June 18, 2024 • 10 mins
Former MLB shortstop and 11-time Golden Glove winner Omar Vizquel joins Next Up to discuss Major League Baseball's All-Star Game voting update that has second baseman Jose Altuve, outfielder Kyle Tucker and designated hitter Yordan Alvarez among the positional leaders in the American League. Vizquel, who was named to three All-Star teams during his 24-year career, says it's "a tremendous honor" to make an All-Star game. Veteran players might look forward to the break in the season, but as a younger guy, "you really want to be there," Vizquel said. The Astros will face the Chicago White Sox for a three-game road series starting Tuesday, currently sitting nine games back from the lead in the AL West. "You have to believe that the Astros have a legitimate chance" to make the postseason, but manager Joe Espada "has to really show up for the team" and be a strong presence in the clubhouse.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Let's talk to a three time AllStar, eleven time Gold Glove Award winner
resides in the Cleveland Guardians Hall ofFame. He also happens to reside in
the city at Houston. Omar VisScale here on a Tuesday morning. Oh
Mar, good morning, sir,Good morning, doing doing well? Brother.
Anytime we get the talk ball withyou, we're in a good move.
Gordy is here with me. Let'sstart there the All Star voting.
(00:24):
I know, like you've been therebefore. The how do I want to
say this, Gordy, We talkedabout the young guys, like who's next?
You know, your Honor has beenthere, Tuck has been there.
Of course, our two v hasbeen there. Of these next young guys,
Yanna and Das, Jeremy Pina.We believe Rondelle Blanco is going to
get the nod this year. MaybeMauricio Dubon can play his way at some
(00:46):
point into an All Star Game.I know he's in a utility role.
How challenging is it to get toan All Star designation? Well, you
just mentioned some names that are veryyoung, and maybe people are not quite
sure about getting them in the boats. Maybe these guys are gonna be selected
(01:08):
by the coaching or the managers bythe job that they've been doing. But
you know, it's very hard inthe in the first couple of years and
you're in the big league to getthese boats and not Jeremy Penny. I
have a lot of a lot ofhype over the years. He got some
MVP on the War series, whichis really important, and I think he
should get some consideration. As faras JANDIDZ and and do wrong, I
(01:33):
think they're gonna have to weigh alittle bit longer to get this. Uh
this this a war but they forsure they're doing a great job and I
think they they they they have tobe mentioned by the coaches. Oh mar
got I think it's it's kind ofboth, you know, a blessing and
and not so much a blessing tomake an All Star game, because on
one hand, it's tremendous to behonored for what you've done and you were
(01:56):
a three time All Star yourself,but also you don't get that break.
I mean, guys who are anAll Star, they get a break for
a four or five days, geta breather. You gotta still go work,
So it's kind of it's fun andit's a great honor, but you
also don't get that rest of thetime off. You got to go play
an All Star games. Some guysdo the home run Derby and the All
Star Game. Yeah, I thinkwhen you're a veteran guy, you're really
(02:17):
waiting for that break because you deserveit. You've been playing every day and
you probably want to get a coupleof days off and you know, enjoy
it with your family kind of likerelax and go from there. But as
a youngster, I think it's atremendous honor. I think that you want
to go to another Star game becauseyou've never been there. You want to
(02:40):
be there with the best nights inthe league. And obviously it's gonna be
a great thing for you to havingyour resumate to have an All Star game.
You know, I tell you thetruth, I didn't care about the
day off. I wanted to goto the All Star Game. But obviously
it was hard for me when youtalk about short stars that you got to
(03:00):
see a car as you ouly hadon mix Vidriguez get a Keeter, So
it was kind of hard for meto go through these games. But are
tremendous honor. No doubt that youreally want to be there. Omar vis
Guale joining us here on next up. Man knows'es baseball over twenty years in
Major League Baseball, playing in certainlymore years on the bench. We'll talk
(03:21):
more about that. Here's a littlebit as you've been on the staff with
some teams as well, just takinga snapshot on where things are. And
we wake up this morning, guys, and there the Houston Astros have moved
ahead of the Texas Rangers in theAO West, tied in terms of nine
games back from Seattle. Just whatyou've seen from the Astros thus far.
Omar, it's been about a month, maybe five weeks since we've heard from
(03:44):
you. Do you still believe theyhave a chance to win this division and
get in the postseason or do weneed to pivot and start thinking more about
a wildcard spot? You know,Stan, what you get your spring training,
when you start building your team andyou see all the guys that you
have around you in the locker,you have to believe that they use as
(04:05):
still have a legitimate chance to makeit to the playoffs. I don't know
if the Seattle Mariners are gonna holdon to the first place. I know
they're playing real good baseball. Theyhave tremendous pitching. They have a great
bullpen. But you know, thestory with the Seattle Mariners is like the
trips are so long that the playersgot to get tired and maybe they don't
(04:29):
get a strong second half as thereis for the first one. So the
Astros, on the other hand,they have to believe on their team.
They have a great talent in therelineup. It's preposs they're scoring some runs.
I think the question is the pitching. I think and I believe that
this pitching staff is gonna get betteras as the year goes along. They
(04:53):
need still the chemistry, you know, to work and whatever the word is
saying from a manager Jospata, Ithink they got to stay positive and that
could make sure don't have to happen. I think they have the tools to
go all the way. And it'snot like in years before when they were
in first race and they come intothe break OFFFS knowing that they are the
(05:16):
serious. Now they have something thatthey have to build on. They have
to work pretty hard to get there, and I think that momentum in the
second and half is kind of workin their favor to get to the playoffs.
It's so crazy, the ebbs andflows and ups and downs of the
long season. Omar, I waslooking back at your time in Cleveland.
Obviously, that ninety five season,you guys, you know, win one
(05:36):
hundred games and get all the wayto the World Series. The next year
ninety nine wins. Next year youdrop down the eighty six wins, but
you still get back to the WorldSeries with you know, fourteen wins less
than two seasons prior. So itreally is just about find a way in
and punch your ticket and get hotat the right time. But am I
bidding this right? If I rememberright back in two thousand, you guys
(05:58):
won ninety games and still missed theplayoffs. I mean, thank thank God
for the extra wild card these days, but that's that's gotta be wild to
win ninety games, but you finishedsecond behind the White Sox and you missed
the postseason that year. That that'sbrutal. Yeah, I know, it's
gonna be a hard way, nodoubt, you know. Lukin at the
schedule here, they still have eightynine games remaining, which they have to
(06:21):
win fifty seven games out of that. So the records of the segment on
the second half have to be fiftyseven and forty three. Is that doable?
Yes? I belink so. Sothat's what I'm saying. In order
for them to win ninety games,that I have that chance to go to
the playoffs, they have to winthe fifty seven game, and I think
(06:41):
they can do it. Omar VisKale, former Cleveland Guardians, great Houston
resident, dropping by the top ofup talk some Emil being some strolls with
Gordian Fleet. Uh, you onthe bench. You were there with the
Angels in thirteen and then fourteen throughseventeen. Ironically, we just finished the
series with the Tigers. You werein Detroit. Joe A. Spotta,
(07:08):
you know what going and I havehad our battles about this one. How
influential, how important? How impactfulis the manager on a baseball roster or
a baseball club. Excuse me,Well, this is the only thing that
you've got going on right now.The manager, this is the guy that
(07:29):
is gonna gout you, if he'sgonna guide you, and he's gonna orientate
you to go into the playoffs.So he has to be real spoken right
now. It's not like Dusty Baker, a guy that's one one thousand and
two thousand games that you know hispresence only it's a big influence. Now,
Spotter have the job to do.He has to really talk to his
(07:50):
team, get everybody going. Hehas to be a spoke person. He
can just sit down like like youknow, all the managers and let the
team go. I think he hadto really show up with the team and
everybody will photo that parttern and Ithink that that's what he had to do.
Talk with Omar Viz Kellen, Omar, we know how great of a
(08:11):
baseball player you are. I didnot know you were a musician. My
friend, I saw some videos ofyou down in Venezuela. You're on the
microphone singing. You're on the drumsplaying some drums that I didn't know you
were a musician. That's called tequila. Yeah, we're doing a little bit
of everything right now. Stan.I am the image of a league that
(08:33):
is going on here in Venezuela,and uh, you know, I'm trying
to push the fans to go andsupport this league. There is a lot
of players that didn't have a jobthis year. They didn't have the opportunity
to go to America Mexico and playball. So you know me, this
(08:54):
league is doing a great job togiving these guys a chance and we try
to do everything possible to get peopleto the gocals. So that is my
way to support the Baseball League hereas we're doing with baseball clinics and kids,
and you know, we are ina good time. I do want
to get your reaction to listen,you played twenty plus years in this league,
(09:16):
Jose air bred you, Jose abraid you was released last week.
Was it the right thing to do? Was this the right time? And
just your thoughts as you've been inthat situation, aging and still trying to
play this game. Yeah, butit's sad to see that going and happening.
You know, Jossey, it's agreat player. I still believe that
(09:41):
he could have been a helpful thejuston assos. They did everything they can
to accommodate the guy, but theyfinally got a decision to all load some
money maybe and uh, you knowthey You have to believe where you're standing
as a team man. When whenyou believe the things are going to happen,
you make moves, try to bringright people on board, and I
(10:03):
think that's the move that they believethat that can help the team win and
they go from there. All right, the great old mar Vist Scale joining
us here on next up. Appreciateyou being generous with your time, sir.
I know you'll keep watching the games. As we near the All Star
break trade deadline, perhaps we'll getyou back on to get your thoughts there
if you would, Houston, pleasefollow the great old mar Vis Scale.
(10:26):
You can do so at Vis Scalev I z q u E l Omar
thirteen, Vis Scale Omar thirteen B. Well safety and travels, O.
Mar. Thank you, brother,Thank you Sann and really appreciate it always
my man,
Let's talk to a three time AllStar, eleven time Gold Glove Award winner
resides in the Cleveland Guardians Hall ofFame. He also happens to reside in
the city at Houston. Omar VisScale here on a Tuesday morning. Oh
Mar, good morning, sir,Good morning, doing doing well? Brother.
Anytime we get the talk ball withyou, we're in a good move.
Gordy is here with me. Let'sstart there the All Star voting.
(00:24):
I know, like you've been therebefore. The how do I want to
say this, Gordy, We talkedabout the young guys, like who's next?
You know, your Honor has beenthere, Tuck has been there.
Of course, our two v hasbeen there. Of these next young guys,
Yanna and Das, Jeremy Pina.We believe Rondelle Blanco is going to
get the nod this year. MaybeMauricio Dubon can play his way at some
(00:46):
point into an All Star Game.I know he's in a utility role.
How challenging is it to get toan All Star designation? Well, you
just mentioned some names that are veryyoung, and maybe people are not quite
sure about getting them in the boats. Maybe these guys are gonna be selected
(01:08):
by the coaching or the managers bythe job that they've been doing. But
you know, it's very hard inthe in the first couple of years and
you're in the big league to getthese boats and not Jeremy Penny. I
have a lot of a lot ofhype over the years. He got some
MVP on the War series, whichis really important, and I think he
should get some consideration. As faras JANDIDZ and and do wrong, I
(01:33):
think they're gonna have to weigh alittle bit longer to get this. Uh
this this a war but they forsure they're doing a great job and I
think they they they they have tobe mentioned by the coaches. Oh mar
got I think it's it's kind ofboth, you know, a blessing and
and not so much a blessing tomake an All Star game, because on
one hand, it's tremendous to behonored for what you've done and you were
(01:56):
a three time All Star yourself,but also you don't get that break.
I mean, guys who are anAll Star, they get a break for
a four or five days, geta breather. You gotta still go work,
So it's kind of it's fun andit's a great honor, but you
also don't get that rest of thetime off. You got to go play
an All Star games. Some guysdo the home run Derby and the All
Star Game. Yeah, I thinkwhen you're a veteran guy, you're really
(02:17):
waiting for that break because you deserveit. You've been playing every day and
you probably want to get a coupleof days off and you know, enjoy
it with your family kind of likerelax and go from there. But as
a youngster, I think it's atremendous honor. I think that you want
to go to another Star game becauseyou've never been there. You want to
(02:40):
be there with the best nights inthe league. And obviously it's gonna be
a great thing for you to havingyour resumate to have an All Star game.
You know, I tell you thetruth, I didn't care about the
day off. I wanted to goto the All Star Game. But obviously
it was hard for me when youtalk about short stars that you got to
(03:00):
see a car as you ouly hadon mix Vidriguez get a Keeter, So
it was kind of hard for meto go through these games. But are
tremendous honor. No doubt that youreally want to be there. Omar vis
Guale joining us here on next up. Man knows'es baseball over twenty years in
Major League Baseball, playing in certainlymore years on the bench. We'll talk
(03:21):
more about that. Here's a littlebit as you've been on the staff with
some teams as well, just takinga snapshot on where things are. And
we wake up this morning, guys, and there the Houston Astros have moved
ahead of the Texas Rangers in theAO West, tied in terms of nine
games back from Seattle. Just whatyou've seen from the Astros thus far.
Omar, it's been about a month, maybe five weeks since we've heard from
(03:44):
you. Do you still believe theyhave a chance to win this division and
get in the postseason or do weneed to pivot and start thinking more about
a wildcard spot? You know,Stan, what you get your spring training,
when you start building your team andyou see all the guys that you
have around you in the locker,you have to believe that they use as
(04:05):
still have a legitimate chance to makeit to the playoffs. I don't know
if the Seattle Mariners are gonna holdon to the first place. I know
they're playing real good baseball. Theyhave tremendous pitching. They have a great
bullpen. But you know, thestory with the Seattle Mariners is like the
trips are so long that the playersgot to get tired and maybe they don't
(04:29):
get a strong second half as thereis for the first one. So the
Astros, on the other hand,they have to believe on their team.
They have a great talent in therelineup. It's preposs they're scoring some runs.
I think the question is the pitching. I think and I believe that
this pitching staff is gonna get betteras as the year goes along. They
(04:53):
need still the chemistry, you know, to work and whatever the word is
saying from a manager Jospata, Ithink they got to stay positive and that
could make sure don't have to happen. I think they have the tools to
go all the way. And it'snot like in years before when they were
in first race and they come intothe break OFFFS knowing that they are the
(05:16):
serious. Now they have something thatthey have to build on. They have
to work pretty hard to get there, and I think that momentum in the
second and half is kind of workin their favor to get to the playoffs.
It's so crazy, the ebbs andflows and ups and downs of the
long season. Omar, I waslooking back at your time in Cleveland.
Obviously, that ninety five season,you guys, you know, win one
(05:36):
hundred games and get all the wayto the World Series. The next year
ninety nine wins. Next year youdrop down the eighty six wins, but
you still get back to the WorldSeries with you know, fourteen wins less
than two seasons prior. So itreally is just about find a way in
and punch your ticket and get hotat the right time. But am I
bidding this right? If I rememberright back in two thousand, you guys
(05:58):
won ninety games and still missed theplayoffs. I mean, thank thank God
for the extra wild card these days, but that's that's gotta be wild to
win ninety games, but you finishedsecond behind the White Sox and you missed
the postseason that year. That that'sbrutal. Yeah, I know, it's
gonna be a hard way, nodoubt, you know. Lukin at the
schedule here, they still have eightynine games remaining, which they have to
(06:21):
win fifty seven games out of that. So the records of the segment on
the second half have to be fiftyseven and forty three. Is that doable?
Yes? I belink so. Sothat's what I'm saying. In order
for them to win ninety games,that I have that chance to go to
the playoffs, they have to winthe fifty seven game, and I think
(06:41):
they can do it. Omar VisKale, former Cleveland Guardians, great Houston
resident, dropping by the top ofup talk some Emil being some strolls with
Gordian Fleet. Uh, you onthe bench. You were there with the
Angels in thirteen and then fourteen throughseventeen. Ironically, we just finished the
series with the Tigers. You werein Detroit. Joe A. Spotta,
(07:08):
you know what going and I havehad our battles about this one. How
influential, how important? How impactfulis the manager on a baseball roster or
a baseball club. Excuse me,Well, this is the only thing that
you've got going on right now.The manager, this is the guy that
(07:29):
is gonna gout you, if he'sgonna guide you, and he's gonna orientate
you to go into the playoffs.So he has to be real spoken right
now. It's not like Dusty Baker, a guy that's one one thousand and
two thousand games that you know hispresence only it's a big influence. Now,
Spotter have the job to do.He has to really talk to his
(07:50):
team, get everybody going. Hehas to be a spoke person. He
can just sit down like like youknow, all the managers and let the
team go. I think he hadto really show up with the team and
everybody will photo that parttern and Ithink that that's what he had to do.
Talk with Omar Viz Kellen, Omar, we know how great of a
(08:11):
baseball player you are. I didnot know you were a musician. My
friend, I saw some videos ofyou down in Venezuela. You're on the
microphone singing. You're on the drumsplaying some drums that I didn't know you
were a musician. That's called tequila. Yeah, we're doing a little bit
of everything right now. Stan.I am the image of a league that
(08:33):
is going on here in Venezuela,and uh, you know, I'm trying
to push the fans to go andsupport this league. There is a lot
of players that didn't have a jobthis year. They didn't have the opportunity
to go to America Mexico and playball. So you know me, this
(08:54):
league is doing a great job togiving these guys a chance and we try
to do everything possible to get peopleto the gocals. So that is my
way to support the Baseball League hereas we're doing with baseball clinics and kids,
and you know, we are ina good time. I do want
to get your reaction to listen,you played twenty plus years in this league,
(09:16):
Jose air bred you, Jose abraid you was released last week.
Was it the right thing to do? Was this the right time? And
just your thoughts as you've been inthat situation, aging and still trying to
play this game. Yeah, butit's sad to see that going and happening.
You know, Jossey, it's agreat player. I still believe that
(09:41):
he could have been a helpful thejuston assos. They did everything they can
to accommodate the guy, but theyfinally got a decision to all load some
money maybe and uh, you knowthey You have to believe where you're standing
as a team man. When whenyou believe the things are going to happen,
you make moves, try to bringright people on board, and I
(10:03):
think that's the move that they believethat that can help the team win and
they go from there. All right, the great old mar Vist Scale joining
us here on next up. Appreciateyou being generous with your time, sir.
I know you'll keep watching the games. As we near the All Star
break trade deadline, perhaps we'll getyou back on to get your thoughts there
if you would, Houston, pleasefollow the great old mar Vis Scale.
(10:26):
You can do so at Vis Scalev I z q u E l Omar
thirteen, Vis Scale Omar thirteen B. Well safety and travels, O.
Mar. Thank you, brother,Thank you Sann and really appreciate it always
my man,
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