September 27, 2024 • 44 mins
Former Astro turned Space City Home Network analyst Geoff Blum, joins The A-Team for his weekly visit. He talks about the Astros finishing the job and closing out the AL West to clinch another trip to the Postseason. He also talks about what felt different about this division championship celebration. He also talks about the way the Astros stack up against other teams in the Postseason, with their pitching. Plus, whether or not this could be the end of Alex Bregman in an Astros uniform.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
You look at it, look at it, look at us.
Oh yeah, this is radio. You listen to it on
Sports Talk seven ninety.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Astro's broadcaster Jeff Blom on seven ninety is drought to
you by low T Center.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
And that's how we open things up on a Friday
afternoon edition of The A Team, with Jeff Blum joining
us here on the show, both here on Sports Talk
seven ninety and of course simulcast on Space City Home
Network AC the day off on this Friday, and we
welcome Jeff in here from the last stop of the
regular season that could also be the first stop of
(00:38):
the postseason on the road should they get there. The
Astros will be at home for the wild Card Series.
And I hate that this is my first question for
you this afternoon, Jeff, but is there going to be
rain in Cleveland today or throughout the weekend?
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Well, the best answer to that question is is there
ever not going to be any rain in Cleifland? Because
I feel like every time we've come through here, whether
it be April, May, June, July, August, or September, we
always find ourselves in somewhat of a delay. And I
think tonight it might be raining now I've kind of
found a hidden corner here at the what do we
(01:16):
calling now Progressive Field, and I can't see outside, but
I know there's some rain. I think between four and six.
It doesn't seem to be affecting the game time just yet,
so keep your fingers crossed.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Yeah, that's unfortunate. And as we get tout towards the
end of the season, obviously with the storms in the Southeast,
we already know about the postponements elsewhere, and the fact
that the way the playoffs are now set up in
the wild Card Series, and lack of time for games
to be played and no games to be played to
break tiebreakers, all those things, well, that's put some things
(01:49):
potentially in jeopardy. The Astros and the Brewers are the
only two teams locked in to a seed currently, and
they're both the three seed in their respective division or
conference leagues, the Astros three in the AL, the Brewers
three in the NL. But the Guardians are still in
position to potentially claim the number one overall seeds, so
(02:11):
that is potentially in play. They fell a game back
of the Yankees yesterday and the Yankees have the tiebreaker,
so that could be out the window after today if
all the games are played, and a bunch of other
scenarios for who the Astros will play. Laid all those
out and we'll see him over the course of the
next hour and change as we're here with you. But
one thing first things first, since we last saw the
(02:33):
Astros finish up their series against the Mariners, and we
know what took place at third base, both with Alex
Bregman and the celebration and without Alex Bregman and the
opposite of that. The Astros did call Zach Desnzo up
today from his championship winning team, the Space City the
Sugarland Space Cowboys, winning both of their games. They actually
(02:54):
have one more game Saturday night for the Triple A
Championship in Vegas, but apparently Wickham will be available for
that game. He was sent down in Zach spot. What's
the what kind of things are at play here to
make that move, my guests you may agree, is there
are still roster decisions to make, and if Zach Descenzos
truly in your thinking for potentially being a part of
(03:14):
the wild Card Series roster and maybe even beyond, get
him some major league at bats when you can, considering
he hasn't had some in quite some time.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Yeah, and that's you know, that's kind of what the
what these three games could be used for. You know,
Greg Kessinger's playing shortstop tonight, and then you have Zach
Desenzo in there as the DH And I'm kind of
with you in the sense and if you have clinch
your spot and you know exactly what where you're going
to be at moving forward, it just depends on that opponent.
So you're going to give some guys some opportunities to
(03:45):
get in there and get some at bats and see
how they perform, because you're going to be facing a
playoff team in the Cleveland Guardians, so why not see
how they react in some of these situations. And it's
also an opportunity obviously to get guys like Payna and
off their feet. But you know, what happened to Shay
Wickham is probably one of the one of the worst
things that I've I've man, maybe you ever seen on
(04:06):
a baseball field with that many airs in one game.
So my heart kind of goes out to that guy.
And then you have, on top of that and getting
sent out and having a guy replace you because you
know you've made that many airs and that that short
amount of time was pretty incredible. So I hope that
Shay's able to recover from all that and bounce back.
But at the same time, I think Dozenzo, if you
(04:28):
did kind of narrowed it down and you were talking
about your roster, who's the better bat because we know
Bragman's going to play every inning of third base that
he possibly can in the playoffs, So it's not necessarily
about who's going to back up Bragman or Pain you're
out to ve because those would be catastrophic things that
would happen to the Astros if that were to happen.
So can you can you find a guy in the
(04:48):
Zenzo who's going to give you a quality of bat
off the bench against left handed pitcher in a certain situation?
Is it a great messenger because you have a pretty
good idea of what KRATTENI, Singleton, and some of these
other guys you're going to do.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Yeah, Kessinger is a pretty interesting player, and if it
were me, I think that's decision has already been made
and he's going to be a part of their wild
Card Series roster and most likely every roster that follows
after that. Because of his positional flexibility. He was in
there at second base when it was Altuve's opportunity to
get off of his feet. He's in there at shortstop,
like you mentioned in batting ninth tonight. With Painya getting
(05:22):
his opportunity for the day off, there may still be
some chances to pull some of these players out of
the game at some point in time. Altuve, Tucker, Bregman,
Diaz go one, two, three, four, and Diaz is behind
the plate for Renel Blanco. Carottini is over at first,
and that is a real possibility for something we will
see in the postseason, depending on matchups and pitchers that
(05:43):
you might be facing. Obviously Kartini being a switch hitter,
and Singleton from the left side, and if they just
want Diaz in the at first obviously from the right side.
A lot of options there. Decenzo's the DH Myers, Dubon,
and Castre in today's lineup, just on the Wickham's day
at third base, we say the ball finds you, and
(06:05):
oftentimes we're referring to, oh, you just came into the
game as a defensive replacement. First balls hit right at
you and you make the play, and then we move on,
but on Wednesday it just wouldn't stop finding him. He
even made one spectacular play on probably the hardest play
on that ball that jumped up on him and he
gloved it cleanly. That's like you said, and I'll kind
(06:26):
of ask you to dig through there, do you, I mean,
does anything did any game you ever played in against
a teammate of minor leagues even where that just happened
to somebody and then they just kind of flushed it
and moved on.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Not too often, you know, TK and I were kind
of talking about it sharing the broadcast, is that, you know,
sometimes you do get in these funks when you're hitting
and you're slumping. You know, you have Euro for fifteens,
your O for twenty five, and you're trying to fight
your way out of it, and you know you're going
to get consistent at bat, so you're a little more
relaxed in that situation. But when you're playing defense and
you actually have of these slumps, it feels like every
(07:02):
ball is being hit at you, and it's not an
easy play. It's an in between hop. It's not hit hard,
you got to charge it. It's hit too hard and
you got to sit back on it. So he kind
of found himself in that situation. But I've never seen
a situation where a guy is struggling that bad and
the baseball guys are forcing that ball to go down
to the guy every single time, because you know, after
the first couple of errors, because every guy that's played
(07:23):
in the big leagues on defense, on the infield particularly,
you've made two errors in a game, that has happened.
But it's what you do after that, it's how it's
how you regroup and say, you know what, I'm sick
and tired of this. I'm going to make the next
play no matter where it is. And you kind of
have this mentality of hit the ball to meat because
I'm going to go out there and make the play.
But I think once you get in the situation Shae
(07:45):
was in, You're going, dear God, please don't hit that
ball to meat, and all of a sudden, they do,
and that's when you find your footwork a little messed up,
and that's where you put yourself in some tough positions.
But man, I mean after the second era and seeing
every groundball go down there, I really started to feel
for Shay Wickham. But there was really nothing that Joe
Spott could have done to protect him or get him
out of that game.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
Yeah, and it did something like I know you and
TK did mention it that he in the midst of
it recognized it, the fans recognized it. It seemed like
he took it in stride with how he reacted to
their cheering, et cetera, and unfortunately just simply never ended.
And then the Astros were ready to say enough with
this game, We've done what we needed to do. The
(08:27):
very next day, on their respective off days, the Mariners
eliminated from postseason contention.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
That's too bad.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
That's such a heartbreaker, man. I mean, you know there's yeah,
there's certain certain teams maybe fan bases that you know,
really have intereared themselves to us as Astro fans and
broadcasters that you really feel their pain when they don't
have the opportunity to take advantage of such a remarkable
(08:58):
starting rotation and a really good bullpen, and you know,
they fumbled, you know, that entire roster and don't end
up in the postseason and then to have it be
a historical type situation where they had a ten game
lead and then eventually could not make the run to
get back in it. Yeah, it's heartbreaking, and I really
don't feel for them at all.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
I hear what you're saying. I think a lot of
people here in Houston have said the very same thing.
And it's not just what happened this year and all
the colossal the collapse and things like that and overcoming it.
It is what happened the year before. It is what
happened the year before that. It is the postseason. This
is a good Seattle team. Four consecutive years, they have
been playing into the late stages of September expecting bigger
(09:40):
and better things, and it's just never worked out for them.
And clearly the Astros winning the division all those times
is one thing that's been in their way, and then
knocking them out of the playoffs the other thing that
was clearly in their way. And it's saying all that,
making the move they made in season, moving on from
Scott Service and their hitting coach and making the change
to Edgar Martinez as the hitting coach and Dan Wilson
(10:02):
as the manager. And I don't know if it's attributable
to those things. They hit the ball really well. They
were a good offense for about the last three or
four weeks of this season. What a surprise, Julio Rodriguez
came to town on another hot streak and stayed that
way in Houston. My gosh, I know he's under long
term deal, and far be it from me to say
anything like he'd be a fun player to watch. He
(10:23):
certainly looks like he would love hitting in this ballpark,
chasing down balls in centerfield, and we've seen it so often.
But he is there and he's so they're going to
try to continue to build around real Briefly before we
get into the meat of all of what's ahead in
the next segment, just what you think your immediate thought
about the other four teams in the division next year?
(10:44):
Is it kind of the same run through Seattle, Texas, Oakland, LA.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Yeah, I might actually move Texas ahead of Seattle. You know.
I think Anaheim and Oakland are trying to figure things out.
Anaheimsen disarray, Oakland a's we don't know if they're going
to be the sack Town a's or Vegas a's, but
so that I'm kind of eliminating them. But I'm not
sure if Seattle, after paying all the money to get
this rotation, paying all this money to have an offense
(11:12):
go out there and support them. I'm not sure if
they're fully stable enough to go out there and pay
enough to have an offense support that rotation yet.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Yeah, well we'll go ahead and put LA's in disarray
on a hot key so you won't ever have to
say it again. We can just play it all the
time because it seems to always and unfortunately for them
and their fans, always be the case. Jeff Blum on
with us here from Cleveland in advance of the last
series of the regular season Guardians and Astros here on
Sports Talk seven to ninety and of course also on
Space City Home Network.
Speaker 4 (11:40):
Much more to come with.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Jeff the Ad on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Both of us back here with you because of the
great work of Exfinity making sure you're always online no
matter how many people want to be online at your household.
Isn't that right, Jeff?
Speaker 1 (11:59):
Yeah, that's one thing I've learned. When my girls were home,
you know, we were stretching up, spreading our internet pretty thin.
But fortunately there's enough fan within our house to be
able to accommodate no matter where what part of the
house I was sitting in and especially now that the
season is wrapping up. I'm gonna have every playoff game,
I'm gonna have every football game, and then I'm obviously
going to be doing my own research during this time.
(12:19):
So I'm grateful for Exfinity.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
Wi Fi keeps you up to date on all the
good stuff.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
As he said, you're streaming, you're gaming, all the interneting,
you name it.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
It's gonna get done with Exfinity.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
They know how many number of devices you might have
connected to the Internet, and it's growing by the moment.
So make sure your home Wi Fi can handle everything
you throw at it. And then some Exfinity bring on
the good stuff and click a call and visit a store. Today,
Exfinity bring on the good stuff.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
Back to Adam Clinton and Adam wex Fler the eighteen.
Speaker 4 (12:54):
Back at it here.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
The A Team continues the simulcast on space City Home
Network right here on Sports Talk seven ninety and with
our guest here on Fridays throughout the baseball season, Jeff
Blum from Spacey Home Network Beyond Tonight as they take
on the Guardians Renel Blanco making his final regular season
appearance of the season. Today is Friday Wildcard Series to
be played Tuesday Wednesday, and if necessary Thursday. Certainly his
(13:18):
availability would be there if they needed him in what
capacity yet to be determined. Justin Verlander expected to pitch
on Saturday and TBD for whatever lays ahead of them
on Sunday. Well, let's take it back to the celebration, Jeff,
you and I were both in the clubhouse. Sparky had
claimed his spot and overalls in the clubhouse, Julia and
(13:39):
Marshall kind of roaming around grabbing interviews. You seem to
have staked down a spot as well. Give me this.
What was the Who's the player? And maybe this is
an annual thing. The player you think enjoys it the
most and it's kind of the center of the celebration
that these astros continue to get to host.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Oh man, that's such a good question, because I feel
like it rotates from party to party. But you know,
Nears in the past had been fantastic, can kind of
get naftered a little bit, and then you know, taking
a peek around and seeing you know, Fromber with the
cigar and the you know, the heavyweight belt champion guy
that is hauling that thing around, and then all of
(14:21):
the ice or drip or whatever the heck it is
now that he's caught hat around his neck. But the
one guy that kept kind of, you know, interrupting interviews
and being a little more of involved than most guys
was Chas mccorranck. For me, when the beer was flying,
it was usually coming out of the hand of Chas mcormick.
So I'm got to give that nod to Chazz.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
This season, he was very noticeably happy. I guess you
could say, all over the clubhouse. I can only wait
and imagine to see what his own personal footage is,
considering he had a go pro strap to his chest,
there's some celebrating going on on the field as well.
As some people may have seen this during one of
the local stations live report, you can see right over
(15:01):
Jason Bristol of Khou, right over his shoulder. Chaz's wife
happened to be in the neighborhood of his live shot,
and Chaz comes running out of the dugout and hugs
her and tackles her. He was so excited. That was
definitely how Chaz was reacting to everything. Can you kind
of imagine him where things are for him? This was
(15:21):
not the kind of season he expected to have, especially
off of the last two. It was a struggle. It
was taxing on him mentally. Then right when he gets
a small sample of success, he goes down with his injury.
I have to believe he's at least more excited because
things are pointing in the right direction for him to
be included on their postseason roster for this wildcard series.
(15:44):
As he and Jordan state back to get ready to
do that, he'll face some live VP over the next
couple of days, and it does seem like that's where
he's headed. Just you've talked to him so much over
the course of this season, the struggle that it was,
it does seem like that was more than your typical
emotional release.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Yeah, who knew we were going to judge a guy's
help by how we partied in the pluboffs afterwards?
Speaker 4 (16:07):
Hands fine, right, good?
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Yeah, he was bouncing around, he had drinks in both hands,
and he was firing me know, SuDS everywhere. So you
kind of hope that that's very encouraging. But I think
you're right though, in the sense that you know, it
was kind of a sweet release that no matter what
year a guy is having, it's always good to be
a part of a team that's able to go out
and win. And you know, as well as I do,
covering as many sports as you have and me watching
(16:30):
as many sports and playing baseball, the greatest cure for
any evil is going out there at winning. And it
kind of you know, when you get into the postseason,
they call it a second season for a reason because
you kind of erase all the regular season stats and
all the all the hard work it took to get
to that point, and you start to play that second
season to the playoffs, and you hope that's where Chaz
(16:50):
as another opportunity to shine like you did in twenty
twenty two, because twenty twenty four did not get off
to the start he wanted it did, it barely finished
the way he wanted, and he was trying to change
the trajectory of that season late and then he ends
up running into the right field wall and hurting his
wrist and he's out and he can't, you know, he can't.
He can't build off what he was finishing with. So
(17:11):
it's kind of frustrating in that sense, but that's how
the nature of baseball is. It's going to test you mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically,
and he's kind of going through it right now. But
I think it's kind of nice to know that the
team won and is given the opportunity to potentially play
a couple more games before this season finishes out. Obviously,
maybe not maybe not the wild Card series, but if
(17:33):
the Astros are fortunate enough to get into that division series,
I think they can contemplate possibly getting a guy like
Chaz back. And you know, that's always nice too, because
he's he's he's got the experience both offensively and defensively,
and I think that's probably a big weapon for Joe
understanding that he might get a little more outfield depth back,
especially when Jordan may not be playing the outfield at
(17:54):
all in the postseason.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
That's certainly what it looks like all throughout October I
would expect in case with that knee, and j as
I mentioned, he is still in Houston trying to get
as much work done, rehab work done on it so
he can make that decision hopefully a little bit easier
for the Astros when they have to put the roster
out on Tuesday and then any ensuing roster that comes
into play. Chas McCormick's next playoff game will be his
(18:17):
thirty second. He's at over one hundred played appearance, no doubt.
I do believe what you said is going to be accurate.
Jason Hayward's got a lot of postseason experience. It'll be
his first experience with the Houston Astros. I know he
was one of the many players that you did talk
to after the game. A lot of us heard from
him because of his trip to the plate where he
put the Astros in front and the two run homer,
(18:38):
But maybe specifically to him and the type of players
that they always seem to add to this club. Not
only do they fit right in, but there seem to
be bringing even more than maybe could have met the
eye when their arrival came to play. And that certainly
seems to fit with Jason Hayward.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
Yeah. And you know what, as a guy who was
kind of the utility or maybe you know, maybe that twelfth, thirteenth,
fourteenth position player on any team that I was on,
is I really appreciate the fact that the Astros are
kind of looking at the X factor, so to speak,
or listening to some of the some of the noise
that can't be put into a computer and entered into
(19:17):
an algorithm that gives you a definitive answer. I think that,
you know, adding guys, you know a Ben Gammel who's
kind of a journeyman but works hard, puts together great
at bat. It's unfortunate he won't be available. But then
you add Jason Hayward to the mix and his pedigree.
He's got a championship with the Chicago Cubs. He's been
in this environment and he's understood, you know, what the
pressures are, what the task is to go out there.
(19:38):
He understands how to play good baseball and you know,
mentally smart baseball. And I think it's also being fifteen
years in the big leagues. You bring a certain calmness
to that clubhouse as well. And this Astros team is
more than welcoming to anybody who comes in, but they're
very welcoming of a guy like Jason Hayward. But they
also have some knowledge and experience to absorb from him.
(19:59):
And I think that and his crew and maybe some
guys underneath kind of mentioned, you know, it would be
great to have a guy like this in our clubhouse
and in our dugout when times get kind of tight.
Even as many times as they've been in these situations,
it's always nice to kind of have another guy in
there who's experienced the same thing you had, and you
get to kind of lean on each other in that sense.
And I think that's where Jason Hayward comes in nicely
(20:20):
and Polly why He's come up with some damn big
home runs to help the Astros clinch that American League West.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
Monster at bats over the last couple of games, and
obviously in that final clincher, the big one that put
them in front, which their bullpen was able to hang
on to Fromber to break you, to Presley to hater
haters on the mound to close things out, and one
last thing on Hayward. This is his fifth major league
stop over those fifteen seasons. The last three have been
brief or the last two have been brief, and then
(20:46):
that quick stop in Saint Louis in between Atlanta and
Chicago fifth team, and this will be his fifth trip
to the playoffs with each of them. He has been
to the playoffs with every team he's played for over
his major league career, and again, little or not, there's
something to be said for that that's not that easy
to accomplish. And those teams also want you there for
(21:07):
a reason. It's not that he's taking them there. It's
that teams that are good want you around because they
know how much you can do for them. And I
think that's why he ends up in Houston after LA
And clearly these are players that you never know who
you're gonna need to count on when when the game
comes to it. And one other guy that you talked
to was Hunter Brown. And when the year began, if
we told him or anybody else the Astros are going
to be in a wild card series, They're going to
(21:29):
play best two out of three. You're getting the ball
in game one or two of that series, I don't
know that we would have felt that way. But after
the season has unfolded, there's no doubt he has earned
that right to be one of the guys they want
to help them advance.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
Yeah, it was kind of funny to talk to him
about that, you know, just going through the entire progression
of his year. You know, that outing he had in
Chicago against the White Sox where he started to kind
of flip the script on his season on how it
started is kind of the same time A Cohen decided
with him when the Astros kind of shifted gears and
started to run away with the American League West. So
(22:06):
I think it's great that it started with him. I
think it's great that he's in the position he is
now to be that maybe number two in the in
the rotation behind Fromber because since that point, Trumper Valdez
and Hunter Brown have been the two best pitchers in
the American League. I believed, hands down, and some of
the data and some of the numbers actually backed that up.
But then you add into it the mentality of a
Hunter Brown. This guy's a bulldog. He wants the ball,
(22:27):
he loves competition, he wants to be the aggressor. And
I think that's where everything kind of came together for
him as he kind of got back to who Hunter
was with that aggressive fastball, developed a little bit of
a two seam to get in on right handed hitters,
and it's allowed him to get, you know, adjust his
pitch mix a little bit. But it was kind of
funny in that conversation to have him talking about it
and he kind of, you know, he very humbly said,
(22:48):
I'll do whatever they ask of me. And I said, dude,
they are going to ask you to start a wild
card game, and I wanted him to understand that. But
you can kind of see the light in his eyes
kind of perk up a little bit. The eyebrowser raised
a little bit where he's like, I'm glad you said that.
I'm glad I get to hear it because he worked
so hard to get to that point. He deserves every
shot he gets, and I think it's a very good
(23:09):
shot for the shows to win when he's on the mound.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
Yeah, he and romber Valdez likely are going in games
one and two Hunter two. They pitched the first two
games of that series that was just completed with Seattle.
Hunter was awesome, nearly matching Bryce Miller all the way
through six innings of one run baseball from ber Valdez,
able to get the win nearly going his six full innings.
These are the guys they've counted on for months, same
(23:32):
guys that will count on to help push them through
to the next round. Are very much looking forward to
it got much more still to come here with Jeff
Blum joining us from Cleveland in front of the final
series of the regular season.
Speaker 4 (23:44):
The ad On Sports Talk seven ninety.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Driving in the fourth largest city in the country, that
can be a problem, especially with some of the yahoo's
out there on the freeways. My personal favorite the west
Loop where you play chicken with traffic, especially when you're
getting on and off of the freeway. You'll never be
going too fast. But you know what, sometimes that doesn't matter.
You can still get into an accident. And that's where
(24:10):
mo Karum Injury Law comes into play. Twenty four hours
a day, they are available to you because you know what,
that's when accidents can happen, and if you're in any
sort of collision and you want to have a team
that's on your side getting you the compensation you deserve.
It's Mocrum Injury Law two eight one two two two
(24:31):
twenty two to twenty two. Is their telephone number two
eight one two two two twenty two to twenty two.
They will come to your home, they will visit you
in their office. They'll even come to your bedside at
the hospital if it comes to that.
Speaker 4 (24:43):
Mo Carum Injury.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Law two eight one two two two twenty two twenty two.
Speaker 4 (24:49):
America tops Hey, it's a man top man for all
free ball, every Rockets game, sports Talk seven to ninety
streaming on the iHeartRadio at home of Rockets of Basketball.
Speaker 3 (25:05):
Back here on the A Team, It's Friday afternoon. Wex
here with you ac Off here on this Friday and
Jeff Blum of course joining us via the phones here
as we get ready for the Guardians and Astros. They
have met earlier this season. They finished the season today
they may meet again coming up in the divisional series.
The Astros have to win a wildcard series to get there,
(25:25):
and the Guardians have to not ascend to the number
one spot overall in the American League for them to
be the opponent for the Astros. Yesterday, the Yankees won
the division claim that one spot. Baltimore isn't even yet
locked into four, They could still end up in a
tie situation and not have the tiebreaker, which would bump
(25:45):
the Tigers potentially up to four. The Tigers are currently
six to be a tie breaker, could actually still miss
the playoffs. The Mariners, while eliminated, actually could play a
part in determining who gets in if all four teams
that could tie do tie at the end of the season.
Meeting three wins for themselves and the Twins and three
losses for the Royals and Tigers, though the White Sox
(26:07):
are at play and part of that so very unlikely.
So a lot of things still yet to be determined.
Curious from your standpoint, Jeff, we had just talked about
Jason Hayward. Five teams, five trips to the playoffs. Three
of the teams that you were on made it to
the postseason in San Diego obviously, with Chicago also you
(26:27):
made it with very different teams, an eighty eight win team,
a ninety four win team, and a White Sox team
that clearly won it all. So they clearly had the
team to do it. Do you recall what the thoughts
were from you and your clubhouse as the playoffs began,
which with those teams, and then kind of as it
related to how things played out.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
Yeah, that's actually a really good question, you know, and
looking back, you know, those are three vastly different teams,
you know, in just starting with the San Diego Padres,
those were teams that were built to win the National
League West. I don't know if they were necessary built
for the long haul to get through the postseason. Obviously
you have hopes and you've got decent enough rotation, but
(27:10):
you know, we had we didn't have those three four
guys in our rotation that we're going to, you know,
be able to step up or move to the bullpen
to close games out. You know, there were some bridge
issues getting to guys like Trevor Hoffman, and you know,
we had kind of a patchwork lineup that went out
there and played well together. We were just a good, solid,
veteran team that knew how to win during the regular season.
(27:32):
But those were that was during the run of you know,
the Saint Louis Cardinals getting into some of these postseason
situations and we just could We just didn't have enough
firepower to be able to compete with what they were
able to bring in the prime of a you know,
a Albert Kuhols and guys like that. So that was
a little a little frustrating it. And then you have
a team like the Arizona Diamondbacks, who I thought we
(27:53):
had some pretty good teams out there and had decent
enough pitching, especially in our bullpen, to be able to
close out some games, but we ran into a steroid
injected who's that left field or I can't remember his name,
but I couldn't, you know, kill me yeah. There. You know,
Ryan Brown was you know, he hit like seven hundred
against us with like six home runs. So he single
(28:16):
handedly injected the Brewers into that Championship series. Non pun,
totally intended. But then you have the Chicago White Sox
and we were just a band of misfits, and I
think it was more mentality. Obviously we were talented. We
had a phenomenal pitching rotation. Uh, you know that Championship
series against the Angels. I don't think you're ever going
(28:39):
to see four complete games clinch a chance to go
to the World Series like we had that year. It
was remarkable. And then we had you know, Bobby Jinks
was closing for us, who was absolutely shut down, and
we had matchup guys out there. It was incredible. So,
I mean, we just had a roster that really just
felt like we were unbeatable. There was a certain anger
(28:59):
about us and a certain you missed it kind of
mentality about us where we didn't want to deal with
anybody else. We just wanted to go out there and
expose their weaknesses and we did.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
Yeah, for those that are wondering, Ryan Brown had eighteen
at bats in that series.
Speaker 4 (29:11):
He got hits in half of them.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
Oh yeah, and damage too. Man, it was crazy.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
Five extra base hits in a four game series or
excuse me, a five game series.
Speaker 4 (29:22):
Yeah, totally normal.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
But the White Sox team with what you just mentioned,
and I think obviously everybody here is totally familiar with
that team, it was clearly built so very heavily. Not
that the offense was incapable, but it was so tremendous
on the mound, and that was both at the starting
spot and the bullpend. To me, that kind of feels like,
even with a different team, that's how the Astros almost
(29:45):
always seemed to go into a postseason series. And some
of the rest they've had in different years, and some
of the way they've been able to set up the
rotation because they prior to this year had constantly had
some days off because they were a division winner, with
that op oportunity to rest and set up guys. I
always feel like, and I even do this year because
of Hunter and Fromber, that they can have the advantage
(30:08):
if things fall their way, you know, from that standpoint,
from that setting it up standpoint, and you mentioned it already,
I would I would imagine it matters a lot. There
is no team. There's gonna be twelve teams in the playoffs.
There's no team that has a better one two in
my opinion, than the Houston Astros. When it comes to
if your rotation is set up and you're throwing Fromber
and Hunter, well, the other team's pitchers, I'm sure are good,
(30:30):
but they're not as good.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
Yeah, And I think if you're going to try and
sell this postseason, the chances of the Astros, I hope
a lot of prognosticators across the country do start to
break it down in the sense that if you start
with pitching, the Astros definitely have an advantage. And I
think that you know, we have some we have some
recency in that that these guys have faced the Kansas
City Royals, they face the Baltimore or Kansas City Royals,
(30:54):
Baltimore Orioles, They're about to face the Cleveland's Guardians. But
they've got some recent experien against very good hitting teams
where the Astros have actually gone out there and pitched
well enough to shut down some of those really good offenses.
And I think that's where you get the hope and
you know you're going to match up well because everybody
in this situation. The twelve teams in the postseason are
(31:17):
going to have a legitimate number one, may be a
legitimate number two, But I think that even when you
match up there number two against a guy like Hunter Brown,
it may be advantage Astros just because the stuff is
so much better. The length that you know that Joe
Aspata's encourage these guys to go out there and get
and it protects the back end of that bullpen. And
(31:37):
if you're able to get through this wild Card series,
I'm really curious to see how the Division series sets up,
because there's some days off in there where you might
actually be able to go a fromber Hunter, you know,
Ronnell or whoever you want in that third spot you say, Kakuchi,
and then with a couple of those days off, you
may be able to flip fromber Valdez on three or
(31:57):
four days rest and go out there and finish off
a series. So I know that the first thing is
win the Wildcard series, but things could get really interesting
as far as that rotation, because I agree with you,
if you're trying to sell the Astros of the postseason
and their potential to get to the World Series again,
it's going to be on that starting rotation.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
Yeah, I think it's pretty interesting. If you just talk
about the Royals and the Tigers and the Astros, one
team has the advantage if you're only talking about their
absolute best starter, just the top number one eighth.
Speaker 4 (32:25):
That's Detroit. They have the number one.
Speaker 3 (32:26):
If you go one and two, I think that leans
toward the Astros because now you have Fromber and you
have Hunter, and if you go one, two, three, it's
probably the Royals with their top three starters, maybe as
a trio a little bit better than any other three. Now,
though we don't know what the matchups will turn out
to be and all that. And I did want to
reiterate that last point you made. I'd mentioned this earlier.
Let's just say things work out as best as they
(32:48):
possibly could from a timing standpoint. The Astros win the
first two games of the series, Hunter, Brown and Fromber
Valdez take care of business. The whole team gets Thursday off,
the whole team gets Friday off. You say, Kakuchi starts
the game on Saturday, presumably in Cleveland. The whole team
gets the day off Sunday. That just happens to be
the way Major League Baseball flipped it to the American
(33:08):
League this year. That gets a day off without travel
in between games one and two of the DS. It's
been the National League last year, so it turns to
the American League this year. That would set the stage
for Valdez, Brown, and Kakuchi to be the only three
starters you need through the first five games of the postseason,
which clearly could set you up in a really good way.
It gets your thoughts on that and the other few
(33:29):
items still remaining as we flip it over to the
other side in our final segment here of the four
o'clock hour on a Friday afternoon in advance of the
end of the regular season for Major League Baseball, the
Houston Astros and the Cleveland Guardians the a t on
Sports Talk seven ninety We hit this weekend with the
close of the regular season, but wide open on the
(33:51):
football front just a couple of weeks into the season,
both on the college landscape and the NFL landscape.
Speaker 4 (33:57):
Texans back in town this weekend.
Speaker 3 (33:59):
Whyt to pop the time on an ice cold, refreshing
special edition bud Light over at your tailgate experience. Easy
to Sunday, easy to enjoy. I'm talking about bud light
family friends tradition. Well, beer goes right along with that
when it's a bud light in your hand and a
bud light in that cooler. Anheuser Busch bud Light Beer,
Saint Louis, Missouri.
Speaker 4 (34:20):
There's a space City Home Networks. Todd Kallis, there's the
at you got him. It's Adam Clinton and Adam Wesler Clinton,
stop impersonating me on Sports Talk seven ninety. Nice to
hear TK here with us.
Speaker 3 (34:38):
When we're with Jeff here on a Friday afternoon edition
of The A Team. I wanted to echo something he
said the day after both of you spent time with
the coverage on the Astros clinching evening there on the field,
and you also in the clubhouse with some very good
stuff there, some great conversations with all the people that
are taking part in it. Jim Crane as well. We
(34:59):
also he on Sports Talk seven ninety have the pleasure
of turning things over to the overall wearing Steve Sparks
for however long it takes to get all the wetness
of the celebration that the Astros are so familiar with
great stuff all the way around. One of the things
that also took place during this series took place the
(35:20):
next day, and that was what Joe a spot in
the Astros orchestrated. With Alex Bregman's exit from the lineup
after he had taken his position over at third base,
after he'd gotten a couple of bats in. They made
sure that the fans had the opportunity to really show
what this season and potentially his career here in Houston.
(35:42):
It does bring all those uneasy feelings into it, because
I think it's totally phenomenal that Joe did that for
a player in that situation in that game, but so
obviously there is more to it with what lies in
the future. Alex had a pretty good reaction to it
and wasn't necessarily expecting. What'd you think of everything that
transpired there on that home finale?
Speaker 1 (36:06):
Ya, I think it's great, And you know, you've got
to respect Joe for respecting Alex Bregman as much as
he has. And we all know the run that Braden's
had here as an Astro has been phenomenal and we
don't want it to end. I'll be the first one
to say it. You know, I've enjoyed everything he's done
for this ball club, both on and off the field.
I've appreciated, you know, from the day he he said,
(36:26):
I will play third base and in order to make
this team better, and that's exactly what he's done the
entire time he's been in Houston. He's made this a
better ball club. He's made it a better team to watch,
and his attitude is infectious. We've seen him step up,
especially this season, be a little more of a vocal leader,
not necessarily in the media, but pretty much inside that clubhouse.
(36:46):
He's the go to guy. He's the sage or the
guru as far as hitting, pitching, defense, whatever it may be,
in any question you've got. Shoot, he can be, maybe
even be a business advisor for some of these guys.
But the fact that he's made him himself so available
and so transparent with the Astros is something that hasn't
feared himself to us. So I really love the fact
(37:07):
that Joe gave him the opportunity because we don't know
the future. He may be working on a contract behind
the scenes that we don't know about, but for the
given moment, I think Joe handled it beautifully, giving him
the opportunity to come off the field in front of
the home faithful there at Mint Made Park and give
him a moment. I know he's had plenty in the postseason.
I know he's had celebrations. I know he's gotten the recognition,
(37:29):
But to actually recognize him as the human Alex Bregman
coming off that field, that's where I really enjoyed that
part of it.
Speaker 3 (37:35):
Interesting you bring up the business side of it. There's
Bregman family racing. There is a second go round in
the salts of business with Wild Soul. He's definitely a
fixture in the grocery chain commercials that oftentimes he is fronting.
He's had a lot of success here in Houston, and
maybe only because Jose Altuve is just too home run
(37:56):
shy of tying Rent Manny Ramirez for the all time
postseason record. He's got twenty seven, Man He's got twenty nine.
I think because of that we've maybe lost sight or
not given enough acknowledgment of there's only five people in
Major League history with more postseason homers than Alex Bregman,
who has nineteen. Over this ninety seven game run that
he and the Astros have put together. In postseason activity,
(38:17):
he has been enormous in the postseason for this team.
Speaker 1 (38:22):
Yeah, and you could say that about guys who are
still here. You can say that about guys who have
come and gone, because we know the you know the
Carlos Correas, the George Springers, you know Marwin Gonzalezes and
I mean that's his name, and some position players. Not
to mention some of the pitchers who have come through
here and pitch extremely well in the postseason, but to
amass that amount of numbers as far as at bats,
(38:46):
games played, hits, home runs, championships, appearances, it's incredible to
think about that you've played ninety seven games in the
postseason for a guy like Jose al tub and then
you move it to Lax Fragman and he's only known
going to the postseason. So that's where you know, I
hope that goes into play. It comes into play when
(39:07):
he starts to think about his potential future and being
in a place where he's had so much postseason success.
But at the same time, you and I both know
that if you're sitting in a management position and you're
debating on whether or not to sign a guy, and
you're a team that might be in contention. The next year,
you're going to look at a guy's postseason numbers and
you're going to be forward at how good Alex Bregman's
been in the postseason.
Speaker 3 (39:27):
Yeah, one of the guys who's around the team all
the time and also had the Astros Golf Foundation events
over the course of the week, meaning Reggie Jackson is
among those people. He's like I said, he's around all
the time. But that's Reggie Jackson's postseason career is legendary.
And Alex Bregman has won more postseason home run than
Reggie Jackson's eighteen, just to again recognize exactly how much
(39:48):
he's done. And then the delicate part of it is
you're not necessarily you don't really want to pay what's
already been done, what you've already done.
Speaker 4 (39:57):
You have to consider what you think is going to
be done.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
The life of a five to six seven who knows
long how how many years that contract isn't clearly the
body is different, the age is different, and it is
a delicate situation. Have not put an offer in front
of him. According to the most recent comments from Dana
Brown right here on Sports Talk seven to ninety during
his Wednesday appearances with the Sean Salisbury Show.
Speaker 4 (40:18):
They still do plan on doing that.
Speaker 3 (40:19):
They have the small negotiating window of five days when
the season comes to a close. Never know what an
off season market might be like, And I mean, can
you glean anything as you've watched the last couple of
off seasons unfold to guess what other teams might do.
It seems like the answer would be known no matter what.
But Carlos care hits the market, ends up signing two
(40:40):
massive deals in the same offseason, neither of which come
to fruition. He ends up signing a shorter term deal
with the Twins, and then last offseason, all of the
Boris four, each one of them struggle to get what
they want in that off season. And here we are
the next offseason, and the only one of those four
that's probably happy is Matt Chapman, who did end up
(41:02):
getting a deal. And all those things tie into it.
It'll be an off season where Alex Bregman, I believe,
will have if he reaches free agency, multiple humongous money suitors.
Speaker 1 (41:16):
Yes, I think that is very true. And I'm glad
you brought up Matt Chapman because you know these these
you know, these recent free agencies have been fascinating because
you expect the big contracts. I think some owners are
getting shied away from you know, these ten, ten, twelve
year deals and they're talking a little more, you know,
substantial yearly amounts in maybe a five, six, seven year deal.
(41:38):
But it'll be interesting to see how it unfolds. But
as far as market's unfolding, Matt Chapman was going to
be one of those free agentsI offseason, but the San
Francisco Giants were able to work out a deal with
a third baseman who is under the Boris umbrella. And
then you have Alex Bregman, who you can compare to
Matt Chapman. We've been doing that since they since Matt
(42:00):
Chapman had been playing with the Oakland A's. But the
only difference is Alex is a year younger, Alex has
more pedigree in the postseason, and Alex actually has better
career numbers than Matt Chapman, and I think he's just
as comparable defensively. You know, Alex may end up winning
at gold call a at third base the season. If
he does, it's only going to enhance the amount of
(42:21):
money that he's going to go out there in command.
So it's going to be up to Alex Bregman to
make some tough decisions. You know, it's going to be
a little hard to heart with him and Scott Boris.
We know that Al Tuovey took a little bit of
a discount to stay with the Houston Astros and maintain
his legacy here. Will Alex do the same thing? Will
he even consider it? Or will he be on the
move to go out there and make as much money
(42:41):
as possible, which you can't get mad at him for
because that's how business works, and he's definitely got that
business forward type mind.
Speaker 4 (42:48):
No question.
Speaker 3 (42:50):
It will be interesting, Absolutely will, and that's not the
immediate future. The immediate future is finishing off the regular
season and pre minute May Park for postseason baseball. Yet again, Jeff,
always a pleasure. Enjoy the weekend. We'll see you back
here next week.
Speaker 1 (43:05):
Great being on with you, West And I was hanging
out with you for a whole hour, man.
Speaker 3 (43:07):
Yeah, something was missing and I didn't miss it at all.
We'll go to the four o'clock hour next.
Speaker 4 (43:14):
The eight on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Speaker 2 (43:18):
This weekend. The clock still ticking. Take advantage it's last
call on all remaining new twenty twenty four cheves your
last chance to upgrade with once a year model, year
end savings like a new Silverado fifteen hundred sixteen grand
in total savings, and it's all available to you at
Classic Chevy Highway six. They're open this weekend for your
(43:40):
convenience on Sunday. So if you don't get it done
out at the Sugarland location on Saturday, good news. They're
open for you over on the west side of town.
Classic Chevy Highway six open for you on Sundays with
one of the largest selections in Texas. They have the
inventory to find what you want. Don't wait times running
out to get model you're in savings before. The best
(44:01):
models with the biggest discounts are sold at Classic Chevy
Highway six. If you're in the market for anything with
a bowtie logo on the front of it, you know
the place to go. They'll show you what it means
when they say together, let's drive. Head on out there
this weekend on Sunday. Classic Chevy Highway six
You look at it, look at it, look at us.
Oh yeah, this is radio. You listen to it on
Sports Talk seven ninety.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Astro's broadcaster Jeff Blom on seven ninety is drought to
you by low T Center.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
And that's how we open things up on a Friday
afternoon edition of The A Team, with Jeff Blum joining
us here on the show, both here on Sports Talk
seven ninety and of course simulcast on Space City Home
Network AC the day off on this Friday, and we
welcome Jeff in here from the last stop of the
regular season that could also be the first stop of
(00:38):
the postseason on the road should they get there. The
Astros will be at home for the wild Card Series.
And I hate that this is my first question for
you this afternoon, Jeff, but is there going to be
rain in Cleveland today or throughout the weekend?
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Well, the best answer to that question is is there
ever not going to be any rain in Cleifland? Because
I feel like every time we've come through here, whether
it be April, May, June, July, August, or September, we
always find ourselves in somewhat of a delay. And I
think tonight it might be raining now I've kind of
found a hidden corner here at the what do we
(01:16):
calling now Progressive Field, and I can't see outside, but
I know there's some rain. I think between four and six.
It doesn't seem to be affecting the game time just yet,
so keep your fingers crossed.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Yeah, that's unfortunate. And as we get tout towards the
end of the season, obviously with the storms in the Southeast,
we already know about the postponements elsewhere, and the fact
that the way the playoffs are now set up in
the wild Card Series, and lack of time for games
to be played and no games to be played to
break tiebreakers, all those things, well, that's put some things
(01:49):
potentially in jeopardy. The Astros and the Brewers are the
only two teams locked in to a seed currently, and
they're both the three seed in their respective division or
conference leagues, the Astros three in the AL, the Brewers
three in the NL. But the Guardians are still in
position to potentially claim the number one overall seeds, so
(02:11):
that is potentially in play. They fell a game back
of the Yankees yesterday and the Yankees have the tiebreaker,
so that could be out the window after today if
all the games are played, and a bunch of other
scenarios for who the Astros will play. Laid all those
out and we'll see him over the course of the
next hour and change as we're here with you. But
one thing first things first, since we last saw the
(02:33):
Astros finish up their series against the Mariners, and we
know what took place at third base, both with Alex
Bregman and the celebration and without Alex Bregman and the
opposite of that. The Astros did call Zach Desnzo up
today from his championship winning team, the Space City the
Sugarland Space Cowboys, winning both of their games. They actually
(02:54):
have one more game Saturday night for the Triple A
Championship in Vegas, but apparently Wickham will be available for
that game. He was sent down in Zach spot. What's
the what kind of things are at play here to
make that move, my guests you may agree, is there
are still roster decisions to make, and if Zach Descenzos
truly in your thinking for potentially being a part of
(03:14):
the wild Card Series roster and maybe even beyond, get
him some major league at bats when you can, considering
he hasn't had some in quite some time.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Yeah, and that's you know, that's kind of what the
what these three games could be used for. You know,
Greg Kessinger's playing shortstop tonight, and then you have Zach
Desenzo in there as the DH And I'm kind of
with you in the sense and if you have clinch
your spot and you know exactly what where you're going
to be at moving forward, it just depends on that opponent.
So you're going to give some guys some opportunities to
(03:45):
get in there and get some at bats and see
how they perform, because you're going to be facing a
playoff team in the Cleveland Guardians, so why not see
how they react in some of these situations. And it's
also an opportunity obviously to get guys like Payna and
off their feet. But you know, what happened to Shay
Wickham is probably one of the one of the worst
things that I've I've man, maybe you ever seen on
(04:06):
a baseball field with that many airs in one game.
So my heart kind of goes out to that guy.
And then you have, on top of that and getting
sent out and having a guy replace you because you
know you've made that many airs and that that short
amount of time was pretty incredible. So I hope that
Shay's able to recover from all that and bounce back.
But at the same time, I think Dozenzo, if you
(04:28):
did kind of narrowed it down and you were talking
about your roster, who's the better bat because we know
Bragman's going to play every inning of third base that
he possibly can in the playoffs, So it's not necessarily
about who's going to back up Bragman or Pain you're
out to ve because those would be catastrophic things that
would happen to the Astros if that were to happen.
So can you can you find a guy in the
(04:48):
Zenzo who's going to give you a quality of bat
off the bench against left handed pitcher in a certain situation?
Is it a great messenger because you have a pretty
good idea of what KRATTENI, Singleton, and some of these
other guys you're going to do.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Yeah, Kessinger is a pretty interesting player, and if it
were me, I think that's decision has already been made
and he's going to be a part of their wild
Card Series roster and most likely every roster that follows
after that. Because of his positional flexibility. He was in
there at second base when it was Altuve's opportunity to
get off of his feet. He's in there at shortstop,
like you mentioned in batting ninth tonight. With Painya getting
(05:22):
his opportunity for the day off, there may still be
some chances to pull some of these players out of
the game at some point in time. Altuve, Tucker, Bregman,
Diaz go one, two, three, four, and Diaz is behind
the plate for Renel Blanco. Carottini is over at first,
and that is a real possibility for something we will
see in the postseason, depending on matchups and pitchers that
(05:43):
you might be facing. Obviously Kartini being a switch hitter,
and Singleton from the left side, and if they just
want Diaz in the at first obviously from the right side.
A lot of options there. Decenzo's the DH Myers, Dubon,
and Castre in today's lineup, just on the Wickham's day
at third base, we say the ball finds you, and
(06:05):
oftentimes we're referring to, oh, you just came into the
game as a defensive replacement. First balls hit right at
you and you make the play, and then we move on,
but on Wednesday it just wouldn't stop finding him. He
even made one spectacular play on probably the hardest play
on that ball that jumped up on him and he
gloved it cleanly. That's like you said, and I'll kind
(06:26):
of ask you to dig through there, do you, I mean,
does anything did any game you ever played in against
a teammate of minor leagues even where that just happened
to somebody and then they just kind of flushed it
and moved on.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Not too often, you know, TK and I were kind
of talking about it sharing the broadcast, is that, you know,
sometimes you do get in these funks when you're hitting
and you're slumping. You know, you have Euro for fifteens,
your O for twenty five, and you're trying to fight
your way out of it, and you know you're going
to get consistent at bat, so you're a little more
relaxed in that situation. But when you're playing defense and
you actually have of these slumps, it feels like every
(07:02):
ball is being hit at you, and it's not an
easy play. It's an in between hop. It's not hit hard,
you got to charge it. It's hit too hard and
you got to sit back on it. So he kind
of found himself in that situation. But I've never seen
a situation where a guy is struggling that bad and
the baseball guys are forcing that ball to go down
to the guy every single time, because you know, after
the first couple of errors, because every guy that's played
(07:23):
in the big leagues on defense, on the infield particularly,
you've made two errors in a game, that has happened.
But it's what you do after that, it's how it's
how you regroup and say, you know what, I'm sick
and tired of this. I'm going to make the next
play no matter where it is. And you kind of
have this mentality of hit the ball to meat because
I'm going to go out there and make the play.
But I think once you get in the situation Shae
(07:45):
was in, You're going, dear God, please don't hit that
ball to meat, and all of a sudden, they do,
and that's when you find your footwork a little messed up,
and that's where you put yourself in some tough positions.
But man, I mean after the second era and seeing
every groundball go down there, I really started to feel
for Shay Wickham. But there was really nothing that Joe
Spott could have done to protect him or get him
out of that game.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
Yeah, and it did something like I know you and
TK did mention it that he in the midst of
it recognized it, the fans recognized it. It seemed like
he took it in stride with how he reacted to
their cheering, et cetera, and unfortunately just simply never ended.
And then the Astros were ready to say enough with
this game, We've done what we needed to do. The
(08:27):
very next day, on their respective off days, the Mariners
eliminated from postseason contention.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
That's too bad.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
That's such a heartbreaker, man. I mean, you know there's yeah,
there's certain certain teams maybe fan bases that you know,
really have intereared themselves to us as Astro fans and
broadcasters that you really feel their pain when they don't
have the opportunity to take advantage of such a remarkable
(08:58):
starting rotation and a really good bullpen, and you know,
they fumbled, you know, that entire roster and don't end
up in the postseason and then to have it be
a historical type situation where they had a ten game
lead and then eventually could not make the run to
get back in it. Yeah, it's heartbreaking, and I really
don't feel for them at all.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
I hear what you're saying. I think a lot of
people here in Houston have said the very same thing.
And it's not just what happened this year and all
the colossal the collapse and things like that and overcoming it.
It is what happened the year before. It is what
happened the year before that. It is the postseason. This
is a good Seattle team. Four consecutive years, they have
been playing into the late stages of September expecting bigger
(09:40):
and better things, and it's just never worked out for them.
And clearly the Astros winning the division all those times
is one thing that's been in their way, and then
knocking them out of the playoffs the other thing that
was clearly in their way. And it's saying all that,
making the move they made in season, moving on from
Scott Service and their hitting coach and making the change
to Edgar Martinez as the hitting coach and Dan Wilson
(10:02):
as the manager. And I don't know if it's attributable
to those things. They hit the ball really well. They
were a good offense for about the last three or
four weeks of this season. What a surprise, Julio Rodriguez
came to town on another hot streak and stayed that
way in Houston. My gosh, I know he's under long
term deal, and far be it from me to say
anything like he'd be a fun player to watch. He
(10:23):
certainly looks like he would love hitting in this ballpark,
chasing down balls in centerfield, and we've seen it so often.
But he is there and he's so they're going to
try to continue to build around real Briefly before we
get into the meat of all of what's ahead in
the next segment, just what you think your immediate thought
about the other four teams in the division next year?
(10:44):
Is it kind of the same run through Seattle, Texas, Oakland, LA.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Yeah, I might actually move Texas ahead of Seattle. You know.
I think Anaheim and Oakland are trying to figure things out.
Anaheimsen disarray, Oakland a's we don't know if they're going
to be the sack Town a's or Vegas a's, but
so that I'm kind of eliminating them. But I'm not
sure if Seattle, after paying all the money to get
this rotation, paying all this money to have an offense
(11:12):
go out there and support them. I'm not sure if
they're fully stable enough to go out there and pay
enough to have an offense support that rotation yet.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Yeah, well we'll go ahead and put LA's in disarray
on a hot key so you won't ever have to
say it again. We can just play it all the
time because it seems to always and unfortunately for them
and their fans, always be the case. Jeff Blum on
with us here from Cleveland in advance of the last
series of the regular season Guardians and Astros here on
Sports Talk seven to ninety and of course also on
Space City Home Network.
Speaker 4 (11:40):
Much more to come with.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Jeff the Ad on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Both of us back here with you because of the
great work of Exfinity making sure you're always online no
matter how many people want to be online at your household.
Isn't that right, Jeff?
Speaker 1 (11:59):
Yeah, that's one thing I've learned. When my girls were home,
you know, we were stretching up, spreading our internet pretty thin.
But fortunately there's enough fan within our house to be
able to accommodate no matter where what part of the
house I was sitting in and especially now that the
season is wrapping up. I'm gonna have every playoff game,
I'm gonna have every football game, and then I'm obviously
going to be doing my own research during this time.
(12:19):
So I'm grateful for Exfinity.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
Wi Fi keeps you up to date on all the
good stuff.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
As he said, you're streaming, you're gaming, all the interneting,
you name it.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
It's gonna get done with Exfinity.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
They know how many number of devices you might have
connected to the Internet, and it's growing by the moment.
So make sure your home Wi Fi can handle everything
you throw at it. And then some Exfinity bring on
the good stuff and click a call and visit a store. Today,
Exfinity bring on the good stuff.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
Back to Adam Clinton and Adam wex Fler the eighteen.
Speaker 4 (12:54):
Back at it here.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
The A Team continues the simulcast on space City Home
Network right here on Sports Talk seven ninety and with
our guest here on Fridays throughout the baseball season, Jeff
Blum from Spacey Home Network Beyond Tonight as they take
on the Guardians Renel Blanco making his final regular season
appearance of the season. Today is Friday Wildcard Series to
be played Tuesday Wednesday, and if necessary Thursday. Certainly his
(13:18):
availability would be there if they needed him in what
capacity yet to be determined. Justin Verlander expected to pitch
on Saturday and TBD for whatever lays ahead of them
on Sunday. Well, let's take it back to the celebration, Jeff,
you and I were both in the clubhouse. Sparky had
claimed his spot and overalls in the clubhouse, Julia and
(13:39):
Marshall kind of roaming around grabbing interviews. You seem to
have staked down a spot as well. Give me this.
What was the Who's the player? And maybe this is
an annual thing. The player you think enjoys it the
most and it's kind of the center of the celebration
that these astros continue to get to host.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Oh man, that's such a good question, because I feel
like it rotates from party to party. But you know,
Nears in the past had been fantastic, can kind of
get naftered a little bit, and then you know, taking
a peek around and seeing you know, Fromber with the
cigar and the you know, the heavyweight belt champion guy
that is hauling that thing around, and then all of
(14:21):
the ice or drip or whatever the heck it is
now that he's caught hat around his neck. But the
one guy that kept kind of, you know, interrupting interviews
and being a little more of involved than most guys
was Chas mccorranck. For me, when the beer was flying,
it was usually coming out of the hand of Chas mcormick.
So I'm got to give that nod to Chazz.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
This season, he was very noticeably happy. I guess you
could say, all over the clubhouse. I can only wait
and imagine to see what his own personal footage is,
considering he had a go pro strap to his chest,
there's some celebrating going on on the field as well.
As some people may have seen this during one of
the local stations live report, you can see right over
(15:01):
Jason Bristol of Khou, right over his shoulder. Chaz's wife
happened to be in the neighborhood of his live shot,
and Chaz comes running out of the dugout and hugs
her and tackles her. He was so excited. That was
definitely how Chaz was reacting to everything. Can you kind
of imagine him where things are for him? This was
(15:21):
not the kind of season he expected to have, especially
off of the last two. It was a struggle. It
was taxing on him mentally. Then right when he gets
a small sample of success, he goes down with his injury.
I have to believe he's at least more excited because
things are pointing in the right direction for him to
be included on their postseason roster for this wildcard series.
(15:44):
As he and Jordan state back to get ready to
do that, he'll face some live VP over the next
couple of days, and it does seem like that's where
he's headed. Just you've talked to him so much over
the course of this season, the struggle that it was,
it does seem like that was more than your typical
emotional release.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Yeah, who knew we were going to judge a guy's
help by how we partied in the pluboffs afterwards?
Speaker 4 (16:07):
Hands fine, right, good?
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Yeah, he was bouncing around, he had drinks in both hands,
and he was firing me know, SuDS everywhere. So you
kind of hope that that's very encouraging. But I think
you're right though, in the sense that you know, it
was kind of a sweet release that no matter what
year a guy is having, it's always good to be
a part of a team that's able to go out
and win. And you know, as well as I do,
covering as many sports as you have and me watching
(16:30):
as many sports and playing baseball, the greatest cure for
any evil is going out there at winning. And it
kind of you know, when you get into the postseason,
they call it a second season for a reason because
you kind of erase all the regular season stats and
all the all the hard work it took to get
to that point, and you start to play that second
season to the playoffs, and you hope that's where Chaz
(16:50):
as another opportunity to shine like you did in twenty
twenty two, because twenty twenty four did not get off
to the start he wanted it did, it barely finished
the way he wanted, and he was trying to change
the trajectory of that season late and then he ends
up running into the right field wall and hurting his
wrist and he's out and he can't, you know, he can't.
He can't build off what he was finishing with. So
(17:11):
it's kind of frustrating in that sense, but that's how
the nature of baseball is. It's going to test you mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically,
and he's kind of going through it right now. But
I think it's kind of nice to know that the
team won and is given the opportunity to potentially play
a couple more games before this season finishes out. Obviously,
maybe not maybe not the wild Card series, but if
(17:33):
the Astros are fortunate enough to get into that division series,
I think they can contemplate possibly getting a guy like
Chaz back. And you know, that's always nice too, because
he's he's he's got the experience both offensively and defensively,
and I think that's probably a big weapon for Joe
understanding that he might get a little more outfield depth back,
especially when Jordan may not be playing the outfield at
(17:54):
all in the postseason.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
That's certainly what it looks like all throughout October I
would expect in case with that knee, and j as
I mentioned, he is still in Houston trying to get
as much work done, rehab work done on it so
he can make that decision hopefully a little bit easier
for the Astros when they have to put the roster
out on Tuesday and then any ensuing roster that comes
into play. Chas McCormick's next playoff game will be his
(18:17):
thirty second. He's at over one hundred played appearance, no doubt.
I do believe what you said is going to be accurate.
Jason Hayward's got a lot of postseason experience. It'll be
his first experience with the Houston Astros. I know he
was one of the many players that you did talk
to after the game. A lot of us heard from
him because of his trip to the plate where he
put the Astros in front and the two run homer,
(18:38):
But maybe specifically to him and the type of players
that they always seem to add to this club. Not
only do they fit right in, but there seem to
be bringing even more than maybe could have met the
eye when their arrival came to play. And that certainly
seems to fit with Jason Hayward.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
Yeah. And you know what, as a guy who was
kind of the utility or maybe you know, maybe that twelfth, thirteenth,
fourteenth position player on any team that I was on,
is I really appreciate the fact that the Astros are
kind of looking at the X factor, so to speak,
or listening to some of the some of the noise
that can't be put into a computer and entered into
(19:17):
an algorithm that gives you a definitive answer. I think that,
you know, adding guys, you know a Ben Gammel who's
kind of a journeyman but works hard, puts together great
at bat. It's unfortunate he won't be available. But then
you add Jason Hayward to the mix and his pedigree.
He's got a championship with the Chicago Cubs. He's been
in this environment and he's understood, you know, what the
pressures are, what the task is to go out there.
(19:38):
He understands how to play good baseball and you know,
mentally smart baseball. And I think it's also being fifteen
years in the big leagues. You bring a certain calmness
to that clubhouse as well. And this Astros team is
more than welcoming to anybody who comes in, but they're
very welcoming of a guy like Jason Hayward. But they
also have some knowledge and experience to absorb from him.
(19:59):
And I think that and his crew and maybe some
guys underneath kind of mentioned, you know, it would be
great to have a guy like this in our clubhouse
and in our dugout when times get kind of tight.
Even as many times as they've been in these situations,
it's always nice to kind of have another guy in
there who's experienced the same thing you had, and you
get to kind of lean on each other in that sense.
And I think that's where Jason Hayward comes in nicely
(20:20):
and Polly why He's come up with some damn big
home runs to help the Astros clinch that American League West.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
Monster at bats over the last couple of games, and
obviously in that final clincher, the big one that put
them in front, which their bullpen was able to hang
on to Fromber to break you, to Presley to hater
haters on the mound to close things out, and one
last thing on Hayward. This is his fifth major league
stop over those fifteen seasons. The last three have been
brief or the last two have been brief, and then
(20:46):
that quick stop in Saint Louis in between Atlanta and
Chicago fifth team, and this will be his fifth trip
to the playoffs with each of them. He has been
to the playoffs with every team he's played for over
his major league career, and again, little or not, there's
something to be said for that that's not that easy
to accomplish. And those teams also want you there for
(21:07):
a reason. It's not that he's taking them there. It's
that teams that are good want you around because they
know how much you can do for them. And I
think that's why he ends up in Houston after LA
And clearly these are players that you never know who
you're gonna need to count on when when the game
comes to it. And one other guy that you talked
to was Hunter Brown. And when the year began, if
we told him or anybody else the Astros are going
to be in a wild card series, They're going to
(21:29):
play best two out of three. You're getting the ball
in game one or two of that series, I don't
know that we would have felt that way. But after
the season has unfolded, there's no doubt he has earned
that right to be one of the guys they want
to help them advance.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
Yeah, it was kind of funny to talk to him
about that, you know, just going through the entire progression
of his year. You know, that outing he had in
Chicago against the White Sox where he started to kind
of flip the script on his season on how it
started is kind of the same time A Cohen decided
with him when the Astros kind of shifted gears and
started to run away with the American League West. So
(22:06):
I think it's great that it started with him. I
think it's great that he's in the position he is
now to be that maybe number two in the in
the rotation behind Fromber because since that point, Trumper Valdez
and Hunter Brown have been the two best pitchers in
the American League. I believed, hands down, and some of
the data and some of the numbers actually backed that up.
But then you add into it the mentality of a
Hunter Brown. This guy's a bulldog. He wants the ball,
(22:27):
he loves competition, he wants to be the aggressor. And
I think that's where everything kind of came together for
him as he kind of got back to who Hunter
was with that aggressive fastball, developed a little bit of
a two seam to get in on right handed hitters,
and it's allowed him to get, you know, adjust his
pitch mix a little bit. But it was kind of
funny in that conversation to have him talking about it
and he kind of, you know, he very humbly said,
(22:48):
I'll do whatever they ask of me. And I said, dude,
they are going to ask you to start a wild
card game, and I wanted him to understand that. But
you can kind of see the light in his eyes
kind of perk up a little bit. The eyebrowser raised
a little bit where he's like, I'm glad you said that.
I'm glad I get to hear it because he worked
so hard to get to that point. He deserves every
shot he gets, and I think it's a very good
(23:09):
shot for the shows to win when he's on the mound.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
Yeah, he and romber Valdez likely are going in games
one and two Hunter two. They pitched the first two
games of that series that was just completed with Seattle.
Hunter was awesome, nearly matching Bryce Miller all the way
through six innings of one run baseball from ber Valdez,
able to get the win nearly going his six full innings.
These are the guys they've counted on for months, same
(23:32):
guys that will count on to help push them through
to the next round. Are very much looking forward to
it got much more still to come here with Jeff
Blum joining us from Cleveland in front of the final
series of the regular season.
Speaker 4 (23:44):
The ad On Sports Talk seven ninety.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Driving in the fourth largest city in the country, that
can be a problem, especially with some of the yahoo's
out there on the freeways. My personal favorite the west
Loop where you play chicken with traffic, especially when you're
getting on and off of the freeway. You'll never be
going too fast. But you know what, sometimes that doesn't matter.
You can still get into an accident. And that's where
(24:10):
mo Karum Injury Law comes into play. Twenty four hours
a day, they are available to you because you know what,
that's when accidents can happen, and if you're in any
sort of collision and you want to have a team
that's on your side getting you the compensation you deserve.
It's Mocrum Injury Law two eight one two two two
(24:31):
twenty two to twenty two. Is their telephone number two
eight one two two two twenty two to twenty two.
They will come to your home, they will visit you
in their office. They'll even come to your bedside at
the hospital if it comes to that.
Speaker 4 (24:43):
Mo Carum Injury.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Law two eight one two two two twenty two twenty two.
Speaker 4 (24:49):
America tops Hey, it's a man top man for all
free ball, every Rockets game, sports Talk seven to ninety
streaming on the iHeartRadio at home of Rockets of Basketball.
Speaker 3 (25:05):
Back here on the A Team, It's Friday afternoon. Wex
here with you ac Off here on this Friday and
Jeff Blum of course joining us via the phones here
as we get ready for the Guardians and Astros. They
have met earlier this season. They finished the season today
they may meet again coming up in the divisional series.
The Astros have to win a wildcard series to get there,
(25:25):
and the Guardians have to not ascend to the number
one spot overall in the American League for them to
be the opponent for the Astros. Yesterday, the Yankees won
the division claim that one spot. Baltimore isn't even yet
locked into four, They could still end up in a
tie situation and not have the tiebreaker, which would bump
(25:45):
the Tigers potentially up to four. The Tigers are currently
six to be a tie breaker, could actually still miss
the playoffs. The Mariners, while eliminated, actually could play a
part in determining who gets in if all four teams
that could tie do tie at the end of the season.
Meeting three wins for themselves and the Twins and three
losses for the Royals and Tigers, though the White Sox
(26:07):
are at play and part of that so very unlikely.
So a lot of things still yet to be determined.
Curious from your standpoint, Jeff, we had just talked about
Jason Hayward. Five teams, five trips to the playoffs. Three
of the teams that you were on made it to
the postseason in San Diego obviously, with Chicago also you
(26:27):
made it with very different teams, an eighty eight win team,
a ninety four win team, and a White Sox team
that clearly won it all. So they clearly had the
team to do it. Do you recall what the thoughts
were from you and your clubhouse as the playoffs began,
which with those teams, and then kind of as it
related to how things played out.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
Yeah, that's actually a really good question, you know, and
looking back, you know, those are three vastly different teams,
you know, in just starting with the San Diego Padres,
those were teams that were built to win the National
League West. I don't know if they were necessary built
for the long haul to get through the postseason. Obviously
you have hopes and you've got decent enough rotation, but
(27:10):
you know, we had we didn't have those three four
guys in our rotation that we're going to, you know,
be able to step up or move to the bullpen
to close games out. You know, there were some bridge
issues getting to guys like Trevor Hoffman, and you know,
we had kind of a patchwork lineup that went out
there and played well together. We were just a good, solid,
veteran team that knew how to win during the regular season.
(27:32):
But those were that was during the run of you know,
the Saint Louis Cardinals getting into some of these postseason
situations and we just could We just didn't have enough
firepower to be able to compete with what they were
able to bring in the prime of a you know,
a Albert Kuhols and guys like that. So that was
a little a little frustrating it. And then you have
a team like the Arizona Diamondbacks, who I thought we
(27:53):
had some pretty good teams out there and had decent
enough pitching, especially in our bullpen, to be able to
close out some games, but we ran into a steroid
injected who's that left field or I can't remember his name,
but I couldn't, you know, kill me yeah. There. You know,
Ryan Brown was you know, he hit like seven hundred
against us with like six home runs. So he single
(28:16):
handedly injected the Brewers into that Championship series. Non pun,
totally intended. But then you have the Chicago White Sox
and we were just a band of misfits, and I
think it was more mentality. Obviously we were talented. We
had a phenomenal pitching rotation. Uh, you know that Championship
series against the Angels. I don't think you're ever going
(28:39):
to see four complete games clinch a chance to go
to the World Series like we had that year. It
was remarkable. And then we had you know, Bobby Jinks
was closing for us, who was absolutely shut down, and
we had matchup guys out there. It was incredible. So,
I mean, we just had a roster that really just
felt like we were unbeatable. There was a certain anger
(28:59):
about us and a certain you missed it kind of
mentality about us where we didn't want to deal with
anybody else. We just wanted to go out there and
expose their weaknesses and we did.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
Yeah, for those that are wondering, Ryan Brown had eighteen
at bats in that series.
Speaker 4 (29:11):
He got hits in half of them.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
Oh yeah, and damage too. Man, it was crazy.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
Five extra base hits in a four game series or
excuse me, a five game series.
Speaker 4 (29:22):
Yeah, totally normal.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
But the White Sox team with what you just mentioned,
and I think obviously everybody here is totally familiar with
that team, it was clearly built so very heavily. Not
that the offense was incapable, but it was so tremendous
on the mound, and that was both at the starting
spot and the bullpend. To me, that kind of feels like,
even with a different team, that's how the Astros almost
(29:45):
always seemed to go into a postseason series. And some
of the rest they've had in different years, and some
of the way they've been able to set up the
rotation because they prior to this year had constantly had
some days off because they were a division winner, with
that op oportunity to rest and set up guys. I
always feel like, and I even do this year because
of Hunter and Fromber, that they can have the advantage
(30:08):
if things fall their way, you know, from that standpoint,
from that setting it up standpoint, and you mentioned it already,
I would I would imagine it matters a lot. There
is no team. There's gonna be twelve teams in the playoffs.
There's no team that has a better one two in
my opinion, than the Houston Astros. When it comes to
if your rotation is set up and you're throwing Fromber
and Hunter, well, the other team's pitchers, I'm sure are good,
(30:30):
but they're not as good.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
Yeah, And I think if you're going to try and
sell this postseason, the chances of the Astros, I hope
a lot of prognosticators across the country do start to
break it down in the sense that if you start
with pitching, the Astros definitely have an advantage. And I
think that you know, we have some we have some
recency in that that these guys have faced the Kansas
City Royals, they face the Baltimore or Kansas City Royals,
(30:54):
Baltimore Orioles, They're about to face the Cleveland's Guardians. But
they've got some recent experien against very good hitting teams
where the Astros have actually gone out there and pitched
well enough to shut down some of those really good offenses.
And I think that's where you get the hope and
you know you're going to match up well because everybody
in this situation. The twelve teams in the postseason are
(31:17):
going to have a legitimate number one, may be a
legitimate number two, But I think that even when you
match up there number two against a guy like Hunter Brown,
it may be advantage Astros just because the stuff is
so much better. The length that you know that Joe
Aspata's encourage these guys to go out there and get
and it protects the back end of that bullpen. And
(31:37):
if you're able to get through this wild Card series,
I'm really curious to see how the Division series sets up,
because there's some days off in there where you might
actually be able to go a fromber Hunter, you know,
Ronnell or whoever you want in that third spot you say, Kakuchi,
and then with a couple of those days off, you
may be able to flip fromber Valdez on three or
(31:57):
four days rest and go out there and finish off
a series. So I know that the first thing is
win the Wildcard series, but things could get really interesting
as far as that rotation, because I agree with you,
if you're trying to sell the Astros of the postseason
and their potential to get to the World Series again,
it's going to be on that starting rotation.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
Yeah, I think it's pretty interesting. If you just talk
about the Royals and the Tigers and the Astros, one
team has the advantage if you're only talking about their
absolute best starter, just the top number one eighth.
Speaker 4 (32:25):
That's Detroit. They have the number one.
Speaker 3 (32:26):
If you go one and two, I think that leans
toward the Astros because now you have Fromber and you
have Hunter, and if you go one, two, three, it's
probably the Royals with their top three starters, maybe as
a trio a little bit better than any other three. Now,
though we don't know what the matchups will turn out
to be and all that. And I did want to
reiterate that last point you made. I'd mentioned this earlier.
Let's just say things work out as best as they
(32:48):
possibly could from a timing standpoint. The Astros win the
first two games of the series, Hunter, Brown and Fromber
Valdez take care of business. The whole team gets Thursday off,
the whole team gets Friday off. You say, Kakuchi starts
the game on Saturday, presumably in Cleveland. The whole team
gets the day off Sunday. That just happens to be
the way Major League Baseball flipped it to the American
(33:08):
League this year. That gets a day off without travel
in between games one and two of the DS. It's
been the National League last year, so it turns to
the American League this year. That would set the stage
for Valdez, Brown, and Kakuchi to be the only three
starters you need through the first five games of the postseason,
which clearly could set you up in a really good way.
It gets your thoughts on that and the other few
(33:29):
items still remaining as we flip it over to the
other side in our final segment here of the four
o'clock hour on a Friday afternoon in advance of the
end of the regular season for Major League Baseball, the
Houston Astros and the Cleveland Guardians the a t on
Sports Talk seven ninety We hit this weekend with the
close of the regular season, but wide open on the
(33:51):
football front just a couple of weeks into the season,
both on the college landscape and the NFL landscape.
Speaker 4 (33:57):
Texans back in town this weekend.
Speaker 3 (33:59):
Whyt to pop the time on an ice cold, refreshing
special edition bud Light over at your tailgate experience. Easy
to Sunday, easy to enjoy. I'm talking about bud light
family friends tradition. Well, beer goes right along with that
when it's a bud light in your hand and a
bud light in that cooler. Anheuser Busch bud Light Beer,
Saint Louis, Missouri.
Speaker 4 (34:20):
There's a space City Home Networks. Todd Kallis, there's the
at you got him. It's Adam Clinton and Adam Wesler Clinton,
stop impersonating me on Sports Talk seven ninety. Nice to
hear TK here with us.
Speaker 3 (34:38):
When we're with Jeff here on a Friday afternoon edition
of The A Team. I wanted to echo something he
said the day after both of you spent time with
the coverage on the Astros clinching evening there on the field,
and you also in the clubhouse with some very good
stuff there, some great conversations with all the people that
are taking part in it. Jim Crane as well. We
(34:59):
also he on Sports Talk seven ninety have the pleasure
of turning things over to the overall wearing Steve Sparks
for however long it takes to get all the wetness
of the celebration that the Astros are so familiar with
great stuff all the way around. One of the things
that also took place during this series took place the
(35:20):
next day, and that was what Joe a spot in
the Astros orchestrated. With Alex Bregman's exit from the lineup
after he had taken his position over at third base,
after he'd gotten a couple of bats in. They made
sure that the fans had the opportunity to really show
what this season and potentially his career here in Houston.
(35:42):
It does bring all those uneasy feelings into it, because
I think it's totally phenomenal that Joe did that for
a player in that situation in that game, but so
obviously there is more to it with what lies in
the future. Alex had a pretty good reaction to it
and wasn't necessarily expecting. What'd you think of everything that
transpired there on that home finale?
Speaker 1 (36:06):
Ya, I think it's great, And you know, you've got
to respect Joe for respecting Alex Bregman as much as
he has. And we all know the run that Braden's
had here as an Astro has been phenomenal and we
don't want it to end. I'll be the first one
to say it. You know, I've enjoyed everything he's done
for this ball club, both on and off the field.
I've appreciated, you know, from the day he he said,
(36:26):
I will play third base and in order to make
this team better, and that's exactly what he's done the
entire time he's been in Houston. He's made this a
better ball club. He's made it a better team to watch,
and his attitude is infectious. We've seen him step up,
especially this season, be a little more of a vocal leader,
not necessarily in the media, but pretty much inside that clubhouse.
(36:46):
He's the go to guy. He's the sage or the
guru as far as hitting, pitching, defense, whatever it may be,
in any question you've got. Shoot, he can be, maybe
even be a business advisor for some of these guys.
But the fact that he's made him himself so available
and so transparent with the Astros is something that hasn't
feared himself to us. So I really love the fact
(37:07):
that Joe gave him the opportunity because we don't know
the future. He may be working on a contract behind
the scenes that we don't know about, but for the
given moment, I think Joe handled it beautifully, giving him
the opportunity to come off the field in front of
the home faithful there at Mint Made Park and give
him a moment. I know he's had plenty in the postseason.
I know he's had celebrations. I know he's gotten the recognition,
(37:29):
But to actually recognize him as the human Alex Bregman
coming off that field, that's where I really enjoyed that
part of it.
Speaker 3 (37:35):
Interesting you bring up the business side of it. There's
Bregman family racing. There is a second go round in
the salts of business with Wild Soul. He's definitely a
fixture in the grocery chain commercials that oftentimes he is fronting.
He's had a lot of success here in Houston, and
maybe only because Jose Altuve is just too home run
(37:56):
shy of tying Rent Manny Ramirez for the all time
postseason record. He's got twenty seven, Man He's got twenty nine.
I think because of that we've maybe lost sight or
not given enough acknowledgment of there's only five people in
Major League history with more postseason homers than Alex Bregman,
who has nineteen. Over this ninety seven game run that
he and the Astros have put together. In postseason activity,
(38:17):
he has been enormous in the postseason for this team.
Speaker 1 (38:22):
Yeah, and you could say that about guys who are
still here. You can say that about guys who have
come and gone, because we know the you know the
Carlos Correas, the George Springers, you know Marwin Gonzalezes and
I mean that's his name, and some position players. Not
to mention some of the pitchers who have come through
here and pitch extremely well in the postseason, but to
amass that amount of numbers as far as at bats,
(38:46):
games played, hits, home runs, championships, appearances, it's incredible to
think about that you've played ninety seven games in the
postseason for a guy like Jose al tub and then
you move it to Lax Fragman and he's only known
going to the postseason. So that's where you know, I
hope that goes into play. It comes into play when
(39:07):
he starts to think about his potential future and being
in a place where he's had so much postseason success.
But at the same time, you and I both know
that if you're sitting in a management position and you're
debating on whether or not to sign a guy, and
you're a team that might be in contention. The next year,
you're going to look at a guy's postseason numbers and
you're going to be forward at how good Alex Bregman's
been in the postseason.
Speaker 3 (39:27):
Yeah, one of the guys who's around the team all
the time and also had the Astros Golf Foundation events
over the course of the week, meaning Reggie Jackson is
among those people. He's like I said, he's around all
the time. But that's Reggie Jackson's postseason career is legendary.
And Alex Bregman has won more postseason home run than
Reggie Jackson's eighteen, just to again recognize exactly how much
(39:48):
he's done. And then the delicate part of it is
you're not necessarily you don't really want to pay what's
already been done, what you've already done.
Speaker 4 (39:57):
You have to consider what you think is going to
be done.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
The life of a five to six seven who knows
long how how many years that contract isn't clearly the
body is different, the age is different, and it is
a delicate situation. Have not put an offer in front
of him. According to the most recent comments from Dana
Brown right here on Sports Talk seven to ninety during
his Wednesday appearances with the Sean Salisbury Show.
Speaker 4 (40:18):
They still do plan on doing that.
Speaker 3 (40:19):
They have the small negotiating window of five days when
the season comes to a close. Never know what an
off season market might be like, And I mean, can
you glean anything as you've watched the last couple of
off seasons unfold to guess what other teams might do.
It seems like the answer would be known no matter what.
But Carlos care hits the market, ends up signing two
(40:40):
massive deals in the same offseason, neither of which come
to fruition. He ends up signing a shorter term deal
with the Twins, and then last offseason, all of the
Boris four, each one of them struggle to get what
they want in that off season. And here we are
the next offseason, and the only one of those four
that's probably happy is Matt Chapman, who did end up
(41:02):
getting a deal. And all those things tie into it.
It'll be an off season where Alex Bregman, I believe,
will have if he reaches free agency, multiple humongous money suitors.
Speaker 1 (41:16):
Yes, I think that is very true. And I'm glad
you brought up Matt Chapman because you know these these
you know, these recent free agencies have been fascinating because
you expect the big contracts. I think some owners are
getting shied away from you know, these ten, ten, twelve
year deals and they're talking a little more, you know,
substantial yearly amounts in maybe a five, six, seven year deal.
(41:38):
But it'll be interesting to see how it unfolds. But
as far as market's unfolding, Matt Chapman was going to
be one of those free agentsI offseason, but the San
Francisco Giants were able to work out a deal with
a third baseman who is under the Boris umbrella. And
then you have Alex Bregman, who you can compare to
Matt Chapman. We've been doing that since they since Matt
(42:00):
Chapman had been playing with the Oakland A's. But the
only difference is Alex is a year younger, Alex has
more pedigree in the postseason, and Alex actually has better
career numbers than Matt Chapman, and I think he's just
as comparable defensively. You know, Alex may end up winning
at gold call a at third base the season. If
he does, it's only going to enhance the amount of
(42:21):
money that he's going to go out there in command.
So it's going to be up to Alex Bregman to
make some tough decisions. You know, it's going to be
a little hard to heart with him and Scott Boris.
We know that Al Tuovey took a little bit of
a discount to stay with the Houston Astros and maintain
his legacy here. Will Alex do the same thing? Will
he even consider it? Or will he be on the
move to go out there and make as much money
(42:41):
as possible, which you can't get mad at him for
because that's how business works, and he's definitely got that
business forward type mind.
Speaker 4 (42:48):
No question.
Speaker 3 (42:50):
It will be interesting, Absolutely will, and that's not the
immediate future. The immediate future is finishing off the regular
season and pre minute May Park for postseason baseball. Yet again, Jeff,
always a pleasure. Enjoy the weekend. We'll see you back
here next week.
Speaker 1 (43:05):
Great being on with you, West And I was hanging
out with you for a whole hour, man.
Speaker 3 (43:07):
Yeah, something was missing and I didn't miss it at all.
We'll go to the four o'clock hour next.
Speaker 4 (43:14):
The eight on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Speaker 2 (43:18):
This weekend. The clock still ticking. Take advantage it's last
call on all remaining new twenty twenty four cheves your
last chance to upgrade with once a year model, year
end savings like a new Silverado fifteen hundred sixteen grand
in total savings, and it's all available to you at
Classic Chevy Highway six. They're open this weekend for your
(43:40):
convenience on Sunday. So if you don't get it done
out at the Sugarland location on Saturday, good news. They're
open for you over on the west side of town.
Classic Chevy Highway six open for you on Sundays with
one of the largest selections in Texas. They have the
inventory to find what you want. Don't wait times running
out to get model you're in savings before. The best
(44:01):
models with the biggest discounts are sold at Classic Chevy
Highway six. If you're in the market for anything with
a bowtie logo on the front of it, you know
the place to go. They'll show you what it means
when they say together, let's drive. Head on out there
this weekend on Sunday. Classic Chevy Highway six
Popular Podcasts
United States of Kennedy
United States of Kennedy is a podcast about our cultural fascination with the Kennedy dynasty. Every week, hosts Lyra Smith and George Civeris go into one aspect of the Kennedy story.
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