Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Two lifelong Houston sports guys named Adam Raised my girl
Nolan multed by the magnificent roller coaster ride.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
That is Houston Sports.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Chill lge down for the only home grown afternoon team is.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Talking Your Teams?
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Adam Clinton and Adam Wexler are the A Team.
Speaker 4 (00:35):
A Welcome in to a Monday edition of the A
Team is Sports Talk seven ninety.
Speaker 5 (00:57):
As we will transition during the four o'clock hour to
Astros on deck and get you ready for well, quite frankly,
one of the best teams in the American League taking
on your Astros.
Speaker 6 (01:10):
That was horrible.
Speaker 5 (01:11):
The only thing that is salvageable about that weekend from
an Astros standpoint, Well, there's a few things. Is that
the Seattle Mariners were no better in their series against
the Mets.
Speaker 6 (01:20):
That's it.
Speaker 5 (01:20):
That's it, And actually that's still being nice because they
played so poorly in this series. The Astros, even when
they won that sometimes I question whether or not they
actually thought they were still in a division race, Like
it felt like they mailed it in for the weekend.
Ah well, we'll start playing for real again on Monday.
That's how it felt. Anyways, Man, Friday night, I mean,
(01:44):
can you call me a prophet? I need to get
I need to get a little pat on my back,
just to give myself credit for what I predicted that
that bum pitcher would do to the Astros nearly a
perfect game. I realized that I said he was gonna
have a strong outing. I didn't realize that he would
nearly have a perfect against the Astros until Ramoni Reus
(02:05):
broke broke up what would have been a perfect game
for him. But the Astros get two out of three
taken from them over the weekend, looked terrible in the
actual game that they did win. And it doesn't matter
because Seattle did the exact same thing against the Mets.
And so here we are, the Detroit Tigers hosting your Astros.
Tigers not a pushover, but the Astros tend to play
(02:25):
up or down to their competition. That's the only thing
I've got for you, X, that's the positivity going in.
Speaker 7 (02:30):
Yeah, second best team in the American League. Get you
said taking on the third best team in the American League.
Like you didn't say that's the Houston Astros. We go
by records, they're sixty nine and fifty five. But he
could go by us, and we are honest with you here,
been telling you for a while, and I think you
guys have seen it for a while. They clearly are
not the third best team in the American League. Even
though they manhandled the Dodgers about a month ago, they
(02:51):
haven't played very good baseball since then, well under five
hundred baseball since then, and it's kind of left them
stuck in the mud. Luckily, nobody in the division has
passed them, but it's gonna be an interesting race to
the finish outside of the division. The additional good news
is they still have a pretty sizable lead just to
make the postseason, and maybe the team is actually getting
(03:13):
good news. Sometime in the next five to eight to
ten days. Tomorrow, jord On Alvarez is playing in a
baseball game. He's gonna put on a uniform, He's gonna
grab a bat three to four times. He's gonna step
up to the plate. He might even swing at some
pitches thrown by Double A pitchers because the Corpus Christy
Hooks will be his home for probably the next four
(03:34):
games minimum. According to Dana Brown, the rehab assignment begins
on Tuesday. Want to get him into a game give
him an off day, see how things feel, get him
into back to back games again, see how things feel.
He actually said he felt reasonably possible. I don't know
if reasonably confidence too much. But the Astros have seven
(03:54):
straight games in the next seven days, all on the road,
first against the Tigers, then against the same or that
they played this past weekend. Four games set there, and
then they return home. Sounded like Dana Brown thought. If
there are no setbacks, if there's no soreness, if he's
playing the exact plan they want him to, then at
the very least he feels like when the Astros return
(04:16):
home in a week to begin their next home stand,
he could very well be ready to be activated and
playing for this team. Some super optimists, which make no
sense concerning a player who's been out since May third,
think there's a chance he could play in Baltimore this weekend.
But we're not there yet, so if and when we
get there, we'll see how things play out. Josh Hater
over the weekend talked with the media and described his
(04:38):
situation as unlikely to return this season, but very happy
when the second opinion came in that surgery was not
necessarily where he needed to go, and that's why the
three week period, then seeing how things look, then maybe
picking up a baseball. Then maybe after the Astros get
five days off after winning the division, finishing in the
(04:59):
top two, and awaiting their opponent, he could potentially still
see time in the postseason for the Astros. They'll have
to keep playing, he'll have to keep getting healthy. But
it certainly wasn't bad news. We got that news that
we knew he was on a program of rehab last week,
but then with what he had to say, certainly felt
like the player was pretty happy and he was at
(05:20):
least in good enough shape to offer a high five
with his right hand and a little pat on the
back with his left arm. After the Astros got their
one win over the weekend with the beating out the
double playball in the bottom of the twelfth inning on
Saturday night to get them that five to four victory,
their bullpen was a disaster that I think you could
(05:40):
say to be sure Saturday night. Luckily, the final four
innings worth twelve outsworth of bullpen pitching was spectacular and
it's the only reason they got even one win this weekend.
A braw was fantastic de Los Santos was very good,
and the Astros were able to continue to put up
zeros and ultimately finally try to score a run. What
(06:01):
they did on the Tremmel bunt and your eyes getting
thrown out at home plate. I still don't believe it.
I still can't believe they didn't score on that play.
And it was insanely well executed by the bunter and
insanely poorly executed by the runner. I'm not sure what
he's doing hanging out at third base their bunning to
score the game winning run run home. I was like,
where is he? When is he going to be in
(06:23):
the picture? Watching on TV? Going, He's got to be
coming soon. The ball's already there waiting for him.
Speaker 6 (06:27):
What is he doing?
Speaker 7 (06:29):
Nonetheless, they ended up winning in twelve innings, but the
bullpen each of the other two games. You know, the
starting pitcher on Sunday, Obviously you'd like to get more
than three innings out of Javier leaving due to illness,
so his velocity was also down. Joe spot Is saying
after the game, that's not of his concern at this point,
just trying to make sure he's healthy. You got Jeremy
payin you back for Amber Valdez in the opening game.
(06:49):
Wasn't unbelievable, but they still had a chance to win
both of those games. They just didn't get anything out
of their bullpen, to the point that it was a
laugher chas McCormick for the second time on the home stand.
They were shut out twice in lopsided games over the weekend,
mainly lopsided because of the bullpen on the Baltimore column,
(07:10):
but clearly lopsided in the other column because there was
a zero in it on Friday night and Sunday afternoon.
Speaker 5 (07:16):
Well, and I mean not to pile on, but I'm
absolutely going to. I don't need Sean Dubin pitching for
this team anytime.
Speaker 6 (07:21):
Again.
Speaker 5 (07:22):
I understand that they're injured. I understand that there aren't
as many options. I understand this, and I understand.
Speaker 6 (07:27):
That he sucks.
Speaker 5 (07:28):
It's not like, oh he's bad. He's every time he's
been out there, it's been awful. Yeah, he's been had
made three appearances. It's coming back.
Speaker 7 (07:35):
Didn't like where they used him the first time and
obviously put him in a bad spot, probably mentally, and
the two times that have followed the same thing has happened.
And this last one came after a fairly quick inning.
You know, got to gave up a hit, got a
double play ball, got out of the inning three up,
three down, and then he couldn't get anybody out again,
and all four batters he faced scored because the last
of the four batters, on the last of the four
(07:57):
consecutive hits, hit another home run. He's been out there
three times, he's given up four runs. I don't take
the flights with the Astros on road trips. I can't
imagine that Jordan Weams or Sean Duben was on it
because there's no way they could pitch for this team.
Weams' performance, to me, was even worse. At least Dubin
knows where the plate is and what you're supposed to do.
(08:17):
Weiams walking three batters and throwing twenty balls in an inning.
I don't remember a guy throwing twenty balls, twenty balls
that were not swung at, that were not called strikes
in a single inning. He threw thirty seven pitches, he
got one out, and this bullpen, in addition to performing poorly,
it's making it very difficult to perform at all. When
they're getting stretched like this, and they don't have that
(08:39):
many options unless we find out today that someone is
going on the IL, and it wouldn't surprise me if
we do, and it's Dubin for whatever reason, in order
to get some pitchers up. But even saying that, I'll
keep an eye on their options knowing that they need pitchers,
that they need two fresh arms starting today. They've got
seven more consecutive games of pitching. And I understand the
(09:02):
rules of bringing guys up only due to injury if
they haven't been down optioned down for more than their
fifteen day period. But I assume the communication between the
Astros and the Space Cowboys is as it needs to be.
But I only assume that as I was watching from
my computer the game over at the Sweatbox as Craig
(09:24):
Bigio called it yesterday when he was in the booth
with Kevin and Blummer, noting that his son was at
the sweatbox yesterday with his be's outfit the Astros in
their game Minor League game yesterday, Triple A game. Colton, Gordon, Logan,
Van Why, John Rooney, Luis Contreras, Nick Hernandez. They have
all been with the Astros this season and they all
(09:46):
pitched in yesterday's game. I found that rather odd, considering
the Astros need somebody to pitch today, almost assuredly. If
they win, if they're leading, great, turn it over to
the king SUSA a braw portion of your bullpen. If
anybody else has to pitch. I don't know who that's
going to be without basically having guys arms fall off.
(10:10):
But I'm sure they know what they're doing, and we'll
find out. I'm sure before the pitch first pitch tonight,
just after we wrap up the on deck show, which
we'll have for you, what their pitching plans are. Arraghetti
fromber Valdez or Hunter Brown then fromber Valdez, the three
pitchers set to go in this series. The Astros could
just go ahead and get a win tonight, just put
a little bit more of an extra umph emphasis on
(10:33):
Hunter Brown v. Tark Schooble on Tuesday for the Nationalizes
to say, hey man, these might be the two best
pitchers in the American League. Let's let's tune in, let's
lock in on the two of the three best teams
in the AL. With two of the best pitchers in
the AL, might be a fun ball game.
Speaker 6 (10:49):
I saw you tweeting about this.
Speaker 5 (10:51):
I think what I think you were the one that
I saw tweeting about this rotation.
Speaker 7 (10:55):
I mean, I don't think I said anything about it.
Speaker 6 (10:59):
I say it for the show.
Speaker 7 (11:00):
Sometimes.
Speaker 5 (11:00):
It wasn't much of a weekend for me from the
standpoint of just being able to unwind and look at
that kind of thing. But I can tell you that
Spencer Araghetti's definitely due to have a effective start duplicate.
Speaker 7 (11:13):
His last performance. He only gave up one hit.
Speaker 6 (11:16):
How many do you walk? Wexes the traffic on the
base is his last.
Speaker 7 (11:21):
His only two starts since returning from injury, he's matched
his career high and hits aloud. In one game, he
matched his or it was a new career. I matched
his career high and walks aloud, and he also matched
his career low and hits aloud.
Speaker 8 (11:34):
He do.
Speaker 7 (11:35):
I mean, I would like to see him. I don't
really care what the run total is. And this is
I would never say this normally. You gotta get it,
you gotta pitch. You gotta throw at least one pitch
in the sixth inning.
Speaker 6 (11:46):
That would be nice.
Speaker 7 (11:47):
They cannot have another well, we gotta pull him.
Speaker 5 (11:50):
He just can't you mean you didn't like Christian Hovey
are getting coming to work sick as if.
Speaker 7 (11:57):
He doesn't pitch at all. I mean, that's nine more
outs you needed right from somebody else.
Speaker 6 (12:00):
Three more innings that you didn't get out of him.
Speaker 7 (12:03):
Uh running three innings that was for a sickie.
Speaker 6 (12:06):
That's pretty good.
Speaker 5 (12:06):
Yeah, Chandler Roam handled the work performance exchange that he
had on X about that very topic brilliantly.
Speaker 6 (12:12):
We'll probably get to that at some point. We will.
Speaker 7 (12:14):
Obviously the Texan's played a preseason game.
Speaker 5 (12:16):
Yeah, we're gonna get just about to say, we're gonna
get to that. We'll also get the hat gate that
preceded that game.
Speaker 6 (12:23):
God, we don't have to be we don't.
Speaker 7 (12:25):
I know, there's we do clearly lean on social media.
We do a best of X every single day on
the show, but the general public and common sense doesn't
really always live on social media. Well, the vibe on
Twitter and the loudness of Twitter, I think is over
(12:46):
estimated in the actual general walking everyday life. For most people.
It's all over the Twitter, so everybody must be talking
about it, Yeah, on on Twitter, on X, on social media,
but not really every just the people on there, and
there's a lot of them.
Speaker 5 (13:03):
Yeah, there is a dichotomy to that very app these
days and not just as with sports just getting information
on the whole and it's it's very very interesting. But yeah,
I had I had an absolute blast looking at both
idiotic sides of that non argument there.
Speaker 6 (13:18):
So yeah, we'll get to that.
Speaker 5 (13:19):
But when we come back the good news for your Astros,
and it is good news, we'll explain when we return.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
The A team on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Speaker 6 (13:33):
Back here on the A team.
Speaker 7 (13:34):
It is a Monday, following a weekend of one win
each for the Houston Texans and the Houston Astros. Texas
only played once and the result of the game is
of zero importance, but the offense played. Texan set their
starters out there, two series for the offense, three series
for the defense, and handful of those players additionally got
(13:55):
some snaps beyond that held a couple of players out
as expected, and go forward into another couple of important
days remaining during this training camp preseason portion of their calendar.
They will leave for Detroit on Wednesday. They will play
a preseason game on Saturday against the Lions at noon,
and then will have their joint practice with the Lions
(14:15):
on Thursday. Those two days really the last remaining true
competitive parts against somebody else of the evaluation portion.
Speaker 6 (14:25):
For the Texans pretty close.
Speaker 7 (14:27):
There's probably fifty six or seven players tops, maybe more
like fifty five that I think have a chance to
make this original roster, though there are some question marks
about how they handle certain injuries. They have a player
on the NFI lists that is probably going to play
for the Texans this year. They got a couple players
on the pup list who could certainly be a part
(14:48):
of the Texans this year. And they have a couple
of players who are on the active roster but are
currently hurt and so figuring out exactly how the Texans
are going to make this all fit together definitely something
to think about. And yeah, I'll put together a fifty three.
He was able to gather a bunch of additional sound
after the game, calling myself over at the game on
Saturday afternoon.
Speaker 6 (15:09):
So I'll sprinkle a little bit of what CJ.
Speaker 7 (15:11):
Strout had to say about a day where eight passes attempted,
only two were incomplete, dropped back nine times, qualified as
being pressured on just two of those nine snaps, and
one of them was quite obviously a coverage sack inside
the red zone. Dropped back to pass, pocket stayed intact.
He obviously has an internal clock, he plays NFL quarterback,
(15:33):
and he realized somebody's probably coming.
Speaker 6 (15:36):
Ironically, nobody was.
Speaker 7 (15:37):
The pocket was essentially there for him, but nobody was open,
and he kind of wandered around in a circle for
a bit before ultimately going down and was not hit
on that sack. He just went down and was touched,
so really didn't take any hits in this game. One
other play he actually was pushed, but no real significant
physical contact of any consequence for CJ. Strodt behind an
(16:00):
offensive line that probably won't be the group they start
against the Rams because Titus Howard was not out there
and Blake Fisher was. Unfortunately Howard who probably was kept
on the sidelines because of his limited work during practice
for an undisclosed minor injury. Blake Fisher was one of
a very few, maybe the only Texan who got hurt
(16:21):
in the game, leaving briefly getting his ankle checked out
both on the sideline and ultimately in the Texans locker room.
They'll be on the practice field today in about half
an hour very short indoor practice. Probably have a much
more significant practice tomorrow morning, and then somewhat of I
would expect a walkthrough on Wednesday before they again leave
(16:42):
Wednesday for Detroit. But like I said, we'll get into
some of the particulars on what actually took place during
the game of note for the offense defensive starters. But
the biggest news from the Astros this weekend was not
on the field, and it was more off the field,
both for Josh Hater and that maybe there's an outside
show that he will play this year, but even bigger
(17:02):
than that which we talked a little bit about last week,
as he said himself the next day, knowing that the
information we got that surgery is not the path we're taking,
that's really good news for twenty twenty six and bigger
picture stuff, and maybe it does leave the door at
least a little bit open for potentially still throwing safely
and as a healthy player for the Astros. But like
(17:24):
I said, tomorrow afternoon, Corpus Christy will welcome a new player.
It will be jord On Alvarez. They begin as usual,
like all minor league teams do, their six game series.
That's how they play it down there, you know, minimize travel.
I wonder if Rob Manfred will talk about that anytime
in the future. He's talking about realignment when he's at
(17:44):
the Little League Classic watching players at Little League home runs.
But that's the story for another day. Jord On Alvarez
has progressed enough through his super fast work only three
months plus, he's ready to play minor league baseball. Corpus
Christie is so lucky they get everybody this year they
actually do this year. Well, I just mean the Astros
(18:06):
have had so many rehabbing players.
Speaker 6 (18:08):
Corpus I done obviously.
Speaker 7 (18:10):
The Space Cowboys have seen a ton of Astros, a
ton of Major leaguers.
Speaker 5 (18:15):
It is nice to be able to go down to
sugar Land and see some of these guys if you
want to as they make these rehab starts. But it
sucks that you have to because they're making rehab starts,
which means that they haven't been playing because they've been hurt.
But yes, as it pertains to number forty four, a
guy who I'm guessing could linked in this lineup. We
don't know what we're gonna get, what version we are
(18:37):
gonna get, but I don't know. The old adage eighty
percent of this guy is better than one hundred percent
of everybody else most of the time. I think that
would probably still apply even in this season, even with
the sheer.
Speaker 6 (18:50):
Amount of games Jordan Alvarez has missed.
Speaker 7 (18:52):
It's kind of interesting to me, and maybe I'm looking
too much into this that they've chosen your Corpus for
his games. Corpus is playing at home. They've got Frisco
for six games starting on Tuesday. Sugarland is at Iowa
for six games beginning on Tuesday. I mean, I don't
know much. You guys know me. You guys have listened
to me long enough. Adam has pointed it out as
(19:13):
many times as necessary, which is almost on a daily basis.
I don't know Jack bleep about geography, directions inside the loop,
outside the loop, up by ten down Ey ten. I'm
as dumb as they come, but I believe Iowa is
closer to both Detroit and Baltimore. It's closer than the
Corpus Christie is believe that's accurate.
Speaker 5 (19:34):
But Corpus Christi is closer to dyke In Park, which
is where he's going to play his next games.
Speaker 7 (19:40):
Very possible, very possible. That's what I actually think too.
But it is interesting that that was chosen because where
was he yesterday. He's been on team, he's been with Florida,
So wherever it wasn't here, I think will be if
he's playing in the majors. And I know the getting
used to major league pitching is all part part of this.
(20:02):
I've said it before and especially with this year's team.
So put him in the lineup tomorrow tonight, whatever, what's
the difference?
Speaker 6 (20:12):
So he goes oh for four? Is it a roster situation?
Speaker 7 (20:17):
You don't want to activate him and then have to
put him on the ten dail immediately after because he
wasn't healthy. That I get, and that I would think
in this case, because this is very abnormal. This is
not your typical injury, especially since we can barely tell
you what it is.
Speaker 6 (20:33):
They don't.
Speaker 7 (20:34):
I think they're kind of confident, kind of confident he'll
be fine after swinging the bat in the game for
three out of four days.
Speaker 6 (20:42):
Not totally confident.
Speaker 7 (20:44):
You are not fully confident because the oddity of the well,
he needed shots and he didn't need surgery, and now
the broken bone isn't the problem but it's something else
that they wouldn't really have surgery, like just weird.
Speaker 5 (20:57):
Well, yes, and I could see based on your way
of looking at things, if you want to see him
take on major league pitching and you're worried about a
setback in the midst of all this, like these six games,
for example, if he were to play in all of
them and then come back up to the major league
grosser or come to the major league grosser, why not
if he's gonna if something's going to happen to his
hand again, why not get a home run or two
(21:19):
before that at the major league level.
Speaker 7 (21:21):
Looking at it like that, I'm just putt like they
got forty games left or so. Every game he's not
here is a game he's not sure.
Speaker 5 (21:28):
Presumably the guys that he would be facing off against
are better than the ones he'll be facing off against
in corpus if he was just at the major league right.
Speaker 7 (21:35):
He's not twenty two, he's not twenty four. Not to mention,
which how many days of facing not as good pitching
is going to help him get ready for the actual pitch.
Speaker 5 (21:45):
Yeah, and not to mention he has been I can't
even tell you the last time at least I can't
remember where he had an injury, whatever it was, and
just spending an inordinate amount of time in the minors
before he came back, Like the Astros were always like,
let's get back out there, go, and he usually hits
a home run in his first game back. So I
don't know, we'll see. At this point. I'll take whatever
(22:07):
I can get whenever I can get it. I'm just
happy that it's August and that September that we're going
to be seeing Jordan Alvarez because in a season like this,
it wouldn't have surprised me if it was if it
was the other way around. So that should be interesting
to keep an eye on, Almost as interesting as it
was to see how everybody reacted to the starting quarterback
of the Houston Texans wearing a Seattle Mariners hat. That
(22:30):
and more coming up on the Best of X.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
The eighteen on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Speaker 6 (22:40):
Did you all see this?
Speaker 3 (22:41):
Should be putting out?
Speaker 9 (22:42):
Between five and fifteen posts.
Speaker 7 (22:45):
Four hundred people were arrested for things that they said
on social media.
Speaker 10 (22:48):
History repeats itself type benils succeed. Never doubt that you're
the one who was for no one building, build the best.
Speaker 6 (23:01):
Nothing's gonna have a top.
Speaker 11 (23:02):
You know, you're the best of the post an every
single day you're the best of the breaking the entire internet.
Speaker 6 (23:18):
All right.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
It's that time of day where we check out the
socials and we see what's moving the needle, what's moving people,
what's getting them all hot and bothered, what's getting their
panties in a wide wex. That's an official term, because
I tell you right now, that's how I would describe
people on Saturday.
Speaker 6 (23:37):
When CJ.
Speaker 5 (23:37):
Stroud walked into NRG Stadium wearing a Seattle Mariners.
Speaker 7 (23:41):
Cap, admin took care of business as teams admins will
do player arrivals. Texans are playing the Panthers Saturday over
at NRG Stadium, about roughly two hours and forty seven
forty eight forty nine minutes before kickoffs. Since they didn't
actually kick off at noon around nine thirteen am, they
(24:01):
were able to turn around CJ. Stroud walking into the
facility from his parked vehicle. He was wearing dark sneaks,
white socks, dark shorts, dark top jacket if you will,
and a baseball cap major League Baseball cap, as Adam noted,
(24:23):
representing the Seattle Mariners. He was asked about it after
the game, but before we get to after the game,
there obviously was an immediate reaction, probably at nine to
thirteen oh one Time's Infinity from people commenting on this.
That's what we do here on Best of X. Run
through some of what people thought there, because for the
next almost six hours people were freaking out about it.
(24:45):
This goes out at nine in the morning, they have
three hours till kickoff. They play through our football game,
another fifteen to twenty minutes before CJ is going to
the podium. All right, thanks, I'll stay here, and then
he was able to address why. Christy Reakan of the
AP asked him what was the decision he made, and
(25:06):
wearing that leg I said, we will. We'll get to
that momentarily. Among the comments that are fired up on
this post from at Houston Texans featuring QB one pulled
up because he made it to the game and he
was gonna play football. That's right, Loki disappointed, Next says oh, CJ,
with Michael Scott Giff shaking his head. Don't like that,
(25:28):
um break. Leg Jesse says that h Town sports muse
he has no reason to wear that ugly hat. Grock
was brought into the discussion. Hey Rock, does CJ have
any ties to Seattle or is he just a big dufis?
I think most people would take that particular comment and
apply it to the poster of that question, who clearly
(25:51):
is clueless on the human race basically and what people do.
But I like this one probably more than anything else.
It took a little while, much much later in the afternoon.
About four hours later, someone posted looking good, comma CJ,
and they saluted him. That came from at Mariners, the
official account of the Seattle Mariners. There's a whole boatload
(26:14):
of ones in there. Oh, gotta do better than that, CJ.
Take that cap off. Come on, man, there's laughing. One
of those little yellow guys with grew the minions got
some of those gifts. The tears in this thread fuel
my day. Here we are, the tears in this thread
fuel my day.
Speaker 6 (26:33):
I'm assuming that's a Mariner's fan.
Speaker 7 (26:35):
No, well, it's an enraged Mariners fan. Oh to get
right to it.
Speaker 6 (26:39):
His handle. I'd be enraged too if my team had
never done anything ever and still won't.
Speaker 7 (26:46):
Probably a pretty good handle Astros fan is going to
look back on this moment as the event that cursed
their season. CJ doing the Lord's work, so they're viewing
it as an intentional curse put on the baseball team
that's chasing CJ's baseball team that plays in Houston, not
the one that plays in LA. But he went out
(27:07):
of his way before the only preseason game he's gonna
play in this year, likely to not wear his hat
because of how he likes it, or it looks or matches,
or the vibe he was feeling that day, but rather
to put a hex on a baseball team in the
American League West Division that sits behind the Houston Astros
(27:28):
that was playing in Williamsport yesterday. Clearly, that's what he
was clearly trying to do. You can probably already guess
our opinions on this, but before we get to that, also,
let's hear from CJ asked after the game, where he was,
again usually players, especially for home games, what did you
(27:49):
wear it to the game? That's what they intend on wearing
from the game, and he was, of course wearing the
exact same outfit with the hat on his head as
he was asked questions about their offense and working with
him and Liberty Blobbity. A non football question for you,
if you please see J. What went into the thought
of wearing that Mariner's hat today here.
Speaker 12 (28:10):
I mean, I love hats like I wear hats all
the time. I probably have every team, but I support,
you know, the Astros and the Dodgers because I'm from
LA and love you know. It's kind of contradicting, but
I still lot Astros. But it's all good, I understand.
But it's it's all about the flag, baby, I'm just kidding.
Speaker 5 (28:29):
I mean, he even here on August eighteenth of twenty
twenty five. He's just one of the most likable people
on the planet and certainly here in the city of Houston.
Speaker 6 (28:39):
When it comes to the athletes we have.
Speaker 5 (28:43):
I understand why some people might get rubbed the wrong
way by it.
Speaker 6 (28:48):
I don't. I definitely don't understand.
Speaker 5 (28:51):
Well, I'll just tell you what I said, because I
think both these camps, if you will, are stupid.
Speaker 6 (28:57):
I said.
Speaker 5 (28:58):
Those who were mad at CJ foring a Mariner's hat
yesterday were matched in stupidity by those who felt the
need to go all out fansplaining condescendingly why he was
quote allowed to both groups equals total idiots. Thanks for
coming to my ted talk.
Speaker 6 (29:17):
I didn't.
Speaker 7 (29:17):
I don't even understand the other group, the first group
we mentioned, I don't. I don't even see how there
is another group.
Speaker 5 (29:23):
There was a smattering of people who I guess felt
the need to and one of them was a Mariner's fan,
another one was local people of like in this camp
were basically it's cultural.
Speaker 6 (29:37):
You wouldn't understand, well.
Speaker 7 (29:38):
What I yeah, but that's kind of what I mean.
It's it's not about understanding is I don't consider that
other side of a camp of people. I consider them
the people that have two feet and then they're the
head rests on top of their neck and they walk
around on the air. You know, everybody else, everybody who
has any amount of reasonable knowledge of working through their
(29:58):
own lives, and everybody else, like they can walk and
talk and chew gum at the same time.
Speaker 6 (30:02):
That would be the that would be a third camp.
In my opinion.
Speaker 5 (30:05):
I'm specifically talking about people who tried to like That's
why I say, that's why I called it fans plaining,
because it wasn't even it was people that were trying
to go above and beyond explaining from a cultural standpoint
why these other people that were upset about it are
idiots in their opinion.
Speaker 7 (30:24):
Well, I totally understand that too. I feel bad that
people not that they felt the need too, But how
do you not know this?
Speaker 6 (30:33):
Well, it was like you wouldn't understand that kind of thing, Like.
Speaker 7 (30:35):
There's nothing to understand exactly.
Speaker 5 (30:37):
That's what I'm getting at. That's why those people are
idiots too, if you are this subset.
Speaker 7 (30:42):
I'm saying there's nothing to understand because the people that
don't understand it are just so I'm not gonna bother
wasting my time.
Speaker 6 (30:49):
Yeah, well that's I mean. And again I didn't.
Speaker 5 (30:52):
I didn't write this until nearly noon yesterday, almost a
full twenty four hours after all this, because my whole
timeline was full of it.
Speaker 6 (31:00):
That was what got I was just like, because.
Speaker 5 (31:02):
You know me lately, me, you know, forty four year
old version of me will ignore ninety nine percent of
what's going on these days. I mean, I'll see it,
but I'm talking about as far as reacting to it,
and I just finally had enough because it was everywhere.
Speaker 7 (31:16):
Yeah, we're far enough into social media because this is
where I think it got even better, and honestly, the
coverage of the events themselves. We see people athletes as
regular people every now and then, they board flights, they
drive around town, they leave their hotel, they have their
walk into the arena. We see all this now and
(31:37):
the stuff that you know CJ's outfit.
Speaker 6 (31:39):
We see this from athletes.
Speaker 7 (31:41):
All over the world, but obviously here for US America.
Like you're still don't understand, I don't want to explain
it to you. Well, I'm so far past needing to.
It's our wanting to like wake up.
Speaker 5 (31:55):
And I think that, you know, look, was it the
exact best choice if he does indeed own all of
the major league hats to be wearing a Mariner's one
as the Astros are trying to fight them off in
a division race. Probably not. But I also don't think
that he thought that much about it. I just don't.
Speaker 7 (32:12):
So in other words, it's irrelevant, yeah.
Speaker 5 (32:15):
But in the people's minds who were upset about it,
on that side of things, it's very much relevant because
he did this on purpose to hurt my soul.
Speaker 6 (32:22):
That's what I feel like they felt.
Speaker 7 (32:24):
My breath is fine. I'm saving it for myself. I'm
not wasting it on those others that need not hear.
Speaker 6 (32:31):
I mean, I'm not baffled by it.
Speaker 7 (32:33):
I do know that there are people that just they
just are what they are, and they are not gonna
advance and they're not gonna pay attention to the world
they're in, and that's okay. Yeah, I'm not gonna try
to tell them either. I mean, it'd be nice if
it doesn't create anything, and I don't think this will.
But my gosh, the magnitude of the star power of
athletes in the last fifteen to twenty years who have
(32:55):
done this hundreds thousands of times already, I mean, poking
fun at this, having fun with this, like CJ did
in light of Yeah, clearly we can have fun with this.
Being serious about this, that's wild.
Speaker 5 (33:10):
Well, one guy did say total idiots hardly. It's very
disappointing that he's so unaware that the city he represents
is in a tight pennant race with Seattle. You would
never have seen Tom Brady wearing a Yankees cap while
walking into Jellette Stadium.
Speaker 6 (33:24):
Same thing.
Speaker 5 (33:25):
Took me like five seconds to find a picture of
Tom Brady and a Yankees hat. Now he wasn't walking
into Gellette Stadium. But the point remains, who cares? This
is why when there's a picture of me at Yankee
Stadium wearing a Yankees hat and T shirt back in
twenty fourteen during Derek Jeter's last homestand which I wanted
to attend because I liked Derek Jeter, people lost their
(33:46):
bleeping minds.
Speaker 6 (33:47):
But even that is different.
Speaker 7 (33:49):
You're supporting the team, Derek's team, intentionally supporting Derek. Yeah,
you're intentionally supporting the of an athlete because against who
doesn't wearing clothes but picking clothes out of your closet
to go to a football game, which is what he
would do that night, not what he was doing.
Speaker 6 (34:05):
Yeah, which I guess.
Speaker 7 (34:07):
Maybe finally, here at the end of Best of X,
we have now finally mentioned to you, Hey, how about
a return to the mound for a one time astro
this year.
Speaker 6 (34:17):
It's gonna make.
Speaker 7 (34:18):
The trip to Detroit with the team to help out
the bullpen. You're gonna love it when we tell you
about it next.
Speaker 2 (34:30):
On Sports Talk seven ninety.
Speaker 7 (34:39):
Great to be with you here on a Monday. Hope
you guys enjoyed your weekend. If you stayed away from
the on field activities Friday and Sunday for Houston Astros.
You probably did staying away from all baseball activities. That's
Brandon Walter. Unfortunately, Astros updating their injury situation like they
do once a week. The news on Brandon Walter, written
(35:01):
via the Astros game notes, Brandon Walter left elbow inflammation.
Had a reoccurrence of inflammation in his elbow and it
has been shut down from throwing. His season's over, I
think is a safe estimate. On the timeline. It's not
that he has some catastrophic injury. It's that, well, the
season's ending at the end of September and today's August eighteenth,
(35:23):
and he hasn't thrown a baseball and now almost a month,
so timeline issues, calendar issues, and then in the player's case,
this could actually be a much more significant issue. They
were hoping that the rehabit rest program they initially put
him on would allow him to throw. He did throw some,
but obviously a reoccurrence of the inflammation and they're gonna
probably have to go back in and see what they
(35:44):
now see see if there's a reason why that has
not properly sent him on a path back to the
mound and further information. I'm sure they did obviously make
a roster move. We mentioned that was almost a given
with two pitchers who can't go out there for the
Astros today and maybe not for the seeable future. When
talking about Dubin with his inability to get guys out,
but Jordan Williams through thirty seven pitches yesterday, he was terrible.
(36:07):
It was bad outing. He hasn't been good for enough
of his time with the Astros, which is super brief,
and he is also out of options. It's what happens
with a lot of these veteran players that agree to
minor league deals with the Astros. They could put on
the forty man roster, and as soon as they can't
pitch for you, which starts today, he can't pitch for
them starting today. They have to designate him for assignment
and be up to him because I imagine he'll go
(36:29):
unclaimed if he wants to rejoin the Space Cowboys. Hector
Narris had that exact same option a couple of days ago.
He chose otherwise. Cooper Hummel had the exact same option
a couple of days ago. Neither were claimed. Both declined
to come back to sure Land and instead it chose
free agency. But it's Taylor Scott that is getting the
selected to the major league roster because the exact same
(36:50):
thing happened to him earlier this year. It actually happened
to him twice. He was dfaed by the Astros, he
was dfad by the Diamondbacks, and ultimately did a minor
league deal with the Houston Astros. He's been pitching for
the Space Cowboys over the last month in change. I
would say, not particularly successfully, but he probably can give
(37:12):
you six outs, and they might be looking for that
today or tomorrow when and if they decide to activate
Lance mccullor's junior Luis Garcia or JP France. Scott would
be in the proverbial line of fire for those roster spots.
Mccullor's had a successful rehab outing, Garcia had another successful rehabouting,
(37:34):
and France did similarly. I'm calling them successful because there
were no reports of setbacks. I don't know how you
want to grade out there.
Speaker 6 (37:42):
Pitching.
Speaker 7 (37:42):
Lance's probably grades out pretty well, especially when Joe Spot
had talked about them trying to work on a few
things with him and his curveball and pitches they wanted
to throw more, and the effectiveness of those pitches and
the strikes being thrown with those pitches. That probably bodes
pretty well for the next time mccullor's pitches probably be
with the Astros. But the news on Brandon Walter obviously
(38:04):
is extremely disheartening in that he spent fifth of the season,
a third of the season, a fourth of the season
as your third best starting pitcher, and now won't be
able to help this team likely the remainder of this season.
Don't believe there are any more significant updates from an
(38:24):
injury standpoint. A word from them on Jake Myers is
nothing more than continuing in Florida with his hitting, running,
and throwing program. It is believed gameplay isn't far off
as in rehab. Gameplay isn't far off from Myers, but
it has not happened yet.
Speaker 5 (38:42):
By the way, that thing you were trying to do
during the break, you remember that just off the top
of your head, that thing you were trying to do.
Speaker 7 (38:49):
That was like four or five minutes ago. I have forgotten.
You got obliterated in your guesses the lineup. It's out
for the Astros. I didn't get obliterated. It's totally irrelevant.
The same crappy players will be in the lineup that
got no runs yesterday and Friday.
Speaker 6 (39:05):
There's just so much to dissect.
Speaker 7 (39:06):
I got obliterated. You got obliterated in here? Okay, I
feel bad?
Speaker 5 (39:09):
You should? I don't, Well, you should. You guessed so
wrong on so many different spots. We'll tell you about
that and more when we come back to start three
o'clock hour. Astros and Tigers coming up at four point thirty.
We'll have the Astros on deck show. But in the meantime, yeah,
Josh Hatter giving an honest assessment on his status moving forward.
(39:31):
Plus we'll hear from Damaico, Ryans and CJ. Stroud after
preseason game number two with the Texans. That's all coming
up next The eighteen on Sports Talk seven.
Speaker 1 (39:40):
Ninety two lifelong Houston sports guys named Adham Talking your Team.
Speaker 3 (39:50):
Adam Clinton and Adam Wexler are the eighteen eight.
Speaker 5 (40:00):
The eight team Sports Talk seven to ninety and now
simulcast on Space City Home Network. Welcome into our number
two of the show on the radio side, and our
number one that will be televised for all you guys
out there on Space City Home Network watching waiting for
the Astros and the Tigers to get underway and honestly
(40:20):
cleanse the palate, if you will. Two out of three
over the weekend, Astros lost to the lowly Orioles, just
like the Mariners before them.
Speaker 13 (40:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (40:29):
Unfortunately I didn't chomp on that little information on Friday
when we had Chandler on because I'd already mentioned all
the show, so I didn't feel like bringing it up
again with him that they're good too. I mean, if
you're not paying attention, you can keep saying that the
Orioles are bad, but they're not. I mean, they embarrassed
the Astros. It doesn't matter if you're good or bad.
That was embarrassing to any baseball team. Yeah, a good team,
(40:51):
a bad team, or otherwise. They fired their manager because
they sucked. And they're three games over five hundred cents
then and they've played eighty one game since then. That's
half a baseball season where they've played to being in
the wildcard race, and they're games under five hundred when
it starts, you're not going to be in the race.
But the Astros did that last year and they got
in the.
Speaker 5 (41:08):
Race right well, their picture on Friday night just destroyed
the Astros. I thought, like, okay, they played down to
their competition. Sometimes they they make guys look like world
beaters who otherwise have not looked that way coming into
that game.
Speaker 6 (41:23):
That's the die. He took that to a whole their level.
Speaker 7 (41:25):
When it happens as often as it does, it's not
an Astros thing. It's a baseball thing. It sucks, it's boring.
I don't want to hear it. Go away, wex But
it happens all the freaking time. You play one and
six or two games and you're especially now guess what
the Astros, because you're watching the Astros. So it's happening
all over the place, all over baseball, all the time,
(41:45):
every year. I don't believe you, I know, but it does.
It's unfortunate. It's the nature of the game. Kim having
a good outing is one thing nearly a perfect well
to me, there's no difference. It's fun for the fans
and there's lots of drama. He had a good outing.
At the end of the day, he didn't almost have
a perfect game. He didn't pitching the ninth inning like
he had a perfect game for a long time. He
had a perfect game into the eighth inning. I actually
(42:07):
I'm a little surprised at the official scores call. I
mean it was it was not easy, and I don't
I'm not saying it's a mistake, but I think he's
he's out with a good throw. Now, it took beyond
typical physical exertion to make that play. But if he
(42:27):
makes a good throw, then he's out.
Speaker 6 (42:30):
So isn't that an error?
Speaker 7 (42:31):
And maybe I'm wrong because I do think the play
was that close for a guy who's who was good
this series and was good the last series. He made
a couple of boneheaded fielding moves during that game. Talking
about Jackson Holiday, right, he well, he could have made
another yesterday. But the batter was jogging to first yogging
(42:52):
ground ball hit to Jackson Holiday, He fielded it, took
it out of his glove to throw it first, dropped
it on the ground, picked it back up again, and
still easily throughout Carlos Karac.
Speaker 5 (43:03):
At least Carlos went to first. Kyle Tucker. Yeah, Kyle's
it's not going well for him.
Speaker 7 (43:09):
Kyle's going through it.
Speaker 6 (43:10):
She's sort of the fans there get this bomb out
of here.
Speaker 7 (43:14):
We'll give you an updown on what Kyle does when
he leads off the next inning of a game where
the Cubs have not scored against the Brewers. But yeah,
that's your Astro story from the weekend. You play against
another game another day, and hopefully I know it seems weird,
but the Astros are more games over five hundred when
they play worse teams are less. They play better against
(43:35):
better competition, easiest way to say it. I didn't choose
that path. I'll see it now. And they've been very
good against first place teams. They've been very good against
this team, albeit in only three games, winning two of
those three, including beating Flaherty once here in Houston, and
hopefully they can do that again. It's always on them.
The Astros shouldn't be nearly perfect gamed by a pitcher
(43:57):
like that. They probably shouldn't have been come completely shut
down for five no hit innings by Kramer yesterday, and
they certain certainly shouldn't be shut out twice in one
series by any team to the tune of nineteen to nothing.
It's them, It's always them. It's the Astros. They are
having a miserable offensive month, and some of the individuals
(44:17):
clearly are at the forefront of that. But team wide,
they're one of the lowest scoring teams this month. And
we're more than halfway through the month, and they've been
in first place the entire month and are still again today.
Speaker 5 (44:31):
Well, all the Seattle Mariners did them a solid by
dropping two of three to the Mets.
Speaker 6 (44:35):
That did have something to do with that.
Speaker 7 (44:37):
Had everything to do with it. The Astros didn't even
lose any ground, not alone. Are they still in first place.
They're in the same spot.
Speaker 6 (44:42):
It feels like they're ten games back after this weekend.
But you're right, you've.
Speaker 7 (44:45):
Spent now more than a month of playing under five hundred.
I believe they're fourteen and twenty in their last thirty
four games. That's a really long period of time where
you're just not good. Well, and it was I mean,
of all as long as the Yankees period of time.
But nonetheless, well that's because they actually do suck.
Speaker 5 (45:01):
But you know, if you you had one of the
most feel good trades period but certainly in your team's history,
just from the standpoint of you re added a World
Series Hero playoff hero legend franchise, legend in Carlos Korea,
and you just he's done his part.
Speaker 6 (45:21):
It's not his fun.
Speaker 7 (45:22):
He's stayed down a little bit the two home runs
on the road trip and then mostly singles here on
the home stand, and.
Speaker 6 (45:29):
The other people were doing in the lineup.
Speaker 7 (45:31):
That's it's less about him doing what he's been doing.
He's doing a little, but the other guys are doing well.
One other guy is doing nothing. Sanchez has been an
absolute tail spin since I don't know, at least since
they came home, probably since they came through Florida. Oh,
for his last twenty one, al two, Vay's significantly better
than that. He's two for his last twenty significantly significantly
(45:55):
better than that.
Speaker 6 (45:55):
Well, two's better than zero. Yep, well they are more
than one. It is better.
Speaker 5 (46:02):
Itficantly mentioned that Josh Haters said it would take him
three weeks to build up after not throwing for the
next three weeks, which is how long starting the day
that he said that, which was two days ago, and
so basically, and this is Brian McTaggart's tweet. Everybody was
tweeting the same thing, but this was from a SoundBite
of his or a quote he gave. Don't expect to
(46:23):
see HM in the regular season, but the playoffs would
remain a possibility. And I can't remember if it was
Chandler Rome or someone else that added. If he did
pitch in the postseason, it would only be for an inning,
which is hilarious to me because it goes back to.
Speaker 6 (46:40):
His San Diego days. I'm not pitching more than an inning.
You haven't paid me.
Speaker 5 (46:44):
Well, now the Astros are paying me. I'm going to
well now my shoulders messed up, so I'm back to.
Speaker 7 (46:48):
All that stuff Tied together means it's probably best if
he pitches again in twenty twenty five. It's even further
after the wild Card Series, the Division Series, the Championship Series,
maybe a month after the season ends. When you're in
the World Series and he's actually had time to truly recover,
truly rehab, truly get back to full strength, and truly
(47:11):
not feel like pitching in twenty twenty five, jeopardizes the
remaining three years of his contract.
Speaker 6 (47:17):
Serious question. Maybe then I could see him out there.
Speaker 5 (47:20):
If that's the scenario and you've gotten to the World
Series without him, that is quite the stage to re
debut in the same year.
Speaker 6 (47:30):
I'm not saying he couldn't do it.
Speaker 7 (47:32):
Yeah, it's just would you want him to the nature
of his position is what makes it tenuous.
Speaker 6 (47:36):
You know, I wouldn't.
Speaker 7 (47:37):
I wouldn't have a care in the world if I
felt he was totally healthy and I knew he could
go out there and he was my setup guy and
he was throwing in the seventh inning because he got
time to recover. If it doesn't work out one run game, well,
we talked a lot about it over the weekend because
it was Hall of Fame weekend and Billy Wagner was
talking about all these things, and then Craig Biggio said
it in this way, it's the pressure of it is.
These guys just played two hours of baseball and now
(47:59):
it's on you. You pitch well, we win. You don't
pitch well, we lose. That's why you get the big bucks.
And so putting him out there in a one run,
two run, three run save situation game, that's what you're
saying to a guy who hasn't pitched and a guy
you may or may not be sharp that particular day.
Speaker 6 (48:14):
There certainly isn't.
Speaker 7 (48:15):
There's a tiny bit more season maybe, but yeah, that's
a pretty tough call. Having him on the roster seems
like it might make sense having his first appearance in
the ninth inning of a game you're trying to lock up.
Maybe it makes less sense. Maybe you get him in earlier,
get his first inning out of the way. Maybe you're
up eleven to nothing and he can get him out
there in a game one or a game two.
Speaker 6 (48:36):
And what if he's an opener. I'm just kidding. A
lot of ways to go about it.
Speaker 7 (48:39):
Astro's lineup tonight against Jack Flaherty will feature most of
the usual suspects. Jeremy Panna back in the leadoff spot
and of course playing shortstop career over at third, bat second.
Most of the rest of the infield is right there
behind him. Josel Tuve back on the infield. He's at
second base, batting third. Hey sus Sanchez will try to
break his overer by hitting clean up against the right
(49:01):
handed pitcher. He's in left field. Christian Walker's at first,
He's fifth. Carottini will do the catching for Spencer Aarraghetti,
though Yiner will bat right behind him as the DH.
Cam Smith back in right field, and once again light
hitting rookie Jacob Melton in centerfield for the Astros at
America Park.
Speaker 5 (49:20):
All right, let's get to the Texans briefly, and we
will continue this in the next segment. But other aside
from hatgate, aside from.
Speaker 7 (49:32):
Aside from the not important stuff, right, I'll go to
the important stuff.
Speaker 6 (49:35):
How did you feel about our boys?
Speaker 14 (49:37):
C J.
Speaker 5 (49:37):
Stroud in the clearly most action you're going to see
him play until the games start counting.
Speaker 7 (49:43):
Yeah, if you're lucky enough to travel to Detroit, you'll
see a lot of activity like you did here against
the Panthers next Thursday or last Thursday, and then this
coming Thursday. But yeah, I don't expect I don't think
any of the starters of significance that played in the
game on Sunday to go again Saturday, to go again
Saturday against the last So I think that's it. Dropbacks,
eight passes, two incompletions, forty four yards in a touchdown.
(50:04):
That's going to be the preseason for CJ.
Speaker 6 (50:06):
Stroud.
Speaker 7 (50:07):
I thought it was pretty promising, kind of described earlier
the protection that he had, which was very good. Nine dropbacks,
felt pressure, termed to have pressure on just two of them.
He had a chance to go through progressions. They did
run a lot of plays that really didn't require it,
which is smart. It's smart for any offense. It's smart
for an offense that's trying to make sure their quarterback
(50:27):
stays healthy and they're figuring out if their offensive line
can handle things. It was a Blake Fisher at right
tackle day with Titus Howard out and Ingram is a
starter and looks to be exactly that when they get
to the Rams on the seventh second straight game where
that unit at least the group that was out there
first and the first unit played in the first game. Also,
they're pretty good, at least against the team that's not
(50:50):
game planning for them. They run block very well. They
have in practices, they have enjoint practices at times, and
certainly thought they did again in the early portion of
the game on Saturday against a not particularly stout front
for the Carolina Panthers. But that's just the beginning of
some analysis on that got all week to get to
it a little bit of a shorter show today. Still
(51:11):
want to hear from the people that are inside the organization.
Speaker 14 (51:14):
C J.
Speaker 7 (51:14):
Stroud and Amigo Ryans on this Texans offense.
Speaker 6 (51:18):
We will do that next.
Speaker 2 (51:20):
The ag on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Speaker 7 (51:28):
Continue here on Space City Home Network via the simulcast,
and of course right here on Sports Talk seven ninety
Wex and AC along with Cole here with you. Following
a weekend of now we're more than halfway through with
the preseason in the NFL, Texans got good work from
both their offense and defensive starters. They needed a third
series for their defensive starters because the first turn were
(51:49):
so brief, because Bryce Young and the Panthers offense could
not move the football against them, and.
Speaker 6 (51:54):
It was a very good thing to see.
Speaker 7 (51:55):
Texans ended up with two turnovers on the day, Jalen
Smith Damon Arnette, those passes off two touchdowns on the day,
CJ Straudenico Collins through the air on a tremendously well
designed and executed play, and then British Brooks punching in
a touchdown from inside the five following that Arnette interception,
a couple of field goals from them, a brief appearance
(52:17):
from Katie's own Andy Dalton. He was only out there
briefly because he banged his elbow making a throw, and
that meant Jack Plumber played almost the entire game for
the Carolina Panthers, so you could clearly get a good
idea of what you're up against when you're playing against
a player who will take zero snaps in the upcoming
NFL season. Reserves were in by then for the Texans,
(52:39):
but when the starters were out there, specifically offensively, essentially
that whole group outside of Joe Mixon is available and
prepared to go. Titus Howard was held out to Blake
Fisher starting over at right tackle, Ingram and Tomlinson the guards,
Jake Andrews the center, Ariante Ersrie over at tackle. If
you're following along on social, if you're watching it on television,
or if you're list our programs throughout the day today,
(53:02):
you'll probably notice something about Ursery not much as being said,
and that's good, yep, because he's not getting beat, he's
not looking unhelpful, he's not looking overmatched, and he looks
like he belongs again.
Speaker 6 (53:17):
Granted it's a brief moment.
Speaker 8 (53:20):
In a game.
Speaker 7 (53:21):
He's playing just a handful of snaps, second week in
a row, and the other team is not exotic. The
other team is not game planning for you. They're not
doing things that they would normally do in the regular season.
They're merely essentially going out there and trying to get
through the game and not have anybody go down. But offensively,
it was nice to see the Texans recover from the
opening series where you had CJ missing and opened at
(53:43):
Nico Collins down the right side just to throw that
was thrown too far out wide and out of bounds,
really no opportunity to even make a play on the ball.
They punt, they get the ball back, and ten plays
later there in the end zone, Nick Chubb running through
holes second week in a row.
Speaker 6 (53:57):
The running backs aren't being hit in the back or
being hit with where do I go?
Speaker 7 (54:02):
I have to move or else I'm gonna lose three yards,
but rather they're not getting hit until they get to
the line of scrimmage, and in his case then later
on in the game and Woody Mark's case, they're running
people over. Mars looked very good against the reserves for
the Panthers, but it all culminated that second drive with
touchdown pass to Nico. Something I see. We'll think we
will see a whole lot of this season. Let's get
(54:24):
to what CJ and the head coach had to say.
About their offense from their work on Saturday, we'll start
with Demiko Ryans an assessment of the Texans offense overall.
Speaker 15 (54:33):
From this game and set out and the goal by
playing the starters just to see us go out and
you know, play real football. We haven't done that. I
believe in getting real reps in games, and it means
a lot for our guys to be able to go
out and be able to do then. I just wanted
to see our guys go out and play fish and
play fast, like do the things we've been coaching the
guys to do. Execute and you always want to see
(54:53):
the offense, you know, have nice drives and finish with
a score, and they did that. CJ get out and
get some live reps, see him and Nico in their connection.
They're in a really good spot. Expect to see them
to continue that. Really proud of the offensive line again.
I think this is the second week in a row
now that they're just improving. They're getting better. So did
a really nice job playing physical running behind his past
(55:15):
is like the way just the whole team played a
physical brand of football, the type of football that I
expect us to play. And I'm really proud of the
guys for them.
Speaker 5 (55:25):
You mentioned not having your left tackles name called and
that being a good thing, and that is that's like
a kin to when we're talking about bad officials, the
good ones you never hear about. But man, I know
it's preseason. I know that, But Dad, we talked about
it when we had Nick Cassario on the show for
(55:46):
all of them. Just absolute grief that he and the
organization have taken for the state of the offensive line,
if you will this right here, Plus just things that
people were saying that I trust that they saw about
this unit as a unit has me cautiously optimistic.
Speaker 6 (56:10):
I'm going to emphasize the cautiously though.
Speaker 14 (56:12):
Well.
Speaker 7 (56:12):
The other way to keep your quarterback upright and able
to throw passes and go through progressions and all those
things that make good quarterbacks play good football is running
the football, as boring in Vanilla as that sounds too.
If you're gaining yards and setting up proper down in
distance for your quarterback throughout a game, then all those
things do fall into place. Last year they didn't do that.
(56:33):
So that's one more reason why Bobby Slowik was really
behind it and never really recovered from it. Part of
it was his play calling, but a lot of it
was the result of those plays.
Speaker 6 (56:42):
CJ.
Speaker 7 (56:42):
What do you think we should do here on third
and nine? How about third and seven, how about third
and eleven. It's no way to operate an offense good
batter Otherwise, when you're in that situation all games long,
you're going to fail.
Speaker 6 (56:53):
And they did. And that's so far.
Speaker 7 (56:56):
The sign of their offensive line at least is one
that I mean, they say it, but we now can
see it. We gotta be more physical, we got to
dictate the action. We want to be a running football team. Well,
the things that they have done through these handful of
series that the top offensive line has been out there
before in these two games, that's what they're actually doing.
I do think Minnesota ultimately has a pretty good front,
(57:20):
especially at the edges. I don't think Carolina does. I
think depending on who the Lions have this year. Last
year they had almost nobody because of injuries, they probably
have a better than average, maybe.
Speaker 6 (57:31):
A closer to the top group up front.
Speaker 7 (57:34):
But we're probably not going to actually see it because
I won't be there on Thursday. That's when you'll see
if the Texans can handle them because you're not going
to see it this Saturday when they're all watching and
they're wearing jerseys with no pads underneath.
Speaker 6 (57:47):
But what does CJ think? Let's find out. What do
you think? CJ?
Speaker 7 (57:50):
How about that offense?
Speaker 12 (57:51):
He had a good two drives, you know, on their
first drive miss to throw, but that's what Precinator forward
to get that fail. It's different, like even being on
the game now, it feels like you have more space.
It's just good to be out there, like get those
nervous those nervous juices out and I feel like, you know,
we ran the ball really well, a whole line blocked
very good and run in and pass or tied in
the same thing. So yeah, I think we're clicking. We're
(58:12):
starting to see progress and production think more than anything,
you know, our process is right, Like we're doing everything right,
Like we're id in the right way. We're not making
the same mistakes we did earlier in camp.
Speaker 5 (58:22):
Between that and what Tamiko had to say about getting reps,
because I know, like you basically converted me two seasons ago.
After we're not gonna see CJ during the preseason and
it's going to be okay. But it's weird to have
him say that going into year three. Get those nervous
juices out all that, you know, however you want to
(58:43):
phrase it. It's fine that he's saying this because he
didn't get hurt. But yet, if he had gotten hurt,
we would have been just howling about the fact.
Speaker 6 (58:51):
Why did you even play?
Speaker 7 (58:52):
You know, the plays that were called, and maybe the
one play where he took a sack, a coverage sack,
even that play, they were very smartly called, you're not
gonna get hit on this play plays one because most
of them were very quick, not three progressions, one maybe two.
The other part was the other team. The other team's
(59:14):
not going out there putting. We got two great edge rushers.
What are we gonna do when they're both lined up
on the same side? Are what are you gonna do
when he comes on a stunt on the inside?
Speaker 6 (59:22):
Is Andrews? There is Ingram there?
Speaker 7 (59:24):
Do they understand this? Are there gonna be miscommunications? And
they're just not really doing that. They're just kind of
lining up and playing football and just getting after it
and trying to out physical guys or work on their
own individual moves a little bit like a spring training
game for individual pitchers rather than the team concept of
what they're going out there to do. But they also
one other thing that CJ said that I think it's true,
(59:45):
and it's maybe it's obvious. They play, they will almost
every time they go out there, they're gonna be playing
a worse defense than the one they play against. Once
the season starts, you're not really playing against your defense,
but you are now when you're practicing every day at camp,
and most of those days since the first three have
been in pads against Will Anderson and Tim Settle and
(01:00:09):
Sheldon Rankins and Daniel Hunter. This is training camp Practice
eighteen and the top defenses they faced so far this
year they faced the nineteenth best defense this week they
or last week they faced the twentieth best defense Saturday,
and the top eighteen defenses they faced. And the other
practices were they're own and it showed, and you were
(01:00:30):
talking about the nerves that you're getting that out of
the way. Nick Chubb actually said that to us. He goes,
it's good to get out there different to get the
nerves out of the way. So when he said that,
you're like, oh, well, he's probably referring to injury he
hadn't been out there as much. He got hurt last year,
he got hurt the year before. So when he was
questioned about it, when do the nerves go away or
why do you have him, He's like, happens every year
and then you get hit and they're gone.
Speaker 6 (01:00:50):
That's all it takes.
Speaker 5 (01:00:51):
So the first time he gets hit the first of
the year, basically, yes, And this wasn't every game thing, no, No,
it was just he went out because he was one
of the players obviously who did not played last week.
Speaker 7 (01:01:01):
He got five carries twenty five yards, was out there
from the majority of the snaps. Dario on Goombalale only
came in for three snaps as part of that first unit.
Those were the down and distance that were asking for him,
and he should have had a touchdown pass.
Speaker 6 (01:01:15):
CJ just needs to put.
Speaker 7 (01:01:16):
A touch more touch on that play they had prior
to the Nico Collins touchdown.
Speaker 6 (01:01:21):
Beautiful play. Loved it.
Speaker 7 (01:01:23):
I don't think they showed it and people are going
to be onto it. But you know where Dary was
lined up and where he came out of the backfield
just kind of like a little fullback circle. He was
absolutely wide open in the red zone a foot from
the end zone, easy touchdown if the ball wasn't batted
down by the defensive lineman. The offense looked very good,
plain and simple. I like to hear it because that
is the only side of the ball I'm worried about.
(01:01:45):
I think the defense is You say top eighteen, Well,
I was saying, they've had eighteen practices and you know
the team. The best team they face is their own.
Speaker 5 (01:01:52):
In reality, though, top five should be the floor for
this defensive unit this year. So if you get anything
from the offense that doesn't cause a huge internal struggle,
that is a very good thing. Speaking of struggling, the
Astros are doing that right now. Steve Sparks weighed in
on the team with his weekly visit earlier today. You'll
hear a replay of that coming up next.
Speaker 2 (01:02:13):
The eighteen on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Speaker 5 (01:02:20):
It is the A Teams four Socks seven ninety Space
City Home Network Monday edition of the program. Coming off
a weekend in which the Astros drop two out of
three to the Baltimore Orioles. Heading back out on the road,
they'll be taken on the Detroit Tigers, with the first
of three starting tonight, we'll have the Astros on deck
show coming up at four point thirty.
Speaker 6 (01:02:39):
In one word, describe how the team's playing right now,
WEX poorly.
Speaker 4 (01:02:43):
Wow.
Speaker 5 (01:02:43):
I thought you'd say, like underwhelming or something nice, but
I like that right cut right to the chase. Let's
see what Steve Sparks had to say about the status
of the team following this lackluster and underwhelming and as
WEX put it, poor homestand.
Speaker 8 (01:02:58):
Yeah, look very uneven. And you know when you're watching
that whole homestand and that the Astros were able to
go three and three being outscored by thirty something runs,
it was pretty remarkable. So thank goodness that the meritors
have cooled down a little bit. Yep, But you know,
we've talked about this. This is going to be tooth
and nail all the way to the end. And I
don't just count Texas either, but there's just weaknesses. Every
(01:03:20):
team has a weakness or two, you know, and everybody's tired,
and everybody's not feeling great at this time of year.
So you just had to fight your way to get
maybe into September. Wee, you can see the light at
the end of the tunnel.
Speaker 13 (01:03:32):
Are we at the point of the season where these
discrepancies are a little bit too far apart for people
to feel comfortable about the hitting going into the well,
which is the one hundred meter sprint now to the end.
Speaker 8 (01:03:44):
It's funny, and I probably said this on your show
a couple of times. There's a certain type of picture
that gives the Astros the most trouble and it's exactly
like the one that pissed yesterday Dan Kramer with a
cut fastball, things moving away from the right handed hitters
where it's you feel like, okay, well the left he's
got to pick up a little bit of a slot
because this is a weakness that the team has. And
you know when you get san Chanz and Melton and
(01:04:06):
Tremmel and he's got they needed. They need to do
some stuff on those days when when it's a tough
matchup and Jordan, you know, hopefully he gets back sooner
than later and he provides that that spark that you
need to But you know, we saw in the first
home stand. I remember Griffin Canning, who wasn't a big
name where you're thinking, all right, the Astra should win
(01:04:27):
this game, but nope, he's going to deal. I think
he went seven intings, maybe one run I can't even remember,
but he struck out a million. And it's that type
of pitcher that gives the Astros a lot of favors,
are a lot of problems, and the biggest reason why
is they're so right handed heavy, so when they do
get left, he's in there. Those guys have to have
(01:04:47):
to do something for him.
Speaker 13 (01:04:49):
Steve, I am we had a chance to. I don't
think we discussed this with you, the Hater situation, with
him out. How big a disruption is that going to
be to this team.
Speaker 2 (01:04:56):
I think it's very difficult.
Speaker 6 (01:04:57):
I think it makes it imperative.
Speaker 8 (01:04:59):
Now the you have to you have to really make
sure that Brian and Bray you remains healthy and fresh.
Speaker 6 (01:05:06):
The rest of the rest of the season.
Speaker 8 (01:05:08):
And whether it's not whether it's pitching in the eighth
inning or the ninth inning, you're looking for the leverage
and which portion of the lineups up for the other team.
He's your guy, He's the one guy that you can't
have go down. You know, just assume that Hater's not
coming back. Hater's got to be your man, and he's
gotta he's got to face the toughest hitters, and in
(01:05:29):
my eyes, I mean, you got to really take care
of him and not get him up too much, don't
don't put him.
Speaker 6 (01:05:35):
In a five run game and things like that.
Speaker 8 (01:05:37):
I think he's the one person on this entire team
that you can't afford to lose at this point.
Speaker 2 (01:05:43):
So is the hater injury dire?
Speaker 6 (01:05:47):
It is, But if a break goes down.
Speaker 8 (01:05:50):
And then I would I would say, all right, man,
it's it's really going to be almost impossible to survive
what you need to survive for the next six weeks.
Speaker 13 (01:05:59):
Steve, you talked about this bullpen and how good they've
been for the majority of this year. You have and
and stress that the US strength obviously, and that's in
the numbers and all that, but as of late and
we'll get to Dubin here in a second, but are
they tired? Is this going to be a problem when
you combine the two. I mean, do you see this
being an issue with rest the way it's going.
Speaker 8 (01:06:18):
Well, it's yeah, it's a great question, and I think
it's a problem if you have situations occur like yesterday
and you can't plan for these. You can't plan for
a line drive off of the guy's ankle or a
guy getting thick and only pitching three innings and then
uh oh, we didn't plan for this. But one thing
(01:06:39):
that the Astros need more than anything else, and I
think they're always get on really good runs when somebody
comes almost out of nowhere, it's a long reliever and
he gives them three in the third innings and he
throws a ton of strikes and he gets them deeper
into the game, and even if they lose that particular game,
he sets up the rest of the bullpen for the
(01:06:59):
next four or five days.
Speaker 6 (01:07:02):
But what you can't have is back to back days
of guys.
Speaker 8 (01:07:05):
Not going very deep and somebody can't throw strikes in
long relief, and then you crush everybody and then you
feel it for the entire next series, and especially when
you're in a tough portion of your schedule. Those guys
got to come through, and you like the lad what
(01:07:25):
they're able to do when they when they do well,
and talk about it and tell people like Jason Alexander,
it's so important that he's gone six innings those last
three games and given them quality innings. And we really
didn't expect that, but it came out of nowhere, and
you really have to have that, And it's one reason
why I feel like I'm more comfortable with Hunter Brown
(01:07:47):
and Robert Valdez split in the rotation, so you don't
have three days in a row of guys that aren't
their caliber pitching in a row where you might have
a situation maybe back to back days when you have
to four or five.
Speaker 7 (01:08:00):
He got a bullpen, there's no question that plays into it.
And most of the season up until right now, they
have not been back to back. You had a day
off in between the last time they pitched him back
to back games. Now they're pitching back to back games
without a day off, and it's when you think you
can get well in the bullpen, maybe only needing seven
or eight outs like you did last time with Hunter
(01:08:21):
Brown's going Helenter Brown going six and two thirds. So
it's definitely something to consider. Taylor Scott is now with
the team in Detroit. Been pitching last eleven games with
the Space Cowboys after he was dfaed by a second
team this year. Jordan Wims was DFA. That's the unnamed
player that pitcher that Steve spar said, you got a
guy out of the bullpen. They can't throw strikes. That's
(01:08:42):
what happened yesterday with him quite obviously, and it really hurts.
And I said it last week, and I think the
way they played this weekend is kind of making it
look like it's already on display. This team is going
to be and maybe already is gassed. They're spent, and
there's a lot of season left to kind of stay
(01:09:02):
where they are and maybe get a little bit of
extra juice and get some sort of bump from this
player returning or going on a winning streak or getting
several well pitched games in a row to kind of
write things, but as you're going through it, it seems
almost impossible to get out of it. The offense obviously
did not perform this weekend. The pitching, similarly, especially the bullpen,
didn't perform this weekend.
Speaker 5 (01:09:23):
My favorite part was when Sparky basically said to put
Brian and Brad you in bubble wrap for the remainder
of the season.
Speaker 7 (01:09:30):
I'll definitely be healthy for the Wildcard game if he
doesn't pitch the rest of the year.
Speaker 5 (01:09:35):
Are you sure there's some thing that could happen to him,
like taking out the trash or something.
Speaker 7 (01:09:39):
You just gotta be careful with the secondary part of
being a late inning reliever. Get him up when he's pitching.
He can't get up and not pitch, and you want
to be as late into getting him up to pitch
as you can. You know, the Astros have a four
to one lead in the ninth inning. Are you waiting
(01:09:59):
this if the Astros go up five to one, six
to one, seven to one, And it happened. The last
time Josh Hater got up was when he did not
pitch in the Yankee Series. They added runs in the
ninth inning to what up until then would have been
a three out, three run lead, save situation. So he
got up and didn't pitch. That doesn't get guys hurt,
(01:10:20):
but it basically uses up It almost uses up their
their arsenal. And you just got to be as careful
as you can as the arms that you trust are.
It's a smaller and smaller number.
Speaker 5 (01:10:30):
Yeah, it's going to be a very interesting down the
stretch portion of the calendar as you begin life, well
you continue life without Josh Hater until the postseason.
Speaker 6 (01:10:41):
At best.
Speaker 5 (01:10:41):
We will wrap up the three o'clock hour coming up
next with the least surprising news ever, going into that
Horns Buckeyes matchup to start the college football season.
Speaker 6 (01:10:51):
That's next.
Speaker 2 (01:10:53):
The ad on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Speaker 5 (01:11:03):
Shout out to Chance McClain, who is texting me from
thirty thousand feet.
Speaker 6 (01:11:09):
He's having a lot to eat right now on his plane.
Speaker 14 (01:11:11):
Uh, the.
Speaker 5 (01:11:14):
Texas Longhorns will not be going where he is going.
He's headed up to Portland. They'll be headed up to
UH Columbus, Ohio for their opening date with the Ohio
State buck Eyes. And when you got the news, wex
because I know you have a patched in source with
Ohio State.
Speaker 7 (01:11:33):
Who Ryan Day?
Speaker 6 (01:11:34):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (01:11:35):
Him, when he told you who the starting quarterback was
going to be for this upcoming season.
Speaker 6 (01:11:39):
Rate your surprise on a scale of one to ten.
Speaker 7 (01:11:41):
One being not surprised at all.
Speaker 9 (01:11:43):
Zero.
Speaker 5 (01:11:44):
That's what I feared, you'd say, why, I mean, to
be honest, what's what's the point in making this announcement?
Speaker 6 (01:11:51):
If was there really a doubt in their world?
Speaker 7 (01:11:54):
Coaches do different things at different times. Demiko o'rian's not
announcing CJ. Stroud was the starter in year one until
Cap was way over stupid. This is not stupid, This
is more. You guys are gonna be out of practice
and guess what, you're gonna see this quarterback getting all
the reps with the number ones. You're already gonna know.
So I'm just gonna tell you this is normal that
you name a starter because you've made your decision. You
(01:12:16):
may have already been leaning one direction or another, but
hadn't been ready to make it official. And you really
make it official by what happens at practice. And I
think they were moving into a place in their pre
opener schedule that it's time to do this. He needs
all the reps because this is why I want to
start the game. This is who I want to win with.
He said what coaches always say, We're gonna need both
(01:12:37):
of those guys this year. He's probably right. Although them
think they would hope the only reason they need the
now backup is when they're up forty five to nothing,
and it very well might happen. But this was the
player that is there, that had the better resume, better pedigree, resume,
pre college resume because he hasn't done anything as a
college football player, but this was the likeliest of choice.
(01:12:59):
I was a little surprised there was as real a
competition as there was and from all I understand it
actually was a real competition. But yeah, this is the
player I think we all expected to be there and he,
like I mentioned, his road to becoming the starter for
the defending national champions. This announcement was made before coach
Sarkisian met with the media in Austin today, so he
(01:13:20):
was asked about her, what do you think of this kid?
Speaker 6 (01:13:22):
A ton of respect for Julian.
Speaker 9 (01:13:24):
You know, we recruited him hard here. He was a
very gifted passer, really good player, came to camp with us,
I think, I want to say two years in a row,
and so we got a.
Speaker 6 (01:13:33):
Lot of familiarity with him.
Speaker 9 (01:13:34):
He's obviously a California kid, his high school coach and whatnot.
So very good player, elite passer, a very good arm talent,
very quick release, really accurate guy. Obviously he's got great
weapons around him and so you know he's the type
of guy that can utilize those weapons in a good system.
Speaker 6 (01:13:51):
So that postes the hecking challenge.
Speaker 7 (01:13:53):
Heck of a challenge to face this kid. A lot
of good coach biak there, but as is the case
now in college football with elite really players, but definitely quarterbacks,
you usually have some pretty good knowledge of players when
they're this highly recruited. Like another Ryan Day, when he
gets asked about Arch and any other coach that's going
(01:14:14):
to see Arch, they're not going to gather. Well, he
did really good in the two games that he started
last year against crappy competition, So we've seen some good
They know who this kid is. When Arch truited him,
they followed him. They know what he can and can't do.
They've seen him at camps. They half the time they've
had him at their camps. Like Sark just said, when
is Stark going to name Arch the starter? I think
it's happened. Well, they haven't even named their backup. There
(01:14:36):
was no competition. That's the difference. He didn't have to
name Arch. There was no competition for him. They're competing
for who's behind him, and that has not been solved yet.
Speaker 5 (01:14:44):
That was what the interesting part, because you said from
all accounts it was a close competence.
Speaker 7 (01:14:49):
I was surprised, but you know the way it was
being reported, the way they were taking reps in practice,
they was a competition.
Speaker 6 (01:14:56):
It just happens. I'm not saying that's what happened here.
Speaker 5 (01:14:57):
I think he's I think Ryan Days being jen But
you know some coaches will say that because it's just
coach speak. Well, it was a really good competition, knowing
full well that you were gonna have who ended up
being the starter or wherever you're talking about be the guy.
Speaker 6 (01:15:10):
No, I mean it was a good competition.
Speaker 14 (01:15:12):
Like from everyone that I've spoken to out in Columbus,
they've said it was good competition. And ultimately it just
came down to when was Julian saying going to win
the job? Could he win the job? But Keynolts pushed
him all the way. I think that the other part
that kind of Wex mentioned and definitely Sark mentioned. He's
got the best player in college football to throw to
as a security blanket, and then he's got another top
ten wide receiver in Carnell Tate that doesn't get enough praise.
(01:15:35):
So Dan Meyers was gonna be quarterback, They're gonna have weapons,
they're gonna be successful.
Speaker 6 (01:15:38):
Now just get the ball to him. Who's winning that game?
Speaker 7 (01:15:41):
Texas the underdog? You guys seem very uh Comonly we
only have two choices. There's only two of us. Yeah,
but we both happen to say the same team. No,
I know, but you both were, uh, and you've been
this way. I'll freeze to this better team. I've said
it fifty times now this will be fifty one. Texas
has a better team. Texas has two things they've got
(01:16:02):
to go accomplish and overcome their offensive line, which is
eighty percent new starters, and Arch being out there in
a game like this for the first time in that regard,
the other teams in the very same boat, I would
give the edge to Arch in that regard. He happens
to be at home. Maybe that softens it. But all
these other places on the field, Texas is better here
on defense. Sex's is better there on defense. Sex is
(01:16:24):
better there on defense. Sex has has more weapons, even
though the weapon I mean, you could argue the best
player in this game plays for Ohio State. I think
you'd be right in Smith, But so many the other
top fifteen players are Longhorns.
Speaker 14 (01:16:36):
I would argue this if this game was played, say
in week six, Week seven, Ohio State I think wins
because it's in the shoe. But it's played in week one,
and you have a brand new quarterback, a ton of
new pieces, and probably the most underlying thing, two new
coordinators that you aren't fully sold on being the guys
breaking into a Week one matchup against team that's gonna
have to pay a national title.
Speaker 6 (01:16:56):
That's why Texas wins. So are you saying just based on.
Speaker 5 (01:16:58):
Reps alone, if it were in the Horley shoot, that's
why you would say that that they would win.
Speaker 6 (01:17:02):
They would win Week one. Yes, I think Texas.
Speaker 14 (01:17:04):
I think any other week, if you go to like
Week six, Ohio State has a shot.
Speaker 7 (01:17:08):
You agree. I mean, I don't think it really matters.
I think Archer was going to gain experience, just like
their quarterback is. I wouldn't say it that way. I
think playing at eleven am is probably less good for
the home team than the playing it.
Speaker 5 (01:17:21):
No, I was because the last time there was a
big regular season meeting like this between these two teams
when they were this highly ranked was at night when
one well then's one.
Speaker 7 (01:17:32):
Oh yeah, that's right, Limus Swede back at the end zone.
Speaker 6 (01:17:34):
We'll take it.
Speaker 7 (01:17:35):
So the loss again was awesome, well, any most every
game he played it in college was awesome.
Speaker 5 (01:17:41):
And nobody cared because USC was a greatest team of
all time until they weren't.
Speaker 6 (01:17:46):
Who was I listening to.
Speaker 7 (01:17:47):
But I love the fact that they hyped the matchup
up the way they did. It was very, very very
one sided. But then when the team you didn't hype
up beats them, I guess they were the best team ever.
You kept telling us this is the best team ever.
You rank them with these all time great teams. They're
playing an undefeated team who also scored fifty points per game,
and now after the game they've beaten them, they've won
(01:18:10):
the national title. It was in the Rolls Bowl. Well,
I don't need to ask you guys. You guys are
so smart. You just told me, well, they just beat
the best team ever. So I guess Texas is the
best team? Is that game not the best example among
many of why I think. I know it's a regular
season award, I don't care. I feel like you should
vote on the Heisman after the championship game. The way
(01:18:30):
the way things are now, I would agree, because now
potentially you have, you know, yet, twelve teams going to
a playoff, and eight of them are playing, well, four
of them at least are playing another game, and then
another four are playing a second game and a third game.
There's too much season left for the majority of the
people that would be getting your Heisman vote.
Speaker 6 (01:18:47):
I wouldn't. I would agree.
Speaker 7 (01:18:49):
Back then it was just one game, and it was
six weeks later. Now. The other part of it was
everybody played in the bowl games. Now hardly anybody plays
in the bowl games. They play in the playoff games.
But if your team didn't make up the playoffs, you
guys aren't playing.
Speaker 5 (01:19:03):
I gotta get my draft radio, all right, so that'll
be interesting. I can't get here soon enough. We're ready
for football, Gould Grief. The weight is taking forever. You
won't have to wait much longer for the four o'clock
hour that is coming up next. We'll hear more from
the Texans from over the weekend, plus something I am
honestly surprised we don't see more of in Major League Baseball.
Speaker 7 (01:19:23):
All of that before we get to Astros on deck.
Coming up next, the A Team on Sports Talk seven
ninety two lifelong Houston sports guys named Adam talking your team.
Speaker 2 (01:19:39):
There is.
Speaker 3 (01:19:41):
Adam Clinton and Adam Wexler.
Speaker 2 (01:19:45):
The A Team.
Speaker 5 (01:19:52):
Four o'clock hour is underway. It is the A Team
Sports Talk seven nineties. We will get you ready for
Astros and Tiger at the bottom of the hour with
the Astros on deck show getting underway for a five
forty first pitch up in the Motor City, Spencer Arraghetti
looking to really have his first I mean, it was
(01:20:14):
a decent start last time out, but with the five walks,
with the increased traffic just overall the first two times
out since making his return, you'd like to see something tonight,
especially given that you're playing one of the better teams
in the American League and you have Hunter Brown and
from ber Valdez going in the next consecutive starts. As
(01:20:34):
Wex mentioned earlier during the show, you get this win tonight,
you might set yourself up for something pretty. But after
this weekend, it's hard to It's hard to feel good
going into the Motor City for a series like this.
Speaker 7 (01:20:47):
Pitch well, you win. They need to score some runs
and it's just a matter of this weekend they didn't.
I'm not too overly concerned, but I do think they
need help offensively, and hopefully it is coming in the
person of jord On Alvarez. He'll be playing baseball tomorrow
for the Corpus Christy Hooks. They've got a series with
Frisco Double a team for the Astros. Presumably it's a
ballgame for him on Tuesday, a day off on Wednesday,
(01:21:09):
and then potentially back to back times in the lineup
on Thursday and Friday. Thursday and Friday are also the
two first days of their series in Baltimore. Four game
series for the Astros in Baltimore as part of the
seven game road trip. You know, Dana Brown talking about
the possibility remote, but possibility that he could be available
for Baltimore much more likely if all goes well, he's
(01:21:30):
available for the Astros when they get back home to Houston.
Mentioned earlier, we'd get you a Kyle Tucker update since
there was a ball game today. He went oh for
four and probably broke another batting helmet when he was
out for the fourth time late in the game. His
team didn't score any runs. They also did not win.
Speaker 5 (01:21:46):
You know, in this scenario, I don't feel sorry for
Kyle Tucker or anything like that, but he did not
go somewhere in free agency.
Speaker 7 (01:21:56):
He was traded traded to a likely playoff team. Yeah,
really nice city.
Speaker 2 (01:22:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (01:22:02):
And the team with whether they whether or not they
use them, the funds to be able to give him
the type of deal that he obviously wasn't going to
get here in Houston, hence the trade. He went to
a good situation, as simply as we can put it,
and he was having a good time in that good
situation until he wasn't. But I wonder if this ultimately,
(01:22:24):
like if he keeps going this way, if this ultimately
leaves a sour taste in his mouth. I mean it won't, Matt.
This is a moot point if they don't want to
pony up the cash, but what if they do? Does
that factor into his decision or is it just simply
is easy? What factor into his decisions?
Speaker 6 (01:22:40):
Just how things are going here over the I mean,
this is not a small.
Speaker 7 (01:22:43):
St doesn't want to play in Chicago even though they're
offering the money because he played poorly.
Speaker 6 (01:22:47):
Maybe maybe I don't know. I don't know.
Speaker 7 (01:22:50):
No, I don't think that weighs into it at all.
Speaker 5 (01:22:52):
Yeah, but if well, I was about to say, I
didn't finish, is the if another team is just offering
him more money?
Speaker 6 (01:22:59):
It's as simple as that, right?
Speaker 15 (01:23:01):
Uh?
Speaker 9 (01:23:02):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (01:23:03):
Usually is?
Speaker 7 (01:23:03):
I mean they have to be a well, they have
to be competitive. Okay, if he's going to a situation
where like the Giants. They have offered a ton of
money to a lot of players the last couple of years.
Ultimately they landed one and it was this year with
a damis. They offered that money to Carlos Korea. They
offered that money to a Cist Judge and offered it
(01:23:23):
to Aaron Judge and as the player, you know, Korea
took it. But it was an outrageous amount of money
for him, and I would have said yes to Aaron
Judge had the option to decline it because he knew
he would get comparable, if not better money, and he
did from New York. He's as much as we you know,
bag on the Yankees for not winning big this opportunity
to win in New York and be Aaron Judge and
(01:23:45):
be the captain. That should be a It should have
been a no brainer decision. And he probably just played
the Giants and wasn't really ever going to play for
the Giants.
Speaker 6 (01:23:55):
It's just not as good a situation.
Speaker 7 (01:23:57):
You're being counted on to carry that team out of
where they are in a division where you probably don't
have the best roster any of the years that you're there.
And then they did it again this year. And traded
for Raphael Devers. I'm and Buster posey. Everyone loves him,
but I'm a few question marks about some of the
decisions they've made. And he wasn't involved in all of
those previous ones, but obviously in this one. If you're
(01:24:19):
Kyle Tucker, you've been to the World Series, you've been
to the Playoffs, you've been to the cs've been that's
why you're still playing. I mean, I don't think he's
just just give me my paycheck, guarantee my three hundred
million for the next seven years and I'll call it
a day. He's not gonna want to go to the
ballpark for the next seven years and not have a
chance to play more baseball in the postseason, and matter
(01:24:39):
harder to win individual awards when you're playing for an
outfit that's not competitive. But he's probably also not likely
to see a huge ought. I mean, if a team
does that, that's not in it that. It's like Minnesota
with Coorea. Minnesota went all in with Correa twice. They
gave him a player friendly deal the first time, and
(01:25:00):
then they gave him a player and team deal the
second time, longer term. So it's a little bit friendlier
on the team, no more options for him to just
up and leave. And they did go to the playoffs
and they did break there. We haven't won a playoff
series and forever, although it was just a to win
playoff series because it was a wild card series. But
look how recent this is. This was the third year
(01:25:20):
of Minnesota for him, the second year of his second contract,
and they blew everybody out, everybody including him.
Speaker 6 (01:25:28):
And then they said, a just kidding, we're not gonna sell.
Speaker 7 (01:25:31):
Well, they still blew everybody out, and the opportunity to
win is so dramatically minimized. If you take that deal
and you're basically taking the money, then that's what you
potentially are facing if you're Kyle Tucker, if he goes
to a team who's not as competitive and may not
end up being as competitive.
Speaker 6 (01:25:49):
I was trying. You mentioned the Giants, which good, that's
a good that's a good.
Speaker 5 (01:25:54):
Guess how many contending teams still have the money of
that caliber to get a Kyle Tucker.
Speaker 7 (01:26:03):
Probably a few more than you think, and maybe it's
a little more for Tucker, but Arizona spending two hundred
and ten million on Corbyn Burns last year is crazy,
crazy money because they're not They're not a big market
they're not a big market spender. None of those things
just wasn't. I mean, look at where they are without him, right,
they're you know, they're roughly a five hundred team, and
maybe they clearly.
Speaker 6 (01:26:23):
I would think they'd be a little walk still.
Speaker 7 (01:26:26):
They well, they had Josh Naylor, who was better than
him for most of the year. I don't know that
it'd be much. It's just that was a surprising team
to do it. And there probably is a John Hayman
special coming up this offseason. We know the Yankees are
interested in Tucker.
Speaker 6 (01:26:40):
They just had a meeting. They went to dinner. Garrett
Cole was there. We know he's meeting with the Mets.
Speaker 7 (01:26:44):
Mets are always in it, even if they're paying one
Soto eighty nine billion dollars. The Dodgers, you know, with
their deferral system, They're set to meet with Kyle Tucker's
people here and odds are they they'll put an offer
on the table. And I also know there are two
mystery teams engaged in negotiations. It's definitely gonna happen. I
just don't know who they are. Neither does he he
just he probably already.
Speaker 6 (01:27:04):
Has it written. They're not teams. He's just making it up.
Speaker 7 (01:27:07):
It seems that way sometimes, but he ultimately winds up
back in Chicago. No, see, I don't either. I think
they will make a real run at him, though. I
think they will believe that this is kind of even
with what's happening. I guess if it goes on another
forty games, maybe they'll have to reconsider because it's so
visibly happening. He's visibly frustrated. He's taking it out on
(01:27:30):
his equipment constantly. He's getting booed in his first year there. Yeah,
well that was He would have gotten booed anywhere anytime
if fans know what they're doing. He didn't run out
of great I mean, he didn't even leave the batter's box. Yeah,
he Yasiel puiged it. That deserves booing. He could be
hitting three hundred for the month that you could get
booed for that.
Speaker 5 (01:27:48):
You remember when Andre Johnson left the field at the
end of that season. It doesn't it didn't get talked
about enough like that. But that's see, that's what I
would expect, or that's not what I would expect from
Kyle Tucker.
Speaker 6 (01:27:59):
Either was that like you was with Andre?
Speaker 7 (01:28:00):
Was that your segue into Matt Schob for president?
Speaker 9 (01:28:04):
No?
Speaker 7 (01:28:05):
You get your Are you behind Matt Schob for executive
vice president of the Players Association?
Speaker 6 (01:28:11):
There are worse options, I.
Speaker 7 (01:28:13):
Think almost all of them are. But he penned a
very very very very long letter, as written by Tyd
Dunn at his go long TD site, he wants to
run the NFLPA. I called him president for the purposes
of or conversation. Technically it's the executive director of the NFLPA.
Matt Schaub wants your vote. And I read it, and
(01:28:37):
he even commented, and it's basically his own little letter.
He said, if you're still reading, if you're still following along,
then here's some more things for you to read. Knowing that,
my god, dude, this is a lot of stuff, a
lot of background, a lot of why the PA is
where they are. He's trying to paint a picture of
I'm one of you, I'm a former player, without trying
(01:28:58):
to be too negative to the two previous executive directors.
He pointed out the obvious, I'm a player, this is
the Players Union. I've been in all the meetings on
both sides. I've been in the meeting on the executive side,
I've been in the locker room. I've been cut, I've
been traded, I've been released. I've been a back, I've
been a starter, I've been a pro bowler. I've ridden
on a scooter. He didn't say that, but the two
(01:29:21):
previous people, the recently ousted and den Maories Smith before him, weren't.
And he felt like, and he said this over and
over relating to the players outfitting our meetings, the manner
in which we went about informing our contingency or our
constituency was poor, and I think it showed with the
(01:29:44):
lack of interest in becoming a real union because of
the word itself. We need to be together, there needs
to be unity. The only way we can do anything
is if we're together. And he pointed out the financials
of it all, and it's it makes this there's always
one side it when it's just one side. But the
amount of money he's trying to tell them they've basically
(01:30:04):
given away to the owners who are rich before and
even richer now because of their poor negotiations and the
length of the deal which doesn't match the speed with
which the financial model for the league is changing. They're
just giving money away. They made fifty seven percent of
the revenues before, they make forty seven and a.
Speaker 6 (01:30:24):
Half percent to make it a ten year deal. Every
time either they do not listen and the.
Speaker 7 (01:30:28):
League has outs where they can renegotiate the deal, which
they'll probably want to do to match up with even
the latest TV deals which are just a couple of
years off.
Speaker 5 (01:30:38):
Now, I'm not in any way like I from covering him.
It's a lot like Demiko. I'm biased because say what
you will about what happened with him on here. Yeah,
players Union president Bounder, but having been around him a
lot like Dat's in the locker room every day with
him covering him at that time, I like that idea.
(01:31:00):
If I'm the players now, I don't know how many
of them who have the power to vote on this
sort of thing or how I don't even know the process,
But I don't know how many of them know that
about him. But just just the last two that you mentioned,
absolute turds. Okay, there's no other way. They were terrible,
especially Demy Smith.
Speaker 7 (01:31:19):
You're making that sounds a little more personal to the
recent one look at what they did. The ability to
negotiate positively for the union was unsuccessful. It sounds more
like they're calling the person incapable or a turd. And
that's specifically what Shab was not doing. Even though your
point is similar to his that we didn't we didn't
get the job done, and the person we had in
(01:31:40):
charge was partially the reason.
Speaker 5 (01:31:41):
I don't happen to care for either of them personally either,
but I'm just talking about strictly their job performance. They
were turts. They were, and what you're saying is part
of the reason why they just didn't. They did not
do They did not do what they needed to do
to do to give the player who they represented, whom
(01:32:02):
they represented, the best deal, I don't think.
Speaker 7 (01:32:05):
And the other part of it on the flip side.
So we're trying to find somebody to be the executive
director of the NFLPA, Shob's painting a picture of what
better than someone like me. He's not even saying only me,
I'm the only one you can hire.
Speaker 6 (01:32:19):
You can vote for it.
Speaker 7 (01:32:20):
He's saying, look, there's plenty of this is what we want.
Someone who's been there, done that understands all sides. Of
it has been through everything, our players who I'm representing
have been through.
Speaker 6 (01:32:29):
He points it out.
Speaker 7 (01:32:30):
On the NFL side, Look who's running the NFL and
where did he come from and what does he know?
He's talking about Roger Goodell, who makes in the neighborhood
of seventy million dollars a year.
Speaker 6 (01:32:39):
Geez, I remember when it was fifty five.
Speaker 7 (01:32:41):
So who's the highest paid player in the NFL. The
answer is someone who makes way less than Roger Goodell,
way less annually than Roger Goodell. That's and these are
how Matt's presenting it. That's how much the league believes
in this person doing the job that they specifically want.
They don't want just somebody, you know that is working
for them. He worked in the league office for ten years,
(01:33:02):
fifteen years, twenty years, twenty five years, and now he's
the commissioner. This is the only one of the I
think he had a job before the NFL briefly. He's
been working for the NFL for decades upon decades upon decades.
Speaker 9 (01:33:16):
You know what that is?
Speaker 6 (01:33:17):
That's effective. Yes, that's the point.
Speaker 5 (01:33:20):
When you see that as a player, you're like, why
don't we have somebody like this? A whole lot sooner
representing our best interest. So yeah, I'm rooting for it,
and maybe it'll make a little bit more of a
stalemate between the two sides when the next CBA is up.
But I don't know that's okay if everybody wins and
the players are happier and all that kind of stuff, I.
Speaker 7 (01:33:40):
Don't know if there's a new vote still to happen
inside the respective locker rooms around the league for your
player rep. I believe Davis Mills and Dalton Schultz are
at the top of the Texans Union idership group.
Speaker 5 (01:33:55):
I don't know either one of them very well, but
I've been around Dalton Schultz enough to know that I
like that because it's spicy. Just he's not He doesn't
exactly filter how he feels on any given So have
you played for the two Texas franchise. This is a
good thing, and there are a lot of teams that
have quarterbacks as reps in their union.
Speaker 7 (01:34:15):
I can tell you a whole lot about Dalton Schultz. Yeah,
that's that's very interesting.
Speaker 6 (01:34:20):
All right.
Speaker 5 (01:34:21):
We will wind down the eighteen portion of the program
coming up next and check in on well, something that
I don't think i've seen a lot before, but I'm
actually surprised that as it pertains to major league baseball,
although in this case it's minor league baseball.
Speaker 7 (01:34:36):
I'll explain when we come back the eighteen on Sports
Talk seven ninety.
Speaker 5 (01:34:53):
It is the eighteen Sports Talk seven ninety. We got
Astros on deck coming up at the bottom of the hour.
The Mariners are hot on the heels of your Astros.
I say that with a tongue firmly planted in cheeks,
since both teams decided to lose two out of three
over the weekend and stay right exactly where they were,
(01:35:14):
which is the Astros just ahead of the Mariners. Victor Roebliss, however,
is trying to make his way back to the Mariners
major league roster. He's currently in Triple A, and I
guess he was upset that the picture he was facing
in the game.
Speaker 6 (01:35:35):
I guess this was last night.
Speaker 5 (01:35:38):
It has I guess thrown at him multiple times and
he got beamed in the shoulder and just took off
his batting helmet and threw it at the picture at
the mound. And I'm like, there was there was one example.
Who was the who is the guy that kicked the
catcher behind him and then.
Speaker 7 (01:35:58):
Charged years ago. Right, we all remember it, right, well,
you clearly do. Jeez, it's amazing to recall what year
was it? Uh huh exactly. But like, have you ever
wondered about the fact that we don't see this more often?
They're holding weapons? Yeah, you're mad, I don't like, I know,
this shouldn't happen. I'm surprised it did happen. You're on
(01:36:20):
the opposite side, But I am surprised he threw his
bat at a pitcher. You're especially under these circumstances. He
sense apologized.
Speaker 6 (01:36:26):
What do you say, Well, he took to Instagram. Of course,
that's how you do it.
Speaker 7 (01:36:29):
Yeah, he's rehabbing. He's been out since April with a
shoulder injury. So he's trying, as you said, trying to
get back to the Mariners. He wants to take a
moment to sincerely apologize for my recent reaction on the field.
Let my frustration get the best of me, and I
understand how that may have affected not just the game,
but the energy and respect we all work so hard
to maintain. His explanation for his actions come next. As
(01:36:51):
you partially described, coming off of a long rehab and
being away from the game for most of the seasons
is physically and mentally challenging. Adding to that, recent passing
of my mother has been incredibly hard, and I've been
doing my best to hold it together. It's not an excuse,
but some context, I feel you deserve to understand where
I'm coming from.
Speaker 6 (01:37:09):
Now.
Speaker 7 (01:37:10):
The other part that you mentioned getting hit five times
in fifteen at bats added to that pressure, and I
reacted in a way I'm not proud of. This game
means the world to me, and so do the people
who play it. I respect every one of you, my teammates,
the opposing players, and everyone in this league. He said
he's committed to being better, grateful to be back on
the field.
Speaker 5 (01:37:27):
Right, follow me, all right, I know it's gonna be
tough here. You just said five times and fifteen at bats. Correct,
that's what he wrote.
Speaker 6 (01:37:36):
Yes, what was hit? What was he hit with?
Speaker 7 (01:37:40):
He actually fouled it off, all.
Speaker 6 (01:37:42):
Right, But in those in the majority of these what
is he being hit with? Baseball? All right?
Speaker 5 (01:37:47):
And that's what the guy that he's facing has in
his hand, Joey Estes, So that was his weapon, Like
that's how he's looking at it. I honestly, like I'm interpreting.
I'm not in his head. Even after hearing his apology,
I'm still not walking around in his head, so I can't.
I don't know what he's thinking for sure, but to me,
it screamed, all right, you're gonna hit me with what
(01:38:07):
you have in your hand. I'm gonna throw what I
have in my hand back at you because I'm frustrated. Right,
And they're both clearly ridiculous. I do think the bat throwing,
and we've seen a few major league players do it.
We've seen some international incidents where that's happened, and you
brought up the incident to with Izzy, it doesn't happen
very often. A lot of times it's prevented because the
(01:38:31):
bat's not in your hand anymore, right, because you've got me,
you've thrown it out of the way, whatever the manner
in which you get out of the way of the
pitch intentionally being thrown at, which is not what I
think happened to here, And maybe you can just immediately
wipe fifty percent of the hit by pitches out they're
not intentional. Probably another thirty where the guy's all over
the plate. Maybe he intentionally threw inside. When you get
(01:38:53):
hit upstairs and it's been repeated, and if there's history
with the team, I do think players should do something.
I think when pitchers throw it hitters, it's awful. I
don't even know what word to use.
Speaker 7 (01:39:08):
It's stupid, it's embarrassing, it's low class, it's disrespectful. Most importantly,
it's dangerous. Right, it's incredibly dangerous, depending on which pitch
you have thrown. You know, George Springer got hit by
Rowdy Teles. Rowdy Telez was pitching for the Rangers. Teles
used to be George Springer's teammate. If he't hit him
(01:39:30):
with a pitch, George didn't move, it hit him and
he just laughed and walked to first I believe it
was sixty four miles an hour. That's not what we're talking.
Speaker 6 (01:39:39):
About, Aquito bite. That's nothing I do have to say.
Though this was the video of this was on social media.
Speaker 5 (01:39:47):
It was actually John Boy that posted the video that
I just happened to see the responses, and I don't
even know if these are all Seattle based or Mariner's
fan based, because again this has happened in Tacoma, or
it was or the Tacoma team. It was a minor
league affiliate. But there's a lot of support for him,
and it's because of what you mentioned.
Speaker 6 (01:40:07):
The fifth time.
Speaker 5 (01:40:08):
Good time to mention it's the fifth time he's been
nailed in four games. The same pitcher hit him a
week ago and last season. These are different responses I'm reading. Finally,
pitcher wants to hit batter with the ball. Batter can
throw a bat at a pitcher. Makes sense to me.
Deserved valid crash out. He keeps getting hit.
Speaker 6 (01:40:29):
Not gonna lie.
Speaker 5 (01:40:30):
If I got hit four out of last five games
by the same team, I'd be livid to I'm not
saying what he did was right, but I'm.
Speaker 7 (01:40:38):
Not, like complete think it would do anything to prevent
it from happening again.
Speaker 6 (01:40:42):
Do you think you're throwing that bat? Yeah?
Speaker 7 (01:40:44):
Do you think it would impact the pitchers?
Speaker 9 (01:40:46):
No.
Speaker 5 (01:40:46):
What I'm saying, though, is that his reaction, while clearly
inappropriate and dangerous in and of itself, it was more
than just he lost his cool and did something that
you don't hardly ever see.
Speaker 6 (01:40:58):
I think there was a build up.
Speaker 14 (01:41:00):
I do. I do.
Speaker 7 (01:41:01):
I agree with that part of his Yeah, I mean,
we see guys get hit all the time. We don't
see them throw bats because they're not usually a build up.
There was build up here, yeah.
Speaker 5 (01:41:09):
But when you're talking about guys getting hit all the time,
it's one time with a different guy from the last
guy who hits you.
Speaker 7 (01:41:15):
How stupid he looked earlier this year when Hunter Brown
hit him for the second time in two years with
a pitch that was barely inside.
Speaker 6 (01:41:21):
Because it's all over, not fourth time.
Speaker 7 (01:41:24):
I don't even know where they're getting these numbers from
because I can't back those up. But nonetheless, it's stupid
like these guys, I do. Pitchers are throw have thrown
at hitters, and will throw at hitters. But in many
of these instances, the hitter is actually overreacting and the
hitter is standing on the plate, and the hitter is
gonna get hit by a pitch that's barely not going
(01:41:46):
to be a call to strike by some of the
umpires out there. He's not throwing at you, he's throwing inside.
And when it's in your mid section or below the
numbers or in the numbers, I mean, I get it.
It's dangerous and you should be upset. I'm not telling
you not to be upset.
Speaker 6 (01:42:02):
But we're not.
Speaker 7 (01:42:03):
I mean, I can't remember the last time a Major
leaguer threw a bat.
Speaker 6 (01:42:08):
No, I can't either.
Speaker 7 (01:42:09):
And we know for sure some of these teams that
have been foolish enough to get into these bean ball wars,
we know pictures are throwing at hitters, and that's when
the umpires are.
Speaker 8 (01:42:16):
You know.
Speaker 7 (01:42:17):
I can't believe they've warned these teams, now what, or
they didn't warn these teams and he just got hit.
Speaker 6 (01:42:21):
It happens.
Speaker 7 (01:42:22):
The Astros have been involved a little bit with it,
the Astros and the Rangers, the Astros and the Mariners,
and they've done their best, I think, to stay out
of the real bean balls. But I don't blame Jordan
or Adolis, or Julio or Rodriguez or some of the players.
Of course they should be mad, and none of them
have thrown their bat, and they've been hit multiple times
by either the same picture or the same team.
Speaker 6 (01:42:43):
Craig Bigio did never throw his bat, and he got
hit more than anybody.
Speaker 7 (01:42:46):
Story he told in the booth with Esch and Blummer
yesterday was getting hit early early in the not yet
major league career of Billy Wagner, when he stepped into
the box for some live BP. He had forgotten to
put his elbow pad on, and then he got hit
in the elbow.
Speaker 6 (01:43:03):
So the last time he
Speaker 5 (01:43:03):
Did that, all right, We got astros on deck coming
your way, right around the corner, The eight on Sports
Talk seven ninety