WEBVTT 1 00:00:07.799 --> 00:00:13.279 Welcome aboard, Welcome to another Space City Saturday on Sports Talk seven ninety Dad 2 00:00:13.279 --> 00:00:18.559 Matthews Live and local h Town breakdown of the world that matters to you, 3 00:00:19.440 --> 00:00:23.879 the Houston sports world, all these great Houston fans here. We love y'all. 4 00:00:25.600 --> 00:00:29.440 So finish up on that to do list, flute up the cooler, 5 00:00:30.120 --> 00:00:34.240 because you can't drink in talk sports all day if you don't start. Now 6 00:00:34.560 --> 00:00:40.479 bear me the eight. This is Space City Saturday. It's insane. Here's 7 00:00:40.520 --> 00:00:50.880 seven nineties Dad Matthews. Remember I've given the rules before about day drinking. 8 00:00:50.920 --> 00:00:56.000 You know, it's one of those where you won't get the looks from the 9 00:00:56.079 --> 00:00:58.880 judge, the old woman. Well it's before noon, how could you be 10 00:00:58.920 --> 00:01:00.520 doing that? And I've said that. A couple of places that are fine 11 00:01:00.719 --> 00:01:04.480 are the airport. If you're at the airport and somebody does that, hey 12 00:01:04.560 --> 00:01:08.239 dude, I'm nervous about flying. What's your problem? Or even on a 13 00:01:08.239 --> 00:01:12.239 football tailgate day, and that's where you can be able to get those things 14 00:01:12.239 --> 00:01:17.879 going. But Saint Patrick's Day weekend, and I call this Saturday of Saint 15 00:01:17.879 --> 00:01:22.079 Patrick's Day weekend adult Saint Patrick's because it's funny. I was talking about this 16 00:01:22.120 --> 00:01:25.760 with Ross yesterday. Ross Hiller real, of course, is who I'm talking 17 00:01:25.760 --> 00:01:30.519 about, and he was saying about Monday, because Matt is going to be 18 00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:37.120 out. I believe they are leaving to go to a DC for the second 19 00:01:37.120 --> 00:01:41.120 part of their games against the Washington Wizards, them being the Rockets, of 20 00:01:41.120 --> 00:01:42.719 course, and he was saying, you know, oh, Monday, you 21 00:01:42.719 --> 00:01:45.760 know it might be a little sluggish. I said, well, dude, 22 00:01:46.280 --> 00:01:49.560 do your Saint Patrick's day partying on Saturday. That's the plan right there, 23 00:01:49.959 --> 00:01:53.799 and tomorrow we're green. I'll do all those different types of things, but 24 00:01:53.640 --> 00:01:57.959 the day drinking is going to cease at a certain point and I'll start to 25 00:01:57.959 --> 00:02:00.040 get ready for the week because we're adults here after all right. I mean, 26 00:02:00.079 --> 00:02:05.400 that's really what it finally boils down to. And that's kind of what 27 00:02:05.480 --> 00:02:08.000 I related to Ross is, Ross, we can't be showing up Monday hungover, 28 00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:10.800 man, Like we're past that age. It's one of those you know, 29 00:02:10.840 --> 00:02:13.639 hey man, you know everything, all right, Yeah, I'm a 30 00:02:13.680 --> 00:02:17.039 little hungover man. That's messy. That's come on, man, like you 31 00:02:17.240 --> 00:02:21.240 or where's your life? You're kind of spiraling out of control. That's that's 32 00:02:21.240 --> 00:02:23.960 not the way to live. So anyway, I feel like today is a 33 00:02:24.039 --> 00:02:28.639 day that if you're out there and you're of the adult variety, well then 34 00:02:29.080 --> 00:02:32.159 put it on. But if you are not, and you feel like you 35 00:02:32.199 --> 00:02:37.080 can still hang with the young kids, well then sure go tomorrow. Go 36 00:02:37.479 --> 00:02:39.199 go crazy tomorrow. I know. I think our friends over at the Buzz 37 00:02:39.560 --> 00:02:45.879 are doing stuff all weekend out in Edo. I know that Teresa rock Face, 38 00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:51.919 Teresa Clanton, she's gonna be out at what was it Little woodros in 39 00:02:52.199 --> 00:02:55.520 Edo tomorrow. So's a lot of good stuff happening all weekend here. So 40 00:02:55.879 --> 00:03:00.319 again, not to be lost in all of this, Happy Saint Patrick's Day 41 00:03:00.439 --> 00:03:04.319 weekend. All right, hour one of the show today. Here by the 42 00:03:04.360 --> 00:03:07.719 way, Dan Matthews here with you on a full Space City Saturday. It's 43 00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:10.479 been a while, Adam Snyder since we've been able to say that, So 44 00:03:12.039 --> 00:03:15.639 got Adam Snyder behind the glass helping me along this morning. But we will 45 00:03:15.680 --> 00:03:21.919 do the full two hours of the show and then coming up in about five 46 00:03:22.039 --> 00:03:24.439 hours, Rockets launch Pad can be coming your way right here. So that's 47 00:03:24.479 --> 00:03:29.360 the other thing as well, a little bit of Rockets basketball coming up today. 48 00:03:29.479 --> 00:03:34.000 Normally Saturday evenings is when they come your way, but no four o'clock 49 00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:38.240 tip for that one over at Toyota Center, so you can have Matt Thomas 50 00:03:38.240 --> 00:03:40.719 and the crew bringing that along for you, so you have that to look 51 00:03:40.759 --> 00:03:47.439 forward to this afternoon. And also too on the iHeartRadio family of stations four 52 00:03:47.599 --> 00:03:52.879 fifty Astros and Mets Spring Training Action, where can you find that? News 53 00:03:52.960 --> 00:03:57.280 Radio seven forty KTRH is where you can find that one. And then the 54 00:03:57.400 --> 00:04:02.479 Kugs going for the Big twelve title this evening. You can find it over 55 00:04:02.719 --> 00:04:09.400 on Talk nine to fifty. That is KPRC nine fifty, so AM nine 56 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:14.479 to fifty is where you can find that one. And also to on the 57 00:04:14.680 --> 00:04:18.160 Rockets Call today, it's going to be empty and WEX coming your way, 58 00:04:18.279 --> 00:04:21.720 so you have that to look forward to. But here an hour one of 59 00:04:23.079 --> 00:04:27.560 Space City Saturday gonna be all Astros conversations, So if you want to weigh 60 00:04:27.560 --> 00:04:29.759 in, you can. It's someone three two, one, two, five, 61 00:04:29.879 --> 00:04:32.639 seven ninety. I know most of us yesterday, I mean the day 62 00:04:32.639 --> 00:04:39.360 got started with Chandler Rome's report that the Astros still in the free agent market 63 00:04:39.399 --> 00:04:43.079 for a starting pitcher. Then we get the news about Jose Archidi, and 64 00:04:43.240 --> 00:04:47.399 then last night we get the report that the Astros were in pursuit of Blake 65 00:04:47.480 --> 00:04:50.720 Snow, Well, where does that stand right now? I think it pretty 66 00:04:50.759 --> 00:04:55.560 much stands a status quo of what we learned last night. But we will 67 00:04:55.600 --> 00:05:00.480 see exactly where things are as we move along in the show today. Of 68 00:05:00.519 --> 00:05:03.000 course, gonna be scouring the interwebs to see if there's anything that is broken 69 00:05:03.079 --> 00:05:08.439 on that front, but we will keep you up to date here on your 70 00:05:08.519 --> 00:05:12.560 home of the Astro Sports Talk seven ninety so you got that to look forward 71 00:05:12.600 --> 00:05:17.000 to. So again here on this episode of Space City Saturday, we are 72 00:05:17.120 --> 00:05:23.480 on Blake snow Watch, so we will keep a watch. Jose Rakety leaving 73 00:05:23.560 --> 00:05:28.279 his start yesterday, Chandler Rome reporting that the Astros should know more about him 74 00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:31.959 today, so we'll see exactly what is the latest with Jose Rakety. I 75 00:05:31.959 --> 00:05:35.120 mean again, you know I've talked about this before, I mean with Justin 76 00:05:35.240 --> 00:05:41.360 Verlander when he first had the shoulder issue and we were a little bit worried 77 00:05:41.360 --> 00:05:45.360 about him. Then we started to wonder, all right, is this gonna 78 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:47.879 be a long term thing? Because we've seen shoulder issues that have crept up 79 00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:54.839 and have been persistent with certain astros before. Didn't mcculors have a shoulder issue. 80 00:05:55.000 --> 00:05:58.040 But you know, of course, I mean we remember Michael Brantley having 81 00:05:58.040 --> 00:06:01.160 the most famous of all astro shoulder issues that you know, it's one of 82 00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:03.439 those things that when you hear about it at first, and of course you 83 00:06:03.439 --> 00:06:06.040 know, Jake Myers had had one too that lingered for about a couple of 84 00:06:06.120 --> 00:06:11.920 years. But for pictures normally, I'm not as concerned about shoulder issues. 85 00:06:11.959 --> 00:06:15.519 And for Verlander, the good news with him has been he's been throwing through 86 00:06:15.560 --> 00:06:18.759 a bullpen and yesterday, you know, was asked about the fact that, 87 00:06:19.079 --> 00:06:21.839 you know, maybe that live hitters could be on the horizon for him, 88 00:06:21.879 --> 00:06:26.120 and he said, yeah, that's definitely on the table. So we'll see 89 00:06:26.319 --> 00:06:30.879 how that all progresses. But we'll see if indeed he is throwing two live 90 00:06:30.920 --> 00:06:34.000 hitters next week. But erkaty, that's what I'm getting to is the elbow, 91 00:06:34.279 --> 00:06:36.759 And as soon as I hear sonis in the elbow, I'm like, 92 00:06:36.839 --> 00:06:41.079 uh oh. I mean, you know, ask a Yankees fan this week 93 00:06:41.279 --> 00:06:44.879 how they feel about elbows. Because Garrett Colean it's going to keep him out 94 00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:47.040 for at least two months. And that's the other part of it as well, 95 00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:50.319 that for the Yankee fans out there listening, you're thinking about Garrett Cole, 96 00:06:50.439 --> 00:06:54.120 and you're thinking about, you know, is he going to pitch some 97 00:06:54.199 --> 00:06:57.199 time this season? I mean, think about it. If he's shut down 98 00:06:57.279 --> 00:07:00.439 for about two months, then he's got to come back and he's got to 99 00:07:00.600 --> 00:07:02.920 ramp back up. All right, fine, you know that's long toss, 100 00:07:03.000 --> 00:07:06.680 that's flat ground, that's all of those different types of things. Then he's 101 00:07:06.680 --> 00:07:12.120 got the rehab assignments. So at this point, that's April, that's May, 102 00:07:12.639 --> 00:07:15.560 June, July, maybe after the All Star break. Is when you're 103 00:07:15.560 --> 00:07:19.759 talking about Garrett Cole. If everything lines up and goes perfectly right for him, 104 00:07:20.120 --> 00:07:24.360 I think, is what you're talking about with Garrett Cole. So with 105 00:07:24.519 --> 00:07:28.439 Rakidi, I mean, it's definitely not ideal, especially too, when you 106 00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:31.439 factor in what he means to this rotation and what he means in, you 107 00:07:31.480 --> 00:07:34.920 know, just overall to this team in terms of being able to give you 108 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:39.360 a lot of innings, and being able to give you useful innings, and 109 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:43.279 being able to throw strikes, all of those different types of things. That's 110 00:07:43.319 --> 00:07:47.079 what hurts about that middle relief questions. All of those things, they persist 111 00:07:47.199 --> 00:07:51.199 and we will get into all of them as well. But let's head on 112 00:07:51.240 --> 00:07:55.040 out to the phone line. Someone three two one two five seven ninety. 113 00:07:55.120 --> 00:07:57.600 Always know I can count on this guy, Martin and Angleton wants to weigh 114 00:07:57.600 --> 00:07:59.920 in here on Space City Saturday. Martin, what's going on, buddy? 115 00:08:00.639 --> 00:08:03.240 Hey Dan? How are you doing, sir? I just have one question 116 00:08:03.319 --> 00:08:07.360 about Blake Blake Sanell? How many years is he looking at? Are we 117 00:08:07.439 --> 00:08:13.319 looking at with his contract? I'll saw online it's in the range of thirty 118 00:08:13.399 --> 00:08:16.439 million per year? But how many years are we looking at with Blake Sanel? 119 00:08:16.759 --> 00:08:20.680 Do you know? I have not seen any in terms of reports of 120 00:08:20.720 --> 00:08:24.920 what they're looking for, what the Astros are offering. But if I had 121 00:08:24.920 --> 00:08:28.639 the guess, I mean, I would think that the you know, maybe 122 00:08:28.680 --> 00:08:31.080 a little bit of the hang up right now is that he's looking for a 123 00:08:31.159 --> 00:08:35.039 multi year commitment and the Astros might be offering him, I don't know, 124 00:08:35.240 --> 00:08:41.840 a year plus a club option or maybe even a player option or something like 125 00:08:41.919 --> 00:08:45.200 that, and that's probably the hang up at this point. But if I 126 00:08:45.240 --> 00:08:48.600 had the guess, I mean, for the numbers that you were just throwing 127 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:50.240 out right there, of about thirty plus, I would have to believe the 128 00:08:50.279 --> 00:08:54.279 Astros would want it on the short term variety, or maybe even he goes 129 00:08:54.360 --> 00:08:58.799 kind of the Carlos carea route of basically, you're on a one year contract 130 00:08:58.879 --> 00:09:03.919 for three years, where every single year it comes to an option of do 131 00:09:03.960 --> 00:09:05.679 you opt in or do you opt out and try to get a longer term 132 00:09:05.720 --> 00:09:11.559 deal somewhere else. So in terms of just the overall terms, I have 133 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:16.360 not seen any of those disclosed just yet. How much How old is Blake 134 00:09:18.360 --> 00:09:22.240 I didn't even check this morning how old he is. Do you know how 135 00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:26.279 old Blake is? Blake Snell is thirty one, So thirty one. Yeah, 136 00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:28.919 So I mean that's probably why you wouldn't want to go long on a 137 00:09:28.960 --> 00:09:33.600 deal. But yeah, I mean, you know, I think that that's 138 00:09:33.639 --> 00:09:37.320 probably what's holding a little bit of this up right now. He did make 139 00:09:37.360 --> 00:09:39.879 sixteen million last year, by the way, Martin appreciate the call. Buddy 140 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:43.399 got a run. Did make sixteen million last season. But you know, 141 00:09:43.559 --> 00:09:48.519 I mean again, it just also to you factor in what the Astros have 142 00:09:48.600 --> 00:09:52.159 been in terms of an organization, and they are, for the most part 143 00:09:52.519 --> 00:09:56.480 an organization that when you have guys that are around the age that Blake Snell 144 00:09:56.639 --> 00:10:00.519 is, well, you're not going to go super long here, because if 145 00:10:00.559 --> 00:10:03.960 they do, I feel like that sets a dangerous precedent for negotiations they have 146 00:10:05.039 --> 00:10:09.639 coming up. Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker, Robert Valdez, those type of 147 00:10:09.639 --> 00:10:11.840 guys that you also have as well, that if you, you know, 148 00:10:11.919 --> 00:10:16.360 bend the knee here and give a serious amount of money and years to Blake 149 00:10:16.440 --> 00:10:20.039 Snell, then all of a sudden, the same guy who represents him is 150 00:10:20.080 --> 00:10:24.440 the same guy who represents another one of those huge names that I just mentioned. 151 00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:26.320 Alex Bregman is going to come back and say, oh, you know 152 00:10:26.440 --> 00:10:30.159 you did it from my other guy, why don't you do for this guy 153 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:33.960 too as well? And I think that's a little bit of the song and 154 00:10:33.039 --> 00:10:39.120 dance that's being sung and dance to right now with the Astros and Scott Boris. 155 00:10:39.159 --> 00:10:41.879 But again, you know, I think that the other part of it 156 00:10:41.879 --> 00:10:46.240 as well is that if Chandler Rome is reporting that this is at least being 157 00:10:46.320 --> 00:10:50.120 discussed at the moment, then I'm going to take it as biblical word. 158 00:10:50.360 --> 00:10:52.840 Because Chandler does a fantastic job covering the team. I don't just say that 159 00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:58.159 because he's on with us on the A team every single week. But you 160 00:10:58.159 --> 00:11:01.159 know, if he is putting it out there, he's putting his name on 161 00:11:01.240 --> 00:11:03.399 it, then I think you could pretty much take it as yes, the 162 00:11:03.440 --> 00:11:09.240 Astros are serious about trying to do this, so we will see how it 163 00:11:09.399 --> 00:11:11.320 all shakes out. Again, if you want to join Martin and the crew 164 00:11:11.480 --> 00:11:15.480 joining us here on the show, you can at someone three two on two 165 00:11:15.559 --> 00:11:18.000 five seven ninety. You know, by the way, I thought about this 166 00:11:18.080 --> 00:11:22.519 on my way in, and you know one thing that I will never do 167 00:11:22.759 --> 00:11:26.559 to you the listeners out there is what do you think? Radio? That 168 00:11:26.720 --> 00:11:30.919 is never going to happen. I'm going to throw out my thoughts. I'm 169 00:11:30.919 --> 00:11:33.360 going to be having a conversation with myself, maybe with a guest or somebody 170 00:11:33.399 --> 00:11:37.559 like that, who knows, But I'm never going to do the what do 171 00:11:37.600 --> 00:11:39.440 you think? Radio? So I just want you to know that the door 172 00:11:39.519 --> 00:11:43.360 is always open to you if you want to join in. It's not just 173 00:11:43.480 --> 00:11:48.559 me. You're welcome to join in and talk to me talking to myself in 174 00:11:48.639 --> 00:11:52.840 all of you. Absolutely at seOne three two on two five seven ninety. 175 00:11:52.919 --> 00:11:56.200 But I Am never going to just do the oh hey, do you think 176 00:11:56.240 --> 00:12:01.720 the astro should sign Blake snow someone three two one two five seven ninety. 177 00:12:01.039 --> 00:12:05.679 That is awful radio. That is horse bleep radio. You don't want any 178 00:12:05.720 --> 00:12:07.039 part of that radio. And some of you might say, oh no, 179 00:12:07.120 --> 00:12:11.559 I like that radio. You don't like that radio, okay, And if 180 00:12:11.600 --> 00:12:15.360 you don't, then it's time for people like me to tell you you shouldn't 181 00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:18.440 like that radio. So we're not gonna do that here ever, ever, 182 00:12:18.600 --> 00:12:20.600 ever. So I just want to let you know that the door is always 183 00:12:20.639 --> 00:12:26.039 open. Now here's the caveat to it as well. Is I'm talking Astros 184 00:12:26.120 --> 00:12:30.320 right now, right And you call up Adam Snyder and you say, oh, 185 00:12:30.360 --> 00:12:31.840 I want to talk Texans. Well, guess what, Adam Snyder, 186 00:12:31.840 --> 00:12:35.200 We're not talking Texans right now. We're not talking rockets, we're not doing 187 00:12:35.240 --> 00:12:39.559 any of those things. So if stuff like that happens, be prepared to 188 00:12:39.600 --> 00:12:43.279 hold or just call back later. We'll get into those conversations. But anyway, 189 00:12:43.399 --> 00:12:46.879 we'll continue the Astros conversation because there is a ton to get to. 190 00:12:48.039 --> 00:12:52.559 Jake Myers continues to become Rake Myers and down in spring training, so we'll 191 00:12:52.559 --> 00:12:56.960 talk about him from or getting the nod for opening day. Yep, that's 192 00:12:56.960 --> 00:13:00.080 on the table. Next hour, we'll get into a little bit more of 193 00:13:00.200 --> 00:13:03.159 the other topics of conversation sports wise, I mean Texans, Oh, you 194 00:13:03.240 --> 00:13:07.440 know it, We're gonna get into some Texans. We will do that next 195 00:13:07.480 --> 00:13:11.039 hour as well as the Coug's going for their first Big Twelve title in basketball. 196 00:13:11.240 --> 00:13:16.639 We will talk to them and maybe sprinkling just a little bit of Rockets 197 00:13:16.639 --> 00:13:20.720 there, just a little bit, because well, you know, as we 198 00:13:20.759 --> 00:13:24.360 get to this point in the season, yes, they are technically in the 199 00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:28.480 play in round conversation, but for the most part, I mean, I 200 00:13:28.559 --> 00:13:31.000 think we can agree that it would pretty much be pipe dream at this point 201 00:13:31.039 --> 00:13:35.919 for the Rockets to reach that point. So we'll see if indeed they are 202 00:13:35.039 --> 00:13:39.759 able to do that, but again we will talk all of it. Koog's 203 00:13:39.799 --> 00:13:43.399 in Iowa State coming up a little later this afternoon over on KPRC nine point 204 00:13:43.399 --> 00:13:46.919 fifty. That's where you can catch Jeremy Brandam and the crew calling that one. 205 00:13:48.279 --> 00:13:52.240 But we'll continue the Astros conversation next because coming up next, if the 206 00:13:52.279 --> 00:13:56.399 Astros do you land Blake Snell, you can think guys like Renelle Blanco for 207 00:13:56.519 --> 00:14:00.240 making that happen. What's the connection you'll find out next right here, Horse 208 00:14:00.240 --> 00:14:07.840 Talk seven ninety. We now return to Space City Saturday. Sports Talk seven 209 00:14:07.919 --> 00:14:13.480 ninety Space City Saturday. Dan Matthews here with you on this Saint Patrick's Day 210 00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:18.159 weekend Saturday. So you know you're driving around, You're driving around. You 211 00:14:18.200 --> 00:14:20.360 know, a little one in the back seat. I gotta go to the 212 00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:24.240 bathroom, daddy, not now, damn it. There you go, a 213 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:26.240 little Tommy boy for you. Don't say I never did anything for you. 214 00:14:26.120 --> 00:14:30.120 And you don't want the new guy in the corner pucinis guts out, you 215 00:14:30.159 --> 00:14:31.480 know, you don't want at the end all because you want to save a 216 00:14:31.480 --> 00:14:33.759 little bit of money on your break pads. I mean to me, that's 217 00:14:33.799 --> 00:14:37.480 get out. So there you go. That's where we'll ended right there. 218 00:14:37.559 --> 00:14:43.559 But anyway, I know that the errands are being run right now. Maybe 219 00:14:43.559 --> 00:14:46.240 it's an oil change, maybe it's a car wash, maybe it is you 220 00:14:46.240 --> 00:14:50.159 know, whatever the hell is being done, especially too, you know with 221 00:14:50.240 --> 00:14:52.679 the weather out there. You know, as I was talking some golf with 222 00:14:52.960 --> 00:14:58.240 Doug Pike there the do busters, maybe a little bit of a tough task 223 00:14:58.399 --> 00:15:03.399 this morning, trying to get the early morning golf round in. But maybe 224 00:15:03.399 --> 00:15:05.639 that was the case as you wanted to try to get it in. But 225 00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:11.759 we'll see how the weekend all breaks down. All right, So I said 226 00:15:11.799 --> 00:15:16.600 that Renel Blanco will be a huge person to think if indeed the Astros do 227 00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:22.559 land Blake Snow Because I'm driving around last night listening to Robert Ford and the 228 00:15:22.840 --> 00:15:28.279 Astros radio crew as they were doing the game between the Tros and Phillies. 229 00:15:28.320 --> 00:15:31.840 I mean, at least hitting wise, good stuff last night, and I 230 00:15:31.840 --> 00:15:35.960 talked about this last week. Look, don't do pros and cons with spring 231 00:15:35.000 --> 00:15:39.200 training baseball. I saw somebody do that last week on social media, and 232 00:15:39.240 --> 00:15:43.720 I seriously wanted to jump through my computer screen and grab the person and yell 233 00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:48.399 in their face stop doing that, because it's ridiculous. It's preseason football, 234 00:15:48.519 --> 00:15:54.120 preseason basketball, all of those things on steroids. Do not try to break 235 00:15:54.159 --> 00:16:00.679 down and analyze a single spring training game. That's ridiculous. Baseball about the 236 00:16:00.759 --> 00:16:03.480 long game, right, we know about this, and we'll talk about this 237 00:16:03.480 --> 00:16:08.039 a little bit later on in the show, But don't ever analyze a single 238 00:16:08.240 --> 00:16:14.639 spring training game. It's ridiculous. It's dumb. Because it's also too every 239 00:16:14.679 --> 00:16:18.679 single day guys are going out there with the really you know, strong purpose 240 00:16:18.960 --> 00:16:23.840 of you know, I want to be able to work on keeping my back 241 00:16:23.919 --> 00:16:26.879 leg, you know, in terms of a swing, or I want to 242 00:16:26.919 --> 00:16:30.600 work on my timing. I want to work on tracking the baseball. All 243 00:16:30.600 --> 00:16:33.159 of those different types of things hitting wise, those are things you're trying to 244 00:16:33.200 --> 00:16:37.159 do pitching. I mean, that's where I saw it. I saw this 245 00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:41.200 person say the pros and cons for a for what was it Christian Hobbier's outing. 246 00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:44.960 Guess what the pros are? And the only thing that matters did he 247 00:16:45.000 --> 00:16:48.759 throw strikes? I don't care about anything else. I don't care how hard 248 00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:52.200 you got hits. I don't care about two home runs giving up. I 249 00:16:52.200 --> 00:16:56.600 don't care about anything else. Did he throw strikes? That's all I care 250 00:16:56.639 --> 00:17:00.000 about. That's the number one thing. That's the only thing that I care 251 00:17:00.039 --> 00:17:04.359 about. That's it. So anyway, I say all that to say of 252 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:10.160 what Robert Ford said last night, and he was talking about if the Astros 253 00:17:10.160 --> 00:17:14.160 did indeed land Blake snow Well, we know that the Astros I believe, 254 00:17:14.279 --> 00:17:18.680 lost their second and fourth draft pick for signing Josh Hater. Okay, fine, 255 00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:23.160 if I'm not mistaken, and again you can get at me at Dan 256 00:17:23.240 --> 00:17:29.640 Matthews Hou on Twitter at Dan Matthews Hou if I am mistaken about this, 257 00:17:29.720 --> 00:17:33.079 but I believe Robert Ford said that the Astros would possibly lose their third and 258 00:17:33.279 --> 00:17:38.960 sixth highest picks if indeed they did sign Blake Snell. And I know that 259 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:41.960 some of you out there might be seeing, well, wait a minute, 260 00:17:41.000 --> 00:17:44.920 Dan, we can't just be given away draft picks, right, I mean, 261 00:17:45.039 --> 00:17:48.400 we lost a couple of them in twenty twenty because of the sign skeealing, 262 00:17:48.559 --> 00:17:55.400 and I believe twenty one as well, they lost draft pick or draft 263 00:17:55.400 --> 00:18:00.880 picks for that year. But now we get to the point where it's you 264 00:18:00.920 --> 00:18:03.200 know, now you're gonna be losing more this year. And I'm reminded of 265 00:18:03.240 --> 00:18:07.200 something that Dana Brown said about a month ago when we met with them before 266 00:18:07.200 --> 00:18:11.799 they headed down to Florida for spring training. It was when the Astros did 267 00:18:11.839 --> 00:18:14.400 their whole Hey taste our food, this is what we're gonna have at Minute 268 00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:18.359 Made Park this season. Hey, we're gonna let you know that we're relentless 269 00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:22.079 for twenty twenty four. So you got that going. And Dana Brown asked 270 00:18:22.079 --> 00:18:25.759 about the draft, you need talked about look in every draft, if you 271 00:18:25.759 --> 00:18:30.039 can find a couple of major leaguers in that draft. Then you've done your 272 00:18:30.119 --> 00:18:33.839 job. And I think that Dana Brown looks at it and says, even 273 00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:36.319 though that the draft is a little bit more paired down it that he used 274 00:18:36.359 --> 00:18:40.160 to because it's no longer fifty rounds, they finally said, yeah, that's 275 00:18:40.200 --> 00:18:41.920 adding too many guys into the minor league system. We don't need that many. 276 00:18:42.119 --> 00:18:45.680 Let's go however many rounds it is now, what is it twenty five 277 00:18:45.880 --> 00:18:48.039 or something like that. You get my point, it's not as long. 278 00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:52.920 So anyway, I think Dana Brown looks at it and says, okay, 279 00:18:52.359 --> 00:18:56.079 let's just say conservatively, we have a draft pick in every single round, 280 00:18:56.160 --> 00:19:02.480 right, so that would be twenty five new players. But if you take 281 00:19:02.519 --> 00:19:06.799 away at least for right now, where you'll have twenty three, or if 282 00:19:06.839 --> 00:19:10.039 you signed Blake Snell and they add two more, you'll have twenty one players. 283 00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:11.640 I think Dana Brown looks at it and says, this is why I'm 284 00:19:11.680 --> 00:19:15.519 here. This is why you brought me here. You brought me here to 285 00:19:15.559 --> 00:19:17.920 be able to run that part of the team. You brought me here to 286 00:19:18.039 --> 00:19:22.880 be able to find those guys and to be able to develop those guys. 287 00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:26.960 But more importantly, where does Renel Blanco and guys like him fit into this? 288 00:19:26.079 --> 00:19:30.480 I said Christian Hobvier. Christian Hobvier, He's another example from Ervaldez, 289 00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:36.160 He's another example. Remember, these are guys from the international market that the 290 00:19:36.200 --> 00:19:40.640 Astro has been lauded for for signing later on in their careers and signing them 291 00:19:40.640 --> 00:19:45.640 for cheaper and now they've become very meaningful contributing players on a championship roster. 292 00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:51.599 And Renel Blanco is the newest guy who last night another impressive outing, and 293 00:19:51.799 --> 00:19:56.319 I think he's pretty much giving himself at least a real tough conversation for Dana 294 00:19:56.359 --> 00:20:00.240 Brown and Joe Spotted to have as we break in about a week, which, 295 00:20:00.319 --> 00:20:03.240 by the way, next week that is the end of spring training. 296 00:20:03.519 --> 00:20:07.160 Then we come back it's the Astros against the Space Cowboys. And then in 297 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:11.160 earnest March twenty eighth, right here on your home of the Astro Sports Talk 298 00:20:11.200 --> 00:20:15.240 seven to ninety, this season gets going from ber Valdez against Nestra Cortez. 299 00:20:15.279 --> 00:20:18.400 We already know the opening day, the lineup, the way it's going to 300 00:20:18.400 --> 00:20:21.920 be in terms of the rotation, how it's going to go. So we've 301 00:20:21.920 --> 00:20:26.599 got that. But the way that those guys fit in on this is I 302 00:20:26.599 --> 00:20:32.839 think the astros feel like we have success doing that, We have success signing, 303 00:20:33.400 --> 00:20:37.000 developing and bringing these guys along from the international market. That the draft 304 00:20:37.039 --> 00:20:41.200 at a certain point, Yeah, it's important, we need it, don't 305 00:20:41.559 --> 00:20:45.160 We don't just completely discard it. We're not going less sneed of the la 306 00:20:45.279 --> 00:20:48.599 rams here and having shirts on that say f them picks. But I think 307 00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:53.039 the astros absolutely subscribe to something else that somebody said, my good buddy Casey 308 00:20:53.079 --> 00:20:57.680 Stern of MLB Network Radio, where he's got a shirt out there that says 309 00:20:57.720 --> 00:21:02.160 parades over prospects. And that's the way that Jim Crane, that's the way 310 00:21:02.279 --> 00:21:06.240 this organization looks at it right now is they say, we're not necessarily in 311 00:21:06.279 --> 00:21:08.480 the prospect business. It's nice to be in that business. It's fun, 312 00:21:08.880 --> 00:21:12.839 it's great, but soon enough you've got to be able to turn the corner 313 00:21:12.960 --> 00:21:17.880 where it's the Major League roster is the one that means the most at the 314 00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:22.079 moment, because the Astros are very much square in a window where they can 315 00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:26.759 continue to go for more Commissioner's trophies to be put inside the trophy case over 316 00:21:26.759 --> 00:21:30.319 there at minute made Park and adding a guy like Blake Snell can absolutely do 317 00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:33.640 that. And it's kind of the Damn the Torpedoes approach here at that point, 318 00:21:33.720 --> 00:21:37.400 because it's saying, yes, the draft is important, but at the 319 00:21:37.400 --> 00:21:41.839 same time, it's not the utmost importance for us. The utmost importance for 320 00:21:41.960 --> 00:21:45.400 us is getting back to the Alcs and getting back to the World Series. 321 00:21:45.599 --> 00:21:48.960 Who can help us do that? Oh God, that's one to say. 322 00:21:48.079 --> 00:21:51.720 Young a couple of times named Blake Snell. He can do that. And 323 00:21:51.759 --> 00:21:55.599 if you lose draft picks, so be it. I am absolutely on board 324 00:21:55.720 --> 00:21:59.799 with making this move. I've come around on it. At first, before 325 00:22:00.039 --> 00:22:03.680 Jose Orchidi got hurt, before Justin Verlander was going to be on the eve 326 00:22:03.839 --> 00:22:08.240 with even with Verlander going on the IL to start the season, I was 327 00:22:08.279 --> 00:22:11.319 still kind of like, I don't know, I think you feel pretty good 328 00:22:11.319 --> 00:22:15.839 about what you have for the first couple of months, And again a little 329 00:22:15.839 --> 00:22:18.440 bit later on the show, I'll get in about kind of the roadmap for 330 00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:22.279 the season, like kind of how to view things, because the early months 331 00:22:22.279 --> 00:22:26.079 of the season, find your footing. Just find your footing. If you're 332 00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:30.960 around five hundred, then that's fine. And you know the rule is as 333 00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:36.440 well. Baseball fans know this that you don't start standings watching until after Memorial 334 00:22:36.519 --> 00:22:38.160 Day. And then after Memorial Day you can start doing that a little bit, 335 00:22:38.440 --> 00:22:41.920 but even then you're not going to be the same team. You want 336 00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:45.960 your team playing your best baseball in August, September, October, and even 337 00:22:45.000 --> 00:22:48.720 in the November, because if you're playing well in November, what does that 338 00:22:48.799 --> 00:22:52.720 mean? Oh, that means that nice gold trophy with the Pennance on it, 339 00:22:52.720 --> 00:22:55.480 it's hoisted up by your team. Again, you get Kevin Burkhart and 340 00:22:55.519 --> 00:22:57.519 the crew up there, you get Jim Crane talking to the crowd, you 341 00:22:57.519 --> 00:23:00.960 get all those different types of things, and we get another parade in downtown 342 00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:06.640 Houston, which if that happens again, if anybody from the Astros is listening, 343 00:23:07.240 --> 00:23:11.119 can we get on the from Er Valdez float this year. I'd love 344 00:23:11.160 --> 00:23:14.319 to be able to Stone Cold Steve Austin some beers with the guys you know, 345 00:23:14.400 --> 00:23:15.680 and be able to say, hey, this is awesome. You guys 346 00:23:15.720 --> 00:23:18.359 really know how to have fun on this float, man, Let's have some 347 00:23:18.440 --> 00:23:22.720 fun. So that's where we're at, and that's a good place to be. 348 00:23:22.960 --> 00:23:26.960 If you're an Astros fan, because it could be where we've been in 349 00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:30.759 the past where it's hey, those guys are coming, but they're coming later. 350 00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:34.160 We don't want that life anymore, right, And that's something that other 351 00:23:34.559 --> 00:23:38.480 cities are living right now. That's something that other organizations are living. And 352 00:23:38.720 --> 00:23:44.400 I think that it's also too as well that we reach a certain point where 353 00:23:44.680 --> 00:23:48.279 you know exactly what you need in order to be able to try to reach 354 00:23:48.319 --> 00:23:52.079 that point, and adding a guy like Blake Snell absolutely gives you that opportunities. 355 00:23:52.200 --> 00:23:56.839 So as of right now where things stand, sounds like conversations are still 356 00:23:56.880 --> 00:24:03.319 being had between Snell and all so too the Astros and where things are going 357 00:24:03.480 --> 00:24:07.799 from that point. So we will keep you up to date on that. 358 00:24:07.079 --> 00:24:11.440 Again, we will be with you here until noon, so if anything breaks 359 00:24:11.480 --> 00:24:15.799 between now and then, we'll have that for you here on Sports Talk seven 360 00:24:15.920 --> 00:24:18.960 ninety. But again too, if you want to listen to Astros Baseball today 361 00:24:18.319 --> 00:24:23.119 over on news Radio seven forty k t RH, because we're gonna have afternoon 362 00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:27.240 Rockets for you here on your home of the Rockets, Sports Talk seven ninety. 363 00:24:27.599 --> 00:24:32.240 Stand the man Northfleet. He's gonna be in this chair coming up at 364 00:24:32.240 --> 00:24:37.319 three o'clock for Rockets launch Pad. Than it is sports mpt and Adam Jay 365 00:24:37.480 --> 00:24:41.039 Wexler coming your way on here, as they will have the Rockets in the 366 00:24:41.039 --> 00:24:47.039 Cavaliers coming your way here on your Home of the Rockets Sports Talk seven ninety. 367 00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:48.640 So we've got all of that coming up a little bit later on. 368 00:24:49.319 --> 00:24:53.799 But as I said, Astros all this hour, So any of your Astros 369 00:24:53.799 --> 00:24:59.519 comments, questions, anything you have, you can weigh in at someone three 370 00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:02.559 two two five seven Ounty. Like I said, that door is always open. 371 00:25:02.920 --> 00:25:03.880 You want to step in, You want to knock on the door really 372 00:25:03.920 --> 00:25:06.799 quick? Hey, Skip, you want to see me? Yeah, come 373 00:25:06.839 --> 00:25:10.640 on in, sit down, let's talk a little bit. But we will 374 00:25:10.920 --> 00:25:15.119 continue that along because coming up next, if the Astros take a step forward 375 00:25:15.119 --> 00:25:18.519 this year with the Bats, well the season could be even better than we 376 00:25:18.599 --> 00:25:23.200 imagined. And one guy I feel like, unlocks that door and opens it 377 00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:27.079 up even further for all of us. We'll talk about that as we continue 378 00:25:27.119 --> 00:25:30.559 along here on Space City Saturday. I'm Dan Matthews here on your Home of 379 00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:37.440 the Astros and the Rockets Sports Talk seven ninety as the Astros again spring training 380 00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:41.960 action coming your way a little bit later on Today over on news Radio seven 381 00:25:42.039 --> 00:25:48.799 forty kt RH is where you can catch the Stros. But as the Strows 382 00:25:48.839 --> 00:25:52.920 continue to move along and get ready for the twenty twenty four season, a 383 00:25:53.000 --> 00:25:56.839 guide that had a lot of people kind of scratching their heads a little bit 384 00:25:57.039 --> 00:26:03.240 in terms of where he could fit into the overall makeup of this team in 385 00:26:03.279 --> 00:26:08.119 twenty twenty four is Jake Myers. And a lot of people when Dana Brown 386 00:26:08.599 --> 00:26:15.480 all throughout the offseason had said that the Astros would be employing him as their 387 00:26:15.519 --> 00:26:18.559 everyday center fielder, a lot of people said, come on, man, 388 00:26:18.759 --> 00:26:22.400 really, like, that's who we're gonna go with every single day. Chazz 389 00:26:22.599 --> 00:26:26.200 Chaz, Chaz Chaz. That's who needs to be the center fielder and then 390 00:26:26.319 --> 00:26:30.519 plug somebody out there in left field. But the Astros like the makeup of 391 00:26:30.599 --> 00:26:36.000 going with Chazz and left, Jake Myers in center and Kyle Tucker over in 392 00:26:36.400 --> 00:26:41.200 right. And the big key with Myers has been how does he handle the 393 00:26:41.240 --> 00:26:45.319 bat well. That's been something that at times has been a little bit of 394 00:26:45.319 --> 00:26:48.799 a struggle for him, although the power last year was one that had a 395 00:26:48.880 --> 00:26:53.640 huge uptick for him ten homers, thirty three RBI for him, batted too 396 00:26:53.720 --> 00:26:56.160 twenty seven last year, which she likes see a little bit more of the 397 00:26:56.160 --> 00:26:59.599 ops. Yeah, I'd like to see that up a little bit more, 398 00:26:59.640 --> 00:27:03.799 as we else six seventy eight. But this spring, hearing about a confident 399 00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:07.480 Jake Myers, hearing about Jake Myers two, who's able to hit the power 400 00:27:07.519 --> 00:27:11.079 ball as well. The last two out of the last three games that he's 401 00:27:11.240 --> 00:27:15.440 played in home runs, one against the Mets there in Port Saint Lucie and 402 00:27:15.480 --> 00:27:22.599 then against the Nationals the following night hitting a towering shot over at Cacti Park 403 00:27:22.680 --> 00:27:27.000 of the Palm Beaches, So you had that. But overall this spring, 404 00:27:27.160 --> 00:27:33.920 it has been a very good spring. Three forty eight one to two ops 405 00:27:33.119 --> 00:27:37.720 out of Jake Myers. Those are definitely things you like to see. And 406 00:27:37.960 --> 00:27:42.119 for Jacob Berkshire Myers, it has been a little bit of a battle of 407 00:27:42.160 --> 00:27:47.680 consistency with him. I mean, a guy that at times has looked overmatched 408 00:27:47.759 --> 00:27:51.480 at the plate. And then there's also times like that series against the Yankees 409 00:27:51.559 --> 00:27:55.359 last year where you're like who is this guy? Like where has this guy 410 00:27:55.440 --> 00:27:59.039 been? Can you show up like a lot more often? Because if you 411 00:27:59.079 --> 00:28:03.160 do, then that's really good. We love to see that, and he 412 00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:06.920 has been kind of just across the board as a major league hitter. But 413 00:28:07.279 --> 00:28:11.759 this season for Myers, I feel like, if nothing else, if he 414 00:28:11.839 --> 00:28:15.039 is able to give you something in the middle there where. I was talking 415 00:28:15.079 --> 00:28:18.799 with somebody last night. I said, if Myers is a two thirty two 416 00:28:18.799 --> 00:28:22.480 to forty hitter, that's a win. That is a guy that hopefully the 417 00:28:22.519 --> 00:28:27.920 power numbers continue to creep along with him and he is able to run into 418 00:28:27.960 --> 00:28:32.680 one every so often. But he's at the bottom of your lineup, and 419 00:28:32.759 --> 00:28:38.079 you already have with the subtraction of Martine Maldonado, now you have a longer 420 00:28:38.119 --> 00:28:42.160 lineup than you had the Astros last year and for many years we're batting with 421 00:28:42.240 --> 00:28:45.880 eight. Let's call it what it is. And if you got a little 422 00:28:45.880 --> 00:28:48.480 bit of contributions out of Maldonado with the bat, that was an absolute bonus. 423 00:28:49.000 --> 00:28:55.640 And now with him gone and you've got Janer Diaz who also has had 424 00:28:55.680 --> 00:28:59.599 a pretty good spring. But for a guy like Myers to be able to 425 00:29:00.200 --> 00:29:03.519 have the spring that he's having right now, and you hope that he is 426 00:29:03.640 --> 00:29:07.519 kind of going through these at bats and saying, huh, okay, this 427 00:29:07.640 --> 00:29:11.759 piece of wood I can swing it. I can be able to put some 428 00:29:11.799 --> 00:29:14.799 barrels on the baseball. I can make some things happen. What he gives 429 00:29:14.799 --> 00:29:18.000 you defensively, what he gives you from a speed perspective, that's a bonus 430 00:29:18.039 --> 00:29:22.960 as well. But he is somebody that holds an absolute key to this lineup 431 00:29:22.000 --> 00:29:26.799 this year because if he is able to be let's just say capable with the 432 00:29:26.839 --> 00:29:30.440 bat in twenty twenty four, then that's an even deeper lineup than you had. 433 00:29:30.759 --> 00:29:33.920 Remember last year in the Alcs against the Rangers, you saw your lineup 434 00:29:33.960 --> 00:29:37.279 against their lineup where they had Loyote Tavers at the bottom of the order, 435 00:29:37.519 --> 00:29:41.559 who is probably going to be a leadoff hitter at some time during his career. 436 00:29:41.799 --> 00:29:45.400 But that was the difference that you had seven eight to nine in your 437 00:29:45.519 --> 00:29:49.599 order was nothing compared to what they had. And in four of those seven 438 00:29:49.640 --> 00:29:52.799 games, that was the difference in the series. They were able to lengthen 439 00:29:52.799 --> 00:29:56.319 the lineup, they were able to make things happen at that point, and 440 00:29:56.640 --> 00:30:00.960 it was something that you know, really turned out to be the difference maker 441 00:30:02.000 --> 00:30:06.119 in that series. So a guy like Myers, he holds the key if 442 00:30:06.160 --> 00:30:08.319 he is able to be like I said, capable with the bat, cut 443 00:30:08.359 --> 00:30:12.720 down the strikeouts just a little bit, but be able to put more balls 444 00:30:12.759 --> 00:30:17.200 in play. Then it flips it over to the top of the order, 445 00:30:17.680 --> 00:30:22.000 al Tuve Jordan Alvarez, which, by the way, too ord On the 446 00:30:22.119 --> 00:30:26.240 foot was not the issue last night. If you missed Joe Aspota after the 447 00:30:26.279 --> 00:30:30.880 game, if you don't follow Brian McTaggart or Chandler Rome on Twitter, it 448 00:30:30.079 --> 00:30:33.519 was an allergic reaction. They said. His left eye started to swell a 449 00:30:33.559 --> 00:30:37.200 little bit. They weren't sure if maybe he ate something or you know, 450 00:30:37.319 --> 00:30:41.119 who knows, maybe got stung by a bee. I don't know what happened, 451 00:30:41.200 --> 00:30:44.880 but that's what happened with jord On. I guess he got back to 452 00:30:44.920 --> 00:30:47.480 the dugout and they're like, oh man, what's up with you. All 453 00:30:47.559 --> 00:30:51.000 right, let's let's pull you out of this game. We don't need much 454 00:30:51.000 --> 00:30:53.160 more out of you for the rest of this one. I mean, that's 455 00:30:53.160 --> 00:30:56.000 pretty much again kind of go back to what I was talking about, was 456 00:30:56.000 --> 00:31:00.960 spring training baseball a little bit earlier. Stuff like that. The Astros see 457 00:31:00.960 --> 00:31:03.319 things like that, they're like, there's no need to push it. Why 458 00:31:03.319 --> 00:31:07.599 are we pushing it in the middle of March. We need you. In 459 00:31:07.640 --> 00:31:10.039 the middle of May, that's where we need you. We need you in 460 00:31:10.119 --> 00:31:14.799 June and July, all of those different types of scenarios for this team, 461 00:31:14.920 --> 00:31:18.079 that's when we need you on the field. So that's what you saw last 462 00:31:18.160 --> 00:31:22.079 night. But for again, a guy like Jake Myers, I'm just looking 463 00:31:22.119 --> 00:31:26.119 for capability this Season's that's all I'm looking for out of him. And I 464 00:31:26.160 --> 00:31:30.480 think that that's probably the conversation that is being had with him by Joe Espada, 465 00:31:30.559 --> 00:31:33.880 with Dana Brown, even with guys in his own clubhouse. I'm just 466 00:31:33.920 --> 00:31:36.759 saying, hey, man, just put it together. Every single day. 467 00:31:36.799 --> 00:31:40.319 There's gonna be oh for Forest, that's gonna happen. There's gonna be three, 468 00:31:40.440 --> 00:31:42.799 four or five game stretches where you're at the plate and you're just like, 469 00:31:42.880 --> 00:31:45.799 man, like, what's going on? Like that's just I just can't 470 00:31:45.799 --> 00:31:48.839 find it right now. That's a major league season. That's what happens, 471 00:31:49.279 --> 00:31:55.119 and slumps happen, and also too good streaks happen as well, you know 472 00:31:55.160 --> 00:31:56.920 where you can really start to run into them and really start to feel good 473 00:31:56.920 --> 00:32:02.279 with the swing and going from the But for him, again, if he 474 00:32:02.400 --> 00:32:06.640 is able to be kind of in that two thirty. If he creeps into 475 00:32:06.680 --> 00:32:09.759 two fifty, that's even more of a win this season for him. And 476 00:32:10.039 --> 00:32:15.039 again, I think that the key for him is just putting together good at 477 00:32:15.039 --> 00:32:20.480 bats, because that's who I had seen at times last season coming back, 478 00:32:20.519 --> 00:32:22.079 and the shoulder had still been a little bit of an issue for him. 479 00:32:22.400 --> 00:32:27.160 Remember too, heard it against the White Sox, and pretty much ever since 480 00:32:27.200 --> 00:32:30.880 that White Sox playoff series, you hadn't necessarily seen a consistent Jake Myers on 481 00:32:30.880 --> 00:32:35.640 the field. But as me and Ross phil Real caught up with him a 482 00:32:35.640 --> 00:32:38.799 few weeks ago, shoulder feels good. He feels good also too. The 483 00:32:38.880 --> 00:32:42.319 confidence is there. I mean, we were hearing about it when we were 484 00:32:42.359 --> 00:32:45.599 there in West Palm Beach for spring training. That's, you know, the 485 00:32:45.640 --> 00:32:49.680 swings feeling good. He likes his approaches at the plate, all of those 486 00:32:49.680 --> 00:32:52.759 different things as he was facing live pitching there on the backfields, and he's 487 00:32:52.799 --> 00:32:58.759 carried it over on to the spring training fields and that's been something that if 488 00:32:58.759 --> 00:33:01.960 he is able to be at least a capable bat there at the bottom of 489 00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:06.960 the order, that lengthens the order even more because the astros as it goes 490 00:33:07.039 --> 00:33:08.759 right now we know the top of the order, right. We know al 491 00:33:08.799 --> 00:33:13.960 Tuve, we know Jordan Alvarez, we know Alex Bragman, we know janer 492 00:33:14.039 --> 00:33:15.839 Diez. To a certain point, He's gonna be an everyday guy this year, 493 00:33:15.920 --> 00:33:20.000 So maybe we get to see a little bit more production out of him 494 00:33:20.039 --> 00:33:22.839 this season. That would be a huge plus. Although I've talked about it 495 00:33:22.880 --> 00:33:28.400 before with catchers, don't think that the production is going to stay there all 496 00:33:28.440 --> 00:33:31.279 the way through. If you're an everyday catcher, the fatigue and the squatting 497 00:33:31.400 --> 00:33:36.359 and all of those things is going to eventually catch up with you and that 498 00:33:36.440 --> 00:33:38.920 part of your game starts to struggle a little bit. So it's gonna be 499 00:33:38.920 --> 00:33:43.519 interesting to see how he holds up this season. Where does Victor Caratini fit 500 00:33:43.599 --> 00:33:46.799 into the mold in terms of giving him days off? Maybe he DHS, 501 00:33:46.799 --> 00:33:51.680 maybe he plays first base. All of those different things fit in, And 502 00:33:51.839 --> 00:33:54.839 Joe Spot has talked about it numerous times of using rest days and using the 503 00:33:54.920 --> 00:34:00.720 DH as a pseudo rest day this year, and then another that fits into 504 00:34:00.720 --> 00:34:05.480 this category as well as Jeremy Pinya. Does the power return this season? 505 00:34:05.599 --> 00:34:08.920 So far this spring, we've not seen a ton of power out of Pania. 506 00:34:09.119 --> 00:34:14.679 But then again, you know you're playing every other day, maybe getting 507 00:34:14.679 --> 00:34:16.440 a little bit of action on the backfields in minor league games. I mean, 508 00:34:16.480 --> 00:34:19.960 I know that that's something they've talked about, as well as getting him 509 00:34:20.000 --> 00:34:23.079 as many at bats as possible with this new batting stance and being able to 510 00:34:23.119 --> 00:34:27.400 try to see him try to come along and get that part of his game 511 00:34:27.480 --> 00:34:30.800 back. But overall, I mean, you're thinking about this batting order one 512 00:34:30.840 --> 00:34:35.199 through nine, of having the outfield the way that I broke it down. 513 00:34:35.320 --> 00:34:37.400 The infield, we know how it is, we know how the battery is 514 00:34:37.440 --> 00:34:43.119 going to be. With the starting rotation at least currently constructed, and also 515 00:34:43.199 --> 00:34:46.360 too with THEANR. Diaz and Victor Karattini behind the plate, this is going 516 00:34:46.440 --> 00:34:51.119 to be an Astros order that is deeper than it was last season. And 517 00:34:51.159 --> 00:34:53.960 that's a good thing, especially too, when you factor in the way that 518 00:34:54.000 --> 00:34:58.639 this pitching rotation is going to look, and also to how the bullpen is 519 00:34:58.679 --> 00:35:02.519 going to look, especially the back and the middle of the bullpen order right 520 00:35:02.559 --> 00:35:07.159 now, middle relief, that is something that's kind of a work in progress 521 00:35:07.280 --> 00:35:10.679 building. I mean, you know, we'll get to that maybe a little 522 00:35:10.679 --> 00:35:15.400 bit later on in the show, but that is part of this team that 523 00:35:15.400 --> 00:35:17.679 they're still trying to work through. And I told you too that that was 524 00:35:19.280 --> 00:35:21.880 the way that spring training was going to go. That is the way that 525 00:35:21.920 --> 00:35:25.719 spring training is is those parts of a roster are always up for grabs because 526 00:35:25.760 --> 00:35:29.960 you're looking for guys that can get out. You're looking for guys that if 527 00:35:29.960 --> 00:35:34.239 you're in a game and your starter only goes what three and a third, 528 00:35:34.320 --> 00:35:37.159 three and two thirds something like that, and you have to go to a 529 00:35:37.280 --> 00:35:39.360 long relief man to try to eat up some innings and maybe you work your 530 00:35:39.360 --> 00:35:43.440 way back into the game and you can get some of your high leverage guys 531 00:35:43.480 --> 00:35:47.920 at the end of a bray, You, Presley and Josh Hater that that 532 00:35:49.079 --> 00:35:52.079 is a winning formula for you to be able to try to win as many 533 00:35:52.119 --> 00:35:55.519 games as possible and the Astros trying to get back into the postseason again and 534 00:35:55.760 --> 00:35:59.760 again, it's it's a long road to be able to get to that point, 535 00:35:59.800 --> 00:36:02.559 but it also too is one that takes a lot of patience, but 536 00:36:04.079 --> 00:36:07.480 also too has you dealing with the highs and lows of a major league season. 537 00:36:07.599 --> 00:36:10.760 And that's the way that this is going to go. Because that is 538 00:36:10.960 --> 00:36:15.280 where we are going to go next. Because Steady is the race. It 539 00:36:15.360 --> 00:36:20.239 is a baseball season, so don't try to hurry it up. We will 540 00:36:20.280 --> 00:36:24.039 talk about that and much more as we continue here on Space City Saturday. 541 00:36:24.159 --> 00:36:29.920 I'm Dan Matthews here with you until noon on your home of the Astros and 542 00:36:29.960 --> 00:36:37.000 the Rockets, Sports Talk seven ninety. Welcome back to Space City Saturday one. 543 00:36:37.039 --> 00:36:43.840 Sports Talk seven ninety continuing with Chad Kroger and the boys. They rocked 544 00:36:44.239 --> 00:36:49.440 Rodeo Houston the other nights. That's Reliant Stadium in ourg Stadium. I still 545 00:36:49.440 --> 00:36:52.079 call it Reliant. It's kind of like Twitter X. You know people, 546 00:36:52.159 --> 00:36:54.159 oh, you know on X. I'm like, well, what is that? 547 00:36:54.320 --> 00:36:57.000 Huh? What are you? What are you talking about? But no, 548 00:36:57.480 --> 00:36:59.320 it's just the old school in me. I guess I don't know. 549 00:36:59.400 --> 00:37:02.360 But any way, the Rodeo wrapping up, I believe tonight is it Eric 550 00:37:02.480 --> 00:37:08.119 Church and then tomorrow night I think is the close to the Houston Livestock Show 551 00:37:08.119 --> 00:37:10.840 in Rodeo. So if you have a chance to get out there this year, 552 00:37:10.880 --> 00:37:15.559 hopefully enjoyed it. If you didn't, well you know, you're kind 553 00:37:15.559 --> 00:37:17.719 of like me bummer. I mean mine, you know, first year back 554 00:37:17.719 --> 00:37:21.000 of the rodeo, and it was funny. I was talking with the fiance 555 00:37:21.159 --> 00:37:22.960 the other night and she was like, we'll have years to be able to 556 00:37:22.960 --> 00:37:27.880 go to the rodeo. You know. She's always kind of the more rational 557 00:37:27.920 --> 00:37:30.440 one, you know, whereas me I didn't have a chance to go this 558 00:37:30.559 --> 00:37:32.639 year. Well, you know, so be it all right. If you 559 00:37:32.679 --> 00:37:36.920 want to wait in, you can at someone three two one two five seven 560 00:37:37.119 --> 00:37:39.119 ninety. That's how you can get in on the conversation someone three two and 561 00:37:39.239 --> 00:37:43.840 two five seven ninety. Like I said, a lot of you probably driving 562 00:37:43.880 --> 00:37:49.760 around getting the things done today before settling in for the conference tournaments again. 563 00:37:50.039 --> 00:37:54.199 The Koogs and Iowa State Cyclones coming your way for the Big twelve title, 564 00:37:54.239 --> 00:37:59.320 which, by the way, I saw this on social media not too long 565 00:37:59.320 --> 00:38:01.880 ago, that the Kog's have a chance to make some history today that no 566 00:38:02.039 --> 00:38:09.480 team has ever joined a major conference and won both the regular season and conference 567 00:38:09.519 --> 00:38:15.000 tournament title in their first season. So coug's having a chance to make some 568 00:38:15.119 --> 00:38:21.039 history today. So hopefully Kelvin Sampson and the crew can get that done again. 569 00:38:21.119 --> 00:38:24.719 You can listen to that game over on KPRC nine point fifty four forty 570 00:38:24.800 --> 00:38:30.039 five is when that coverage gets going. Five o'clock tip from there in Kansas 571 00:38:30.079 --> 00:38:36.039 City as the Houston Cougars try to finish things off and go into the NCAA 572 00:38:36.119 --> 00:38:39.679 Tournament on a high note. I mean it's also too you factor. In 573 00:38:39.719 --> 00:38:43.960 the first season of Kelvin Sampson and the crew, they've dealt with injuries, 574 00:38:44.719 --> 00:38:50.320 Terrence Arsenal going down, Tugler going down as well, and a little bit 575 00:38:50.360 --> 00:38:53.000 of a scary moment last night with Juan Roberts, but looked like he was 576 00:38:53.039 --> 00:38:58.679 able to come back in and finish off the game. As the Coug's able 577 00:38:58.679 --> 00:39:04.440 to take down Tech last night in a huge win. So they try to 578 00:39:04.679 --> 00:39:07.320 beat Iowa State for the second time this year. And by the way, 579 00:39:07.400 --> 00:39:09.679 too you know good on the coves of all three teams they lost to this 580 00:39:09.760 --> 00:39:14.639 year in conference play, well, they got revenged the second time around. 581 00:39:14.679 --> 00:39:17.360 First time it was Iowa State, last week it was Kansas and then earlier 582 00:39:17.360 --> 00:39:22.360 this week in the Big Twelve Tournament they were able to take down at TCUs. 583 00:39:22.400 --> 00:39:27.440 So good on at Kelvin Sampson and the crew. Hopefully they can go 584 00:39:27.480 --> 00:39:30.280 into the field of sixty eight on a high note, So we will be 585 00:39:30.519 --> 00:39:36.719 keeping an eye on them this afternoon. But I talked about it before with 586 00:39:37.280 --> 00:39:42.400 the Astros season and just a baseball season in general, and I get it. 587 00:39:42.400 --> 00:39:44.719 It's one of those things you want to win every single game, but 588 00:39:45.480 --> 00:39:49.880 if you're a really good team out there, well you're probably gonna lose at 589 00:39:49.960 --> 00:39:54.239 least sixty five seventy times in a season. And I know that for some 590 00:39:55.079 --> 00:39:58.639 it's one of those that on the surface, you look at it and you 591 00:39:58.679 --> 00:40:00.239 say, man, that's a lot. Well, one hundred and sixty two 592 00:40:00.280 --> 00:40:05.480 games is a lot of games, and the Astros slated right now, I 593 00:40:05.519 --> 00:40:09.800 think to finish around that ninety two to ninety three win area this season. 594 00:40:09.880 --> 00:40:13.719 So if that happens, then yeah, you're going to have a high sixty 595 00:40:13.960 --> 00:40:17.119 lost total and that's a really good season. But it's also to the way 596 00:40:17.280 --> 00:40:21.679 that you look at a season. So on the surface, when you hear 597 00:40:21.880 --> 00:40:24.360 say, for example, justin Verland are going to start the season on the 598 00:40:24.440 --> 00:40:27.840 injured list, you're saying, ah, man, I mean I wanted to 599 00:40:27.880 --> 00:40:30.400 see him on opening day. Sure, we all want to see him on 600 00:40:30.440 --> 00:40:35.599 opening Day. But the Astros have known, at least during this recent stretch 601 00:40:35.639 --> 00:40:39.880 of success that they've had. That this season is broken down into particular areas 602 00:40:40.280 --> 00:40:44.360 in the month of April, which this year is going to start in late 603 00:40:44.440 --> 00:40:47.199 and in late March, so you start in late March, and I really 604 00:40:47.239 --> 00:40:51.639 think that once you get through the month of April, if you're looking at 605 00:40:51.679 --> 00:40:53.440 it and you're around five hundred, that's a good thing. You're good, 606 00:40:53.639 --> 00:40:57.920 You're you're all fine, You're you're starting to find yourself as a team, 607 00:40:58.440 --> 00:41:00.719 starting to find your footing in the you get into May, you want to 608 00:41:00.719 --> 00:41:04.559 start to kind of ramp things up a little bit. And in June and 609 00:41:04.639 --> 00:41:08.199 July that's when you really want to showcase yourself as yep, we are the 610 00:41:08.239 --> 00:41:12.840 standard in the division. That's how things go. And then you want to 611 00:41:12.840 --> 00:41:17.719 be playing your best baseball in August, September and then into October and November. 612 00:41:17.760 --> 00:41:21.519 Now as the season goes along. But that's how you look at a 613 00:41:21.559 --> 00:41:25.280 season, is you kind of look at it as this is a long race. 614 00:41:25.360 --> 00:41:29.280 I mean, say, the Astros at the end of April are four 615 00:41:29.320 --> 00:41:31.679 games back of the Seattle Mariners. I'm just throwing it out there. It's 616 00:41:31.719 --> 00:41:37.159 not the end of the world. It's not even remotely close to being anything 617 00:41:37.320 --> 00:41:39.559 other than, hey, they're playing good baseball right now, and we're playing 618 00:41:39.719 --> 00:41:44.360 decent baseball. We're not playing our best baseball yet that's fine. That's the 619 00:41:44.400 --> 00:41:47.880 way that a season goes. And you know, we saw it last year, 620 00:41:49.599 --> 00:41:52.559 even later on in the year, where the Astros had to make that 621 00:41:52.679 --> 00:41:55.559 strong finish to be able to try to close this thing out and try to 622 00:41:55.599 --> 00:42:00.920 get into the postseason one way or another, which we knew going into that 623 00:42:00.079 --> 00:42:05.239 final Sunday of the regular season they were going to be a playoff team. 624 00:42:05.440 --> 00:42:07.119 We just didn't know are they going to be at home? Are they gonna 625 00:42:07.119 --> 00:42:10.440 have to go on the road as a wildcard team and try to work their 626 00:42:10.480 --> 00:42:15.519 way in. And then we saw that Sunday the Astros finish off their win 627 00:42:15.719 --> 00:42:21.440 in Arizona and we have to wait and see what happens up in Seattle. 628 00:42:21.559 --> 00:42:23.320 And the Mariners, who were out of it, we thought, well, 629 00:42:23.360 --> 00:42:27.559 if they're out of it, maybe they're gonna kind of lay down a little 630 00:42:27.559 --> 00:42:30.199 bit, or they're not gonna go full bore today in this one. And 631 00:42:30.239 --> 00:42:34.880 that wasn't the case. They ended up taking it to the Rangers, and 632 00:42:35.000 --> 00:42:37.239 the Rangers had to go on the road as the wildcard team, and the 633 00:42:37.280 --> 00:42:39.880 Astros got to come home and face the Twins, taking care of the Twins 634 00:42:39.880 --> 00:42:45.199 in four games, and then we got that ALCS. But again, you 635 00:42:45.239 --> 00:42:47.840 know, it's one of those things that the losing streaks are gonna happen. 636 00:42:49.000 --> 00:42:52.119 The Astros will go a week or two this season where they don't win a 637 00:42:52.159 --> 00:42:55.960 ton of games, and I understand how frustrating it is. I understand how 638 00:42:57.079 --> 00:43:00.639 you know, it's like, man, come on, you know the order 639 00:43:00.840 --> 00:43:04.360 is going to go through their lolls as well. We've seen it in the 640 00:43:04.360 --> 00:43:08.519 past. But as we've also seen with this Astros roster over the years, 641 00:43:08.639 --> 00:43:13.519 and the way they are with the bats is that if they're down, they 642 00:43:13.519 --> 00:43:15.679 don't stay down for long and then they finally do breakthrough and you're like, 643 00:43:15.719 --> 00:43:20.480 Okay, that's the team. I know, those are the guys. That's 644 00:43:20.519 --> 00:43:24.599 the way that this team is supposed to look going into the postseason. But 645 00:43:25.079 --> 00:43:29.719 I mean again, I think if nothing else, it has shown you that 646 00:43:30.639 --> 00:43:34.920 steady is the race that is run by a good pace, and the Astros 647 00:43:34.920 --> 00:43:38.159 have set a good pace for years. Some years they've gotten to the month 648 00:43:38.199 --> 00:43:46.480 of October where it wasn't necessarily a you know, real suspenseful run to get 649 00:43:46.480 --> 00:43:51.519 to that point, and you know they've been able to find their way into 650 00:43:51.599 --> 00:43:54.320 October and be able to kind of recalibrate and go from there. The DS 651 00:43:54.360 --> 00:43:58.159 has not been an issue for them. And then they get to the CS. 652 00:43:58.280 --> 00:44:00.440 In many years they win and move on to the next round, or 653 00:44:01.039 --> 00:44:05.719 they've run into a team like the Rangers or the Red Sox in twenty eighteen, 654 00:44:05.880 --> 00:44:08.480 or the Tampa Bay Rays. I mean, it's happened, and it's 655 00:44:08.639 --> 00:44:12.559 unfortunate. I mean, because now we know what the expectation is. The 656 00:44:12.599 --> 00:44:15.239 expectation is to not only reach the World Series, it's to win the World 657 00:44:15.280 --> 00:44:20.239 Series. I mean, you heard when me and Ross were in West Palm 658 00:44:20.280 --> 00:44:24.239 Beach for Astro spring training catching up with Kyle Tucker, and Tucker said it 659 00:44:24.239 --> 00:44:27.840 clear as day. He said, We're not here just to win a bunch 660 00:44:27.840 --> 00:44:30.599 of baseball games and then say all right, that's enough, you know, 661 00:44:30.639 --> 00:44:31.840 we move on. No, we're here to win a World Series. That's 662 00:44:31.840 --> 00:44:35.719 the way this season is. And how do you win a World Series? 663 00:44:35.880 --> 00:44:40.360 Well, you just get through the season as healthy as you possibly can and 664 00:44:40.400 --> 00:44:45.639 at a good pace as best you can and be able to get to that 665 00:44:45.679 --> 00:44:47.320 point, and last year it was a little bit different from them. But 666 00:44:47.880 --> 00:44:52.599 it's also too Baseball is the ultimate sport that can't be put into a fish 667 00:44:52.599 --> 00:44:55.800 bowl because let's look at it from the football perspective, like, yes, 668 00:44:55.880 --> 00:45:00.400 you lose a game in football, especially in college, well, that can 669 00:45:00.440 --> 00:45:04.519 be somewhat fatal to your season in terms of national title aspirations, right, 670 00:45:04.599 --> 00:45:07.519 but teams have lost games numerous times and they've been able to make it to 671 00:45:07.519 --> 00:45:12.079 the college football playoff and go from there. In the NFL, I mean 672 00:45:12.159 --> 00:45:15.000 I would say that probably it's a little bit closer to baseball because you are 673 00:45:15.079 --> 00:45:19.719 going to lose. You're not going to be the seventy two Dolphins and make 674 00:45:19.760 --> 00:45:22.880 your way through an entire season because notice I just said one, So you're 675 00:45:22.880 --> 00:45:27.239 going to lose games and you want to be able to try to find your 676 00:45:27.239 --> 00:45:30.800 way into January and February and be able to give yourself the best opportunity you 677 00:45:30.840 --> 00:45:35.360 can to be able to win the Lombardi Trophy. I mean, we saw 678 00:45:35.639 --> 00:45:38.079 you look at the Chiefs last year. I mean you saw the way that 679 00:45:38.119 --> 00:45:43.280 they look during the regular season and thought to yourself, hmm, they don't 680 00:45:43.320 --> 00:45:45.199 look the way that they have in the past, but then once they got 681 00:45:45.199 --> 00:45:47.599 to the playoffs, they said, this is our time of year. That's 682 00:45:47.639 --> 00:45:52.280 why the comparisons are made between them and the Astros, because the Astros have 683 00:45:52.360 --> 00:45:57.039 been that team numerous times during this run of success where you know, twenty 684 00:45:57.119 --> 00:46:00.679 twenty under five hundred making into the playoffs as a wild card team, face 685 00:46:00.760 --> 00:46:04.920 the A's Mike Fires on the other side, he's making fun of George Springer, 686 00:46:04.960 --> 00:46:07.800 he's doing all those different types of things. Well, enjoy it, 687 00:46:07.880 --> 00:46:10.320 Mike Fires, because guess what you lose in that one. The Astros move 688 00:46:10.360 --> 00:46:15.239 on. Your season is done and you get to continue to be the rat 689 00:46:15.280 --> 00:46:19.960 that you are. And the Astros have done it the other way as well, 690 00:46:20.239 --> 00:46:23.679 where they've been able to have a huge run throughout the regular season and 691 00:46:24.000 --> 00:46:28.960 the last week of the season doesn't necessarily matter because the division is locked up 692 00:46:29.000 --> 00:46:31.440 and they're able to move on. And that's the way that those years have 693 00:46:31.519 --> 00:46:36.239 gone. So I say all of that just to say that every single season 694 00:46:36.360 --> 00:46:39.599 looks different, and every single season is different, and all that matters is 695 00:46:39.679 --> 00:46:43.199 how well are you playing at the end of the season. And that's the 696 00:46:43.199 --> 00:46:46.440 way the Astros are trying to at least right now before we even get going 697 00:46:46.599 --> 00:46:52.280 in this twenty twenty four season with Verlander going on the il of trying to 698 00:46:52.320 --> 00:46:54.079 say, hey, the early part of the season, we're just trying to 699 00:46:54.079 --> 00:46:58.880 make sure that this team is in the best position it can be later on 700 00:46:59.119 --> 00:47:01.599 in the season. So reason there's no reason to rush him right now. 701 00:47:01.599 --> 00:47:07.480 There's no need to try to push him along and get that timeline started for 702 00:47:07.599 --> 00:47:09.000 him to be back on the field. That I think, if nothing else, 703 00:47:09.400 --> 00:47:14.559 the Astros will take this thing as steadily as possible with him. Maybe 704 00:47:14.599 --> 00:47:16.880 next week he'll face live hitters. If that happens, then you're probably looking 705 00:47:16.880 --> 00:47:21.840 at about a month, So I would say conservatively middle of April is when 706 00:47:21.840 --> 00:47:23.880 you can look for Verlander to be on the field. But at the same 707 00:47:23.920 --> 00:47:27.719 time, though, too as well, as I said last week, here's 708 00:47:27.719 --> 00:47:30.679 how that conversation is going to go. Hey, you pitched in Sugarland last 709 00:47:30.760 --> 00:47:32.000 night? How'd it go? I probably need another one? All right? 710 00:47:32.039 --> 00:47:35.760 Gets you another one? So in the next five days he'll get him another 711 00:47:35.800 --> 00:47:37.960 one. Hey, how do you feel I could probably use one more? 712 00:47:38.079 --> 00:47:42.079 All right, fine, take you one more and then we'll see you when 713 00:47:42.079 --> 00:47:44.840 you're ready. To go. That's how that conversation is going to go. 714 00:47:45.000 --> 00:47:49.239 So that's how a baseball season goes. I mean, there are going to 715 00:47:49.239 --> 00:47:52.400 be losses. There are going to be times where I'm speaking into this microphone 716 00:47:52.639 --> 00:47:55.840 where maybe they've lost three or four in a row and you're a little bit 717 00:47:55.880 --> 00:48:00.280 frustrated with how that part of the season is going. But then there's also 718 00:48:00.320 --> 00:48:04.920 the other part. This hour was all Astros. Next hour, well, 719 00:48:04.960 --> 00:48:07.079 we're gonna get into a little bit more like how about the Texans in the 720 00:48:07.119 --> 00:48:12.440 moves that they've made because a particular plan is being put in place. What 721 00:48:12.559 --> 00:48:16.199 exactly it is is anyone's guess. We'll talk about the work that Nick Caserio 722 00:48:16.320 --> 00:48:22.599 and the crew are doing over there on Kirby as we continue this edition of 723 00:48:22.880 --> 00:48:28.000 Space City Saturday into the second hour. Here in the final hour here on 724 00:48:28.280 --> 00:48:30.199 the show, I'm Dan Matthews here on your Home of the Astros in the 725 00:48:30.239 --> 00:48:36.239 Rockets, Sports Talk seven ninety Space City Saturday, Dan Matthews here with you 726 00:48:37.000 --> 00:48:40.119 until noon on your Home of the Astros in the Rockets, Sports Talk seven 727 00:48:40.559 --> 00:48:44.679 ninety. But of course here in town, even though we don't have them 728 00:48:44.719 --> 00:48:51.159 here on Sports Talk seven ninety the Texans in conversation as it was kind of 729 00:48:51.159 --> 00:48:53.480 a little bit of a roller coaster of emotions this week, was it not? 730 00:48:53.880 --> 00:49:00.360 As the Texans go through the first full week of free agency in the 731 00:49:00.440 --> 00:49:04.920 NFL started early on in the week of legal tampering, and of course you 732 00:49:04.960 --> 00:49:08.519 know the reports that are out there where players could agree but they couldn't sign 733 00:49:08.760 --> 00:49:13.800 until Wednesday. Then we finally get to Wednesday and we start seeing the graphics 734 00:49:13.840 --> 00:49:20.639 come out and the signings announced in the Texans really busy in that first week. 735 00:49:20.639 --> 00:49:22.119 And I get it too. It was one of those things that the 736 00:49:22.280 --> 00:49:27.239 very first day me and Ross were on with you on that Monday, which 737 00:49:27.360 --> 00:49:30.559 I believe it is going to be me and Ross again on Monday as sports 738 00:49:30.679 --> 00:49:36.559 MT starting to make his way to d C with the Rockets, so we'll 739 00:49:36.599 --> 00:49:39.400 be coming your way again and maybe at that point we'll be talking about a 740 00:49:39.440 --> 00:49:43.960 Blake Snell's signing. That would be nice. Who knows, maybe Nick Cassario 741 00:49:44.480 --> 00:49:47.559 and the crew over there on Kirby going to be continuing to work because there's 742 00:49:47.599 --> 00:49:52.360 at least you know, I wouldn't say there are full fledged rumors, but 743 00:49:52.679 --> 00:49:57.920 there is at least belief that the Texans are still wheeling and dealing over there, 744 00:49:57.960 --> 00:50:01.719 But I mean the moves that made. Of course, the largest move 745 00:50:02.000 --> 00:50:07.079 made the pair of moves, and we had a chance to hear from both 746 00:50:07.239 --> 00:50:12.639 Daniel Hunter and also from Joe Mixon earlier this week. Hunter signed with the 747 00:50:12.639 --> 00:50:16.400 Texans two years, forty nine million out of him forty eight million guaranteed for 748 00:50:16.760 --> 00:50:22.159 that deal, and then Joe Mixon traded for and then signed to a long 749 00:50:22.239 --> 00:50:30.039 term extension three years out of him twenty seven million for him over the next 750 00:50:30.079 --> 00:50:34.920 three years. But the trade where the Texans sent a seventh round pick back 751 00:50:35.039 --> 00:50:39.119 to the Bengals, then getting a seventh round pick backed from the forty nine 752 00:50:39.199 --> 00:50:44.519 ers to send them Malik Collins, which I think we believed was going to 753 00:50:44.519 --> 00:50:46.400 set up for them to get Eric Armstead. Well, of course, Armstead 754 00:50:46.880 --> 00:50:52.679 signing on with the Jacksonville Jaguars, so we'll see how things shake out with 755 00:50:52.719 --> 00:50:55.519 the Texans trying to build out this roster. But then the one that came 756 00:50:55.599 --> 00:51:01.679 down yesterday was an interesting one from Nick Cassario where the Texans trade out of 757 00:51:01.719 --> 00:51:07.840 the first round and send their twenty third pick overall to the Minnesota Vikings in 758 00:51:07.880 --> 00:51:13.559 return for pick forty two in the second round and also to pick one point 759 00:51:13.559 --> 00:51:19.039 eighty eight, which is in the sixth round. So that is where the 760 00:51:19.360 --> 00:51:22.679 draft, you know, build up for the Texans starts right now. And 761 00:51:22.719 --> 00:51:24.280 I know that people on the surface look at it and say, well, 762 00:51:24.280 --> 00:51:27.559 wait a minute, first round picks, you know, I mean, can 763 00:51:27.559 --> 00:51:29.719 we really be doing that? I mean, we're still trying to build out 764 00:51:29.760 --> 00:51:32.000 this roster, right. You got to remember, too, where Nick Cassario 765 00:51:32.079 --> 00:51:37.840 comes from. When the Patriots were really moving along and winning world titles, 766 00:51:37.159 --> 00:51:42.639 Bill Belichick and the crew up there in New England, we're notorious for trading 767 00:51:42.639 --> 00:51:45.039 out of the first round because their thought on it was we don't have to 768 00:51:45.039 --> 00:51:49.840 pay them as much. You're also, depending on where you're drafting the second 769 00:51:49.880 --> 00:51:52.280 round, getting a guy that has probably a first round grade, and you 770 00:51:52.320 --> 00:51:57.679 feel like you're getting a caliber player that could have been taken on Night one 771 00:51:58.320 --> 00:52:01.840 for lesser value. You don't have to pay them as much, so cap 772 00:52:01.920 --> 00:52:06.480 wise it helps you even more. And again you have to remember too, 773 00:52:06.519 --> 00:52:10.320 what Nick Casseio had said at the Combine a few weeks ago, where he 774 00:52:10.360 --> 00:52:14.880 had talked about building up a roster, where he said that you don't just 775 00:52:14.880 --> 00:52:17.199 build up for one season. You're thinking a year ahead, you're thinking two 776 00:52:17.280 --> 00:52:22.559 years ahead. You're trying to be as flexible as possible. Where the Texans, 777 00:52:22.599 --> 00:52:24.480 I think right now, are looking at building out this roster and saying 778 00:52:24.559 --> 00:52:28.800 we're not going to be in the business of building this thing with a credit 779 00:52:28.840 --> 00:52:30.280 card. I mean we all have credit cards, right, we know how 780 00:52:30.320 --> 00:52:32.920 it goes. Ah, put it on my card, I'll pay it off 781 00:52:34.000 --> 00:52:37.760 later. That's how a lot of NFL teams build themselves up. I mean, 782 00:52:37.800 --> 00:52:40.719 we've seen it for years with Mickey Loomis and the Saints. They've lived 783 00:52:40.760 --> 00:52:45.079 that life for the longest time where it doesn't seem like it's an NFL off 784 00:52:45.119 --> 00:52:49.440 season without the Saints being in salary cap hill where they've got to try to 785 00:52:49.440 --> 00:52:52.800 restructure. They've got to cut guys loose, they've got to make trades, 786 00:52:52.840 --> 00:52:54.800 they've got to do all of these different types of things in order to try 787 00:52:54.800 --> 00:52:58.159 to get under that number. Well, the Texans are nowhere near that. 788 00:52:58.320 --> 00:53:01.679 But I think if nothing else, Nick Cassario is trying to set the precedent 789 00:53:01.800 --> 00:53:06.719 for how this thing is going to go. Where he's telling the front office, 790 00:53:06.760 --> 00:53:08.920 the rest of the front office over there and the fan base. We're 791 00:53:08.920 --> 00:53:15.039 not going to haphazard is the wrong word, but we're not going to be 792 00:53:16.760 --> 00:53:21.199 We're not going to be reckless with the way that we spend in the way 793 00:53:21.199 --> 00:53:23.000 that we build this team. Just because there's a great player out there that 794 00:53:23.039 --> 00:53:28.320 would command a huge amount of money and just because we've got a huge amount 795 00:53:28.360 --> 00:53:30.360 of money does not necessarily mean we're going to go there. He showed us 796 00:53:30.400 --> 00:53:35.239 that earlier this week with the reports about Saquon Barkley. Texans were in on 797 00:53:35.280 --> 00:53:38.079 Saquon Barkley. They didn't want to go above a certain number because I think 798 00:53:38.119 --> 00:53:42.760 that Nick Cassario kind of like what we talked about earlier with the Astros in 799 00:53:42.880 --> 00:53:45.920 terms of building up a roster. He's trying to say we're not going to 800 00:53:45.920 --> 00:53:50.440 be reckless here. I mean, some people asking again the Astros example, 801 00:53:50.760 --> 00:53:53.480 why hasn't Blake Snell signed yet. Well, it's called negotiation, it's called 802 00:53:53.559 --> 00:53:58.599 conversations. It's called trying to get to that point that you're able to give 803 00:53:58.639 --> 00:54:01.719 them what they want. You're able to get but you want because it's at 804 00:54:01.840 --> 00:54:07.559 least in that case a situation where you're going to have further negotiations with the 805 00:54:07.599 --> 00:54:12.280 guy that represents him. And I think that probably too, with the small 806 00:54:12.280 --> 00:54:15.880 amount of people that you deal with in the NFL, it's Nick Casario not 807 00:54:15.000 --> 00:54:20.760 wanting to signal to NFL agents out there that hey, we're completely open for 808 00:54:20.800 --> 00:54:23.199 business and you ask for what you want, we give you what you want. 809 00:54:23.559 --> 00:54:27.000 He's trying to say, no, we're going to build this thing up 810 00:54:27.039 --> 00:54:30.079 the right way. We're going to build it up where we are responsible with 811 00:54:30.119 --> 00:54:34.840 our spending, but also too we're able to still have an eye towards drafting 812 00:54:34.880 --> 00:54:38.199 and development and being able to build with our own guys from there. I'm 813 00:54:38.199 --> 00:54:42.880 fully on board with it, and with this move being made yesterday of the 814 00:54:42.920 --> 00:54:46.320 Texans moving out the first round, I agree with what my good buddy Jim 815 00:54:46.400 --> 00:54:51.840 Nagy of the Senior Bowl said about the Texans, where he had said that 816 00:54:51.960 --> 00:54:54.559 if nothing else, this looks like that they looked at their draft board and 817 00:54:54.599 --> 00:54:59.079 looked at who they could possibly get at twenty three and said, who's to 818 00:54:59.079 --> 00:55:00.719 say we can't get that play in the second round. Who's to say we 819 00:55:00.760 --> 00:55:06.960 can't get a player of similar value in the second round and be able to 820 00:55:07.000 --> 00:55:09.800 put ourselves in position where we're not paying them a huge amount of money. 821 00:55:09.960 --> 00:55:15.480 Where his suite read like this, let's look at this from the Texans angle. 822 00:55:15.519 --> 00:55:19.119 Guessing there, they assessed this year's board and concluded they could get the 823 00:55:19.119 --> 00:55:22.000 same or very close to a level player at number forty two as they could 824 00:55:22.039 --> 00:55:25.480 at twenty three. If that's the case, they just added another twenty twenty 825 00:55:25.480 --> 00:55:30.960 five second round pick at a very small cost. Screw trade value charts. 826 00:55:31.039 --> 00:55:35.599 I like it, and I agree. I think that if nothing else, 827 00:55:36.000 --> 00:55:39.639 it is a situation where they are saying, we are going to continue to 828 00:55:39.639 --> 00:55:45.880 build this thing responsibly and not just spend the money because we have it and 829 00:55:45.079 --> 00:55:47.280 it's there, and what else are we going to do with it. We've 830 00:55:47.280 --> 00:55:51.679 got to spend it. This is a non This is not a nonprofit organization. 831 00:55:52.159 --> 00:55:55.159 This is an organization that is trying to again not only win this coming 832 00:55:55.199 --> 00:56:00.480 season, but being able to try to win incoming years as well. I 833 00:56:00.480 --> 00:56:04.119 mean, we've seen the Texans run into a situation. I believe it was 834 00:56:04.239 --> 00:56:08.360 the twenty twelve season where they had to be able to make some tough decisions 835 00:56:08.400 --> 00:56:13.960 in terms of not being able to offer Mario Williams what he wanted and he 836 00:56:14.039 --> 00:56:16.440 was able to go the Buffalo Bills and be able to get what he wanted 837 00:56:16.480 --> 00:56:22.880 at that point, because they found themselves in a really tough salary cap situation. 838 00:56:22.320 --> 00:56:24.920 I think Nick Sarrio is trying to avoid that as best he can, 839 00:56:25.039 --> 00:56:30.360 because again, you're building this thing up with future years. These next couple 840 00:56:30.400 --> 00:56:34.360 of years is a little bit of free reign for the Texans at this point, 841 00:56:34.760 --> 00:56:38.880 because when we get to the twenty twenty sixth season and we get into 842 00:56:39.239 --> 00:56:44.719 that training camp, that's when you're during the offseason going to be hearing about 843 00:56:45.159 --> 00:56:51.679 CJ. Stroud's representation and the Texans getting into contract extension talks and trying to 844 00:56:52.800 --> 00:56:59.280 give him that contract extension before even having to get into fifth year option conversations 845 00:56:59.320 --> 00:57:01.880 and all those differ diferent types of things that that will be able to be 846 00:57:01.920 --> 00:57:06.679 on the books. And once that is on the books, that's a huge 847 00:57:06.719 --> 00:57:10.199 part of your salary cap structure at that point. And then you have to 848 00:57:10.239 --> 00:57:14.119 be even better in the draft. And I think that that's part of these 849 00:57:14.159 --> 00:57:17.000 trades that are being made is with a view of getting to that point where 850 00:57:17.199 --> 00:57:21.119 soon enough they have to be able to build up as much value as they 851 00:57:21.159 --> 00:57:24.559 can get in those drafts and be able to get as many good contributing players 852 00:57:24.719 --> 00:57:28.639 out of those drafts, because we've seen teams have to do that in the 853 00:57:28.679 --> 00:57:31.119 past as well. I mean, look for example, at the Kansas City 854 00:57:31.199 --> 00:57:36.400 Chiefs, they have been a team that ever since they gave Patrick Mahomes his 855 00:57:36.519 --> 00:57:40.320 money. They had to say goodbye to Tyreek Hill. They had to also 856 00:57:40.480 --> 00:57:45.280 to make some tough decisions in terms of what they're doing with the rest of 857 00:57:45.320 --> 00:57:49.800 their roster defensive players. We've seen other players move on, Chris Jones sticking 858 00:57:49.840 --> 00:57:52.039 around, although some people wondered they're gonna have the money to be able to 859 00:57:52.119 --> 00:57:54.639 keep him there? Are they gonna be able to make it work capwise to 860 00:57:54.679 --> 00:57:58.280 be able to keep him there. Well, obviously they were, because they 861 00:57:58.320 --> 00:58:00.800 just did. And I think think that, you know, it's one of 862 00:58:00.840 --> 00:58:05.920 those things that the salary cap, pied piper, it comes for everybody in 863 00:58:05.960 --> 00:58:08.159 the NFL. But I think that again, getting back to it, Nick 864 00:58:08.199 --> 00:58:12.960 Cassario is trying to say to everyone, look, we're gonna build this thing 865 00:58:13.039 --> 00:58:16.679 up in terms of spending responsibly, finding the best value we can get, 866 00:58:16.800 --> 00:58:22.480 and also too finding the guys that fit well in our organization. Daneil Hunter 867 00:58:22.760 --> 00:58:25.559 fits that profile. Joe Mixon, same deal. We were worried about it. 868 00:58:25.599 --> 00:58:29.519 Once Devin Singletary moved on to the New York Giants, we were like, 869 00:58:29.559 --> 00:58:31.639 all right, who's our running back. The following day they answered that 870 00:58:31.719 --> 00:58:37.119 question pretty quickly as he's al Shaire, another guy that yes, it hurt 871 00:58:37.159 --> 00:58:42.360 to see Blake, you know, to you know, to see you know, 872 00:58:42.960 --> 00:58:45.679 Blake Cashman move on, and also Jonathan Garnard move on. But the 873 00:58:45.719 --> 00:58:51.119 Texans made concurrent moves pretty quickly to be able to offset those losses. And 874 00:58:51.199 --> 00:58:53.920 al Shaire is a guy that has a ton of experience with the with Demiko 875 00:58:54.000 --> 00:58:59.159 ryans out in San Francisco, same deal with Denico Autry. I mean, 876 00:58:59.199 --> 00:59:02.559 you saw Jeffery Simmons say on Twitter, we did not just lose this guy 877 00:59:02.639 --> 00:59:06.840 the Houston Texans, right, And I think with Daniel Hunter, the interesting 878 00:59:06.880 --> 00:59:10.159 thing is, you know, you hear the saying deadlines make deals, and 879 00:59:10.440 --> 00:59:15.000 in the case with the Texans, it was pretty quickly after the report came 880 00:59:15.039 --> 00:59:19.519 out, Hey, the Indianapolis Colts are trying to get Danil Hunter. That 881 00:59:19.599 --> 00:59:22.280 the Texans said, oh, we know why they're trying to get him. 882 00:59:22.360 --> 00:59:25.159 We need to avoid them trying to get him for that specific reason. And 883 00:59:25.159 --> 00:59:29.239 that is something that we'll get into next. Because the Texans are making their 884 00:59:29.280 --> 00:59:32.360 moves, but others are making their moves with the Texans in mind, what 885 00:59:32.480 --> 00:59:37.039 exactly that means? Well, continue the Texans conversation also too. At the 886 00:59:37.079 --> 00:59:42.360 bottom of this hour, let you hear from James Palmer the NFL Network. 887 00:59:42.360 --> 00:59:45.559 We had a chance to catch up with him over on the A team earlier 888 00:59:45.599 --> 00:59:50.079 this week, just yesterday, right here on Sports Talk seven to ninety. 889 00:59:50.119 --> 00:59:53.360 What the national media thinks of the moves that Nick Cassario and the crew over 890 00:59:53.440 --> 00:59:58.280 off Kirby are making it to this point. We'll do all that as we 891 00:59:58.320 --> 01:00:01.199 continue along here on Space Saturday. I'm Dan Matthews here on your home of 892 01:00:01.199 --> 01:00:07.599 the Astros and the Rockets, Sports Talk seven ninety. This is Space City 893 01:00:07.760 --> 01:00:17.800 Saturday on Sports Talk seven ninety. Dan Matthews here with you until noon. 894 01:00:19.280 --> 01:00:23.159 As again, we'll have Rockets basketball coming up a little bit later on Matt 895 01:00:23.199 --> 01:00:30.719 Thomas Adam Wexler from there at Toyota Center as the Rockets try to continue this 896 01:00:30.000 --> 01:00:36.880 winning streak. Things have been going good for the Space City Hardwood crew as 897 01:00:37.559 --> 01:00:42.239 they continue to try to find their way towards being able to get into the 898 01:00:42.360 --> 01:00:45.519 NBA Playing Round. I mean, you know, it's a lot of things 899 01:00:45.519 --> 01:00:47.360 with the Rockets right now that you look at and say, you know, 900 01:00:47.559 --> 01:00:52.960 Alprin Shingoon down for a significant amount of time, what's his return going to 901 01:00:53.000 --> 01:00:59.280 look like? Cam Whitmore as well as the Rockets just find themselves a handful 902 01:00:59.280 --> 01:01:02.519 of games the Golden State Warriors with a chance to try to get into that 903 01:01:02.559 --> 01:01:07.840 tenth and final spot in the NBA playing Round. So we'll have that come 904 01:01:07.840 --> 01:01:10.679 in your way again at three o'clock. Rockets launch Bads, Stan Northfleet gonna 905 01:01:10.679 --> 01:01:15.840 be getting you ready for the game. As then we'll have three point thirty 906 01:01:15.239 --> 01:01:22.159 the pregame show to lead you into Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers right here on your 907 01:01:22.159 --> 01:01:25.920 home of the Rockets Sports Talks seven nineties. So mid afternoon NBA basketball, 908 01:01:27.119 --> 01:01:30.800 you got that going on again too. A little bit of housekeeping here before 909 01:01:30.800 --> 01:01:32.519 we continue the Texans conversation. If you want to weigh in, you can 910 01:01:32.519 --> 01:01:37.360 at someone three two, one, two five, seven ninety four forty five 911 01:01:37.519 --> 01:01:40.400 over on KPRC nine to fifty. That is going to be the Koogs going 912 01:01:40.679 --> 01:01:47.159 for the Big twelve Conference tournament title in Kansas City against the Iowa State Cyclones. 913 01:01:47.360 --> 01:01:52.119 So you have that over there on nine to fifty. And if you're 914 01:01:52.119 --> 01:01:57.599 looking for Astros Baseball, as the whole hour one of the show today we 915 01:01:57.639 --> 01:02:01.800 talked all Astros getting you ready for the season as we are now about a 916 01:02:01.880 --> 01:02:08.239 week and a half away, as we are two weeks from last Thursday away 917 01:02:08.480 --> 01:02:12.559 from the season getting going March twenty eighth, right here on your home of 918 01:02:12.559 --> 01:02:16.079 the Astro Sports Talk seven ninety. But strosen Metz spring training action coming your 919 01:02:16.119 --> 01:02:22.760 way for fifty over on news Radio seven forty KTRH. That is where you 920 01:02:22.800 --> 01:02:27.639 can find that. But I mentioned this a little bit in the last segment 921 01:02:27.960 --> 01:02:34.559 of the Texans deciding to move and sign Daniel Hunter, and where a huge 922 01:02:35.320 --> 01:02:40.159 emphasis for that Liede was the fact that it looked like the team that was 923 01:02:40.239 --> 01:02:44.079 neck and neck with you last year for a chance to be able to try 924 01:02:44.440 --> 01:02:50.840 to get into the NFL playoffs in the Indianapolis Colts, where the Colts looked 925 01:02:50.840 --> 01:02:52.119 at it and said, how do we beat the Texans? We affect the 926 01:02:52.159 --> 01:02:55.440 quarterback, right, So how do we affect the quarterback by adding guys like 927 01:02:55.480 --> 01:03:00.400 danil Hunter to our roster, and I think that once Nick Cassario and crew 928 01:03:00.440 --> 01:03:02.639 over on Kirby saw that that was the case, they said, we can't 929 01:03:02.719 --> 01:03:07.079 let that happen because we know exactly why they're trying to make that move. 930 01:03:07.440 --> 01:03:12.880 They're explicitly trying to make that move with the motivation of being able to beat 931 01:03:12.960 --> 01:03:14.480 us. How do they do that, Well, they get to C. 932 01:03:14.639 --> 01:03:16.239 J. Stroud, That's how they do that. How do we avoid that 933 01:03:16.280 --> 01:03:19.679 happening? Oh, we had that guy on our side, and we have 934 01:03:19.840 --> 01:03:23.800 that guy getting after Anthony Richardson, Trevor Lawrence and Will Levis and being able 935 01:03:23.840 --> 01:03:30.000 to control winning the AFC South And that was a huge reason for them to 936 01:03:30.159 --> 01:03:34.960 make that move. But it's also too looking at other moves being made by 937 01:03:35.039 --> 01:03:38.639 teams in the AFC South. Is with the moves that Texans have made this 938 01:03:38.679 --> 01:03:44.199 week. And we'll hear from James Palmer here in about ten minutes as it 939 01:03:44.320 --> 01:03:47.159 is being looked at by the Texans of they feel like that the window has 940 01:03:47.199 --> 01:03:50.960 opened for them to try to be able to make a run at winning a 941 01:03:50.960 --> 01:03:53.320 Lombardi Trophy, something they have not done. They haven't even had a chance 942 01:03:53.360 --> 01:03:58.360 to get into the AFC title at this point, and with CJ. Stroud, 943 01:03:58.719 --> 01:04:00.480 you feel like those days it's not a matter of if, it's a 944 01:04:00.480 --> 01:04:04.079 matter of when the Texans get to that point, because you feel like with 945 01:04:04.199 --> 01:04:08.480 him that they are very much on that track to be able to do that. 946 01:04:08.679 --> 01:04:14.400 But it's also as well a chance for us to look back at the 947 01:04:14.440 --> 01:04:17.480 way the Texans were, because remember in two thousand and nine they had a 948 01:04:17.559 --> 01:04:23.519 chance to make the playoffs, they just missed out. Twenty ten was just 949 01:04:23.719 --> 01:04:27.320 an awful season. You have Connor Barwin go down, you have to Meeko 950 01:04:27.400 --> 01:04:31.599 Ryans go down with injury, and the defense just was awful all the way 951 01:04:31.599 --> 01:04:36.280 through six and ten season. Frank Bush and that part of the defensive staff 952 01:04:36.440 --> 01:04:43.000 you're out. Wade Phillips and Reggie Herring and Vance Joseph and a lot of 953 01:04:43.039 --> 01:04:46.760 different coaches. You are in and Gary Kubiak saying to Wade Phillips, hey, 954 01:04:47.079 --> 01:04:50.519 you handle that side, I'll handle the offensive side, and let's make 955 01:04:50.519 --> 01:04:55.599 some things happen. And that's when the Texans finally again. Wade's dad had 956 01:04:55.639 --> 01:04:59.440 the line, we're gonna kick the sum bitch in and we're going to make 957 01:04:59.480 --> 01:05:01.880 it into the AFC Title game the following year. Well, that was the 958 01:05:01.920 --> 01:05:05.639 Texans same we're gonna kick that sob in and we're gonna make the playoffs the 959 01:05:05.639 --> 01:05:09.599 following year because we're gonna finally have a defense, and wow, did they 960 01:05:09.639 --> 01:05:14.639 have a defense that season. But a huge emphasis for that as well was 961 01:05:14.760 --> 01:05:17.079 even before the neck issues, it was we've got to build this thing up 962 01:05:17.119 --> 01:05:21.400 because there's a team up in Indianapolis with a guy named Peyton Manning that we 963 01:05:21.480 --> 01:05:26.480 have not been able to beat and they have been running the AFC South. 964 01:05:26.559 --> 01:05:29.239 So how do we do that. We have a stifling defense, we have 965 01:05:29.239 --> 01:05:31.320 a defense that can get after quarterbacks, and we have a way to be 966 01:05:31.360 --> 01:05:34.559 able to beat those teams that we can kind of offset what he's able to 967 01:05:34.599 --> 01:05:40.199 do with what we are able to do. And that's what the Texans are 968 01:05:41.360 --> 01:05:44.559 facing right now with what the Colts are trying to do, what the Jags 969 01:05:44.559 --> 01:05:46.239 are trying to do. I mean the Jags going to get Eric Armstead. 970 01:05:46.480 --> 01:05:50.800 That's part of it as well, where they had Trevon Walker as their top 971 01:05:50.840 --> 01:05:57.159 pick a few years ago with the explicit opportunity to be able to get after 972 01:05:57.400 --> 01:06:00.880 opposing quarterbacks, and he's been able to have a good NFL career to this 973 01:06:00.920 --> 01:06:04.159 point. But I think that most people look at him being the top pick 974 01:06:04.199 --> 01:06:06.960 overall and saying, man, we need to see a little bit more out 975 01:06:08.000 --> 01:06:11.880 of him. And I think they feel like adding Eric Armstead is gonna be 976 01:06:11.880 --> 01:06:15.039 able to free him up a little bit more and he can be more of 977 01:06:15.039 --> 01:06:17.480 a defensive presence, especially in the past rush game, and that's what they're 978 01:06:17.480 --> 01:06:21.719 trying to do. Tennessee Titans. Really look at it right now. This 979 01:06:21.800 --> 01:06:26.159 is a three team race. The Titans. Yeah, that's nice that they 980 01:06:26.199 --> 01:06:30.000 get Calvin Ridley, that's nice that they get Tony Pollard. But at the 981 01:06:30.079 --> 01:06:32.760 same time too as well new head coach there, they're kind of in the 982 01:06:32.760 --> 01:06:38.320 same situation that the Texans were in this time last year, and I don't 983 01:06:38.320 --> 01:06:42.639 think that they feel anywhere as good as the Texans felt like potentially they could 984 01:06:42.639 --> 01:06:45.239 be down the road with CJ. Stroud, because let's be honest here, 985 01:06:45.320 --> 01:06:49.760 they were even they were even pleasantly surprised with how last season went. I 986 01:06:49.800 --> 01:06:54.000 think a lot of us, as we're talking coming off of this last season, 987 01:06:55.199 --> 01:06:59.360 say if my prediction had come true where I had said coming into last 988 01:06:59.400 --> 01:07:01.719 season, it's a seven to ten football Seaton. That's a seven and ten 989 01:07:01.800 --> 01:07:05.440 football team, and if they're able to finish that way, you at least 990 01:07:05.440 --> 01:07:10.920 can say, Okay, we see that potential success is on the horizon, 991 01:07:11.000 --> 01:07:14.679 but we're not there yet. They flip that number and they made the playoffs 992 01:07:14.679 --> 01:07:16.199 and they won a playoff game. So now all of a sudden, the 993 01:07:16.239 --> 01:07:20.559 timeline has sped up even a little bit more and the Texans find themselves in 994 01:07:20.599 --> 01:07:26.880 position to be able to have higher aspirations in a shorter amount of time. 995 01:07:27.119 --> 01:07:30.960 And a team that's trying to keep them from reaching those aspirations are the Indianapolis 996 01:07:30.960 --> 01:07:35.039 Colts, and they're saying, look, we're gonna get Anthony Richardson back this 997 01:07:35.119 --> 01:07:39.079 year. Hopefully we can keep him healthy. We feel like if we can 998 01:07:39.119 --> 01:07:41.639 do that with the rest of the roster we've got, if we were able 999 01:07:41.719 --> 01:07:44.880 to add a guy like to Neil Hunter, then we feel like, yes, 1000 01:07:45.000 --> 01:07:47.199 absolutely, we've caught up with you and we can beat you this coming 1001 01:07:47.280 --> 01:07:51.719 season, and we are the ones moving on as champions of the AFC South, 1002 01:07:51.920 --> 01:07:57.159 not you down in Houston. And that was a savvy move made by 1003 01:07:57.199 --> 01:08:00.679 the Texans. Is it was set up by the not being you know, 1004 01:08:01.360 --> 01:08:05.639 reckless with they're spending in terms of trying to build up to the point of, 1005 01:08:06.199 --> 01:08:11.719 you know, adding say a Saquon Barkley or even a Christian Wilkins. 1006 01:08:11.760 --> 01:08:15.880 If they added one or both of those guys, then Daniel Hunter is probably 1007 01:08:15.880 --> 01:08:19.399 an Indianapolis cult right now. But the fact that they said we don't want 1008 01:08:19.399 --> 01:08:24.600 to go above a certain number with those guys set themselves up for an opportunity 1009 01:08:24.640 --> 01:08:28.000 to upgrade at that spot. Because, yes, it hurts to lose Jonathan 1010 01:08:28.000 --> 01:08:30.680 Grenard. That's not a player that you want to see walk out the building. 1011 01:08:30.920 --> 01:08:33.720 But you had a guy that is a little bit older, yes, 1012 01:08:34.079 --> 01:08:38.159 but as a guy that is still showing you that he can get to the 1013 01:08:38.239 --> 01:08:43.399 quarterback at a high level in Danel Hunter, and you feel even better about 1014 01:08:43.560 --> 01:08:45.399 the way that your past rush is going to look this coming season. And 1015 01:08:45.399 --> 01:08:49.359 that's something too that we heard from Demiko Ryans at the end of last season. 1016 01:08:49.600 --> 01:08:53.079 You could see it clear as day on the field, the look on 1017 01:08:53.119 --> 01:08:56.520 Demiko Ryan's face in the second half of that game against the Baltimore Ravens, 1018 01:08:56.800 --> 01:08:59.760 and you're saying to yourself, we're not there yet. That was the look 1019 01:08:59.840 --> 01:09:03.319 he had. He's probably even internally saying to himself, we are not on 1020 01:09:03.359 --> 01:09:06.479 this team's level, not right now. We can get there, but we're 1021 01:09:06.520 --> 01:09:10.680 not there yet. And that following Monday, when you met with the media, 1022 01:09:10.720 --> 01:09:13.800 he said exactly that thing. We've got to build up up front. 1023 01:09:14.000 --> 01:09:16.640 We've got to be more stout upfront. We've got to add guys that can 1024 01:09:16.680 --> 01:09:20.319 be able to affect the quarterback, but also too, we can control the 1025 01:09:20.319 --> 01:09:24.279 line of scrimmage in the run game and be able to win games that way, 1026 01:09:24.640 --> 01:09:28.960 because if you are able to control the line of scrimmage offensively and defensively, 1027 01:09:29.399 --> 01:09:32.520 it frees up everyone else. Your secondary Oh we've got secondary issues, 1028 01:09:32.680 --> 01:09:35.039 Well, you don't have them as much if you're getting to the quarterback right 1029 01:09:35.319 --> 01:09:39.079 because you're not putting them on an island as much. You're not having them 1030 01:09:39.479 --> 01:09:42.319 in those one on one battles, because more often than not, if it's 1031 01:09:42.359 --> 01:09:45.800 a one on one battle between a receiver in a defensive back, the receiver 1032 01:09:45.880 --> 01:09:46.960 is gonna win that one. They know where the ball is going, they 1033 01:09:47.000 --> 01:09:51.119 know where exactly it's going to be placed and how to make said play on 1034 01:09:51.199 --> 01:09:56.039 the ball than the player who is reacting to it. So in that case, 1035 01:09:56.159 --> 01:10:00.399 right there, Texan's making this move being able to offset Indianapolis tried to 1036 01:10:00.439 --> 01:10:04.079 do Again, these are going to be off seasons that the Texans will be 1037 01:10:04.119 --> 01:10:09.079 facing from here on out. As long as CJ. Stroud is playing at 1038 01:10:09.079 --> 01:10:12.720 the level that he played this last season is you're going to see Indianapolis making 1039 01:10:12.760 --> 01:10:15.479 moves of how do we try to offset his production when we play against them. 1040 01:10:15.560 --> 01:10:18.279 You're going to see the Jaguars trying to do that. Eventually, you'll 1041 01:10:18.319 --> 01:10:21.359 see the Titans try to get to that point if indeed they have the right 1042 01:10:21.399 --> 01:10:25.119 head coach now and they are on the right track that they want to be 1043 01:10:25.600 --> 01:10:29.960 in order to try to get back into the AFC South picture. But when 1044 01:10:30.000 --> 01:10:32.439 you get a guy like CJ. Stroud, yeah, absolutely, you have 1045 01:10:32.479 --> 01:10:35.560 a target on you and you have others who want to try to come after 1046 01:10:35.600 --> 01:10:40.960 you. And that's the next step for the Texans is being able to keep 1047 01:10:41.119 --> 01:10:45.439 their dominance of the AFC South because one season does not do that. You 1048 01:10:45.520 --> 01:10:47.840 have to be able to do that over multiple years. The Astros have done 1049 01:10:47.840 --> 01:10:50.640 that now in the American League. They're the class of the American League. 1050 01:10:50.800 --> 01:10:55.119 They finally got past the point of, hey, we just want to make 1051 01:10:55.119 --> 01:10:57.840 the playoffs. We want to win the AL West, and we want to 1052 01:10:57.840 --> 01:11:01.439 be able to be the team to beat in the Now they have higher aspirations 1053 01:11:01.479 --> 01:11:05.359 where the team to beat in the American League. That's eventually where the Texans 1054 01:11:05.359 --> 01:11:09.279 want to get. They want to be the team to beat in the AFC. 1055 01:11:09.840 --> 01:11:12.640 And now how do you get to that point. You got to get 1056 01:11:12.640 --> 01:11:15.119 past the team that just won the AFC and won the whole thing in the 1057 01:11:15.159 --> 01:11:18.680 Kansas City Chiefs. They've still got Patrick Mahomes there. You got to be 1058 01:11:18.680 --> 01:11:21.439 able to beat that team Baltimore, you got to be able to beat that 1059 01:11:21.479 --> 01:11:27.119 team in Buffalo. And you've got other teams who are trying to join you 1060 01:11:27.199 --> 01:11:30.479 in that quest and trying to get to that point. And that is the 1061 01:11:30.560 --> 01:11:33.359 following step that the Texans have to make. But with the moves that have 1062 01:11:33.399 --> 01:11:38.399 been made to this point, that is Nick Cassario again living up to what 1063 01:11:38.479 --> 01:11:41.920 he said at the combine about building this thing up for years, not just 1064 01:11:42.000 --> 01:11:45.960 this coming year. And that's where the Texans find themselves at this moment. 1065 01:11:45.319 --> 01:11:48.399 All right, Coming up next, as I said last segment, we will 1066 01:11:48.439 --> 01:11:55.119 hear coming up from James Palmer of the NFL Network he was on a yesterday 1067 01:11:55.159 --> 01:11:58.960 with the A Team. A lot of good stuff said by him about the 1068 01:11:58.960 --> 01:12:02.279 way that the crew out there in La at the NFL Network are looking at 1069 01:12:02.319 --> 01:12:06.560 the moves made by the Houston Texans so far to this point in the offseason. 1070 01:12:06.600 --> 01:12:11.800 We'll hear that conversation as we continue along here on your home of the 1071 01:12:11.800 --> 01:12:15.439 Astros and the Rockets, Sports Talk seven ninety. Busy day of programming here 1072 01:12:15.600 --> 01:12:20.319 not only on Sports Talk seven ninety, but also to on our iHeartRadio family 1073 01:12:20.359 --> 01:12:26.800 of stations here in Houston. You got the Coog's and Iowa State Cyclones going 1074 01:12:26.840 --> 01:12:30.880 for the Big twelve men's basketball title. A little bit later on over on 1075 01:12:30.960 --> 01:12:34.560 KPRC nine fifty four to forty five for that one, and also to astros 1076 01:12:34.640 --> 01:12:41.680 Ian Metz Spring Training Action on News Radio seven forty k TRH four fifty for 1077 01:12:42.079 --> 01:12:45.960 that one. But as promised, right now, let's go back in time 1078 01:12:45.279 --> 01:12:50.319 to yesterday when the NFL networks James Palmer, a guy we know here very 1079 01:12:50.520 --> 01:12:56.680 well in Houston from his time for the old CSN Houston. He is now 1080 01:12:56.720 --> 01:13:00.039 with the NFL Network and he joined the A team. As we had that 1081 01:13:00.119 --> 01:13:05.159 conversation yesterday, our favorite from the NFL Network. Don't tell the other people 1082 01:13:05.199 --> 01:13:09.800 I said that, James Palmer. But great having you with us, always 1083 01:13:09.840 --> 01:13:13.680 producing great content here with us, awesome stuff on the NFL Report, and 1084 01:13:13.720 --> 01:13:16.560 I know even there there's been a lot of talk about the Houston Texans. 1085 01:13:16.560 --> 01:13:19.359 So we will start there as we welcome you in here, as we roll 1086 01:13:19.399 --> 01:13:26.039 through our Friday James in your best guests, with all the people you're in 1087 01:13:26.079 --> 01:13:30.680 contact with, even just inside your own newsroom, etc. What's the general 1088 01:13:30.720 --> 01:13:36.680 thought about what the Texans have done from Monday till today. It's really strong, 1089 01:13:38.000 --> 01:13:42.439 Adam, I'll put it out there. I do think everybody is kind 1090 01:13:42.439 --> 01:13:45.800 of on the same page in what Nick Sara was doing. And I think 1091 01:13:45.840 --> 01:13:49.319 you could say that they were aggressive and you haven't seen them be aggressive before, 1092 01:13:49.359 --> 01:13:53.560 but I wouldn't even really use that word, Like, I think they 1093 01:13:53.600 --> 01:13:58.000 were still measured in a sense, and I think the way they did these 1094 01:13:58.039 --> 01:14:01.079 contracts was extremely smart. Like I mean, look at most of these deals. 1095 01:14:01.119 --> 01:14:03.920 They're two year deals, and so they're going to be up before you 1096 01:14:04.000 --> 01:14:09.279 have to start paying some of these really talented draft picks that you've had the 1097 01:14:09.359 --> 01:14:12.880 last couple of years, so your money lines up pretty well, and I 1098 01:14:12.920 --> 01:14:16.880 think everybody was curious what they were going to do considering this. We could 1099 01:14:16.920 --> 01:14:20.119 say it like I don't know if I'm overstepping, but like this Super Bowl 1100 01:14:20.560 --> 01:14:26.239 contender window has opened, like after just one season with CJ. Shroud and 1101 01:14:26.279 --> 01:14:29.119 Demiko Ryan. So what are you going to do with the money that you 1102 01:14:29.239 --> 01:14:32.560 have in place in a rookie quarterback contract? And what are you going to 1103 01:14:32.600 --> 01:14:35.920 go out and do? And I think it was really really smart to build 1104 01:14:35.960 --> 01:14:40.680 through the defensive side of the ball. And I mean everybody in Houston knows 1105 01:14:40.720 --> 01:14:43.520 this, right, Dimiko's going to build through the defensive line. He values 1106 01:14:43.560 --> 01:14:46.880 it, you know, higher than maybe any other position group out there in 1107 01:14:46.960 --> 01:14:50.439 terms of what you need to be successful. And there's a chance, and 1108 01:14:50.479 --> 01:14:55.279 I've said this on NFL Network, like there's a legitimate chance that Daniel Hunter 1109 01:14:55.760 --> 01:14:59.720 and Will Anderson Junior could be the best ed rushing duo in football. Yeah. 1110 01:15:00.199 --> 01:15:01.920 I mean that's what has all of us, including the two guys talking 1111 01:15:01.960 --> 01:15:06.119 to you on the phone right now, the most excited. But having said 1112 01:15:06.119 --> 01:15:09.640 all that, and I agree with a lot of what you said, there 1113 01:15:09.640 --> 01:15:12.880 aren't a couple of head scratching moves, namely the one that they made today, 1114 01:15:13.279 --> 01:15:15.359 which is also bizarre because I feel like them and the Vikings just keep 1115 01:15:15.399 --> 01:15:20.119 flip flopping assets and players either directly or indirectly. But yeah, you have 1116 01:15:20.159 --> 01:15:26.239 to go back and forth, it really does. But today's move, and 1117 01:15:26.279 --> 01:15:30.960 then also the Malik Collins deal, which seemingly looked like it at first it 1118 01:15:31.000 --> 01:15:34.119 was rumored to be for Armstead, and then Armstead ends up going into the 1119 01:15:34.159 --> 01:15:40.039 division to the Jags. I think those are the two transactions, or I 1120 01:15:40.039 --> 01:15:43.560 guess, in the case of Armstead not coming here, non transactions that we're 1121 01:15:43.640 --> 01:15:46.439 kind of scratching our heads about and wondering what's the next domino or what's the 1122 01:15:46.479 --> 01:15:53.359 thinking here? For sure, I think the Armstead one and the Malik one 1123 01:15:53.359 --> 01:15:57.560 that that makes sense because there is if you talk to anybody around the league, 1124 01:15:57.600 --> 01:16:00.560 and that's literally what we do these last several days, has just sit 1125 01:16:00.640 --> 01:16:05.119 on the phone, is there's there's a deficiency of good defensive tackles available, 1126 01:16:05.359 --> 01:16:13.399 and there's needy teams for interior rushers and interior players. And that was one 1127 01:16:13.439 --> 01:16:15.199 of the kind of head scratchers with Houston, I would say, is going 1128 01:16:15.279 --> 01:16:18.479 Okay, They've filled a lot of other spots. They got deeper at linebacker. 1129 01:16:18.560 --> 01:16:21.439 You know, you get Autrey's like a rotational guy, like he doesn't 1130 01:16:21.479 --> 01:16:24.399 have to play a ton of snaps at his age. I think that's a 1131 01:16:24.439 --> 01:16:27.039 good deal as well. And like I like most of the moves, and 1132 01:16:27.119 --> 01:16:30.640 you go, well, what about this position group, I would advise to 1133 01:16:30.760 --> 01:16:33.800 go And I don't know why they made this trade today. I haven't dug 1134 01:16:33.880 --> 01:16:39.359 on it and go to Philadelphia and think about Howie Roseman and how he operates 1135 01:16:39.640 --> 01:16:42.760 three hundred and sixty five days out of the year. So I wouldn't panic 1136 01:16:43.199 --> 01:16:46.000 if you look at what Philly in the last two years has added, even 1137 01:16:46.039 --> 01:16:49.479 in the months leading into the season, Like two years ago they added CJ. 1138 01:16:49.520 --> 01:16:53.680 Garden Johnson, who ironically is back, but like two weeks before the 1139 01:16:53.760 --> 01:16:56.960 year started, and I think he tied for the league leading interceptions that year 1140 01:16:56.960 --> 01:17:00.199 and missed like a boat at the time. So my point was that is 1141 01:17:00.279 --> 01:17:03.479 right, Like we're a handful of days into free agency, there's still a 1142 01:17:03.479 --> 01:17:06.199 lot of ways you can fill your roster. In a lot of time for 1143 01:17:06.279 --> 01:17:10.439 you to fill your roster. I don't know all if it has to happen 1144 01:17:11.039 --> 01:17:15.600 right, you know, out of the jump and with the trade, what 1145 01:17:15.640 --> 01:17:18.199 I see is a team that's very aggressive to go after a quarterback and other 1146 01:17:18.239 --> 01:17:24.960 team that's obviously more content and cool with Hey, more picks over the next 1147 01:17:25.039 --> 01:17:29.039 couple of years, we've drafted, Well, let's try to keep doing that 1148 01:17:29.119 --> 01:17:34.039 and keep acquiring more assets during this time. Is kind of appears to be 1149 01:17:34.199 --> 01:17:39.000 thinking of the Texans with you here with us today, James one of the 1150 01:17:39.000 --> 01:17:43.439 players they acquired that we almost have talked none about. We need to today. 1151 01:17:43.439 --> 01:17:47.039 Five short years ago, this player was wrecking shop for Ryan Days Buckeyes, 1152 01:17:47.439 --> 01:17:50.239 became the third overall pick, and now is set to play for his 1153 01:17:50.319 --> 01:17:55.239 third team in what will be his fifth season. Why is there hope from 1154 01:17:55.279 --> 01:18:00.720 this team that Jeff Okuda will be a starting, a plus caliber starting corner. 1155 01:18:00.840 --> 01:18:04.840 Now it's his buckete thrive in Houston. No, just listen. He 1156 01:18:04.840 --> 01:18:10.680 he has talent. I think that's that's that's evident. I would say, 1157 01:18:11.000 --> 01:18:14.039 if you want to be optimistic and do you take a one year, six 1158 01:18:14.039 --> 01:18:15.920 million dollar flyer on a guy who was a former third overall pick, like 1159 01:18:16.399 --> 01:18:19.880 yeah, I would say that's not a terrible terrible move. I would look 1160 01:18:19.920 --> 01:18:25.159 at what's happened in the Denver. I'm in Denver. What happened in Houston 1161 01:18:25.319 --> 01:18:28.399 in one year? Like, I think you've got to rely on your coaching 1162 01:18:28.399 --> 01:18:30.720 staff sometimes to go, let's see what we can do. I mean, 1163 01:18:30.800 --> 01:18:33.760 like what was turned around with this defense specifically against the run. Now this 1164 01:18:33.800 --> 01:18:36.079 has nothing to do with the secondary, but my point is this, like 1165 01:18:36.520 --> 01:18:40.560 if Amika Ryans and his group can come in and they were giving up one 1166 01:18:40.600 --> 01:18:44.600 hundred and seventy point two yards a game the year before on the ground and 1167 01:18:44.600 --> 01:18:46.880 they ended up giving ninety with it ninety six point six, sixth best in 1168 01:18:46.920 --> 01:18:50.720 the NFL the next year, Like, yes, some players changed, but 1169 01:18:50.800 --> 01:18:54.600 yeah, coaching is really valuable as well. And if you think you can 1170 01:18:54.640 --> 01:18:59.000 coach a guy up to play above you know what you've seen. I mean, 1171 01:18:59.560 --> 01:19:01.680 it's not a terrible deal on a one year deal for six million dollars 1172 01:19:01.720 --> 01:19:06.079 for a corner that definitely has talent, and it's not like you're like pressing 1173 01:19:06.199 --> 01:19:10.960 need for him to go out and really really thrive, because he did have 1174 01:19:11.000 --> 01:19:15.880 flashes in Atlanta last year. So you talked about building the defensive side of 1175 01:19:15.920 --> 01:19:20.680 the football, and I countered with head scratching questions or moves that are head 1176 01:19:20.680 --> 01:19:26.279 scratches. I guess your thoughts on Sexan's you know, acquiring Joe Mixon but 1177 01:19:26.319 --> 01:19:32.119 then extending him the way they did. Yeah, I was a little curious 1178 01:19:32.159 --> 01:19:35.880 about the trade because the running back market for the first time was actually a 1179 01:19:36.000 --> 01:19:42.000 market which just hasn't existed for a couple of years. And obviously these guys 1180 01:19:42.039 --> 01:19:45.640 didn't really get paid paid, even Saekwon didn't get paid paid. But the 1181 01:19:45.640 --> 01:19:49.600 market is better than it's been. There's there's no guys coming out in the 1182 01:19:49.680 --> 01:19:55.520 draft, like you had to land somebody, and like there's a stat from 1183 01:19:55.640 --> 01:20:00.079 Joe that stands out to me that's like wow. I mean since twenty eighteen, 1184 01:20:00.760 --> 01:20:05.479 there's only three players in the NFL that have had five seasons with twelve 1185 01:20:05.520 --> 01:20:10.920 hundred scrim in Yarder Moore. It's him, Alvin Kamara, and Tyreek Hill. 1186 01:20:11.039 --> 01:20:14.600 And that's it. Like, if you feel like you can use him 1187 01:20:14.640 --> 01:20:17.720 in a variety of ways and you think still there's something else from your other 1188 01:20:17.760 --> 01:20:20.880 back that kind of lost his job. But if you're still has something, 1189 01:20:23.159 --> 01:20:25.600 I think you do kind of make a play there. But because you're not 1190 01:20:25.640 --> 01:20:30.840 getting any young talent out of the draft into your backfield, that's a stretch. 1191 01:20:30.279 --> 01:20:33.920 I was curious about extending because, like he has been around, and 1192 01:20:33.960 --> 01:20:38.119 we know about tread on the tires with running backs, but he's been pretty 1193 01:20:38.199 --> 01:20:43.520 tang durable and he's been pretty consistent from what I said so and what the 1194 01:20:43.560 --> 01:20:45.199 stats say, and I've covered Cincinnati a good amount. I mean, he 1195 01:20:45.239 --> 01:20:48.840 does a lot of different things for them within their offense. I think there's 1196 01:20:48.880 --> 01:20:51.760 ways to use him, and you got to have a plan for somebody like 1197 01:20:51.760 --> 01:20:55.039 this, and you got to have a help You gotta have help for him 1198 01:20:55.039 --> 01:20:58.880 as well that he's not carrying the football honestly too much, and I think 1199 01:20:58.920 --> 01:21:01.119 they do have that a little bit. One thing we haven't seen enough of 1200 01:21:01.279 --> 01:21:05.159 for a normal offseason, and I'm curious if you think we will is the 1201 01:21:05.479 --> 01:21:10.319 well, we have to start moving some players for cap reasons or we're just 1202 01:21:10.359 --> 01:21:14.000 gonna have to let him go. And maybe it began yesterday with the Keenan 1203 01:21:14.039 --> 01:21:17.640 Allen trade from the Chargers to the Bears. Are there any other veteran, 1204 01:21:17.880 --> 01:21:24.439 established, expensive players that you can see being moved to new teams because of 1205 01:21:24.479 --> 01:21:30.039 those reasons? I mean, everybody had to be under right the other day, 1206 01:21:30.119 --> 01:21:31.920 So like that's where you know, some of the movement ends up happening. 1207 01:21:32.159 --> 01:21:38.199 There's still some teams deciding on some guys, but I think the bulk 1208 01:21:38.239 --> 01:21:43.479 of WEXI, the bulk of major moves in that sense, are probably behind 1209 01:21:43.560 --> 01:21:46.520 us. In a sense, I thought the Keenan Allen won to me just 1210 01:21:46.600 --> 01:21:50.199 personally knowing the Chargers, knowing what Keenan is, knowing what he's done for 1211 01:21:50.239 --> 01:21:55.239 the organization, who Harball comes in there, it just goes, oh, 1212 01:21:55.399 --> 01:21:59.079 take it easy, bro. I was like, Wow, that was that 1213 01:21:59.159 --> 01:22:00.960 was a head scratch. But obviously finances play a part in it. I 1214 01:22:00.960 --> 01:22:03.800 don't know if there's too many more of those on the horizon, just because 1215 01:22:03.960 --> 01:22:10.239 now we're into the league year and everybody had to be under and so there 1216 01:22:10.319 --> 01:22:13.560 might be one or two more where you get kind of a little bit surprised, 1217 01:22:13.760 --> 01:22:16.800 But those decisions, most of them were already made. The reason the 1218 01:22:16.880 --> 01:22:21.359 Chargers took a little while is because they're trying to manipulate like four different players 1219 01:22:21.359 --> 01:22:26.439 that were like thirty million plus cap hits and trying to figure out how to 1220 01:22:26.640 --> 01:22:29.479 manipulate all of them. Got two of them back, and you know, 1221 01:22:29.560 --> 01:22:30.920 and so I think that's why there's just took a little bit. I don't 1222 01:22:30.920 --> 01:22:33.760 see a whole lot more of those happening. Well, real quickly, is 1223 01:22:33.800 --> 01:22:39.960 there a second AFC team that you think did themselves well this free agent period? 1224 01:22:39.960 --> 01:22:45.840 Obviously ranking behind Houston, Baltimore had some people go out the door, 1225 01:22:45.920 --> 01:22:49.279 but I think Derek Henry along with Lamar Jackson, like, this game's about 1226 01:22:49.279 --> 01:22:55.439 scoring points obviously, and I don't know what defense is going to feel comfortable 1227 01:22:55.439 --> 01:22:59.560 inside the ten with both of those guys in the backfield. And I mentioned 1228 01:22:59.600 --> 01:23:01.479 them lose guys, aren't they like the one team you look at and like 1229 01:23:01.520 --> 01:23:05.039 anybody gets hurt, somebody goes down O line secondary and then you're just like, 1230 01:23:05.199 --> 01:23:08.560 oh, they just plugged so and so in and they're still really good, 1231 01:23:08.600 --> 01:23:12.880 Like that's their organization. So I think adding Derrick Henry puts them a 1232 01:23:12.920 --> 01:23:15.640 little bit closer into that group. And I think Houston's in that group as 1233 01:23:15.680 --> 01:23:19.359 well. That's everybody's hunting down Kansas City. Something from the NFL report with 1234 01:23:19.399 --> 01:23:25.560 you and Steve that our listeners need to tune in for. If you like 1235 01:23:25.680 --> 01:23:30.600 Max Crosby or you hate Max Crosby, he was unbelievable. I don't know 1236 01:23:30.640 --> 01:23:32.239 how you could aid him he's like one of the most likeful guys in the 1237 01:23:32.319 --> 01:23:35.800 league. But his interview with us yesterday, it was like twenty minutes. 1238 01:23:36.000 --> 01:23:41.760 And if you want to just know about the type of guy he is or 1239 01:23:41.840 --> 01:23:45.880 leader he is, there's a story he tells and watching the Last Dance Less, 1240 01:23:45.920 --> 01:23:48.119 it's just like out of this world. Like he was watching it in 1241 01:23:48.159 --> 01:23:53.159 a hotel in a hotel room after a surgery after his second season and literally 1242 01:23:53.159 --> 01:23:56.239 watched it with his wife and change his entire life, like from that minute 1243 01:23:56.279 --> 01:23:59.479 on, and it hasn't adjusted from what he eats to what you know, 1244 01:23:59.560 --> 01:24:02.560 people to work on his body, everything has changed after watching Jordan. And 1245 01:24:02.560 --> 01:24:08.720 that's why he has a massive, unbelievably accurate tattoo of Michael Jordan on his 1246 01:24:08.800 --> 01:24:15.880 torso, which is a bit awkward, but it's there accurate. His tattoos 1247 01:24:15.920 --> 01:24:17.960 are. His tattoos are like incredible. I mean, I don't know if 1248 01:24:17.960 --> 01:24:20.720 it's like I feel very uncomfortable right now being on the radio talking about another 1249 01:24:20.760 --> 01:24:25.960 man's tattoos, but like his artwork is like some of the best around. 1250 01:24:26.039 --> 01:24:29.479 I'm told I'm not one to you know, I'm not tattoo officionado, but 1251 01:24:29.560 --> 01:24:34.119 it's incredible if you look at it, I mean it's nuts. So his 1252 01:24:34.119 --> 01:24:38.600 his stories and his leadership, the stuff he talks about in that interview is 1253 01:24:38.640 --> 01:24:42.399 just it's next level. He's phenomenal. Well, keep in mind everybody who 1254 01:24:42.479 --> 01:24:45.840 watched Thursday Night Football this year when the Raiders were I think it was the 1255 01:24:45.840 --> 01:24:48.800 game where they told Brandon Staley he need not continue working. Uh, he 1256 01:24:48.880 --> 01:24:54.079 was their shirtless during his postgame interview, So everybody is aware of what you're 1257 01:24:54.079 --> 01:24:58.319 talking about. It's a canvas. Yeah, there's a lot going on there. 1258 01:24:58.359 --> 01:25:00.159 I think he gets under actually during a out of the artwork because it's 1259 01:25:00.199 --> 01:25:04.439 like so detailed. I think you just put under that's the extreme As someone 1260 01:25:04.479 --> 01:25:09.760 who does have ink. I've never done that. So are we don't quote 1261 01:25:09.800 --> 01:25:11.920 me on that, but I'm pretty sure it's accurate. Are we to assume 1262 01:25:11.960 --> 01:25:16.720 that James Palmer has no ink? Zero? Man? Wow? Ditto two 1263 01:25:16.760 --> 01:25:24.600 purebreads. I know I can't change my mind too much. I'd just probably 1264 01:25:24.640 --> 01:25:27.680 go like, oh I should have done blank. Well it got done. 1265 01:25:27.760 --> 01:25:32.159 A little bit of advice. It is permanent. Oh dang, yeah, 1266 01:25:32.199 --> 01:25:35.319 good call. It's not going off all right, James. Hey, we 1267 01:25:35.359 --> 01:25:39.079 appreciate the time good stuff as always, and I'm sure we'll be catching up 1268 01:25:39.119 --> 01:25:42.720 again sooner rather than later, big time man. All right, guys, 1269 01:25:43.920 --> 01:25:45.720 All right, James Palmer. And you know, I kind of fit into 1270 01:25:45.720 --> 01:25:51.479 that same category as well. I mean, I've had ideas of possibly having 1271 01:25:51.479 --> 01:25:56.600 the needle hit the skin, but you know, it's also then kind of 1272 01:25:56.640 --> 01:25:58.840 the same thing where I'm like, a, right, you know, do 1273 01:25:58.920 --> 01:26:02.359 I necessarily want that look at a certain point? You know, It's just 1274 01:26:02.560 --> 01:26:05.720 it's probably one of those if you're not one hundred percent all in the look. 1275 01:26:05.760 --> 01:26:09.640 I'm not against them. I think they look great in certain cases. 1276 01:26:09.680 --> 01:26:13.239 I just think it's also too one of those things that here, I'll just 1277 01:26:13.279 --> 01:26:15.760 be honest, I've seen them like on like older people as they get older, 1278 01:26:15.840 --> 01:26:19.439 they're faded all of those different things, and I'm just like, I 1279 01:26:19.479 --> 01:26:23.760 don't know if I want that look when I get older, So that's kind 1280 01:26:23.800 --> 01:26:26.520 of what keeps me from it. So again, hey, look you got 1281 01:26:26.560 --> 01:26:30.039 them. Hopefully you love them, and hopefully you love showing them off for 1282 01:26:30.199 --> 01:26:32.600 the rest of us to see. So good on you if you fit into 1283 01:26:33.000 --> 01:26:38.119 that category. All right, Coming out next we'll close out this edition of 1284 01:26:38.479 --> 01:26:44.880 Space City a Saturday, but something that James said there I think absolutely applies 1285 01:26:44.920 --> 01:26:48.039 to the Texans, especially with news that hit today. We'll talk about that 1286 01:26:48.159 --> 01:26:51.840 and much more as we continue to roll along and close out this edition of 1287 01:26:51.920 --> 01:26:56.600 Space City Saturday. Dan Matthews here with you on your home of the Astros 1288 01:26:56.640 --> 01:27:02.760 in the Rockets, Sports Talk seven ninety. It's Space City Saturday on Sports 1289 01:27:02.760 --> 01:27:09.319 Talk seven nighty. Ian Matthews here with you for another few minutes as we 1290 01:27:09.960 --> 01:27:14.000 close out this edition of a Space City Saturday. And I've mentioned you know 1291 01:27:14.079 --> 01:27:18.159 you have h taken on Iowa State today for the Big twelve title. How 1292 01:27:18.199 --> 01:27:25.680 am I just now seeing as a huge fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger and his work? 1293 01:27:26.159 --> 01:27:30.920 How am I just now seeing him as the commencement speaker? I guess 1294 01:27:30.960 --> 01:27:35.279 one year at University of Houston and he started doing the Who's House? Adam? 1295 01:27:35.560 --> 01:27:41.520 I believe my computer is up. Let's let's see if it because I 1296 01:27:42.159 --> 01:27:45.840 was able to add this in, I guess we'll see. Yeah, well 1297 01:27:45.159 --> 01:27:47.800 we'll see if this works. All right, Let's let's see if we're able 1298 01:27:47.840 --> 01:27:55.680 to play Arnold shouting out to the fans whose house? I guess not, 1299 01:27:55.840 --> 01:27:58.319 Adam, it's in KB and me if you want to fire it up, 1300 01:27:58.359 --> 01:28:00.680 but no, you know, I was able to see that. I think 1301 01:28:00.720 --> 01:28:05.640 Mark Berman actually shared that. So yeah, firing up the crowd was Arnold 1302 01:28:05.680 --> 01:28:12.199 one year there at TDECU Stadium and absolutely able to nail it. We got 1303 01:28:12.199 --> 01:28:23.399 it. Who's house? Who's house there? You go? Arnold knows, 1304 01:28:23.680 --> 01:28:28.359 so the terminator himself, and he was also throwing up the Cougar Paul as 1305 01:28:28.439 --> 01:28:32.319 well. So that just goes to show you that the love of University of 1306 01:28:32.359 --> 01:28:38.399 Houston, well it goes even to the ones who are trying to keep us 1307 01:28:38.600 --> 01:28:45.720 from being swallowed up whole by the robots and everybody else out there. So 1308 01:28:45.119 --> 01:28:49.000 Arnold just trying to save us and rooting on the coops. So love to 1309 01:28:49.039 --> 01:28:54.079 see that, all right. So I talked about some news that broke earlier 1310 01:28:54.119 --> 01:28:58.760 today. So if you follow Aaron Wilson Sports Talk seven nineties own Aaron Wilson, 1311 01:28:59.039 --> 01:29:02.920 as he has been all over the free agency news, and one of 1312 01:29:02.960 --> 01:29:08.319 the things that broke earlier today was that the Texans had a chance to get 1313 01:29:08.399 --> 01:29:14.000 Keenan Allen from the Los Angeles Chargers, and his tweet about an hour ago 1314 01:29:14.119 --> 01:29:16.520 said Texans got close on a potential trade for Keenan Allen, who went to 1315 01:29:16.560 --> 01:29:23.000 the Bears with Houston offering a twenty twenty five third round pick in a pick 1316 01:29:23.119 --> 01:29:28.560 swap return per league sources, ultimately went for the Bears for a fourth round 1317 01:29:28.720 --> 01:29:31.319 pick one hundred and tenth. Over All, Texans were willing to take on 1318 01:29:31.600 --> 01:29:38.239 Keenan Allen's contract as currently constructed, with an eighteen point one million dollars signing 1319 01:29:39.000 --> 01:29:44.439 a million dollar base salary and five million dollar roster bonus, then work on 1320 01:29:44.479 --> 01:29:47.399 an extension. Ultimately, it's a moot point as he went to the Bears 1321 01:29:47.399 --> 01:29:51.880 an NFC team, but the Texans took a huge swing. While it would 1322 01:29:51.920 --> 01:29:56.800 have been nice to have had Keenan Allen because you add him along with Nico 1323 01:29:56.880 --> 01:30:00.000 Collins and Dalton Schultz in the return of Tank Dell, I mean, all 1324 01:30:00.039 --> 01:30:05.640 of a sudden, what was once a just okay receiver group. I mean 1325 01:30:05.680 --> 01:30:10.079 coming into the season. I mean I remember when me and Wex did a 1326 01:30:10.119 --> 01:30:15.960 show and we were talking about the group of Nico Collins of Robert Woods. 1327 01:30:15.079 --> 01:30:18.720 Yes you had Noah Brown, but you're going into that year saying, oh, 1328 01:30:18.760 --> 01:30:24.720 man receiver, I don't know with this team. But the Texans were 1329 01:30:24.880 --> 01:30:28.199 able to show no, actually a pretty good group that could actually make some 1330 01:30:28.239 --> 01:30:30.680 plays, and they did, and a huge part of that was c. 1331 01:30:30.840 --> 01:30:32.600 J. Stroud. And yes, if you had Keenan Allen, that's massive. 1332 01:30:32.760 --> 01:30:39.199 But here's the positive part of all of this is that it's not as 1333 01:30:39.319 --> 01:30:43.640 huge a loss as you would expect because I've talked about it before, the 1334 01:30:43.720 --> 01:30:47.680 receiver position and how it is viewed in college football. Now there is college 1335 01:30:47.720 --> 01:30:51.760 basketball happening to day, but college football it's not viewed the way that it 1336 01:30:51.840 --> 01:30:55.439 had been in the past. In the past, I think it had been 1337 01:30:55.520 --> 01:31:00.680 looked at with receivers coming into the league as a rookie that that, well, 1338 01:31:00.800 --> 01:31:02.800 you know, they're gonna have to learn our scheme. They're probably going 1339 01:31:02.800 --> 01:31:06.399 to have to learn different route trees that they didn't have in college. So 1340 01:31:06.439 --> 01:31:11.479 there's going to be a little bit more of an adjustment period for them getting 1341 01:31:11.479 --> 01:31:15.079 to this level of play. And now it's not necessarily a case. I've 1342 01:31:15.079 --> 01:31:19.159 talked about the proliferation of the passing game in college football and also to the 1343 01:31:19.199 --> 01:31:25.279 passing game concepts that you have in college football. Of course RPOs run pass 1344 01:31:25.319 --> 01:31:28.359 option, it's a little bit more on the college level, but still it's 1345 01:31:28.399 --> 01:31:30.199 the fact that you have to be able to account for different things. Am 1346 01:31:30.199 --> 01:31:33.399 I a blocker here or am I in the middle of a route? Those 1347 01:31:33.479 --> 01:31:38.000 are things that I have to be able to account for, and those are 1348 01:31:38.039 --> 01:31:42.319 things that college receivers now have. And there's a reason too, with the 1349 01:31:42.359 --> 01:31:46.199 amount of recent success that we've seen from roocky wide receivers, that teams are 1350 01:31:46.199 --> 01:31:50.439 starting to look at the receiver position as there's so many of them, so 1351 01:31:50.800 --> 01:31:56.239 there's so much value out there that demand is not as high and we're able 1352 01:31:56.279 --> 01:32:00.920 to find guys that can be meaningful contributors right off the back. And this 1353 01:32:00.039 --> 01:32:04.640 coming NFL draft has a ton of receivers, a lot of people wondering if 1354 01:32:04.640 --> 01:32:09.359 the Texans had state at twenty three, would receiver had been a route they 1355 01:32:09.399 --> 01:32:12.319 had gone at that point, because again, you feel like you're getting really 1356 01:32:12.359 --> 01:32:18.399 good value. I have pulled up the cbssports dot Com prospect rankings that I 1357 01:32:18.479 --> 01:32:23.159 believe Dane Brugler used to do. I don't know who does them now for 1358 01:32:23.399 --> 01:32:27.760 CBS Sports, but anyway, of course you got Marvin Harrison, He's going 1359 01:32:27.840 --> 01:32:30.039 to be gone way before the Texans would have taken at twenty three. All 1360 01:32:30.079 --> 01:32:34.199 right, fine, Maleak Neighbors, Roma Dunza, Brian Thomas Junior, Lad 1361 01:32:34.319 --> 01:32:38.600 McConkie, who has started to really jump up. And I think somebody that 1362 01:32:38.640 --> 01:32:42.079 could possibly be there in the second round if you're the Texans, and of 1363 01:32:42.079 --> 01:32:44.560 course I know a lot of you out there might be saying, oh, 1364 01:32:44.600 --> 01:32:46.279 well, you know a Georgia guy. Of course Dan wants him. It's 1365 01:32:46.319 --> 01:32:50.880 also a damn good receiver. Ad Mitchell out of Texas. Another guy that 1366 01:32:50.960 --> 01:32:56.039 could be there in the second round for the Texans. Xavier Worthy, same 1367 01:32:56.079 --> 01:33:00.000 deal, Keon Coleman, same deal as well. So the picks are a 1368 01:33:00.119 --> 01:33:04.680 plenty in the receivers are a plenty. That the move made by Nick Cassio, 1369 01:33:05.039 --> 01:33:10.159 well it might just pay off just yet. And also two, while 1370 01:33:10.159 --> 01:33:14.880 having Keenan Allen would have been nice, Sexans still have plenty to choose from 1371 01:33:15.359 --> 01:33:18.000 next month when they get to drafting up there in Detroit, which as of 1372 01:33:18.079 --> 01:33:21.640 right now will be on day two, not day one. We'll see how 1373 01:33:21.680 --> 01:33:26.319 it all shakes out. I want to thank Adam Snyder behind the glass. 1374 01:33:26.319 --> 01:33:29.399 I want to thank all of you out there for listening to us here on 1375 01:33:29.439 --> 01:33:32.960 this Saturday. I'm Dan Matthews. This has been another edition of Space City 1376 01:33:33.119 --> 01:33:38.279 Saturday. As we are here on your home and the Astros and the Rockets 1377 01:33:38.359 --> 01:33:40.560 Sports Talk seven to ninety Hamster came off the wheel