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Speaker 1: This is the Matt Thomas Show with Ross.

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Speaker 2: It is opening gate tradition here on Sports Talk seven nine.

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Speaker 3: In the Matt Thomas Show with Ross, we have to

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start with the Spring in the air. No basketball team

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that I can think of in this town that we

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don't have to talk about them. We have Hunter Brown

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on the mound. We have Jeremy Paniel in all likelihood

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leading off, we have Astros baseball back in Houston, Texas.

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Speaker 2: And who cracked this up? Jonathan Today? All right with

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this kind of.

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Speaker 3: Cliched, Maybe it's a little tired, but sometimes cliches are

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cliches because they're good. Ross Viory out with you on

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the Mat Thomas Show with Ross.

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Speaker 2: Without Matt Thomas live from Street.

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Speaker 3: Vets with a huge Brown making tons of noise.

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Speaker 2: Yes, and Adam and Adam.

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Speaker 3: The a team you guys are gonna be pushed off

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for Astros on deck is the Astros versus the Angels,

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Game number one of three ten start here on Sports.

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Speaker 2: Sucks, Haven't I how you know?

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Speaker 4: Guy?

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Speaker 2: You guys getting up a little early? All right? You

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normally up around this Tom.

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Speaker 5: I got this guy over here has already been at

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it for like ten hours.

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Speaker 6: Yeah, Russ and I already saw each other today.

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Speaker 2: That's actually true.

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Speaker 3: I'm I decided I'm gonna put at least a one

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segment moratorium. I'm talking about the Rockets game and literally

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the worst overtime collapse in NBA history last night.

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Speaker 2: If you guys stayed up for that.

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Speaker 3: But yes, Adam Westar working Rockets radio network, I was

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on Rockets Rap taking angry callers until after one am.

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Speaker 5: After a game like that, you know where I was,

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right where I needed to be, in a dark, dark.

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Speaker 3: Room without we're not talking about it. No, at least

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a one segment moratory. Okay, it is Dyke in Park,

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it is the Matt Thomas Show with Ross.

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Speaker 2: It's opening day. Guys, how we feeling? I feel great,

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I feel well.

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Speaker 5: Hope Spring's eternal this time of year for every team,

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even the bad ones.

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Speaker 6: Well, the good news is this should not be one

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of them, right, The Astros the other team that's here.

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Maybe we probably won't talk too much about them other

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than today's matchup. Four games against the Angels, three against

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the Red Sox. Astros fans who just absolutely blew the

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roof off of DIYK and Park through the World Baseball

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Classic now Major League Baseball arrives here for a seven

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game homestand Hunter Brown is the ace of the staff.

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He gets the baseball today, Jose Soriano the opposing pitcher,

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and as Ross mentioned that they were doing their weekly

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interview with Brian bogas Sevic yesterday when the Astros announced

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their opening day twenty six man roster and Jeremy pane

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Is on it, which looked like it was gonna be

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that way when he returned to Houston and participated in

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exhibition baseball, launching one over the fence, having no trouble

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in the field, and then acknowledging I feel great. It's

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a matter of how do I feel at the plate.

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He feels fine, he's active, he should start. He should

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see the first pitch of the season for an Astro batter.

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While we wonder, because everybody's healthy, how they gonna fit

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everybody into the lineup. The most popular offseason conversation lives

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on Yeah.

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Speaker 3: We're gonna talk about some off season stuff. First of all,

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phone lines open for you guys, seven to one three

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two one two five seven ninety if you want to

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get in seven to one three two one two five

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seven ninety as we are with you on opening Day

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from Streetfest. But that is certainly one of the things

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in one of the talking points to where if you

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had to talk to us a month ago, we would

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have thought maybe there would have been some sort of

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solution to the infield logjam. We've been talking about it

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all off season and really from the start of it,

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from the end of last season, and really even at

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the deadline when Krag came over, We're like.

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Speaker 2: What's gonna happen? When he saw Paradis comes back, and

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then he did.

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Speaker 3: He played he DHD a little bit at the end

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of the season, but it was always gonna be this

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is gonna be fixed, This is gonna be addressed, this

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will be the trade will be made. This is not

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going to be an opening day storyline. And here we are,

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it's opening day and it's an opening day storyline.

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Speaker 2: Why is that claiming?

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Speaker 5: Well, because that's how the roster is constructed. And until

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I was saying this yesterday, and I have to be

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very careful because you even I was very careful yesterday

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the way I said it, and you still were.

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Speaker 2: Like, you're wishing injuries upon the Astros. But I said, I.

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Speaker 5: Think the problem will wind up taking care of itself

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one way or the other.

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Speaker 2: I'm not saying that injuries are gonna happen.

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Speaker 5: Is certainly not to the extent of last year, because

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I think by like I don't know, August, all of

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us were just emotionally drained with really another one another

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one's on the il, and that's how we would wake up,

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like almost it seemed like every day for a minute there.

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But you know, Gordy asked us for our predictions, and

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we saw it. That's what this kind of shows about.

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I actually said that esoch Peretis is going to be

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the Astros home run leader this year.

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Speaker 3: Really, yeah, yeah, because April or the whole season.

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Speaker 2: The whole season. Oh really, I.

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Speaker 5: Mean, you're you're not geared tee that the guy everybody

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always picks is gonna stay healthy.

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Speaker 3: You you know what, if you're looking for a long

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shot odds, it's not the worst pick I've ever heard of.

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Speaker 5: It's I'm like, well, everybody's gonna say you're done if

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that's what I did.

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Speaker 2: But I keep it simple, stupid Listen, I sat Paradis

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before he got hurt last year. Am I wrong?

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Speaker 6: He was on a tear, he was the astro's home

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run leader for parts of the season. Obviously, injury took

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him away from that, as did everybody else. So as

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we all predicted, Christian Walker led the team in home

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runs last year.

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Speaker 2: And that's what I said yesterday. I said, the one

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guy I'm not.

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Speaker 5: Saying who you would want to see on the io,

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but if everybody was going on the i L last year,

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the one guy who answered the bell every single time

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out was probably the most disappointing Astro of last season.

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Speaker 2: And that's saying something, and that was Christian Walker.

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Speaker 7: Yeah.

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Speaker 3: Uh, it's not the craziest I'm going with or what

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I put yord On Hope health exactly.

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Speaker 2: I think that's one of the keys to not one

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of the keys. I would say.

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Speaker 3: That's outside of course, you know Hunter Brown and Mike

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Burrows and the rotation and the obvious stuff. I mean

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jord On alva As he needs to be back in

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MVP conversations for the years if they're going to get

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close to winning the AO WES.

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Speaker 5: If jord On Alvarez is healthy last season, or even

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if he just plays one hundred and twenty games, let's

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go low end, they probably win the division.

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Speaker 2: That's the thing.

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Speaker 5: Everybody's picking Seattle this year in rifuley so and they

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got better in the offseason then Da da, but they

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barely won the division.

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Speaker 2: And the Astros were a mash unit last year. That matters.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, you hit stretches where he is bailing you out

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of games two three times a week. That's that's what

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the impact that he can have, he's one of the most.

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Speaker 2: He is by.

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Speaker 3: Ops plus, he's the greatest hitter in Astro's history. Now,

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of course he has to have a longer career. He

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will have to hit his decline at some point, but literally,

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by that metric, right now, he's the greatest hitter in

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Astros history.

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Speaker 2: Keep your hands you need him out.

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Speaker 3: They keep your eye on his hands, his knees, his ankles.

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Can we wipe down home plate? That was so before

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he scores it? Is he the first person to ever

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score in the first inning as a home team? Why

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was he's sliding on there like a slipping slide and

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then falling in his ankle?

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Speaker 2: Was at a ninety tore angle.

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Speaker 5: I was in the stadium that night and I hadn't

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even made it to my seats yet because we were

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upstairs eating and you could hear the hush in the

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stadium from there. I was like, because like, at that

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point in the year, injuries had just torpedoed this team anyways,

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but they were still competitive. You had a shot, you

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were in the division race. And then Jordon puts his

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foot on backwards coming home to score and You're like,

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I can't I give.

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Speaker 2: Up the I don't know, it was just it was

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just everything last year that piled up.

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Speaker 3: And that is interesting. You're talking about worrying about the injuries,

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because I mean, especially when it comes to pitching. I

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think Dana Brown was worried about it. I mean, look

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at all the options we talked about is starting pitching,

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and as of right now, you you're at a surplus

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to where we're talking about Sincer Arraghetty being down with

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Triple A and Jason Alexander and Ryan Weiss right now

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was a possible thought of as as a starting pitching option.

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Speaker 2: So, but.

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Speaker 3: Your closers on the AI also, yeah, you're you're hurt

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there and this is a a vastly reconfigured bullpen from

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last year. But it seems like injuries are not only

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on the mind of us but also Dana Brown when

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he built this team in the offseason.

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Speaker 6: That was smart what he did. Don't know how it'll

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work out, nobody ever does. But you run four or

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five deep with options today of who could be in

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your starting rotation. In addition to the five man rotation

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that they will start the season with. I'll start with

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Hunter Brown, Tatsuya Emi, and Lance mccullors go four to five.

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Mike Burrows Christian Xavier take the next two games after

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Hunter Brown, and those are the five they start the

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season with. Spencerraghetti is obviously a starting pitching option. He

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begins the year with sugar Land. Colton Gordon made a

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bunch of starts, pitched a bunch of innings for the

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team last year. He's here. Weiss Pearson both added expected

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to compete for starting spots, which Ryan Weiss did. He

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made the opening day roster, but he will come out

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of the bullpen as a necessary long man. Pearson unfortunately

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hurt and unable to throw it all during spring training.

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He begins his season on the il AJ bluebaw is

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somewhere in the middle. He makes the opening day raw

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because the expectation they will need multiple inning relievers and

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he's actually one of three likely multiple inning relievers they

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open the season with one of their other additions. With

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Tang being a part of this bullpen, he can give

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them length, which I think it goes without saying. They're

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almost certainly going to need that on this homestand it's

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the beginning of the season. You have pretty much nobody

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stretched out to a beyond seven innings ninety pitches or so.

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And that's probably on the very very heavy end for

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the guys at the front of real rotation. But it's

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the same story for every team in baseball. And as

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we're all noting, Dana Brown's done his part.

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Speaker 2: Of the job.

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Speaker 6: I've given them the opportunity to make their way through

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the season as a forty man roster so they don't

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have a second consecutive season where they need sixty guys

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to get through the season.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, it's just ridiculous last year.

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Speaker 3: And you know what, if those four or five guys

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you're talking about that are options for next man up,

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you don't have to use them. You get what was it,

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twenty eighteen, use five guys up until September or something

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like that.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, let's go with that.

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Speaker 6: I'm okay with it also means the guys you have

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out they're successful, and there clearly have to be some

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questions about that. After Hunter Brown, Lance McCullers junior as

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a starter, the hope is that he can get guys out,

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and he pitched here a couple of nights ago and

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his stuff look good. He obviously was not facing major

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league hitters, so we'll see if he can throw strikes

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against major league hitters and get them out in efficient

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fashion and try to make his way obviously through the season.

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EMI's gonna throw his first major league pitch ever when

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he takes the mound for the last game of this series.

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Mike Burrows is a relative rookie with the work he

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got for Pittsburgh a year ago, and he pitched so

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well and has such a good arsenal, he's your number

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two starter. And obviously Christian Xavier would love to have

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a healthy season where he's much more efficient, much more

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capable of locating this year than when he was last

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year coming off of the injury, a full healthy off

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season leading him into this year.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, it feels like I have a lot of question marks,

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and a lot of them that you brought up, But

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I feel safe in that it's not like, oh my gosh,

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what's gonna happen because you have the backup plan and

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the backup plan to the backup plan to the backup plan.

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So I'm feeling pretty good about this starting pitching rotation

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and where the Astros are going to end up this season,

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even if you suffer the random couple of injuries. But

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I do feel confident in this. I think with Hunter Brown,

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Mike Burrows, I'll throw aj Bluebond there, and you know

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Lance mccullors Junior likes to make it up, mix it up.

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If there was an Anchorman style brawl with pitching staffs,

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I feel like the Astros.

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Speaker 2: Would be a pretty good spot.

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Speaker 5: I mean I would take I would take Brian a

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Bray you and yes, all Planet.

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Speaker 2: I mean that.

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Speaker 3: I like that little wiry Hater.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, but but I feel like he's scrappy.

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Speaker 3: I feel like he's like, if he ends up in

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the bottom of the pile, he's not scared to bite

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some ankles.

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Speaker 6: Well, I think everybody else on the staff is doing

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everything they can to make sure Josh Hater's not in

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the middle of it.

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Speaker 2: That's true, Yes, that's what you mean.

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Speaker 7: To do.

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Speaker 3: But I think Hunter Brown's ready to scrap. Mike Burrows's

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got an edge to him.

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Speaker 6: It's funny you mentioned that he has had word with

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Angels shortstop Zach Netto right in the lineup today, and

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that might be something to look ahead to sometime after

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three to ten this afternoon.

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Speaker 2: Probably a good time to dust off my baseball hate list.

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All right, you dusted up. It feels like you manicure

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that thing daily.

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Speaker 5: Well, baseball hate does take it off season, all right.

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So I mean the guys last night that is right

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near the top of it. That is impressive. The amount

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of strikeouts in one game. For picking up right where

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he left off in the World Baseball Classic, Arson a.

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Speaker 2: Judge must have thought he was a World Series game.

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Speaker 4: Yeah.

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Speaker 6: I guess we're probably a little late now that they're

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already one to oh, but a bold prediction might have

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been said all around the country. Well, I like the Yankees.

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I think this is the year they carry Aaron Judge

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to the World Series.

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Speaker 2: Gat sentence. He was good in the playoffs last year.

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Speaker 3: But anyways, we're gonna take a break here on the

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Matt Thomas Show with Ross Without Matt Thomas, We're with

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you not only till two o'clock. You're getting bonus coverage

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with Astros on Deck for open Day. We are out

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at street Fest. So if you're heading out here, make

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sure you come by and say hello. We are in

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what left field around here under a Dikin sign. Let's

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go with that under a near the Budweiser sign in

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left field Astro street Fest with you till two o'clock

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and Matt Thomas Show with Ross mode. Then we'll go

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into Astros on Deck mode Adam Wexer, Adam Clinton, Ross

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Vioreal seven to one three two one two five seven

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ninety is the phone number seven one three two one

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two five seven ninety. When we come back, I'm gonna

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ask both Adams a very important I'm gonna put them

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on the spot.

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Speaker 2: I love it for a prediction about.

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Speaker 3: Something I'm I'm kind of worried about as the season

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starts here for the Astros.

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Speaker 2: We'll get to that when we come back here on

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Sports Talk seven nighty ten twenty am.

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Speaker 3: Here on Sports Talk seven ninety the Matt Thomas Show

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with Ross broadcasting live from FanFest. It is the Matta

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Show with Ross without Matt Thomas.

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Speaker 2: We've borrowed two Adams.

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Speaker 3: They call themselves the A Team normally on two to

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six here on a sports Talk seven.

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Speaker 2: Ninety and they're joining me out here. We're gonna have

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a lot of fun.

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Speaker 3: We're gonna be in on deck mode starting at two pm.

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We're out here under the Budweiser sign in left field

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at street Fest if you guys want to come by

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when they open it up, I believe coming up at noon.

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Speaker 2: What do you think Matt is doing right now?

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Speaker 3: I'm gonna say he's actually listening for us to mention him.

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Speaker 2: And you just did.

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Speaker 5: It, well you yeah, But it's the name of the show,

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so he's gonna get that mentioned built in on this

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very program. He does NonStop all especially this time of year,

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all season long. Talks about all the time we miss

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because of Astros games.

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Speaker 2: Yes, wow, he's not here.

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Speaker 3: Well, yeah, he's got his number one job. That's what

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he's doing right now. He's number his number one job

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is his priority. He's the Rockets play by play man.

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So this is the secondary lighting. I mean, he's not here.

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Speaker 2: Is he? It's Astros opening day? Are you hearing this?

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Speaker 3: We are the we are the Astros station. We carry

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the Astros. Where's Matt Thomas if this is not his

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number one gig?

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Speaker 5: And he'll tell you he's earned this for all the

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times that he did West Coast postgame shows when we

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still did those after nine pm.

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Speaker 2: Well, if it was your number one gig, I figure

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you'd be here. I don't know. That's just me, all right.

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Seven one three two one two five seven ninety is

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the phone number.

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Speaker 3: By the way, our opening day coverage is presented by

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Trajan Wealth Management. Seven one three two one two five

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seven ninety. Okay, So something I'm it's something we kind

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of assumed was going to happen. We're not surprised, but

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I feel like there are there's such a wide range

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of outcomes, and most of them are bad. I'm speaking

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of Lance mccullor's junior at the end of the Astros

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starting rotation. Now on its face, if we changed his

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name to like Tom Jones or whatever, Tom Jones, he's

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a he's a veteran guy.

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Speaker 2: This is the Matt Thomas.

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Speaker 6: Shit.

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Speaker 3: It's not a usual for him, all right. You see

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what I did there, I do it's for him to

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underperform or get injured or whatever. But your fifth starter

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you're not really that worried about in theory, but because

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the name is Lance mccullor's junior, because he is one

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of the two holdovers along with jose Al Tuv from

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the twenty seventeen championship team, all the trials and tribulations

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and injuries and all that type of stuff, and the

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fact that if he's not making eighteen million dollars, he's

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very possibly not on this team, probably not on this

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team as of the middle of last year. I'm curious

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what you guys are feeling, if anything, like any sort

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of strong feeling or just how this could go WEX

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with Lance mccullor's junior.

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Speaker 2: At the end of the rotation.

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Speaker 6: Yeah, it's a major concern, just because it's about getting

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guys out and it's about giving this team an opportunity

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to win on the day that you pitch, and you

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just didn't see much of that last year. Again, there's

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a lot of reasons why, and it's the same thing

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I said about Javier. I believe the an off season

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of health, which for this particular time Jones, it hadn't

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happened in such a long period of time. He's always

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trying to ramp up. He's trying to stay healthy. He's

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trying to strengthen the arm rather than refining anything, rather

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than you know, working on the shape of his pitches,

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working on an arm slot, things like that, because he

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was just trying to get to the mound. He was

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just trying to find a way to get there. And

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then he obviously got some work in last year and

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you know, a lot of innings were twenty twenty five,

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twenty eight pitch innings that he was working out of

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trouble and he's put runners on base and he found

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a way to at least get out of the innings.

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It's a lot of strain on him to help this

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team in a way. You need a starting pitcher two.

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You can't go to your bullpen in the third inning

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and the fourth inning throughout a season. It's just very

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difficult to accommodate for that, no matter how you put

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your bullpen together. So that's what it's about for me

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for him this year, how does he get hitters out

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and do it much more efficiently. He needs fifteen pitch innings,

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He needs to not be working with traffic so often,

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and if he can get swing and miss, which we

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just haven't seen in a while. Then that's what we're

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gonna see. That's the biggest question mark. I don't I

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didn't gain confidence from what I saw in the spring

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from him, and just I gain confidence that I know

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he can answer the belt. I just don't know if

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he can get major league hitters out with consistency yet.

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Speaker 3: I like how the bar is low. You said fifteen

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pitch innings, Like that's a that's a good pitch.

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Speaker 6: You're at ninety through six innings and then you go

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to the bullpen.

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Speaker 3: No, I know that's great for him normally a good

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inning for a pictures like he went out there through

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eight pitches.

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Speaker 2: Lance with Colors fifteen, that's what we're doing. Great, baby,

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that's illy. Fifteen is the bar.

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Speaker 6: That's fromber getting a rope line drive single followed by

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a double play ball and a six pitch strick.

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Speaker 2: Right, we have a lower bar for Lant with Colors.

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You're year fifteen. We'll take it.

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Speaker 5: It's so, I mean, it's sad that it's gotten. It

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is this guy was I mean again, this guy got

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you through what was it, seven shutout innings in the

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clincher against Seattle in twenty two. On your way to

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now we know what happened in the World Series that

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year and he hasn't really been the same since. But

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it's like, what level are you talking about when you

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talk about this guy. You can't just say, well, I

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hope Lance mccullor's bounces back.

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Speaker 2: What does that mean? Does that mean he's healthy at

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all to pitch?

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Speaker 5: And then if he is healthy, well that doesn't necessarily

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mean he's gonna be the Lance mccullors that you know.

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Is how much traffic is he gonna put on the bases?

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Is he gonna be effective? His stuff played once upon

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a time is nasty. I mean he called it effing nasty.

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He's right filthy.

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Speaker 2: But is that the.

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Speaker 5: Guy that you get and then translate that into a

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game situation that's not a spring training outing.

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Speaker 2: There's just a lot of question.

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Speaker 5: Marks, and it's it's a sad state of affairs for

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00:19:33,359 --> 00:19:36,079
him individually because of what he was and what we

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knew he was and what he has already done for

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this franchise. This guy was on the mound for some

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of the biggest moments in franchise history. And I always

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remind wex of this, not that he needs reminding, but

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this guy carried the rotation for a World Series team

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just like five seasons ago twenty one when Justin Verlander

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had Tommy John and everyone else was on the like

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he was the ace of that secon and then it

459
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just like went in the toilet, and then you know

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when it comes back, it.

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Speaker 2: Goes in the toilet.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, And that's that's the thing too, because as you

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kind of hinted at, like, it's hard for me to

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emotionally divest from lancemik success as well, because I tend

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in general, first of all, we all you all hear,

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love sports, and one of the things we love about

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it is is storylines.

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Speaker 2: It's these human beings.

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Speaker 3: It's redemption arcs, it's comeback stories, it's stuff like that.

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And and this would be perfect for Lance Pecullors junior,

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especially for someone who I tend to gravitate towards people

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who I think don't get a fair shake from the

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public and from and especially from the fans or whatever.

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And when it comes to Lance Peculor's junior, I mean,

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if you go on to like Astros Twitter, they act

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like this guy is like a five time felon and

477
00:20:45,759 --> 00:20:48,799
he's making forty five million dollars a year and he

478
00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:51,599
punches his manager and other teammates in the face, and

479
00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:52,799
he's the worst human being.

480
00:20:52,599 --> 00:20:55,920
Speaker 5: On the planet, so allegedly going after his family and

481
00:20:55,960 --> 00:20:58,359
things like that. Yeah, come on when we do that

482
00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:00,799
on opening Day? Can we like that with on Twitter

483
00:21:00,880 --> 00:21:01,200
this year?

484
00:21:01,279 --> 00:21:03,759
Speaker 2: Yeah? Come on, gamblers from Sri Lanka, I mean better.

485
00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:06,640
Speaker 5: I know you're a gambling degenerate in another country, but

486
00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:09,319
can you not threaten members of an athlete's family?

487
00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:10,359
Speaker 2: Is that too much to ask?

488
00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:12,599
Speaker 3: But like, oh, this guy's trash, or he's the worst,

489
00:21:12,680 --> 00:21:14,400
or I'm sick of him. I want him off my team,

490
00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:17,279
Like Lance mccullor's junior more than anybody wants to be

491
00:21:17,319 --> 00:21:20,160
out there. Yeah, he lives breathed, I mean bury me

492
00:21:20,200 --> 00:21:23,279
in the ah was literally coined by Lance mccullors.

493
00:21:23,759 --> 00:21:27,039
Speaker 5: Can you share what you told me off air about

494
00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:29,720
somebody who said something about Lance mccullor's being one of

495
00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:31,680
his best teammates. I don't want to put you in

496
00:21:31,720 --> 00:21:33,880
a If you don't want to share that conversation, well

497
00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:34,480
just say somebody.

498
00:21:34,599 --> 00:21:36,839
Speaker 6: Well later today, we mentioned a couple of things on

499
00:21:36,839 --> 00:21:38,720
our show yesterday. If you were unaware some of the

500
00:21:38,759 --> 00:21:42,319
festivities today, which will lead me into that story. Dikin

501
00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:44,359
Park was the host, one of the hosts for the

502
00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:47,559
World Baseball Classic Team Venezuela in Miami where it ended

503
00:21:47,759 --> 00:21:50,119
They Want It All. That was a team led by

504
00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:54,039
Astros bench coach Omar Lopez and the Astros bullpen catcher

505
00:21:54,079 --> 00:21:58,039
Javier Bracamante. That will be the ceremonial first pitch battery

506
00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:02,160
here before we get things started today, and the playball

507
00:22:02,319 --> 00:22:07,880
call today will be from schn's pre and postgame analyst

508
00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:11,640
Ryan Presley. That is who Ac is talking about. Ryan

509
00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:13,920
Presley obviously spent a ton of years here with Houston.

510
00:22:14,079 --> 00:22:17,039
He will fill in on pre and postgame coverage for

511
00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:19,319
SECHN over the course of the season. He had one

512
00:22:19,559 --> 00:22:22,720
spring training game earlier in the campaign. I happen to

513
00:22:22,759 --> 00:22:25,359
work that with him. He will be on with them today.

514
00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:28,960
He will have that playball call before the game, obviously,

515
00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:31,880
will do that after he handles broadcast duties. And yeah,

516
00:22:31,920 --> 00:22:33,839
he's been in the clubhouse with Lance mccullors for many,

517
00:22:33,839 --> 00:22:36,519
many years through this golden era of Astros baseball and

518
00:22:36,599 --> 00:22:39,039
everything that we say. You just heard Adam talk about

519
00:22:39,039 --> 00:22:40,960
all those things. He worked so hard bury me in

520
00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:45,119
the h which Rash matched. Again, that's not just for us,

521
00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:47,759
that's who he is to his teammates, that's what they

522
00:22:47,839 --> 00:22:50,799
see with the work he puts in sadly every offseason

523
00:22:50,799 --> 00:22:53,000
to just get out there and try to help this

524
00:22:53,079 --> 00:22:55,759
team and be a part of what was a great era.

525
00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:57,319
He was a part of it on the field. He

526
00:22:57,440 --> 00:22:59,319
was not a part of it, but too much of

527
00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:01,880
it on thee. And it's got a lot of respect

528
00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:04,400
inside that clubhouse for those very, very reasons. And I

529
00:23:04,400 --> 00:23:06,880
guarantee you there are players here, most of whom have

530
00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:09,400
spent very little time with him, with the makeup of

531
00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:12,200
this current roster, that really believe he can't help this

532
00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:14,759
team this year, starting with his first start four days

533
00:23:14,759 --> 00:23:15,039
from now.

534
00:23:15,480 --> 00:23:16,880
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's just the thing.

535
00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:20,279
Speaker 3: Like he he is just I mean, he's he He

536
00:23:20,359 --> 00:23:23,440
runs charities with his wife for like dogs and cats

537
00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:26,279
and taking care of people. He does charitable stuff around

538
00:23:26,279 --> 00:23:27,160
the city.

539
00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:28,400
Speaker 2: What has he done.

540
00:23:28,759 --> 00:23:31,519
Speaker 5: I had a personal experience with him where he did

541
00:23:31,599 --> 00:23:34,079
some really nice things for a family that was going

542
00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:36,960
through just a horrific time in their lives.

543
00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:39,599
Speaker 2: And I mean that kind of stuff.

544
00:23:39,759 --> 00:23:43,799
Speaker 5: That's why I'm always I know, I know why people criticize.

545
00:23:43,839 --> 00:23:45,880
I'm not saying that it's okay, especially the stuff we're

546
00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:46,440
talking about.

547
00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:47,200
Speaker 2: I get all that.

548
00:23:47,799 --> 00:23:49,720
Speaker 5: It's it's hard for me to say a bad word

549
00:23:49,759 --> 00:23:52,799
about Lance mccollors and know some things, he's just he

550
00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:55,599
is a good dude. Does he have his quirks, Yeah,

551
00:23:55,680 --> 00:23:58,480
every athlete does, and obviously the stuff we're talking about

552
00:23:58,519 --> 00:23:59,440
health wise.

553
00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:00,440
Speaker 2: And and that kind of thing.

554
00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:02,680
Speaker 5: But it's like I said, it's gonna be hard for

555
00:24:02,680 --> 00:24:04,400
me to say a bad thing about Lance mccallers from

556
00:24:04,440 --> 00:24:04,799
here on out.

557
00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:06,880
Speaker 3: Yeah, he loves this city, he wants to be out there.

558
00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:11,119
He represents the Astros better than just about anybody, and

559
00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:14,039
I hope he's successful coming up of this season. And

560
00:24:14,079 --> 00:24:15,839
that is something one of the many things we're gonna

561
00:24:15,839 --> 00:24:18,240
see play out this year in twenty twenty six.

562
00:24:18,319 --> 00:24:21,519
Speaker 2: As we sit here on opening Day at dyke In.

563
00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:25,160
Speaker 3: Park, Ross Vie Real, Adam Wexer, Adam Clanton on The

564
00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:27,160
Matt Thomas Show with Ross. You guys want to get

565
00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:30,160
in talk about Lance McCullers junior, anything Ashros related, you

566
00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:33,839
can seven one three two one two five seven ninety.

567
00:24:33,880 --> 00:24:36,319
Is the phone number seven one three two one two

568
00:24:36,519 --> 00:24:39,640
five seven ninety we have a jam packed.

569
00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:40,400
Speaker 2: Show for you today.

570
00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:43,039
Speaker 3: We're with you until two o'clock in Matt Thomas Show

571
00:24:43,039 --> 00:24:45,880
with Ross Mode. We will go to Opening Day on

572
00:24:46,079 --> 00:24:47,319
Deck Mode at two o'clock.

573
00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:48,359
Speaker 2: Eleven thirty.

574
00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:51,160
Speaker 3: You guys be ready for an I just don't get

575
00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:54,759
it Baseball edition, preferably Ashtros. But you can keep it

576
00:24:54,759 --> 00:24:57,559
to baseball since it's opening Day, don't. I just don't

577
00:24:57,559 --> 00:24:59,279
get it about overtime with the Rockets. We don't have

578
00:24:59,279 --> 00:25:02,079
to talk about that. Twelve thirty. We'll have Chandler Rome.

579
00:25:02,200 --> 00:25:04,960
One o'clock Brian McTaggart, one thirty Jeff Blum. I mean

580
00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:07,720
it's a star studed edition of The Matt Thomas Show.

581
00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:10,160
It's the Honestly, it's the most star studed edition of

582
00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:13,599
the show, I would say in its history without exactly

583
00:25:13,640 --> 00:25:17,279
without Matt Thomas. Here with you until two forty pm

584
00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:18,880
out at Astros Street Fest.

585
00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:20,799
Speaker 2: Come by and say hello. If you're making your way

586
00:25:20,839 --> 00:25:21,400
over here.

587
00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:24,200
Speaker 3: It is the Matt Thomas Show with Ross in Sports

588
00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:29,799
Talk seven ninety ten thirty six eight m here on

589
00:25:29,839 --> 00:25:32,480
a Sports Talk seven ninety The Matt Thomas Show with

590
00:25:32,759 --> 00:25:37,039
Ross without Matt Thomas. He is or was traveling late

591
00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:41,160
night with the Rockets. Just a brief mention. I don't

592
00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:43,799
know when I'm lifting this moratorium on the Houston Rockets,

593
00:25:43,839 --> 00:25:46,680
but we're out an opening day thanks to Trading Wealth

594
00:25:46,759 --> 00:25:49,519
Management at dyke In Park. If you want to come by,

595
00:25:49,599 --> 00:25:51,880
we're at the street fest next to the Budweiser sign.

596
00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:55,599
We being Adam Clanton, Adam Wexer, and meet Ross Viial

597
00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:59,160
phone lines open at seven one three two one two

598
00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:04,039
five seven seven one three two one two five seven

599
00:26:04,440 --> 00:26:09,319
ninety so talking some in the last segment about the

600
00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:11,200
Astros starting rotation.

601
00:26:11,359 --> 00:26:13,599
Speaker 2: We of course have Opening Day. We have a million questions,

602
00:26:13,599 --> 00:26:14,200
a million.

603
00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:17,640
Speaker 3: Different ways that this team that this season can play out,

604
00:26:18,279 --> 00:26:22,079
and another one that I find interesting, And of course

605
00:26:22,119 --> 00:26:24,440
we know Tatsuyuimi will get to that and Mike Burrows

606
00:26:24,720 --> 00:26:25,119
as well.

607
00:26:25,279 --> 00:26:27,680
Speaker 2: Hudder Brown. Thank goodness. We're just gonna set and forget there.

608
00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:31,359
Speaker 3: Christian Xavier, I'll repteel if we're getting the crystal ball,

609
00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:33,079
which we're gonna be in crystal ball mode a lot

610
00:26:33,119 --> 00:26:37,680
on the opening day coverage. Guys, I mean, same thing,

611
00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:42,720
uh Clanton, Like, as far as gut feeling, if you

612
00:26:42,799 --> 00:26:46,359
have no feeling, like, how is this Gonna go came back,

613
00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:49,240
had Tommy John He was a little bit up and down.

614
00:26:49,759 --> 00:26:53,599
Speaker 5: How are we feeling, Christian Javier? I, well, I've said

615
00:26:53,599 --> 00:26:56,160
this on our show many many times, and uh, it

616
00:26:56,240 --> 00:26:58,759
might be the death of me. I'm just I kind

617
00:26:58,759 --> 00:27:01,599
of look at Christian Hobby the same way looked at

618
00:27:01,640 --> 00:27:02,759
jose Erkeidy.

619
00:27:02,519 --> 00:27:04,039
Speaker 2: For a long long time. And let me explain.

620
00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:04,680
Speaker 7: That's good.

621
00:27:04,759 --> 00:27:08,079
Speaker 5: Well, let me explain, okay, please, what did jose Orkidy

622
00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:09,079
do his rookie season.

623
00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:11,640
Speaker 2: He went to Washington in the World Series and pitched

624
00:27:11,640 --> 00:27:12,480
his balls off.

625
00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:15,799
Speaker 5: And if that was his peak as an astro, and

626
00:27:15,799 --> 00:27:19,440
it probably was, if we're being honest, then you know

627
00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:23,119
Christian Hobber's peaks laugh in the face of that, and

628
00:27:23,200 --> 00:27:25,680
I think that guy's still in there somewhere. The problem

629
00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:29,680
has been much like Lance mccullor's, only much less sample

630
00:27:29,720 --> 00:27:32,599
size of this. The problem has been getting that that

631
00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:35,480
version of him to you know, bear itself out or

632
00:27:35,519 --> 00:27:37,680
show its face for the And you know, injuries have

633
00:27:37,759 --> 00:27:40,160
been the biggest reason for that. But then even when,

634
00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:42,480
as Wex has pointed out, he's been healthy at times,

635
00:27:42,920 --> 00:27:45,319
you just haven't had the same velocity. You haven't had

636
00:27:45,359 --> 00:27:48,240
the same ability to find the strike zone, which I

637
00:27:48,319 --> 00:27:50,400
never thought you could talk about with Christian Hobber.

638
00:27:50,440 --> 00:27:51,759
Speaker 2: That guy was dotting him up.

639
00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:55,160
Speaker 5: And by the way, we haven't we haven't talked about

640
00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:57,240
how ABS is gonna affect into everything this year.

641
00:27:57,359 --> 00:27:58,400
Speaker 2: I can't wait to see that.

642
00:27:58,720 --> 00:28:02,160
Speaker 5: Yeah, but if that guy's in there still and you

643
00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:05,480
can unlock him, obviously, I mean, I'm speaking the most

644
00:28:05,519 --> 00:28:09,440
obvious statement possible, You're gonna be okay as a rotation.

645
00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:14,400
Speaker 6: Pitchers, pitches are off the plate that guys swing at

646
00:28:14,440 --> 00:28:17,160
for strike three, and I'm not so sure it's gonna

647
00:28:17,160 --> 00:28:20,119
happen quite as often this year. As says, some element

648
00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:22,200
of ABS may play a role in that. I don't

649
00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:24,279
think it's gonna change the game dramatically, and I do

650
00:28:24,319 --> 00:28:26,559
think teams are gonna be a lot more judicious with

651
00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:29,039
it then clearly what we saw during the spring, because

652
00:28:29,039 --> 00:28:31,519
there's really no reason to be judicious with it when

653
00:28:31,519 --> 00:28:32,960
you're trying to get a feel for it. I like

654
00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:35,440
the astros idea of essentially leaving it up to the

655
00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:38,279
catcher when they're the team in the field and clearly

656
00:28:38,519 --> 00:28:40,640
kind of trying to keep the pitcher out of it.

657
00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:43,200
I think most teams will realize that's almost assuredly the

658
00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:45,359
way to go. But I do think it's gonna be

659
00:28:45,799 --> 00:28:49,200
used once you're into the fifth sixth inning of the game,

660
00:28:49,240 --> 00:28:51,559
and obviously it's competitive. You're gonna try to take advantage

661
00:28:51,559 --> 00:28:53,960
of it, and I think the players will be right

662
00:28:54,559 --> 00:28:57,720
and the additional challenges that go with it will be

663
00:28:57,799 --> 00:29:00,319
maintained over the course of the remaining innings of the game.

664
00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:02,519
I think it's a good thing. I think most I

665
00:29:02,559 --> 00:29:04,400
think most people that listen to this show have to

666
00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:06,880
believe that because of how Ross has been preaching over

667
00:29:06,880 --> 00:29:08,599
the years, we have the ability to get it right.

668
00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:11,200
How come we don't want that. I hope people realize

669
00:29:11,279 --> 00:29:14,119
we should want that, and we just saw the World

670
00:29:14,160 --> 00:29:17,079
Baseball Classic, where evidence of not having it in place

671
00:29:17,200 --> 00:29:19,519
is clearly something you would have liked to see change.

672
00:29:19,559 --> 00:29:22,240
So I think it's going to be impactful, not to

673
00:29:22,359 --> 00:29:25,359
any one specific pitcher, but the two pictures we've talked

674
00:29:25,359 --> 00:29:27,880
about the most today often are the two pitchers with

675
00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:30,319
the most movement on their pitches, and I think in

676
00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:34,680
Lance's case, it was difficult for him to throw strikes

677
00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:37,160
because the pitchers have so much movement on it, and

678
00:29:37,759 --> 00:29:40,240
they're flying out of the strike zone, which when he's

679
00:29:40,319 --> 00:29:43,839
going well, that's great because hitters can't lay off of

680
00:29:43,880 --> 00:29:46,240
them and they can't do anything with him. He wasn't

681
00:29:46,279 --> 00:29:48,400
going well, so hitters were just waiting for him to

682
00:29:48,440 --> 00:29:50,920
attack the plate, which he really just didn't do enough

683
00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:52,519
of because I just don't think he was who I

684
00:29:52,519 --> 00:29:55,240
think he can be this year. Confidence level on those

685
00:29:55,279 --> 00:29:57,799
two pitchers is probably a little bit higher for Hobby

686
00:29:57,880 --> 00:30:00,559
than it is for Lance, but you got more question

687
00:30:00,599 --> 00:30:03,000
marks after Hunter that they're all going Some of them

688
00:30:03,039 --> 00:30:04,839
are gonna go on the high end, maybe one goes

689
00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:06,440
on the low end, And I think you're gonna be

690
00:30:06,480 --> 00:30:09,119
able to navigate your way through the season fairly easily

691
00:30:09,559 --> 00:30:12,039
even if something doesn't go your way. But I'm pretty

692
00:30:12,039 --> 00:30:15,480
confident that Hobby will solidify his spot in the rotation.

693
00:30:15,640 --> 00:30:17,799
There will be hiccups, but I think he's also gonna

694
00:30:17,839 --> 00:30:20,160
have what he really didn't have last year. Good starts,

695
00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:23,079
six innings, one run, six innings, three hits allowed, which

696
00:30:23,160 --> 00:30:25,400
was common for him before injury.

697
00:30:25,880 --> 00:30:28,799
Speaker 2: Yeah, and the same thing with Lancel Colors juniors.

698
00:30:28,799 --> 00:30:31,319
Speaker 3: You get it, you get a full offseason, so hopefully

699
00:30:31,319 --> 00:30:33,720
he can be ready to go and yeah, it is interesting.

700
00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:34,720
Speaker 2: I mean the LANCEM.

701
00:30:34,799 --> 00:30:38,839
Speaker 3: Collors Junior I think of I like, honestly a little

702
00:30:38,839 --> 00:30:41,480
bit of Spencer Aarraghetti as well. Who's gonna be waiting

703
00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:43,200
in the wings come April tenth when they have that

704
00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:45,119
stretch of thirteen games in a row, and you're gonna

705
00:30:45,160 --> 00:30:47,640
probably go to a six man rotation of where you'res

706
00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:50,480
out there spinning as hard as you can and even you're.

707
00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:51,440
Speaker 2: You're not exactly sure where it's going.

708
00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:54,319
Speaker 3: So you're gonna get walks, you're gonna get strikeouts, you're

709
00:30:54,319 --> 00:30:57,359
gonna get high pitch counts, and hopefully if you're under

710
00:30:57,359 --> 00:30:59,359
control that day, you can still be effective and get

711
00:30:59,519 --> 00:31:00,519
five six.

712
00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:03,400
Speaker 6: What's your thought on dad strength as applies to Spencer Arega,

713
00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:06,200
That's true left the team late in spring training. It's

714
00:31:06,279 --> 00:31:10,160
real fiance had healthy baby twins.

715
00:31:10,400 --> 00:31:11,960
Speaker 2: Yes, so he returned to.

716
00:31:11,960 --> 00:31:13,799
Speaker 6: The mound here at Dyke And Park obviously during the

717
00:31:13,839 --> 00:31:17,200
last two exhibition games, pitching on Tuesday. We'll start the season,

718
00:31:17,200 --> 00:31:20,440
as you noted, with these Space Cowboys, probably at the

719
00:31:20,480 --> 00:31:23,599
front end of that rotation Colton, Gordon, Jason, Alexander Spencer

720
00:31:23,759 --> 00:31:26,240
and he'd probably get some form of their first three

721
00:31:26,279 --> 00:31:28,960
starts starting on Friday, and I don't know how that

722
00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:30,920
lines up to where they need a six starter. But

723
00:31:31,039 --> 00:31:34,640
aside from all that nuts and bolts, Dad strength, is

724
00:31:34,680 --> 00:31:35,279
he coming with.

725
00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:36,200
Speaker 2: It this year? He's got to.

726
00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:38,759
Speaker 3: I mean it comes from just lugging the baby around

727
00:31:38,759 --> 00:31:41,079
all day, right, That's exactly, and that feels like that's

728
00:31:41,119 --> 00:31:41,599
what happened.

729
00:31:41,640 --> 00:31:46,160
Speaker 6: Now we note that sometimes you try to do your part. Hey,

730
00:31:46,480 --> 00:31:48,000
my wife, look at all the work she put in.

731
00:31:48,039 --> 00:31:49,680
You a just need to do my part. Well, now

732
00:31:49,680 --> 00:31:52,880
it's doubly with two and he's trying to carve out

733
00:31:52,920 --> 00:31:56,480
a nice, healthy, productive major league season. Sometimes, like the

734
00:31:56,519 --> 00:31:59,440
flu game, when maybe you're you're a little tired, maybe

735
00:31:59,440 --> 00:32:03,000
you're not quite mentally all there, you lock in and

736
00:32:03,039 --> 00:32:03,839
you fire bebes.

737
00:32:04,039 --> 00:32:06,880
Speaker 3: All right, let's go Dad strength for Spencer Araghetty. I'm

738
00:32:06,920 --> 00:32:08,920
on board with it. That sounds good to me, all right.

739
00:32:08,920 --> 00:32:11,400
Seven one three two one two five seven ninety is

740
00:32:11,400 --> 00:32:13,400
the phone number if you want to get in. Seven

741
00:32:13,440 --> 00:32:15,680
one three two one two five seven ninety. Time for

742
00:32:15,680 --> 00:32:19,400
another break here on The Matt Thomas Show with Ross

743
00:32:19,839 --> 00:32:23,039
As we are broadcasting live thanks to Trajing Wealth Management

744
00:32:23,039 --> 00:32:25,200
from opening day at dyke In Park we are at

745
00:32:25,240 --> 00:32:27,960
the street Fest. Uh, sounds like the band's getting warmed up.

746
00:32:28,240 --> 00:32:30,119
I believe we're gonna have Adam Clanton on the key

747
00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:32,319
tar coming up in the second set of the band

748
00:32:32,359 --> 00:32:34,400
as well, so make sure you guys stay tuned for that.

749
00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:36,200
Speaker 2: With you until two o'clock, at which point we'll go

750
00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:37,599
to on deck mode.

751
00:32:37,680 --> 00:32:40,240
Speaker 3: It is Astro's opening day, so we're talking all things

752
00:32:40,319 --> 00:32:48,279
Astros with you here on Sports Talk seven ninety ten

753
00:32:48,680 --> 00:32:51,440
forty nine and the am here on a Sports Talk

754
00:32:51,599 --> 00:32:54,960
seven ninety.

755
00:32:54,519 --> 00:32:58,640
Speaker 2: Ros Viria, Adam website, Adam Planting with you. It is

756
00:32:58,680 --> 00:33:00,759
the opening of day.

757
00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:03,680
Speaker 3: A street Fest Spectacular on The Matt Thomas Show with

758
00:33:03,759 --> 00:33:07,720
Ross without Matt Thomas thanks to Trade in Wealth Management.

759
00:33:08,440 --> 00:33:11,039
With you until two forty pm, we're talking all things Astros.

760
00:33:11,039 --> 00:33:12,519
We can mix in a little bit of rockets, I

761
00:33:12,519 --> 00:33:13,960
guess at some point, but I'm trying to put it

762
00:33:13,960 --> 00:33:16,720
off for as much as possible, so let's keep it going.

763
00:33:17,279 --> 00:33:20,240
Talking some about the Astros. You brought up the abs

764
00:33:21,039 --> 00:33:24,640
last segment WEX and I'm already getting the feeling and

765
00:33:24,680 --> 00:33:26,960
maybe I'm biased, so Matt Thomas and I always argue

766
00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:29,640
about this, so I'm seriously but oh, we love it.

767
00:33:30,359 --> 00:33:34,279
You know, it's fun. It's a good time. And I

768
00:33:34,319 --> 00:33:37,640
will say time usually is my friend in these long

769
00:33:37,720 --> 00:33:39,680
term arguments, and I think time's gonna be my friend

770
00:33:39,680 --> 00:33:40,359
again in this one.

771
00:33:42,119 --> 00:33:44,359
Speaker 2: Do you think this is now?

772
00:33:44,359 --> 00:33:46,000
Speaker 3: I'm not saying it's gonna happen next year, the next

773
00:33:46,039 --> 00:33:48,759
five years, the next ten years, the ABS possibly a

774
00:33:48,839 --> 00:33:52,119
gateway drug to full ABS or is this gonna stay

775
00:33:52,160 --> 00:33:54,640
at the midway point? Because I think you're gonna end

776
00:33:54,680 --> 00:33:56,799
up with a situation where a team is out of

777
00:33:56,920 --> 00:34:01,519
challenges and you continue to just say the technologies in place.

778
00:34:01,640 --> 00:34:03,960
Speaker 6: Do you mind if there I jump in there with

779
00:34:04,160 --> 00:34:06,240
the Astros opening day.

780
00:34:06,119 --> 00:34:07,440
Speaker 2: Lineup, go ahead.

781
00:34:07,680 --> 00:34:10,280
Speaker 6: It does not include Jeremy Pania. I'll get that out

782
00:34:10,320 --> 00:34:13,320
of the way for me. He's hurts.

783
00:34:14,039 --> 00:34:15,639
Speaker 2: Give him a couple of days. He looks really hurt

784
00:34:15,639 --> 00:34:17,519
when he went out of the yard the other night.

785
00:34:18,079 --> 00:34:20,800
Speaker 6: So Jose Altuve will be the batter in the batter's

786
00:34:20,800 --> 00:34:23,880
box for the first for the Astros in the bottom

787
00:34:23,880 --> 00:34:26,920
of the first inning, followed by designated hitter yord On Alvarez.

788
00:34:27,280 --> 00:34:30,199
Esach Perettis over at third base. Carlos kore is your

789
00:34:30,239 --> 00:34:36,000
opening day shortstop. Recently acquired left fielder Joey Loperfido bat's fifth,

790
00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:39,199
Cam Smith and right field bat sixth. Your first baseman

791
00:34:39,519 --> 00:34:43,480
is Christian Walker. Opening day lineup for him, batting order

792
00:34:43,519 --> 00:34:47,239
spot is number seven, followed by catcher guyner Diez and

793
00:34:47,320 --> 00:34:50,760
your center fielder batting ninth, Jake Myers Hunter Brown on

794
00:34:50,800 --> 00:34:51,119
the mound.

795
00:34:52,280 --> 00:34:54,719
Speaker 2: All right, I'm gonna get on day one.

796
00:34:54,920 --> 00:34:57,719
Speaker 6: One of the things we talked about yesterday, Well, let's

797
00:34:57,760 --> 00:35:00,400
let's talk about what is in there. First, christ Walker

798
00:35:00,440 --> 00:35:04,719
and Jiner Diaz batting seventh and eighth. That's that is

799
00:35:04,760 --> 00:35:08,360
an again correct, not correct opinion, whatever. That's where he

800
00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:09,960
should they should be to start the season.

801
00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:10,679
Speaker 2: That's correct.

802
00:35:10,800 --> 00:35:13,679
Speaker 6: That's what you should do based on the information that

803
00:35:13,719 --> 00:35:17,239
you have last year, plus spring, plus how you feel,

804
00:35:17,360 --> 00:35:20,400
plus at least trying to mix in the two left

805
00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:22,639
handed hitters you have in the lineup. One of them

806
00:35:22,719 --> 00:35:24,039
is in the two spot, the other one is in

807
00:35:24,079 --> 00:35:27,360
the five spot, and then player for player. Again, this

808
00:35:27,440 --> 00:35:29,480
is one way to alleviate the log jam one of

809
00:35:29,480 --> 00:35:31,239
them is not in the lineup. I imagine when Joe

810
00:35:31,320 --> 00:35:34,840
Spotta talks with the media, this will be partly. I mean,

811
00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:38,480
I would assume entirely due to the situation of him

812
00:35:38,480 --> 00:35:40,599
not having too many at bats, although he can't get

813
00:35:40,599 --> 00:35:42,199
any more at bats. If he's not in the lineup,

814
00:35:42,239 --> 00:35:44,800
there's no way to get comfortable or become more comfortable.

815
00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:50,920
I'm hopeful, very hopeful that they didn't miss diagnose where

816
00:35:50,960 --> 00:35:51,280
he was.

817
00:35:51,360 --> 00:35:55,519
Speaker 3: Oh no, so no, Jeremiah Reynall's gone. No more misdiagnosing.

818
00:35:55,679 --> 00:35:58,199
Speaker 6: I don't think that's the case. But he made the

819
00:35:58,199 --> 00:36:02,159
opening days. If you had to tell me who's going

820
00:36:02,199 --> 00:36:04,800
to lead this team in war and I told you

821
00:36:04,880 --> 00:36:07,119
it's Jeremy Paynia, you would say, yeah, that sounds just

822
00:36:07,119 --> 00:36:07,639
about right.

823
00:36:07,840 --> 00:36:10,760
Speaker 2: So if he's healthy and active, he was the leader

824
00:36:10,840 --> 00:36:11,519
last year, was he not?

825
00:36:11,639 --> 00:36:13,840
Speaker 6: It just yes. It seems like he would be make

826
00:36:13,880 --> 00:36:15,360
a lot of sense to have him in the opening

827
00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:18,360
day lineup. But a three o'clock start today, two evening

828
00:36:18,360 --> 00:36:22,039
games Friday and Saturday, and a Sunday afternoon game, doubt

829
00:36:22,199 --> 00:36:24,599
much of that should really go into it. But Jeremy

830
00:36:24,599 --> 00:36:28,239
Pania will open the season, I hope, available off the

831
00:36:28,320 --> 00:36:31,480
Astros bench. But until the clubhouse opens or Joey spot

832
00:36:31,480 --> 00:36:33,760
It acknowledges something, I can just tell you he is

833
00:36:33,760 --> 00:36:34,840
not in the opening day lineup.

834
00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:37,360
Speaker 5: Everybody's gonna feel better if and when he gets into

835
00:36:37,440 --> 00:36:40,400
the game today, and if he does, if he doesn't,

836
00:36:40,880 --> 00:36:42,800
like in a pinshit situation, I don't know what's gonna happen.

837
00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:44,199
Speaker 2: It's the Angels hopefully don't need that.

838
00:36:44,599 --> 00:36:47,559
Speaker 5: But if it doesn't and he's in the starting lineup

839
00:36:47,679 --> 00:36:51,679
tomorrow night, again, this will be a nothing burger by

840
00:36:51,679 --> 00:36:53,559
the time it gets there. Okay, let's see if he's

841
00:36:53,599 --> 00:36:56,639
not though, that's the other way of the pendulum. Now

842
00:36:56,719 --> 00:36:57,920
you're gonna be like, what what's going on?

843
00:36:58,039 --> 00:37:00,719
Speaker 6: And let me add one little item to such. Chandler

844
00:37:00,760 --> 00:37:05,960
Roame is inside the Astros yard. We're just outside the

845
00:37:06,000 --> 00:37:09,960
Astros yard. Jeremy Paygnatt in Sugarland this morning, taking live

846
00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:12,360
AB So there's just a mechanism you have. You have

847
00:37:12,360 --> 00:37:15,519
two options. Either he's active or he's out for ten days.

848
00:37:15,519 --> 00:37:18,039
Even if you backdated a little bit, he probably wasn't

849
00:37:18,079 --> 00:37:21,239
ready to play today. But he doesn't need ten days

850
00:37:21,320 --> 00:37:23,840
to get ready. So maybe a handful of games, maybe

851
00:37:23,840 --> 00:37:26,199
one game, is what it will take before he's out there.

852
00:37:26,239 --> 00:37:29,039
But rather than have him out for whatever number of

853
00:37:29,119 --> 00:37:30,760
days they could have gotten out of a back date,

854
00:37:31,079 --> 00:37:33,760
or simply the ten days that a ten day else

855
00:37:33,800 --> 00:37:36,440
stint would require. That's where we're at.

856
00:37:37,360 --> 00:37:40,960
Speaker 3: So if he is the lineup tomorrow, who's in left

857
00:37:40,960 --> 00:37:42,920
field and who's your DH.

858
00:37:42,360 --> 00:37:47,079
Speaker 6: Well, to me, you're here at home. You're here at

859
00:37:47,159 --> 00:37:49,880
dyk In Park. We have this beautiful out of town

860
00:37:49,960 --> 00:37:53,880
scoreboard and the Prawford boxes right behind us. These games

861
00:37:53,960 --> 00:37:57,840
at home, with however much trepidation they still have for it.

862
00:37:57,880 --> 00:37:59,760
You got to play yard On Albarez in left field

863
00:38:00,119 --> 00:38:02,599
in the home games when it makes sense. And if

864
00:38:02,679 --> 00:38:05,840
six other players are healthy and you need to fill

865
00:38:05,880 --> 00:38:08,440
those six spots with designated hitter left field and the

866
00:38:08,440 --> 00:38:10,960
four infield spots, then that's how you make it happen.

867
00:38:10,960 --> 00:38:12,840
You put jord On Alvarez in left field, because I

868
00:38:12,880 --> 00:38:15,480
just don't think we're gonna see Jose Altuvan left field

869
00:38:15,519 --> 00:38:18,280
at all this year. And obviously Esoch Peretis is not

870
00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:20,920
going to learn two new positions this year or three

871
00:38:21,079 --> 00:38:23,400
second base, first base and left payl second. He is

872
00:38:23,440 --> 00:38:24,079
an infielder.

873
00:38:24,360 --> 00:38:28,199
Speaker 3: He is an infielder, and well, well we're already got

874
00:38:28,199 --> 00:38:30,440
the ball rolling. It's easy with Jeremy Pania out to

875
00:38:30,440 --> 00:38:32,639
figure out how things are going to be configured, but

876
00:38:32,960 --> 00:38:35,360
he's not on the IL, so that'll be a question

877
00:38:35,400 --> 00:38:37,039
that I'll have to be answered very soon. On hell

878
00:38:37,079 --> 00:38:39,559
has been waiting patiently on the phone lines on head

879
00:38:39,920 --> 00:38:40,440
go ahead.

880
00:38:41,519 --> 00:38:43,400
Speaker 8: Yeah, good morning, guys, Happy opening day.

881
00:38:43,400 --> 00:38:47,599
Speaker 2: How you guys doing feeling good? Good? Good?

882
00:38:47,679 --> 00:38:51,559
Speaker 8: Hey, So I was listening over a conversation about the

883
00:38:51,679 --> 00:38:54,960
rotation a few minutes ago. I know this has probably

884
00:38:55,000 --> 00:38:57,199
been a topic of conversation before, but just want to

885
00:38:57,199 --> 00:39:00,440
get your input. I know, uh, you know, Ronellelo and

886
00:39:00,519 --> 00:39:03,360
Wes Nevsky will be back at some point midway through

887
00:39:03,400 --> 00:39:07,559
the season, probably July or early August. That's going to

888
00:39:07,599 --> 00:39:09,320
be a starting rotation.

889
00:39:09,199 --> 00:39:10,000
Speaker 2: Log gem there.

890
00:39:10,159 --> 00:39:11,840
Speaker 8: Just want to get kind of your input on what

891
00:39:11,920 --> 00:39:14,679
you think a SPOTO will do at that point or

892
00:39:14,719 --> 00:39:17,119
what the rotation might look like when you have two

893
00:39:17,159 --> 00:39:21,639
starting pitchers coming back, maybe Blanco as a relief pitcher,

894
00:39:21,719 --> 00:39:24,000
but you know, just want to know what your thoughts

895
00:39:24,039 --> 00:39:26,480
would be. Bring out your crystal ball again and see

896
00:39:26,519 --> 00:39:27,039
what you think.

897
00:39:28,840 --> 00:39:32,159
Speaker 6: It's interesting. Just the last name you mentioned, Ronel Blanco

898
00:39:32,199 --> 00:39:34,360
obviously has plenty of experience out of the pen, but

899
00:39:34,559 --> 00:39:37,840
you're dealing with arm injuries, long term arm injuries. Pitching

900
00:39:37,880 --> 00:39:40,800
out of the bullpen is an uncertain day to day operation.

901
00:39:41,480 --> 00:39:44,440
Is he available two days after he pitches three days,

902
00:39:44,440 --> 00:39:46,639
four days? Is that too much strain on their arm,

903
00:39:46,880 --> 00:39:49,199
getting hot in the bullpen, getting up on days they

904
00:39:49,239 --> 00:39:53,119
ultimately don't get used. I don't think you'd forecast Hayden

905
00:39:53,199 --> 00:39:57,239
was Nesky, Renel Blanco as bullpen options, but more you're

906
00:39:57,239 --> 00:39:59,320
pitching on this day, and you're pitching on that day,

907
00:39:59,599 --> 00:40:02,079
and take it back a year, not to remind everybody

908
00:40:02,079 --> 00:40:05,519
about how things went. They have these rough timelines for

909
00:40:05,639 --> 00:40:09,760
a Luis Garcia return, a Christian Xavier return, obviously, the

910
00:40:09,840 --> 00:40:12,519
Lance McCullers junior return, and it's just very hard to

911
00:40:12,599 --> 00:40:15,000
believe in it. And I don't mean believe what they're saying.

912
00:40:15,039 --> 00:40:17,039
I mean you just never know with injuries like this,

913
00:40:17,119 --> 00:40:19,920
do they need full thirty days worth of rehab starts?

914
00:40:19,920 --> 00:40:22,679
Can they really get ramped up? It really is a

915
00:40:22,719 --> 00:40:25,039
good problem to have. Think about how many additional arms

916
00:40:25,079 --> 00:40:28,519
we mentioned they already have that are healthy, like Ryan Weiss,

917
00:40:28,559 --> 00:40:31,280
and like Colton Gordon, like Spencer Araghetty, and if we

918
00:40:31,320 --> 00:40:33,800
get to July and August and those two other pitchers

919
00:40:33,800 --> 00:40:37,480
we're talking about are also healthy and have made rehab starts,

920
00:40:37,639 --> 00:40:40,199
then you really do have good problems. It's just really

921
00:40:40,199 --> 00:40:44,320
tough for me to forecast Tommy john injured pitchers when

922
00:40:44,360 --> 00:40:47,440
they make their return, and they were starters before. I

923
00:40:47,480 --> 00:40:50,000
don't think they enter mid season or part of the

924
00:40:50,039 --> 00:40:52,320
way through the season as bullpen options.

925
00:40:52,800 --> 00:40:54,920
Speaker 3: All right, time for a break here on The Matt

926
00:40:55,000 --> 00:40:58,480
Thomas Show with Ross. Our number one at street Fest

927
00:40:58,480 --> 00:41:02,079
at Dyke and Park is in the books, and our

928
00:41:02,159 --> 00:41:04,280
number two is coming up. You guys can get in

929
00:41:04,360 --> 00:41:07,239
seven one three two one two five seven ninety if

930
00:41:07,280 --> 00:41:09,360
you would like two seven one three two one two

931
00:41:09,400 --> 00:41:12,639
five seven ninety, we have I just don't get it.

932
00:41:12,800 --> 00:41:13,239
Speaker 2: Coming up.

933
00:41:13,280 --> 00:41:16,719
Speaker 3: Baseball Edition at eleven thirty, twelve thirty, channeler Row, one

934
00:41:16,760 --> 00:41:20,039
o'clock Brian mctagger, one thirty Jeff Blum. No reason to

935
00:41:20,280 --> 00:41:22,719
turn the station here. And then we're gonna have the

936
00:41:22,719 --> 00:41:25,519
ass Shows and the Angels Opening Day three ten, first

937
00:41:25,559 --> 00:41:28,519
pitch right here on Sports Talk seven ninety, So do

938
00:41:28,679 --> 00:41:29,559
not go anywhere.

939
00:41:29,559 --> 00:41:34,559
Speaker 2: Our number two of the opening day street Fest Spectacular.

940
00:41:33,960 --> 00:41:43,000
Speaker 3: Is Next is The Matt Thomas Show with Ross.

941
00:41:43,159 --> 00:41:48,000
Speaker 9: Our number two, Well, The Matt Thomas Show with Ross

942
00:41:48,119 --> 00:41:53,320
without Matt Thomas here broadcasting live from opening day at

943
00:41:53,360 --> 00:41:56,559
street Fest left Field, Ish under.

944
00:41:56,400 --> 00:41:57,360
Speaker 2: The Budweiser sign.

945
00:41:57,400 --> 00:41:59,320
Speaker 3: You guys are gonna be making it in around noon.

946
00:41:59,760 --> 00:42:01,360
If you do want to come by and say hello,

947
00:42:01,440 --> 00:42:04,400
we got giveaways. We have a wonderful promo. People who

948
00:42:04,440 --> 00:42:06,519
are very bored right now and they want to come

949
00:42:06,519 --> 00:42:08,159
see you, So come by at noon and grab some

950
00:42:08,199 --> 00:42:08,760
free stuff.

951
00:42:09,199 --> 00:42:10,000
Speaker 2: Fault lines open.

952
00:42:10,039 --> 00:42:12,559
Speaker 3: It's seven to one three two one two five seven

953
00:42:12,760 --> 00:42:16,320
ninety seven one three two one two five seven ninety

954
00:42:16,440 --> 00:42:20,480
is the phone number. So uh, we have this article

955
00:42:20,599 --> 00:42:23,840
published you can find at sports Talk seven ninety dot com.

956
00:42:24,000 --> 00:42:25,360
Speaker 2: It is of.

957
00:42:25,239 --> 00:42:29,559
Speaker 3: All the Astros, all the talent here in their Astros

958
00:42:29,679 --> 00:42:32,880
and Major League Baseball predictions. Wanted to go through some

959
00:42:32,920 --> 00:42:35,199
of these with you guys, as of course, Adam Wexler,

960
00:42:35,199 --> 00:42:38,559
Adam Clintner here, they made theirs as well. Uh, I

961
00:42:38,599 --> 00:42:41,119
would say, of course, the chalk pick for home run leader,

962
00:42:41,159 --> 00:42:44,360
we went through home run leader, Astros win total Al

963
00:42:44,400 --> 00:42:50,280
West Champ World Series matchup, and it should be World

964
00:42:50,519 --> 00:42:51,719
Series winner as well.

965
00:42:51,719 --> 00:42:52,800
Speaker 2: Okay, both those are in here.

966
00:42:53,679 --> 00:42:53,920
Speaker 8: Uh.

967
00:42:53,960 --> 00:42:56,039
Speaker 3: Of course Matt has Christian Walker as the home run

968
00:42:56,079 --> 00:42:58,880
leader because he thinks Jordan Alvarez is never ever in

969
00:42:58,920 --> 00:43:01,840
the in his career, for the rest for the motives,

970
00:43:01,920 --> 00:43:03,440
for the rest of his life. He's not going to

971
00:43:03,440 --> 00:43:05,440
play one hundred and thirty games, as is his right

972
00:43:05,480 --> 00:43:08,280
to Opine Clanton, you went.

973
00:43:08,159 --> 00:43:09,599
Speaker 2: Off the board. I feel like, uh, with a little

974
00:43:09,800 --> 00:43:11,559
Zach Paradus, explain your logic.

975
00:43:11,920 --> 00:43:13,840
Speaker 5: Well, I mean we were talking about this a little

976
00:43:13,840 --> 00:43:16,639
bit off air. I just felt like before he got

977
00:43:16,719 --> 00:43:19,480
hurt last year, first of all, he was at times

978
00:43:19,480 --> 00:43:21,519
the year of their home run leader. A lot of

979
00:43:21,519 --> 00:43:22,639
that had to do with the fact that I think

980
00:43:22,679 --> 00:43:25,760
Jordan was hurt, but Christian Walker wasn't giving you the production.

981
00:43:25,880 --> 00:43:27,679
So there's a lot of things that went into last season.

982
00:43:27,719 --> 00:43:30,079
But I just felt like, and and by the way

983
00:43:30,440 --> 00:43:33,840
to go with this, I have never ever wanted the

984
00:43:33,880 --> 00:43:36,360
Astros to trade him away this entire offseason when it's

985
00:43:36,400 --> 00:43:39,800
been discussed. I don't feel like I know that he

986
00:43:39,840 --> 00:43:42,159
would be the easier of the two to trade, but

987
00:43:42,239 --> 00:43:44,920
I just don't feel like you should be trading or

988
00:43:44,960 --> 00:43:47,039
talking about trading that guy because of the type of

989
00:43:47,039 --> 00:43:50,480
production he showed last year. This ballpark is tailor made

990
00:43:50,480 --> 00:43:53,840
for what he does, and he was awesome at it

991
00:43:53,920 --> 00:43:57,519
until he got hurt last year. So in a season

992
00:43:57,519 --> 00:44:00,320
in which you have so many question marks, I think

993
00:44:00,360 --> 00:44:02,280
it's out of the question to say that if he

994
00:44:02,599 --> 00:44:07,159
produces similarly to like he did last year, it's it's possible.

995
00:44:07,360 --> 00:44:09,800
Speaker 6: Ten votes casts. As you mentioned the talent here, the

996
00:44:09,840 --> 00:44:12,039
pair of hosts for each of our four hour programs,

997
00:44:12,320 --> 00:44:16,280
are three producers for those respective three programs, and our

998
00:44:16,559 --> 00:44:20,079
p D Chris Gordy, so ten votes cast in these categories.

999
00:44:20,519 --> 00:44:23,920
For the Astros home run, leader Jordan Alvren. Alvarez checked

1000
00:44:23,920 --> 00:44:27,000
in with seven of the ten votes. Christian umart I

1001
00:44:27,079 --> 00:44:30,599
went chalk one of the ten. Yes, Esak Parritis drew

1002
00:44:30,639 --> 00:44:33,559
one of the ten, and Carlos Korea drew one of

1003
00:44:33,599 --> 00:44:33,960
the ten.

1004
00:44:34,159 --> 00:44:34,360
Speaker 2: Yeah.

1005
00:44:34,440 --> 00:44:37,880
Speaker 3: Jonathan Allen, our producer, Jonathan, explain yourself, Carlos you went,

1006
00:44:37,920 --> 00:44:40,400
You went with a deep cut for the Astros home run.

1007
00:44:40,440 --> 00:44:41,639
Speaker 2: Later, do you know what I feel like?

1008
00:44:41,679 --> 00:44:43,599
Speaker 6: I was gone to the walker and you know all

1009
00:44:43,599 --> 00:44:46,199
that stuff. I just felt like Korea had six home

1010
00:44:46,280 --> 00:44:47,800
runs when he came in so late in the season.

1011
00:44:47,880 --> 00:44:49,920
Speaker 2: I'm you know what, you're mister underdog.

1012
00:44:50,159 --> 00:44:52,880
Speaker 3: You're like picking the Pacers to make the finals. Last year,

1013
00:44:52,880 --> 00:44:55,039
you said they were gonna win the NBA Championship. I mean,

1014
00:44:55,239 --> 00:44:57,559
some of your some of your crazy underdog picks have

1015
00:44:57,760 --> 00:45:00,119
have worked out. So maybe I shouldn't doubt you.

1016
00:45:00,119 --> 00:45:03,280
Speaker 2: You shouldn't exactly, you shouldn't got me. Yeah, you're right.

1017
00:45:03,320 --> 00:45:04,599
That's my bad, all right?

1018
00:45:05,000 --> 00:45:07,320
Speaker 3: Okay, So the yeah, the the Esoc Paratis and Carlos

1019
00:45:07,400 --> 00:45:12,360
Korea caught my eye. Most everybody has the Astros around

1020
00:45:12,480 --> 00:45:15,360
eighty five to ninety wins. The highest total would be

1021
00:45:15,400 --> 00:45:19,599
Cole Thompson. He has the Astros at ninety. The lowest

1022
00:45:19,679 --> 00:45:21,599
is going to be Dan Matthews with the Astros that

1023
00:45:21,599 --> 00:45:23,920
are at eighty six, but also AOS champs.

1024
00:45:24,000 --> 00:45:26,159
Speaker 6: Now I can't help myself here. I want to give

1025
00:45:26,239 --> 00:45:27,039
one more note.

1026
00:45:27,079 --> 00:45:28,639
Speaker 2: Okay, please don't.

1027
00:45:29,000 --> 00:45:34,519
Speaker 6: Statistically speaking, the Astros slugging percentage leader a year ago

1028
00:45:35,159 --> 00:45:39,760
received no votes. That was Jeremy Panna, Okay. Estoch Perettis

1029
00:45:39,880 --> 00:45:42,760
was second. Because he made the roster this year, I'll

1030
00:45:42,800 --> 00:45:45,519
include him on this list despite his scarcity.

1031
00:45:45,000 --> 00:45:45,639
Speaker 2: Of his bats.

1032
00:45:45,920 --> 00:45:50,639
Speaker 6: Bryce Matthews was third, Altuve, who also received no votes,

1033
00:45:50,960 --> 00:45:55,760
was fourth. Alvarez Korea Walker were fifth, sixth and seventh

1034
00:45:55,880 --> 00:45:58,960
on the team and slugging percentage in twenty twenty five.

1035
00:45:59,599 --> 00:46:01,880
Speaker 3: I'm I'm hoping it's jord On Alvarez. You know what,

1036
00:46:01,920 --> 00:46:04,039
I'm gonna say this. If it's not at ord On Alvarez,

1037
00:46:04,119 --> 00:46:05,559
the Astros aren't making the playoffs.

1038
00:46:06,119 --> 00:46:07,599
Speaker 2: How about that? How about them Apples?

1039
00:46:07,760 --> 00:46:09,960
Speaker 5: I mean it goes to what I said last segment

1040
00:46:10,039 --> 00:46:12,079
or the segment before about if he had been healthy.

1041
00:46:12,440 --> 00:46:15,360
I mean, you had everything go wrong that could from

1042
00:46:15,400 --> 00:46:18,320
an injury standpoint, and you still it took the Mariners

1043
00:46:18,360 --> 00:46:21,199
coming in and sweeping you on the final weekend basically

1044
00:46:21,239 --> 00:46:24,880
of the year for them to win the division, not

1045
00:46:25,159 --> 00:46:27,119
you know, go to play all that kind of stuff.

1046
00:46:27,159 --> 00:46:31,840
So it was unfamiliar territory. Just huh, we didn't make

1047
00:46:31,840 --> 00:46:33,679
the playoffs this year? What are we gonna do with

1048
00:46:33,719 --> 00:46:34,159
our hands?

1049
00:46:34,239 --> 00:46:36,880
Speaker 6: So the range of victories for the Astros was eighty

1050
00:46:36,880 --> 00:46:39,079
four to eighty nine that I saw.

1051
00:46:39,119 --> 00:46:41,480
Speaker 3: I believe, Yes, oh eighty four. I'd say eighty six

1052
00:46:41,559 --> 00:46:43,719
eighty four. Actually, Chris Gordy's a hater.

1053
00:46:43,880 --> 00:46:47,280
Speaker 6: So the number from most people you hear in the

1054
00:46:47,960 --> 00:46:50,559
Sin City area is eighty six and a half.

1055
00:46:50,760 --> 00:46:52,440
Speaker 2: Yes, And I was gonna bring this up.

1056
00:46:52,559 --> 00:46:57,159
Speaker 3: Okay, everybody except for Dan Matthews and Gordy, that's eight

1057
00:46:57,199 --> 00:46:59,559
of us have the over. So that's what I was

1058
00:47:00,000 --> 00:47:03,199
sure gonna bring up, just as a general talking point.

1059
00:47:03,400 --> 00:47:05,519
If you look at the Vegas win total, you look

1060
00:47:05,559 --> 00:47:08,800
at I know, Adam Klanton, you're big in the Fangrafs

1061
00:47:08,920 --> 00:47:12,599
season projection. Huge love Fangrafs using season projections. They have

1062
00:47:12,679 --> 00:47:16,400
the Astros I think at eighty eighty one wins. Baseball

1063
00:47:16,440 --> 00:47:19,719
perspectives I think has them at eighty four basically. Anywhere

1064
00:47:19,760 --> 00:47:24,159
I look around as far as prognosticators say the Astros

1065
00:47:24,199 --> 00:47:27,039
are going to be under the win total or around

1066
00:47:27,400 --> 00:47:28,519
basically eighty.

1067
00:47:28,280 --> 00:47:29,199
Speaker 2: To eighty four wins.

1068
00:47:29,199 --> 00:47:32,119
Speaker 3: So then my question is this, are we being homerrific

1069
00:47:32,480 --> 00:47:35,840
here in Houston or do these people are just they're

1070
00:47:35,920 --> 00:47:38,760
just underrating what we have. Because it's opening day, Hope,

1071
00:47:38,760 --> 00:47:42,440
Spring springs eternal, We're going to be optimistic. But when

1072
00:47:42,440 --> 00:47:45,280
I look around at everybody else making predictions, I mean,

1073
00:47:45,320 --> 00:47:47,920
they're like eighteenth in a I think a power ranking

1074
00:47:47,920 --> 00:47:49,960
that I saw, or sixteenth or something like that, and

1075
00:47:50,960 --> 00:47:54,480
everyone thinks the Astros are going to be mid and

1076
00:47:54,639 --> 00:47:56,679
possibly if that probably missed the playoffs.

1077
00:47:56,840 --> 00:48:01,519
Speaker 6: Well, another Matt Thomas shows staple the expected wins from

1078
00:48:01,519 --> 00:48:04,519
a year ago was just eighty three. They won eighty seven,

1079
00:48:05,000 --> 00:48:06,599
and I think the same thing will have to happen

1080
00:48:06,639 --> 00:48:09,079
this year for them to hit that over. I think

1081
00:48:09,119 --> 00:48:11,760
the number is actually very very good. I mean, I

1082
00:48:11,800 --> 00:48:14,719
can't imagine it being much lower, even though there's just

1083
00:48:14,760 --> 00:48:16,920
so many question marks. Again, we'd spend the entire four

1084
00:48:16,920 --> 00:48:19,440
hours only hitting on what's your concern about this? What's

1085
00:48:19,440 --> 00:48:21,760
your biggest concern there? We might get ten different answers.

1086
00:48:22,199 --> 00:48:24,760
But they did have so many injuries last year to

1087
00:48:24,920 --> 00:48:28,639
so many contributors, the three biggest contributors missing so much

1088
00:48:28,800 --> 00:48:31,440
of the second part of the season. Paying your paredis Alvarez.

1089
00:48:31,800 --> 00:48:34,440
It's just hard to believe that if those players play

1090
00:48:34,679 --> 00:48:38,039
fifty out of sixty games the final two months versus

1091
00:48:38,199 --> 00:48:41,199
almost none, that they can't have a much more impactful

1092
00:48:41,199 --> 00:48:43,239
season as it relates to the win lost total. I'm

1093
00:48:43,280 --> 00:48:46,480
not surprised at all that we have multiple or more

1094
00:48:47,079 --> 00:48:50,159
majority trying to go for an over eighty five and

1095
00:48:50,199 --> 00:48:53,920
a half. But now tie in what the division winner

1096
00:48:53,960 --> 00:48:56,320
prediction was eighty four to eighty nine. Wins from the

1097
00:48:56,360 --> 00:48:59,400
Astros did not breed a lot of confidence in them

1098
00:48:59,440 --> 00:49:02,639
winning this vision based on our prediction.

1099
00:49:02,840 --> 00:49:06,320
Speaker 3: And it's yeah, we will definitely address that as well.

1100
00:49:06,360 --> 00:49:09,639
But it just I I don't know me. I look

1101
00:49:09,679 --> 00:49:13,280
at last year and you have their Their top starts

1102
00:49:13,320 --> 00:49:15,719
were Fromberville, this' SR thirty one piece from fromber and

1103
00:49:15,760 --> 00:49:19,159
Hunter Brown. Then it's Ryan Gusto, Colton, Gordon, Lance mccollors,

1104
00:49:19,199 --> 00:49:23,519
Junior Chason, Alexander Brandon, Walter, Ronel Blanco, Christian Javier. I

1105
00:49:23,559 --> 00:49:25,800
think it's gonna be better right now. A lot of

1106
00:49:25,840 --> 00:49:28,880
those guys are gone or hurt, but I think I

1107
00:49:28,880 --> 00:49:31,760
think it's gonna be so much better this year, even

1108
00:49:31,880 --> 00:49:33,519
just in terms of the starting pitching, and then not

1109
00:49:33,599 --> 00:49:36,000
even factoring in Jordan only playing forty eight games.

1110
00:49:36,079 --> 00:49:38,880
Speaker 5: That's why I when I have eighty nine wins and

1111
00:49:39,000 --> 00:49:42,679
them winning the division, it's not to say that Seattle's

1112
00:49:42,719 --> 00:49:43,599
not gonna be right there.

1113
00:49:43,719 --> 00:49:45,440
Speaker 2: I like, if the Astros.

1114
00:49:44,960 --> 00:49:47,519
Speaker 5: Win eighty nine games and win the division, that means

1115
00:49:47,519 --> 00:49:50,239
this is the Mariners like won eighty seven, you know,

1116
00:49:50,599 --> 00:49:54,119
like and again, how many teams last year won one

1117
00:49:54,159 --> 00:49:54,800
hundred games?

1118
00:49:55,800 --> 00:49:57,239
Speaker 6: Well, none exactly.

1119
00:49:57,800 --> 00:50:01,320
Speaker 5: It's not it doesn't take one hundred wins to win

1120
00:50:01,400 --> 00:50:03,880
your division anymore, at least not in the different state.

1121
00:50:03,880 --> 00:50:05,360
Speaker 2: Of affairs in the American League.

1122
00:50:05,440 --> 00:50:07,559
Speaker 6: Yeah, ninety four wins for both the Blue Jays and

1123
00:50:07,639 --> 00:50:10,840
Yankees' top the American League side of things, and just

1124
00:50:10,880 --> 00:50:13,599
talking about the amount of use they got from the

1125
00:50:13,639 --> 00:50:16,000
group they had here last year. As ross Kina went through,

1126
00:50:16,280 --> 00:50:20,079
your top five pitchers and innings pitched this upcoming season

1127
00:50:20,679 --> 00:50:23,400
will not include a pitcher who starts the season in

1128
00:50:23,519 --> 00:50:26,960
Sugarland it did last year, Colton Gordon. It will not

1129
00:50:27,159 --> 00:50:30,880
include your most used reliever, which it did last year,

1130
00:50:31,000 --> 00:50:34,960
Steven Okert, and it will not include Miami Marlins starter

1131
00:50:35,159 --> 00:50:38,239
Ryan Gusto, which it did a year ago. Three of

1132
00:50:38,320 --> 00:50:42,840
the top five pitchers in innings pitched were Okert, Gordon,

1133
00:50:43,000 --> 00:50:45,599
and Ryan Gusto. And the player obviously who led you

1134
00:50:45,639 --> 00:50:47,800
an innings pitch will make the second start of the

1135
00:50:47,840 --> 00:50:51,159
season this year for the Detroit Tigers from bra Valdez.

1136
00:50:51,559 --> 00:50:55,719
That is virtually impossible to navigate. And the Astros win

1137
00:50:55,800 --> 00:50:58,039
loss record from last year showed you that it's also

1138
00:50:58,119 --> 00:51:00,239
virtually impossible to see it happening again.

1139
00:51:00,639 --> 00:51:02,760
Speaker 3: Okay, good, so we're all on the same page. We're

1140
00:51:02,760 --> 00:51:05,360
not homers. Everyone else is just idiots.

1141
00:51:05,599 --> 00:51:11,000
Speaker 6: Like Christian hotair pitches unsuccessfully and gives you ninety plus innings. Yeah,

1142
00:51:11,000 --> 00:51:14,639
Plants mccullors junior is relatively successful, and he gives you

1143
00:51:14,679 --> 00:51:17,960
one hundred. Like these numbers are so ridiculously out of

1144
00:51:17,960 --> 00:51:20,559
whack for almost every single Major League season this team

1145
00:51:20,599 --> 00:51:23,480
has played in their history that I just don't expect

1146
00:51:23,480 --> 00:51:26,159
it to be repeated. And again there's super big time

1147
00:51:26,199 --> 00:51:28,679
hope on what we really haven't addressed over the first

1148
00:51:28,679 --> 00:51:30,920
hour and change of this show, and that's the two

1149
00:51:30,960 --> 00:51:34,360
newcomers they added not to fill out the rotation, but

1150
00:51:34,440 --> 00:51:37,920
to enhance the rotation in Tatsuya Emi, who very well

1151
00:51:37,960 --> 00:51:39,760
maybe the American League Rookie of the Year in twenty

1152
00:51:39,800 --> 00:51:41,320
twenty six and Mike Burrows.

1153
00:51:41,400 --> 00:51:42,840
Speaker 3: Yeah, and you can even go to the to the

1154
00:51:42,880 --> 00:51:46,039
position players died side when you go to most plate appearances,

1155
00:51:46,079 --> 00:51:48,239
like Carlos Kraze was came at the deadline. He finished

1156
00:51:48,280 --> 00:51:52,480
tenth in plate appearances for you, and if Victor Carrottini

1157
00:51:52,599 --> 00:51:57,519
was eighth, Mariso Dubons seventh. I mean, these guys, even

1158
00:51:57,639 --> 00:51:59,360
when you look at you look at innings, pitch, you

1159
00:51:59,360 --> 00:52:01,760
could play appearer, you look at everything this would did.

1160
00:52:02,079 --> 00:52:02,840
Speaker 2: It was Haywire.

1161
00:52:02,920 --> 00:52:06,039
Speaker 3: It was not anywhere close according to plan and not.

1162
00:52:06,280 --> 00:52:07,960
Of course, there's not going to be one hundred percent

1163
00:52:08,000 --> 00:52:10,239
health this year. But if you just don't get the

1164
00:52:10,400 --> 00:52:13,679
abject disaster that was last year, you're gonna be in

1165
00:52:13,719 --> 00:52:14,880
so much better of a spot.

1166
00:52:15,239 --> 00:52:18,920
Speaker 6: Yeah, no question, there are plenty of things to believe in,

1167
00:52:19,440 --> 00:52:24,679
but there's also a lot of science or statistics behind it. Reality.

1168
00:52:25,480 --> 00:52:25,840
Speaker 2: Let's go.

1169
00:52:26,119 --> 00:52:28,519
Speaker 6: Yeah, we'll get into the rest of the division. Over

1170
00:52:28,559 --> 00:52:30,360
the course of the of the four hours, the other

1171
00:52:30,440 --> 00:52:34,079
things that happened for the Mariners, Rangers, today's opponent, the Angels,

1172
00:52:34,079 --> 00:52:37,679
and obviously the team everybody loves in West Sacramento. But

1173
00:52:38,280 --> 00:52:41,920
it's it's usually on you, like it's inside this clubhouse

1174
00:52:41,960 --> 00:52:44,639
that likely will determine how things go. You only play

1175
00:52:44,719 --> 00:52:47,239
thirteen times against the four other teams in your division.

1176
00:52:47,280 --> 00:52:49,679
The vast majority of your schedule has played against all

1177
00:52:49,679 --> 00:52:53,280
the teams outside this division. You know, it has changed

1178
00:52:53,320 --> 00:52:56,360
dramatically about how to weigh things out. How they perform

1179
00:52:56,400 --> 00:52:59,239
against the other teams in the American League matters more,

1180
00:52:59,360 --> 00:53:02,480
How they perform against the fifteen National League teams matters

1181
00:53:02,519 --> 00:53:04,719
more than just necessarily the head to head with those

1182
00:53:04,760 --> 00:53:05,480
four other teams.

1183
00:53:05,559 --> 00:53:07,400
Speaker 3: All Right, we gotta take quick break here. Jay, we

1184
00:53:07,400 --> 00:53:09,079
see you on hold. We'll get you in the next segment.

1185
00:53:09,119 --> 00:53:11,480
You guys gonna get in. We are in Astros Opening

1186
00:53:11,599 --> 00:53:14,400
Day mode. We're gonna pretend the Rockets didn't play last night.

1187
00:53:14,840 --> 00:53:19,599
Seven one three two one two seven ninety seven one three, two,

1188
00:53:19,679 --> 00:53:22,440
one two five seven ninety We have I just don't

1189
00:53:22,480 --> 00:53:26,480
get it coming up at eleven thirty, twelve thirty Chandler Rum,

1190
00:53:26,679 --> 00:53:30,480
one o'clock, Brian McTaggart, one thirty, Jeff Blum. So it

1191
00:53:30,559 --> 00:53:35,360
is a jam packed, super fun and amazing opening a

1192
00:53:35,559 --> 00:53:39,440
day street fest spectacular here on Sports Talk seven ninety.

1193
00:53:39,840 --> 00:53:41,000
Speaker 2: Absolutely amazing.

1194
00:53:41,360 --> 00:53:43,679
Speaker 3: The Matt tom Show with Ross with you until two

1195
00:53:43,760 --> 00:53:51,519
forty pm here on Sports Talk seven ninety. Okay, welcome

1196
00:53:51,519 --> 00:53:53,599
back to The Matt Thomas Show with Ross here on

1197
00:53:53,639 --> 00:53:59,440
Sports Talk seven ninety. It is the Astros Opening Day

1198
00:53:59,519 --> 00:54:01,119
street Spectacular.

1199
00:54:02,880 --> 00:54:04,119
Speaker 2: As Matt Thomas is out.

1200
00:54:04,199 --> 00:54:07,280
Speaker 3: He was a late night with the Rockets, who became

1201
00:54:07,320 --> 00:54:10,719
the first team ever to blow a double digit lead

1202
00:54:10,880 --> 00:54:11,599
in overtime.

1203
00:54:11,639 --> 00:54:13,960
Speaker 2: About it. They were also up thirteen. You know, we

1204
00:54:14,159 --> 00:54:15,039
we've been avoiding it.

1205
00:54:15,079 --> 00:54:18,079
Speaker 3: We've been avoiding it, maybe like a maybe the last

1206
00:54:18,119 --> 00:54:21,360
thirty seconds. We can just scream into our microphones collectively

1207
00:54:21,760 --> 00:54:24,199
for like two minutes and then we'll talk about that.

1208
00:54:24,239 --> 00:54:27,840
But a painful loss for the Rockets. So Matt out

1209
00:54:28,159 --> 00:54:33,079
traveling with the squad, So Adam Wexer and Adam Clinton.

1210
00:54:33,119 --> 00:54:34,920
I would say, you guys are pinch hitting or off

1211
00:54:34,960 --> 00:54:36,639
the bench. But doesn't work because I mean you're in

1212
00:54:36,679 --> 00:54:39,360
the starting lineup. You're just you're just here a little

1213
00:54:39,360 --> 00:54:40,800
bit early to get some early work.

1214
00:54:40,800 --> 00:54:43,039
Speaker 2: Would you? Is this it's not BP either, because this

1215
00:54:43,079 --> 00:54:43,719
is live action.

1216
00:54:44,000 --> 00:54:48,559
Speaker 6: It's like empt is Jeremy Pania Yes, unavailable today. Oh

1217
00:54:48,599 --> 00:54:49,559
he's part of the team.

1218
00:54:49,760 --> 00:54:50,800
Speaker 2: I got you. I like this.

1219
00:54:51,159 --> 00:54:51,920
Speaker 6: We're in for him.

1220
00:54:52,079 --> 00:54:55,719
Speaker 2: I'll be sock okay, all right? And who's Adam Clinton.

1221
00:54:56,800 --> 00:54:58,880
Speaker 6: I'll be the guy who Well he's a lefty. Why

1222
00:54:58,880 --> 00:54:59,960
can't we just make him Joey?

1223
00:55:00,039 --> 00:55:03,559
Speaker 2: They throwing bat right. I'm a lefty as well. Uh

1224
00:55:03,840 --> 00:55:05,800
just throw me in the left field so I'm not disturbing.

1225
00:55:06,000 --> 00:55:07,920
Can you surf? Surf?

1226
00:55:08,639 --> 00:55:09,199
Speaker 6: Well, you guys?

1227
00:55:10,079 --> 00:55:12,360
Speaker 2: Number that's crazy.

1228
00:55:12,559 --> 00:55:15,960
Speaker 6: Well, there's two things about this number story. Shay Whitcomb

1229
00:55:16,840 --> 00:55:20,559
drew number ten, got number ten after Joey low Braffito left.

1230
00:55:20,599 --> 00:55:24,239
The team was traded away, and so his number ten

1231
00:55:24,280 --> 00:55:26,400
was available. Shavee Whitcomb took it. He had used it,

1232
00:55:26,440 --> 00:55:29,000
he was there all during camp and Joey when he

1233
00:55:29,039 --> 00:55:31,639
came back, said, yeah, prefer to have it again and

1234
00:55:31,800 --> 00:55:33,519
I'll wear a number thirty one until we make that

1235
00:55:33,639 --> 00:55:36,400
swap and come up with something, and they did, which

1236
00:55:36,480 --> 00:55:40,840
was a signed surfboard. My question was, I mean, this

1237
00:55:40,960 --> 00:55:45,679
is super mean. So right in my wheelhouse, Shay's not

1238
00:55:45,840 --> 00:55:49,400
on the team. Shay's a Sugarland Space cowboy to start

1239
00:55:49,400 --> 00:55:55,159
the year. So why doesn't Joy just say perfect my number? Sorry,

1240
00:55:55,280 --> 00:55:56,199
I no trade.

1241
00:55:56,360 --> 00:55:59,519
Speaker 2: I don't even have a good answer for you, Like, seriously,

1242
00:55:59,599 --> 00:56:01,280
why you not just.

1243
00:56:01,639 --> 00:56:04,440
Speaker 6: Because they're friends, their boys, their teammates there.

1244
00:56:05,639 --> 00:56:08,760
Speaker 5: Well, if that's the friend, would you be extorting something

1245
00:56:08,840 --> 00:56:10,559
out of someone, because.

1246
00:56:10,880 --> 00:56:14,199
Speaker 6: Yes you would be, because it's absolutely totally commonplace and

1247
00:56:14,320 --> 00:56:15,920
acceptable in the sports world.

1248
00:56:15,960 --> 00:56:18,159
Speaker 2: But it's a certain it's a word. It's not cheap,

1249
00:56:18,840 --> 00:56:20,400
like you had to buy that thing, right.

1250
00:56:20,320 --> 00:56:22,119
Speaker 6: Well, they get paid more than we do.

1251
00:56:23,280 --> 00:56:25,199
Speaker 2: Yeah, I guess all right.

1252
00:56:25,199 --> 00:56:27,280
Speaker 3: If you have not heard Jeremy Panyon not in the

1253
00:56:27,280 --> 00:56:29,599
lineup for the Houston Astros, he is on the opening

1254
00:56:29,679 --> 00:56:30,320
day rosters.

1255
00:56:30,400 --> 00:56:33,639
Speaker 5: So obviously give me a give me a ross how

1256
00:56:33,679 --> 00:56:37,000
we feeling like? But instead of how we feeling going

1257
00:56:37,039 --> 00:56:38,639
into a you know, game wining.

1258
00:56:38,480 --> 00:56:41,960
Speaker 3: Situation like the U the sound effect, Matt Thomas often

1259
00:56:42,000 --> 00:56:42,559
asked for like the.

1260
00:56:42,599 --> 00:56:46,679
Speaker 5: Man, what's your concern level about pay?

1261
00:56:46,880 --> 00:56:49,280
Speaker 3: Is what I'm asking It's yeah, if he he hit

1262
00:56:49,320 --> 00:56:51,960
a home run in the exhibition game very day off,

1263
00:56:52,199 --> 00:56:55,639
maybe his it's maybe he Yeah, it's it's totally fine.

1264
00:56:55,840 --> 00:56:58,239
Perhaps the swelling needs to go down. He's gonna be fine.

1265
00:56:58,239 --> 00:56:59,719
My my concern level is low.

1266
00:57:00,119 --> 00:57:00,280
Speaker 2: Now.

1267
00:57:00,320 --> 00:57:02,719
Speaker 3: I have said my concern level is low with astros

1268
00:57:02,760 --> 00:57:05,960
injuries before, and I've been proven wrong. So we'll see

1269
00:57:06,000 --> 00:57:08,119
how it goes from here. I would say my concern

1270
00:57:08,199 --> 00:57:09,239
level is low at the moment.

1271
00:57:09,440 --> 00:57:12,519
Speaker 5: If he hadn't been in the lineup Tuesday night inside

1272
00:57:12,599 --> 00:57:16,599
this building and gone over the train tracks, yes, none

1273
00:57:16,599 --> 00:57:18,599
of this conversation. It'd be like, yeah, well we figured

1274
00:57:18,639 --> 00:57:19,400
he wouldn't.

1275
00:57:19,039 --> 00:57:19,639
Speaker 2: Be in the starting line.

1276
00:57:20,719 --> 00:57:22,280
Speaker 3: It's good he got a few abs, You get him

1277
00:57:22,320 --> 00:57:24,000
some some live action, you get to let him get

1278
00:57:24,000 --> 00:57:26,199
the swelling go one hundred and sixty two game season.

1279
00:57:26,599 --> 00:57:29,239
You have a great backup plan and putting esuck paratus

1280
00:57:29,280 --> 00:57:31,039
out there and sliding Carlos Korea over.

1281
00:57:31,599 --> 00:57:34,320
Speaker 2: I'm on board with it, all right, all right?

1282
00:57:34,360 --> 00:57:36,840
Speaker 3: Seven one, three two point two five, seven ninety We

1283
00:57:36,880 --> 00:57:39,880
got I just don't get it. Baseball Edition coming up

1284
00:57:39,920 --> 00:57:42,280
at eleven thirty. You guys want to get in. Jay

1285
00:57:42,559 --> 00:57:44,760
on the northeast side has been holding patiently, Jay, go.

1286
00:57:44,760 --> 00:57:47,039
Speaker 7: Ahead, all right?

1287
00:57:47,360 --> 00:57:51,320
Speaker 10: Three wise man, I missed the lineup. Who's at second base,

1288
00:57:51,599 --> 00:57:53,280
shortstop and centerfield?

1289
00:57:55,039 --> 00:57:55,199
Speaker 2: Uh?

1290
00:57:55,280 --> 00:57:58,880
Speaker 3: That would be Jose l Tuove, Carlos Korea and Jakebosh.

1291
00:58:00,639 --> 00:58:05,119
Speaker 7: He's what.

1292
00:58:07,599 --> 00:58:09,119
Speaker 6: We might have lost him.

1293
00:58:09,599 --> 00:58:10,119
Speaker 7: That's a shame.

1294
00:58:10,480 --> 00:58:12,639
Speaker 2: All right, appreciate, he said, nobody Like there's a bunch

1295
00:58:12,639 --> 00:58:13,159
of nobodies.

1296
00:58:13,280 --> 00:58:16,360
Speaker 6: I don't understand if you were not aware. The lineup

1297
00:58:16,360 --> 00:58:19,199
looks like this, Yes, go ahead. Jose al Tuove leading off,

1298
00:58:19,199 --> 00:58:22,360
batting second. Yourd On Alvarez is today's designated hitter. He

1299
00:58:22,440 --> 00:58:25,760
bets second. Esach Perettis is your third basement batting third.

1300
00:58:25,840 --> 00:58:29,480
Korea bats clean up. He's at shortstop. Joey Loperfido starts

1301
00:58:29,480 --> 00:58:32,559
in left field, bats fifth, Cam Smith Thatt's sixth. He's

1302
00:58:32,599 --> 00:58:36,039
your right fielder. Christian Walker your first basement bats seventh.

1303
00:58:36,199 --> 00:58:39,159
Yin Diaz will do the catching as usual for Hunter

1304
00:58:39,199 --> 00:58:42,239
Brown he bets eighth and Jake Myers, the opening day

1305
00:58:42,320 --> 00:58:44,519
center fielder again, he bets ninth.

1306
00:58:45,119 --> 00:58:48,000
Speaker 3: And we'll address this again in three hours guys when

1307
00:58:48,000 --> 00:58:50,960
we go into on deck mode. But I don't want

1308
00:58:51,000 --> 00:58:53,320
to say surprise because we kind of we've already discussed

1309
00:58:53,320 --> 00:58:55,639
that it's not the super big surprise but the lefty

1310
00:58:55,719 --> 00:59:00,679
Joey Loperfido getting more looks than Cam Smith. Okay, we

1311
00:59:00,719 --> 00:59:03,840
can make sense Christian Walker and yaner Diez based on

1312
00:59:03,880 --> 00:59:05,039
where we were last season.

1313
00:59:05,199 --> 00:59:06,320
Speaker 2: That makes sense as well.

1314
00:59:06,519 --> 00:59:08,400
Speaker 3: How much of this is a vote of confidence in

1315
00:59:08,519 --> 00:59:11,639
Joey Librafido as a lefty against a right handed pitcher?

1316
00:59:12,000 --> 00:59:15,880
How much of this is Christian Walker and Jiner Diez

1317
00:59:15,960 --> 00:59:20,159
are gonna Maybe we should just tick down our expectations

1318
00:59:20,159 --> 00:59:20,519
for them.

1319
00:59:20,960 --> 00:59:24,320
Speaker 6: Are you ready with the lineup in tow to say

1320
00:59:25,360 --> 00:59:27,360
who's hitting the astros first homer this year?

1321
00:59:28,920 --> 00:59:32,920
Speaker 3: I'll just kid, I'm gonna keep it simple. Jord On Alvarez,

1322
00:59:34,239 --> 00:59:36,480
I'm just not gonna overthink it. I want him out

1323
00:59:36,480 --> 00:59:38,719
there for one hundred and fifty five games this year,

1324
00:59:39,079 --> 00:59:41,440
hitting forty bombs for the first time in his career.

1325
00:59:41,760 --> 00:59:45,079
I'm going ord On Alvarez, keep it simple, stupid close

1326
00:59:45,119 --> 00:59:47,119
out to bay Uh.

1327
00:59:47,199 --> 00:59:50,159
Speaker 6: I'm going with their left fielder Joey Loperfito.

1328
00:59:50,239 --> 00:59:53,159
Speaker 2: I like that. Wow, I'm with today right.

1329
00:59:54,039 --> 00:59:56,239
Speaker 6: The only astro in the lineup that has a career

1330
00:59:56,239 --> 01:00:01,159
homer off of Jose Siriano is their first baseman, Christian Walker. Interesting,

1331
01:00:02,239 --> 01:00:05,960
not very many at bats against Soriano and their respective careers.

1332
01:00:06,559 --> 01:00:09,519
Speaker 2: Because he just not Walker individually.

1333
01:00:09,559 --> 01:00:14,880
Speaker 6: Okay, nobody has ten bats against Jose, so yeah, he's

1334
01:00:14,920 --> 01:00:16,360
only a couple of years in the majors. He had

1335
01:00:16,360 --> 01:00:18,880
a good season against Houston a year ago. They're also

1336
01:00:18,960 --> 01:00:22,280
going to see several arms out of the Angels bullpen today.

1337
01:00:22,280 --> 01:00:24,039
I would feel pretty comfortable in saying.

1338
01:00:23,840 --> 01:00:25,760
Speaker 2: But give me a over under win total on them.

1339
01:00:26,719 --> 01:00:29,039
Speaker 6: Well, they're right near the bottom of the American League

1340
01:00:29,119 --> 01:00:32,760
and they belong there. It's I would take the under

1341
01:00:32,880 --> 01:00:35,039
because I think not only are Go going to win

1342
01:00:35,039 --> 01:00:37,480
a very few games over the first four months, I

1343
01:00:37,519 --> 01:00:39,719
think if they have three out of four players that

1344
01:00:39,760 --> 01:00:42,320
are having good seasons, none of them will remain with

1345
01:00:42,360 --> 01:00:45,400
the team after the trade deadline. It's a shame for

1346
01:00:45,480 --> 01:00:49,119
Mike Trout to still be an Angel. But there's no

1347
01:00:49,199 --> 01:00:51,920
reason for them to be paying players to win sixty

1348
01:00:51,920 --> 01:00:54,719
five games. If those players are good and they don't win,

1349
01:00:54,760 --> 01:00:57,000
which is exactly what I expect to happen, they should

1350
01:00:57,000 --> 01:00:59,280
find them new homes and they should stockpile their system

1351
01:00:59,280 --> 01:01:01,639
with prospects. So I would play the under.

1352
01:01:02,400 --> 01:01:05,199
Speaker 3: I just noticed a little note Brian McTaggart, who will

1353
01:01:05,239 --> 01:01:07,480
be joining us at one o'clock here on this program,

1354
01:01:07,519 --> 01:01:10,159
and of course been following and covering the Astros for

1355
01:01:10,599 --> 01:01:14,239
a long time. He put a little something I think

1356
01:01:14,239 --> 01:01:18,679
a neuggative information in his tweet with the lineup. Jeremy

1357
01:01:18,719 --> 01:01:22,320
Pania not in the lineup today, says Brian McTaggart, and.

1358
01:01:22,159 --> 01:01:27,960
Speaker 2: Will be brought along slowly to start the year. So

1359
01:01:28,039 --> 01:01:29,639
maybe we should get used to more of this.

1360
01:01:29,960 --> 01:01:32,480
Speaker 6: Yeah, he being on the active roster. There's no such

1361
01:01:32,519 --> 01:01:35,079
thing as playing for the Space Cowboys over this ten

1362
01:01:35,159 --> 01:01:38,119
day period. If they determine he needs to play games

1363
01:01:38,159 --> 01:01:40,159
and they can't be here, then he has to go

1364
01:01:40,199 --> 01:01:43,159
on the IL and that is not something I would forecast.

1365
01:01:43,199 --> 01:01:45,719
But bringing him along slowly when you're only talking about

1366
01:01:45,719 --> 01:01:48,239
a ten day period is a bit odd if you're

1367
01:01:48,320 --> 01:01:50,239
thinking he could play in five of those games. Or

1368
01:01:50,239 --> 01:01:52,159
four of those games he would have otherwise missed by

1369
01:01:52,159 --> 01:01:55,400
being on the al as an interesting way to decide

1370
01:01:55,440 --> 01:01:57,559
to do this rather than just saying, let's just get

1371
01:01:57,599 --> 01:02:00,039
him into rehab games, let him get totally healthy. He

1372
01:02:00,280 --> 01:02:03,480
gets twelve fifteen played appearances over a ten day period,

1373
01:02:03,519 --> 01:02:06,039
and then he rejoins the team as a presumed fully

1374
01:02:06,079 --> 01:02:06,679
healthy player.

1375
01:02:07,079 --> 01:02:09,880
Speaker 3: Okay, put in my ten foil hat on how much

1376
01:02:09,920 --> 01:02:13,840
of this is because of the logjam, and you want

1377
01:02:13,880 --> 01:02:15,920
to slow him down a little bit.

1378
01:02:16,280 --> 01:02:18,519
Speaker 2: And this makes it that much easier to say.

1379
01:02:18,320 --> 01:02:21,159
Speaker 3: Hey, Jeremy, we're gonna pump the brakes, We're gonna work

1380
01:02:21,199 --> 01:02:21,960
you in slowly.

1381
01:02:22,239 --> 01:02:24,199
Speaker 2: We want you out there one hundred percent healthy.

1382
01:02:24,480 --> 01:02:26,320
Speaker 3: And it makes things a little bit easier in terms

1383
01:02:26,320 --> 01:02:27,960
of Joe spot of filling out the lineup card.

1384
01:02:28,280 --> 01:02:30,559
Speaker 6: It makes it easier filling out the lineup card, but

1385
01:02:30,760 --> 01:02:33,519
it makes it more difficult. Even though Joe's used to it,

1386
01:02:33,880 --> 01:02:36,719
going into baseball games with twenty five players. He did

1387
01:02:36,760 --> 01:02:39,079
it almost to the entire year. Last year you had

1388
01:02:39,119 --> 01:02:42,400
Seysar Salazar and the active roster for two months never played.

1389
01:02:42,639 --> 01:02:45,280
So Joe's going in, He's going at a game every

1390
01:02:45,360 --> 01:02:47,840
day without a full roster which is how they've opened

1391
01:02:47,840 --> 01:02:51,000
the season. Yes, it solves the other problem, but that's

1392
01:02:51,000 --> 01:02:53,159
not how you solve that other problem. Give your manager

1393
01:02:53,280 --> 01:02:56,320
thirteen healthy players when you have the opportunity to do that.

1394
01:02:56,559 --> 01:02:58,719
I think for the majority of the games, they're basically

1395
01:02:58,760 --> 01:03:02,079
committing to not doing that. For three games, four games,

1396
01:03:02,079 --> 01:03:03,800
six games. I'm not sure what the number will be

1397
01:03:03,880 --> 01:03:06,440
through this first you know, ten games or so, certainly

1398
01:03:06,440 --> 01:03:08,960
through this home stand of seven games before they hit

1399
01:03:08,960 --> 01:03:11,199
the road again. I don't run the team. I'm not

1400
01:03:11,239 --> 01:03:13,719
a general manager. I've also never been one. But I'd

1401
01:03:13,760 --> 01:03:16,639
like to give my manager the best opportunity to you know,

1402
01:03:16,719 --> 01:03:19,000
he's got to think about it. With a short bench today,

1403
01:03:19,480 --> 01:03:21,079
when do I use this pinch hit? Or when do

1404
01:03:21,119 --> 01:03:23,679
I pull Jose Altuve for defense? When do I use

1405
01:03:23,719 --> 01:03:26,880
Bryce Matthews as a pinch runner? I'm a man down

1406
01:03:27,559 --> 01:03:28,400
on opening day.

1407
01:03:29,199 --> 01:03:33,119
Speaker 3: Paradus Watch twenty twenty six is underway Opening day. He

1408
01:03:33,239 --> 01:03:36,679
is in the lineup, Jeremy Pania is not. We'll keep

1409
01:03:36,719 --> 01:03:39,199
monitoring the situation here on Sports Talk seven Outy as

1410
01:03:39,239 --> 01:03:41,639
less heason progresses.

1411
01:03:46,280 --> 01:03:48,880
Speaker 11: Do you have something in your life it's just don't

1412
01:03:48,920 --> 01:03:53,360
get no heed, do worry no need to. We will

1413
01:03:53,440 --> 01:03:57,360
do the facufics to see if we comprehend the things

1414
01:03:57,360 --> 01:03:58,679
that may confuse our friends.

1415
01:03:58,679 --> 01:03:59,440
Speaker 2: It's time to say.

1416
01:04:00,159 --> 01:04:09,679
Speaker 3: Yeah, all right, folks, it is that time of the week,

1417
01:04:09,760 --> 01:04:12,280
Thursday at eleven thirty. You want to get in, you

1418
01:04:12,280 --> 01:04:14,000
can do it on the phone line seven one to

1419
01:04:14,000 --> 01:04:18,159
three two one two five seven ninety seven one three

1420
01:04:18,280 --> 01:04:22,559
two one two five seven ninety something.

1421
01:04:22,840 --> 01:04:26,480
Speaker 2: You just don't get you don't understand what is the deal?

1422
01:04:26,599 --> 01:04:27,920
What's the deal with that?

1423
01:04:28,639 --> 01:04:31,719
Speaker 3: Seven one three two one two five seven ninety As

1424
01:04:31,719 --> 01:04:33,840
we are here on the Matt Thomas Show with Ross

1425
01:04:33,880 --> 01:04:39,559
broadcasting live from Astro Street Fest thanks to Trajan Wealth Management.

1426
01:04:39,599 --> 01:04:44,599
We being me, Ros Virial, Adam Clanton, Adam Wexler as well. Uh,

1427
01:04:44,719 --> 01:04:47,079
both of you, I imagine are familiar with this segment

1428
01:04:48,079 --> 01:04:52,559
and how it goes. Therefore, I'm gonna throw to Adam Wexer.

1429
01:04:52,639 --> 01:04:54,000
Let's put him on the spot. I expect him to

1430
01:04:54,039 --> 01:04:54,400
be ready.

1431
01:04:55,079 --> 01:04:57,440
Speaker 6: Yeah, I just don't get it. It's just too easy

1432
01:04:57,480 --> 01:05:00,719
for the topic that we have omitted over the course

1433
01:05:00,760 --> 01:05:02,480
of the hour and a half we've been on the

1434
01:05:02,519 --> 01:05:05,840
air here and Ross and I, along with mt I

1435
01:05:05,880 --> 01:05:08,760
and our friends over to schn or just to our right,

1436
01:05:09,280 --> 01:05:12,880
we're all locked in. Last night, on one of the

1437
01:05:13,000 --> 01:05:16,400
uglier games of the season, neither team could make baskets.

1438
01:05:16,599 --> 01:05:21,119
Both teams looked extremely lethargic, and then ultimately the Minnesota

1439
01:05:21,159 --> 01:05:25,760
Temples took an eleven point fourth quarter lead, late eleven

1440
01:05:25,800 --> 01:05:28,320
point fourth quarter lead, only for the Rocks to come

1441
01:05:28,360 --> 01:05:31,880
storming back with a wildly exciting thirteen to two run

1442
01:05:32,480 --> 01:05:36,280
to tie the game. That's where I just don't get

1443
01:05:36,280 --> 01:05:41,280
it begins. Nine seconds left, gifted a tie game with

1444
01:05:41,400 --> 01:05:45,360
the free throw awarded them because a foul committed before

1445
01:05:45,360 --> 01:05:48,039
you inbounded the basketball. So instead of having four and

1446
01:05:48,039 --> 01:05:51,000
a half seconds on the shot clock, down one inbounding

1447
01:05:51,000 --> 01:05:53,840
with nine seconds left, they hit the free throw and

1448
01:05:53,880 --> 01:05:56,159
we're able to inbound the ball in a tie game

1449
01:05:56,480 --> 01:05:59,679
with nine seconds left and the shot clock off. They

1450
01:05:59,719 --> 01:06:02,599
didn't get a shot off as Kevin Durant received the

1451
01:06:02,639 --> 01:06:08,039
inbounds pass and immediately turned it over. The Minnesota Timberwolves

1452
01:06:08,039 --> 01:06:10,000
were able to grab it go the other way. Julius

1453
01:06:10,079 --> 01:06:12,199
Randall drives to the basket. According to his head coach

1454
01:06:12,239 --> 01:06:15,679
Chris Finch, he was found and albre and Shinun jumped

1455
01:06:15,719 --> 01:06:17,880
as high as he's ever jumped in the air and

1456
01:06:18,000 --> 01:06:21,679
absolutely swatted that mess and fell face first into the

1457
01:06:21,719 --> 01:06:24,880
court and bloodied himself, but got the game to overtime.

1458
01:06:25,239 --> 01:06:27,199
Where the second part of I just don't get it

1459
01:06:27,320 --> 01:06:33,079
was the rockets eighth overtime game. They scored thirteen consecutive

1460
01:06:33,159 --> 01:06:36,440
points to start their eighth overtime game after winning only

1461
01:06:36,559 --> 01:06:40,360
once in their first seven overtime games, three minutes left

1462
01:06:40,400 --> 01:06:42,719
on the clock as they hit a mass a thirteen

1463
01:06:42,840 --> 01:06:45,760
point overtime lead, and then, obviously the third part of

1464
01:06:45,800 --> 01:06:48,880
I just don't get it. They watched a three pointer

1465
01:06:48,920 --> 01:06:52,440
get dropped in. They watched Kyle freaking Anderson get his

1466
01:06:52,519 --> 01:06:54,800
only points of the game on an offensive rebound put

1467
01:06:54,800 --> 01:06:58,480
back foul, hit the free throw, a very easy layup

1468
01:06:58,519 --> 01:07:00,559
on a back cut from the top of the key

1469
01:07:01,239 --> 01:07:05,000
for Dante DiVincenzo, and the other necessary points to get

1470
01:07:05,039 --> 01:07:08,199
them to fifteen consecutive to win the game by two,

1471
01:07:08,360 --> 01:07:11,599
Julius Randall hitting the game winner, and again at the

1472
01:07:11,679 --> 01:07:14,360
end of the game, a chance to tie at the

1473
01:07:14,360 --> 01:07:17,440
free throw line. Kevin durant I said to our network

1474
01:07:17,480 --> 01:07:21,000
producer off air, I'm not going to say it because

1475
01:07:21,039 --> 01:07:23,840
I know what's going to happen. The Rockets went into

1476
01:07:23,880 --> 01:07:27,440
that Kevin Durant free throw down two, having made one

1477
01:07:27,519 --> 01:07:29,800
hundred percent of their free throws in the game. They

1478
01:07:29,800 --> 01:07:32,199
were twenty three of twenty three. He missed the first

1479
01:07:32,440 --> 01:07:35,199
he was short, and then intentionally missed the second, which

1480
01:07:35,280 --> 01:07:37,079
they did get the rebound off of when it went

1481
01:07:37,119 --> 01:07:39,400
out of bounds. But with one point one seconds remaining,

1482
01:07:40,000 --> 01:07:41,800
they could not get the ball to Kevin Durant or

1483
01:07:41,800 --> 01:07:44,079
did not attempt to throw it to Jabari Smith Junior.

1484
01:07:44,079 --> 01:07:46,199
The ball was easily battered away and no shot attempt

1485
01:07:46,280 --> 01:07:48,760
again was made. In a game they trailed by two,

1486
01:07:48,840 --> 01:07:53,800
they lose. I just don't get it. I don't ever

1487
01:07:53,840 --> 01:07:56,079
see anything like it is ever a common phrase from

1488
01:07:56,119 --> 01:07:59,280
anybody who watched it. The play by player only goes

1489
01:07:59,320 --> 01:08:01,760
back to nineteen ninety seven ninety eight. But yeah, it

1490
01:08:01,760 --> 01:08:05,079
has never happened before an NBA history. A thirteen point

1491
01:08:05,159 --> 01:08:09,079
lead in overtime had been a one hundred percent victory

1492
01:08:09,159 --> 01:08:10,719
rate before last night.

1493
01:08:11,280 --> 01:08:14,719
Speaker 3: Well and the Good our good friends who do win

1494
01:08:14,800 --> 01:08:17,760
probability had it ninety nine point seven.

1495
01:08:17,920 --> 01:08:21,399
Speaker 2: Percent for the Houston Rockets at its peak.

1496
01:08:21,640 --> 01:08:26,039
Speaker 6: It wasn't ninety eight plus percent for both teams with

1497
01:08:26,119 --> 01:08:28,479
three minutes to go, or when the Rockets down were

1498
01:08:28,479 --> 01:08:31,600
down eleven late in the fourth quarter. The Wolves had

1499
01:08:31,600 --> 01:08:34,399
a ninety eight plus percent chance of winning that game,

1500
01:08:34,720 --> 01:08:36,119
and the Rockets got its overtime.

1501
01:08:37,760 --> 01:08:39,840
Speaker 3: I thought that we were going baseball on this WEX.

1502
01:08:40,119 --> 01:08:41,199
This is we were making me sad.

1503
01:08:41,199 --> 01:08:42,319
Speaker 2: You're making me. I don't get it.

1504
01:08:42,600 --> 01:08:44,880
Speaker 6: I thought game shows pretty much left things wide over

1505
01:08:45,399 --> 01:08:47,520
unless it was a special edition. I just don't get.

1506
01:08:47,319 --> 01:08:49,159
Speaker 2: It's okay, it doesn't matter. I'm just sad.

1507
01:08:49,279 --> 01:08:50,920
Speaker 3: I don't want to tell we we haven't really been

1508
01:08:50,920 --> 01:08:52,279
talking much about the Rockets or training.

1509
01:08:52,319 --> 01:08:53,800
Speaker 6: Well, I knew if I brought it up in this

1510
01:08:53,880 --> 01:08:56,640
format that would be it. We could move on to

1511
01:08:56,760 --> 01:08:58,399
your Adams. I just don't get it.

1512
01:08:58,439 --> 01:09:00,560
Speaker 5: Yes, well, I told myself I was gonna get my

1513
01:09:00,560 --> 01:09:03,600
blood pressure raised on opening day, so I'm glad that

1514
01:09:03,600 --> 01:09:05,439
WEX did that. So I don't have to talk about

1515
01:09:05,439 --> 01:09:07,560
that grab assory that happened last night.

1516
01:09:08,640 --> 01:09:10,399
Speaker 2: I just I don't understand.

1517
01:09:10,520 --> 01:09:14,560
Speaker 3: I well, thirteen oh to fifteen oh.

1518
01:09:15,039 --> 01:09:15,359
Speaker 2: I'll know.

1519
01:09:16,079 --> 01:09:19,239
Speaker 5: That's the thing, because while I fully believe what I'm

1520
01:09:19,279 --> 01:09:22,920
about to say about them, they are the lowest IQ

1521
01:09:23,119 --> 01:09:26,239
Rocket squad and probably the past twenty five plus seasons.

1522
01:09:26,560 --> 01:09:30,119
But that same low IQ squad made that run to

1523
01:09:30,239 --> 01:09:33,039
get back. You're trailing by double digits with less than

1524
01:09:33,119 --> 01:09:35,640
three minutes to go in the game. Basically, you make

1525
01:09:35,680 --> 01:09:39,039
the run. Why don't you just, I don't know, finish

1526
01:09:39,159 --> 01:09:42,880
the job. Instead, I'm gonna give it right back because

1527
01:09:42,920 --> 01:09:45,199
I hate my fans and I know they don't, but

1528
01:09:45,199 --> 01:09:46,359
that's what it feels like when.

1529
01:09:46,239 --> 01:09:48,800
Speaker 2: You're watching this. So we's just mentioned their record in overtime.

1530
01:09:48,920 --> 01:09:51,239
Speaker 6: It's one and seven, now, right, is that bad?

1531
01:09:51,479 --> 01:09:54,159
Speaker 5: Well, it's not good, and I think you know you're

1532
01:09:54,159 --> 01:09:56,600
talking about this is the first time in India history. Yeah,

1533
01:09:56,720 --> 01:09:59,119
you know how long an overtime period is five minutes?

1534
01:09:59,239 --> 01:10:00,800
You know how hard it is to blow a ten

1535
01:10:00,880 --> 01:10:03,800
point lead that you have built within that five minutes already.

1536
01:10:03,920 --> 01:10:07,640
Speaker 3: It's honestly, it's it's spectations in ever it's such a

1537
01:10:07,640 --> 01:10:10,000
spectacular fail, it's pretty impressive.

1538
01:10:10,279 --> 01:10:13,279
Speaker 2: So instead, I mean, we saw NBA history last night.

1539
01:10:13,479 --> 01:10:16,159
Yeah that's cool. Yeah, they're now a footnote woot.

1540
01:10:16,640 --> 01:10:19,520
Speaker 6: Yeah, thirteenth straight to close our thirteen to two run

1541
01:10:19,560 --> 01:10:22,960
to close the fourth quarter, followed by thirteen straight in overtime.

1542
01:10:23,079 --> 01:10:26,479
That's a twenty six to two run that covered about

1543
01:10:26,560 --> 01:10:30,000
six minutes of basketball in a game where neither team

1544
01:10:30,279 --> 01:10:33,199
was scoring any points, and you built a thirteen point

1545
01:10:33,279 --> 01:10:36,600
lead off of that. Obviously, it did not come to victory,

1546
01:10:36,840 --> 01:10:38,560
and they remained in the sixth spot. They're a game

1547
01:10:38,600 --> 01:10:41,359
and a half back of the team they played last night. Minnesota.

1548
01:10:41,920 --> 01:10:45,399
Denver was victorious last night. The Lakers were victorious last night.

1549
01:10:45,399 --> 01:10:48,800
They're not chasing the Spurs or Thunder. Spurs were victorious

1550
01:10:48,880 --> 01:10:51,439
last night. The Thunder did take an l keeping that

1551
01:10:51,479 --> 01:10:56,119
door slightly ajar for the Spurs to consider how hard

1552
01:10:56,119 --> 01:10:57,920
they want to push for the number one spot in

1553
01:10:57,960 --> 01:10:58,399
the West.

1554
01:10:59,119 --> 01:11:01,760
Speaker 2: All right, don't get it, guys.

1555
01:11:02,359 --> 01:11:09,439
Speaker 3: Were your thoughts on former Major League Baseball umpire Richie Garcia.

1556
01:11:09,520 --> 01:11:11,199
Speaker 2: If I say that name, did you ring up? I'd

1557
01:11:11,199 --> 01:11:13,199
never even really heard of the guy. I mean, apparently

1558
01:11:13,199 --> 01:11:15,920
he was in umpire from nineteen seventy five. This is

1559
01:11:15,960 --> 01:11:17,159
the nineteen ninety.

1560
01:11:17,000 --> 01:11:20,039
Speaker 6: Nine the stolen home run ball at Yankee Stadium. Yes,

1561
01:11:20,079 --> 01:11:23,239
he was out there in the outfield as the ball

1562
01:11:23,399 --> 01:11:26,800
was caught by a young fan who reached way over

1563
01:11:26,880 --> 01:11:30,520
the wall. And if I'm remembering correctly, Tony Tarasco is

1564
01:11:30,520 --> 01:11:32,640
out there in the outfield for the oils, pointing up

1565
01:11:32,640 --> 01:11:36,079
and saying, you can't call this a home run. That's

1566
01:11:36,359 --> 01:11:37,159
the umpires did.

1567
01:11:37,479 --> 01:11:41,239
Speaker 3: Okay, Well, our friend Richie Garcia is not happy with

1568
01:11:41,279 --> 01:11:42,199
this ABS season.

1569
01:11:43,880 --> 01:11:46,800
Speaker 1: I think it's embarrassing to the umpires that are calling

1570
01:11:46,840 --> 01:11:49,960
the game. Nobody likes to be humiliated in front of

1571
01:11:50,000 --> 01:11:53,680
thirty thousand to forty thousand people. What Major League Baseball

1572
01:11:53,760 --> 01:11:56,560
is saying is I don't trust the umpire strike zone,

1573
01:11:56,600 --> 01:11:58,600
so I'm gonna use something that's gonna be operated by

1574
01:11:58,640 --> 01:12:02,439
some computer geek who knows nothing about baseball, and he's

1575
01:12:02,479 --> 01:12:05,039
gonna be the one to measure this and measure that

1576
01:12:05,119 --> 01:12:07,880
because he's got a PhD in physics or whatever.

1577
01:12:07,600 --> 01:12:08,840
Speaker 2: The hell he's got a degree in.

1578
01:12:10,439 --> 01:12:13,399
Speaker 3: Does he not understand that there are twenty six thousand

1579
01:12:13,479 --> 01:12:14,640
missed calls last year?

1580
01:12:14,880 --> 01:12:17,520
Speaker 2: Does he not understand? Is he embarrassed about those?

1581
01:12:17,880 --> 01:12:21,159
Speaker 3: Was he embarrassed about twelve hundred plus strikeouts that were

1582
01:12:21,199 --> 01:12:23,119
called that should not have been strikeouts?

1583
01:12:23,159 --> 01:12:25,840
Speaker 2: Did he watch last year? Ranez ever worked, I'll be.

1584
01:12:25,760 --> 01:12:30,279
Speaker 6: Okay with saying we don't expect human umpires to be

1585
01:12:30,399 --> 01:12:34,159
perfect calling balls and strike has an unreachable goal. So,

1586
01:12:34,319 --> 01:12:37,680
in an attempt to get more strikes and balls called correctly,

1587
01:12:37,960 --> 01:12:40,079
we're going to add this to the equation. It's not

1588
01:12:40,199 --> 01:12:44,079
an absolute affront to umpires. They're no umpires getting one

1589
01:12:44,159 --> 01:12:46,239
hundred percent of the calls right even in one afternoon,

1590
01:12:46,319 --> 01:12:49,119
let alone for an entire season. So this will make

1591
01:12:49,199 --> 01:12:50,560
more of the calls that are made.

1592
01:12:50,680 --> 01:12:53,840
Speaker 2: Ipect. I bet he hates guardrails too on roadways. Yeah,

1593
01:12:53,880 --> 01:12:57,319
we're trying to help you out. I bet he hates

1594
01:12:57,359 --> 01:12:59,399
elevators and escalators. He like stares.

1595
01:12:59,760 --> 01:13:03,159
Speaker 3: Do empires get crushed for more than anything, balls and strikes.

1596
01:13:03,560 --> 01:13:05,319
Speaker 2: Trying to help you get the calls right. You know

1597
01:13:05,520 --> 01:13:07,439
you can far our lives and then you're not gonna

1598
01:13:07,439 --> 01:13:10,000
get a bunch of hate. I bet he hates windshields

1599
01:13:10,000 --> 01:13:10,560
on cars?

1600
01:13:10,680 --> 01:13:11,359
Speaker 6: What about puppy?

1601
01:13:11,560 --> 01:13:15,760
Speaker 2: I don't get Richie Garcia. How is this guy? Well,

1602
01:13:15,960 --> 01:13:17,920
he retired in ninety nine. It's twenty twenty.

1603
01:13:17,960 --> 01:13:21,239
Speaker 5: S found him to even think that people would care what.

1604
01:13:21,359 --> 01:13:23,079
Speaker 3: I was actually trying to find out where these quotes

1605
01:13:23,119 --> 01:13:25,720
are from. It's just from anes associated press story that

1606
01:13:25,760 --> 01:13:28,359
I found. I don't know if they just if they

1607
01:13:28,399 --> 01:13:31,840
just interviewed him or what. But he is very upset

1608
01:13:32,119 --> 01:13:36,159
with the umpires. They're embarrassing us. It's embarrassing when you

1609
01:13:36,239 --> 01:13:37,960
miss calls. You're embarrassing yourself.

1610
01:13:38,199 --> 01:13:40,520
Speaker 2: You're embarrassing yourself. You're embarrassing me.

1611
01:13:41,000 --> 01:13:43,319
Speaker 1: You're embarrassing me by showing everybody that I got the

1612
01:13:43,359 --> 01:13:45,159
call wrong. Everybody knows you got the call wrong.

1613
01:13:45,199 --> 01:13:48,600
Speaker 3: Anyways, everybody's checking their their MLB Game Day app in

1614
01:13:48,600 --> 01:13:49,239
the middle of the game.

1615
01:13:49,279 --> 01:13:49,600
Speaker 2: Anyway.

1616
01:13:49,640 --> 01:13:52,000
Speaker 6: You know what also will happen this year, probably today

1617
01:13:52,119 --> 01:13:54,800
right here behind us at dyke In Park, a catcher

1618
01:13:54,920 --> 01:13:57,680
or a batter is gonna call for a challenge and

1619
01:13:57,720 --> 01:14:01,159
they will be incorrect, and the umpire will be proven

1620
01:14:01,159 --> 01:14:02,600
to need the right call.

1621
01:14:03,039 --> 01:14:06,439
Speaker 3: Absolutely yes, he will be validated in front of forty

1622
01:14:06,479 --> 01:14:07,239
thousand people.

1623
01:14:07,359 --> 01:14:09,720
Speaker 2: Validated. You can be judged on getting the call wrong

1624
01:14:09,800 --> 01:14:10,039
or right.

1625
01:14:10,079 --> 01:14:13,119
Speaker 6: Will he be happier if an announcement is made with

1626
01:14:13,199 --> 01:14:16,279
a little bit of a chuckle from the announcement, the

1627
01:14:16,319 --> 01:14:17,680
PA or the umpire.

1628
01:14:17,479 --> 01:14:18,720
Speaker 2: They should throw a jackass.

1629
01:14:19,039 --> 01:14:22,720
Speaker 3: This call is confirmed, a confirmed jackass, they should throw

1630
01:14:22,720 --> 01:14:24,640
in one of those. That's what I would like, Yeah,

1631
01:14:24,680 --> 01:14:26,119
get as sarcastic as possible.

1632
01:14:26,119 --> 01:14:28,720
Speaker 2: I want to narrate it like a GPS voice.

1633
01:14:28,439 --> 01:14:31,319
Speaker 3: I mean, yeah, twenty six thousand missed calls? Dude, Like,

1634
01:14:31,760 --> 01:14:32,600
what is what it is?

1635
01:14:32,840 --> 01:14:35,800
Speaker 2: Six thousand? Is that real? Yes?

1636
01:14:36,680 --> 01:14:39,239
Speaker 6: It sounds like a ballpark figure. It's more than that,

1637
01:14:39,680 --> 01:14:41,840
is it like twenty six thousand, four nineteen?

1638
01:14:42,039 --> 01:14:42,960
Speaker 2: Yeah, something like that.

1639
01:14:43,039 --> 01:14:45,920
Speaker 5: It's a it's a Diken Park crowd on at.

1640
01:14:46,680 --> 01:14:48,680
Speaker 6: A lot of baseball games get played. Two hundred plus

1641
01:14:48,760 --> 01:14:50,840
pitches every every time you hit the diamond at the

1642
01:14:50,840 --> 01:14:51,560
major league level.

1643
01:14:51,680 --> 01:14:54,319
Speaker 3: Twenty six thousand, five hundred and sixty seven. That's crazy,

1644
01:14:54,399 --> 01:14:56,880
is the exact number. If you would like that? What

1645
01:14:56,920 --> 01:14:59,000
if I told you we had the technology in place

1646
01:14:59,000 --> 01:15:02,680
to get every single one of them right and.

1647
01:15:02,640 --> 01:15:06,720
Speaker 2: Then we said no thanks, that'd be weird, right, that'd

1648
01:15:06,720 --> 01:15:09,840
be dumb. All right? Anyways, Adam Clanton, what don't you get?

1649
01:15:10,600 --> 01:15:14,960
Speaker 5: Um, Well, don't break all right, let's go to break

1650
01:15:14,960 --> 01:15:16,000
because I've got something.

1651
01:15:16,079 --> 01:15:19,520
Speaker 2: Okay, I like this. I see where you're going on

1652
01:15:19,560 --> 01:15:23,640
a piece of crap. Jeff Passing is away before lunch?

1653
01:15:24,079 --> 01:15:27,439
You sorry, sec crap. Why don't you come down here

1654
01:15:27,439 --> 01:15:29,159
and be a real man? All right?

1655
01:15:29,239 --> 01:15:32,600
Speaker 3: You're I see the logo that Adam Plant is looking at,

1656
01:15:32,680 --> 01:15:34,479
so you don't want to miss what he doesn't get

1657
01:15:34,520 --> 01:15:36,039
that is coming up next. You guys want to get

1658
01:15:36,079 --> 01:15:38,520
in with yours, you can seven one three two one

1659
01:15:38,560 --> 01:15:41,840
two five seven ninety. Is the phone number. Seven one

1660
01:15:41,920 --> 01:15:44,920
three two one two five seven ninety. We have the

1661
01:15:44,960 --> 01:15:48,720
news at noon coming up as well. Chandler Roam twelve thirty,

1662
01:15:48,960 --> 01:15:52,760
Brian McTaggart one o'clock, Jeff Blum one at thirty pm.

1663
01:15:52,800 --> 01:15:56,600
Astros on deck at two o'clock. It is the Astros

1664
01:15:56,720 --> 01:16:01,159
opening day street Fest Spectacular here on Sports Talk seven ninety.

1665
01:16:06,640 --> 01:16:10,920
All right, welcome back to the Astros fan the fest

1666
01:16:11,119 --> 01:16:15,600
Spectacular street Fest, I should say here on Sports Talk

1667
01:16:15,640 --> 01:16:16,159
seven ninety.

1668
01:16:16,159 --> 01:16:18,880
Speaker 2: Doors are opening at noon. If you are making your

1669
01:16:18,880 --> 01:16:21,079
way down here street Fest, come by, say hello.

1670
01:16:21,119 --> 01:16:23,680
Speaker 3: We are under the I don't even know what you'd

1671
01:16:23,680 --> 01:16:25,760
call it, Budweiser awning, inflatable awning.

1672
01:16:25,920 --> 01:16:28,920
Speaker 6: We're as close to the entrance as you can get,

1673
01:16:28,960 --> 01:16:30,520
just on the other side of the gates. A lot

1674
01:16:30,520 --> 01:16:32,760
of vendors out here set up and ready to go,

1675
01:16:32,960 --> 01:16:35,680
just like we are. Prizes to be won right here

1676
01:16:35,960 --> 01:16:37,159
to Ross's right.

1677
01:16:37,119 --> 01:16:38,800
Speaker 3: I need to go get some free stuff because I'm

1678
01:16:38,800 --> 01:16:42,319
getting hungry. I'm just saying, all right, anyways, Yes, Astros

1679
01:16:42,319 --> 01:16:45,119
fan Fest Spectacular. It is meet Ross vir Reale, Adam Plant,

1680
01:16:45,199 --> 01:16:48,119
Adam Wetser with you folks. O phone lines are open

1681
01:16:48,640 --> 01:16:51,359
at AH. That's what happened. My WiFi went down. Seven

1682
01:16:51,439 --> 01:16:54,359
one three two one two five seven ninety is the

1683
01:16:54,359 --> 01:16:56,680
phone number if you would like to get in. Seven

1684
01:16:56,720 --> 01:17:01,079
one three two one two five seven ninety Adam Clinton.

1685
01:17:01,640 --> 01:17:02,520
Speaker 2: What don't you get?

1686
01:17:02,880 --> 01:17:07,239
Speaker 5: Well, you guys know my affinity for Jeff Passen and

1687
01:17:07,359 --> 01:17:11,319
others at the Four Letter Network, And by affinity and love,

1688
01:17:11,880 --> 01:17:14,920
I mean I despise them and they ate my skin crawl.

1689
01:17:16,119 --> 01:17:16,840
Speaker 2: Here's my thing.

1690
01:17:17,000 --> 01:17:18,920
Speaker 5: I like, if you want to pick the Yankees to

1691
01:17:19,000 --> 01:17:21,159
do well this season, I'm not gonna fault you for that.

1692
01:17:21,319 --> 01:17:23,319
I mean, they certainly have a lineup and a guy

1693
01:17:23,479 --> 01:17:26,399
in that lineup that can put up crooked numbers with

1694
01:17:26,439 --> 01:17:29,520
the best of them, provided it's not a high octane,

1695
01:17:30,239 --> 01:17:34,439
high leverage situation, especially with like a World Baseball Classic

1696
01:17:34,439 --> 01:17:36,479
on the line or just anything in October.

1697
01:17:36,760 --> 01:17:39,560
Speaker 2: But why why?

1698
01:17:39,600 --> 01:17:42,319
Speaker 5: What I don't get is why so many people are

1699
01:17:42,399 --> 01:17:44,960
a picking the Yankees just to I'm just talking about

1700
01:17:44,960 --> 01:17:48,119
the Al East. Forget the World Series, which is just dumb,

1701
01:17:49,439 --> 01:17:52,039
or even getting to the ALC, like, let's just talk

1702
01:17:52,079 --> 01:17:54,239
about their division and wex and I talked to him

1703
01:17:54,239 --> 01:17:57,479
a little bit about this yesterday because because I said,

1704
01:17:57,520 --> 01:18:00,760
my thing was, everybody is ignoring a team that was

1705
01:18:00,800 --> 01:18:03,600
two outs away from winning the World Series against the

1706
01:18:03,680 --> 01:18:07,199
vaunted Dodgers. I might add, and yeah, they've lost some

1707
01:18:07,399 --> 01:18:12,079
parts to that team, but they've also gained some pieces

1708
01:18:12,119 --> 01:18:13,600
this offseason, and to the.

1709
01:18:13,560 --> 01:18:16,119
Speaker 2: Best of my knowledge, they haven't forgotten how to play baseball.

1710
01:18:16,359 --> 01:18:19,239
Speaker 5: But yet here we are talking about, Well, we're just

1711
01:18:19,239 --> 01:18:21,520
gonna assume that once Garrett calls back, he's gonna be

1712
01:18:21,600 --> 01:18:23,479
the menace that he was. He's never been as good

1713
01:18:23,479 --> 01:18:25,600
as he's been in Houston, by the way, as a Yankee,

1714
01:18:25,640 --> 01:18:27,600
he's been good. He's even I think he want to

1715
01:18:27,600 --> 01:18:31,279
cy young since leading, Yes, he did, But I've always

1716
01:18:31,279 --> 01:18:33,520
thought his nastiest years were here in Houston.

1717
01:18:33,640 --> 01:18:36,239
Speaker 2: I think we would all you could at least make

1718
01:18:36,279 --> 01:18:39,439
a strong argument for that. Yes, and it's true.

1719
01:18:39,840 --> 01:18:43,560
Speaker 5: Carlos Redon like every year he's hurt, and if he

1720
01:18:43,680 --> 01:18:46,520
is healthy, he'll get hurt. And if he gets hurt

1721
01:18:46,520 --> 01:18:48,039
and comes back, he's gonna get hurt again.

1722
01:18:48,600 --> 01:18:50,000
Speaker 2: Well, that's two fifths of.

1723
01:18:49,960 --> 01:18:55,079
Speaker 5: Your starting rotation that's supposedly just gonna just boat.

1724
01:18:54,560 --> 01:18:56,119
Speaker 2: Race the entire Al East.

1725
01:18:56,720 --> 01:18:59,119
Speaker 5: And again, like I'm not saying Boston's this world beater,

1726
01:18:59,199 --> 01:19:02,479
but like I don't think Jeff Passing and a lot

1727
01:19:02,479 --> 01:19:04,920
of these people at like the Four Letter Network for example,

1728
01:19:04,960 --> 01:19:07,119
in this article and others, because I've seen in other places,

1729
01:19:07,680 --> 01:19:10,600
I just don't they just pencil in the Yankees like

1730
01:19:10,640 --> 01:19:12,319
it's just automatic this year.

1731
01:19:12,319 --> 01:19:13,119
Speaker 2: And I don't get that.

1732
01:19:13,039 --> 01:19:15,560
Speaker 5: Because I think that the Al East, and you haven't

1733
01:19:15,560 --> 01:19:18,560
even talked about Baltimore. I know they feel like what

1734
01:19:18,600 --> 01:19:20,239
we used to say. I would say every year, Oh

1735
01:19:20,279 --> 01:19:21,760
the Blue Jays, I think they're gonna be good this year,

1736
01:19:21,800 --> 01:19:24,119
and then they would inevitably disappoint me. Last year is

1737
01:19:24,159 --> 01:19:27,760
the first year they really kind of fulfilled that promise

1738
01:19:28,399 --> 01:19:30,439
of the talent they had, and Vlad was just out

1739
01:19:30,479 --> 01:19:33,159
of this world. We've been talking about the Riols like

1740
01:19:33,199 --> 01:19:36,359
that for a long long time. Obviously, Jeff Luno's lieutenants

1741
01:19:36,359 --> 01:19:38,359
are running it up there, and they just haven't had

1742
01:19:38,399 --> 01:19:41,399
the same results from their young prospects that have come up,

1743
01:19:41,479 --> 01:19:43,800
at least not as as well as the Astros did.

1744
01:19:44,319 --> 01:19:46,520
But I just feel like the Al East in general

1745
01:19:46,600 --> 01:19:49,359
because of this, and they Tampa like there's it's gonna

1746
01:19:49,399 --> 01:19:51,399
be a little bit more competitive than just ah, the

1747
01:19:51,479 --> 01:19:52,880
Yankees got to put him in.

1748
01:19:53,520 --> 01:19:55,119
Speaker 2: What is it about the Yankees.

1749
01:19:54,760 --> 01:19:59,279
Speaker 5: That's so overwhelmingly spectacular other than just saying, you know,

1750
01:19:59,439 --> 01:20:01,199
this could be like two or three horse race in

1751
01:20:01,239 --> 01:20:01,800
the AL East?

1752
01:20:01,840 --> 01:20:02,560
Speaker 2: And what instead?

1753
01:20:03,159 --> 01:20:06,359
Speaker 3: What is it Theyer is gonna be like they led

1754
01:20:06,399 --> 01:20:09,800
the league in runs last year? Okay, their lineup is

1755
01:20:09,800 --> 01:20:11,399
gonna be really good and their rotation.

1756
01:20:11,159 --> 01:20:13,720
Speaker 2: Should be better. Did they win the AL East last year?

1757
01:20:14,880 --> 01:20:17,119
Speaker 6: They tied for first but did not win the division

1758
01:20:17,279 --> 01:20:19,399
a tiebreaker. Okay, But and.

1759
01:20:19,359 --> 01:20:21,079
Speaker 5: Again, it's kind of like the AO West that are

1760
01:20:21,119 --> 01:20:25,399
also yeah, well one one game. I just feel like

1761
01:20:25,520 --> 01:20:27,399
it's a lot like the AO West in that way.

1762
01:20:28,159 --> 01:20:31,359
I just think that it's going to be a very

1763
01:20:31,439 --> 01:20:34,319
very tight race and it's might not even be determined

1764
01:20:34,359 --> 01:20:36,760
until the final few weeks or days of the season.

1765
01:20:36,920 --> 01:20:40,000
Speaker 6: Maybe we could direct you to another sports entity. Okay,

1766
01:20:41,199 --> 01:20:43,520
I don't know what all of the ESPN ers have

1767
01:20:43,680 --> 01:20:45,960
to say, obviously, I know what Jeff has to say.

1768
01:20:46,319 --> 01:20:49,239
Just five randos over at CBS Sports their Major League

1769
01:20:49,239 --> 01:20:54,399
Baseball predictions, three different division champions, one for the Red Sox,

1770
01:20:54,479 --> 01:20:56,960
three for the Blue Jays, and one for the Yankees.

1771
01:20:57,039 --> 01:21:00,479
Five picks, three different teams. They all think the Yankees

1772
01:21:00,520 --> 01:21:02,880
will make the playoffs. Obviously, the others that didn't pick

1773
01:21:02,920 --> 01:21:04,920
him to win the division as a wild card team.

1774
01:21:05,359 --> 01:21:08,359
But I think that's more representative of everything you just described,

1775
01:21:08,399 --> 01:21:10,760
and I think the most people. Maybe it is an

1776
01:21:10,920 --> 01:21:14,079
ESPN thing, maybe it's just whatever, but I don't think

1777
01:21:14,079 --> 01:21:17,920
everybody considers the Yankees' favorites, even they're one of the

1778
01:21:17,920 --> 01:21:20,119
best teams in the American League East, which I think

1779
01:21:20,159 --> 01:21:24,000
most people expect to be hyper competitive between at least

1780
01:21:24,039 --> 01:21:25,000
those three teams.

1781
01:21:25,079 --> 01:21:27,119
Speaker 2: And ESPN knows it's not in bed with Major League

1782
01:21:27,159 --> 01:21:27,760
Baseball anymore.

1783
01:21:27,840 --> 01:21:30,680
Speaker 6: Right, They're on the edge of the bed with two

1784
01:21:30,720 --> 01:21:32,520
dogs sleeping in between them and the other people.

1785
01:21:32,560 --> 01:21:38,279
Speaker 5: There's no sexual activities happening, right, Sorry, Gardy, Sorry Gordy.

1786
01:21:38,720 --> 01:21:39,039
Speaker 2: Sorry.

1787
01:21:39,079 --> 01:21:42,439
Speaker 6: The Orioles, Red Sox, Yankees, and Blue Jays all could

1788
01:21:42,439 --> 01:21:44,720
win that division. I think that's a totally reasonable pick

1789
01:21:44,840 --> 01:21:47,439
that anybody should make. And I'll add they all agree

1790
01:21:47,479 --> 01:21:48,720
the race will finish fifth.

1791
01:21:49,159 --> 01:21:52,239
Speaker 5: All agree the Red Sox is gonna surprise people this year.

1792
01:21:52,560 --> 01:21:54,640
Speaker 6: They better find some offense, and they have to count

1793
01:21:54,680 --> 01:21:57,279
on a lot of young players both on the mound

1794
01:21:57,359 --> 01:21:58,199
and in the field.

1795
01:21:58,239 --> 01:22:01,199
Speaker 2: At least they don't have Est soch Perettis that was

1796
01:22:01,199 --> 01:22:04,039
the rumor for a while. That's the rouma well.

1797
01:22:04,000 --> 01:22:05,840
Speaker 5: For a long long time. That was going to be

1798
01:22:05,880 --> 01:22:08,159
the dance partner in a trade if.

1799
01:22:08,079 --> 01:22:11,279
Speaker 2: They don't have Alex Bregmant. That's true, Chicago has him.

1800
01:22:11,640 --> 01:22:14,039
Speaker 6: I think the big loss that it was for Houston

1801
01:22:14,199 --> 01:22:15,720
is the same big loss it will be for.

1802
01:22:15,760 --> 01:22:18,880
Speaker 2: Boston in the clubhouse, more so in the.

1803
01:22:18,800 --> 01:22:23,079
Speaker 6: Club in the pitchers, meetings, on the field, calling pitch,

1804
01:22:23,119 --> 01:22:28,640
it everything, everything, everything, arguably the most important player in

1805
01:22:28,640 --> 01:22:31,039
Major League Baseball to have on your team for all

1806
01:22:31,079 --> 01:22:32,840
of the reasons. I'm not saying he's better than show

1807
01:22:32,920 --> 01:22:36,680
He or several others, but as a member of your roster,

1808
01:22:36,760 --> 01:22:38,600
I don't think anyone carries more value.

1809
01:22:38,600 --> 01:22:40,479
Speaker 5: You think they the Astros would find a way to

1810
01:22:40,840 --> 01:22:42,920
fit him into the infield glood if he was still here.

1811
01:22:43,000 --> 01:22:44,680
Speaker 6: Wex oh, they would find a way if he was

1812
01:22:44,760 --> 01:22:46,520
willing to accept their contract offer.

1813
01:22:48,199 --> 01:22:53,039
Speaker 3: Okay, time for a break here as the Matt Thomas

1814
01:22:53,039 --> 01:22:55,319
Show with Ross without Matt Thomas he was traveling with

1815
01:22:55,359 --> 01:22:58,279
the Rockets. He is out today. We are out at

1816
01:22:58,600 --> 01:23:01,920
street Fest at Dyke and Park. You guys wanna come

1817
01:23:01,920 --> 01:23:05,520
by and say hello with you until two forty pm,

1818
01:23:05,600 --> 01:23:07,880
so make sure you swing on by say hi. We've

1819
01:23:07,920 --> 01:23:10,600
got some Sports Talk seven ninety giveaways for you. I

1820
01:23:10,640 --> 01:23:12,640
know it'll be opening up into just a couple of

1821
01:23:12,720 --> 01:23:15,239
minutes when we come back. We will have the news

1822
01:23:15,239 --> 01:23:19,199
at noon coming up at twelve thirty Chandler Rome. We'll

1823
01:23:19,279 --> 01:23:23,479
say some sarcastic comments and break down Astros like nobody's business.

1824
01:23:23,560 --> 01:23:25,800
Speaker 2: So make sure you keep it right here on Sports.

1825
01:23:25,399 --> 01:23:29,119
Speaker 3: Talk seven to ninety on the Astros Street Fest Spectacular

1826
01:23:30,479 --> 01:23:32,640
is the Matt Thomas Show with.

1827
01:23:32,800 --> 01:23:41,079
Speaker 4: Ross spots twelve oh one in h down.

1828
01:23:42,159 --> 01:23:45,359
Speaker 3: What's happening now, it's time for lunch, lunch timers, it

1829
01:23:45,439 --> 01:23:48,880
is that Thomas Show with Ross without Matt Thomas. It

1830
01:23:48,960 --> 01:23:53,680
is the Astros Street Fest Spectacular. It's me Ross Viriel,

1831
01:23:53,800 --> 01:23:56,800
it is Adam Weixer, it is Adam Clanton as well.

1832
01:23:57,560 --> 01:24:00,479
Speaker 2: And we have been talking all things Astros.

1833
01:24:00,119 --> 01:24:04,039
Speaker 3: Opening day, lineup, starting rotation, all that good stuff. Haven't

1834
01:24:04,039 --> 01:24:05,920
talked much about the bullpen, but we'll get with that.

1835
01:24:06,199 --> 01:24:09,119
We get to that soon. We're going to on deck mode.

1836
01:24:09,239 --> 01:24:12,720
At two o'clock, we'll bring you Jeff Blumme. At one thirty.

1837
01:24:13,079 --> 01:24:15,560
One o'clock will be Brian McTaggart coming up. At twelve

1838
01:24:15,680 --> 01:24:18,119
thirty it will be Chandler Rome. We are in full

1839
01:24:18,600 --> 01:24:21,960
baseball mode here and right now we go to an

1840
01:24:22,000 --> 01:24:23,239
Astros edition of.

1841
01:24:23,399 --> 01:24:25,119
Speaker 2: The News at noon.

1842
01:24:29,039 --> 01:24:32,960
Speaker 3: All right, guys, we're gonna gloss over the NBA again

1843
01:24:33,039 --> 01:24:36,159
for for a second on the NBA on the News

1844
01:24:36,279 --> 01:24:36,760
at noon.

1845
01:24:36,880 --> 01:24:40,199
Speaker 2: Let's start with the Astros.

1846
01:24:39,720 --> 01:24:47,960
Speaker 3: Opening a day lineup which does not contain, unfortunately, Jeremy

1847
01:24:47,960 --> 01:24:50,279
Pania I will read it. You got Jose al Tube

1848
01:24:50,640 --> 01:24:54,800
at second base. You have Jordan Alvarez at designated hitter.

1849
01:24:55,199 --> 01:24:59,439
East Soak Parades is batting third, at third base, Carlos.

1850
01:24:58,960 --> 01:25:00,880
Speaker 2: Korea he is. Is that shortstop.

1851
01:25:01,079 --> 01:25:04,880
Speaker 3: Joey lo Berfdo batting fifth. He is in left field.

1852
01:25:05,279 --> 01:25:08,319
You have Cam Smith in right field at batting sixth.

1853
01:25:08,640 --> 01:25:11,760
Christian Walker is at first base, batting seventh. The Ironer

1854
01:25:11,840 --> 01:25:16,840
Diaz is your catcher, batting eighth. Jake Myers in center field,

1855
01:25:16,880 --> 01:25:17,560
batting ninth.

1856
01:25:18,159 --> 01:25:21,680
Speaker 2: Adam Clinton. How we feeling feeling great? It's I mean

1857
01:25:21,680 --> 01:25:22,960
it's opening day. How could you not?

1858
01:25:23,239 --> 01:25:26,680
Speaker 5: I feel, like I said, I think the Astros are

1859
01:25:26,720 --> 01:25:29,840
probably getting a little bit disrespected based on just the

1860
01:25:29,880 --> 01:25:33,359
amount of injuries last season as it pertains to predicting

1861
01:25:33,359 --> 01:25:33,880
this division.

1862
01:25:33,880 --> 01:25:34,439
Speaker 2: But I have no.

1863
01:25:34,319 --> 01:25:36,680
Speaker 5: Problems if you're gonna you're gonna predict that the Mariners

1864
01:25:36,680 --> 01:25:39,399
are gonna repeat as division champs, especially with the additions

1865
01:25:39,439 --> 01:25:42,039
they made over the over the offseason. I just think

1866
01:25:42,079 --> 01:25:44,920
you shouldn't sleep on the Astros being I mean, how

1867
01:25:44,920 --> 01:25:47,319
can they not be more healthy, at least even by

1868
01:25:47,600 --> 01:25:49,560
by a little bit. You know, it's it's not out

1869
01:25:49,560 --> 01:25:50,439
of the question.

1870
01:25:50,239 --> 01:25:50,880
Speaker 2: To expect that.

1871
01:25:50,960 --> 01:25:54,279
Speaker 5: And if you get that, why wouldn't things be better?

1872
01:25:55,119 --> 01:25:56,359
Speaker 2: I think they are gonna be better.

1873
01:25:57,000 --> 01:26:00,159
Speaker 3: As mentioned, Jeremy Pania is out of the line up,

1874
01:26:00,159 --> 01:26:02,199
even though he is in the opening day roster. Here

1875
01:26:02,239 --> 01:26:07,880
is Dana Brown speaking moments ago about Jeremy Pena and

1876
01:26:07,960 --> 01:26:08,600
his outlook.

1877
01:26:09,079 --> 01:26:10,000
Speaker 7: Yeah, very close.

1878
01:26:10,880 --> 01:26:14,159
Speaker 12: I'm gonna get Live today and we'll see how he

1879
01:26:14,199 --> 01:26:17,359
feels after today, and he could be an air center

1880
01:26:17,359 --> 01:26:20,119
at the Vader So that's why we here him on

1881
01:26:20,159 --> 01:26:20,680
a roster age.

1882
01:26:20,680 --> 01:26:23,600
Speaker 13: Feels really good son other Live.

1883
01:26:23,439 --> 01:26:29,399
Speaker 3: Today, So Dana Brown says, Jeremy Pania is very close.

1884
01:26:29,960 --> 01:26:33,119
We have the tweet from Brian McTaggart with the lineup.

1885
01:26:33,199 --> 01:26:34,800
Speaker 2: He says, Jeremy Pania.

1886
01:26:35,119 --> 01:26:37,680
Speaker 3: Not in the lineup today and will be brought along

1887
01:26:37,920 --> 01:26:42,880
slowly to start the year. Dan also of course talking

1888
01:26:42,920 --> 01:26:46,079
about some live at bets Jeremy Payne apparently in Sugarland

1889
01:26:46,560 --> 01:26:49,119
getting those live at bets wex how we feeling about

1890
01:26:49,119 --> 01:26:50,720
his season out look at least the first month of

1891
01:26:50,760 --> 01:26:51,039
the year.

1892
01:26:51,279 --> 01:26:54,039
Speaker 6: Yeah, they got three key components I would say that

1893
01:26:54,840 --> 01:26:56,399
aren't ready to go at the start of the season.

1894
01:26:56,439 --> 01:26:58,359
The other two obviously are on the IL with Bennett

1895
01:26:58,359 --> 01:27:03,239
Susa and Josh Hater. But I'm a little bit concerned

1896
01:27:03,239 --> 01:27:05,359
that about the way that they're doing it. But I

1897
01:27:05,399 --> 01:27:08,199
think they are clearly, it seems pretty clearly they're taking

1898
01:27:08,239 --> 01:27:11,199
a much bigger perspective on this than the importance of

1899
01:27:11,239 --> 01:27:13,600
the first handful of games of the season on Jeremy

1900
01:27:13,640 --> 01:27:15,880
Payne's long term success this year. He was one of

1901
01:27:15,920 --> 01:27:18,199
the players that missed a bunch of time last year.

1902
01:27:19,079 --> 01:27:21,960
Very much like this year. He didn't get hurt pull

1903
01:27:21,960 --> 01:27:24,199
a hammy running the bases. There was no collision with

1904
01:27:24,239 --> 01:27:27,239
a teammate or at a base He got hit by

1905
01:27:27,279 --> 01:27:29,560
a pitch last year in the ribs and that caused

1906
01:27:29,600 --> 01:27:31,439
him a ton of time, and then this year he

1907
01:27:31,560 --> 01:27:34,479
fielded a ground ball during an exhibition baseball game and

1908
01:27:34,560 --> 01:27:37,279
hurt a finger. The good news is the wheels are fine.

1909
01:27:37,319 --> 01:27:41,359
The body essentially is also totally fine. So I think

1910
01:27:42,359 --> 01:27:45,279
I think he plays during this homestand and that's probably

1911
01:27:45,279 --> 01:27:46,119
what I would look at it.

1912
01:27:46,119 --> 01:27:46,760
Speaker 2: In that regard.

1913
01:27:47,039 --> 01:27:48,920
Speaker 6: The door is still plenty opened for him to give

1914
01:27:48,920 --> 01:27:50,920
you one hundred and fifty games this year, which is

1915
01:27:50,960 --> 01:27:53,600
probably what we would have expected anyway, especially if there

1916
01:27:53,680 --> 01:27:57,239
is no trade. Always have that question for me. If

1917
01:27:57,239 --> 01:27:59,680
you got a ten day il stint or a player

1918
01:27:59,720 --> 01:28:02,960
who can play in two three days, obviously you leaning

1919
01:28:03,000 --> 01:28:05,000
in the direction the Astros did. When that's starting to

1920
01:28:05,000 --> 01:28:07,600
push towards four or five days, that means you're less

1921
01:28:07,640 --> 01:28:10,079
certain about his return to begin with, So why not

1922
01:28:10,199 --> 01:28:11,159
just start him on the iel.

1923
01:28:11,439 --> 01:28:14,680
Speaker 3: And that's what leads me to what we were talking

1924
01:28:14,680 --> 01:28:15,720
about earlier as well.

1925
01:28:15,760 --> 01:28:16,600
Speaker 2: I mean, how much of.

1926
01:28:16,560 --> 01:28:20,159
Speaker 3: This is making it a convene if you have a

1927
01:28:20,199 --> 01:28:22,680
problem that is easily solved, in that being the infield

1928
01:28:22,760 --> 01:28:24,239
logjam for the Houston Astros.

1929
01:28:24,239 --> 01:28:25,319
Speaker 2: Saying hey, go.

1930
01:28:25,279 --> 01:28:28,399
Speaker 3: Ahead is let's just say we waved the magic wand

1931
01:28:28,920 --> 01:28:31,880
and Esoparatus wasn't on this roster as a fallback plan

1932
01:28:32,000 --> 01:28:36,079
for Jeremy Panya. Are the Astros handling this any differently

1933
01:28:36,520 --> 01:28:39,920
because they do have that safe backup plan of Esarkaradus.

1934
01:28:42,039 --> 01:28:45,439
Speaker 6: I don't like how that sounds, but I think you're

1935
01:28:45,600 --> 01:28:47,279
totally right, and I think we'll probably see it at

1936
01:28:47,319 --> 01:28:49,640
other times during the year. It's why we didn't make

1937
01:28:49,680 --> 01:28:51,920
a move. It's because we believe in all these guys.

1938
01:28:51,960 --> 01:28:54,199
It's because we know these guys can all help us

1939
01:28:54,239 --> 01:28:56,840
win on any given day, depending on what things look

1940
01:28:56,960 --> 01:28:59,760
like health wise, and maybe other reasons why they might

1941
01:28:59,760 --> 01:29:01,399
put this guy out there and rest this guy and

1942
01:29:01,399 --> 01:29:03,800
try to get everybody as many at bats as possible,

1943
01:29:03,840 --> 01:29:07,159
even though there's too many to fill the spots. I

1944
01:29:07,199 --> 01:29:09,760
do think that is a consideration for them. I don't

1945
01:29:09,840 --> 01:29:12,159
like it because I try to keep it as simple

1946
01:29:12,159 --> 01:29:15,439
as possible. He just played baseball in a baseball game

1947
01:29:15,520 --> 01:29:18,880
in a Major League baseball stadium. He's he did not

1948
01:29:18,960 --> 01:29:20,199
have a setback.

1949
01:29:20,760 --> 01:29:23,520
Speaker 2: And now he's play How does he get to sugar Land?

1950
01:29:23,560 --> 01:29:28,239
By the way, see Uber down there probably down going.

1951
01:29:28,640 --> 01:29:30,399
Is he going? Is he getting to maybe maybe.

1952
01:29:30,119 --> 01:29:33,880
Speaker 6: He's negotiating that into his new contract extension that he

1953
01:29:33,960 --> 01:29:36,600
will have rides given to and from any ballparks that

1954
01:29:36,640 --> 01:29:37,720
aren't Dyke in part.

1955
01:29:38,399 --> 01:29:42,000
Speaker 5: I mean again going back to and this probably annoys

1956
01:29:42,079 --> 01:29:45,159
me way more than it does WEX the discomfort thing.

1957
01:29:45,399 --> 01:29:49,000
Just the way the Astros have handled injuries in the past.

1958
01:29:49,720 --> 01:29:53,640
It just it brings itself to having these conversations when

1959
01:29:53,640 --> 01:29:55,520
you do something like this. I go back to what

1960
01:29:55,560 --> 01:29:57,920
we's just kind of highlighted. If he doesn't play in

1961
01:29:57,920 --> 01:30:01,479
that final game in this the other night, we're probably

1962
01:30:01,520 --> 01:30:04,000
and then when we get the same information we've gotten right,

1963
01:30:04,359 --> 01:30:07,239
then we're not having this conversation. People aren't all up

1964
01:30:07,279 --> 01:30:11,159
in arms, and it doesn't highlight how you've been kind

1965
01:30:11,159 --> 01:30:13,199
of wishy washy on certain injuries in the past.

1966
01:30:13,239 --> 01:30:14,520
Speaker 2: I don't think that's what's happening here.

1967
01:30:14,880 --> 01:30:19,479
Speaker 5: It just might not be the most I don't know.

1968
01:30:19,640 --> 01:30:21,399
Speaker 6: What good news is for me on all that stuff.

1969
01:30:22,279 --> 01:30:24,560
The Astros should not care one bit about that how

1970
01:30:24,600 --> 01:30:27,159
it's been in the past, how people think we handle injury.

1971
01:30:27,279 --> 01:30:29,000
They should want to get it right, which I'm sure

1972
01:30:29,000 --> 01:30:30,920
they wanted to do last year, they just didn't, and

1973
01:30:30,960 --> 01:30:32,399
I'm sure they want to do this year with a

1974
01:30:32,600 --> 01:30:36,920
slightly different staff of athletic strength and performance crew and

1975
01:30:37,039 --> 01:30:40,399
doctors here, and this is what they feel is best internally,

1976
01:30:40,399 --> 01:30:41,920
how they feel its best to get the most out

1977
01:30:41,920 --> 01:30:43,960
of Jeremy Painey for the season. It's not like they're

1978
01:30:44,000 --> 01:30:46,760
sending out a triple A lineup this afternoon against the Angels.

1979
01:30:46,760 --> 01:30:49,199
Everybody else is in it. And if again there's no

1980
01:30:49,239 --> 01:30:51,359
trade made, We're going to see more days like this,

1981
01:30:51,600 --> 01:30:54,720
whether it's due to a player being unavailable or merely

1982
01:30:55,359 --> 01:30:57,279
they don't know where to put all of the healthy players.

1983
01:30:57,319 --> 01:30:59,479
So probably a little bit of a get used to it,

1984
01:30:59,520 --> 01:31:01,319
and the hope is that it is short termed, it

1985
01:31:01,319 --> 01:31:03,399
doesn't extend past longer than when you could have had

1986
01:31:03,479 --> 01:31:06,199
him on the IL. And we're trying not to make

1987
01:31:06,319 --> 01:31:08,760
too much out of what might end up being just

1988
01:31:09,079 --> 01:31:13,000
nothing nothing burger sense a something burger, because maybe everything's

1989
01:31:13,079 --> 01:31:15,319
just gonna work out. I'm not. I think I've made

1990
01:31:15,359 --> 01:31:17,399
it as clear as possible. I'll try one last time.

1991
01:31:18,039 --> 01:31:22,039
I don't like when healthy players or players on the

1992
01:31:22,119 --> 01:31:25,399
active roster are unavailable. Well, you don't have to worry

1993
01:31:25,399 --> 01:31:28,720
about Sazar Salazar this year, maybe I think the Astros

1994
01:31:28,720 --> 01:31:32,359
are kind of up a creek if he plays for

1995
01:31:32,399 --> 01:31:34,720
someone else's organization, which he is now free to do,

1996
01:31:35,159 --> 01:31:38,920
because when Jiner Diez or Christian Vasquez isn't healthy, or

1997
01:31:39,000 --> 01:31:41,560
when they're sick and tired of their backup catcher getting

1998
01:31:41,720 --> 01:31:44,239
the seven starts a week and hitting one fifty, that

1999
01:31:44,279 --> 01:31:47,439
they have to play somebody else. That somebody else is

2000
01:31:47,479 --> 01:31:50,279
not Walkeryanick. He's not at Triple A. He's probably not

2001
01:31:50,319 --> 01:31:52,640
ready to play major league baseball, and they might want

2002
01:31:52,680 --> 01:31:55,560
to let him get the AB's in at this level

2003
01:31:55,560 --> 01:31:58,000
before he's ready to play defensively and ready to handle

2004
01:31:58,079 --> 01:32:01,159
pitching staff. But it's gonna be some other, not major

2005
01:32:01,199 --> 01:32:04,359
league caliber Triple A catcher if this happens.

2006
01:32:04,479 --> 01:32:06,560
Speaker 3: That that's what and we're I think I was talking

2007
01:32:06,560 --> 01:32:07,960
about this yesterday with Matt. It's kind of one of

2008
01:32:07,960 --> 01:32:10,199
the underreported things. I mean, we have been talking about

2009
01:32:10,239 --> 01:32:13,000
it because we've been talking so much more about the outfield.

2010
01:32:13,159 --> 01:32:15,840
We've been talking so much more about the infield, I mean,

2011
01:32:15,920 --> 01:32:19,279
the catcher situation. And Elems Diaz came into camp with

2012
01:32:19,319 --> 01:32:22,159
a sprain foot like you're one oh, he's busting it

2013
01:32:22,199 --> 01:32:25,000
down the line and reaggravated, re reaggravated his foot spray

2014
01:32:25,199 --> 01:32:30,119
to Christian Vasquez is your everyday catcher? And then who

2015
01:32:30,199 --> 01:32:32,680
knows what in the in the in the backup, can

2016
01:32:32,680 --> 01:32:33,880
Eastock prays play catcher?

2017
01:32:33,920 --> 01:32:34,640
Speaker 2: That's what I want to know.

2018
01:32:34,640 --> 01:32:36,960
Speaker 3: When's the last time he put the gear on? Because

2019
01:32:36,960 --> 01:32:37,960
that seems like a good.

2020
01:32:37,840 --> 01:32:40,439
Speaker 2: Option that has a stretch to put him at first base.

2021
01:32:40,479 --> 01:32:43,560
Now you've got him catching, Yeah, why not? He does

2022
01:32:43,680 --> 01:32:46,640
kind of have that catcher build. Yeah exactly, he's built.

2023
01:32:47,000 --> 01:32:51,479
Speaker 3: Yeah, uh yeah, I think you're you're heavy trunks.

2024
01:32:51,560 --> 01:32:54,239
Speaker 6: The jokes can continue if you look at the Triple

2025
01:32:54,279 --> 01:32:54,800
A roster.

2026
01:32:55,239 --> 01:32:57,359
Speaker 2: Yeah, Carlos, so I don't cry from the pain.

2027
01:32:57,640 --> 01:32:59,840
Speaker 6: Carlos Perez is on your minor league roster at Triple

2028
01:32:59,840 --> 01:33:02,159
A and he's had major league experience. He's is who

2029
01:33:02,239 --> 01:33:04,720
next is in line? And then on the path that

2030
01:33:04,840 --> 01:33:07,760
ross is going down. There is someone wearing number four

2031
01:33:08,359 --> 01:33:12,279
at Triple A and his last name is Bigio and

2032
01:33:12,319 --> 01:33:15,640
the last number four Vigio to play for the Astros

2033
01:33:15,720 --> 01:33:19,000
was a catcher. Cavin Bigio has accepted that he will

2034
01:33:19,000 --> 01:33:21,159
be playing for the Sugar Lance Base Cowboys. He doesn't

2035
01:33:21,159 --> 01:33:23,840
put the gear on either. Okay, but if Ross wants

2036
01:33:23,880 --> 01:33:28,680
to play the go ahead, Pops, you know what?

2037
01:33:28,680 --> 01:33:30,840
Speaker 2: What's uh? You know what? What's Pops? He's pop time.

2038
01:33:31,199 --> 01:33:32,800
Let's get him in there for a couple of weeks.

2039
01:33:32,840 --> 01:33:34,560
I don't know. I don't think his knees can hang out.

2040
01:33:36,079 --> 01:33:40,079
Speaker 6: Top time is undetermined because he would be he would

2041
01:33:40,199 --> 01:33:44,680
once he's in that Crouch's get there is no pop time.

2042
01:33:44,760 --> 01:33:46,560
Speaker 3: All right, Well, he's not gonna be throwing anybody out.

2043
01:33:46,560 --> 01:33:48,199
What a man can dream. I mean that that is

2044
01:33:48,239 --> 01:33:50,439
something that we have a million things to get to

2045
01:33:50,520 --> 01:33:52,000
that we have been getting to, that we still have

2046
01:33:52,039 --> 01:33:53,920
to get to. That we'll be monitoring, and I think

2047
01:33:53,920 --> 01:33:55,600
the backup catcher situation.

2048
01:33:55,720 --> 01:33:57,119
Speaker 2: Certainly will be one of them.

2049
01:33:57,119 --> 01:33:59,600
Speaker 3: All right, Time for a break here on Sports Talk

2050
01:34:00,439 --> 01:34:04,039
ninety The Matt Thomas Show with Ross but without Matt Thomas,

2051
01:34:04,079 --> 01:34:08,039
Adam Wexer, Adam Clanton. It is our Astros Street Fest

2052
01:34:08,079 --> 01:34:12,880
Spectacular with you until two forty pm. We'll be back

2053
01:34:12,920 --> 01:34:15,960
and we will address two of the pictures we haven't

2054
01:34:16,000 --> 01:34:18,680
talked much about throughout this program.

2055
01:34:18,720 --> 01:34:20,439
Speaker 2: We'll get to those next.

2056
01:34:20,520 --> 01:34:23,119
Speaker 3: I want Adam and Adam's opinion here on Sports Talk

2057
01:34:23,159 --> 01:34:24,319
seven ninety.

2058
01:34:25,000 --> 01:34:28,199
Speaker 2: I mean sig voice Man's kind of right. Matt Thomas

2059
01:34:28,279 --> 01:34:29,880
is not here. It is the Matt Thomas Show with

2060
01:34:30,119 --> 01:34:31,039
Ross he is.

2061
01:34:32,079 --> 01:34:34,840
Speaker 3: You know, I think I think I've made it to declaration,

2062
01:34:35,560 --> 01:34:39,119
very last segment of this show before we go into

2063
01:34:39,159 --> 01:34:42,119
on Deck full Astros Motor two o'clock, very last segment.

2064
01:34:42,439 --> 01:34:44,520
It'll be like an airing of grievances with the Rockets.

2065
01:34:44,520 --> 01:34:46,960
We can go there and we can all just scream

2066
01:34:47,000 --> 01:34:50,399
into the microphone for an entire segment. But Adam Wexler

2067
01:34:50,479 --> 01:34:53,680
is here, Adam Clanton is here. I am here, Ros Viria.

2068
01:34:53,800 --> 01:34:56,880
We are at street Fest for opening.

2069
01:34:56,520 --> 01:34:59,479
Speaker 2: Day and your use in Astros.

2070
01:34:59,800 --> 01:35:01,880
Speaker 3: Three tiny ten first pitch. We'll go to on Deck

2071
01:35:01,920 --> 01:35:02,760
mode at two o'clock.

2072
01:35:02,800 --> 01:35:04,119
Speaker 2: We'll be with you until then.

2073
01:35:04,800 --> 01:35:08,159
Speaker 3: Phone lines open at seven one three two one two

2074
01:35:08,399 --> 01:35:09,680
five seven ninety.

2075
01:35:09,680 --> 01:35:10,640
Speaker 2: Of course, it's a long show.

2076
01:35:10,640 --> 01:35:11,920
Speaker 3: We can rehash a lot of the stuff that we

2077
01:35:11,960 --> 01:35:13,479
get to, but we haven't spent a whole lot of time.

2078
01:35:13,680 --> 01:35:16,039
Speaker 2: We know Hunter Brown is your ace. We're feeling good

2079
01:35:16,079 --> 01:35:16,560
about that.

2080
01:35:16,920 --> 01:35:22,560
Speaker 3: Let's just talk about two keys, the newcomers, especially how

2081
01:35:22,560 --> 01:35:25,239
we're expecting them to perform. I'm feeling really good about

2082
01:35:25,279 --> 01:35:28,119
both of them. Talking about Mike Burrows in the two

2083
01:35:28,159 --> 01:35:31,479
spot of the rotation and then Tatsuya Emi in the

2084
01:35:31,680 --> 01:35:34,880
four spot. Uh wex When you saw how they were

2085
01:35:34,920 --> 01:35:38,159
slotted in the rotation with the season coming up, your reaction,

2086
01:35:38,279 --> 01:35:40,760
and then how are we feeling about specifically, especially those

2087
01:35:40,800 --> 01:35:41,760
two starting pitchers.

2088
01:35:42,000 --> 01:35:44,640
Speaker 6: Not real surprised about Emi being fourth, even though I

2089
01:35:44,680 --> 01:35:46,920
think he's probably their second best pitcher, probably has the

2090
01:35:46,960 --> 01:35:48,600
second best stuff. I think a lot of it is

2091
01:35:48,640 --> 01:35:51,399
the familiarity with how things go in the Major leagues

2092
01:35:51,479 --> 01:35:53,680
versus how familiar he is with how things were going

2093
01:35:53,800 --> 01:35:56,640
where he was playing pitching every six day instead of

2094
01:35:56,680 --> 01:35:59,399
every fifth day working on his regimen, versus getting in

2095
01:35:59,439 --> 01:36:02,319
tune with with what's happening here. It's just a matter

2096
01:36:02,399 --> 01:36:04,319
of time and the All Star break will come, or

2097
01:36:04,359 --> 01:36:06,800
other injuries will happen, or off days will have a

2098
01:36:06,800 --> 01:36:09,119
guy bumped for the six man. There's so many things

2099
01:36:09,119 --> 01:36:11,640
that will change. There's a point in time where I

2100
01:36:11,680 --> 01:36:13,960
do think your top three pitchers will be pitching in

2101
01:36:14,079 --> 01:36:18,199
succession before you arrive for a potential postseason game with Brown,

2102
01:36:18,640 --> 01:36:19,720
em I and Burrows.

2103
01:36:19,800 --> 01:36:22,399
Speaker 2: Rather you're setting the playoff rotation already. I like this.

2104
01:36:22,600 --> 01:36:25,319
Speaker 6: I mean, I think there's no doubt we could ask

2105
01:36:25,359 --> 01:36:27,319
all these questions, how are you feeling about Hobby, how

2106
01:36:27,319 --> 01:36:29,399
you feel about Lands, et cetera, et cetera. I think

2107
01:36:29,439 --> 01:36:32,000
there's a there's a cutoff. There's these three pitchers and

2108
01:36:32,000 --> 01:36:34,600
then there's everybody else they have as a potential starter.

2109
01:36:35,000 --> 01:36:38,720
I think the confidence level for em, Mike Burrows and

2110
01:36:38,800 --> 01:36:41,199
Hunter Brown is just at a totally different level than

2111
01:36:41,239 --> 01:36:44,199
everybody else. And with the lack of major league experience

2112
01:36:44,239 --> 01:36:47,600
for both of them, obviously Emi major league rookie, and

2113
01:36:47,800 --> 01:36:50,840
Burrows still he has. He hasn't even thrown a hundred

2114
01:36:50,960 --> 01:36:53,680
major league pitches or one hundred major league innings yet

2115
01:36:54,119 --> 01:36:56,920
very very brief work one game in twenty twenty four,

2116
01:36:57,159 --> 01:37:00,399
and last year he made nineteen starts. That's it. And

2117
01:37:00,439 --> 01:37:04,760
now he's a pillar, a nice building block, a front

2118
01:37:04,840 --> 01:37:07,560
end of the rotation started for you. And I'm not

2119
01:37:07,760 --> 01:37:10,680
worried at all. I think they're in a really good

2120
01:37:10,680 --> 01:37:13,199
spot with him. I think the Pirates would have loved

2121
01:37:13,239 --> 01:37:15,039
to keep him. I think he would have been slotted

2122
01:37:15,039 --> 01:37:20,199
in probably three behind today's pitcher for the Pirates and

2123
01:37:20,239 --> 01:37:22,880
their game underway now. Paul skeens, but he's a front

2124
01:37:22,960 --> 01:37:25,600
end of the rotation. Arsenal is what it looked like

2125
01:37:25,640 --> 01:37:28,279
when he was there. And then you add the possibility

2126
01:37:28,279 --> 01:37:30,840
of harnessing some of his stuff here, which kind of

2127
01:37:30,880 --> 01:37:33,039
looked like it was already underway. I'm not sure how

2128
01:37:33,039 --> 01:37:37,159
many people heard the story relayed from a different person

2129
01:37:37,279 --> 01:37:40,399
about it was Steve Spark. He was on with our

2130
01:37:40,479 --> 01:37:42,800
morning show, The Morning Drive with Dan and Cole, and

2131
01:37:42,840 --> 01:37:46,520
he talked about how Mike Burrows was helped by former

2132
01:37:46,560 --> 01:37:50,399
Astros pitching coach Brent Stromp, who was with him in Pittsburgh, said,

2133
01:37:51,000 --> 01:37:54,119
if he was willing to experiment with a new armslot,

2134
01:37:54,439 --> 01:37:56,960
he thought maybe there was more for him to get

2135
01:37:57,000 --> 01:37:59,199
out of his arsenal and maybe a little bit more zip,

2136
01:37:59,239 --> 01:38:01,359
a little bit more pop, a little bit more bite.

2137
01:38:01,439 --> 01:38:03,079
And so he said, if you want to try to

2138
01:38:03,079 --> 01:38:04,880
go ahead, and if it works for you, it does,

2139
01:38:04,920 --> 01:38:06,920
if doesn't, you obviously been doing it this way, then

2140
01:38:07,039 --> 01:38:08,800
then Jesus keep doing it. We want to put you

2141
01:38:08,840 --> 01:38:11,520
in the best spot possible. And he found a little

2142
01:38:11,520 --> 01:38:13,920
bit better slot where he felt like the ball was

2143
01:38:13,920 --> 01:38:16,239
exploding out of his arm. The ball was just doing

2144
01:38:16,279 --> 01:38:18,399
things that he hadn't been able to do before. So

2145
01:38:18,439 --> 01:38:21,760
it elevated an already very good pitcher to the one

2146
01:38:21,800 --> 01:38:23,600
that sits in an Astro's uniform now.

2147
01:38:23,640 --> 01:38:27,000
Speaker 5: Well, So EMI's situation, notwithstanding the fact that they put

2148
01:38:27,039 --> 01:38:29,960
him in that second slot in the rotation, should tell

2149
01:38:30,000 --> 01:38:32,439
you that the Astros agree with Wex as far as

2150
01:38:32,479 --> 01:38:35,560
that's They're feeling very good about not only what he

2151
01:38:35,640 --> 01:38:38,000
has done, but what he will do. And I mean

2152
01:38:38,039 --> 01:38:41,520
Brent Strom's no longer here, But what are the Astros

2153
01:38:41,560 --> 01:38:45,279
known for during this run is their pitching staff, whomever

2154
01:38:45,399 --> 01:38:48,560
has been on it, by the way, unlocking the best

2155
01:38:48,680 --> 01:38:52,279
version of you if you throw the baseball in any capacity,

2156
01:38:53,079 --> 01:38:55,640
whether that be as a starter, a relief guy, or

2157
01:38:55,680 --> 01:38:59,800
a closer. They have made guys that are already good

2158
01:39:00,199 --> 01:39:03,760
or maybe haven't tapped their potential, become great. And they've

2159
01:39:03,760 --> 01:39:05,800
made a habit of it for a long time doing that.

2160
01:39:05,960 --> 01:39:08,399
Speaker 3: Yeah, And that's what it brings me to kind of

2161
01:39:08,479 --> 01:39:10,840
we brush on this earlier really with the wind total

2162
01:39:11,079 --> 01:39:11,880
is is.

2163
01:39:12,520 --> 01:39:14,720
Speaker 2: Am I just being a homer or is everyone else

2164
01:39:14,800 --> 01:39:15,199
missing this?

2165
01:39:15,319 --> 01:39:17,079
Speaker 3: And we are here in Houston and we know this

2166
01:39:17,199 --> 01:39:19,960
because that's absolutely what I'm thinking as well. You bring

2167
01:39:20,039 --> 01:39:23,199
pitchers into here and those guys are going to be successful.

2168
01:39:23,239 --> 01:39:24,760
Speaker 2: We kind of mentioned some of the names from.

2169
01:39:24,640 --> 01:39:28,680
Speaker 3: Last year, the Colton Gordon's, the Ryan Gustos, the guys

2170
01:39:28,880 --> 01:39:32,039
the Jason Alexander's who came out of nowhere and gave

2171
01:39:32,079 --> 01:39:34,079
you great innings. And now you're going with guys with

2172
01:39:34,199 --> 01:39:39,399
track records, with more pedigree as well, and you're allowing

2173
01:39:39,439 --> 01:39:41,640
them to come with it with the Astros pitching's brains.

2174
01:39:41,960 --> 01:39:44,119
Speaker 5: Do you want to really feed into the narrative? Where

2175
01:39:44,199 --> 01:39:45,880
was Garrett Cole before he got to the Astros?

2176
01:39:45,960 --> 01:39:48,359
Speaker 2: Absolutely the same thing, and where has he been since?

2177
01:39:48,399 --> 01:39:50,239
As you mentioned, he's been good. You want to saw young,

2178
01:39:50,279 --> 01:39:52,680
but he hasn't been as dominated as was and he

2179
01:39:52,760 --> 01:39:55,399
came from Visburg like a spider tack.

2180
01:39:56,000 --> 01:39:57,800
Speaker 3: Excuse me, I don't know if you want to use

2181
01:39:57,880 --> 01:40:01,560
that as possible The reasons gets, Yeah, things got sticky

2182
01:40:01,560 --> 01:40:03,439
over here, and he was great and he was dominant.

2183
01:40:03,640 --> 01:40:06,239
But you come over here, you're going to be successful,

2184
01:40:06,399 --> 01:40:09,520
and especially from a pitching standpoint. Now you also might

2185
01:40:09,560 --> 01:40:12,119
get some elbow discomfort at some point, but before.

2186
01:40:11,840 --> 01:40:13,920
Speaker 2: That happens, you're going to be successful.

2187
01:40:13,920 --> 01:40:16,520
Speaker 3: And so you know, our friends over Fan Grafts has

2188
01:40:16,520 --> 01:40:19,720
the Astros of the seventeenth best rotation in baseball.

2189
01:40:20,159 --> 01:40:22,359
Speaker 2: The Athletic has the Astros at eighteenth.

2190
01:40:22,439 --> 01:40:24,880
Speaker 3: And I'm not saying they're gonna be you know, the

2191
01:40:24,880 --> 01:40:28,399
the uh like an all time the nineties Braves or

2192
01:40:28,399 --> 01:40:32,279
something like that, but I feel like they're going to

2193
01:40:32,319 --> 01:40:32,560
be in.

2194
01:40:32,479 --> 01:40:34,920
Speaker 2: A pretty good spot. Couldn't agree more.

2195
01:40:34,960 --> 01:40:37,600
Speaker 3: All right, Chandler Rome is waiting patiently, and he is

2196
01:40:37,600 --> 01:40:39,199
such a big dog we cannot.

2197
01:40:38,840 --> 01:40:42,039
Speaker 2: Make him wait anymore. He's he's he's tapping his watch.

2198
01:40:42,119 --> 01:40:43,560
Speaker 3: So we gotta go ahead and get to a quick

2199
01:40:43,560 --> 01:40:47,199
break here because the superstar himself is here. Chandler Roam

2200
01:40:47,279 --> 01:40:52,880
joining us Astros Street Fest Spectacular here on Sports Talk

2201
01:40:52,920 --> 01:40:55,319
seven ninety with you until two o'clock and right.

2202
01:40:55,159 --> 01:41:01,600
Speaker 2: Back with Chandler Rome twelve thirty pm.

2203
01:41:01,640 --> 01:41:05,119
Speaker 3: Here on Sports Talk seven ninety It is the Matt

2204
01:41:05,119 --> 01:41:09,399
Timas Show with Ross from Astros. You can cheered, It's okay, yeah,

2205
01:41:09,800 --> 01:41:13,640
Astros Street Fest till two o'clock, at which point we

2206
01:41:13,720 --> 01:41:17,359
will go into Astros on Deck Mode. Matt Thomas out,

2207
01:41:17,640 --> 01:41:20,479
Adam Weser is here, Adam Clanton is here, and their

2208
01:41:20,640 --> 01:41:25,399
regular weekly guest, Uh what time what day today?

2209
01:41:25,680 --> 01:41:28,359
Speaker 6: Usually Friday, five o'clock.

2210
01:41:28,079 --> 01:41:32,079
Speaker 3: Usually Friday's usually five o'clock. Chandler Rome of the Athletic

2211
01:41:32,119 --> 01:41:35,279
covering the Astros for a long time. Chandler, I know

2212
01:41:35,319 --> 01:41:38,359
you're nobody is more excited for Opening Day than you.

2213
01:41:38,640 --> 01:41:41,000
Speaker 12: Oh, I'm called this is great. I love them. I

2214
01:41:41,279 --> 01:41:43,800
do like Opening Day. Opening Day is awesome. I think

2215
01:41:43,800 --> 01:41:46,439
there's a little too much. Uh, there's a little too

2216
01:41:46,479 --> 01:41:49,239
much scrutiny on it'll be there'd be too much scrutiny

2217
01:41:49,279 --> 01:41:52,039
on the game, regardless of outcome. There's too much scrutiny

2218
01:41:52,079 --> 01:41:53,840
on the opening day roster because it'll look different in

2219
01:41:53,880 --> 01:41:54,439
three days.

2220
01:41:54,479 --> 01:41:56,720
Speaker 7: But the pop in the circumstance is fun.

2221
01:41:56,760 --> 01:41:59,199
Speaker 2: I like it. Yeah, well that brings us to the

2222
01:41:59,239 --> 01:42:00,680
opening day raw in I get.

2223
01:42:00,760 --> 01:42:02,520
Speaker 3: I guess as we call it in the radio business

2224
01:42:02,600 --> 01:42:05,199
topic A today, Jeremy.

2225
01:42:04,760 --> 01:42:06,520
Speaker 2: Pagna not in the lineup.

2226
01:42:06,720 --> 01:42:10,279
Speaker 3: Esock Paratus is also not on the IL, so that

2227
01:42:10,399 --> 01:42:14,199
tells us Jeremy Pania probably pretty close and something we

2228
01:42:14,199 --> 01:42:17,159
were talking about earlier. And we can get delve into

2229
01:42:17,159 --> 01:42:19,239
some other things in a minute. But how much of

2230
01:42:19,279 --> 01:42:21,720
this is okay? Jeremy Paye is not ready to go,

2231
01:42:22,159 --> 01:42:24,159
and how much of this is okay? We have a

2232
01:42:24,159 --> 01:42:26,920
great backup plan in estock paratus as well, so we

2233
01:42:27,000 --> 01:42:30,000
can kind of treat Jeremy Pania more with kid gloves

2234
01:42:30,159 --> 01:42:32,600
because of the great backup plan.

2235
01:42:32,640 --> 01:42:33,359
Speaker 2: Slash a log game.

2236
01:42:33,439 --> 01:42:34,680
Speaker 7: Yeah, I think it's a little bit of both.

2237
01:42:35,279 --> 01:42:38,359
Speaker 12: You know, Jeremy Payne, you said in spring training that

2238
01:42:38,399 --> 01:42:39,960
he wanted to play one hundred and sixty two games,

2239
01:42:40,159 --> 01:42:43,399
so it's obviously this is not part of his plan.

2240
01:42:44,640 --> 01:42:48,439
I think there were probably some some conversations out were

2241
01:42:48,439 --> 01:42:50,880
had that were like, look, we can do it this

2242
01:42:50,920 --> 01:42:53,760
way to appease all involved, because look, Jeremy Payne wants

2243
01:42:53,760 --> 01:42:54,920
to be out there. He wants to playe hundred and

2244
01:42:54,920 --> 01:42:57,800
sixty two games. He's arbitration eligible again this winter. How

2245
01:42:57,800 --> 01:43:01,319
do you get money and arbitration? You're available, you accumulate stats,

2246
01:43:01,319 --> 01:43:04,800
and we play every day. I think the fact that

2247
01:43:04,800 --> 01:43:06,399
he is not on the IL and the fact that

2248
01:43:06,439 --> 01:43:08,960
he is in Sugarland as we speak, taking some live

2249
01:43:09,039 --> 01:43:12,239
that that's a constantution field shows you how close he is.

2250
01:43:12,319 --> 01:43:15,039
I would imagine he plays at some point in this series.

2251
01:43:16,039 --> 01:43:18,159
But I will say this, like the guy they're facing

2252
01:43:18,199 --> 01:43:21,319
to day, who's a Sriano, he throws a hundred he throws.

2253
01:43:21,520 --> 01:43:23,640
It's one hundred mile an hour sinker coming in on

2254
01:43:23,680 --> 01:43:26,800
a right handed hitter. I don't think that's the ideal

2255
01:43:26,840 --> 01:43:29,239
matchup you want for a guy that is coming off

2256
01:43:29,239 --> 01:43:31,359
of a finger injury, a guy who's gonna run one

2257
01:43:31,399 --> 01:43:34,239
hundred miles an hour inside on you. So, yeah, they

2258
01:43:34,239 --> 01:43:36,159
have a good backup plane. They were able to get

2259
01:43:36,239 --> 01:43:38,439
ysoc paratus in the lineup today. I don't know how

2260
01:43:38,520 --> 01:43:40,359
much you're going to be able to do that going forward,

2261
01:43:40,439 --> 01:43:41,720
but today they were able to do it.

2262
01:43:41,880 --> 01:43:44,159
Speaker 6: Yeah, there's so many different things we could ask, like,

2263
01:43:44,319 --> 01:43:46,520
is there a big concern level here, a big concern

2264
01:43:46,680 --> 01:43:49,720
level there? I think we could spend the rest of

2265
01:43:49,760 --> 01:43:52,359
the show on it. Let's go the complete opposite direction.

2266
01:43:52,880 --> 01:43:56,079
What's the area of least concern or player of least concern,

2267
01:43:56,199 --> 01:44:00,880
someone you really expect he's gonna match or exceed expectations.

2268
01:44:01,600 --> 01:44:03,680
Speaker 12: I'll say, I mean jord And Alvarez is kind of

2269
01:44:03,680 --> 01:44:05,760
the guy that pops in the mind. I mean just

2270
01:44:06,880 --> 01:44:09,640
when he's been on the field the last three or

2271
01:44:09,640 --> 01:44:11,760
four years, he's been one of the best hitters in baseball,

2272
01:44:11,840 --> 01:44:15,640
and you know, last year there was just some freak occurrences.

2273
01:44:15,439 --> 01:44:18,600
He sprained his ankle scoring from second base. He had

2274
01:44:18,640 --> 01:44:22,600
a medical staff that completely mismanaged his diagnosis and everything

2275
01:44:22,640 --> 01:44:24,119
about the hand fracture.

2276
01:44:24,439 --> 01:44:25,479
Speaker 7: So they've fixed that.

2277
01:44:26,640 --> 01:44:28,199
Speaker 12: You know, if they keep him on the field, I

2278
01:44:28,199 --> 01:44:30,359
think this can be a guy that can single handedly

2279
01:44:30,439 --> 01:44:32,119
carry this team to where it needs to be. But

2280
01:44:32,199 --> 01:44:35,680
I think the other thing, and it's probably doesn't jive

2281
01:44:35,840 --> 01:44:38,880
with kind of the national public stuff that you're reading,

2282
01:44:38,960 --> 01:44:41,840
Like I feel very good about this rotation, Like I

2283
01:44:41,920 --> 01:44:46,199
just I do, and I understand why the public kind

2284
01:44:46,199 --> 01:44:49,720
of national metrics don't love them, because tatsuoa Emi is

2285
01:44:49,760 --> 01:44:52,479
an unknown. Mike Burrows, for how good he was in

2286
01:44:52,520 --> 01:44:55,000
spring training, he has only thrown ninety big league innings.

2287
01:44:56,319 --> 01:44:57,920
Speaker 7: Christian Hobbier has not been good.

2288
01:44:58,000 --> 01:44:59,680
Speaker 12: I mean he's not been on the field, and when

2289
01:44:59,680 --> 01:45:01,119
he has on the field, he hasn't been good the

2290
01:45:01,119 --> 01:45:01,920
past two years.

2291
01:45:02,119 --> 01:45:04,479
Speaker 7: So I get where the skepticism comes from.

2292
01:45:05,000 --> 01:45:08,800
Speaker 12: But the depth that they have accrued and watching how

2293
01:45:08,840 --> 01:45:11,640
these guys pitched in spring training, I feel pretty good

2294
01:45:11,680 --> 01:45:15,359
about this rotation, maybe better than the outside pundits that

2295
01:45:15,399 --> 01:45:16,920
don't watch his team daily field.

2296
01:45:17,279 --> 01:45:19,560
Speaker 5: Well, Mike Burrows, you kind of stall my bender because

2297
01:45:19,560 --> 01:45:21,720
that's where I wanted to go next. If if Hunter

2298
01:45:21,840 --> 01:45:24,319
Brown is the pitching version of a guy you don't

2299
01:45:24,319 --> 01:45:27,479
have to worry about. And I know that what they're

2300
01:45:27,520 --> 01:45:30,439
wanting to do with Emi factored into the fact that

2301
01:45:30,520 --> 01:45:32,479
he's going to be your number two guy in the

2302
01:45:32,560 --> 01:45:36,439
rotation at least for the start of the season. They've

2303
01:45:36,479 --> 01:45:38,079
got to have They still have to have a lot

2304
01:45:38,079 --> 01:45:39,000
of confidence in him.

2305
01:45:39,119 --> 01:45:39,840
Speaker 7: Oh, Mike Burrows.

2306
01:45:39,920 --> 01:45:42,880
Speaker 12: Yes, I mean, and he exceeded every expectation they had

2307
01:45:42,960 --> 01:45:43,920
for him in spring training.

2308
01:45:44,319 --> 01:45:45,920
Speaker 7: He's throwing the slider to lefties.

2309
01:45:46,319 --> 01:45:48,760
Speaker 12: The four seam had more, It was a little heavier

2310
01:45:48,800 --> 01:45:51,000
and had more effectiveness than they thought it would be.

2311
01:45:51,119 --> 01:45:52,680
Speaker 7: The change up's his best pitch, Like.

2312
01:45:53,039 --> 01:45:55,479
Speaker 12: The change up is his calling card and he's gonna

2313
01:45:55,479 --> 01:45:56,880
throw that to both rioties and lefties.

2314
01:45:56,920 --> 01:45:59,399
Speaker 7: They like it a lot. They working with him. Stop

2315
01:45:59,399 --> 01:46:00,279
me if you've heard this before.

2316
01:46:00,319 --> 01:46:02,760
Speaker 12: The ass are working with him on a sinker to

2317
01:46:03,159 --> 01:46:04,920
throw a sinker more to right handed hitters.

2318
01:46:05,439 --> 01:46:07,119
Speaker 7: Look, Mike Burrow is going to be crucial to what

2319
01:46:07,159 --> 01:46:07,479
they do.

2320
01:46:08,000 --> 01:46:10,760
Speaker 12: But kind of going off topic, like, I think Christian

2321
01:46:10,800 --> 01:46:14,720
Hobber has got to be the guy that I think

2322
01:46:14,800 --> 01:46:17,359
Christian Hobbier is the X factor for this team for

2323
01:46:17,439 --> 01:46:19,880
no other reason that you have seen him in an

2324
01:46:19,880 --> 01:46:23,560
asher's uniform be a high end number two starter. He

2325
01:46:23,600 --> 01:46:26,880
has done it before. You haven't seen Mike Burrows do

2326
01:46:26,960 --> 01:46:29,800
that before. You haven't seen touch E in an MLB

2327
01:46:29,960 --> 01:46:33,720
game before. Christian Aavier has shown you when he is

2328
01:46:33,760 --> 01:46:36,039
at his best, he can be a number two starter.

2329
01:46:36,399 --> 01:46:37,840
I think if they get him back.

2330
01:46:37,720 --> 01:46:40,039
Speaker 7: To that level, that just raises the floor and the

2331
01:46:40,039 --> 01:46:40,800
ceiling for this team.

2332
01:46:40,960 --> 01:46:43,760
Speaker 6: Let me ask you a quick question about Emi. You

2333
01:46:43,800 --> 01:46:45,720
were there at spring training, A couple of stops been

2334
01:46:45,720 --> 01:46:47,680
here the last couple of days, and we've heard from

2335
01:46:47,720 --> 01:46:51,079
multiple different players the same idea about Emi, even though

2336
01:46:51,119 --> 01:46:54,359
he's communicating with them through a translator. They all seem

2337
01:46:54,439 --> 01:46:56,840
to love him, love his personality, love what he brings

2338
01:46:56,880 --> 01:46:59,359
to the table, his charisman, all these other things. How

2339
01:46:59,439 --> 01:47:01,840
is E my doing that? And how are they Obviously

2340
01:47:01,880 --> 01:47:04,840
they're responding exceptionally well to just having this presence in

2341
01:47:04,880 --> 01:47:06,680
this person. Do who they seem to like a lot

2342
01:47:06,760 --> 01:47:07,520
in their clubhouse?

2343
01:47:07,600 --> 01:47:10,800
Speaker 12: Well, I mean Tetsu He's not gonna do interviews in English,

2344
01:47:10,840 --> 01:47:13,560
but tatsu Imai his English is decent, Like he can

2345
01:47:13,560 --> 01:47:16,960
communicate with his teammates maybe that you're not going to

2346
01:47:17,000 --> 01:47:19,239
see him speak English publicly, but in the clubhouse he

2347
01:47:19,279 --> 01:47:23,039
can do that, so that's helped. And he's an outgoing personality.

2348
01:47:23,079 --> 01:47:25,840
He's kind of a free spirit, kind of a you know,

2349
01:47:26,239 --> 01:47:28,960
you see a lot of Japanese players, and I don't

2350
01:47:28,960 --> 01:47:31,720
want to paint with a broad brush, but I've heard

2351
01:47:31,760 --> 01:47:35,640
of Otani and Yamamoto and guys that are pretty reserved,

2352
01:47:35,720 --> 01:47:39,000
pretty to themselves. They don't they don't really have a

2353
01:47:39,039 --> 01:47:42,520
ton of personality like Tatsuya. Imai is completely different. Tatsu

2354
01:47:42,600 --> 01:47:46,359
IMA's got a lot of personality. He has really endeared

2355
01:47:46,439 --> 01:47:48,319
himself well to the clubhouse. Now he sells to go

2356
01:47:48,359 --> 01:47:49,600
out there and pitch. He sells to go out there

2357
01:47:49,600 --> 01:47:53,119
and pitch well. But I think you know this has

2358
01:47:53,159 --> 01:47:55,720
been it was spring training was like a six week

2359
01:47:55,800 --> 01:47:58,479
kind of crash course into learning him. You know, they're

2360
01:47:58,560 --> 01:48:01,720
letting him dictate a lot of his schedule. They're letting

2361
01:48:01,760 --> 01:48:03,920
him dictate a lot of when he pitches, what he's

2362
01:48:03,960 --> 01:48:05,239
going to do before he pitches.

2363
01:48:05,640 --> 01:48:07,680
Speaker 7: Because the Ashers, this is all new for the Ashers too.

2364
01:48:07,680 --> 01:48:11,520
Speaker 12: They've never had a a player, much less a pitcher

2365
01:48:11,800 --> 01:48:14,640
come over straight from NPB. So this is this is

2366
01:48:14,680 --> 01:48:17,399
a totally different thing for them, but they're learning on

2367
01:48:17,399 --> 01:48:19,119
the fly, and in spring training it went well.

2368
01:48:19,760 --> 01:48:22,439
Speaker 2: Chance personality surpassed Christian Walker's.

2369
01:48:22,960 --> 01:48:25,159
Speaker 7: I like, Christian Walker is a great guy, a great,

2370
01:48:25,359 --> 01:48:25,920
great person.

2371
01:48:25,920 --> 01:48:28,000
Speaker 2: I'm ticking on him, I'm picking great well.

2372
01:48:28,159 --> 01:48:30,359
Speaker 3: Actually brings me to my question with Chandler Rome, with

2373
01:48:30,399 --> 01:48:33,000
the Athletic Hero with us on Sports Talk seven ninety

2374
01:48:33,199 --> 01:48:37,199
is we saw maybe it was oblique stuff and he

2375
01:48:37,239 --> 01:48:39,159
had a better second half Christian Walker, but not only

2376
01:48:39,199 --> 01:48:41,840
just him, Jose L two Ve, Carlos Perea. I mean,

2377
01:48:42,119 --> 01:48:44,079
even if we weren't talking about a logjam, we'd be

2378
01:48:44,199 --> 01:48:46,119
kind of wondering, like, what about these guys who are

2379
01:48:46,840 --> 01:48:49,479
hitting into their mid to late thirties some of them,

2380
01:48:49,840 --> 01:48:53,960
and the potential for some decline from from those types

2381
01:48:54,000 --> 01:48:56,119
of guys who you're you're kind of counting on.

2382
01:48:56,239 --> 01:48:57,800
Speaker 2: Especially if you do end up making a trade.

2383
01:48:57,960 --> 01:49:00,680
Speaker 12: Yeah, I put I put little stock in spring training

2384
01:49:00,720 --> 01:49:04,439
stats in any event, but it didn't help the narrative

2385
01:49:04,439 --> 01:49:06,880
that Christian Walker and Joseel Tuva were not good in

2386
01:49:06,920 --> 01:49:10,560
spring training their results or not good, but these guys

2387
01:49:10,560 --> 01:49:12,920
were working on time and Christian Walker was working on

2388
01:49:13,000 --> 01:49:15,800
like eight different things with his load with maybe experien

2389
01:49:15,880 --> 01:49:18,399
me with a toe tap, not toe tapping. Al Twove

2390
01:49:18,640 --> 01:49:20,880
was doing some different stuff, so like he can't put

2391
01:49:20,880 --> 01:49:23,680
stock in spring stats. But it's I mean, it's not

2392
01:49:23,760 --> 01:49:25,800
a secret, like they need these guys to hit, Like

2393
01:49:26,159 --> 01:49:28,479
they don't need Christian Walker to carry the lineup, but

2394
01:49:28,560 --> 01:49:30,359
he can't have a five fifty.

2395
01:49:30,079 --> 01:49:31,760
Speaker 7: Ops or whatever he had in the first half of

2396
01:49:31,840 --> 01:49:34,279
last year. Jose al twov is gonna be a big

2397
01:49:34,279 --> 01:49:35,000
part of what they do.

2398
01:49:35,039 --> 01:49:38,000
Speaker 12: He's gonna hit third, fourth, second the lineup, depending on

2399
01:49:38,039 --> 01:49:38,399
the day.

2400
01:49:38,640 --> 01:49:40,079
Speaker 7: He's gonna get a lot of at bats.

2401
01:49:40,119 --> 01:49:42,199
Speaker 12: And I mean he's one of the best players in

2402
01:49:42,239 --> 01:49:45,880
franchise history. Is he at peak al two A levels?

2403
01:49:46,520 --> 01:49:49,119
Probably not anymore. H comes for us all, but I

2404
01:49:49,159 --> 01:49:51,079
wouldn't doubt the guy, Like he's one of the few

2405
01:49:51,119 --> 01:49:55,119
people I'd ever doubt about this. So look these guys,

2406
01:49:56,239 --> 01:49:58,760
I think what would help a lot, What would help

2407
01:49:58,920 --> 01:50:03,319
this whole conversation and is if Cam Smith shows what

2408
01:50:03,399 --> 01:50:06,920
he showed in spring training, if Jeremy Pagna backs up

2409
01:50:07,000 --> 01:50:09,800
last season with what he did with what he does

2410
01:50:09,880 --> 01:50:11,800
this season, if you see some of these young guys,

2411
01:50:11,800 --> 01:50:14,239
even Bryce Matthews when they can get him out there

2412
01:50:14,479 --> 01:50:16,279
if he can kind of show that upside.

2413
01:50:16,680 --> 01:50:18,239
Speaker 7: This is the year where they.

2414
01:50:18,159 --> 01:50:22,720
Speaker 12: Need the next pieces of the next Astros corps. Whether

2415
01:50:22,760 --> 01:50:26,159
it's Cam Smith, whether it's Jeremy Pagna he's only here

2416
01:50:26,199 --> 01:50:28,840
for two more years, but it's Cam Smith, It's Jordan

2417
01:50:28,880 --> 01:50:31,760
Alvarez who's here for a little while, it's Mike Burrows

2418
01:50:31,800 --> 01:50:34,359
who has six years a team control left. Like they

2419
01:50:34,399 --> 01:50:37,520
need these guys to kind of start announcing their presence

2420
01:50:38,119 --> 01:50:39,760
to help supplement what is.

2421
01:50:39,880 --> 01:50:42,079
Speaker 7: An otherwise pretty aging position player group.

2422
01:50:42,199 --> 01:50:44,319
Speaker 6: Does Carlos Correa play a role in two of those

2423
01:50:44,319 --> 01:50:48,399
players you mentioned their progress their development, specifically Cam Smith,

2424
01:50:48,439 --> 01:50:51,640
who shares a lot of similarities body type, and obviously

2425
01:50:51,680 --> 01:50:54,960
Bryce Matthews. Does Carlos Correa play a role in their futures?

2426
01:50:54,960 --> 01:50:57,159
Speaker 12: Carlos Carea plays a role in everybody's like he is

2427
01:50:57,560 --> 01:51:00,000
I mean it's a cliche, but like he's he's another

2428
01:51:00,159 --> 01:51:02,520
coach on the field, like he's he is the he's

2429
01:51:02,640 --> 01:51:03,760
l hefe in the clubhouse.

2430
01:51:03,800 --> 01:51:07,800
Speaker 7: He is like unquestionably the leader of this team.

2431
01:51:08,000 --> 01:51:10,680
Speaker 12: You know, there's a bregman like effect with him in

2432
01:51:10,760 --> 01:51:14,159
terms of he can go to other players and you know,

2433
01:51:14,399 --> 01:51:17,520
mentor them, tell them what they're doing wrong, like be

2434
01:51:17,600 --> 01:51:20,439
there to help you a sounding board. Without a shadow

2435
01:51:20,479 --> 01:51:23,279
of a doubt, Carlos Korea's impact on this team is

2436
01:51:23,319 --> 01:51:25,439
going to be felt far more than what he does

2437
01:51:25,560 --> 01:51:26,399
at third base.

2438
01:51:26,279 --> 01:51:27,680
Speaker 7: Or shortstop it in the matters box.

2439
01:51:27,840 --> 01:51:33,039
Speaker 5: How much better did the Mariners get those two teams

2440
01:51:33,039 --> 01:51:35,880
in relation to contending for the AO West.

2441
01:51:35,920 --> 01:51:37,439
Speaker 12: Well, the Mariners they're a lot better. They got a

2442
01:51:37,439 --> 01:51:40,319
guy that the Astros wanted. The Astros were very, very

2443
01:51:41,199 --> 01:51:43,960
heavy in their pursuit of Brendan Donovan, who would have

2444
01:51:44,000 --> 01:51:46,920
fit in perfectly on this roster. He'd probably been in

2445
01:51:47,000 --> 01:51:50,439
left field today, left handed hitter, puts the ball in play,

2446
01:51:50,479 --> 01:51:54,039
doesn't strike out. It's what the Mariners needed. Now you

2447
01:51:54,039 --> 01:51:56,840
know the Mariner they're starting out. JP Crawford's on the IL,

2448
01:51:56,960 --> 01:51:59,680
so they're gonna Bryce Miller's on the IL, so they've

2449
01:52:00,359 --> 01:52:02,239
I don't think it's a stretch to say if you

2450
01:52:02,239 --> 01:52:04,279
look at the two rosters, and Mariners probably do have

2451
01:52:04,279 --> 01:52:06,680
a better roster than the Astros. But how often do

2452
01:52:06,720 --> 01:52:08,880
you how often in baseball does the best team win?

2453
01:52:09,000 --> 01:52:11,000
How often in baseball does the best team win the

2454
01:52:11,000 --> 01:52:11,600
World Series?

2455
01:52:11,840 --> 01:52:12,000
Speaker 8: Us?

2456
01:52:12,159 --> 01:52:15,840
Speaker 2: How much is the beef between Cal Raley and Randy A. Roseorina.

2457
01:52:16,319 --> 01:52:18,119
Speaker 12: Do you want a hot take, I don't think Randy

2458
01:52:18,199 --> 01:52:19,760
Roseraino is on that team at the deadline.

2459
01:52:20,840 --> 01:52:21,880
Speaker 7: I don't think he's on that.

2460
01:52:21,760 --> 01:52:23,399
Speaker 2: They trade it for him at the deadline.

2461
01:52:23,479 --> 01:52:24,840
Speaker 7: Well, sure they can trade him again.

2462
01:52:24,920 --> 01:52:27,079
Speaker 2: No, I know that's that's that surprises me.

2463
01:52:27,239 --> 01:52:31,600
Speaker 12: Randy Rose Raina's makeup has long been questioned.

2464
01:52:31,159 --> 01:52:32,119
Speaker 7: And I think you're seeing it.

2465
01:52:32,479 --> 01:52:34,079
Speaker 2: He's had a manifest from.

2466
01:52:35,840 --> 01:52:38,119
Speaker 7: No I think Randy from what I.

2467
01:52:38,079 --> 01:52:40,439
Speaker 12: Understand from people, from other people that have been around

2468
01:52:40,520 --> 01:52:45,199
Randy rose arena, he gets Randy's way or no way.

2469
01:52:45,720 --> 01:52:49,720
He's very uh individual, He's he's he doesn't really like

2470
01:52:49,720 --> 01:52:51,920
and if you even watch like if you watch some

2471
01:52:52,000 --> 01:52:54,560
of the Mariners games last year, like he'd be he'd

2472
01:52:54,560 --> 01:52:56,800
be trying to steal bases and counts where you just

2473
01:52:57,039 --> 01:52:59,399
you're hanging a teammate out to dry. They'd be in

2474
01:52:59,439 --> 01:53:02,439
a situation shouldn't where he'd be like he'd died for

2475
01:53:02,479 --> 01:53:03,640
a ball when you shouldn't die.

2476
01:53:03,640 --> 01:53:05,760
Speaker 7: Like the games, like, he.

2477
01:53:05,760 --> 01:53:08,439
Speaker 12: Doesn't really have a team aspect. So that's a hot

2478
01:53:08,479 --> 01:53:10,119
take for me that I don't think Randy Roserain is

2479
01:53:10,119 --> 01:53:10,800
on that team, which.

2480
01:53:10,680 --> 01:53:11,560
Speaker 2: Al I like it.

2481
01:53:11,680 --> 01:53:14,399
Speaker 12: I hope he implodes that club now now I say that,

2482
01:53:14,439 --> 01:53:16,800
and they'll probably trade Grandy Rose Rainer for a player

2483
01:53:16,800 --> 01:53:19,079
that can help them. It's not gonna be like a

2484
01:53:19,159 --> 01:53:21,279
df face. It's not gonna be like a DFA situation.

2485
01:53:21,319 --> 01:53:23,279
Speaker 5: Now that their GM has started to do things and

2486
01:53:23,319 --> 01:53:24,479
he knows that he can do things.

2487
01:53:24,479 --> 01:53:28,039
Speaker 12: Oh, Jerry Depoto's he's the last person that's not doing

2488
01:53:28,079 --> 01:53:29,760
things that trades more than anybody.

2489
01:53:29,840 --> 01:53:31,720
Speaker 2: It felt like for so long they just well that

2490
01:53:31,880 --> 01:53:33,960
was an ownership that was an ownership problem.

2491
01:53:34,000 --> 01:53:35,880
Speaker 3: All right, all right, well Crystal Ball you had the

2492
01:53:35,920 --> 01:53:38,000
hot take, So I guess we have to do the

2493
01:53:38,039 --> 01:53:40,960
obligatory season Outlook, how you kind of see it.

2494
01:53:40,920 --> 01:53:43,560
Speaker 2: Feels like there are a wider range.

2495
01:53:43,319 --> 01:53:46,840
Speaker 3: Of outcomes more than normal for the Astros, especially when

2496
01:53:46,840 --> 01:53:49,640
you put it against what happened with the injuries last year.

2497
01:53:49,840 --> 01:53:52,119
I mean, just what gut feeling about how this season

2498
01:53:52,279 --> 01:53:52,920
playing out for you?

2499
01:53:53,159 --> 01:53:54,039
Speaker 7: Like it's a do gut feeling?

2500
01:53:54,119 --> 01:53:55,039
Speaker 2: Yes, I look at that.

2501
01:53:56,039 --> 01:53:58,319
Speaker 12: First of all, do you think they translated Ackerman's call

2502
01:53:58,399 --> 01:54:01,720
last night into Italian for they to the ambassador to Italy?

2503
01:54:01,840 --> 01:54:04,079
Speaker 2: Wait, we did this whole segment and you do that

2504
01:54:04,640 --> 01:54:07,359
just off. I know what you're talking about. Houston Rockets,

2505
01:54:07,399 --> 01:54:08,560
never heard of them good.

2506
01:54:09,279 --> 01:54:12,720
Speaker 12: It sounds like Tillman hasn't either, or rafel Stone, who

2507
01:54:12,760 --> 01:54:13,279
like ended.

2508
01:54:13,079 --> 01:54:16,079
Speaker 2: The You know, I think.

2509
01:54:18,079 --> 01:54:19,439
Speaker 7: It's tough for me right now.

2510
01:54:19,560 --> 01:54:23,479
Speaker 12: Like I said, looking at the rosters on paper, I

2511
01:54:23,520 --> 01:54:25,800
would probably pick the Mariners to win the division. I

2512
01:54:25,800 --> 01:54:27,920
do think the Astors are a playoff team. I think

2513
01:54:27,920 --> 01:54:30,560
they have. I think they have the capabilities. I think

2514
01:54:30,560 --> 01:54:33,199
they have the rotation depth. I think they have the

2515
01:54:33,279 --> 01:54:36,439
top end lineup talent to be a playoff team.

2516
01:54:36,520 --> 01:54:39,840
Speaker 7: If they stay healthy. They have to stay healthy, they

2517
01:54:39,880 --> 01:54:42,439
have to stay healthy. The pitching, if it holds up

2518
01:54:42,439 --> 01:54:43,159
the way it can.

2519
01:54:43,520 --> 01:54:45,520
Speaker 12: I think this is a team that makes a wild

2520
01:54:45,520 --> 01:54:47,800
card and you know what you get in the playoffs.

2521
01:54:48,199 --> 01:54:51,199
And if this rotation goes like we think it's going

2522
01:54:51,239 --> 01:54:53,079
to go, you get into the playoffs and you have

2523
01:54:53,119 --> 01:54:55,039
a one two three of Hunter Brown, Mike Burrows, and

2524
01:54:55,079 --> 01:54:58,520
tatsuoa Emi, and if Christian Hobbier comes back to form,

2525
01:54:58,880 --> 01:55:01,079
you run those four guys out in the playoff series.

2526
01:55:01,640 --> 01:55:03,800
There's very few in the AL that are gonna be better.

2527
01:55:03,840 --> 01:55:05,920
So can they win the Division.

2528
01:55:06,000 --> 01:55:07,159
Speaker 7: Yes, I think they can.

2529
01:55:07,640 --> 01:55:10,359
Speaker 12: I just right now I don't think their roster is

2530
01:55:10,359 --> 01:55:11,399
on par with the Marrigers.

2531
01:55:11,399 --> 01:55:13,399
Speaker 7: But we'll see how it goes. It's baseball. That's why

2532
01:55:13,439 --> 01:55:14,840
they play the game. That's why they play one hundred

2533
01:55:14,840 --> 01:55:15,159
sixty two.

2534
01:55:15,239 --> 01:55:16,279
Speaker 2: Now, say the Rangers suck.

2535
01:55:16,640 --> 01:55:17,399
Speaker 7: I'm not gonna say that.

2536
01:55:17,439 --> 01:55:18,720
Speaker 2: Come on, say it for all the fans.

2537
01:55:18,720 --> 01:55:19,520
Speaker 7: Hey, you're not gonna say that.

2538
01:55:19,520 --> 01:55:22,199
Speaker 6: I'm there, Say.

2539
01:55:24,000 --> 01:55:24,880
Speaker 2: There's my dog.

2540
01:55:26,439 --> 01:55:27,119
Speaker 7: I'm not gonna say that.

2541
01:55:27,239 --> 01:55:28,920
Speaker 2: All right, thanks for the time, Channel, Thank you.

2542
01:55:28,920 --> 01:55:31,199
Speaker 3: You will be talking not with me, but with Adam

2543
01:55:31,239 --> 01:55:33,720
Wexler and Adam Planting throughout the season.

2544
01:55:33,800 --> 01:55:35,800
Speaker 2: On the A team. But right now, this is the

2545
01:55:35,800 --> 01:55:37,199
Matt Thomas Show with Ross.

2546
01:55:37,199 --> 01:55:40,760
Speaker 3: It is the street Fest Opening Day Spectacular here on

2547
01:55:40,800 --> 01:55:47,800
Sports Talk seven ninety with you until two forty. Thanks Steven,

2548
01:55:49,199 --> 01:55:52,720
Thanks Steven or Frank, whatever you want to call him.

2549
01:55:52,960 --> 01:55:55,319
Speaker 2: Guess what what Paul Skins is human?

2550
01:55:56,279 --> 01:55:59,520
Speaker 3: Well, he's also having O'Neal Cruz apparently is having some

2551
01:55:59,560 --> 01:56:00,560
adventures out on the field.

2552
01:56:00,560 --> 01:56:04,640
Speaker 6: But go ahead, so weird two games, not even two

2553
01:56:04,640 --> 01:56:10,399
full games into the season. Yeah, Logan web destroyed. Pal

2554
01:56:10,479 --> 01:56:15,039
Skein's not looking good. They have in common they both

2555
01:56:15,119 --> 01:56:19,359
pitched for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic into

2556
01:56:19,399 --> 01:56:19,880
the season.

2557
01:56:20,760 --> 01:56:23,840
Speaker 2: That's true. And Logan Webb, he's probably still reeling from

2558
01:56:23,920 --> 01:56:25,680
losing to Michael B. Jordan at the Oscars.

2559
01:56:27,119 --> 01:56:28,680
Speaker 6: What was Jesse up for.

2560
01:56:31,199 --> 01:56:34,640
Speaker 2: Best Actor? I believe are you really you?

2561
01:56:34,640 --> 01:56:36,920
Speaker 6: You think Michael B was a proper winner?

2562
01:56:36,920 --> 01:56:37,079
Speaker 2: Though?

2563
01:56:37,479 --> 01:56:41,680
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think he was good. I liked Timothy Challomaye,

2564
01:56:41,720 --> 01:56:45,239
Marty Supreme. I would have ranked. I probably would have

2565
01:56:45,239 --> 01:56:47,880
went Shall mate Jordan DiCaprio.

2566
01:56:48,079 --> 01:56:51,920
Speaker 6: But I don't know if splitting Hairs asking you would

2567
01:56:51,960 --> 01:56:55,960
you have the most knowledge of the ten nominated Best

2568
01:56:55,960 --> 01:56:58,079
Picture Award film our staff.

2569
01:56:58,119 --> 01:56:59,800
Speaker 3: I probably saw half of them, all right, I saw

2570
01:56:59,840 --> 01:57:03,119
not of them. Okay, Matt is at zero, I'm sure zero.

2571
01:57:04,000 --> 01:57:05,720
I think Jonathan Allen might be up there.

2572
01:57:08,039 --> 01:57:09,399
Speaker 2: I don't know how many how many of the Best

2573
01:57:09,399 --> 01:57:12,680
Picture nominees did you watch? Jonathan? Uh? All of them

2574
01:57:12,680 --> 01:57:15,359
from this year? I wats hand me? Uh?

2575
01:57:15,199 --> 01:57:15,359
Speaker 10: Oh?

2576
01:57:15,600 --> 01:57:16,159
Speaker 7: All of them?

2577
01:57:16,199 --> 01:57:18,399
Speaker 2: There you go? It was like ten Jonathan's our movie

2578
01:57:18,399 --> 01:57:20,239
buff Why.

2579
01:57:20,039 --> 01:57:22,560
Speaker 5: Did they nominate like twenty movies for Best Picture?

2580
01:57:23,199 --> 01:57:23,399
Speaker 4: Oh?

2581
01:57:23,439 --> 01:57:24,159
Speaker 2: Man? I was suppose to that.

2582
01:57:24,199 --> 01:57:26,039
Speaker 3: Well, there was something I wanted to have some pointy

2583
01:57:26,039 --> 01:57:27,920
discussion with Jonathan about a movie, and then I forgot

2584
01:57:27,960 --> 01:57:29,199
I was gonna come in there one break and this

2585
01:57:29,279 --> 01:57:30,319
was like weeks ago, and I don't.

2586
01:57:30,399 --> 01:57:32,439
Speaker 6: I just remember every other day is not Opening Day.

2587
01:57:32,439 --> 01:57:33,640
I'm sure you'll find that's fine.

2588
01:57:33,640 --> 01:57:34,880
Speaker 2: All right, we got Opening Day here.

2589
01:57:34,920 --> 01:57:38,439
Speaker 3: It is Adam Wexler, Adam Clanton, Ross VIIa with you

2590
01:57:38,520 --> 01:57:43,039
here on Sports Talk seven ninety until two forty pm.

2591
01:57:43,560 --> 01:57:45,600
We'll go into Ashros on Deck Moode coming up at

2592
01:57:45,600 --> 01:57:48,760
two o'clock. We have Brian mctagger coming up at one,

2593
01:57:48,800 --> 01:57:52,000
and we've just been talking all things Astros opening Day

2594
01:57:52,039 --> 01:57:55,159
as we've been covering a number of different topics. Uh,

2595
01:57:55,199 --> 01:57:58,800
and just had Chandler Roman. Great conversation with him as well.

2596
01:57:59,000 --> 01:58:01,079
I'm glad he said. We were all kind of thinking,

2597
01:58:01,279 --> 01:58:03,840
as I said, we have the Fangrafts with the rotation

2598
01:58:03,960 --> 01:58:08,039
at seventeenth, athletic prediction eighteenth, it's.

2599
01:58:07,880 --> 01:58:08,640
Speaker 2: Just gonna be better.

2600
01:58:09,119 --> 01:58:12,279
Speaker 3: I mean, you bring guys over here to the Astros,

2601
01:58:12,279 --> 01:58:15,520
the pitching train, brain trust is going to figure things out.

2602
01:58:15,840 --> 01:58:17,640
And I thought it was interesting what he said about

2603
01:58:17,640 --> 01:58:22,439
an X factor of Christian Javier and how important he's

2604
01:58:22,520 --> 01:58:24,520
going to be to the Astro success.

2605
01:58:25,199 --> 01:58:25,439
Speaker 7: Yeah.

2606
01:58:25,640 --> 01:58:28,880
Speaker 2: Look I hope, I hope we get that guy back.

2607
01:58:28,920 --> 01:58:29,840
I hope it's this season.

2608
01:58:29,920 --> 01:58:32,640
Speaker 5: I hope, you know, coming back, coming back in the

2609
01:58:32,640 --> 01:58:35,359
middle of the year from that injury, and that kind

2610
01:58:35,359 --> 01:58:37,520
of thing is so difficult no matter where you're at

2611
01:58:37,560 --> 01:58:41,720
in your recovery, it's just not the same as having

2612
01:58:41,720 --> 01:58:46,640
a full spring, going through the regular off season and

2613
01:58:47,239 --> 01:58:49,399
kind of building it not just the confidence in your

2614
01:58:49,479 --> 01:58:52,720
in your physical self, but the mental confidence or you're

2615
01:58:52,760 --> 01:58:55,880
starting on the same page with everybody else and and

2616
01:58:55,880 --> 01:58:57,560
see where you go from there. And I'm hoping that

2617
01:58:57,560 --> 01:59:00,319
that's kind of like the final key to unlocking the

2618
01:59:00,600 --> 01:59:04,720
artist formerly known as Christian hobby, a no hitting, dominating,

2619
01:59:05,119 --> 01:59:09,039
filthy hell, repteel, all the nicknames for that game.

2620
01:59:09,319 --> 01:59:13,520
Speaker 6: Yeah, it's hard not to talk glowingly about the pitching

2621
01:59:13,520 --> 01:59:17,399
staff starting pitching staff without acknowledging clear unknowns every spot

2622
01:59:17,399 --> 01:59:19,720
after one. But as you heard from Chandler and I

2623
01:59:19,720 --> 01:59:21,800
think you've heard from us throughout the week and again today,

2624
01:59:22,359 --> 01:59:25,000
I think there's a tremendous amount of optimism that that

2625
01:59:25,079 --> 01:59:28,920
group of pitchers they have in this staff starting the

2626
01:59:28,960 --> 01:59:32,840
season air getting likely included in that group. There should

2627
01:59:32,840 --> 01:59:34,760
be reason to believe that they can keep this team

2628
01:59:34,760 --> 01:59:36,680
in games all throughout the season. They can keep this

2629
01:59:36,720 --> 01:59:40,960
team in position to not fall into these streaks of ls.

2630
01:59:41,520 --> 01:59:43,359
That's what they really need to avoid. I can't tell

2631
01:59:43,359 --> 01:59:45,199
you they're gonna get off to a great start this year,

2632
01:59:45,439 --> 01:59:47,880
but I do think they are in a position where, Okay,

2633
01:59:47,960 --> 01:59:50,239
they lost this game. They lost this game. It's not

2634
01:59:50,239 --> 01:59:52,359
a three and a four and a five game losing streaks.

2635
01:59:52,439 --> 01:59:57,399
Because they've gotten this pattern of not getting good starts

2636
01:59:57,680 --> 02:00:00,439
consecutively over and over and over again. I think at

2637
02:00:00,439 --> 02:00:02,680
the very least, that's that's a kind of a bottom

2638
02:00:02,680 --> 02:00:05,319
shelf that I think they can rely on with the

2639
02:00:05,359 --> 02:00:05,960
group that they have.

2640
02:00:06,840 --> 02:00:08,479
Speaker 3: It's not only Yeah who they have, and we've talked

2641
02:00:08,479 --> 02:00:10,760
about this as well, it's the backup plan. These these

2642
02:00:10,800 --> 02:00:15,439
Spencer Arraghetty, the the Jason Alexander, the Ryan Weiss to whoever.

2643
02:00:15,159 --> 02:00:16,399
Speaker 2: It may end up being.

2644
02:00:16,399 --> 02:00:19,439
Speaker 3: Aj Blueball is a guy that started to come around

2645
02:00:19,439 --> 02:00:22,039
towards the end of the season. So I'm feeling really

2646
02:00:22,079 --> 02:00:24,279
good and that's just gonna be the pillar of this team.

2647
02:00:24,520 --> 02:00:26,560
If that's how they kind of wanted to win last

2648
02:00:26,640 --> 02:00:30,239
year until all the injuries happened. Is you're gonna win

2649
02:00:30,239 --> 02:00:33,000
with pitching, You're unfortunately gonna end up I think with

2650
02:00:33,159 --> 02:00:36,920
a lineup that's not gonna be top five in baseball

2651
02:00:36,960 --> 02:00:39,439
and run scored or ops, you're gonna end up with

2652
02:00:39,479 --> 02:00:43,399
a lot of high leverage innings again, which also brings

2653
02:00:43,439 --> 02:00:46,119
me to the bullpen. With Josh haterout, we don't know

2654
02:00:46,159 --> 02:00:49,239
how long Brian to bray You and and all of

2655
02:00:49,279 --> 02:00:52,079
the guys behind them. I think we are just gonna

2656
02:00:52,079 --> 02:00:54,960
see a lot of high leverage usage from these guys.

2657
02:00:55,000 --> 02:00:56,560
Speaker 2: And we've seen that from Brian to bray You in

2658
02:00:56,600 --> 02:00:57,000
the past.

2659
02:00:57,239 --> 02:00:59,399
Speaker 3: He's shown no signs of slowing down, so hopefully that

2660
02:00:59,439 --> 02:01:01,439
continues to where what was it two years ago?

2661
02:01:01,479 --> 02:01:03,399
Speaker 2: I think he was like eighty one games he pitched.

2662
02:01:03,600 --> 02:01:06,399
Speaker 3: It was somewhere in the mid seventies last year, and

2663
02:01:06,439 --> 02:01:08,279
you're probably gonna see something like that again with the

2664
02:01:08,359 --> 02:01:09,520
usage of Brian A Brave.

2665
02:01:09,479 --> 02:01:11,920
Speaker 2: It was like a James Harden of the Astros. Oh.

2666
02:01:11,960 --> 02:01:16,079
Speaker 6: Look, he's working on an unfortunate fourth consecutive seventy innings

2667
02:01:16,159 --> 02:01:19,079
season out of the bullpen. That's a lot of innings.

2668
02:01:19,159 --> 02:01:20,319
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a lot of use.

2669
02:01:20,600 --> 02:01:22,720
Speaker 6: We know how often he gets hot in the pen

2670
02:01:22,840 --> 02:01:25,399
and those are days that we don't count that he

2671
02:01:25,479 --> 02:01:28,399
pitches when he doesn't ultimately enter the game. I wish

2672
02:01:28,520 --> 02:01:30,560
I didn't. I didn't see it this way, and maybe

2673
02:01:30,560 --> 02:01:32,479
I'll turn out to be wrong. I think the loss

2674
02:01:32,640 --> 02:01:34,960
of Bennett Sussa is actually large.

2675
02:01:35,239 --> 02:01:35,560
Speaker 7: Yeah.

2676
02:01:35,600 --> 02:01:37,760
Speaker 6: I think the way he loves the and the way

2677
02:01:37,800 --> 02:01:40,920
he stepped into an additional leverage role when Josh Haterer

2678
02:01:40,960 --> 02:01:43,640
was down, when there were days where Brian Abrady was down,

2679
02:01:43,960 --> 02:01:46,479
you felt like he has he has swinging missed up,

2680
02:01:46,600 --> 02:01:48,800
he throws hard, he's hard to pick up the ball

2681
02:01:48,840 --> 02:01:51,840
out of his arm slot, and he's in of all

2682
02:01:51,880 --> 02:01:56,279
the players that are currently unhealthy and currently on the il,

2683
02:01:57,279 --> 02:01:59,800
his situation is very much unknown. I'm not sure how

2684
02:01:59,880 --> 02:02:02,399
much astros know about how long this is going to take.

2685
02:02:02,880 --> 02:02:06,439
But a fifteen ail stitch again, it always should be

2686
02:02:06,479 --> 02:02:08,880
pointed out that's not usually relative to the length of

2687
02:02:08,880 --> 02:02:10,760
time a pitcher is going to be away, you know,

2688
02:02:10,840 --> 02:02:14,960
Josh hater Maybe we'll start facing hitters mid April. According

2689
02:02:14,960 --> 02:02:17,640
to Dana Brown earlier today, I don't think Bennett Sussa

2690
02:02:17,800 --> 02:02:21,840
is doing anything like that, at least until May, if

2691
02:02:21,880 --> 02:02:24,439
not longer. I really don't know that for certain, but

2692
02:02:24,600 --> 02:02:28,239
Brian King, Stephen Oker, Brian Orau as we get into

2693
02:02:28,279 --> 02:02:31,199
the season, man, I think there's a lot of pressure

2694
02:02:31,199 --> 02:02:33,760
on them to handle their business with essentially everybody else

2695
02:02:33,760 --> 02:02:36,600
in the bullpen being a new arm.

2696
02:02:36,800 --> 02:02:40,079
Speaker 2: All right, we're about time to we gotta do the thing,

2697
02:02:40,119 --> 02:02:42,279
don't we. Yeah, let's go ahead and do that. Sorry,

2698
02:02:42,279 --> 02:02:44,600
I was supposed to remind this is on me, folks,

2699
02:02:44,680 --> 02:02:46,640
I gotta do better. I was supposed to remind Brian

2700
02:02:46,680 --> 02:02:48,319
mcaggert about his interview about ten minutes ago.

2701
02:02:48,600 --> 02:02:52,159
Speaker 3: We got him now, Yeah he can move.

2702
02:02:54,720 --> 02:02:56,760
Speaker 5: Yeah, yeah, he saw a surprise.

2703
02:02:57,079 --> 02:02:59,399
Speaker 2: I say, you know what a true professional. I just

2704
02:02:59,439 --> 02:03:02,079
texted him as reminder ten minutes later. He's here anyways, Okay.

2705
02:03:02,119 --> 02:03:05,119
Speaker 3: He is coming up next year on Sports Talk seven

2706
02:03:05,279 --> 02:03:11,000
ninety and the Astros Street Fest Spectacular with Me Rosby Real,

2707
02:03:11,079 --> 02:03:13,119
Adam Wexler and Adam Klan and the.

2708
02:03:13,119 --> 02:03:15,000
Speaker 2: Superstar himself, Brian McTaggart.

2709
02:03:15,279 --> 02:03:18,840
Speaker 3: Coming up next here on Sports Talk seven ninety is

2710
02:03:18,880 --> 02:03:20,920
the Matt Thomas Show with.

2711
02:03:21,079 --> 02:03:28,880
Speaker 4: Ross one o'clock straight up here on Sports Talk seven

2712
02:03:29,000 --> 02:03:33,680
and ninety, Hello and welcome into our number four.

2713
02:03:34,279 --> 02:03:38,279
Speaker 3: Of the Astros Street Fest Spectacular. It is the Matt

2714
02:03:38,279 --> 02:03:41,319
Thomas Show with Ross without Matt Thomas.

2715
02:03:40,920 --> 02:03:45,079
Speaker 2: With Adam Wexler, with Adam Planton and now with Brian McTaggart.

2716
02:03:45,439 --> 02:03:47,159
I'm not trying to aid you, attacker, but what do

2717
02:03:47,239 --> 02:03:49,000
you do? You know what number opening day this is

2718
02:03:49,000 --> 02:03:53,880
for you? Uh, twenty something, twenty three? Okay, four, So

2719
02:03:54,000 --> 02:03:57,199
that's pretty good. You kind of know your stuff, I hope.

2720
02:03:57,239 --> 02:03:58,760
Speaker 3: So we'll see it all right, So a number of

2721
02:03:58,800 --> 02:04:01,239
different directions to go go ahead and start with the

2722
02:04:01,439 --> 02:04:02,600
somewhat news of the day.

2723
02:04:02,680 --> 02:04:04,199
Speaker 2: Jeremy Panyon not in the lineup.

2724
02:04:04,720 --> 02:04:08,319
Speaker 3: You tweeted out with that that their astros are expected

2725
02:04:08,399 --> 02:04:11,720
to sort of bring him along slowly. How do you

2726
02:04:11,760 --> 02:04:13,359
expect that to play out? We know that he got

2727
02:04:13,359 --> 02:04:16,239
some live action in Sugarland today. Yeah, I think within

2728
02:04:16,359 --> 02:04:17,920
like a week he's probably going to be in the

2729
02:04:17,960 --> 02:04:22,119
lineup every day. It was either have him start three

2730
02:04:22,159 --> 02:04:24,079
or four games here the first week or not have

2731
02:04:24,199 --> 02:04:26,760
him at all available, you know, through the first you know,

2732
02:04:26,840 --> 02:04:29,680
seven eight games, however, long when the ile stint would end.

2733
02:04:29,720 --> 02:04:32,520
So they just decided he was close enough to we'll

2734
02:04:32,520 --> 02:04:35,000
carry him, and hey, they have an extra infielder, so why.

2735
02:04:34,840 --> 02:04:39,159
Speaker 6: Not they have an extra infielder. Another long running off

2736
02:04:39,199 --> 02:04:45,039
season storyline, Carl's Kurreic like shortstop today obviously, did you

2737
02:04:45,079 --> 02:04:48,079
feel like he was able to do all the things

2738
02:04:48,159 --> 02:04:51,319
as a leader when he arrived here last year versus

2739
02:04:51,319 --> 02:04:53,199
the things we kind of expect him to now do

2740
02:04:53,520 --> 02:04:55,560
being here through the off season, all through spring training,

2741
02:04:55,600 --> 02:04:56,039
et cetera.

2742
02:04:56,560 --> 02:04:58,520
Speaker 10: Yeah, I think so. I mean they had a massive

2743
02:04:58,600 --> 02:05:01,279
void in leadership. I think after some guys left, like

2744
02:05:01,319 --> 02:05:04,479
Maldonado and Bregmant. I mean, al Tuovey is really not

2745
02:05:04,680 --> 02:05:06,960
interested in being that type of leader. I mean, obviously

2746
02:05:07,000 --> 02:05:09,840
he did his leadings on the field, but they needed

2747
02:05:09,880 --> 02:05:13,079
that voice to come back, and he stepped in right away,

2748
02:05:13,119 --> 02:05:14,920
and he got them to change some things in the

2749
02:05:14,920 --> 02:05:17,760
spring about how they go about their workouts to try

2750
02:05:17,800 --> 02:05:19,479
to keep the guys fresher. He had, you know, he

2751
02:05:19,520 --> 02:05:22,560
talked with some of the players about nutrition, watching what

2752
02:05:22,640 --> 02:05:24,960
they eat. He eats really clean, really healthy, and he

2753
02:05:25,279 --> 02:05:28,359
wants the other guys to do the same. So back

2754
02:05:28,359 --> 02:05:31,000
at shortstop, but he looked really good at third base

2755
02:05:31,039 --> 02:05:32,840
two in the spring, so it's a good thing for

2756
02:05:32,880 --> 02:05:34,119
the Astros to be able to put him at.

2757
02:05:34,079 --> 02:05:36,479
Speaker 5: Short I feel like this is overly simplistic, But I

2758
02:05:36,520 --> 02:05:39,159
don't care because I went through last season like you did.

2759
02:05:39,520 --> 02:05:42,640
If the Astros are healthy, isn't that good enough for

2760
02:05:42,760 --> 02:05:44,960
like X amount of wins?

2761
02:05:45,159 --> 02:05:45,640
Speaker 2: Yeah?

2762
02:05:45,720 --> 02:05:48,359
Speaker 10: Yeah, I think people I see the Astros as a

2763
02:05:48,399 --> 02:05:50,199
middle of the pack people ranking the middle of the

2764
02:05:50,239 --> 02:05:53,239
pack or lower. I mean last year they had a

2765
02:05:53,359 --> 02:05:56,319
devastating amount of injuries and missed the playoffs by one game.

2766
02:05:56,359 --> 02:05:58,920
I mean, if Jordan Alvarez is healthy the entire season,

2767
02:05:59,039 --> 02:06:01,199
I think they win the division. They still led the

2768
02:06:01,199 --> 02:06:05,000
division for more than ninety days last year despite their injuries, So.

2769
02:06:05,479 --> 02:06:06,399
Speaker 2: That's the number one thing.

2770
02:06:06,439 --> 02:06:08,800
Speaker 10: I think this roster is a playoff roster if they

2771
02:06:08,800 --> 02:06:11,800
can stay healthy. They need Jordan on to play one

2772
02:06:11,840 --> 02:06:13,359
hundred and thirty hundred and forty games.

2773
02:06:13,680 --> 02:06:14,600
Speaker 2: They need payn you to be.

2774
02:06:14,640 --> 02:06:19,119
Speaker 10: On the field every day, and they need they need

2775
02:06:19,279 --> 02:06:22,000
guys like Cam Smith and Zach Cole to the young

2776
02:06:22,039 --> 02:06:23,760
guys to take a step forward a little bit, and

2777
02:06:23,840 --> 02:06:25,119
Joey Loperfito as well.

2778
02:06:25,279 --> 02:06:26,760
Speaker 3: And if that health is there, I mean, two of

2779
02:06:26,760 --> 02:06:30,000
the big offseason storylines were Jake Myers possibly getting traded

2780
02:06:30,039 --> 02:06:32,199
and then of course the infield logjam in trades, there

2781
02:06:32,239 --> 02:06:34,479
what I mean, where do we stand on that? Is

2782
02:06:34,479 --> 02:06:36,960
that just everything that's completely cooled or off the table

2783
02:06:37,079 --> 02:06:37,880
or just on hold?

2784
02:06:37,880 --> 02:06:39,840
Speaker 2: What's the situation do you? Yeah, I think everything's on

2785
02:06:39,880 --> 02:06:40,399
hold for now.

2786
02:06:40,439 --> 02:06:42,880
Speaker 10: I mean I think teams have the roster set and

2787
02:06:42,920 --> 02:06:45,079
maybe as we get closer to the trade deadline.

2788
02:06:45,359 --> 02:06:47,119
Speaker 2: I think the issue with parentis, I mean, they tried

2789
02:06:47,159 --> 02:06:47,760
to trade him, but.

2790
02:06:47,800 --> 02:06:50,399
Speaker 10: The Astros had shut such a specific need that they

2791
02:06:50,399 --> 02:06:53,840
wanted back. They wanted a left hand hitting outfielder, and

2792
02:06:53,880 --> 02:06:56,000
now you needed to match with another team that needed

2793
02:06:56,039 --> 02:06:59,279
a third baseman, a right handed hitting third baseman.

2794
02:06:59,319 --> 02:07:02,920
Speaker 2: There just was never a match there. And Myers too,

2795
02:07:02,920 --> 02:07:03,359
I mean.

2796
02:07:03,239 --> 02:07:06,479
Speaker 10: I think they Dastros asking price on Myers was pretty high,

2797
02:07:06,479 --> 02:07:08,960
as it should be so, and they're content to go

2798
02:07:09,000 --> 02:07:10,880
with what they have. It'll be interesting once they're back

2799
02:07:10,920 --> 02:07:14,960
healthy and pinions back how they work credits in. Joe

2800
02:07:15,039 --> 02:07:17,560
Spotts says he's gonna play pretty much every day. They

2801
02:07:17,560 --> 02:07:21,560
can play them at all the infield spots except shortstop.

2802
02:07:21,159 --> 02:07:22,840
Speaker 2: ND eight, so there's gonna be a batstriend.

2803
02:07:22,880 --> 02:07:24,560
Speaker 6: What do you think about the outlook for some of

2804
02:07:24,560 --> 02:07:26,600
their younger guys. Two of them are in the corners today,

2805
02:07:26,640 --> 02:07:29,439
Joey low Berfido getting the start field returns to the

2806
02:07:29,479 --> 02:07:33,000
Astros left handed bat and obviously Cam Smith, he was

2807
02:07:33,039 --> 02:07:36,319
the opening day right fielder a year ago. He is again, Hey,

2808
02:07:36,439 --> 02:07:39,199
do you feel like he won the job in spring training?

2809
02:07:39,239 --> 02:07:40,920
And what do you think the outlook is for those

2810
02:07:40,960 --> 02:07:42,159
two young players this season?

2811
02:07:42,840 --> 02:07:44,119
Speaker 2: Yeah? I think Cam won the job.

2812
02:07:44,159 --> 02:07:46,319
Speaker 10: I mean, we all know what Dana Brown said in

2813
02:07:46,520 --> 02:07:48,199
November that he's gonna have to come to camp and

2814
02:07:48,239 --> 02:07:50,199
prove himself, and he did that. He made some changes

2815
02:07:50,239 --> 02:07:53,479
with this swing, trying to keep things simpler. Looked like

2816
02:07:53,520 --> 02:07:55,439
he was pulling the ball more. It looked a lot

2817
02:07:55,479 --> 02:07:57,560
more comfortable. He just seems a lot more comfortable in

2818
02:07:57,560 --> 02:07:59,720
his own skin, which is natural as second year. So

2819
02:08:00,560 --> 02:08:03,359
I think he definitely came in and won that job.

2820
02:08:03,680 --> 02:08:05,800
Loper Fiedo looks like a different hitter than he was

2821
02:08:05,840 --> 02:08:07,840
the first time here. I mean he's not striking out

2822
02:08:07,840 --> 02:08:11,199
as much, He's hitting the ball hard. It'll be interesting

2823
02:08:11,279 --> 02:08:14,000
to see if he can keep this left field job,

2824
02:08:14,079 --> 02:08:16,159
or if he struggles, if they'll start doing a platoon

2825
02:08:16,239 --> 02:08:19,000
with christ Matthews, or if Zach Cole comes back up.

2826
02:08:19,039 --> 02:08:22,039
But they had to get younger and more athletic in

2827
02:08:22,079 --> 02:08:24,560
the outfield, and they certainly did that with Cam Smith

2828
02:08:24,560 --> 02:08:26,560
and lower feedo. And his question comes, now, are they

2829
02:08:26,640 --> 02:08:28,960
gonna hit enough to stay in this lineup? Cam Smith

2830
02:08:29,039 --> 02:08:31,159
hitting six tonight, so they're showing a lot of confidence zone.

2831
02:08:31,439 --> 02:08:34,199
Speaker 5: Talking to Brian McTaggart of MLB dot Com, I think

2832
02:08:34,239 --> 02:08:38,319
it's probably the surest sign of confidence in a.

2833
02:08:38,319 --> 02:08:43,119
Speaker 2: Guy that nobody's even talking about. Hunter Brown. He's going today,

2834
02:08:43,439 --> 02:08:46,600
He's gonna be awesome. He's gonna be a cy Young.

2835
02:08:46,439 --> 02:08:49,760
Speaker 5: Award candidate right there near the top, because of course

2836
02:08:49,760 --> 02:08:50,640
he is right.

2837
02:08:51,000 --> 02:08:51,279
Speaker 2: Yeah.

2838
02:08:51,479 --> 02:08:53,439
Speaker 10: I think it was a second third start of the

2839
02:08:53,479 --> 02:08:56,000
spring in Florida. It was probably March tenth or eleventh.

2840
02:08:56,600 --> 02:08:59,680
He pitched like four innings. No one could touch him,

2841
02:08:59,680 --> 02:09:01,920
and I was like, man, you look like you're ready

2842
02:09:01,960 --> 02:09:03,479
to go, and he's like, I am. It was just

2843
02:09:03,479 --> 02:09:05,359
a matter now of just getting the reps the rest

2844
02:09:05,399 --> 02:09:08,039
of the spring. He looked really, really good. Their starting

2845
02:09:08,079 --> 02:09:10,439
pitching looked really good in spring. And you can get

2846
02:09:10,439 --> 02:09:11,880
fulled by that. I mean a lot of the guys

2847
02:09:11,920 --> 02:09:14,479
are facing or double A guys, or guys who aren't

2848
02:09:14,479 --> 02:09:15,520
going to play in the big leagues.

2849
02:09:15,520 --> 02:09:17,399
Speaker 2: But Mike Burrows looks like a dude.

2850
02:09:17,479 --> 02:09:19,960
Speaker 10: I mean he he's the guy that will compete and

2851
02:09:20,039 --> 02:09:24,199
works fast. Emi has some crazy stuff. I'm anxious to

2852
02:09:24,199 --> 02:09:26,560
see what he can do later in this series. But

2853
02:09:27,039 --> 02:09:29,600
they went out to try to beef up the depth

2854
02:09:29,640 --> 02:09:31,520
of their starting pitching and they didn't look at look

2855
02:09:31,520 --> 02:09:34,479
at his in Triple A. Now you got Eric Geddy, Colton, Gordon,

2856
02:09:34,840 --> 02:09:37,199
Jason Alexander who won like nine starts in a row

2857
02:09:37,239 --> 02:09:39,760
from him, even a guy like JP Franz. So if

2858
02:09:39,760 --> 02:09:42,800
there's injuries their position now with some guys who have

2859
02:09:42,880 --> 02:09:44,760
some a little bit of a track record to move

2860
02:09:44,800 --> 02:09:45,640
into the rotation.

2861
02:09:45,840 --> 02:09:49,000
Speaker 6: You've been basically a West Palm Beach resident for better

2862
02:09:49,039 --> 02:09:52,119
than a month for the past several years. This year

2863
02:09:52,279 --> 02:09:55,039
was a season at spring training off of no playoffs.

2864
02:09:55,239 --> 02:09:57,359
Last year was the spring training off of not winning

2865
02:09:57,359 --> 02:09:59,359
in the playoffs, and then all the ones before that

2866
02:09:59,479 --> 02:10:02,560
were off of having great postseasons. Is there any vibe

2867
02:10:02,600 --> 02:10:06,119
difference that you felt maybe this year with this group, not.

2868
02:10:06,119 --> 02:10:06,920
Speaker 2: So much the players.

2869
02:10:06,960 --> 02:10:10,359
Speaker 10: I mean, I think Spata has talked about how it

2870
02:10:10,479 --> 02:10:13,159
didn't sit well with them for the playoffs last year,

2871
02:10:13,560 --> 02:10:15,640
not to be in the playoffs, and you know, I

2872
02:10:15,680 --> 02:10:18,399
think bringing back a guy like Correa who was in

2873
02:10:18,439 --> 02:10:21,560
an organization that didn't win and started tearing down.

2874
02:10:21,600 --> 02:10:23,840
Speaker 2: He's like, I want no part of this. I want

2875
02:10:23,840 --> 02:10:24,119
to win.

2876
02:10:24,600 --> 02:10:26,960
Speaker 10: And somehow he's back, and I think he's bringing that

2877
02:10:27,079 --> 02:10:29,800
mentality as well. And you have guys that have been

2878
02:10:29,840 --> 02:10:32,119
here and all they've known is when he mccullors Altuve

2879
02:10:32,760 --> 02:10:33,399
and they want to.

2880
02:10:33,399 --> 02:10:36,199
Speaker 2: Get back there. And I think, I think that's that's

2881
02:10:36,199 --> 02:10:36,920
gonna be something.

2882
02:10:36,920 --> 02:10:39,159
Speaker 10: With Carlos at the head of it, I think that's

2883
02:10:39,239 --> 02:10:41,079
gonna help drive this team a little bit.

2884
02:10:41,119 --> 02:10:43,000
Speaker 2: They're not used to not playing in October.

2885
02:10:43,159 --> 02:10:45,760
Speaker 5: Since you brought his name up, you're the guy that

2886
02:10:45,960 --> 02:10:48,439
kind of shine a little bit more light on that

2887
02:10:48,600 --> 02:10:49,880
story with Carlos Carrea.

2888
02:10:50,439 --> 02:10:51,680
Speaker 2: Just talk about how that.

2889
02:10:53,239 --> 02:10:55,239
Speaker 5: Story got told to you, how that came to light,

2890
02:10:55,359 --> 02:10:58,399
because as you wrote the article, he had already told

2891
02:10:58,479 --> 02:11:00,520
that story, but you're the one that kind of put

2892
02:11:00,560 --> 02:11:02,439
it out there and a lot of people are like, WHOA,

2893
02:11:02,479 --> 02:11:03,760
I didn't know that happened.

2894
02:11:04,199 --> 02:11:04,399
Speaker 7: Yeah.

2895
02:11:04,439 --> 02:11:08,000
Speaker 2: I had heard over the winter that he did a.

2896
02:11:07,039 --> 02:11:09,079
Speaker 10: Sermon, if you will at a retirement home, which I

2897
02:11:09,119 --> 02:11:11,439
was like wow, and also that he talked to this

2898
02:11:11,479 --> 02:11:13,880
sermon that he almost drowned, and so I kept it.

2899
02:11:13,960 --> 02:11:15,880
It's like, I need to ask Carlos about this, and

2900
02:11:16,359 --> 02:11:18,199
I was next thing, we know over at spring training.

2901
02:11:18,239 --> 02:11:20,600
Next thing we know, we're halfway through spring training, and

2902
02:11:20,640 --> 02:11:22,880
so I finally I asked Carlos, I mean, did you

2903
02:11:22,920 --> 02:11:25,479
give this sermon? He's like, yeah, I'd love to talk

2904
02:11:25,479 --> 02:11:26,399
to you about it. He's like sure.

2905
02:11:27,119 --> 02:11:27,319
Speaker 6: You know.

2906
02:11:27,359 --> 02:11:29,199
Speaker 10: It took a little while, and then one day I'm

2907
02:11:29,239 --> 02:11:31,199
in the clubhouse. He's like, let's talk. So he brings

2908
02:11:31,239 --> 02:11:33,640
me over sit down in the clubhouse, which you're not

2909
02:11:33,640 --> 02:11:35,520
supposed to do, but if Carlos Korean tells you to

2910
02:11:35,560 --> 02:11:37,880
sit down, to sit down, and so, you know, I

2911
02:11:37,920 --> 02:11:40,079
started asking him about the sermon and the way he

2912
02:11:40,199 --> 02:11:43,079
sort of found religion, and then I asked him if

2913
02:11:43,119 --> 02:11:45,039
there was a point to where something happened, and he

2914
02:11:45,079 --> 02:11:48,560
went into detail about this incredible story in the water

2915
02:11:49,319 --> 02:11:52,119
that he told at the retirement home a few months earlier,

2916
02:11:52,119 --> 02:11:55,560
and just an incredible story, and it ended up being

2917
02:11:55,560 --> 02:11:57,319
sort of a life changing event from.

2918
02:11:57,199 --> 02:11:59,960
Speaker 2: Him where you know, he thought he might be done,

2919
02:12:00,199 --> 02:12:00,800
and you know, he.

2920
02:12:00,840 --> 02:12:04,640
Speaker 10: Said a little prayer and and now he's he's he

2921
02:12:04,680 --> 02:12:06,840
wants to give more sermons. He's gotten really involved in

2922
02:12:06,840 --> 02:12:09,439
his church, and you know, good for him, it was

2923
02:12:09,640 --> 02:12:11,560
it was a pretty scary deal and a thing to

2924
02:12:11,640 --> 02:12:12,840
change his life off the field.

2925
02:12:12,920 --> 02:12:15,039
Speaker 2: Did he bless the elbows of the Astros pitching? So

2926
02:12:15,119 --> 02:12:17,159
I don't know if it is that kind of power. Okay, well,

2927
02:12:17,159 --> 02:12:19,199
I guess it may take ded. It'll take time.

2928
02:12:19,199 --> 02:12:21,600
Speaker 3: But speaking of Carlos Gray and the season out looking,

2929
02:12:21,680 --> 02:12:23,840
I also want to talk about Josel two Bay. We're

2930
02:12:23,880 --> 02:12:25,720
kind of just setting in forgetting those guys in the

2931
02:12:25,720 --> 02:12:27,640
lineup every day, but these are also guys that are

2932
02:12:27,760 --> 02:12:31,279
into the thirtiest. Carlos has had some injury history, how

2933
02:12:31,319 --> 02:12:33,600
Twovey has been declining for a couple of years. But

2934
02:12:34,039 --> 02:12:36,199
two guys with a heart and soul, obviously of this

2935
02:12:36,279 --> 02:12:37,319
Astros renaissance.

2936
02:12:37,399 --> 02:12:39,680
Speaker 2: What do you think the the the realistic season outlook

2937
02:12:39,680 --> 02:12:40,279
as for those two?

2938
02:12:41,000 --> 02:12:42,600
Speaker 10: Yeah, I mean, I think it's going to be interesting

2939
02:12:42,640 --> 02:12:45,399
because they've you know, remapped their hitting, two new hitting coaches,

2940
02:12:45,399 --> 02:12:48,319
actually three new hitting coaches, and we hear good things

2941
02:12:48,359 --> 02:12:50,199
in the spring. Again, you don't know how it's going

2942
02:12:50,279 --> 02:12:53,079
to translate it at three o'clock today, but we'll see.

2943
02:12:53,159 --> 02:12:55,159
Speaker 2: But I think how two Bay.

2944
02:12:55,239 --> 02:12:57,640
Speaker 10: Being back at second base and second base only is

2945
02:12:57,640 --> 02:12:59,720
probably going to give him a little bit of peace

2946
02:12:59,760 --> 02:13:01,720
of mind. And you know, I don't think he was

2947
02:13:01,720 --> 02:13:03,399
too wild about playing left field, but he did it

2948
02:13:03,439 --> 02:13:05,199
because he was a team guy. But you're right, he's

2949
02:13:05,239 --> 02:13:07,439
a guy who's declined now for several years. He's gonna

2950
02:13:07,439 --> 02:13:09,840
be thirty six. Can he find a little bit of

2951
02:13:09,840 --> 02:13:12,920
an extra gear. I know that he's super motivated, not

2952
02:13:12,960 --> 02:13:15,199
only to win. He wants to get to three thousand hits,

2953
02:13:15,199 --> 02:13:16,880
of course, and he's gonna have to start stacking up

2954
02:13:16,880 --> 02:13:17,399
one hundred and.

2955
02:13:17,359 --> 02:13:19,239
Speaker 2: Fifty hit seasons here. So if he can do that,

2956
02:13:19,600 --> 02:13:20,640
I think they'll be in good shape.

2957
02:13:20,680 --> 02:13:23,039
Speaker 10: Korea says he took more swings this offseason than he

2958
02:13:23,119 --> 02:13:26,279
ever has in his life, and again really enjoyed working

2959
02:13:26,319 --> 02:13:29,239
with the new hitting coaches. So you know, I think

2960
02:13:29,279 --> 02:13:32,000
he's gonna be rejuvenated being back here for a full season.

2961
02:13:32,000 --> 02:13:34,520
Speaker 2: But man, you never know until they get out there

2962
02:13:34,520 --> 02:13:35,119
and start playing.

2963
02:13:35,319 --> 02:13:38,119
Speaker 6: What are your thoughts without definite knowledge of both of

2964
02:13:38,159 --> 02:13:40,319
their lefties that start the year on the il ben.

2965
02:13:40,359 --> 02:13:43,159
It's Susan's situation and where Josh Hater is at.

2966
02:13:43,479 --> 02:13:46,239
Speaker 10: Susan sounds like it's gonna be like a six week thing.

2967
02:13:46,239 --> 02:13:47,680
I mean, I don't think he's gonna be.

2968
02:13:47,640 --> 02:13:48,199
Speaker 2: Close at all.

2969
02:13:48,279 --> 02:13:51,560
Speaker 10: But Hater is throwing a bullpen tomorrow and Dana Brown

2970
02:13:51,560 --> 02:13:53,840
said today he's gonna face hitters in mid April. So

2971
02:13:53,880 --> 02:13:56,560
we're like two, threeks, three or three weeks away from

2972
02:13:56,600 --> 02:13:59,960
him maybe pitching live VP. Then you start that whole progression,

2973
02:14:00,359 --> 02:14:02,920
simulate a game, go to sugar Land. So I think

2974
02:14:02,920 --> 02:14:06,159
we're looking at probably early May and that if that is,

2975
02:14:06,159 --> 02:14:08,399
that's fine. I mean, you want Josh Hater for later

2976
02:14:08,439 --> 02:14:10,479
in the season. They didn't have him last year and

2977
02:14:10,560 --> 02:14:12,600
that was a big blown out having him. So if

2978
02:14:12,600 --> 02:14:14,640
he comes back in early May and can pitch the

2979
02:14:14,680 --> 02:14:16,680
final five months, I think you'll take that.

2980
02:14:16,720 --> 02:14:19,520
Speaker 3: At this point, all right, we'll wrap up with obligatory

2981
02:14:19,640 --> 02:14:24,159
crystal ball time. Brian al West and Astro specifically, it

2982
02:14:24,239 --> 02:14:26,640
feels like wide range of outcomes.

2983
02:14:27,079 --> 02:14:29,880
Speaker 10: But how do you see this planning? Yeah, everyone's picking

2984
02:14:29,880 --> 02:14:32,079
the Mariners. I mean, and for good reason. Their rotation

2985
02:14:32,239 --> 02:14:34,960
is great, they have they have some really good players.

2986
02:14:35,359 --> 02:14:37,439
But I go back to last Astro stay healthy last

2987
02:14:37,520 --> 02:14:39,359
year they win the division, and I think if they

2988
02:14:39,399 --> 02:14:42,039
stay healthy that they can win this division. I like

2989
02:14:42,119 --> 02:14:45,079
their offense, a healthy Astros offense, better than the Mariners.

2990
02:14:46,319 --> 02:14:48,840
But I think it's gonna be between those two teams.

2991
02:14:49,560 --> 02:14:51,000
Don't pan out to the A's, They're not going to

2992
02:14:51,039 --> 02:14:53,199
win the division. That team can hit, and that team

2993
02:14:53,279 --> 02:14:55,119
is gonna be a team you're gonna have to worry

2994
02:14:55,119 --> 02:14:56,560
about a little bit. And they beat up on the

2995
02:14:56,600 --> 02:14:59,199
Astros a little bit last year. So it's gonna be

2996
02:14:59,239 --> 02:15:01,399
a fun division. But I think Astros and Mariner is

2997
02:15:01,439 --> 02:15:02,399
gonna be right there at the end.

2998
02:15:03,039 --> 02:15:06,119
Speaker 3: MLB dot COM's Brian mctagger gonna be our weekly guest

2999
02:15:06,159 --> 02:15:08,359
on The Matt Thomas Show with Ross.

3000
02:15:08,399 --> 02:15:10,800
Speaker 2: Brian, thanks for the time. We'll talk to you weekly,

3001
02:15:10,920 --> 02:15:12,680
all right, I can't wait. All right, appreciate it. I

3002
02:15:12,680 --> 02:15:13,239
know you can't.

3003
02:15:13,560 --> 02:15:15,560
Speaker 3: His favorite time of the week, of course, joining us.

3004
02:15:15,600 --> 02:15:19,399
Appreciate him as always. All Right, we're gonna take quick

3005
02:15:19,399 --> 02:15:21,720
break here on the Matt Thomas Show with Ross. Adam

3006
02:15:21,760 --> 02:15:24,600
Wexler is here, Adam Clannon is here, I am Ros

3007
02:15:24,680 --> 02:15:25,079
Via we Ho.

3008
02:15:25,159 --> 02:15:27,640
Speaker 2: We're with you up until two forty pm.

3009
02:15:28,239 --> 02:15:31,720
Speaker 3: It is basically five hours of coverage on our Astros

3010
02:15:31,840 --> 02:15:34,920
Street Fest spectacular here on Sports Talk seven ninety.

3011
02:15:37,399 --> 02:15:41,600
Speaker 5: I'm told it's the Matt Thomas Show without Matt Thomas.

3012
02:15:41,680 --> 02:15:46,640
Speaker 2: Yeah, featuring Ross Viial. Hey that's me who is trying

3013
02:15:46,640 --> 02:15:50,039
to finish a bite of food like a real professional. Sorry.

3014
02:15:50,079 --> 02:15:52,880
Speaker 3: Hey, we we've been out here since nine am. Okay, man,

3015
02:15:52,920 --> 02:15:55,199
I gotta eat at some point. I mean, let's be realistic.

3016
02:15:55,239 --> 02:15:56,000
I'm a human being.

3017
02:15:56,000 --> 02:15:57,119
Speaker 7: Okay. Agree.

3018
02:15:57,319 --> 02:15:59,039
Speaker 2: I was on air with.

3019
02:15:58,960 --> 02:16:04,000
Speaker 3: That Rockets law until after one am, taking the angriest

3020
02:16:04,399 --> 02:16:07,279
Rockets callers you can find the entire city of Houston,

3021
02:16:07,760 --> 02:16:08,600
and then I've been here.

3022
02:16:08,439 --> 02:16:09,119
Speaker 2: Since nine o'clock.

3023
02:16:09,159 --> 02:16:13,399
Speaker 3: Okay, I need a second to eat some delicious Keep talking.

3024
02:16:13,159 --> 02:16:15,039
Speaker 2: About this Rockets game. I don't know what you're talking about.

3025
02:16:15,039 --> 02:16:16,720
Speaker 3: Okay, good to me either, Actually, now that you bring

3026
02:16:16,720 --> 02:16:18,560
it up, Okay, we got Jeff Blum coming up at

3027
02:16:18,560 --> 02:16:21,039
one point thirty here on Sports Talk seven ninety. We

3028
02:16:21,079 --> 02:16:22,680
do have free stuff over here, guys, if you want

3029
02:16:22,720 --> 02:16:23,640
some coozies and cups.

3030
02:16:23,960 --> 02:16:25,520
Speaker 2: We are out here at FanFest. There are a lot

3031
02:16:25,560 --> 02:16:26,359
of people hanging out.

3032
02:16:26,800 --> 02:16:30,520
Speaker 3: We being Adam Wexer, Adam Clanton, and Ross Viria with

3033
02:16:30,560 --> 02:16:31,520
you until two forty.

3034
02:16:31,560 --> 02:16:35,680
Speaker 2: Will switch to Astros on deck mode at.

3035
02:16:35,719 --> 02:16:40,680
Speaker 3: Two Pete m As we continue talking about our your

3036
02:16:41,040 --> 02:16:43,959
My Houston Astros and.

3037
02:16:45,639 --> 02:16:46,799
Speaker 2: Hunter Brown on the Mounds.

3038
02:16:46,959 --> 02:16:51,399
Speaker 3: Jeremy Paynant not in the lineup, Joey Lo Perfido bumped

3039
02:16:51,479 --> 02:16:53,239
up ahead of both.

3040
02:16:53,120 --> 02:16:55,360
Speaker 2: Janer Diaz and Christian Walker.

3041
02:16:56,639 --> 02:16:59,600
Speaker 3: And taking on the Los Angeles Angeles three ten pm,

3042
02:16:59,680 --> 02:17:01,399
first on Sports Talk seven Nighty.

3043
02:17:01,559 --> 02:17:03,719
Speaker 6: Yeah, not a lot of expectations for the opponent that

3044
02:17:03,760 --> 02:17:06,639
comes into town, likely one of the weaker American League teams.

3045
02:17:06,760 --> 02:17:09,879
Maybe that is something the Astros can take advantage of

3046
02:17:09,920 --> 02:17:12,879
as they go through their first four starters in their rotation,

3047
02:17:13,079 --> 02:17:17,239
Hunter Brown today. Tatsui Emi will make his Dyke and

3048
02:17:17,319 --> 02:17:20,200
Park regular season debut coming up on Sunday in the

3049
02:17:20,200 --> 02:17:23,040
fourth game of this series against the Angels. Mike Burrows

3050
02:17:23,040 --> 02:17:25,959
gets the ball tomorrow, Christian Havevier gets the ball on

3051
02:17:26,399 --> 02:17:30,360
Saturday evening, and the Astros, again playing the first seven

3052
02:17:30,399 --> 02:17:33,520
games here at home, would love to see a start

3053
02:17:33,600 --> 02:17:36,159
befitting of what their roster looks like, rather than one

3054
02:17:36,200 --> 02:17:39,479
that is something they have to overcome for who knows

3055
02:17:39,479 --> 02:17:41,920
how long a period of time. And again, with Jeremy

3056
02:17:41,920 --> 02:17:45,719
Pania being the only regular unavailable to Joe a spot

3057
02:17:45,719 --> 02:17:47,799
it today he is not on the il, but he

3058
02:17:47,879 --> 02:17:49,600
is not in the lineup today, and as you've heard

3059
02:17:49,639 --> 02:17:52,040
throughout the day and then most recently with our guests

3060
02:17:52,079 --> 02:17:55,840
Brian mctaggard, of bringing him along slowly. The thought was,

3061
02:17:56,479 --> 02:17:58,879
rather than seeing him miss all ten games, if he

3062
02:17:58,920 --> 02:18:01,159
goes back for three or four games in that ten

3063
02:18:01,239 --> 02:18:03,840
day span, they thought that was the best served, even

3064
02:18:03,920 --> 02:18:06,600
with a spot on the roster obviously nothing to do

3065
02:18:06,639 --> 02:18:08,840
with Jeremy Pania for a couple of days rather than

3066
02:18:08,840 --> 02:18:11,520
have missed a full ten The likelihood is he will

3067
02:18:11,559 --> 02:18:13,920
be able to play before any ten day period would

3068
02:18:13,920 --> 02:18:16,920
have been exhausted, so when they get there, that's something

3069
02:18:16,920 --> 02:18:20,000
that they will have to consider pretty stable. Otherwise, I

3070
02:18:20,000 --> 02:18:22,399
don't think too many changes would need to be made

3071
02:18:22,680 --> 02:18:24,920
on a regular basis over the days that Payne is

3072
02:18:24,920 --> 02:18:28,120
not available. Your corner outfielders or Joey low Perfido and

3073
02:18:28,200 --> 02:18:30,840
left and Cam Smith and right, with Jake Myers and center,

3074
02:18:30,959 --> 02:18:33,000
I don't really see much of a need to make

3075
02:18:33,079 --> 02:18:34,719
much of a switch from that day to day. They

3076
02:18:34,719 --> 02:18:38,000
would be irregular everyday outfield if there weren't positional needs

3077
02:18:38,040 --> 02:18:39,920
from other players, and the same thing with the infield.

3078
02:18:40,040 --> 02:18:42,360
Correa is at short paredis is back at third al

3079
02:18:42,399 --> 02:18:45,360
two days back at second and Christian Walker's over there

3080
02:18:45,360 --> 02:18:48,680
at first base. This if not for the obvious outside

3081
02:18:48,760 --> 02:18:51,920
roster crunch, that would be there pretty typical lineup. That

3082
02:18:52,000 --> 02:18:54,040
Joe Spott had really never had much of a luxury

3083
02:18:54,040 --> 02:18:55,840
to trot out there every day, that maybe as this

3084
02:18:55,959 --> 02:18:57,159
year begins.

3085
02:18:57,079 --> 02:18:59,159
Speaker 5: He can, And that part at the end right there,

3086
02:18:59,200 --> 02:19:01,000
is why I keep going. I know it sounds like

3087
02:19:01,040 --> 02:19:04,159
I'm making excuses, but like I think people are actually

3088
02:19:04,239 --> 02:19:07,840
if it's possible forgetting just how dire the injury situation

3089
02:19:08,000 --> 02:19:08,559
was last year.

3090
02:19:08,559 --> 02:19:09,239
Speaker 2: It wasn't like.

3091
02:19:09,719 --> 02:19:12,639
Speaker 5: A few, like everybody, but like three guys was hurt

3092
02:19:12,680 --> 02:19:14,479
at some point during the season, and a lot of

3093
02:19:14,479 --> 02:19:16,440
these guys were either lost for the year, trying to

3094
02:19:16,440 --> 02:19:18,120
come back from a season in which they were lost

3095
02:19:18,120 --> 02:19:21,239
for the year, or had long term injuries. And it's

3096
02:19:21,280 --> 02:19:24,799
not I mean, just one of those guys Jordan Alvarez

3097
02:19:24,920 --> 02:19:27,920
or who the East ok perettis doesn't get hurt for

3098
02:19:28,000 --> 02:19:29,360
the amount of time they were hurt.

3099
02:19:29,559 --> 02:19:30,959
Speaker 2: And I'm with Brian mctaggard.

3100
02:19:31,000 --> 02:19:32,680
Speaker 5: I think they win the division last year, and it's

3101
02:19:32,680 --> 02:19:34,280
a big reason why I think they're gonna be right

3102
02:19:34,319 --> 02:19:35,120
there to win it this year.

3103
02:19:35,879 --> 02:19:38,719
Speaker 3: I hope so, and it's obviously gonna deal with injuries.

3104
02:19:38,719 --> 02:19:40,680
And that that brings me to a question. I've had

3105
02:19:40,959 --> 02:19:42,520
ask you guys a couple of times to get the

3106
02:19:42,520 --> 02:19:46,600
crystal ball out, and I will do it one more time.

3107
02:19:46,719 --> 02:19:48,280
Speaker 2: Okay, I'll probably do like six more times.

3108
02:19:48,920 --> 02:19:51,520
Speaker 3: But this time, I'm gonna say, at the end of

3109
02:19:51,600 --> 02:19:53,840
the season, when we we get after one hundred and

3110
02:19:53,879 --> 02:19:55,920
sixty two, whether the Astros were the playoffs or not,

3111
02:19:56,000 --> 02:19:58,520
I think they're gonna be in the playoffs. Who will

3112
02:19:58,600 --> 02:20:02,920
have started the most most games in left field for

3113
02:20:03,000 --> 02:20:07,000
your Houston Astrooo. Actually, I'll even put you more on

3114
02:20:07,000 --> 02:20:08,399
the spot, give me a one, two three.

3115
02:20:09,879 --> 02:20:12,760
Speaker 6: I think number one is today's starter. I really do think,

3116
02:20:13,120 --> 02:20:16,760
and I hope what Brian McTaggert is exactly what has

3117
02:20:16,879 --> 02:20:19,040
What he said is exactly what's happened. We saw the

3118
02:20:19,120 --> 02:20:21,559
numbers in Toronto last year, and granted it's a very

3119
02:20:21,559 --> 02:20:24,479
small sample size a shade over one hundred played appearances,

3120
02:20:24,760 --> 02:20:28,280
but to have a significant drop off in strikeout rate,

3121
02:20:28,600 --> 02:20:30,799
which was probably the number one concern while he was

3122
02:20:30,799 --> 02:20:32,879
in the Astros system and with them with the big

3123
02:20:32,879 --> 02:20:34,840
club in twenty twenty four, to have that drop to

3124
02:20:34,879 --> 02:20:37,520
that level and then see it stay there here during

3125
02:20:37,559 --> 02:20:41,200
spring training, hits a lot of ropes. He obviously brings power.

3126
02:20:41,719 --> 02:20:43,200
I think there's a good reason to have him out

3127
02:20:43,239 --> 02:20:45,200
there in left field a lot, and they have a

3128
02:20:45,360 --> 02:20:48,600
super imbalanced group to begin with, very few left handed

3129
02:20:48,600 --> 02:20:51,000
batsy and jord On Alvarez basically is what you have.

3130
02:20:51,360 --> 02:20:52,959
So I think he's the guy I would say is

3131
02:20:53,040 --> 02:20:55,239
number one. All he has to do is he has

3132
02:20:55,239 --> 02:20:57,079
a good start to the season. He's your everyday left

3133
02:20:57,079 --> 02:20:59,520
fielder because they don't want to play jord On out

3134
02:20:59,559 --> 02:21:02,360
there as much. I still don't think he's number two.

3135
02:21:02,760 --> 02:21:05,520
I still think there's probably thirty to forty starts for

3136
02:21:05,639 --> 02:21:08,520
him at the bare minimum, and I don't know how

3137
02:21:08,520 --> 02:21:11,559
many more there your gut left. If low Braffido is

3138
02:21:11,680 --> 02:21:15,440
somewhat established and he makes eighty to ninety and there's

3139
02:21:15,479 --> 02:21:18,399
thirty to forty for Jordan, whoever's third or fourth on

3140
02:21:18,440 --> 02:21:21,760
the list is making such a relatively small number of them,

3141
02:21:21,920 --> 02:21:24,280
maybe there's a you know, there's two hundred and fifty

3142
02:21:24,280 --> 02:21:27,799
at bats for Sugarland for Zach Cole because he barely

3143
02:21:27,840 --> 02:21:30,040
had any taat bats in his career before he joined

3144
02:21:30,040 --> 02:21:32,280
the team last year, and he starts to show that

3145
02:21:33,040 --> 02:21:35,840
swing and miss profile starting to fade a little bit,

3146
02:21:35,879 --> 02:21:37,600
because that's what he is right now. He swings and

3147
02:21:37,600 --> 02:21:40,840
misses too often, his strikeout rates through the roof, and

3148
02:21:41,040 --> 02:21:43,399
I don't think they can have him learn to get

3149
02:21:43,399 --> 02:21:46,079
better at that while he's being blown away by major

3150
02:21:46,159 --> 02:21:48,079
league pitching. But at some point during the year, zat

3151
02:21:48,120 --> 02:21:50,680
Cole is gonna get starts in the outfield for the Astros.

3152
02:21:50,959 --> 02:21:53,959
Speaker 5: I hope everything Wex just said about that particular spot

3153
02:21:54,000 --> 02:21:55,520
on the field is true.

3154
02:21:56,159 --> 02:21:56,879
Speaker 2: But whether it is.

3155
02:21:56,920 --> 02:22:00,120
Speaker 5: Or not, I just want one, two, three, four, four

3156
02:22:00,200 --> 02:22:02,360
or five to six of those guys to not be

3157
02:22:02,440 --> 02:22:03,079
jose Al Twove.

3158
02:22:03,559 --> 02:22:04,399
Speaker 2: Is that too much to ask?

3159
02:22:05,000 --> 02:22:07,079
Speaker 3: I wonder where he's gonna sprinkle in, because I mean,

3160
02:22:07,159 --> 02:22:09,959
Joe'spatta said it's not going to be zero times out

3161
02:22:09,959 --> 02:22:12,200
in left field, hose with Josel Twoba, I mean, is

3162
02:22:12,200 --> 02:22:15,280
that the plan? How are things gonna shuffle out, especially

3163
02:22:15,319 --> 02:22:18,600
when when you are and the only reason Josel Tuober

3164
02:22:18,680 --> 02:22:20,440
will get pushed out is because you still do have

3165
02:22:20,639 --> 02:22:23,479
esoc paratus and you still do have the log jam

3166
02:22:23,520 --> 02:22:24,959
as we're calling it with the infield.

3167
02:22:24,959 --> 02:22:28,360
Speaker 6: Could you see Bryce Matthews factoring into this both playing

3168
02:22:28,440 --> 02:22:31,200
left field straight up himself, or do you think there's

3169
02:22:31,239 --> 02:22:35,639
situations where they'll bring somebody into play second base as

3170
02:22:35,680 --> 02:22:39,479
their defensive replacement, because Bryce Matthews is a better second

3171
02:22:39,520 --> 02:22:42,239
baseman than Esoch Paratus and Jose al tuo Ve. Nick

3172
02:22:42,280 --> 02:22:44,920
Allen's a better second baseman than Esocparatus in Jose al

3173
02:22:44,959 --> 02:22:47,920
Tuove and in that instance, could you see them bringing

3174
02:22:47,959 --> 02:22:51,000
one of those players in eighth inning, ninth inning and

3175
02:22:51,200 --> 02:22:54,159
keeping al Twove's bat in the lineup by shifting him

3176
02:22:54,159 --> 02:22:58,479
out to left field in those influences again at tike

3177
02:22:58,520 --> 02:23:00,440
In Park, and I do think that makes a huge difference.

3178
02:23:00,440 --> 02:23:03,319
Handful of other ballparks are similar. But playing left field

3179
02:23:03,319 --> 02:23:05,479
at dyke And Park, as long as it doesn't take

3180
02:23:05,479 --> 02:23:07,559
a crazy bounce, you get a pretty good feel for

3181
02:23:07,600 --> 02:23:09,680
how much room you have. There's only so much these

3182
02:23:09,719 --> 02:23:12,399
balls can do. Half the time your shortstop is catching

3183
02:23:12,399 --> 02:23:15,200
it off the bounce from the scoreboard anyway, there's very

3184
02:23:15,239 --> 02:23:18,760
little room to roam. Jake Myers is still the elite

3185
02:23:19,479 --> 02:23:23,719
ball chaser in the outfield. He's great glove in center field,

3186
02:23:23,920 --> 02:23:26,280
and he helps everybody else that's gonna be out there.

3187
02:23:26,440 --> 02:23:28,799
So I do think it's a pretty low number for altuove,

3188
02:23:29,000 --> 02:23:31,319
but as you said, it's not likely to be zero.

3189
02:23:31,360 --> 02:23:31,639
Speaker 7: All right.

3190
02:23:31,680 --> 02:23:33,079
Speaker 3: I was gonna tease this, but we're running glow. We

3191
02:23:33,120 --> 02:23:34,959
got Jeff Blum coming in, you know what, I will

3192
02:23:34,959 --> 02:23:38,000
tease it. Actually, after Jeff Blum, I have a question

3193
02:23:38,120 --> 02:23:42,680
to ask you guys about two hitters in this Astros

3194
02:23:43,239 --> 02:23:47,639
probable everyday lineup who are due for some regression and

3195
02:23:47,680 --> 02:23:48,600
how we feel about that.

3196
02:23:48,879 --> 02:23:50,600
Speaker 2: Jeff Blum is coming up next though.

3197
02:23:50,639 --> 02:23:52,959
Speaker 3: Here on Sports Talk seven ninety The Matt Thomas Show

3198
02:23:53,000 --> 02:23:56,920
with Ross without Matt Thomas, with Adam Wexer, with Adam

3199
02:23:57,000 --> 02:24:01,879
Clanton and Jeff Blum is The Astro Street Fest Spectacular

3200
02:24:01,920 --> 02:24:04,719
continues with you until two forty here on Sports Talk

3201
02:24:04,760 --> 02:24:11,399
seven ninety one thirty two BM. Here on a Sports

3202
02:24:11,440 --> 02:24:16,719
Talk seven ninety The Astros The Street Fest Spectacular continues

3203
02:24:17,000 --> 02:24:20,680
on The Matt Thomas Show with Ross without Matt Thomas,

3204
02:24:21,319 --> 02:24:25,879
with Adam Watson, with Adam Clinton, and with our special

3205
02:24:25,959 --> 02:24:27,120
guest dressed to.

3206
02:24:27,159 --> 02:24:29,239
Speaker 2: The nines, embarrassing us all.

3207
02:24:30,559 --> 02:24:31,399
Speaker 7: Is it that hard?

3208
02:24:31,600 --> 02:24:33,399
Speaker 3: I mean, look at this man, You look at him,

3209
02:24:33,600 --> 02:24:36,479
You look at him. Jeff Blum joining us.

3210
02:24:36,799 --> 02:24:39,040
Speaker 2: He's so happy it's not June right now.

3211
02:24:39,319 --> 02:24:40,120
Speaker 7: Dude, you kidding me?

3212
02:24:40,239 --> 02:24:40,520
Speaker 2: Right now?

3213
02:24:40,680 --> 02:24:41,959
Speaker 7: You're melting in this chair.

3214
02:24:43,479 --> 02:24:45,959
Speaker 3: All right, Jeff Blum is our guest here on the show.

3215
02:24:46,000 --> 02:24:48,360
We appreciate you making some time for Jeff. We know

3216
02:24:48,360 --> 02:24:50,440
you're very busy kissing babies and take care of people.

3217
02:24:50,479 --> 02:24:52,639
Opening day it was like for you, you know, former player,

3218
02:24:52,680 --> 02:24:54,040
went through a lot of opening days.

3219
02:24:54,280 --> 02:24:57,120
Speaker 2: Now as a broadcaster, you still get those those.

3220
02:24:56,920 --> 02:24:59,639
Speaker 3: Feelings of the you get first kind of to me

3221
02:25:00,120 --> 02:25:03,440
Astros fan Fest, then spring training pictures and catchers, and

3222
02:25:03,479 --> 02:25:04,639
now it is finally here.

3223
02:25:04,959 --> 02:25:05,920
Speaker 2: You get some of those.

3224
02:25:05,719 --> 02:25:09,280
Speaker 3: Same old feelings stirred up for Opening day one hundred percent.

3225
02:25:09,280 --> 02:25:11,239
Speaker 13: There's nothing like putting on a big league uniform and

3226
02:25:11,319 --> 02:25:13,840
walking out to the line and having your name announced.

3227
02:25:13,959 --> 02:25:17,120
And was actually just in the booth talking to Ryan Presley,

3228
02:25:17,120 --> 02:25:20,319
who's gonna be working with us, and Juliet you know,

3229
02:25:20,399 --> 02:25:22,760
doing her Instagram thing turned around and goes how many

3230
02:25:22,840 --> 02:25:26,440
how many Opening days? And I went, holy crap, twenty seven.

3231
02:25:27,120 --> 02:25:30,319
It's thirteen as a player, fourteenth as a broadcaster. But no,

3232
02:25:30,399 --> 02:25:32,040
it never gets old because it's the one time of

3233
02:25:32,120 --> 02:25:35,079
year where everybody is in contention, and everybody has an

3234
02:25:35,120 --> 02:25:38,719
idea of what they want their season to be, and

3235
02:25:38,799 --> 02:25:40,719
it all starts with opening day. But there's nothing like

3236
02:25:40,760 --> 02:25:44,079
putting on a good, crisp, clean uniform and running out

3237
02:25:44,079 --> 02:25:45,840
there in front of your hometown fans and having your

3238
02:25:45,920 --> 02:25:47,440
name announcement, hearing everybody.

3239
02:25:47,159 --> 02:25:50,319
Speaker 5: Cheer Hope Springs of Tara line opening day. So we

3240
02:25:50,360 --> 02:25:51,159
got that out of the way.

3241
02:25:51,239 --> 02:25:56,200
Speaker 13: Yeah it'll be we'll be game sixty five tomorrow, right, Yeah.

3242
02:25:55,479 --> 02:25:58,479
Speaker 5: Yeah, Well, I mean, I mean it's that's the positives.

3243
02:25:58,680 --> 02:25:58,840
Speaker 7: Yup.

3244
02:25:58,920 --> 02:26:01,799
Speaker 2: Did Jeremy Panne situation. What's your concern level?

3245
02:26:02,440 --> 02:26:04,079
Speaker 7: I'm not very concerned, to be honest with you.

3246
02:26:04,520 --> 02:26:07,000
Speaker 13: You know, I have literally broken every finger on my

3247
02:26:07,159 --> 02:26:09,760
right hand, so I know the pain that he's going through.

3248
02:26:10,200 --> 02:26:13,200
But at the same time, I've played through, I mean,

3249
02:26:13,760 --> 02:26:15,760
I've had to play through some of those injuries.

3250
02:26:15,799 --> 02:26:16,360
Speaker 7: He doesn't.

3251
02:26:16,799 --> 02:26:18,360
Speaker 13: We want him to be one hundred percent, but I

3252
02:26:18,639 --> 02:26:20,639
think what we saw in that exhibition game when he

3253
02:26:20,680 --> 02:26:22,159
hit one about four hundred feet up onto.

3254
02:26:22,079 --> 02:26:24,600
Speaker 7: The train track, right, that is a really good sign.

3255
02:26:24,760 --> 02:26:25,760
And it's just a matter of, you.

3256
02:26:25,799 --> 02:26:27,760
Speaker 13: Know, how is he going to bounce back after these uh,

3257
02:26:28,239 --> 02:26:30,840
you know, these games He's at bats. That's the only

3258
02:26:30,879 --> 02:26:32,280
thing for me. But I think once he's able to

3259
02:26:32,319 --> 02:26:34,159
bounce back play every day, that's when you want to

3260
02:26:34,159 --> 02:26:34,879
have him in the lineup.

3261
02:26:34,879 --> 02:26:38,600
Speaker 3: When you say bounce back, when he just like or recovery, Like,

3262
02:26:38,680 --> 02:26:40,120
what is that? Like you said, you've gone through it?

3263
02:26:40,920 --> 02:26:42,440
Speaker 2: Is it every day? Is it just last a couple

3264
02:26:42,479 --> 02:26:43,959
of weeks? Going to be all season long?

3265
02:26:44,120 --> 02:26:44,159
Speaker 10: Like?

3266
02:26:44,440 --> 02:26:46,239
Speaker 2: What do you think as far as how long he's

3267
02:26:46,239 --> 02:26:46,920
gonna have to make.

3268
02:26:46,799 --> 02:26:49,840
Speaker 7: It's right ring finger? Correct? Yeah, So it's not on

3269
02:26:49,959 --> 02:26:52,040
the baseball. He's not putting pressure on it when he throws.

3270
02:26:52,120 --> 02:26:53,840
Speaker 13: The only thing he might feel is impact at the

3271
02:26:53,879 --> 02:26:56,159
plate when he hits the ball because your top hand

3272
02:26:56,280 --> 02:26:57,360
usually absorbs.

3273
02:26:56,959 --> 02:26:58,959
Speaker 7: A lot of the impact. And it's the next day,

3274
02:26:59,159 --> 02:27:01,280
is it sore? How sore is it? Can you play

3275
02:27:01,360 --> 02:27:01,639
through it?

3276
02:27:01,920 --> 02:27:03,479
Speaker 13: Because I think he's kind of the point where he's

3277
02:27:03,520 --> 02:27:05,559
not going to injure it any further. So just go

3278
02:27:05,639 --> 02:27:07,319
ahead and figure out what you were able to deal with.

3279
02:27:07,440 --> 02:27:10,200
And when I would love saying back in my day,

3280
02:27:10,239 --> 02:27:11,399
but back in my day, they had.

3281
02:27:11,360 --> 02:27:14,120
Speaker 2: Certain Mackay, you gotta shake your voice when you say.

3282
02:27:14,079 --> 02:27:16,799
Speaker 7: Better living through chemistry, you can play through some of

3283
02:27:16,840 --> 02:27:17,239
those things.

3284
02:27:17,879 --> 02:27:18,680
Speaker 6: How does this feel.

3285
02:27:19,000 --> 02:27:21,559
Speaker 7: I have no idea. For the next three hours, I

3286
02:27:21,600 --> 02:27:24,000
can do whatever you're asking, But the next fifteen hours

3287
02:27:24,040 --> 02:27:25,079
I might be in a little bit of pain.

3288
02:27:25,360 --> 02:27:28,680
Speaker 6: Among a pretty sizable group of newcomers to this team,

3289
02:27:28,840 --> 02:27:30,840
starting pitchers, you got new arms in the bullpen. You

3290
02:27:30,920 --> 02:27:32,959
have players that have returned to the club and left

3291
02:27:33,000 --> 02:27:36,159
field today and elsewhere a player or two that's you're

3292
02:27:36,200 --> 02:27:38,440
kind of excited to see what twenty twenty six brings

3293
02:27:38,440 --> 02:27:38,719
for them.

3294
02:27:39,479 --> 02:27:41,799
Speaker 7: Well, I mean, the easy quick question is Mike Burrows.

3295
02:27:41,799 --> 02:27:43,680
I can't wait to see him. He's got a little bulldog,

3296
02:27:43,719 --> 02:27:45,639
a little Garrett Cole angst.

3297
02:27:45,319 --> 02:27:46,639
Speaker 6: Little red ass. I like it.

3298
02:27:46,760 --> 02:27:48,799
Speaker 13: Yes, he is a little bit of that red ass

3299
02:27:48,840 --> 02:27:50,760
when he's out there, and he does it with ninety seven.

3300
02:27:50,799 --> 02:27:53,159
Speaker 7: He's got a great change up. I think that's a

3301
02:27:53,200 --> 02:27:54,120
pretty unique mix.

3302
02:27:54,840 --> 02:27:56,959
Speaker 13: I think you're gonna see we're all going to be

3303
02:27:57,600 --> 02:28:01,840
kind of surprised by the the personality of Emi. I

3304
02:28:01,920 --> 02:28:05,760
think that we really haven't seen anything like him. He's

3305
02:28:05,840 --> 02:28:08,360
got great stuff. He's got about nine different pitches, but

3306
02:28:08,440 --> 02:28:10,319
he's also got a little bit of flash and flare

3307
02:28:10,360 --> 02:28:12,239
to him out on the mound. He kind of likes

3308
02:28:12,280 --> 02:28:14,120
the spotlight, which I'm kind of anxious to see how

3309
02:28:14,159 --> 02:28:15,879
he reacts to it. We've already seen him throw up

3310
02:28:15,879 --> 02:28:18,959
the hs everywhere, so he's already on an electric start.

3311
02:28:19,319 --> 02:28:21,520
But keep an eye on Ryan Weiss. I think that

3312
02:28:21,680 --> 02:28:24,280
he's gonna he's gonna say something this year with what

3313
02:28:24,440 --> 02:28:26,000
he goes out and does, being able to be that

3314
02:28:26,159 --> 02:28:29,280
maybe extended guy out of the bullpen, but to be

3315
02:28:29,399 --> 02:28:31,879
brutally honest, and I hate putting on guys on opening Day.

3316
02:28:32,200 --> 02:28:34,159
I am the I might be one of the biggest

3317
02:28:34,200 --> 02:28:37,120
cam Smith fans out there, and I kind of expect

3318
02:28:37,239 --> 02:28:39,000
him to be a guy this year.

3319
02:28:39,120 --> 02:28:41,799
Speaker 7: Maybe figure out that he can be a guy this year.

3320
02:28:42,120 --> 02:28:44,440
Speaker 6: Doesn't he look even more like a major leader and

3321
02:28:44,479 --> 02:28:46,639
maybe even carry himself more like a major year?

3322
02:28:46,799 --> 02:28:48,120
Speaker 13: Well, I think a lot of it had to do

3323
02:28:48,200 --> 02:28:49,559
with last year. I think it was a tail of

3324
02:28:49,600 --> 02:28:52,399
two seasons for him in one year. First half great,

3325
02:28:53,000 --> 02:28:55,639
second half kind of faded out, fatigued. A one hundred

3326
02:28:55,680 --> 02:28:57,879
and sixty two game is no joke. He knows what

3327
02:28:57,959 --> 02:28:59,840
he's getting prepared for, and I think that's why he's

3328
02:29:00,040 --> 02:29:02,120
to be a little bit better this year, maybe maybe

3329
02:29:02,200 --> 02:29:04,280
provide a little more thump than we saw last year.

3330
02:29:04,399 --> 02:29:07,360
Speaker 5: Have you and Todd settled on I forty five as

3331
02:29:07,399 --> 02:29:09,760
the nickname or do you have one for him?

3332
02:29:10,280 --> 02:29:13,479
Speaker 13: It could be I mean, there might be something in

3333
02:29:13,520 --> 02:29:16,000
the tank, and it could be something that just happens

3334
02:29:16,440 --> 02:29:18,719
organically in the booth. But I forty five is a

3335
02:29:18,760 --> 02:29:21,440
pretty good one. I mean, it fits, it fits great.

3336
02:29:23,399 --> 02:29:25,600
Speaker 5: We were talking about this earlier in the summer or

3337
02:29:25,639 --> 02:29:27,840
in the in the winter, I should say, And now

3338
02:29:27,959 --> 02:29:30,159
that the actual calls are going to start tonight.

3339
02:29:30,399 --> 02:29:33,200
Speaker 7: Yep, haven't you got to have him? Ready? Yeah?

3340
02:29:33,239 --> 02:29:35,200
Speaker 5: The Skeins got pulled in the first ding, so hope

3341
02:29:35,239 --> 02:29:36,319
does really spring eternal?

3342
02:29:36,639 --> 02:29:38,040
Speaker 7: WBC is wonderful, isn't it?

3343
02:29:38,920 --> 02:29:42,280
Speaker 2: You're the second Okay he brought that up with I

3344
02:29:42,360 --> 02:29:43,440
believe Chandler.

3345
02:29:43,120 --> 02:29:45,200
Speaker 6: Who got shelled yesterday Web.

3346
02:29:45,440 --> 02:29:48,120
Speaker 2: I know, so, like, what would you know?

3347
02:29:48,159 --> 02:29:51,959
Speaker 13: I think it's a correlation causation. It might be an

3348
02:29:52,120 --> 02:29:55,440
energy level type thing. But these guys exhaust themselves in

3349
02:29:55,520 --> 02:29:57,840
the middle of spring training, take a week off, and

3350
02:29:57,879 --> 02:29:59,159
then expect a rampant back.

3351
02:29:59,520 --> 02:30:01,799
Speaker 5: So then I'm I'm to understand that if they were

3352
02:30:01,879 --> 02:30:03,719
to move it to July, you would be a fan

3353
02:30:03,799 --> 02:30:03,959
of that.

3354
02:30:04,920 --> 02:30:06,559
Speaker 2: See, that's what I That's what I want to hear

3355
02:30:06,600 --> 02:30:06,840
from you.

3356
02:30:06,920 --> 02:30:09,559
Speaker 7: Because Olympics are going to create that issue. The next

3357
02:30:09,600 --> 02:30:11,120
CBA is going to create that issue.

3358
02:30:11,200 --> 02:30:11,879
Speaker 2: I'll talk about that.

3359
02:30:12,040 --> 02:30:12,200
Speaker 10: Man.

3360
02:30:12,559 --> 02:30:15,360
Speaker 5: You want to be sitting here next year, we will

3361
02:30:15,399 --> 02:30:17,680
be sitting y'all enjoy this else going on.

3362
02:30:18,040 --> 02:30:20,840
Speaker 3: We'll talk about the season we do have coming up.

3363
02:30:20,959 --> 02:30:23,760
Jeff Blumm with us here on a Sports Talk seven ninety.

3364
02:30:25,879 --> 02:30:30,079
I'm curious your, of course, former player perspective, because there's

3365
02:30:30,079 --> 02:30:31,559
been a lot of talk right now. It's not a

3366
02:30:31,639 --> 02:30:35,159
worry because Jeremy Pania has missed some time and is

3367
02:30:35,239 --> 02:30:37,479
going to miss some time. But can you take us

3368
02:30:37,520 --> 02:30:41,360
through the psychology of if you are a varying levels

3369
02:30:42,360 --> 02:30:46,200
josel to A Esac Paradis, Jeremy Pania, Carls Koreb, everybody

3370
02:30:46,280 --> 02:30:49,399
wanting to play every day. Some guys want arbitration numbers.

3371
02:30:49,639 --> 02:30:52,440
Some guys maybe have incentives in their contract for a

3372
02:30:52,520 --> 02:30:55,760
gold gloves or games played or anything like that. And

3373
02:30:55,840 --> 02:30:58,319
you want to make an all Star team, and how

3374
02:30:58,959 --> 02:31:00,399
Joe Spotten is going to deal with that?

3375
02:31:00,520 --> 02:31:02,879
Speaker 2: And then from the player perspective, what is that like

3376
02:31:03,200 --> 02:31:05,680
going to the clubhouse every day and not being exactly

3377
02:31:05,760 --> 02:31:06,959
sure how things are going to play out.

3378
02:31:07,200 --> 02:31:08,680
Speaker 13: Yeah, that's I think it's going to be a lot

3379
02:31:08,760 --> 02:31:11,520
on Joe's spotted. Joe's probably already had the conversations, and

3380
02:31:11,639 --> 02:31:14,559
he may have had the conversations in the offseason, because

3381
02:31:14,879 --> 02:31:16,559
you know, it was it was out there pretty quick

3382
02:31:16,639 --> 02:31:19,559
that the Astros have a lot of very good talent

3383
02:31:19,639 --> 02:31:21,799
on the infield and guys who are going to want

3384
02:31:21,840 --> 02:31:23,559
to go out there and expect to play every day.

3385
02:31:23,600 --> 02:31:27,000
So I think Joe had that conversation early. Selfishly, I'm

3386
02:31:27,040 --> 02:31:29,399
glad Esak is here because if you didn't, you if

3387
02:31:29,440 --> 02:31:31,479
you decide to trade him and you're not getting something

3388
02:31:31,959 --> 02:31:34,479
equal or better in return, you're at a loss because

3389
02:31:34,520 --> 02:31:36,680
you get rid of Esac, your team gets worse. But

3390
02:31:36,760 --> 02:31:39,079
I think the Astros are better for being here, And

3391
02:31:39,520 --> 02:31:41,680
so Joe's had the conversations. But you start to go

3392
02:31:41,760 --> 02:31:43,920
around the infield. How many games can I get him

3393
02:31:43,920 --> 02:31:45,520
at first base? How many games can I get him

3394
02:31:45,559 --> 02:31:47,360
at second base? How many games can I get him

3395
02:31:47,360 --> 02:31:50,000
at third base? And then how many at dah And eventually,

3396
02:31:50,040 --> 02:31:53,280
I think if you're able to, you know, convince Christian

3397
02:31:53,319 --> 02:31:55,360
Walker to take a couple more days off and give

3398
02:31:55,559 --> 02:31:57,840
Esach some time over there, you might be able to

3399
02:31:57,879 --> 02:31:59,600
get him four or five hundred at bass, because I

3400
02:31:59,600 --> 02:32:01,040
think that's where these guys want to be out.

3401
02:32:01,040 --> 02:32:03,000
Speaker 7: They want to be at least five hundred bats. Where

3402
02:32:03,040 --> 02:32:03,840
do you find them?

3403
02:32:04,360 --> 02:32:07,040
Speaker 13: So Joe's gonna have to be super creative on how

3404
02:32:07,120 --> 02:32:09,799
he's able to do that, and don't I mean left

3405
02:32:09,840 --> 02:32:11,440
field's going to have to come into play for either

3406
02:32:11,479 --> 02:32:13,600
al Tuve Jordan, who knows?

3407
02:32:13,680 --> 02:32:16,440
Speaker 5: Maybe even is it just as simple as it was

3408
02:32:16,479 --> 02:32:19,680
a logjam And that's the reason why we're even exploring.

3409
02:32:19,319 --> 02:32:22,719
Speaker 2: Trading this guy. But guess I feel like that's for

3410
02:32:22,920 --> 02:32:25,479
me and I'm crazy, as you know. That's not good

3411
02:32:25,559 --> 02:32:26,120
enough reason.

3412
02:32:26,319 --> 02:32:27,840
Speaker 7: No, I make the work.

3413
02:32:27,959 --> 02:32:30,440
Speaker 13: No, I'm in the crazy camp as well. We are

3414
02:32:30,520 --> 02:32:32,879
a better ball club because of Esak And if Esac

3415
02:32:32,959 --> 02:32:35,639
isn't playing, guess what he does. He comes in the seventh, eighth,

3416
02:32:35,719 --> 02:32:38,120
or ninth and destroys your game and blows up the

3417
02:32:38,200 --> 02:32:41,000
back end of your bullpen. If you're fifty games into

3418
02:32:41,079 --> 02:32:44,239
it and you've got Altuve on the bench, Christian Walker

3419
02:32:44,360 --> 02:32:46,639
on the bench, all of a sudden you have all

3420
02:32:46,760 --> 02:32:49,600
star type at bats going into the later later the

3421
02:32:49,680 --> 02:32:53,440
game to blow up some of these games. I guarantee

3422
02:32:53,440 --> 02:32:56,079
you the analytic department right now has got some matchups

3423
02:32:56,159 --> 02:32:58,280
throughout the course of the season where they're saying, this

3424
02:32:58,479 --> 02:33:00,319
is going to be our best probability of going out

3425
02:33:00,360 --> 02:33:03,600
there and winning a ballgame. And fortunately, you're in an organization,

3426
02:33:03,680 --> 02:33:05,159
you're in a city, you're in a team where the

3427
02:33:05,200 --> 02:33:07,760
expectation is to get to the playoffs, and that's always

3428
02:33:07,760 --> 02:33:09,479
a pretty good seller to stay on a ball club too.

3429
02:33:09,719 --> 02:33:11,319
Speaker 6: How you feel about Joey Lopafito.

3430
02:33:11,559 --> 02:33:13,879
Speaker 13: I'm kind of excited about it. Man, He's a different guy.

3431
02:33:14,159 --> 02:33:16,559
I know he's the same guy, but he's a different guy.

3432
02:33:17,520 --> 02:33:21,760
The swing looks good. His spring training was phenomenal. I mean,

3433
02:33:22,000 --> 02:33:23,559
you talk about a guy that was happy to get

3434
02:33:23,600 --> 02:33:25,879
back in a situation that he missed by leaving.

3435
02:33:26,479 --> 02:33:29,319
Speaker 7: He is incredibly happy to be here. Some of the

3436
02:33:29,360 --> 02:33:30,920
swing adjustments look great.

3437
02:33:31,120 --> 02:33:33,079
Speaker 12: And I think, you know, just talking to him for

3438
02:33:33,159 --> 02:33:36,120
the brief moment that I did in spring training, his

3439
02:33:36,319 --> 02:33:40,639
experience with the Toronto Blue Jays going to the postseason,

3440
02:33:40,760 --> 02:33:42,440
he got a little bit of taste of that, and

3441
02:33:42,520 --> 02:33:44,920
I think he brings a little bit of that taste

3442
02:33:45,000 --> 02:33:47,280
with him here. I think it's going to be interesting

3443
02:33:47,319 --> 02:33:48,959
to see what he's able to do, because that could

3444
02:33:48,959 --> 02:33:51,120
be a nice little one two punch with Cam Smith,

3445
02:33:51,200 --> 02:33:52,079
Joey Loperfido.

3446
02:33:53,159 --> 02:33:56,200
Speaker 7: He could be right now, he may not be that

3447
02:33:56,319 --> 02:33:58,639
left handed bat they were looking for, but he could be.

3448
02:33:58,959 --> 02:34:01,399
Speaker 6: You mentioned something when you first sat down here with us,

3449
02:34:01,399 --> 02:34:04,559
and we'll see it today over on s EHN. Ryan

3450
02:34:04,639 --> 02:34:07,000
Presley is part of the viper and postgame team now

3451
02:34:07,079 --> 02:34:09,520
with you guys over there, at the pleasure of welcoming

3452
02:34:09,680 --> 02:34:11,879
to the station, you're experience training to the game with him,

3453
02:34:11,920 --> 02:34:16,040
and he's pretty fired up about the team. But having

3454
02:34:16,120 --> 02:34:18,280
him as part of the team, what can the fans

3455
02:34:18,360 --> 02:34:21,319
expect from Ryan Presley, who while he was here, I

3456
02:34:21,479 --> 02:34:23,639
handle business and then I'll come back to the ballpark

3457
02:34:23,680 --> 02:34:24,600
and the next day and do it again.

3458
02:34:24,680 --> 02:34:29,399
Speaker 13: Yeah, there's some recentcy experiency. I think the experience, recent

3459
02:34:30,040 --> 02:34:32,159
recent experience that I think is going to vote well

3460
02:34:32,239 --> 02:34:32,639
for him.

3461
02:34:33,120 --> 02:34:35,440
Speaker 7: He knows a lot of those guys in that clubhouse.

3462
02:34:35,520 --> 02:34:38,040
Speaker 13: He knows what that clubhouse was like during those years

3463
02:34:38,399 --> 02:34:41,200
where they were absolutely annihilating the American League West, and

3464
02:34:41,200 --> 02:34:43,319
I think he has the same expectations in a booth

3465
02:34:43,760 --> 02:34:45,239
of these guys. So I think it's gonna be a

3466
02:34:45,280 --> 02:34:48,239
little bit more fun to hear his current analysis of

3467
02:34:48,360 --> 02:34:53,239
what's going on. Being so recently removed from baseball, He's

3468
02:34:53,280 --> 02:34:55,399
gonna have the analytic side of it. He's gonna have

3469
02:34:55,520 --> 02:34:57,799
the experience of pitching him back in. He's going to

3470
02:34:57,879 --> 02:35:00,120
know exactly what these guys are going through. But of

3471
02:35:00,200 --> 02:35:03,799
funny to see see somebody who dealt with high leverage,

3472
02:35:03,840 --> 02:35:06,680
pressure situations all of a sudden put on a sport

3473
02:35:06,760 --> 02:35:09,120
coat and look doweya hit a little bit and be like,

3474
02:35:09,200 --> 02:35:09,840
what am I doing?

3475
02:35:10,239 --> 02:35:11,959
Speaker 7: You know, So to be fun. Once he gets comfortable,

3476
02:35:12,000 --> 02:35:12,879
he's gonna be great.

3477
02:35:13,079 --> 02:35:15,639
Speaker 5: Looking ahead to April third, because obviously that's what we

3478
02:35:15,719 --> 02:35:16,840
need to do here on opening game.

3479
02:35:17,079 --> 02:35:17,840
Speaker 2: Now, that is the.

3480
02:35:18,079 --> 02:35:21,879
Speaker 5: First I think realistic chance we're gonna have with an

3481
02:35:21,920 --> 02:35:27,959
eight forty first pitch in Sacramento for Astros after dark.

3482
02:35:28,360 --> 02:35:33,680
Speaker 14: Yes right, yeah, I'm just making sure Sacramento adds an

3483
02:35:33,719 --> 02:35:38,879
extra level of filthy town. Is it's a gnarly town. Yeah,

3484
02:35:39,079 --> 02:35:41,159
And you would, you would, you would, you would love

3485
02:35:41,239 --> 02:35:43,639
the fact that TK I mean we're sending this audio

3486
02:35:43,680 --> 02:35:43,920
it is.

3487
02:35:43,959 --> 02:35:46,200
Speaker 13: All of Triple A over there, and I mean, yeah,

3488
02:35:46,559 --> 02:35:49,239
I feel bad going in there because like the expectation is,

3489
02:35:49,319 --> 02:35:51,760
we're professionals, we're gonna you know this, it's a game.

3490
02:35:51,879 --> 02:35:53,840
Speaker 7: Still big leagues would do. That place is terrible.

3491
02:35:53,959 --> 02:35:56,440
Speaker 5: So and that's funny because you used to talk about

3492
02:35:56,440 --> 02:35:59,120
the Oakland colisseums, how powerful.

3493
02:35:59,399 --> 02:36:01,239
Speaker 7: I would go back to Oakland and a heartbeat.

3494
02:36:01,360 --> 02:36:06,200
Speaker 2: Oh my god, did you hear this show talking about that?

3495
02:36:07,600 --> 02:36:07,799
Speaker 7: Zero?

3496
02:36:08,079 --> 02:36:08,360
Speaker 6: Wow?

3497
02:36:08,799 --> 02:36:10,799
Speaker 13: Yeah, all right, we go back in the hearty. The

3498
02:36:10,879 --> 02:36:14,840
best part about uh Sacramento is walking back to the

3499
02:36:14,920 --> 02:36:16,600
hotel with TK after the game.

3500
02:36:17,079 --> 02:36:20,040
Speaker 2: Why because he's talking about an experience?

3501
02:36:20,200 --> 02:36:22,639
Speaker 13: What an experience? And your head's on a swivel. Boy,

3502
02:36:23,440 --> 02:36:25,840
Oh yeah, some good things.

3503
02:36:26,200 --> 02:36:27,719
Speaker 2: I think that guy over there has a weapon.

3504
02:36:28,639 --> 02:36:31,760
Speaker 7: Why is the eyeballing TK the way he is?

3505
02:36:32,920 --> 02:36:33,360
Speaker 2: You know why?

3506
02:36:33,799 --> 02:36:37,079
Speaker 5: Because TKA Secretly, I shouldn't even say this publicly.

3507
02:36:37,319 --> 02:36:40,879
Speaker 2: He looks like he might be a don kiss the ring.

3508
02:36:41,000 --> 02:36:43,520
Speaker 7: Yeah, exactly, he's got two of them. If he unleashes

3509
02:36:43,559 --> 02:36:46,120
that second or third button down the chest, it's over.

3510
02:36:46,399 --> 02:36:48,959
Speaker 2: Yeah. On the golf course, he must be a hell.

3511
02:36:49,239 --> 02:36:51,319
Speaker 7: Oh he's great, are you kidding me? Yeah? A good

3512
02:36:51,360 --> 02:36:52,520
way in a great way.

3513
02:36:52,920 --> 02:36:56,959
Speaker 2: All right, that is Jeff Blunt. Yeah, appreciate the time.

3514
02:36:57,239 --> 02:36:59,440
Speaker 7: We always appreciate the time. Have me on more often.

3515
02:36:59,479 --> 02:37:00,159
Man makes.

3516
02:37:02,719 --> 02:37:03,399
Speaker 6: Anywhere else.

3517
02:37:06,600 --> 02:37:08,120
Speaker 3: Man, we always have a lot of list of demands,

3518
02:37:08,159 --> 02:37:12,639
though Red only skittles stuff like that. The writer exactly

3519
02:37:12,760 --> 02:37:15,920
the writer, all right, Jeff Bluff, appreciate him.

3520
02:37:15,799 --> 02:37:17,479
Speaker 2: Joining us here on Sports Talk seven.

3521
02:37:17,319 --> 02:37:20,280
Speaker 3: Ninety Adam Wexer, Adam Clanton, Ross Virial back with you

3522
02:37:20,360 --> 02:37:22,120
with the final segment of the Matt Thomas Show with

3523
02:37:22,239 --> 02:37:22,840
Ross version.

3524
02:37:23,079 --> 02:37:24,559
Speaker 2: We'll go to Astros on deck Mode.

3525
02:37:24,600 --> 02:37:26,520
Speaker 3: Coming up at two o'clock here on Sports Talk seven

3526
02:37:26,559 --> 02:37:30,600
ninety Your Home four Your Houston Astros. All right, it

3527
02:37:30,760 --> 02:37:34,280
is the final segment of the Matt Thomas Show with Ross.

3528
02:37:34,399 --> 02:37:38,360
We will go into Astros on the Deck Mode. Astros

3529
02:37:38,440 --> 02:37:42,600
Opening Day street Fest Spectacular continues. Ross VI real with you,

3530
02:37:43,079 --> 02:37:46,399
Adam Wexer and Adam Clanton as well. I said earlier

3531
02:37:46,399 --> 02:37:48,639
we would talk about the rockets in the segment.

3532
02:37:48,360 --> 02:37:50,719
Speaker 2: But I no, I don't think so.

3533
02:37:51,120 --> 02:37:53,600
Speaker 3: By the way, somebody came by with a tous my

3534
02:37:53,799 --> 02:37:56,799
I forty five shirt, so we're going after the nickname.

3535
02:37:57,600 --> 02:37:58,200
Speaker 2: So what does that mean?

3536
02:37:58,239 --> 02:38:04,159
Speaker 3: He's gonna be a lot of traffic. I forty five sucks. Okay,

3537
02:38:04,319 --> 02:38:06,000
I don't want him to be called I forty five.

3538
02:38:06,040 --> 02:38:06,600
Speaker 2: It's horrible.

3539
02:38:07,399 --> 02:38:11,399
Speaker 3: There's gonna be I don't know, wrong way fatalities, there's

3540
02:38:11,440 --> 02:38:13,719
gonna be an endless construction and traffic.

3541
02:38:13,920 --> 02:38:15,840
Speaker 2: I don't want him to be associated with any of that.

3542
02:38:17,680 --> 02:38:21,799
Speaker 6: So mister problem solver will have an option option.

3543
02:38:21,840 --> 02:38:25,680
Speaker 2: Literally anything else. Okay, okay, um.

3544
02:38:27,120 --> 02:38:29,120
Speaker 6: No. Actually that was my first impression when we talked

3545
02:38:29,120 --> 02:38:30,920
about it during the off season. I thought that very

3546
02:38:30,959 --> 02:38:31,399
same thing.

3547
02:38:33,040 --> 02:38:34,680
Speaker 2: It's a road that nobody I mean, I get it,

3548
02:38:34,799 --> 02:38:38,040
it makes sense. Yeah, going with it. It's like CP three,

3549
02:38:38,959 --> 02:38:41,200
We're gonna go with that, I guess, but I don't know.

3550
02:38:41,719 --> 02:38:44,680
It feels like maybe we can come up with something better. Fine,

3551
02:38:45,159 --> 02:38:47,479
rain on everybody's parade. I'm not well, you know, that's

3552
02:38:47,520 --> 02:38:49,520
just that's what I do. That's what I'm here for.

3553
02:38:50,040 --> 02:38:52,680
This is uh, this crowd is beastly.

3554
02:38:52,920 --> 02:38:56,639
Speaker 3: This crowd is amazing and wonderful and the best crowd

3555
02:38:56,680 --> 02:38:57,440
in the history of time.

3556
02:38:57,799 --> 02:39:00,600
Speaker 2: That's just what they are. They are ready. I'm ready

3557
02:39:00,959 --> 02:39:04,200
for Astros base. By the way, this is flown by. Yeah,

3558
02:39:04,239 --> 02:39:05,680
you're welcome. I credit WEX for that.

3559
02:39:05,799 --> 02:39:07,559
Speaker 3: Okay, I'm gonna credit WEX, so I'm gonna credit all

3560
02:39:07,600 --> 02:39:08,680
of our fantastic guests.

3561
02:39:08,719 --> 02:39:13,360
Speaker 2: Thanks to Chandler Rome and Brian McTaggart and Jeff Blum

3562
02:39:13,760 --> 02:39:14,399
for joining us.

3563
02:39:14,680 --> 02:39:17,000
Speaker 3: We get the heavy hitters on today out at street

3564
02:39:17,079 --> 02:39:19,360
Fest or I'm quite frankly getting a little bit tired.

3565
02:39:19,479 --> 02:39:21,799
Speaker 2: Only the best here on your home for Astros Baseball Sports.

3566
02:39:21,799 --> 02:39:23,600
Speaker 3: So I'm gonna have to get some caffeine to make

3567
02:39:23,639 --> 02:39:25,639
this post game show after the after the game, I'm

3568
02:39:25,639 --> 02:39:25,959
gonna be.

3569
02:39:25,920 --> 02:39:30,399
Speaker 5: Honest, if I drank at eight thirty, Okay, can I

3570
02:39:30,479 --> 02:39:30,879
go again?

3571
02:39:31,040 --> 02:39:34,000
Speaker 2: Two hundred milligram caffeine By the way, that's a little high.

3572
02:39:34,120 --> 02:39:36,799
Speaker 5: Well, I need like a little hot public opinion on this.

3573
02:39:36,920 --> 02:39:37,920
Speaker 2: I really want another one.

3574
02:39:39,440 --> 02:39:41,719
Speaker 3: You have, I believe, I believe if you're staying under

3575
02:39:41,719 --> 02:39:44,200
four hundred milligrams of caffeine to day, that's that's kind

3576
02:39:44,239 --> 02:39:44,959
of fine, all right.

3577
02:39:45,520 --> 02:39:46,879
Speaker 6: So I mean, so she.

3578
02:39:49,239 --> 02:39:51,200
Speaker 2: Must be that's another caffein a haulic. I bet.

3579
02:39:51,360 --> 02:39:53,239
Speaker 3: Oh, and she's had because you got a margarita. You

3580
02:39:53,280 --> 02:39:56,159
can't trust anything this person said. Just calling out those

3581
02:39:56,360 --> 02:39:59,879
lt PO marks, They call out your judgment. Okay, every

3582
02:40:00,000 --> 02:40:05,520
nobody knows that. So yeah, maybe one more? One more Celsius.

3583
02:40:06,920 --> 02:40:09,000
Speaker 2: I want one. I don't do any of them? Okay,

3584
02:40:09,200 --> 02:40:13,200
I really, I haven't met one. I don't like Selsey.

3585
02:40:13,360 --> 02:40:15,280
That feels like a clip, Jonathan, I'll do any of them.

3586
02:40:15,360 --> 02:40:16,479
I haven't met one. I don't like.

3587
02:40:16,840 --> 02:40:20,639
Speaker 3: That feels like that should appear on the Friday Show

3588
02:40:21,159 --> 02:40:25,239
tomorrow and the open. Okay, So Astros and Angels three

3589
02:40:25,280 --> 02:40:26,159
to ten, first pitch.

3590
02:40:26,760 --> 02:40:26,879
Speaker 6: Uh.

3591
02:40:26,959 --> 02:40:29,040
Speaker 3: We kind of talked a little bit about our our

3592
02:40:29,200 --> 02:40:31,360
projection season all that type of stuff, guys, but we

3593
02:40:31,399 --> 02:40:33,600
would just lay it out there one more time as

3594
02:40:33,680 --> 02:40:35,959
far as next and on deck mode will go the

3595
02:40:36,040 --> 02:40:40,520
individual game, but for now the season, I know we

3596
02:40:40,639 --> 02:40:44,319
had some of our projections up. I had eighty seven

3597
02:40:44,520 --> 02:40:46,799
as a win total for the Astros. I have them

3598
02:40:46,840 --> 02:40:49,719
in the playoffs. Have the Mariners as the American League

3599
02:40:50,040 --> 02:40:53,520
West champions? Wexler sticking with eighty nine wins for your.

3600
02:40:53,440 --> 02:40:56,479
Speaker 6: Stros, Yeah, a little bit over what the prognostiators the

3601
02:40:56,559 --> 02:40:59,520
Vegas sites have out there. I don't think that will

3602
02:40:59,559 --> 02:41:04,360
win them the division though. Okay, I have the Mariners

3603
02:41:04,399 --> 02:41:05,120
winning this division.

3604
02:41:06,120 --> 02:41:06,840
Speaker 2: I think so too.

3605
02:41:07,760 --> 02:41:10,600
Speaker 5: Sticking with my eighty nine wins and my my Astros

3606
02:41:10,680 --> 02:41:11,440
AO West.

3607
02:41:11,319 --> 02:41:12,920
Speaker 2: Do you guys both had eighty nine wins? That is

3608
02:41:13,000 --> 02:41:13,639
so adorable.

3609
02:41:13,799 --> 02:41:15,680
Speaker 5: Well, again, like I said, if they get eighty nine

3610
02:41:15,719 --> 02:41:18,799
wins and they win the division, I feel like the Mariners.

3611
02:41:18,399 --> 02:41:20,440
Speaker 2: Are eighty seven eighty six somewhere in that range right

3612
02:41:20,479 --> 02:41:23,360
behind them. Okay, I'm stealing from something Chandler Rome said earlier.

3613
02:41:23,440 --> 02:41:26,079
Speaker 3: He said X factor, we would the chalk pick for

3614
02:41:26,319 --> 02:41:29,760
Astros pitching MVP. Would Hunter Brown the chalk pick for

3615
02:41:29,879 --> 02:41:32,200
Astros hitting MVP? If they're gonna if they're gonna make

3616
02:41:32,200 --> 02:41:34,200
the playoffs, it's going to be yord On Alvarez. I'm

3617
02:41:34,200 --> 02:41:38,879
sticking with that, so X factor neither of those two guys.

3618
02:41:39,239 --> 02:41:40,760
You can go with a pitcher, or you can go

3619
02:41:40,879 --> 02:41:43,399
with a position player. The X factor for the twenty

3620
02:41:43,440 --> 02:41:45,399
twenty six uson Astros.

3621
02:41:45,079 --> 02:41:47,840
Speaker 2: Is you go first.

3622
02:41:48,159 --> 02:41:50,000
Speaker 6: I think he's in the corner tonight.

3623
02:41:51,440 --> 02:41:54,200
Speaker 2: I like this. I'm liking some blow Perffedo love.

3624
02:41:54,799 --> 02:41:58,079
Speaker 6: I mean that I could take either one, but also

3625
02:41:58,319 --> 02:42:00,120
that's another good one too. I'll stick with you. Oh,

3626
02:42:00,280 --> 02:42:02,879
as you know, Joe Spotted talked about it a little

3627
02:42:02,920 --> 02:42:06,239
bit today. His preference, I guess perfect world preference would

3628
02:42:06,239 --> 02:42:08,079
be to kind of have one guy this, this is

3629
02:42:08,120 --> 02:42:09,760
our left fielder. This is the guy that's gonna be

3630
02:42:09,840 --> 02:42:11,840
out there and doesn't know it it'll play out that way,

3631
02:42:11,879 --> 02:42:13,520
but he would love to see it, which kind of

3632
02:42:13,600 --> 02:42:16,120
makes me think they're going to give him that opportunity

3633
02:42:16,680 --> 02:42:20,239
if he just doesn't doesn't flounder so quickly, just give

3634
02:42:20,319 --> 02:42:21,680
him some more time, give him and then all of

3635
02:42:21,719 --> 02:42:24,040
a sudden, maybe it is his position. I'll go X

3636
02:42:24,120 --> 02:42:25,559
factor at the corner outfield spot.

3637
02:42:25,600 --> 02:42:29,000
Speaker 5: Who's more high on Joey Loberfdo Adam Wesler or Jeff Blum?

3638
02:42:30,079 --> 02:42:31,680
Speaker 2: I would say the low Berfido fans.

3639
02:42:32,040 --> 02:42:34,520
Speaker 5: I'm gonna I'm gonna lean. I'm gonna lean even heavier

3640
02:42:34,680 --> 02:42:37,719
into my esac peretis. Let's go, because if he's leading

3641
02:42:37,760 --> 02:42:39,360
the team in home runs and he's the X factor,

3642
02:42:41,040 --> 02:42:41,440
I got you.

3643
02:42:41,520 --> 02:42:44,600
Speaker 2: I'm gonna do that. We're going all in, all right, cool,

3644
02:42:45,559 --> 02:42:48,840
I'm gonna go with camp Smith. Okay, I'm feeling I'm

3645
02:42:48,840 --> 02:42:51,319
feeling a little. Twenty home runs. What do you think

3646
02:42:51,600 --> 02:42:54,399
was the reason for the second half drop off? Mental

3647
02:42:54,479 --> 02:42:55,680
and physical fatigue? Both?

3648
02:42:55,760 --> 02:42:58,360
Speaker 3: That's all I mean, that's other than that he was

3649
02:42:58,399 --> 02:43:01,600
doing great and he still was a finalists in right field?

3650
02:43:01,799 --> 02:43:01,920
Speaker 10: Is it?

3651
02:43:02,040 --> 02:43:04,079
Speaker 2: We know he's got the pop, he's got the power,

3652
02:43:04,399 --> 02:43:06,600
he can show up. I'm feeling pretty good.

3653
02:43:07,200 --> 02:43:10,360
Speaker 3: H And everything we're hearing from Jeff Blum and from

3654
02:43:10,399 --> 02:43:13,520
all the reports and everybody we talked about, Cam Smith

3655
02:43:13,719 --> 02:43:17,600
looks the part. He is talented. Jake Myers says he

3656
02:43:17,760 --> 02:43:20,879
is going to be a superstar. So I'm going with

3657
02:43:21,040 --> 02:43:22,159
Cam Smith.

3658
02:43:22,479 --> 02:43:27,639
Speaker 5: Is it wild that I never really questioned his mental like,

3659
02:43:27,760 --> 02:43:29,440
I think he's got that already.

3660
02:43:29,520 --> 02:43:31,079
Speaker 2: He's get's fatigue. I'man just tired.

3661
02:43:31,079 --> 02:43:32,799
Speaker 3: I mean, he'd never played what was it, thirty games

3662
02:43:32,920 --> 02:43:39,600
or something like that with the with the Florida State seminoles.

3663
02:43:39,000 --> 02:43:41,239
Speaker 5: The age in the journey because where he came from

3664
02:43:41,319 --> 02:43:43,479
and what he had done and more importantly, maybe what.

3665
02:43:43,520 --> 02:43:44,319
Speaker 2: He hadn't done yet.

3666
02:43:44,879 --> 02:43:47,440
Speaker 3: So yeah, all right, that is going to do it

3667
02:43:47,559 --> 02:43:50,520
for the Matt Thomas Show with ross portion of our programming.

3668
02:43:50,600 --> 02:43:52,879
Speaker 2: But we aren't going anywhere.

3669
02:43:52,959 --> 02:43:56,079
Speaker 3: We're still out here at Asos Street Fest at Dyke

3670
02:43:56,120 --> 02:43:56,520
and Park.

3671
02:43:56,760 --> 02:43:58,639
Speaker 2: We're gonna be with you for forty more minutes.

3672
02:43:58,680 --> 02:44:01,040
Speaker 3: It is opening day for us, and it is opening

3673
02:44:01,120 --> 02:44:05,680
day for the Astros on Deck Show presented by Trajan

3674
02:44:05,799 --> 02:44:08,639
Wealth Management that is coming your way next year.

3675
02:44:08,680 --> 02:44:11,280
Speaker 2: On Sports Talk seven nine, Hey, don't go anywhere

