March 20, 2026 • 14 mins
Friday on The A-Team, Chandler Rome of The Athletic shares the latest updates on the Houston Astros’ potential roster puzzle with Opening Day less than a week away. Be sure to listen to the audio for the full breakdown.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
He's been covering the Astros for a long time as
his own podcast, Crush Shitty Territory, and shed some light
on the Astros situation with us on a weekly basis.
Happy to have Chandler on with us right now as
the last first of the last three games in Florida
goes off in about an hour and then two more
games here at dyk In Park. Chandler, we haven't mentioned
this today, but you posted some information from the Astros
(00:21):
earlier about what likely lays out their pitching plans on
the starting side, So why don't we start there. Hunter
Brown makes the start today. We already know he's starting
a week from yesterday the home opener, but it does
sound like they have planned out their first handful of
starting assignments from the pitching side when they get started
with the season next week.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Yeah, it's not.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Official, but I mean kind of follow the tea leaves here,
follow the routines, right. Hunter Brown's going to pitch tonight
in West Palm Beach. Mike Burrows is going to pitch
tomorrow in Port Saint.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Lucy against the Mets.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Christian Hobber will pitch on Sunday in the Florida finale,
Tatsuya Emi will start on My Day against the Space Cowboy,
that Dyke and Park. I'm not sure who's going to
pitch on Tuesday yet. Spencer Araghetty is going to factor
into that game. I'm not sure if he's going to
start come out of the bullpen, but he'll probably pitch
in that game as well. Again, wouldn't go buy your
(01:16):
tickets yet and say that's a set in stone, but
I think it's pretty safe to say the first three
guys in the rotation are going to be Hunter Brown,
Mike Burrows, and Christian Xavier. The only reason I say
not to set in and stone yet is there's a
lot just sort of up in the air with Tetsuya Emi.
They're letting him kind of dictate his schedule, how when
(01:36):
he wants to pitch, how many days of rest.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
They think he thinks he needs.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
So I'm not saying he's definitely going to be the
fourth guy to start in the rotation, but you know
it could be Sun that next Sunday Monday again, and
then after that I'll have to go between mccullors and Araghetty.
So yeah, it's starting to kind of map itself out
a little litle bit for all the fans listening that
(02:02):
are freaking out that Tatsuya Emi is now the fourth starter.
The order does not matter. It doesn't matter until October if.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
They get there.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Yeah, it might be a really good thing if he
really was that, if he has a good season and
the three guys that not really are ahead of him
but are scheduling wise also pitched that way. Let me
ask you something about the roster decisions that are upcoming.
Hunter Brown, as I mentioned, makes the start today, saysar
Salazar is catching for him today. Christian Vasquez has now
become a part of the Astros once again. He's been
(02:30):
there since early this week, has gotten in some game action,
and they wouldn't have signed him to a minor league
deal with a major league invite unless they were serious
about considering him to be with this team when they
get out of camp and for any role in the future.
Where do you think things stand there with those two guys,
and if it really is just for one spot, and
who's it might be on opening Day?
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Yeah, I can't see them carrying three catchers, especially three
catchers that especially like if two of them are Salazar
in Basco's you know they ever use Salazar in any
meaningful role on a major league roster, and I can't
imagine it's going to change this time around.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
If they carry three catchers and.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Then Christian Basquez doesn't give you a ton kind of
offensively off the bench, it doesn't allow Joe to really
be as flexible as he wants with his bench. So
I think it's two guys for one spot. I don't
have a great read of where they're leaning. There's some
people in the organization that really like Fasar Salazar. There's
some people that are worried about overexposing and playing him
(03:28):
too much and seeing how that goes. You have seen
in the four time. In the four years, I should
say that he's been up and been with the Astros.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
I always say actions speak.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Louder than words, and he's gone unused for very long
stretches of his time on a major league roster.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
So you're right, And that they didn't sign.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Christian Basquez just for some sentimental fun like they think
he can help them. I would this is just purely
a guess. I would probably say as of right now,
Salazar probbably has a little bit of a leg up,
only because he's been in camp the whole time. He's
been here, from day one of camp. He's obviously very
(04:07):
well liked in the clubhouse. The pitchers like throwing to him.
Basque has only got here this week. Obviously, he's familiar
with the staff, he's familiar with how they do things here.
But I think that I think Salazar probably has a
leg up right now, for no other reason than that
he's been here for longer than Bascue's.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
I feel like I asked you this the last time
you were on with us, and I just kind of
won an update. You mentioned Christian Javier. I just got
an I'm keeping an eye on him because I'm still
hopeful that the guy that you know you saw before
the injuries is still in there somewhere. What if anything
that you've seen with him lends itself to thinking that
(04:46):
may be the case, or is this going to be
another season where he's a gigantic question mark.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
You know, his last start was encouraging with Javier. I
wouldn't look so much at the velocity with him, just because, yeah,
I think they've like it to be ninety three ninety four,
but he can be successful at ninety two ninety three.
He's got so much ride and carry on the fastball
that that's part of what makes his fastball great is
that it's not that high velocity of a pitch, but
(05:13):
it looks so much harder and it disappears and it
carries up because.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Of the movement he gets on it.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
So I wouldn't look at the fastball velocity itself and
get concerned.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
They did say that they wanted him to.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Throw his off speed pitches and his breaking pitches a
little bit harder, and he did that in his last start.
He had some success. He threw some good change ups.
They liked everything they saw on his last start. But yeah,
I think it would have given them a little more,
you know, comfort, if he would have been a little
bit more consistent this camp.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
But you talked about him not being continued. He really
only had that.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
One bad outing and everything else has been pretty in
line with what they've seen from him before the surgery
when he was at his peak. Help So they'll be
interesting to see alley pitches on Sunday, a day when
everyone is going to be swinging at the first pitch,
everyone wants to get out of here. That's you know,
it's usually a thing in the final day of Flora's
(06:04):
spring training is that if you don't swing at the
first pitch, you're in trouble. So I don't know how
much you'll be able to glean from his start on Sunday,
but still it'll be interesting to see what the what
the numbers look like, what the pitch shapes look like,
and things like that.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
If I tell you that Bryce Matthews, Joey lo Berfdo,
and Roderie Munio's all make the team out of spring training,
which one do you think is the least likely to
be correct?
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Well, that's a good one, because I think all three
of them are going to make it.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
I probably would say Rottery Muno's would be the guy
that was be least likely, only because of the roster
inflexibility that gives them because they have to keep him
on the twenty six man roster all season because.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
He's a Rule five pick.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
But I'll say this, and yel Della Santo's is not
ready for opening Day and he's going to pitch tonight. Muno's,
I don't see how they don't carry him because they
have a real lack of right handed leverage relievers behind
Brian A Brady.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
The fill encloser.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
So you know, I think all three of those guys
have put themselves in pretty.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Good positions to make this team.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
So i'd probably say Roderie Munoz, but I'm gonna tell
you I think all three of those guys are in
pretty good spots to break camp.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
It's kind of the maybe the last guy on the roster,
Nick Allen, in that they probably find other places to
use everybody else. And even though he's an everyday shortstop
caliber defender, I don't he doesn't have as much positional
flexibility as say Bryce and certainly speed on Bryce's side,
And I mean, just is that a fair statement. I
think he's making the team, especially with paying his injury,
(07:35):
but maybe not used very often.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Yeah, I think so, And I think maybe more so, Alex.
I'm writing about this right now, like I think Bryce
Matthews is gonna make this team as a primary league outfielder.
You know, he's starting in left field tonight for this
Great Fruit League game. Like that's not an accident, he
you know, And if you look at the first home
stand of the season, they're gonna face at least three
(08:00):
left handed pitchers and Garrett Crochet Raners Schuarez and you
say Kakuci if reed, Debt Meurs pitches for the Angels,
and they'll face four left handed starters. There is room
in that first homestand to get Bryce Matthews a good
bit of it bats and they get him some run
against left handed pitching. You know, Joe spot has always
been a guy that says, you know, if he carries
(08:20):
a prospect, he wants them to play regularly. Well, they
have that lane here. Zach Cole has not had a
good camp. Just offensively, He's still swinging and missing way
too much. He's hitting the ball hard, but hasn't gotten
rewarded for it. The base running has not been good.
I can I can see a scenario where the maybe
they sends that cold triple A to start the year.
(08:41):
They carry Bryce Matthews, and maybe it's a left field
platoon with Bryce Matthews and Joey Loperfido who's left hands
and natural platoon Bryce Matthews and Jordan Alvarez when they
want to put Jordon Alvarez out in left field.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
I could see a.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Situation where where Bryce Matthews makes his team and maybe
he never touches the dirt maybe it's solely in an
outfield role. And part of that is because, like you said,
like they have Nick Allen, like Nick Allen is to
think of him as a less versatile Mauricio Dubond. But
he's the guy that's the insurance policy. He's he can
really pick it at third base, can really pick it
(09:16):
it short.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
They feel confident with him.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
At all three infield positions, not first base. So he's
going to kind of be the guy that's just there
and breaking case of emergency. But I think Bryce Matthews
probably makes this teammate and you could see him get
a decent shot.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
At maybe look a look in the outfield.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
Chandler, how do you rank or how do you rate
the Texans offseason so far, especially updating that offensive line.
I know you're a huge fan of that situation.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
I mean, I just couldn't believe that Calan Hannah drove
in with the grilled.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Rapper last night. You have to you have you have
to pass a test to get a driver's license. I
couldn't believe cal.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
Oh Man I did. I mean, I knew somebody would
catch astray, but you just, I mean.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Has Paul Wall done anything since Grills has he released
a song since Grills or is he just living.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Off of that.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
I don't even think that's really that big of a
negative personally, Like you did something awesome and Houston really
loves you. It seems like a pretty good thing for him.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Yeah, yeah, good for him.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Threw a nice first pitch to WBC a couple a
couple of weeks ago. Like, I'm all for just It's
that's the American dream, right, do one thing and then
coast off of it your whole life. I'm good for him.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
Well, I know this is not what I'm supposed to do,
but I'm gonna bring you back to baseball for one moment.
What's your big takeaway here in America?
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Maybe?
Speaker 1 (10:43):
And moving forward about the WBC, you.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Know, it was great for baseball, and I hope people
in America and the United States have watched it appreciated
how the different cultures of baseball and how baseball is
just played a little bit differently all across the globe,
and baseball culture in America. And I'm not saying this
is a bad thing. Baseball culture in America is very
(11:09):
buttoned up, it's very hierarchical, it's very you know, you
need to prove yourself.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
You need to.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
You know, unwritten rules were a thing up until about
ten years ago. Unwritten rules were a huge part of
Major League Baseball. That's starting to go away a little bit.
But like you're seeing how in other countries and the
other how other countries play the game. It's different, and
it's more fun, and it's more lively, and it's more passionate.
And I'm not sitting here saying Team USA did not
(11:35):
have passionate for this thing.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
They did, they just expressed it in a different way.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
And I think that was really instructive for a lot
of people, because this thing had a ton of eyeballs
on it and so many people watched it.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
You know.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
I don't think Mark DeRosa did Team USA many favors,
just with how he messaged some things, with how you know,
he went out there. He wasn't a good public face
for them. But those guys really really were passionate about
this and they enjoyed it. I loved it WBC. I
thought it was unbelievable. And I think if you've seen
anything from Omar Lopez these last three days, Javier Brackamani,
(12:07):
like josel Tuve, like I don't know that you can
see the emotion and the passion that these people have
for this event, for this tournament. Even you know some
of the Dominican guys after they got eliminated.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
Like how crestfallen, they were like, and it's.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
Something that I think Major League Baseball and players and
teams should encourage their players participate in.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
So for the record, you do think Team US say
cared enough?
Speaker 3 (12:33):
Oh I do, And if you were around them for
like ten minutes to Dike in part, yes they cared.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
They they just didn't.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
Again, like it's just a different culture, right, Like they're
not going to be like running out of the dugout
almost running out a field after a home run.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
They're not gonna.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Bat flip all the way up in the sky like
they celebrate and they show emotion, but it's it's just not.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
On the level of other teams. It's okay, that's okay.
That's what makes baseball great.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
So it makes us world great that we can all
do things in a different way, that we can all
have different cultures and different ways of doing things and
we can all come together under one kind of umbrella
of the WBC and have it all showcased for a
couple of weeks. I feel like I'm I feel like
I'm a marketing executive. Now, this is great. They should
tape this and that this should be what people listen
(13:23):
to before the WBC every year.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
He's doing very well well.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
He did say what makes this world great even amongst
all that stuff. So I've considered it a good visit.
All right, diplomatic Chandler Rome. As always, Chandler, we appreciate
the time. We're looking forward to talking to you next week.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Hi. Thanks guys.
Speaker 4 (13:39):
All right, Chandler Roam of the athletic here on your
home for Astros Baseball Sports Talk seven ninety. We will
continue here get back into some Texans free agency conversation
when we return
Speaker 2 (13:54):
The ad on Sports Talk seven ninety
He's been covering the Astros for a long time as
his own podcast, Crush Shitty Territory, and shed some light
on the Astros situation with us on a weekly basis.
Happy to have Chandler on with us right now as
the last first of the last three games in Florida
goes off in about an hour and then two more
games here at dyk In Park. Chandler, we haven't mentioned
this today, but you posted some information from the Astros
(00:21):
earlier about what likely lays out their pitching plans on
the starting side, So why don't we start there. Hunter
Brown makes the start today. We already know he's starting
a week from yesterday the home opener, but it does
sound like they have planned out their first handful of
starting assignments from the pitching side when they get started
with the season next week.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Yeah, it's not.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Official, but I mean kind of follow the tea leaves here,
follow the routines, right. Hunter Brown's going to pitch tonight
in West Palm Beach. Mike Burrows is going to pitch
tomorrow in Port Saint.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Lucy against the Mets.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Christian Hobber will pitch on Sunday in the Florida finale,
Tatsuya Emi will start on My Day against the Space Cowboy,
that Dyke and Park. I'm not sure who's going to
pitch on Tuesday yet. Spencer Araghetty is going to factor
into that game. I'm not sure if he's going to
start come out of the bullpen, but he'll probably pitch
in that game as well. Again, wouldn't go buy your
(01:16):
tickets yet and say that's a set in stone, but
I think it's pretty safe to say the first three
guys in the rotation are going to be Hunter Brown,
Mike Burrows, and Christian Xavier. The only reason I say
not to set in and stone yet is there's a
lot just sort of up in the air with Tetsuya Emi.
They're letting him kind of dictate his schedule, how when
(01:36):
he wants to pitch, how many days of rest.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
They think he thinks he needs.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
So I'm not saying he's definitely going to be the
fourth guy to start in the rotation, but you know
it could be Sun that next Sunday Monday again, and
then after that I'll have to go between mccullors and Araghetty.
So yeah, it's starting to kind of map itself out
a little litle bit for all the fans listening that
(02:02):
are freaking out that Tatsuya Emi is now the fourth starter.
The order does not matter. It doesn't matter until October if.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
They get there.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Yeah, it might be a really good thing if he
really was that, if he has a good season and
the three guys that not really are ahead of him
but are scheduling wise also pitched that way. Let me
ask you something about the roster decisions that are upcoming.
Hunter Brown, as I mentioned, makes the start today, saysar
Salazar is catching for him today. Christian Vasquez has now
become a part of the Astros once again. He's been
(02:30):
there since early this week, has gotten in some game action,
and they wouldn't have signed him to a minor league
deal with a major league invite unless they were serious
about considering him to be with this team when they
get out of camp and for any role in the future.
Where do you think things stand there with those two guys,
and if it really is just for one spot, and
who's it might be on opening Day?
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Yeah, I can't see them carrying three catchers, especially three
catchers that especially like if two of them are Salazar
in Basco's you know they ever use Salazar in any
meaningful role on a major league roster, and I can't
imagine it's going to change this time around.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
If they carry three catchers and.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Then Christian Basquez doesn't give you a ton kind of
offensively off the bench, it doesn't allow Joe to really
be as flexible as he wants with his bench. So
I think it's two guys for one spot. I don't
have a great read of where they're leaning. There's some
people in the organization that really like Fasar Salazar. There's
some people that are worried about overexposing and playing him
(03:28):
too much and seeing how that goes. You have seen
in the four time. In the four years, I should
say that he's been up and been with the Astros.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
I always say actions speak.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Louder than words, and he's gone unused for very long
stretches of his time on a major league roster.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
So you're right, And that they didn't sign.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Christian Basquez just for some sentimental fun like they think
he can help them. I would this is just purely
a guess. I would probably say as of right now,
Salazar probbably has a little bit of a leg up,
only because he's been in camp the whole time. He's
been here, from day one of camp. He's obviously very
(04:07):
well liked in the clubhouse. The pitchers like throwing to him.
Basque has only got here this week. Obviously, he's familiar
with the staff, he's familiar with how they do things here.
But I think that I think Salazar probably has a
leg up right now, for no other reason than that
he's been here for longer than Bascue's.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
I feel like I asked you this the last time
you were on with us, and I just kind of
won an update. You mentioned Christian Javier. I just got
an I'm keeping an eye on him because I'm still
hopeful that the guy that you know you saw before
the injuries is still in there somewhere. What if anything
that you've seen with him lends itself to thinking that
(04:46):
may be the case, or is this going to be
another season where he's a gigantic question mark.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
You know, his last start was encouraging with Javier. I
wouldn't look so much at the velocity with him, just because, yeah,
I think they've like it to be ninety three ninety four,
but he can be successful at ninety two ninety three.
He's got so much ride and carry on the fastball
that that's part of what makes his fastball great is
that it's not that high velocity of a pitch, but
(05:13):
it looks so much harder and it disappears and it
carries up because.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Of the movement he gets on it.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
So I wouldn't look at the fastball velocity itself and
get concerned.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
They did say that they wanted him to.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Throw his off speed pitches and his breaking pitches a
little bit harder, and he did that in his last start.
He had some success. He threw some good change ups.
They liked everything they saw on his last start. But yeah,
I think it would have given them a little more,
you know, comfort, if he would have been a little
bit more consistent this camp.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
But you talked about him not being continued. He really
only had that.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
One bad outing and everything else has been pretty in
line with what they've seen from him before the surgery
when he was at his peak. Help So they'll be
interesting to see alley pitches on Sunday, a day when
everyone is going to be swinging at the first pitch,
everyone wants to get out of here. That's you know,
it's usually a thing in the final day of Flora's
(06:04):
spring training is that if you don't swing at the
first pitch, you're in trouble. So I don't know how
much you'll be able to glean from his start on Sunday,
but still it'll be interesting to see what the what
the numbers look like, what the pitch shapes look like,
and things like that.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
If I tell you that Bryce Matthews, Joey lo Berfdo,
and Roderie Munio's all make the team out of spring training,
which one do you think is the least likely to
be correct?
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Well, that's a good one, because I think all three
of them are going to make it.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
I probably would say Rottery Muno's would be the guy
that was be least likely, only because of the roster
inflexibility that gives them because they have to keep him
on the twenty six man roster all season because.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
He's a Rule five pick.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
But I'll say this, and yel Della Santo's is not
ready for opening Day and he's going to pitch tonight. Muno's,
I don't see how they don't carry him because they
have a real lack of right handed leverage relievers behind
Brian A Brady.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
The fill encloser.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
So you know, I think all three of those guys
have put themselves in pretty.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Good positions to make this team.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
So i'd probably say Roderie Munoz, but I'm gonna tell
you I think all three of those guys are in
pretty good spots to break camp.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
It's kind of the maybe the last guy on the roster,
Nick Allen, in that they probably find other places to
use everybody else. And even though he's an everyday shortstop
caliber defender, I don't he doesn't have as much positional
flexibility as say Bryce and certainly speed on Bryce's side,
And I mean, just is that a fair statement. I
think he's making the team, especially with paying his injury,
(07:35):
but maybe not used very often.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Yeah, I think so, And I think maybe more so, Alex.
I'm writing about this right now, like I think Bryce
Matthews is gonna make this team as a primary league outfielder.
You know, he's starting in left field tonight for this
Great Fruit League game. Like that's not an accident, he
you know, And if you look at the first home
stand of the season, they're gonna face at least three
(08:00):
left handed pitchers and Garrett Crochet Raners Schuarez and you
say Kakuci if reed, Debt Meurs pitches for the Angels,
and they'll face four left handed starters. There is room
in that first homestand to get Bryce Matthews a good
bit of it bats and they get him some run
against left handed pitching. You know, Joe spot has always
been a guy that says, you know, if he carries
(08:20):
a prospect, he wants them to play regularly. Well, they
have that lane here. Zach Cole has not had a
good camp. Just offensively, He's still swinging and missing way
too much. He's hitting the ball hard, but hasn't gotten
rewarded for it. The base running has not been good.
I can I can see a scenario where the maybe
they sends that cold triple A to start the year.
(08:41):
They carry Bryce Matthews, and maybe it's a left field
platoon with Bryce Matthews and Joey Loperfido who's left hands
and natural platoon Bryce Matthews and Jordan Alvarez when they
want to put Jordon Alvarez out in left field.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
I could see a.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Situation where where Bryce Matthews makes his team and maybe
he never touches the dirt maybe it's solely in an
outfield role. And part of that is because, like you said,
like they have Nick Allen, like Nick Allen is to
think of him as a less versatile Mauricio Dubond. But
he's the guy that's the insurance policy. He's he can
really pick it at third base, can really pick it
(09:16):
it short.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
They feel confident with him.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
At all three infield positions, not first base. So he's
going to kind of be the guy that's just there
and breaking case of emergency. But I think Bryce Matthews
probably makes this teammate and you could see him get
a decent shot.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
At maybe look a look in the outfield.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
Chandler, how do you rank or how do you rate
the Texans offseason so far, especially updating that offensive line.
I know you're a huge fan of that situation.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
I mean, I just couldn't believe that Calan Hannah drove
in with the grilled.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Rapper last night. You have to you have you have
to pass a test to get a driver's license. I
couldn't believe cal.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
Oh Man I did. I mean, I knew somebody would
catch astray, but you just, I mean.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Has Paul Wall done anything since Grills has he released
a song since Grills or is he just living.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Off of that.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
I don't even think that's really that big of a
negative personally, Like you did something awesome and Houston really
loves you. It seems like a pretty good thing for him.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Yeah, yeah, good for him.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Threw a nice first pitch to WBC a couple a
couple of weeks ago. Like, I'm all for just It's
that's the American dream, right, do one thing and then
coast off of it your whole life. I'm good for him.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
Well, I know this is not what I'm supposed to do,
but I'm gonna bring you back to baseball for one moment.
What's your big takeaway here in America?
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Maybe?
Speaker 1 (10:43):
And moving forward about the WBC, you.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Know, it was great for baseball, and I hope people
in America and the United States have watched it appreciated
how the different cultures of baseball and how baseball is
just played a little bit differently all across the globe,
and baseball culture in America. And I'm not saying this
is a bad thing. Baseball culture in America is very
(11:09):
buttoned up, it's very hierarchical, it's very you know, you
need to prove yourself.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
You need to.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
You know, unwritten rules were a thing up until about
ten years ago. Unwritten rules were a huge part of
Major League Baseball. That's starting to go away a little bit.
But like you're seeing how in other countries and the
other how other countries play the game. It's different, and
it's more fun, and it's more lively, and it's more passionate.
And I'm not sitting here saying Team USA did not
(11:35):
have passionate for this thing.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
They did, they just expressed it in a different way.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
And I think that was really instructive for a lot
of people, because this thing had a ton of eyeballs
on it and so many people watched it.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
You know.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
I don't think Mark DeRosa did Team USA many favors,
just with how he messaged some things, with how you know,
he went out there. He wasn't a good public face
for them. But those guys really really were passionate about
this and they enjoyed it. I loved it WBC. I
thought it was unbelievable. And I think if you've seen
anything from Omar Lopez these last three days, Javier Brackamani,
(12:07):
like josel Tuve, like I don't know that you can
see the emotion and the passion that these people have
for this event, for this tournament. Even you know some
of the Dominican guys after they got eliminated.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
Like how crestfallen, they were like, and it's.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
Something that I think Major League Baseball and players and
teams should encourage their players participate in.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
So for the record, you do think Team US say
cared enough?
Speaker 3 (12:33):
Oh I do, And if you were around them for
like ten minutes to Dike in part, yes they cared.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
They they just didn't.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
Again, like it's just a different culture, right, Like they're
not going to be like running out of the dugout
almost running out a field after a home run.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
They're not gonna.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Bat flip all the way up in the sky like
they celebrate and they show emotion, but it's it's just not.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
On the level of other teams. It's okay, that's okay.
That's what makes baseball great.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
So it makes us world great that we can all
do things in a different way, that we can all
have different cultures and different ways of doing things and
we can all come together under one kind of umbrella
of the WBC and have it all showcased for a
couple of weeks. I feel like I'm I feel like
I'm a marketing executive. Now, this is great. They should
tape this and that this should be what people listen
(13:23):
to before the WBC every year.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
He's doing very well well.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
He did say what makes this world great even amongst
all that stuff. So I've considered it a good visit.
All right, diplomatic Chandler Rome. As always, Chandler, we appreciate
the time. We're looking forward to talking to you next week.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Hi. Thanks guys.
Speaker 4 (13:39):
All right, Chandler Roam of the athletic here on your
home for Astros Baseball Sports Talk seven ninety. We will
continue here get back into some Texans free agency conversation
when we return
Speaker 2 (13:54):
The ad on Sports Talk seven ninety
Popular Podcasts
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
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.