maybe the table next to
me probably was like, dude, I came to hear the show, not
you, which I've got a pet peeve about that at shows. But regardless,
all right, like I said, someone three two and two five,
seven ninety, let's see who's been holding the longest. Roger has been holding
the longest. Right here, Sports Talk at seven ninety out in Sugarland.
Roger, what's going on, buddy? Hey Dan, I've I've got a
big interest in high school sports. So I was watching the show and this
pertained to the astros my school Scoreboard Live. You may know it. It's
an hour and a half show, uh, and Tepper and the crew,
Yeah, I know it. Well, yes, okay, So Aaron Hartigan,
who's the lady host, you know, near the end of the show,
they're filling time, and she says, sometimes on this show, we're
always looking at Houston versus Dallas, and Dallas versus Houston. And how about
that matchup where the rivalry of the Major League Baseball teams and Greg Tepper,
you know, Craig Way had tapped him on the shoulder and said, and
we got a Ranger season ticket holder here. And Greg Tepper says to Aaron,
I'm just sick to my stomach. And she says why, and he
says, we we all know what's coming down the pike. That's what he
said. So he's just I know there are a lot of Rangers fans who
are saying they're gonna win the series. But in a moment of brutal honesty,
Greg Tepper, managing editor of David Campbell's Texas Football, said, we
know what's coming down the pike. So I'm I'm trying not to be too
confident. I'm very confident though. Well, I mean, if you were
listening earlier in the show, appreciate the call. Roger. Like I said,
Dalton's rule from Roadhouse rule number one, never underestimate your opponent. And
look, I mean, you know Greg, I mean in terms of he
is an outstanding journalist. I mean, I follow his work. We had
Mike craven on as a matter of fact, a couple of weeks ago from
Dave Campbell's Texas Football Talks from College Greg is fantastic as well. Sometimes and
I get this, it's kind of like what I did when I was in
school of hey, how did you do on that test? I don't want
to say because in my mind, even though it's dumb to think this way,
what's done is done. You already took the test, and whatever grade
you're gonna get, whatever grade you're gonna get. And I think a lot
of us do the same as fans of I don't want to be overly confident,
like, you know, it's one of those like I said, some
of us who have got DFW family and friends, you know, how do
you think we're going to do in the series? I don't want to say,
because it's one of those things you don't want to talk trash because it's
also too as well. If you are not overly boastful and you're not overly
counting your chickens before they hatch, then at the end of it, which
normally when it's said and done, and if the side that I have a
rooting interest in wins, usually I'm kind of like, you know what,
hey, you know, it's over with, it's done. I think it
was a great series. Maybe you don't agree because of how things went.
But you know, I'm just not gonna say anything about it. I don't
need to worry about it anymore. It's done, it's over with. And
in that case right there, I think that's a little bit of what Greg's
probably doing is he's probably just saying, hey, look, man, you
know I want them to win. I hope they win. But you know,
it's also two when you've been a fan of a team that has had
a track record of what they've had in the past, which the Rangers.
Aside from twenty ten and twenty eleven, the postseason has been kind of a
house of horus for them. But remember too, down here it was the
same deal. I mean, remember going into two thousand and four. I
mean, I'll I will never forget it. In that Wildcard series against the
Braves when the Astros lost Game four, and I remember talking on the phone
with my mom when I was in school at Texas Lutheran, and I said,
I just don't feel good about it. I know the way this book
is written because I'd seen it so many times. I had lived ninety eight,
I had lived ninety nine, I'd lived ninety seven, although ninety seven
was gravy because that was the first time they'd won the division in years and
made it to the postseason. But ninety eight hurt. Ninety nine it especially
hurt, especially the extra ending loss. And then you know, I remember
Bob Ford closing out the Astrodome and saying, you know, after so many
years, we close the old Lady down. I mean, when I moved
to Atlanta, one of my first coworkers there in Atlanta was a guy that
I couldn't stand from that series, Brian Jordan, And that was funny to
finally meet bj and tell them, and we've had laps about it since,
but I said, man, you have no idea how much I just couldn't
stand you after that home running game four of the nlcra DS in ninety nine.
And of course you got a good laugh out of it, because hey,
he was on the other side of it. But you know, it's
one of those things that my good buddy Josh Pate, who hosts Late Kick
Josh, the Late Kick podcast college football podcast, does a really good job
for twenty four to seven sports, and he has a saying that makes so
much sense right here. Just because you haven't doesn't mean you can and just
because you couldn't in the past doesn't mean you won't. And all of those
things again, just like football, that every single game is its own story.
Every single series, every single game in the postseason is that much more
magnified. And that is, you know, something that you look at of
the previous history again, throw it out. Throw it out, because even
though the Astros have the track record and the Rangers don't, I guarantee you
it's not Marcus Simeon and Corey Seeger and everybody in that clubhouse down the left
field line, the third baseline at Minute Made Park saying wow, you know,
they beat us nine out of four times and they've done it seven straight
times. So guys, do we really have a chance in this series?
I guarantee you that's not the way that they are entering into this series.
Alex near Hobby Airport won the way in Alex. What's going on, buddy?
Hey, Ross, I don't know what the guy is talking about.
You know, only the only time that I call Adam and you know the
A team I was put on the air that time, So I really don't
know what he's talking about. Ross. About this series, man, it's
gonna be epic and you know, I am more exciting than you know when
we were facing the Jackets. To be honest with you, I'm not I'm
not scared. Look, listen, both of these teams are super hot.
If you go back to the Astros, uh, they've been playing playoff games
before the season started. They went to Baltimore one, two or three.
They sweat Arisota and UH and they beat Minnesota. So they're hot. I
consider them very hot right now, and it takes us. You know,
they won't find in a row. It's going to be very interesting when the
Astros beat him the first time, to see how the Texas Rangers react.
You know, I think we are in their heads. You know, I
think we got their number. And this season is more about the fans.
Man. Listen, I hate Dallas, everything about Dallas, and I know
they hate it too, you know. So about the pitching real quick,
you know, I wouldn't throw JP Frans in there. I mean, I
think the guy has been he hasn't pitched in a long time, and last
time he did, Man, they're really hit him really hard. I would
throw our kitty again for one of these games. Your opinion on this,
thanks, I appreciate it. By the way, Alex, it's Stan.
I'll have to tell Ross that because people all the time with Ross. Hey,
Gordy, No, it's Ross. It happens. Hey, It's all
good. Appreciate the call, though, Buddy uh. In terms of you
know, the way that the pitching rotation will break down, I mean,
I think number one and two will know. And I gotta believe when Dusty
talks with the media, he'll be saying the exact same thing, which I
believe is happening right now over at Minute Made Park. But in terms of
the way the rest of this series goes, I mean the way that Christian
Hobber has pitched right now, he's probably Game three and then yes, I
mean, you know, going into the postseason, I think going into that
start against the Arizona Diamondbacks, that Knights had Jose Orkety just given them what
they had hoped for three four innings and make it into a bullpen game,
then we're not talking about Jose Arkety as a viable option right now in the
rotation. But now that he gave you that, and he gave you the
start that he did the other night, Jose Orkety is no longer a bullpen
arm. Jose Arkety is now a starter on this roster. And when you've
got the track record that he does in the postseason, it started back in
twenty nineteen, the game five win on the road in DC against or was
it Game four, regardless, that's when it really got started. He got
the win Game two of the World Series in twenty one, and he has
been an absolute stalwart for this team that when you have given him the ball
in the postseason, you've asked him to do one thing, keep us in
it. Two things. You've asked them to throw strikes and keep us in
it, and he has done both of those things. And the offense has
responded behind him as well. And the other night you only needed three runs
and that's all they got, and that's all they needed. As then you
were able to hand it off to Hector Narris, Brian Abray you and also
as well to Ryan Presley to be able to close things out and now set
up for Game one of the ALCS tomorrow. Real quick, let's get to
Ray calling from Montana. Ray, what's going on, buddy? How you
doing? I actually need to put we're actually, I guess we're having some
phone issues right now, let's get to him here in just a second before
we actually get to Jeff Blum coming up next segment, we'll do that right
here. It is Space City Saturday. Dan Matthews here with you for another
thirty minutes on your home of the Astros and the Rockets Sports Talk seven ninety.
It's Space City Saturday one, Sports Talk seven night. Kiss you,
Space City Saturday. Indeed, Ray apologize. As a matter of fact,
Hey, guess what Ray just called back in. So if you're calling back
in from Montana, you're definitely moving to the front of the line. Definitely.
I want to hear Astros country up there in Montana. But here,
after we get to him and Josh, we will get to Jeff Blum.
As a matter of fact, Ray, how about that this time I clicked
the right button. Ray. Hey, look, man, it's live radio.
Sometimes user error comes in. But what's an Astros fan doing in Montana?
Well, I'm married a woman from Montana when I was in the Navy,
and it was either move here or go back home without her. So
I understand no, yeah, no, trust me. Hey, you know,
the girl moved to Atlanta for me. I moved back for both of
us, So I'm totally there with you. Can I ask you something really
quick before we get into the astros? Sure, how much do you hate
the show Yellowstone up there? I'm kind of indifferent. I mean it's not
anything like what's on TV. I mean it's entertainment. Okay. People aren't
gunning each other down like on there, so it's just like anybody else.
So it's just a show. So there's no train stationary anything. Rip is
not walking around up there, and you know all those things. I mean,
you got tourists probably dressed like Beth Dutton. I get it, and
I understand. But now let's talk astros man, what do you got?
Okay, Look, I'm from the Beaumont area. The whole Gulf Coast was
underwater in seventeen and I'm not saying that people of Dallas and Fort Worth of
bannon Ess, but for sure, sure, for certain it was the Texas
Rangers that abandon us. I have zero compassion for them. We're going to
kick their butts all over the field. And as for my family that's up
in Dallas Fort Worth, I mean there's we can always talk at, you
know, during Christmas or whatever. So I people talk about us being cheaters.
The Rangers are worse than we are. You don't abandon your your state
and need so I'd hope that we wouldn't, we would not do the same
thing to them. And I'll just I'll listen to your comments. No,
I appreciate it, buddy. Yeah, I mean, you know, there
was the whole series of you know, reports out there that they could have
gone up to Arlington and played and that wasn't made available. All of those
different things. In terms of that entering into the equation. Look, you're
not going to have Jim Crane and in this case now Dana Brown, Dusty
Baker Astros players if they are the ones popping champagne in the clubhouse and celebrating
saying, hey, you don't remember what those past did to us in twenty
seventeen, none of that's going to happen. You know. I think that
that's all of it too, is it's just part of rivalry. Well,
you know what, you guys did this, you guys did that, all
of those different things. I think that when it comes to the baseball side
of this, that none of that is going to come into play because again,
when you are in a series that is going to be as closely contested
as this is going to be. You just can't allow for that type of
mindset because it's a distraction and it's something that creeps in that can allow for
you to be off your game. And I think the Astros are a group
that tries not to play emotionally. They try their best to be, you
know, as unemotional as possible and as business like as possible. And I
know Jeff Blum, who will get to here just momentarily, he talked about
that yesterday as well, as that's what this team is during the postseason is
they try to take the emotion out of it and just try to be about
what's our objective? What are we supposed to do? I read a book
years ago called The Way of the Seal Mark Devine, former Navy seal,
and he had an interesting point in the book of calling it line sight focus.
When you are aiming your weapon down range, you're aiming through the target,
but more than anything, you're focused on the target nothing else. And
that is something too that great athletes have, is hey, look, people
are talking trash to me. People are saying things, are doing whatever,
they have no bearing on me. Accomplishing what my objective is supposed to be.
And that's how good organizations and good teams focus. There's a reason why
teams talk about we don't worry about what's outside the building. Good organizations do
that. I mean, I think we can agree. I was around a
really good organization, the Georgia Bulldogs football program these last couple of years of
them being able to reach the ultimate goal. And Kirby Smart has a saying,
we talk with our face mask, we talk with our helmet, we
talk with our play That's how good organizations deal with things. They don't deal
with things in terms of oh yeah, well they said this about us.
They don't worry about it. They just move on and they do what they're
supposed to do. Josh in League City wants to weigh in here on Sports
Talk seven ninety Josh, what's going on, buddy? Hey, how's it
going guys? Oh? Doing great? Buddy, good Rooke. I got
a question for you about the Ashlers. But before I get to that,
I got another quick question for you. So I coach high school football,
right and every week I make these high videos and I was wondering, Man,
if you can up helped me out and give me a couple of soundclips
to put in the video talking about our team. If that's something that we
can work out later. Yeah, hey, tell you what I'm gonna have
Adam afterwards. Put you on hold and I will give you my email address,
and let's make that work. Man. I absolutely would love to do
that. I personally went to Saint Thomas and I saw it. They put
out a hype video and I said, hey, if you ever need voicing
for that, man, I'm available. I know that the ad Mike Netzel
over there, he listens, so you know, hey, look, you
know I'm I am willing to help out love high school football. So yeah,
man, let's make this happen awesome. I appreciate that. Uh So
that My my astros question here is, uh, you know, I've been
looking to you guys today and and I like that talk about the mental side
of the game. Uh So my question will be, you know, uh,
if it comes down to the game and the Rangers bring in chatman,
you think that he's got any kind of mental blocks, you know, coming
into the series thinking about you know, the astros and and and you know
what we've done there with him and just kind of basically his struggles throughout you
know where he's been, where you know he was. There's a great dominating
picture too. Uh you know, Genny, these these tight game situations and
and and blowing it sometimes. No, yeah, I appreciate it. And
Josha, like I said, got you on hold. I'll be with you
here in just a second. But in terms of that, I mean it
gets back to what I just talked about, the line sight focus in you
know, in this case right here, I guarantee you, jose Al Tuvey,
if he gets into the box against you know, a rold As Chapman,
it's going to be all right. I know how to hit this guy.
I prove that I know how to hit this guy. But again,
you know, it gets back to none of that matters right now. This
at bat matters. This is what matters right now, and that is something
that you know, you hear the greatest athletes and the greatest performers of all
time talk about clearing the noise and clearing the distractions. And in that case
right there, another thing is, oh are you nervous in that point?
Nerves are good. Pressure is good. And I think that a lot of
these guys look at it of Oh, were you worried you're gonna mess up?
You can't even allow that to be in your in your thought process because
let's just take Ryan Presley for example. You know, I know a lot
of people have gotten nervous obody his last few weeks when Ryan Presley has coming
to a game, he has continued to show that he is still one of
the best closers in baseball. And in this case right here, I guarantee
you if he goes out on the mound, it's not a what happens if
this pitch goes this way, or what happens if this slider doesn't necessarily break
the way I want to can't think that way. You absolutely have to go
out there and say I've got the stuff, this is what I need to
do. I need to work strike one, I need to work off strike
two ball and play where do I go objectively focused? That's how you get
through this time of the year. And again, this organization has done it
as well as anybody, and that is something they have talked about. It's
almost ad nauseum for some out there, but it's hard to argue with the
results because the results have been pretty unreal all right, I tease Jeff Blum.
As a matter of fact, we're gonna give that to you here in
the final segments. Let's break a little bit early so we can get that
to you in your entirety, and then also to be able to close things
out here on Space City Saturday at Dan Matthews here with you for about another
twenty minutes on your home of the Astros and the Rocket Sports Talk seven to
ninety Space City Saturday on Sports Talk seven ninety s. All right, Sports
Talks seven ninety Space City Saturday, Dan Matthews here with you for about another
fifteen in change. About ten minutes of that we are going to spend having
a chance to look back at the visit yesterday that Jeff Blum, former Astros
player now analyst for Space City Home Network with the Astros on TV, of
course doing the pre and post right now with him not being on the game
action for it all, but he was on for the full hour yesterday.
This is just about ten minutes of that visit with the A team Adam Clanton
and Adam Wexler right here on your Home of the Astros Sports Talk seven ninety.
Let's hear from Jeff wex and ac here on a Friday, which means
we're with Blum and he came to our neck of the woods for a change.
That's what happens when the playoffs start and they kick you off of TV
for no good reason. Beat it, but I digress. How does it
feel to be in a seventh consecutive ALCS as a member of the Astros organization?
You know what I it's it's unbelievable. We put up you know,
we had a chance to do the post game, which is glorious, by
the way, and sitting there in the next to Kevin Ashenfelder and Todd Kallis,
they put up a graphic on our show and it put up teams that
I grew up watching the Atlanta Braves in the nineties, the you know,
the late nineties New York Yankees and the runs that they get on and these
are some of these teams back in you know, up until nineteen ninety four,
they were just playing. You win the division, you go to the
championship series. In game on right now you have all these extra rounds that
started in nineteen ninety four. It's a division series wildcards, and now you've
got the excess that we have now and you still realize the fact that they
have gone through three four rounds to get to these alcs's, and now seven
times in a row during this wild card era that we are living in seven
freaking times in a row, more than the Braves did almost It does,
yeah, because back then, you I mean, you know, ninety one
to ninety three, you only had to win the division and you were in
the playoffs, you were in the championship series. So now it makes it
that much sweeter that they're able to do what they're able to do. And
I love the fact that everybody's just oh, man, we're in the ALCS.
How awesome is this? And we're just going, yeah, that's what
that's what we've been doing. Man, it's October, said the same thing.
Yeah, the same exact thing must be in the league because it's October.
It's crazy the month our seasons have been February October for the last seven
years. That's that's unheard of. Ninety games in the playoffs while we just
played a full season in the playoffs. We just started this week Rockets preseason
games. The two of us each did one. It's been six months since
we did a game because they haven't been in the postseason. So when you
start talking about you know, everybody always talks about, well, these guys
have played almost a full season of game. They really have. Yeah,
Like it's I mean, I know it's one hundred and ninety games, but
ninety games. That's yeah, that's that's it. That's insane. What I
mean. You know, it's Tom Brady in the New England Patriots. How
many NFC or whatever AFC championships did they get to in a row? And
again, in their situation, that's two extra games, that's what I mean.
Yeah, it's one eighth then of a season. If they agains were
always in skipping the wildcard round, coming to the Astros, and then they
got one home win and they'd be in the title game. You got the
conference title game. Yeah, one play play one game to get into the
conference title game. That's what's astonishing to me is the fact that they've been
able to beat off everybody, pardon me, in that in baseball to get
to that point, it's crazy. And I love the fact that all these
hundred win teams and everybody bitching and moaning about the setup the wild card.
Who isn't bitching and moaning? Yeah, I mentioned that yesterday these stories and
narratives are really hit into high gear when the Dodgers were ousted after the Orioles
and Rays had been ousted, mainly the Orioles because of their time off,
and then yesterday the Braves joined them. And the stories continue most of the
time to not acknowledge for the first time ever nationally that the Astros exist,
because it won't help them tell the story of having a week off means you're
going to lose, because the Astros keep disproving that at least the last two
years, because the format has been the same the last two years and the
time off has been the same the last two years with the change of the
format. But while all these other articles are written in LA, how,
what is Dave Roberts doing wrong? Why can't they because they don't play good
baseball at this time of year. It's not Dave Roberts problem. It is
a Clayton Kershaw problem. And you could argue it's a Mookie Betts problem.
It's the players and you're not going to get rid of them, but they
haven't performed. It's there's nothing wrong. It was a problem last night with
the bases loaded. Oh my goodness, Well it started as a Polar problem
because it should have been three to two. There might not have even been
a throw. Are they not all out pick a base? Dude? Yeah?
All got back the guy first and second they all took off running,
assuming that Polar was gonna run. Polari's got decent wheels. I don't care
how old he is. You can still run. And that ball got far
enough away to where I said, with my ability at fifty years old,
I'm scoring. And Josh and I were talking about this because I was watching
it while we were doing the Rockets game. Then first base is open and
you can walk a kunyah, which they probably would have done, but they
got him out anyways, Cloud outs it was standing eighty something feet. Yeah.
Talking about some of these teams, though, I mean, have you
guys talked at all about how the Astros. It's one thing to be able
to be built. Nobody talks about this. I feel like nationally, nobody
talks about being built to win a division, being built to win inside the
National League West. But what they can't win outside the National League West,
they get into a playoff format, Like you guys, are talking about and
they can't perform. That's where the Astros are different. They were built to
perform in October, and how explain why they can't replicate that. The Astros
are built to be a like an ass kicking machine this time of year,
regardless of who they play, which I think really comes into play with this
series now, because I mean, if you want all the toxicity on the
play, you've got it. But at the end of the day, when
everything else, all the riff raft like Dave Raymond was on the Matt Thomas
Show before us today, what all that's lementing? The hardest job for us,
or the worst part about this is when when they, you know,
leave us on the outside come playoff time as a broadcasters, like, oh
my god, David, it must be horrific for you years where you've never
had that happen. What does feel like? I got to laugh as I
was listening. Wait, he's not broadcasting strange. Yeah, well, at
least you are now of the post game variety. Well, that's another reason
why I'm super excited about a seventh ALC. I was gonna be upset of
the first year we broadcast. They go out in the Division series But here's
the thing. Once you do tear away all of that, and we've got
a long time to talk about this matchup, obviously, But once you tear
all of that, you know, extra curricular away, you've got a a
matchup that is like delicious. Oh man, MLB probably didn't know how how
badly they wanted this. They don't yet, I don't, don't they still
have out Oh my gosh, Well, it's it's again. It's it's who
wants to talk about Texas more. National media does not want to talk about
Texas anymore than they have to unless it's the Dallas Cowboys. And now you've
got both Texas teams in it. Because everybody wanted the Dodgers and the Mets
and the Braves and a Philly they want all these coastal themes going on.
But now you've got the state of Texas and that they have no idea.
It's an untapped spice that they haven't gotten in chet yet. Right. You
know what, he's probably lobbying to go cover the Phillies for this, you
know he might, who knows, but and that you know you played for
Arizona, you know how irrelevant they are us. So I just the I
mean, the Major League Baseball has to be wanting the Astros to win,
because then the sexiest matchup left is the rematch of last year's World Series.
Anybody in the league office right now is talking about a matchup between the Phillies
and Ashers again, just because it's a good story, because it talks about
how two organizations have been run. And I like the fact that the Astros
are kind of that homegrown ball club that they put together, and then you
have these these bought teams between the Rangers and the Phillies out there. I
think Arizona would be a great story. I know that Major League Baseball wouldn't
go for it, but Brent Strom being over there and some of the connections
between behind it, between those two teams. Shoot, even Jeff Banister would
be coming back. You think he'd have some tips for his hitters about the
Astros pitchers. I mean, that would be a blast to try and figure
out that chess match. And considering what we saw at the end of the
season with Arizona, that's not the same team that was playing right now.
Yeah, just ask the Rangers. They'll tell you about it. Even though
the team couldn't beat the Seattle Mariners triple A pitching yep, couldn't even get
a hit in that last inning and they lost a evion. That's what's so
great about this There's so many subplots, and almost none of them the good
ones are about the fact that these two fan bases hate each other guts and
there's going to be fist fights at both locations. Why, I'm not like
lobbying for it, but I'm also not surprised if it happened. No,
but there's gonna be some pretty vicious trash shocking all the way around. And
I know that you know the and again, Oh the Astros, Oh,
how are they gonna handle this shot up? I'm so tired Minnesota to talk
to great the neck that Minnesota. Yeah, it was. It was kind
of funny to hear the Astro players saying congratulating the Minnesota Twins for fans for
showing up. It was a lot of fun. They're not bothered by that
stuff that goes in one ear out the other. But I do think in
the stand is gonna be a completely different story. Sounds like this prediction is
obvious. You feel good, I really feel good about it. Yeah,
I mean I don't. I haven't felt this good about a lot of series,
but I just feel like this matchup there's too much. There's too much
for the If the Rangers have to play perfect baseball, and what I mean
by that is they're gonna go out there and sluck if you can keep them
in the ballpark, and that's the biggest thing. If they're gonna hit home
runs, make them solo home runs, don't walk guys, make them earn
their way on contained seeger can Tane Garcia, and you're gonna give yourself a
fighting chance. Just keep keep the ball in the ballpark because they are superior
with the rotation, they're superior with their bullpen, their defense is superior,
and their ability to hit, I think is superior too. The wild card
for me in this series is going to be Kyle Tucker, just because he
did not have that good series in Minnesota, yet he is going to face
a team that he absolutely obliterated. And if they focus on Kyle Tucker,
that only means that there's other weapons in that line. If they're going to
go out there and swing the bat. And as much as the Astros aren't
talking about it, which I applaud them for there's something internally I think that
they want to go out there and establish Texas as their state. There you
go, Jeff Blum join in the a team yesterday of Courus Plummer with the
guys every single week right here on your home of the Astros A Sports Talk
seven ninety and for everything that he talked about right there. I mean,
look, if there is anybody that you can trust in terms of knowing the
pulse of this team, it would probably be Jeff Blum and being a guy
that is called what one hundred and fifty five of the games this year.
I mean, you get a few breaks here and there for ESPN and Fox
National games, but aside from that being on most of, if not all,
of the Astros games this year, and I mean, you know,
I'm just kind of seeing some of the comments coming from over at a minute,
made Park. I know that Dusty Baker has already addressed the media,
jose Al Tuve meeting with them as well. The Astro is going to get
on the field here in about five minutes to start a workout, and Justin
Verlander also going to address the media today. The Rangers also going to be
working out down there. Didn't come out here and perform. That's what it
really comes down to, and that's what it is. Is people are saying,
oh, the format's got to change way too much time off. You
have to look at it as well. The Astros were a team the way
that they were playing, they were probably saying, man, we need this
time off because you've got a little bit more of a veteran presence on this
roster now. And also too, you heard Jeff Blum just talk about it
right there, and you know Clanton bringing it up as well. As it
seems like the Astros for the better part of these last few years have been
playing year round baseball, because if this thing does play out to the string
and that is them playing in the World Series, you're talking about going through
the end of this month into next month, and then you get the rest
of November off, you get December and players usually start doing on field activities
in terms of throwing, hitting, doing all those different types of things,
probably around January, and then it hits February and a couple of weeks after
the Super Bowl wraps up, that's when we're getting ready for pitchers and catchers
and full squad. At the end of the month showing up to West Palm
Beach to get ready for spring training. That's not much time off. And
the good news is this year too as well. You're not going to have
the World Baseball Classic, You're not going to have all of those different types
of things. You're gonna have your guys there in West Palm Beach working out
with you, getting ready for the season and be able to kind of take
this thing in stride. As opposed to those guys were playing competitive baseball.
Jose al Tuvay was playing competitive baseball. Jose Orchidi was playing competitive baseball.
Brian A. Bray you for Team Dominican Republic, was playing competitive baseball.
Same with Kyle Tucker and same with Ryan Presley as well. And the other
part of it as well, because they were playing competitive baseball, they probably
were not able to get the same amount of work that they were getting leading
into that series or leading into this season. So that's another part of all
of this as well. So you know, in terms of this, I
gave my prediction yesterday, I said, Astros in six. I think that
probably you know, you hope for a split here, go up to Arlington,
take two out of three, up there and then come back home and
try to close it out in Game six here at minute Mad Park. Like
I said, I just look at these rosters, I look at the experience,
and I just liked the Astros chances in this. So hopefully my words
become the result. We'll see how it all breaks out. That's gonna do
it from here. I want to thank r. J. Choppy from one
oh five to three the fan in DFW for joining me. Also to Jeff
Blum for joining us yesterday on the A team. Adam Snyder behind the glass.
Appreciate his work as that's gonna do it for me here on Space City
Saturday, I'm Dan Matthews. This year home of the Astros and Rockets Sports
Talk seven ninety