June 25, 2025 • 10 mins
Houston Astros Gold Glove utility man Mauricio Dubón joins The A-Team to talk all things from the early stages of the season, Jose Atluve's G.O.A.T. status, his position flexiblity and the best places to eat Crawfish in the city!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Uh, first chance for us to catch up with him
this season, and looking forward to this conversation, especially coming
off to that off of that game last night. Sometimes, uh, Mauricio,
those are some of the most satisfying victories, even though
one whole run was scored between the two teams.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Yeah, it was a rangersar Is. You know he was
on on this. You know, it's a great picture. And
you know Cooper Hummel coming through. I mean it was
a it was a pitching duel. He got Franburg and
he got Rangers Suarez. I mean it was it was
who made the first mistake? That was it?
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Well, luckily it was the other guy. You just said it,
and the way you phrased it, I'll ask it back
to you. You said, yeah, Cooper Hummel coming through. How about
when Cooper Hummel went coming through the dugout. That's about
as fired up as we've seen this dugout all season.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
It was nice. Yeah, I was, I was up to
bad next, so I was like, but I knew I
heard him, So I was. I was, you know, I
was happy and everything. I knew. I knew that we
only need one run to win the game, and no
hater and then you know, a brew pretty much hater
came in and closed the door. But that's all we
need it.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Since you can't get Jordon Alvarez his home runs to
ever impress you. Were you impressed with Cooper's? Sorry, I said,
since Jordon Alvarez his home runs never do impress you.
In the dugout? Were you at least impressed with Cooper Hammels?
Speaker 2 (01:15):
I did, Actually, I was actually impressed. When he hit
the ball, I'm like, oh, I have a chance. When
he hit it, I was like at the media, I'm like, okay,
it's my I'm gonna win this thing. Because I was
I was going to hit the one. They just kept
going and all of a sudden it went out, and
I mean everybody exploited. I mean the whole you can
see the whole dog out reaction. It was pretty crazy.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
You know.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
I'm happy for for Home.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
We're talking to Mauricio Dubon here on the A team
Wex and Ac here with you brought up Jordon and
obviously he's been out of action for quite some time,
but he's been there in the dugout. He's been a
part of this team. He's obviously been there since you've
been here, back when you joined the team via trade
a few years back. How did you guys cultivate the
working and personal relationship that you have here, because clearly
he means a lot to you, and I definitely feel
(01:55):
like the reverse is true as well.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
You know, it's crazy. You know, I was watching him.
It's it's killing him. People don't realize that. People realize that.
People think like, oh, he got the money, he doesn't
want to play, And I think this, I think out
of every out of everybody, this is the one that
wants to be in the field the most. I mean,
this is a guy that he comes out here every
day works and everything he's working with as off just
to get on the field. I mean, it sucks not
be able to have him, but he's he's one of
(02:18):
the you know, one of the two hard working guys
out here. Man sucks that you know, the hand and
everything and the whole everything would happen, you know, sucks,
but you know, this is a guy that loves to compete.
I think that that was one of the first things
that for me was you know, this guy's a competitor.
I mean just going out there and and you know,
you feed of that, and you know, and we're excited
we're going to have him soon, and you know, just
(02:38):
just watching him go about his businesses is pretty pretty unreal.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Does seem like every day you'd see a hitter like him, lefty,
power hitter, great hitter overall with yourself a righty a
totally different kind of game that you play. But it
does feel like to us, and you've talked about and
he's talked about it a little bit just from a
baseball standpoint, certainly a hitting standpoint, it feels like he's
helped you with your game.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
How so oh yeah, I mean people don't realize. People
realize think Joe Done is a home run hitter. You're done.
It's a hitter. And he's strong enough to backspins balls
out of the field and hit balls hundred and ten
out of the park, Like people don't realize that. But
he's a hitter. He goes out there and you know,
and knows how to hit. And I think, you know,
that's helped me a lot of just going there asking
him questions and I think, you know, it helps me
(03:23):
because I can become a bread hitter. I mean, I
don't have to hit home runs. Like I say, I'm
a hitter. So that's why you know it's working for me.
Like you know, I can't go out and act different.
Guys I know hit home runs and they don't know how
to hit. They're just strong enough. But no, it's a hitter.
It's a hitter person that he's a power hitter.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
How much fun is it to, you know, be in
the Astros organization see everything that happened this offseason and
there you guys are with the second best record in
the American League, having lost Alex Bregman, having lost Kyle Tucker.
Ryan Presley is also gone, and just the injuries that
you've dealt with, and yet you know, it makes everybody
in the American League absolutely sick to their stomach that
(04:04):
you guys just will not die, will not go away.
You're still right there contending.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
You know. It's I think it's just that's the culture
we have in the clubhouse. I mean everybody's stepping out.
I mean everybody wants to you know, possibly toon a
little bit. I mean if one guy doesn't do it
like you said, like Copper Cooper did yesterday, you know,
the home run and everything, and somebody else will do it.
You know, it's just just you know, passing, passing the
stick to the next guy. Now one guy doesn't do it,
(04:30):
you know somebody else will. You know, there's there's gonna
be times. I mean, there's gonna be times that know,
the big dogs are gonna do it. There's gonna be
times that you know, the table service are gonna do it.
It just matter of going out there and competing. I
mean either its defense or or hitting and everything. But
you know, it's it's it's a combination and everything. And
I think that's that's that's that's been shown.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Uh, when Christian Walker was signed in the off season,
did you think that, hey man, how am I supposed
to play every position on the diamond if we got
an everyday guy like that over there? That's the one
position in the field this year other than catcher and pitcher.
You have not yet started gaming.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
No, it's great, it's great having question. I mean, it's
a three time gold Glove, you know. It's it's funny
because I take around Boston him and I ask him
a lot of questions, so I know how you feel this,
how you feel that, And it helps me too, learning
and everything. You never know no, a lot of stuff.
I mean, it's good that when that I'm not playing first,
that means you know, he's he's helping his he's coming along.
I mean, that's that's the that's the biggest thing.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
What do you think about the astros? I guess newest
three months worth of a utility player. It's not easy.
You've told us all thro the years you've been here.
It's not easy to play different positions, certainly outfield to infield.
How about the outfielder to infielder and back and forth
that Jose Altuve has been doing this year.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
It's it's unreal. People don't realize that. It took me.
You know, it took me a while to get used
to it at a young age. Host he's doing it,
you know, being pretty much a Hall of Famer doing it,
you know, going in and out. I mean people don't
people think it's just oh, grabbing it and throwing. I mean,
we we we talk with hosts a couple of times.
I try to go out there and help him out
a little bit of going from there and here and everything.
You know, it's funny because he tells me, I don't
(06:07):
know how you do it. It's hard. Like I'm telling you, bro,
it took it took me. It took me a while
to get used to it. But you know, once you
get used to it, it's it's it's you know you
can you can do it. But out of all people,
you know, he's one of the guys that can do it.
Now going from the outfield and infield. People don't realize that.
People don't realize he's a guy that's going to have
a statue, you know, outside of of the the ball field,
(06:27):
and you know he's doing it. He's doing that because
it's the best for a team. You know, it's it's crazy.
You know, that's the type of teammate he is, and
that's a type of culture we have in the couple hosts.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
We've actually had that conversation here Mauricio about the statue,
what what what should it be? What depiction of Jose
should it be? And where does it go? Where do
you put the statue of Jose?
Speaker 1 (06:43):
It's him biting his nails.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Right, probably taking his sock off, pointing at his foot.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Yeah, I'll put you on the spot a little bit
about Jose. We're talking to Mauricio Dubon here on Sports
Talk seven ninety. You're home for Astros base all all right,
So this discussion came up earlier this week, and I'm
not trying to get you to ruffle feathers or anything.
And you're probably biased. Is jose Altuve the greatest astro
of all time already?
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Ooh?
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Honestly, you know, no, it's it's a different error that's
invisible and realize it's a different era. But Hosi, Josey,
hose He's one, is one up there, Hosy's up there.
Josey is unreal. No, no, no, moment is big for him.
He like comes out and and he's even keiled every time.
You know, he's a guy that wants to compete. This
guy has you know, two thousand plus hits and every day. No,
(07:37):
he's not satisfied. He wants to get get up there
and win. I mean, it's it's crazy. He was watching
him and how humble he is about everything he accomplished.
You know, it's it's crazy. I think my favorite saying
of Posely is saying, out of my fifteen years in
the big leagues, he always comes oult with something. So
I think that that's the biggest one for me. You know,
he's he's.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
Up there, Mauriceo. We talked to you about a bunch
of different teammates Altuve Alvarez and others that you know,
baseball wise or even just on a personal level, that
have been a big part of you being a the
what you've been able to do here in Houston. I'm
wondering if recently maybe you and Brian Abray who have
had more discussions about having a little one at home,
a new little one at home.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Yeah, yeah, we talk. We talk. It's funny we talk.
You know, my wife gave him, My wife gave his
wife some some some gay if everything. We always talk.
Being me and Bran are you know, are pretty close
in that sense. We always talk. You know, we always
support each other, so we always trying to know, you know,
no pick each other's back and everything, especially when he's pitching.
You know, it's it's it's crazy, Like I say, you'd
(08:33):
be surprised like the type of chemistry we have in
the clubhouse. It's it's pretty pretty unreal.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
You spent time in Sacramento, which we heard a lot
about when you played in West Sacramento and launch Baseball's
over the fence in that Minor League ballpark and spent
some time with the San Francisco Giants. You've been an
Astro since twenty twenty two now. I don't know if
that's a long time or not a long time. It
seems like a long time to me. How do you
kind of view your time here in Houston thus far?
Speaker 2 (09:00):
It's not enough. It's not enough, you know, it's it's
It's a good place. I love Houston. I love the crowd.
The crowd makes it even better. You know, the thing's
just no matter where you go. I think the people
makes it better. I think just the people I'm surrounded
by here, you know, in the clubhouse and the and
the fans and everything makes it so much better. You know,
helps over winning, helps that I'm contributing to the win.
(09:21):
So I think it's just, you know, the people you're
surrounded by. It's pretty pretty unreal. I mean, Houston, from
the food to the place you live, everything, I mean,
it's it's a pretty neat place.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
You got a favorite type of food that you didn't
really have before he came to Houston.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Oh, yeah, I ate a lot of a lot of crawfish,
ia a lot of crawfish. Yeah, I ate a lot
of crawfish. Now, my wife went to Loyola and Lucienna,
so I had a little bit of taste over there.
So when I got here, I think every every day
after after a day game, I think that's what I have.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
So is it more of a boil or you a
fried guy or both?
Speaker 2 (10:00):
No, I'm a boil boil guy. Crawfish, cajun, spicy.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
Love it, love it much like you on the baseball field,
Mauricio Dubon. We were looking forward to this visit. You
did not disappoint. Good luck the rest of the way
of this season and let's catch up again.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Man, Thank you, guys, thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Absolutely
Uh, first chance for us to catch up with him
this season, and looking forward to this conversation, especially coming
off to that off of that game last night. Sometimes, uh, Mauricio,
those are some of the most satisfying victories, even though
one whole run was scored between the two teams.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Yeah, it was a rangersar Is. You know he was
on on this. You know, it's a great picture. And
you know Cooper Hummel coming through. I mean it was
a it was a pitching duel. He got Franburg and
he got Rangers Suarez. I mean it was it was
who made the first mistake? That was it?
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Well, luckily it was the other guy. You just said it,
and the way you phrased it, I'll ask it back
to you. You said, yeah, Cooper Hummel coming through. How about
when Cooper Hummel went coming through the dugout. That's about
as fired up as we've seen this dugout all season.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
It was nice. Yeah, I was, I was up to
bad next, so I was like, but I knew I
heard him, So I was. I was, you know, I
was happy and everything. I knew. I knew that we
only need one run to win the game, and no
hater and then you know, a brew pretty much hater
came in and closed the door. But that's all we
need it.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Since you can't get Jordon Alvarez his home runs to
ever impress you. Were you impressed with Cooper's? Sorry, I said,
since Jordon Alvarez his home runs never do impress you.
In the dugout? Were you at least impressed with Cooper Hammels?
Speaker 2 (01:15):
I did, Actually, I was actually impressed. When he hit
the ball, I'm like, oh, I have a chance. When
he hit it, I was like at the media, I'm like, okay,
it's my I'm gonna win this thing. Because I was
I was going to hit the one. They just kept
going and all of a sudden it went out, and
I mean everybody exploited. I mean the whole you can
see the whole dog out reaction. It was pretty crazy.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
You know.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
I'm happy for for Home.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
We're talking to Mauricio Dubon here on the A team
Wex and Ac here with you brought up Jordon and
obviously he's been out of action for quite some time,
but he's been there in the dugout. He's been a
part of this team. He's obviously been there since you've
been here, back when you joined the team via trade
a few years back. How did you guys cultivate the
working and personal relationship that you have here, because clearly
he means a lot to you, and I definitely feel
(01:55):
like the reverse is true as well.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
You know, it's crazy. You know, I was watching him.
It's it's killing him. People don't realize that. People realize that.
People think like, oh, he got the money, he doesn't
want to play, And I think this, I think out
of every out of everybody, this is the one that
wants to be in the field the most. I mean,
this is a guy that he comes out here every
day works and everything he's working with as off just
to get on the field. I mean, it sucks not
be able to have him, but he's he's one of
(02:18):
the you know, one of the two hard working guys
out here. Man sucks that you know, the hand and
everything and the whole everything would happen, you know, sucks,
but you know, this is a guy that loves to compete.
I think that that was one of the first things
that for me was you know, this guy's a competitor.
I mean just going out there and and you know,
you feed of that, and you know, and we're excited
we're going to have him soon, and you know, just
(02:38):
just watching him go about his businesses is pretty pretty unreal.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Does seem like every day you'd see a hitter like him, lefty,
power hitter, great hitter overall with yourself a righty a
totally different kind of game that you play. But it
does feel like to us, and you've talked about and
he's talked about it a little bit just from a
baseball standpoint, certainly a hitting standpoint, it feels like he's
helped you with your game.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
How so oh yeah, I mean people don't realize. People
realize think Joe Done is a home run hitter. You're done.
It's a hitter. And he's strong enough to backspins balls
out of the field and hit balls hundred and ten
out of the park, Like people don't realize that. But
he's a hitter. He goes out there and you know,
and knows how to hit. And I think, you know,
that's helped me a lot of just going there asking
him questions and I think, you know, it helps me
(03:23):
because I can become a bread hitter. I mean, I
don't have to hit home runs. Like I say, I'm
a hitter. So that's why you know it's working for me.
Like you know, I can't go out and act different.
Guys I know hit home runs and they don't know how
to hit. They're just strong enough. But no, it's a hitter.
It's a hitter person that he's a power hitter.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
How much fun is it to, you know, be in
the Astros organization see everything that happened this offseason and
there you guys are with the second best record in
the American League, having lost Alex Bregman, having lost Kyle Tucker.
Ryan Presley is also gone, and just the injuries that
you've dealt with, and yet you know, it makes everybody
in the American League absolutely sick to their stomach that
(04:04):
you guys just will not die, will not go away.
You're still right there contending.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
You know. It's I think it's just that's the culture
we have in the clubhouse. I mean everybody's stepping out.
I mean everybody wants to you know, possibly toon a
little bit. I mean if one guy doesn't do it
like you said, like Copper Cooper did yesterday, you know,
the home run and everything, and somebody else will do it.
You know, it's just just you know, passing, passing the
stick to the next guy. Now one guy doesn't do it,
(04:30):
you know somebody else will. You know, there's there's gonna
be times. I mean, there's gonna be times that know,
the big dogs are gonna do it. There's gonna be
times that you know, the table service are gonna do it.
It just matter of going out there and competing. I
mean either its defense or or hitting and everything. But
you know, it's it's it's a combination and everything. And
I think that's that's that's that's been shown.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Uh, when Christian Walker was signed in the off season,
did you think that, hey man, how am I supposed
to play every position on the diamond if we got
an everyday guy like that over there? That's the one
position in the field this year other than catcher and pitcher.
You have not yet started gaming.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
No, it's great, it's great having question. I mean, it's
a three time gold Glove, you know. It's it's funny
because I take around Boston him and I ask him
a lot of questions, so I know how you feel this,
how you feel that, And it helps me too, learning
and everything. You never know no, a lot of stuff.
I mean, it's good that when that I'm not playing first,
that means you know, he's he's helping his he's coming along.
I mean, that's that's the that's the biggest thing.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
What do you think about the astros? I guess newest
three months worth of a utility player. It's not easy.
You've told us all thro the years you've been here.
It's not easy to play different positions, certainly outfield to infield.
How about the outfielder to infielder and back and forth
that Jose Altuve has been doing this year.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
It's it's unreal. People don't realize that. It took me.
You know, it took me a while to get used
to it at a young age. Host he's doing it,
you know, being pretty much a Hall of Famer doing it,
you know, going in and out. I mean people don't
people think it's just oh, grabbing it and throwing. I mean,
we we we talk with hosts a couple of times.
I try to go out there and help him out
a little bit of going from there and here and everything.
You know, it's funny because he tells me, I don't
(06:07):
know how you do it. It's hard. Like I'm telling you, bro,
it took it took me. It took me a while
to get used to it. But you know, once you
get used to it, it's it's it's you know you
can you can do it. But out of all people,
you know, he's one of the guys that can do it.
Now going from the outfield and infield. People don't realize that.
People don't realize he's a guy that's going to have
a statue, you know, outside of of the the ball field,
(06:27):
and you know he's doing it. He's doing that because
it's the best for a team. You know, it's it's crazy.
You know, that's the type of teammate he is, and
that's a type of culture we have in the couple hosts.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
We've actually had that conversation here Mauricio about the statue,
what what what should it be? What depiction of Jose
should it be? And where does it go? Where do
you put the statue of Jose?
Speaker 1 (06:43):
It's him biting his nails.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Right, probably taking his sock off, pointing at his foot.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Yeah, I'll put you on the spot a little bit
about Jose. We're talking to Mauricio Dubon here on Sports
Talk seven ninety. You're home for Astros base all all right,
So this discussion came up earlier this week, and I'm
not trying to get you to ruffle feathers or anything.
And you're probably biased. Is jose Altuve the greatest astro
of all time already?
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Ooh?
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Honestly, you know, no, it's it's a different error that's
invisible and realize it's a different era. But Hosi, Josey,
hose He's one, is one up there, Hosy's up there.
Josey is unreal. No, no, no, moment is big for him.
He like comes out and and he's even keiled every time.
You know, he's a guy that wants to compete. This
guy has you know, two thousand plus hits and every day. No,
(07:37):
he's not satisfied. He wants to get get up there
and win. I mean, it's it's crazy. He was watching
him and how humble he is about everything he accomplished.
You know, it's it's crazy. I think my favorite saying
of Posely is saying, out of my fifteen years in
the big leagues, he always comes oult with something. So
I think that that's the biggest one for me. You know,
he's he's.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
Up there, Mauriceo. We talked to you about a bunch
of different teammates Altuve Alvarez and others that you know,
baseball wise or even just on a personal level, that
have been a big part of you being a the
what you've been able to do here in Houston. I'm
wondering if recently maybe you and Brian Abray who have
had more discussions about having a little one at home,
a new little one at home.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Yeah, yeah, we talk. We talk. It's funny we talk.
You know, my wife gave him, My wife gave his
wife some some some gay if everything. We always talk.
Being me and Bran are you know, are pretty close
in that sense. We always talk. You know, we always
support each other, so we always trying to know, you know,
no pick each other's back and everything, especially when he's pitching.
You know, it's it's it's crazy, Like I say, you'd
(08:33):
be surprised like the type of chemistry we have in
the clubhouse. It's it's pretty pretty unreal.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
You spent time in Sacramento, which we heard a lot
about when you played in West Sacramento and launch Baseball's
over the fence in that Minor League ballpark and spent
some time with the San Francisco Giants. You've been an
Astro since twenty twenty two now. I don't know if
that's a long time or not a long time. It
seems like a long time to me. How do you
kind of view your time here in Houston thus far?
Speaker 2 (09:00):
It's not enough. It's not enough, you know, it's it's
It's a good place. I love Houston. I love the crowd.
The crowd makes it even better. You know, the thing's
just no matter where you go. I think the people
makes it better. I think just the people I'm surrounded
by here, you know, in the clubhouse and the and
the fans and everything makes it so much better. You know,
helps over winning, helps that I'm contributing to the win.
(09:21):
So I think it's just, you know, the people you're
surrounded by. It's pretty pretty unreal. I mean, Houston, from
the food to the place you live, everything, I mean,
it's it's a pretty neat place.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
You got a favorite type of food that you didn't
really have before he came to Houston.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Oh, yeah, I ate a lot of a lot of crawfish,
ia a lot of crawfish. Yeah, I ate a lot
of crawfish. Now, my wife went to Loyola and Lucienna,
so I had a little bit of taste over there.
So when I got here, I think every every day
after after a day game, I think that's what I have.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
So is it more of a boil or you a
fried guy or both?
Speaker 2 (10:00):
No, I'm a boil boil guy. Crawfish, cajun, spicy.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
Love it, love it much like you on the baseball field,
Mauricio Dubon. We were looking forward to this visit. You
did not disappoint. Good luck the rest of the way
of this season and let's catch up again.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Man, Thank you, guys, thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Absolutely
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