June 20, 2025 • 10 mins
Another week, a NEW time! Chandler Rome hops on with Wex and AC for his weekly spot to talk all things Astros heading into the weekend series against the Los Angeles Angels
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Two home runs from Maltouve this week two home runs
in the same game from Cam Smith. Seven hits in
two days. So when we get to analyze where's Cam
Smith and the rookie of the year conversation, where is
he from April to May to June. Well, he's got
these blow up games now in a sixteen day span
in the month or eighteen day span of the month
(00:22):
of June, which is gonna blow those up. But overall,
I don't think they'll skew it. And again, everybody else
will be there as we try again with Chandler looking
at these couple of nights in West Sacramento, I guess
it might be even worse if they're playing daytime baseball
versus evening baseball. But how do you kind of analyze
the seasons of players that now have taken advantage of
(00:42):
this ballpark like the Astros have.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Yeah, I mean, look, I think it's twofold. I think
the ballpark's obviously it's a hit or friendly ballpark.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
You've seen the way the ball.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Carries out in left field, and the Astros have a
very right handed lineup that's pulling the ball with authority
to left field. The other thing is that the A's
can't pitch. They have the worst pitching staff in baseball.
Their bullpen is the worst in baseball. And the Ashers
have just seized advantage of that. They're doing what you
should do to a bad team. That is that is
(01:12):
quite frankly, from what I understand, pretty miserable just playing here,
playing in Sacramento, playing in this ballpark. The Ashers are
doing what they should do. So I think, just like
I mean, I'm I'm I'm the king of this, I
think when I come on here routinely, you know, don't
don't overreact to one series, good or bad. Don't overreact
to one game, good or bad. But I mean, certainly
(01:35):
both teams are playing in the condition so the Age
could just as easily be pulling the ball out to
left field and get scorn a bunch of runs. But
the Ashers are pitching so well and keeping them in check.
And I think that's that's the key here. You know,
the Ashers offense is going to and blow this lineup
has not shown a ton of consistency all year. But
the one thing that this team has done all years
they have pitched. And when you pitch as well as
(01:56):
they pitch. No matter who they're giving the ball to,
it seems like you're going to be in every game
and be able to win, and that's what's setting them apart.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Are you good with a sixty game sample size to
give some analysis on Cam Smith first thirty games, second
thirty games certainly appear to have some pretty dramatic improvements
in that second thirty is, at least statistically.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Yeah, he's he's coming along. And look, as we've said
since day once, to put him on the roster, they
were going to have to have patience with him. It
was not going to all click at once. He was
going to go through streaks and ebbs and flows as
the league adjusted to him, and he adjusted back and
he's taking it. Look, he's taking advantage of playing in
(02:36):
this ballpark as well, facing some not good pitching that
has hung him a lot of breaking balls that he
has not missed. But there are some signs that you know,
it's really coming together for him. He I think the
one thing they would like him to do more, and
you've seen it in this series that he's done a
better job of that. He's got to get the ball
in the air a little bit more. His ground ball
(02:58):
rate on fastballs is like sixty percent, and he's seeing
about half fastballs thrown to him. So if he can
get the ball in the air a little bit more
and tap into some of that power that we know
he has, it would really kind of elevate him a
little bit. But they believe they are pleased with the
progress he's making, and he's had two really really nice
(03:21):
games in a row here.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
That's going to give him some confidence. But it's a
process with him.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
It's always an evolution, and they knew when they put
him on the roster that they'd have to be patient,
that they were going to get stretches like this or
he's playing really well and they were going to get
stretches like you know, he went one hundred and forty
seven at bats between homers between the two homer game
against the Padres and then what he did the other
night here, So it's always going to be a learning
(03:46):
experience for him. But he's handling it all so well.
He's mature beyond his years, he's not overmatched by any
stretch of the imagination, and he's settling in about as
well as you can ask a rookie that had thirty
two games in minor league experience to settle in.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Uh, let's start like, let's go from there, which is
obviously very very youth and very very young to a
veteran in Esac Paratis. And the concern that Wex was
talking about earlier basically that this hamstring issue might crop
up again he's back in the lineup. Is how much
of a concern is that for as Wex pointed out,
(04:21):
probably the most consistent hitter in the Astros lineup wire
to wire so far this season.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Yeah, I found it a little bit odd that that
they didn't just put him on the I l out
of an abundance of caution, just because you know, with
with with hamstrings, you know, these are these are fickle things.
And given the lead that they have, I mean, they're
they're they're up five and a half games in the
division now, like there's no real urgency to push it.
But again, you know, you saw paratus is putting together
(04:48):
a nice first half, probably wants to merit some All
Star consideration, and he's in his he's in his arbitration year.
So it's hard to just take a bats away from
a guy that's held that that thinks he can play
so so, but I mean, you've seen it. You know
he is not I would not say he has run
out the many ground balls.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
He's hit the past couple of days.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
He's still taking it pretty easy, and then they're gradually
reintroducing him in. So I think they're being mindful and
being proven of it. But yet they've got to protect
against that because I think as we've seen as the
injuries keep mounting up here, the one thing that the
Astros don't have is they don't have position player depth
at the upper minor leagues. There's a reason that all
(05:29):
of their call ups have been veterans on minor league
deals that they signed from other organizations over the winter,
because they do not have much in the way of
homegrown prospects at Triple A or Double A that can
help at the position player level. So that probably played
into it, to be quite honest with you, that they
looked at the they looked at what was out there
(05:51):
and probably thought, hey, eighty five percent socc Paradus is
probably better than anything we can get from you know,
sugar Land or any that we have down there.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
So let's put him in.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Let's be mindful, let's be prudent, but also they need
they understood that it was a it was a net
you know, it was a net wash that they would
have gotten had they brought somebody up. So yeah, they've
got to be careful with him. But it seems like
he's he's taken it pretty slow.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Just out of curiosity, since you're talking about the four
A category and this is not a prospect but rather
a twenty nine year old player. What is Luis Castro
to the Astros organization?
Speaker 3 (06:30):
He's a uh, you caught me off guard with that one.
I don't really know.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
He's played around the infield. He's obviously hit the ball
and again, these are PCL numbers well enough to you
would think warrant consideration. But I don't know that even
positionally he would have ever made any sense. Because we
also talked about Bryce Matthews earlier, and I know you
did as well, and Dana has brought it up to
and he's got ridiculous splits this year home and anywhere,
butt Consolation field, and to that end, is Bryce Matthew's more.
(07:01):
He can help us at the end of the year
with his speed, and we're hopeful that he plays well
enough this year that when we trot the opening day
lineup card out there next year at Dykin Park when
the Padres are in town, that he's the opening day
second baseman in twenty six.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Yeah, I mean, I think that's there. That's always been
the thought is that he's the He is the internal
air apparent at second base. And I think if he
would have gotten off to a better start this year,
you could have seen Brendan Rodgers probably not be here.
They could have exercised the clause that they had to
release him, and Bryce Matthews could have had a pretty
(07:39):
lengthy runway here.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
But he didn't start off well. He's played better as
of late.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
But yes, as Dana Brown brought up unprompted, and as
you can see on every Baseball Reference site, like his
numbers are pretty road inflated, and you have to look
into that when you look at any PCL numbers. Because
they play in Reno, they play in Albuquerque, they play
in Salt Lake City. They plan all these places where
it is a launching pad and the elevation is higher
than Colorado in some places, so you have to keep
(08:06):
that in mind. And I think Bryce Matthews will be
up at some point this year.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
I don't know when. I don't know what is going.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
To precipitate that, but I will say this, the fact
that he is not up right now, given the situation
that they're in, given that they have lewiski Orme and
Cooper Hummel, no disrespect to them, but that they're on
the roster over Bryce Matthews kind of should tell you
where he stands right now now.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
To not say it can't get better.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
It's not to say that he can't improve his standing
because again he's playing well in Triple A and he
needs to make more contact the defense. I think they're
fine with the defense at second base, but they don't
think the bat's ready. And if he's not up here
right now, given all the injuries, then that you kind
of tell you where he stands.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
Do you get a kick out of lists where Roman
Anthony is listed as a potential Rookie of the Year
candidate when he's played like a handful of games.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Is Christian Campbell's song he gets at the Triple A Today? Yeah,
I mean, look, I think Cam. What Cam suffers from
Cam is and he's not the first person to suffer
from this.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
When you're on the Astros.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
It's really hard to get noticed because you've got Josel
Tuve on the team, because you've got Jordan Alvarez on
the team, because you've got Hunter Brown from Erveld, guy
Josh Hater. You've got household names here that people automatically
go to when you start looking at the Astros.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
And to.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Become more to become the guy that people are talking
about like that, you've got to do some stuff that's
pretty superhuman. And Cam Smith has played very well this season.
He is We just talked about how well he has
adjusted and everything, but we also did just say he
won one hundred and forty seven at bats between homers like.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
The he's hitting a lot of singles.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
There hasn't been a ton of extra bass thump until
the last two nights. He's been remarkable in right field.
He's probably the best defensive right fielder in baseball, which
should give him a ton of.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
You know, props and prop him up.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
But to stand out in these things, you've got to
do something that's pretty superhuman.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
And while Cam Smith has been good.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
He has not been oh my God, like he must
see TV destroying everything in his path like.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
But to be fair, most.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Rookies are not Jack Caglione, who everyone loved. He took
him till today for him to homer and he homered
twice against the Texas Rangers.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Pretty fascinating stuff. They just are finishing up a series
with the rookie who has clearly been the best, and
that is Jack Wilson's kid, Jacob. Appreciate the time as always,
look forward to catching you back here in Houston. Always
appreciate the excellence produced there on the Athletic and we
will talk to you again.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
Soon, all right, Thanks guys.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Chandlerome joining us on a Thursday here on the eighteen
Speaker 3 (10:49):
The eighteen on Sports Talk seven ninety
Two home runs from Maltouve this week two home runs
in the same game from Cam Smith. Seven hits in
two days. So when we get to analyze where's Cam
Smith and the rookie of the year conversation, where is
he from April to May to June. Well, he's got
these blow up games now in a sixteen day span
in the month or eighteen day span of the month
(00:22):
of June, which is gonna blow those up. But overall,
I don't think they'll skew it. And again, everybody else
will be there as we try again with Chandler looking
at these couple of nights in West Sacramento, I guess
it might be even worse if they're playing daytime baseball
versus evening baseball. But how do you kind of analyze
the seasons of players that now have taken advantage of
(00:42):
this ballpark like the Astros have.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Yeah, I mean, look, I think it's twofold. I think
the ballpark's obviously it's a hit or friendly ballpark.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
You've seen the way the ball.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Carries out in left field, and the Astros have a
very right handed lineup that's pulling the ball with authority
to left field. The other thing is that the A's
can't pitch. They have the worst pitching staff in baseball.
Their bullpen is the worst in baseball. And the Ashers
have just seized advantage of that. They're doing what you
should do to a bad team. That is that is
(01:12):
quite frankly, from what I understand, pretty miserable just playing here,
playing in Sacramento, playing in this ballpark. The Ashers are
doing what they should do. So I think, just like
I mean, I'm I'm I'm the king of this, I
think when I come on here routinely, you know, don't
don't overreact to one series, good or bad. Don't overreact
to one game, good or bad. But I mean, certainly
(01:35):
both teams are playing in the condition so the Age
could just as easily be pulling the ball out to
left field and get scorn a bunch of runs. But
the Ashers are pitching so well and keeping them in check.
And I think that's that's the key here. You know,
the Ashers offense is going to and blow this lineup
has not shown a ton of consistency all year. But
the one thing that this team has done all years
they have pitched. And when you pitch as well as
(01:56):
they pitch. No matter who they're giving the ball to,
it seems like you're going to be in every game
and be able to win, and that's what's setting them apart.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Are you good with a sixty game sample size to
give some analysis on Cam Smith first thirty games, second
thirty games certainly appear to have some pretty dramatic improvements
in that second thirty is, at least statistically.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Yeah, he's he's coming along. And look, as we've said
since day once, to put him on the roster, they
were going to have to have patience with him. It
was not going to all click at once. He was
going to go through streaks and ebbs and flows as
the league adjusted to him, and he adjusted back and
he's taking it. Look, he's taking advantage of playing in
(02:36):
this ballpark as well, facing some not good pitching that
has hung him a lot of breaking balls that he
has not missed. But there are some signs that you know,
it's really coming together for him. He I think the
one thing they would like him to do more, and
you've seen it in this series that he's done a
better job of that. He's got to get the ball
in the air a little bit more. His ground ball
(02:58):
rate on fastballs is like sixty percent, and he's seeing
about half fastballs thrown to him. So if he can
get the ball in the air a little bit more
and tap into some of that power that we know
he has, it would really kind of elevate him a
little bit. But they believe they are pleased with the
progress he's making, and he's had two really really nice
(03:21):
games in a row here.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
That's going to give him some confidence. But it's a
process with him.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
It's always an evolution, and they knew when they put
him on the roster that they'd have to be patient,
that they were going to get stretches like this or
he's playing really well and they were going to get
stretches like you know, he went one hundred and forty
seven at bats between homers between the two homer game
against the Padres and then what he did the other
night here, So it's always going to be a learning
(03:46):
experience for him. But he's handling it all so well.
He's mature beyond his years, he's not overmatched by any
stretch of the imagination, and he's settling in about as
well as you can ask a rookie that had thirty
two games in minor league experience to settle in.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Uh, let's start like, let's go from there, which is
obviously very very youth and very very young to a
veteran in Esac Paratis. And the concern that Wex was
talking about earlier basically that this hamstring issue might crop
up again he's back in the lineup. Is how much
of a concern is that for as Wex pointed out,
(04:21):
probably the most consistent hitter in the Astros lineup wire
to wire so far this season.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Yeah, I found it a little bit odd that that
they didn't just put him on the I l out
of an abundance of caution, just because you know, with
with with hamstrings, you know, these are these are fickle things.
And given the lead that they have, I mean, they're
they're they're up five and a half games in the
division now, like there's no real urgency to push it.
But again, you know, you saw paratus is putting together
(04:48):
a nice first half, probably wants to merit some All
Star consideration, and he's in his he's in his arbitration year.
So it's hard to just take a bats away from
a guy that's held that that thinks he can play
so so, but I mean, you've seen it. You know
he is not I would not say he has run
out the many ground balls.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
He's hit the past couple of days.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
He's still taking it pretty easy, and then they're gradually
reintroducing him in. So I think they're being mindful and
being proven of it. But yet they've got to protect
against that because I think as we've seen as the
injuries keep mounting up here, the one thing that the
Astros don't have is they don't have position player depth
at the upper minor leagues. There's a reason that all
(05:29):
of their call ups have been veterans on minor league
deals that they signed from other organizations over the winter,
because they do not have much in the way of
homegrown prospects at Triple A or Double A that can
help at the position player level. So that probably played
into it, to be quite honest with you, that they
looked at the they looked at what was out there
(05:51):
and probably thought, hey, eighty five percent socc Paradus is
probably better than anything we can get from you know,
sugar Land or any that we have down there.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
So let's put him in.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Let's be mindful, let's be prudent, but also they need
they understood that it was a it was a net
you know, it was a net wash that they would
have gotten had they brought somebody up. So yeah, they've
got to be careful with him. But it seems like
he's he's taken it pretty slow.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Just out of curiosity, since you're talking about the four
A category and this is not a prospect but rather
a twenty nine year old player. What is Luis Castro
to the Astros organization?
Speaker 3 (06:30):
He's a uh, you caught me off guard with that one.
I don't really know.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
He's played around the infield. He's obviously hit the ball
and again, these are PCL numbers well enough to you
would think warrant consideration. But I don't know that even
positionally he would have ever made any sense. Because we
also talked about Bryce Matthews earlier, and I know you
did as well, and Dana has brought it up to
and he's got ridiculous splits this year home and anywhere,
butt Consolation field, and to that end, is Bryce Matthew's more.
(07:01):
He can help us at the end of the year
with his speed, and we're hopeful that he plays well
enough this year that when we trot the opening day
lineup card out there next year at Dykin Park when
the Padres are in town, that he's the opening day
second baseman in twenty six.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Yeah, I mean, I think that's there. That's always been
the thought is that he's the He is the internal
air apparent at second base. And I think if he
would have gotten off to a better start this year,
you could have seen Brendan Rodgers probably not be here.
They could have exercised the clause that they had to
release him, and Bryce Matthews could have had a pretty
(07:39):
lengthy runway here.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
But he didn't start off well. He's played better as
of late.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
But yes, as Dana Brown brought up unprompted, and as
you can see on every Baseball Reference site, like his
numbers are pretty road inflated, and you have to look
into that when you look at any PCL numbers. Because
they play in Reno, they play in Albuquerque, they play
in Salt Lake City. They plan all these places where
it is a launching pad and the elevation is higher
than Colorado in some places, so you have to keep
(08:06):
that in mind. And I think Bryce Matthews will be
up at some point this year.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
I don't know when. I don't know what is going.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
To precipitate that, but I will say this, the fact
that he is not up right now, given the situation
that they're in, given that they have lewiski Orme and
Cooper Hummel, no disrespect to them, but that they're on
the roster over Bryce Matthews kind of should tell you
where he stands right now now.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
To not say it can't get better.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
It's not to say that he can't improve his standing
because again he's playing well in Triple A and he
needs to make more contact the defense. I think they're
fine with the defense at second base, but they don't
think the bat's ready. And if he's not up here
right now, given all the injuries, then that you kind
of tell you where he stands.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
Do you get a kick out of lists where Roman
Anthony is listed as a potential Rookie of the Year
candidate when he's played like a handful of games.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Is Christian Campbell's song he gets at the Triple A Today? Yeah,
I mean, look, I think Cam. What Cam suffers from
Cam is and he's not the first person to suffer
from this.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
When you're on the Astros.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
It's really hard to get noticed because you've got Josel
Tuve on the team, because you've got Jordan Alvarez on
the team, because you've got Hunter Brown from Erveld, guy
Josh Hater. You've got household names here that people automatically
go to when you start looking at the Astros.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
And to.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Become more to become the guy that people are talking
about like that, you've got to do some stuff that's
pretty superhuman. And Cam Smith has played very well this season.
He is We just talked about how well he has
adjusted and everything, but we also did just say he
won one hundred and forty seven at bats between homers like.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
The he's hitting a lot of singles.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
There hasn't been a ton of extra bass thump until
the last two nights. He's been remarkable in right field.
He's probably the best defensive right fielder in baseball, which
should give him a ton of.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
You know, props and prop him up.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
But to stand out in these things, you've got to
do something that's pretty superhuman.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
And while Cam Smith has been good.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
He has not been oh my God, like he must
see TV destroying everything in his path like.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
But to be fair, most.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Rookies are not Jack Caglione, who everyone loved. He took
him till today for him to homer and he homered
twice against the Texas Rangers.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Pretty fascinating stuff. They just are finishing up a series
with the rookie who has clearly been the best, and
that is Jack Wilson's kid, Jacob. Appreciate the time as always,
look forward to catching you back here in Houston. Always
appreciate the excellence produced there on the Athletic and we
will talk to you again.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
Soon, all right, Thanks guys.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Chandlerome joining us on a Thursday here on the eighteen
Speaker 3 (10:49):
The eighteen on Sports Talk seven ninety
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