May 15, 2026 • 12 mins
Friday on The A-Team, Chandler Rome joined the show and shared his thoughts on the Astros dropping another series to the Mariners, which players could soon return from the injured list, and how the club could approach the trade deadline.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
We got Astros Baseball for you this evening on Sports
Talk seven ninety six o'clock on Deck Show, and a
little bit after seven o'clock, first pitch of their first
series of the season against the Texas Rangers, the last
of their Al West foes that they will get to
see this year. Spence Araghetti and Jack Lighter the respective starters.
No Jose al Tuve in the lineup. We've got Chandler
(00:22):
Rome here with us here on Sports Talk seven to
ninety weekly visit or second weekly visit here with us
Astros and Rangers. Following Astros and Mariners brought up Jose
Altuve obviously not having a particularly strong offensive season, and now,
unfortunately it seems like what we could say about everybody
that isn't Alvarez and Walker and as you pointed out yesterday,
(00:44):
Braden Shoemake, is anything different with al Tuove this year
from a at the plate standpoint in your mind about
how he's operating.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Well, you know, at the beginning of the season, I
am a bunch of others and you know, we came
on here and we talked about it is pretty obvious
that his his plate discipline was had gotten better, right
I mean, he was working more walks, like he was
seeing more pitches. He's been one of the best, it's
not the best hitters in terms of ABS challenges, So
I think he really took to the ABS system and
(01:16):
just like kind of how that has changed the game.
But I think in the in recent weeks you've seen
that that plate discipline kind of diminished to a point
that we were used to seeing from Altuve. He does
this a lot when he's in a slump, when he's
in a funk, you know, he'll swing at everything trying
to trying to chase hits. You know, A j Hench
(01:36):
used to say that about him all the time, and
he is a guy that he will chase hits, he
will bunt for hits because he It just seems watching
him like he's the kind of guy that if he
can get one to fall, or if he can get
on base and feel good about himself and like that
can kind of start a cascading effect, and just kind
of hasn't done that thus far. You know, he's talked
(01:57):
about when he gets when he's going bad, he's trying
to pull the ball too much, he's closing himself off.
You know, I think it's just kind of an ebb
and flow kind of thing with him. He's a difficult
hitter at or really, you know, PenPoint kind of what's
different about us because what he'd done, how how he
his entire approach is on orthodox. His entire career has
(02:18):
been kind of un orthodox. But I think it just
gets magnified now when they're really just not running a
representative major league lineup out there every night. They need
the guys, they need their main stage to play well.
And you know, Joran Alvarez obviously got off the schneid
yesterday with a homer, but he's been in a little
bit of a funk. Same with Christian Walker and same
(02:38):
with Josel tu They then, those three guys have really
carried this thing in the absence of other players, and
they're suffering for it.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Did you get the sense from talking with Joe today
and I mentioned the updates he gave on the rehabbing players,
did you get the sense that, you know, either in
the Minnesota series or that starts next week, or in
the series that immediately follows, that we should see all
of those players other than Josh Hater, who's not yet
eligible to come.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Off yeah, I think, I think my I mean, Jake
Myers is obviously like coming along pretty he's normal, right,
like I mean, his schedule hasn't been interrupted. He's he's
doing the same thing. I would imagine you see him
that first game in Minnesota. It's to be determined with
Jeremy Pania only because he had to not play in
the last two days because of the next thing when
he got in the collision on the base paths. He
(03:25):
is going to play tonight. They're going to wait and
see how he feels. I would imagine if he comes
out of the next two or three days, I don't
know how many games he's gonna play this weekend, but
if he comes out of them feeling good, I would
imagine he would be back with them on Monday in
Minnesota at Target Field. But they're going to play it
by year.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Though I asked you this question, I think last week
and I was thinking about this portion of the schedule.
You know, Seattle came in, had its way with you,
and everybody pretty much is right now and now the
Rangers are here and it's just another reminder of where
the Astros used to be and where they are now.
And of course these injuries factor into it a lot.
But I'm once again kind of presenting the do you
(04:07):
think someone doesn't make it out of the weekend because
of the way things are going right now.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Look, there's one person that can answer that question, and
he hasn't answered questions from the media since January. I'm
sure that I'm sure that there are people listening to this.
I know that there's people that really enjoy when I
open my mouth or when I write on the Athletic
and I know that kind of gets around. So if
they're listening and they like to put this rumor to
bed and they like to debunk this, they could make
them available to talk. But I don't know if that's
(04:36):
going to happen. You know, Look, it'd be difficult to
do anything now, only because they go on the road
after this, right Like, there's no offer, there's no like
convenient time to do it if they're going to do it,
because they leave Sunday Anglish straight to Minnesota and then
they're on a ten game, eleven day road trip. But
I have not been told anything is imminent. I've not
(04:57):
been told it's even a discussion that's being I think
it's fair to point out. As I wrote in The
Athletic yesterday that you know Jim Crane and his ownership tenure,
yes both Porter got fired on September first, twenty fourteen,
but that team was, you know, twenty games under five
hundred and twenty five out of the division and not
trying to win. Other than that, he has never made
(05:19):
an in season change with his manager or his general manager.
You know, whether that precedent sticks here, I don't know.
But as I noted in that story as well, standards
and expectations and that that's all changed since twenty fourteen,
So I don't know where it is. I wish I
could give you a better answer. I wish I could
give you more insight. But it has been business as usual.
(05:43):
You know, Joe spot is working business as usual, being
a Brown the same thing. You know it be it'd
be tough optically to get back from if you get
swept by the Rangers and you go one and six
on this homestand and you're looking at a nine or
a ten game deficit in the division, it'd be tough.
But I mean there's a lot of season left, and
like I said, I think last time I was with
(06:04):
you guys, I think Jim would have to ask himself,
is there is the cavalry of injured guides coming back,
is is it worth giving this brain trust time with
a full roster because they have not had a full
roster since the first week of the season, and they're
not gonna have a full roster going forward because called
(06:25):
his career is not playing again this year. But is
it worth letting it see how it looks with paying
you back? With Myers back, with Hater back in a
couple of weeks, with Hunter Brown back maybe next month.
Do they give them that leash and that runway and
just chalk this all up to injuries. I wish I
could ask that question, but not be given the opportunity
to do so.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Clearly, there are other factors. That's a huge in season
record wise, where's this team going factor? And then the
bigger question that involves those people you're talking about, specifically
Dana Brown and the personnel side of things, is you're
every day that goes by, you're another day closer to
this season's Major League Baseball Draft and Major League Baseball
trade deadline. And obviously the people that are currently in
(07:07):
place are headed towards making all of those decisions as
they get to those two points in the season without
commitment for their futures here because the contract runs out
at the end of the season. Weighing all that together
with how much Again, I know you don't know the
answer to it, But do you believe, based on what
you've seen from Dana at the respective drafts and deadlines
(07:28):
that the commitment to believing in him to do those
things is still there?
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Well, it's difficult to know. The draft is one thing, right,
the draft, like Dana, That's why Dana's here, right like
that was part of why he was attracted to Jim
Crane with his player evaluation and his player acquisition capabilities
on the amateur side, Like the draft is Dana's dojo.
That is where he is good, that's where he has
built his whole career. There is an argument to be
(07:55):
made that you know, it would behoove them to keep
that in place, But also when the draft comes round,
you have to remember that the like when the draft happens,
there's not much the GM really does right, Like the
board is set, like they've scouted all the play They're
not going to find a new player, Like while they're
on the clock, for the first pick. The GM really
(08:15):
just kind of has the final say is like, all right,
we'll pick this guy or this guy. The deadline's a
little more fascinating, you know, we're talking, We talked about
precing it, right, Like the Astros haven't sold at the
trade deadline in what ten years? Like I mean, like
Jim Crane doesn't sell at the deadline, Like even in
twenty twenty when they were, you know, at the time,
(08:36):
very very out of it, and I know it was
a sixty game season, I know everything was so weird
that year, but they didn't sell at that deadline in
twenty sixteen. They really didn't sell at the deadline in
twenty sixteen either, when when they were out of it,
they shipped off a couple guys, but it wasn't a
full scale sell off. So I guess that also begs
the question, like if they are out of it at
(08:58):
the deadline, if it's still looks like this at the deadline,
will they even sell or will they just stand pat
and you know, try to play it out and just
for lack of a better word, get to the end
of the season figure out what they're going to do.
In the GM and manager spot and then you know,
go from there and try to build a roster in
a next year. I don't know, because that's the one
thing that's kind of been the hang up here is
(09:20):
they don't sell at the deadline under Jim Crane. They
never really have. They never have since the expectations have
gotten to this level. So I can't really give you
a good answer to that.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Yeah, it's interesting because I last I asked you last
week about, you know, the the basically whether or not
your Don Alvarez being traded would even be something that
would be approached as a topic, and you you said,
to your credit, you know, I don't know for sure,
but I just wonder what that would look like like
if it's not him, But who would it be? And
(09:52):
I don't know. There's a lot of parameters that go
into It's a very general question to ask with so
many different I guess possible answers. But I would wonder,
under Jim Crane's leadership what a firesale pseudo fire sale
might look like, or a selling deadline might look like.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Well, he'd have like the question that Jim would have
to debate is what is the point let's say they're
selling is what is the point of this deadline? Is
it to get salary off the books or is it
to get prospects or zero to three players or young
players back in return. If the point of it is
to get salary off the books, you're looking at Josh Hater,
(10:29):
You're looking at Christian Walker. Estcoc Paratus isn't making a
ton of money. He's making like ten million dollars, But
so Estoc Paradus would be traded in either equation. But
I think fans kind of have to condition themselves. I
know Christian Walker's playing really well, but he's thirty five
years old and it's going to have about thirty million
dollars remaining on his contract at the trade deadline, the
Ashers aren't going to get a haul for Christian Walker.
(10:51):
Same with Josh Hater, who if he comes back and
pitches well, could put himself in that conversation, but he's
got a full note trade cause and he's got three
years and fifty somethingion dollars left on his deal. You're
not going to get a ton of prospect capital or
zero the three player capital in a turn for that.
If the decision is you want players back and you
want prospects back and you want to rejuvenate the farm system.
(11:12):
You look at he thought Paradis, you look at Jeremy
Panna who. I think Jeremy Payne is going to be
a trade target. I think he's going to be talked
about in trades this winter if he's not traded at
the deadline, just because he's going to be in the
same position that Kyle Tucker was a couple of years ago.
They couldn't extend him, they know they can't pay him,
so they're going to trade him to rejuvenate the farm
(11:33):
system or get some big league ready talent here. So
it's really going to depend on what the objective of
the deadline is. And maybe the objective is just the
stand pat and you know, play this string out and
figure out what to do after the season as a reset.
But to me, that's kind of those are the guys
you're going to hear. I don't think Alvarez is realistic. Again,
(11:53):
never say never, but you'll hear paying youa Paradus Walker hater,
Brian A Bray You if he keeps if you can
keep maybe getting turning the corner a little bit, and
then there's always you know, a contender that needs a
random position that we're not even talking about yet that
maybe the Astros could match with on a guy that
we're not talking about. But those are the guys. You're
(12:14):
gonna hear a lot about.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Chandler Rome covering the Astros in Major League Baseball for
the Athletic. You hear him as well on a crush
citty territory and we always appreciate you joining us here.
Enjoy to the fullest your weekend ahead.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
All right, thanks guys, Chandler Rome of the Athletic. Here
on Sports Talk seven ninety we got a half hour
or so to go in our week before we get
into the weekend and get you ready for the opener
of that Astros Rangers game. So we'll do that starting
with in case you missed it when we come back
Speaker 2 (12:48):
The ad on Sports Talk seven ninety
We got Astros Baseball for you this evening on Sports
Talk seven ninety six o'clock on Deck Show, and a
little bit after seven o'clock, first pitch of their first
series of the season against the Texas Rangers, the last
of their Al West foes that they will get to
see this year. Spence Araghetti and Jack Lighter the respective starters.
No Jose al Tuve in the lineup. We've got Chandler
(00:22):
Rome here with us here on Sports Talk seven to
ninety weekly visit or second weekly visit here with us
Astros and Rangers. Following Astros and Mariners brought up Jose
Altuve obviously not having a particularly strong offensive season, and now,
unfortunately it seems like what we could say about everybody
that isn't Alvarez and Walker and as you pointed out yesterday,
(00:44):
Braden Shoemake, is anything different with al Tuove this year
from a at the plate standpoint in your mind about
how he's operating.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Well, you know, at the beginning of the season, I
am a bunch of others and you know, we came
on here and we talked about it is pretty obvious
that his his plate discipline was had gotten better, right
I mean, he was working more walks, like he was
seeing more pitches. He's been one of the best, it's
not the best hitters in terms of ABS challenges, So
I think he really took to the ABS system and
(01:16):
just like kind of how that has changed the game.
But I think in the in recent weeks you've seen
that that plate discipline kind of diminished to a point
that we were used to seeing from Altuve. He does
this a lot when he's in a slump, when he's
in a funk, you know, he'll swing at everything trying
to trying to chase hits. You know, A j Hench
(01:36):
used to say that about him all the time, and
he is a guy that he will chase hits, he
will bunt for hits because he It just seems watching
him like he's the kind of guy that if he
can get one to fall, or if he can get
on base and feel good about himself and like that
can kind of start a cascading effect, and just kind
of hasn't done that thus far. You know, he's talked
(01:57):
about when he gets when he's going bad, he's trying
to pull the ball too much, he's closing himself off.
You know, I think it's just kind of an ebb
and flow kind of thing with him. He's a difficult
hitter at or really, you know, PenPoint kind of what's
different about us because what he'd done, how how he
his entire approach is on orthodox. His entire career has
(02:18):
been kind of un orthodox. But I think it just
gets magnified now when they're really just not running a
representative major league lineup out there every night. They need
the guys, they need their main stage to play well.
And you know, Joran Alvarez obviously got off the schneid
yesterday with a homer, but he's been in a little
bit of a funk. Same with Christian Walker and same
(02:38):
with Josel tu They then, those three guys have really
carried this thing in the absence of other players, and
they're suffering for it.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Did you get the sense from talking with Joe today
and I mentioned the updates he gave on the rehabbing players,
did you get the sense that, you know, either in
the Minnesota series or that starts next week, or in
the series that immediately follows, that we should see all
of those players other than Josh Hater, who's not yet
eligible to come.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Off yeah, I think, I think my I mean, Jake
Myers is obviously like coming along pretty he's normal, right,
like I mean, his schedule hasn't been interrupted. He's he's
doing the same thing. I would imagine you see him
that first game in Minnesota. It's to be determined with
Jeremy Pania only because he had to not play in
the last two days because of the next thing when
he got in the collision on the base paths. He
(03:25):
is going to play tonight. They're going to wait and
see how he feels. I would imagine if he comes
out of the next two or three days, I don't
know how many games he's gonna play this weekend, but
if he comes out of them feeling good, I would
imagine he would be back with them on Monday in
Minnesota at Target Field. But they're going to play it
by year.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Though I asked you this question, I think last week
and I was thinking about this portion of the schedule.
You know, Seattle came in, had its way with you,
and everybody pretty much is right now and now the
Rangers are here and it's just another reminder of where
the Astros used to be and where they are now.
And of course these injuries factor into it a lot.
But I'm once again kind of presenting the do you
(04:07):
think someone doesn't make it out of the weekend because
of the way things are going right now.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Look, there's one person that can answer that question, and
he hasn't answered questions from the media since January. I'm
sure that I'm sure that there are people listening to this.
I know that there's people that really enjoy when I
open my mouth or when I write on the Athletic
and I know that kind of gets around. So if
they're listening and they like to put this rumor to
bed and they like to debunk this, they could make
them available to talk. But I don't know if that's
(04:36):
going to happen. You know, Look, it'd be difficult to
do anything now, only because they go on the road
after this, right Like, there's no offer, there's no like
convenient time to do it if they're going to do it,
because they leave Sunday Anglish straight to Minnesota and then
they're on a ten game, eleven day road trip. But
I have not been told anything is imminent. I've not
(04:57):
been told it's even a discussion that's being I think
it's fair to point out. As I wrote in The
Athletic yesterday that you know Jim Crane and his ownership tenure,
yes both Porter got fired on September first, twenty fourteen,
but that team was, you know, twenty games under five
hundred and twenty five out of the division and not
trying to win. Other than that, he has never made
(05:19):
an in season change with his manager or his general manager.
You know, whether that precedent sticks here, I don't know.
But as I noted in that story as well, standards
and expectations and that that's all changed since twenty fourteen,
So I don't know where it is. I wish I
could give you a better answer. I wish I could
give you more insight. But it has been business as usual.
(05:43):
You know, Joe spot is working business as usual, being
a Brown the same thing. You know it be it'd
be tough optically to get back from if you get
swept by the Rangers and you go one and six
on this homestand and you're looking at a nine or
a ten game deficit in the division, it'd be tough.
But I mean there's a lot of season left, and
like I said, I think last time I was with
(06:04):
you guys, I think Jim would have to ask himself,
is there is the cavalry of injured guides coming back,
is is it worth giving this brain trust time with
a full roster because they have not had a full
roster since the first week of the season, and they're
not gonna have a full roster going forward because called
(06:25):
his career is not playing again this year. But is
it worth letting it see how it looks with paying
you back? With Myers back, with Hater back in a
couple of weeks, with Hunter Brown back maybe next month.
Do they give them that leash and that runway and
just chalk this all up to injuries. I wish I
could ask that question, but not be given the opportunity
to do so.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Clearly, there are other factors. That's a huge in season
record wise, where's this team going factor? And then the
bigger question that involves those people you're talking about, specifically
Dana Brown and the personnel side of things, is you're
every day that goes by, you're another day closer to
this season's Major League Baseball Draft and Major League Baseball
trade deadline. And obviously the people that are currently in
(07:07):
place are headed towards making all of those decisions as
they get to those two points in the season without
commitment for their futures here because the contract runs out
at the end of the season. Weighing all that together
with how much Again, I know you don't know the
answer to it, But do you believe, based on what
you've seen from Dana at the respective drafts and deadlines
(07:28):
that the commitment to believing in him to do those
things is still there?
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Well, it's difficult to know. The draft is one thing, right,
the draft, like Dana, That's why Dana's here, right like
that was part of why he was attracted to Jim
Crane with his player evaluation and his player acquisition capabilities
on the amateur side, Like the draft is Dana's dojo.
That is where he is good, that's where he has
built his whole career. There is an argument to be
(07:55):
made that you know, it would behoove them to keep
that in place, But also when the draft comes round,
you have to remember that the like when the draft happens,
there's not much the GM really does right, Like the
board is set, like they've scouted all the play They're
not going to find a new player, Like while they're
on the clock, for the first pick. The GM really
(08:15):
just kind of has the final say is like, all right,
we'll pick this guy or this guy. The deadline's a
little more fascinating, you know, we're talking, We talked about
precing it, right, Like the Astros haven't sold at the
trade deadline in what ten years? Like I mean, like
Jim Crane doesn't sell at the deadline, Like even in
twenty twenty when they were, you know, at the time,
(08:36):
very very out of it, and I know it was
a sixty game season, I know everything was so weird
that year, but they didn't sell at that deadline in
twenty sixteen. They really didn't sell at the deadline in
twenty sixteen either, when when they were out of it,
they shipped off a couple guys, but it wasn't a
full scale sell off. So I guess that also begs
the question, like if they are out of it at
(08:58):
the deadline, if it's still looks like this at the deadline,
will they even sell or will they just stand pat
and you know, try to play it out and just
for lack of a better word, get to the end
of the season figure out what they're going to do.
In the GM and manager spot and then you know,
go from there and try to build a roster in
a next year. I don't know, because that's the one
thing that's kind of been the hang up here is
(09:20):
they don't sell at the deadline under Jim Crane. They
never really have. They never have since the expectations have
gotten to this level. So I can't really give you
a good answer to that.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Yeah, it's interesting because I last I asked you last
week about, you know, the the basically whether or not
your Don Alvarez being traded would even be something that
would be approached as a topic, and you you said,
to your credit, you know, I don't know for sure,
but I just wonder what that would look like like
if it's not him, But who would it be? And
(09:52):
I don't know. There's a lot of parameters that go
into It's a very general question to ask with so
many different I guess possible answers. But I would wonder,
under Jim Crane's leadership what a firesale pseudo fire sale
might look like, or a selling deadline might look like.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Well, he'd have like the question that Jim would have
to debate is what is the point let's say they're
selling is what is the point of this deadline? Is
it to get salary off the books or is it
to get prospects or zero to three players or young
players back in return. If the point of it is
to get salary off the books, you're looking at Josh Hater,
(10:29):
You're looking at Christian Walker. Estcoc Paratus isn't making a
ton of money. He's making like ten million dollars, But
so Estoc Paradus would be traded in either equation. But
I think fans kind of have to condition themselves. I
know Christian Walker's playing really well, but he's thirty five
years old and it's going to have about thirty million
dollars remaining on his contract at the trade deadline, the
Ashers aren't going to get a haul for Christian Walker.
(10:51):
Same with Josh Hater, who if he comes back and
pitches well, could put himself in that conversation, but he's
got a full note trade cause and he's got three
years and fifty somethingion dollars left on his deal. You're
not going to get a ton of prospect capital or
zero the three player capital in a turn for that.
If the decision is you want players back and you
want prospects back and you want to rejuvenate the farm system.
(11:12):
You look at he thought Paradis, you look at Jeremy
Panna who. I think Jeremy Payne is going to be
a trade target. I think he's going to be talked
about in trades this winter if he's not traded at
the deadline, just because he's going to be in the
same position that Kyle Tucker was a couple of years ago.
They couldn't extend him, they know they can't pay him,
so they're going to trade him to rejuvenate the farm
(11:33):
system or get some big league ready talent here. So
it's really going to depend on what the objective of
the deadline is. And maybe the objective is just the
stand pat and you know, play this string out and
figure out what to do after the season as a reset.
But to me, that's kind of those are the guys
you're going to hear. I don't think Alvarez is realistic. Again,
(11:53):
never say never, but you'll hear paying youa Paradus Walker hater,
Brian A Bray You if he keeps if you can
keep maybe getting turning the corner a little bit, and
then there's always you know, a contender that needs a
random position that we're not even talking about yet that
maybe the Astros could match with on a guy that
we're not talking about. But those are the guys. You're
(12:14):
gonna hear a lot about.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Chandler Rome covering the Astros in Major League Baseball for
the Athletic. You hear him as well on a crush
citty territory and we always appreciate you joining us here.
Enjoy to the fullest your weekend ahead.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
All right, thanks guys, Chandler Rome of the Athletic. Here
on Sports Talk seven ninety we got a half hour
or so to go in our week before we get
into the weekend and get you ready for the opener
of that Astros Rangers game. So we'll do that starting
with in case you missed it when we come back
Speaker 2 (12:48):
The ad on Sports Talk seven ninety
Popular Podcasts
Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb
Joy is essential. And it's also elusive. You can't order it, borrow it, or simply hope it into life. But now, there's a new and exciting way to start your journey toward a more joyful existence: The Joy 101 Podcast with Hoda! Best known for her Emmy-winning work and co-anchoring Today, Hoda Kotb infuses her authenticity, curiosity, and warmth into conversations with the world’s most fascinating people. Entertainment legends, sport icons, wellness experts, and everyday folks will share how they find, allow, and experience joy. Hoda will offer her own tips and takes on seeking a more balanced, harmonious life. If you're craving inspiration, support, and useful tools to maximize your joy, tune in to these candid, uplifting, and moving on-air chats. Joy after a breakup, joy as an empty-nester, joy after loss, joy as a caretaker — Hoda's new podcast will speak to you. Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb, an iHeartPodcast.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com