Royals Sweep Astros, Hunter Brown Makes History, Jazz Embarrass Rockets

Episode Transcript
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(00:02):
Now what's next? Next up?It's the next man up, next stop,
the next step, take the nextstep, next up, stop next,
next up? This want to benext? This is next up with
Tad Norfleet ten Chris Gordy. Let'ssee what's next next next? Feeling good?

(00:24):
Feeling great on a Friday live fromthe Sports Talk seven ninety studios,
Nelton, in between Uptown Park andriver Oaks Sports Talks Up ninety. Name
of the shows next up stand Northfleetwould be me. Chris Gordy would be
alongside shortly. He's my radio partner, one half of what we do here
from ten to noon each week dayto Shawn Salisbury show, appreciate them.

(00:47):
We wake up and they entertain andinform us from six to ten am every
weekday morning Sean Brian Triple Lee Astrosplayed some baseball when we got off the
air yesterday and uh, it didn'tlook good. We're gonna discuss why it

(01:07):
didn't look good. I'm going torefer to some baseball experts because maybe you'll
believe them, since y'all don't believeme. I'm just the old football guy
that can talk of the sports occasionally, depending on what day it is,
and who he asked Rockets were inaction last night. They pissed me off
too. Tough sports day in thecity. Rockets went up there to Salt

(01:29):
Lake City and absolutely embarrassed themselves andus that are part of Rockets Nation.
They lose to the Utah Jazz andwhat many of you will says a meaningless
game. Since the Rockets have alreadybeen eliminated from the postseason, I and
Email Adoka choose to look at thatdifferently. Udokah, obviously head coach of
the Rockets team Rockets back in actiontonight. Speaking of Udoka, they traveled

(01:53):
to his native Portland, Oregon,where they will take on the Trailblazers.
More on that to come. Texans, there's some Texas news. I saw
the ownership group. I saw Caland Hannah. They were with Randy McElroy
of kPr C. Two. Yeah, they were talking about expectations for the

(02:14):
twenty twenty four season. And ofcourse we'll take all your calls, tweets
and the like seven seven or four. Lord, I'm going back to Charlotte
seven one three two one two fiveseven ninety. Let me repeat seven one
three two one two five seven ninety. I think I can't see him,
but I know he's over there.There he is, Connorughee McGovern's on the
other side. Let me get him. I don't know why they keep tinkering

(02:36):
with my screens over here, Connor, but I can't say, y'all like
when you're on that screen for whateverreason's not let me put you over there.
But nonetheless, we'll keep pushing.All right, where y'all want to
start astros? Yesterday afternoon, Yeah, since it's too early to talk about

(02:59):
astros. According to Summers, Ilistened to the tenth Innis Show. I
listened to the eighteen yesterday, andit is clear. Let's just be honest.
I promised you all something when Itook this job last February. I
told you I would never blow smoke. I told you even if you got

(03:21):
mad at me, I'm going totell you my truth now. It's going
to be an informed truth, andyou are more than welcome to disagree.
But there are a lot of otherpeople that will blow smoke up your Keista
and that have on rose colored glasses, depending on what team or franchised we're
discussing. I'm not going to dothat. When the teams in this City
play. Well, I'm going tocommend them. Did you hear my Texans

(03:43):
commentary all season? But even withinthat when they have moments that it was
bad, I told them it wasbad. The Astros don't get a pass
and I don't give a damn howmany tweets you send me on the X
platform. I don't care because itstop, it doesn't stop it from being
true. Hey, let's queue upif we can. And I don't know

(04:04):
if you can do it. Connor, I'm putting you on the spot.
Do we have that? And Gordyran in on the tenth inning Shaw excuse
me, he ran in on Astro'slaunch pad yesterday The Brian bogisvik talking about
the starting pitching on this team.If we had that cut, I'd love
to hear, because twenty four hoursago you all agreed with Gordy. Many

(04:30):
of you, I didn't disagree thatthe runners in scoring position is absolutely crushing
this team. Not being able tomove guys home detrimental. Don't disagree.
They left another thirteen on base yesterday, two for thirteen with runners in scoring

(04:50):
position. This is clearly an issue. But for those of you that are
telling me we don't have a pitchingproblem. You are, quite frankly,
you're just willing to go down withthe ship or whatever the Astros are selling
you. And let me say this, because I don't know that I say
this enough. I like the HoustonAstros, I really do. I respect

(05:15):
the guts that it takes to comeout of the scandal and to go win
another title what some five seasons later. The personalities on this team, I
honestly don't have a problem with JimCrane and their ownership, do not.
But seventeen and twenty two and Bagwelland Vigio and Springer and career like,

(05:38):
none of that is helping you rightnow when your ass is four and ten
on the season, losing another series. Stan, we don't have a starting
pitching problem. I'm sorry, whatdid we see Hunter Brown? That's now
twice the last two times we've seenHunter Brown? And oh I got the

(06:02):
tweets, I have the receipts.Oh stand well, maybe maybe you were
right maybe pitching. Watch the games. Watch the games now we can get
into the metrics. And I say, okay, let's do that. I
told you yesterday. I'm sure it'sworse today. I haven't checked. There

(06:23):
were ten teams before the game startedyesterday that had a better that had more
quality starts than the Astros. Itold you yesterday, before Hunter Brown had
that historically awful performance, there werenineteen teams with a better era than the

(06:43):
Houston Astros. And because you're sojaded, many of you, because you
just have and I'm gonna call organizationalarrogance, you did not want to see
what's in front of you. Now, let me also be clear. I
believe this team will make the postseason. I do. They're only three three

(07:05):
and a half games out from theRangers, who are top of the AOS.
The beautiful thing about competitive sports,especially of the team variety, is
you must go prove yourself again.That's what made Michael Jordan great, That's

(07:27):
what makes Tom Brady great when yougo do it over and over and over
at the highest level, and allof the circumstances on a given team in
a given year change. But thisnotion that it's just gonna be okay because
the uniform says Astros. To me, that's just this doesn't make sense.

(07:51):
Con I can't see you. Butif we do get the Bogus savic,
then you let me know. Dowe need to Hunt A Brown in one
inning of baseball, gave up elevenhits, the most in the history of
modern baseball, nine run score,and the game was over. Hunter Brown

(08:20):
now zero to two, two thirdsof an inny. Now many of you
wanted a spot to come get him? What took him so long? They
look they're taxed this team. Letme be clear. Joeh spotted, Dana

(08:41):
Brown, Jim Crane, Reggie Jackson, Jeff Backwell, Craig Bigio. They
rolled the dice and so far thismonth April, they are crapping out.
There is nowhere else to go.Blair Henley can't help you. Spencer Arra,
Gatty can't help you. Hunterah Brownis barely helping you. Thank God,

(09:01):
Ronel Blanco, or what would theseer ras and quality starts look like?
Now? Gordy's point is valid.He'll be here soon enough to speak
for Himselm. Gordy's point is valid. I see you coming. This team
does have a batting issue. AndGod bless Josees Brad, who is out
of the lineup yesterday. Joseir Brad, you're saying you can't blame me for

(09:22):
it, that that ain't on me, and he would be right. But
some of you are blaming George spotsomeone. You're blaming the pitching. Some
of you are blaming the lineup,which I guess is a spoder. Hell,
I'm seeing quotes and people posting stufftalking about Centron, the damn hitting

(09:46):
coach. We will talk about JoseBrad you in this hour as well.
The boat has multiple holes in it, so like if it's complementary baseball,
and that's not a term that youall use. I'm just old football guy.
Brian Bogasevic. I asked Bogue aboutold football guy telling you part of

(10:09):
what's wrong with this team. BrianBogasvic drafted by this team twenty fourth overall
in two thousand and five. Ibelieve that was the year five years putting
on a Nastro's uniform. Bogie.This pitching is an issue, correct.
The bullpen gets turned upside down inthose situations, and you end up covering
too many innings, pitching guys strictlyon availability and not on situation or matchup,

(10:33):
and you know, you end upthrowing Josh Hater in non safe situations.
You end up having to extend guysfurther than you want. So the
bullpen needs to get on track.Twenty twenty two, bullpen was awesome.
Big part of that was the startingpitching went so deep into games as the
bullpen was always pitching on schedule.So that goes into the starting pitching.
What has happened. They've lost threeof their top four guys who are going

(10:58):
to be in the rotation two weeksinto the season. It's a really difficult
thing to cover that. I mean, they've got five starting pitchers on the
injured list, so you're looking atten deep in the organization to cover your
starting rotation right now. Plus Henleythat makes eleven. You know, you're
probably thinking that we've got to goeight or nine deep to cover a starting

(11:18):
rotation for the entirety of a season. To have to do it all this
soon, I don't know what youcan say other than you've got to hope
to get healthy quickly. You know. JV's got to have a good Oh
second, that's Brian Bogasavik. He'scurrently an astro's analyst on the Space City
Home network. He comes by thisshow every Thursday. He just told you

(11:41):
the pitching is an issue that's notme and old football guy saying it's a
guy, that's a man, that'sa guy that plays the position, that
watches the team every day. Thenhe used the term and I didn't catch
this yesterday. We'll talk about it. On the other side, he used
the term you have to hope.I'm gonna say this again. Your ass

(12:03):
didn't have to hope, Jim Cranein the beginning of the season. You
didn't have to hope when you brokespring training camp and you knew you had
four arms. Hell, even ifthat was before Berlanda's discomfort, which it
wasn't, but let's just say itwas. You had three, you had

(12:24):
three starters, and then you thought, with that middle relief losing somewhat one
hundred and eighty innings from last year, that you were just gonna add Josh
Hater and that was going to cureit. Organizational arrogance and a tremendous sense
of pride has cost this team ballgamesthrough fourteen games. Thankfully, the season

(12:50):
is not over. And I'm gonnaend this segment with this, and I'll
come back and I'll take your callson the other side. And the question
is simple. It's not about wasGordy Wright? Was I right? Multiple
things are wrong here. It reallycomes down to preference. What concerns you
most and what is fixable most easiest. Stan, I'm just old football guy

(13:13):
came here twenty four hours ago andtold your pitcher was a problem. Chandler
rom has an article up on TheAthletic right now. Some of you subscribe,
some of you don't. I do. They get my money every month.
I'm glad I do pay them soI can give you this headline.
Astros off to the worst start inover a decade as their pitching crisis escalates.

(13:37):
Y'all questioned my baseball acumen last year? Was I right? The last
game we started Astros in and out. It's not about me being right.
It's about we're gonna have honest andtransparent conversation, or we're gonna blow smoke
up each other's But we're not gonnado that on this show. As long
as I'm blessed to be here,until Gordian, Ericson and Martinez tell me
get the hell out, I'm goingto bring true, transparent, real talk

(14:01):
conversation. I'll let some other showsand some other stations blow smoke. We're
not going to do that, lovey'all, though, but you're gonna be
boys. You're gonna be cool withme. All of my people in my
circle know Stany gonna give you areal whether it's what you want to hear
or not. As I see it, there can be two truths matter perspective.
How do we fix it? Let'spivot on the other side. Seven

(14:22):
three, seven ninety touchdown chexas coachStark Here you're next up with Stan Northfleet
from Chris Gordy on Sports Talk sevenninety Houston's home of Longhort Football. Oh
my goodness, two oh is hithard to write center, high in the
air, chasing back are the outfieldersand it flies out of here. Second

(14:48):
home run of the ballgame for BobbyWitt Junior, a high arching shot to
right field. It says three eightyseven out there and he snuck it over
the wall, his fourth hit,second hover of the game, and fifth
RBI mask. Appreciate Robert Ford andSteve Sparks, Curtisy of the Astros Radio

(15:11):
Network here on seven ninety kV andme your home of Astros Baseball. Brian
and bre You gives up a homerun to win Junior. Brian and Bred
You and Monterro would combine for twoinnings of action. Yesterday, they would
give up four hits and four runs. Astros lose thirteen to three. Astros.

(15:35):
As you can imagine, four andten. Sitting at the bottom of
the AL West. For now,the Astros have the worst winning percentage in
the AL other than the Chicago WhiteSox. The Astros now winner, excuse
me, losers of three in arow, and they have been swept in
a series for the second time tostart this young season. The boat is

(16:00):
leaking everywhere. How do we fixit? What's the most important area of
focus for You can't blame a brayyou yesterday, him didn't play. We
will get to the arms, andI want to talk about this brain trust
because I heard the great Reggie Jacksonsay something as it pertains to the Astros

(16:22):
thought process that's to come before weget to the phone lines. I see
you, guys, Tom, JohnnyMartin and Angleton. I'm coming your way
here right now. The Astros lineupstranded at thirteen more base runners on Thursday
and finished two for thirteen with runnersin scoring position, plummeting their season long

(16:42):
slash line to two twenty nine twoninety two and three thirteen with runners in
scoring position. The Astros have notstarted four and ten since twenty thirteen,
a season in which they lost onehundred and eleven games. Last part about
the which is the primary concern forme, because I believe that's how you

(17:03):
win championships. Pitching fourteen games intothis season, a spotters starting pitchers have
posted a five point zero five ERAacross sixty six innings. Five point zero
five. Okay, we're gonna winchampionship with that. When there was another

(17:30):
option, you had another choice.You painted just up into a corner.
Now the options are not as plentifulas they were. Now it's going to
cost you more. Now. Organizationalera Kinz can blind all of us.
We make fun of the Cowboys fanbase, We make fun of the Yankees

(17:53):
and the Lakers fan base, andwho in college football, the Bama fans
and football whatever, we make them. Until you're in the situation. Every
year in competitive sports is a differentseason. Even if you bring back the
same team, it's a different season. Man, I must be the only

(18:15):
one. Maybe Tom in downtown,I must be on something different. Go
ahead, bro, speak your peace. Good to be with you, man,
I want to start with you.I want to pay you some respect
here. Number one, I listenedto the guys in the morning. I'm
lucky enough for my job that Iget that opportunity. When I was going
home after my morning work is done, I used to put on another radio

(18:36):
stations. One day you started andyou said something, and I said,
hey, this guy's got a goodpoint, and I've been listening ever since.
Let me tell you about what Ibelieve in. I believe in clarity
instead of agreement, you and Ior me and anyone. We can agree
to disagree if we have a differentsub opinion. But when you say pitching,
it's the problem. You are onehundred and thousands of dollars per correct.

(19:00):
It's always going to come down topitching. And as far as being
an old football player, there's aposition in football that's called a quarterback.
They seem to be throwing the ballevery time they're on the field. What
are you gonna do if you don'thave a guy that can grow and get
people out. What are you gonnado If you have a quarterback they can't
make a complete pass coming out ofthe backfield, You're gonna have problems and

(19:22):
that's where we are, so don'tsell yourself short. I'm being an old
football guy. We need more ofthose guys on the radio. Now.
As far as your show goes,I'm gonna stay with that. When somebody
disagrees with you, you always showthem the respect. You may be a
little bit boisterous about it. That'syour style, and that's why I listen,
because telling the truth it's hard todo. We're all fanboys. I'm

(19:45):
at the top of the line onfanboys. I want to throw out one
more thing about the pitching, andI'll listen. I'll take any question you
have for me. There's a guyin the bullpen that was a closer on
this team, and he was apretty goddamn good closer in the major leagues.
He's not being utilized. He's gotnothing to lose. They got nothing

(20:07):
to lose. You can't get thatguy out there two days every six days
to start a game and close thebeginning of a game if your pitching is
that bad and they're hurting that muchand you're not using that guy. I
know it might sound desperate and itmight sound silly, but why not getting
the ball and let him go outthere and start a couple of games at
least until we get over the humpor get the guys back. I don't

(20:32):
know. I may be wrong,and it's okay to disagree, but I'd
like to hear what you think aboutthat. If who were willing to put
Albarez at first base, why wouldn'tpeople we'd be willing to put Presley in
the start of game or any willleave that they got out there. That's
all I got, Man, greatshow, love listening to you, Thank
you Tom in downtown. The answerthat I would have is that, And
for those that may have missed theshow yesterday, it could have been a

(20:53):
day before the thought was introduced totry and put a band aid to try
us stop hemorrhaging over at first baseoccasionally once a week, do you put
your on over there and then youget Yanna Diaz over there for a game?
Maybe Karant teeny goes over there fora game, and you give some
relief for that position. And Isaid, well, and then Gordon and

(21:15):
I went back and forth. I'lllet him speak for himself when he gets
in. You you're they're not desperateenough, if you're just what did the
spot tell us about jose air Bray. You, oh, were just gonna
stay the course. You're not reallytrying to win then, and of course
he wants to win. What I'msaying is you aren't willing to explore all

(21:38):
situations, all remedies that could takecare and alleviate this. And what Tom
in Downtown is saying is hell,if I gotta start Presley the damn it,
that's what I'm gonna do now.I hadn't thought about that. It's
an interesting dynamic. Let me kickthat around over the course of the show.
Let me think about that one.I'm pressed up against it. Johnny

(22:00):
and Martin. I promise you Iwon't say another word. We'll come back.
I'll get to you guys on thephone because you've been holding for a
while. This is next up onthe morning Sports Talk seven ninety. Who's
got next? That's the great onehere? What's coming next? What do
we do next next? And who'sgotta take it to the next level?

(22:21):
Back to dadon Northfleets and Chris Gordy. This is next up on Sports Talk
seven ninety. Yeah, you know, we've been tested early, and this
team been tested before, and thisis gonna make us better. I know,
you know, it's it's hard toswallow sometimes just losses. But you

(22:44):
know this is you know, faithin this group in there. We'll figure
it out. Baby stiff. Beforethe Houston Astros Joel spotted in the aftermath
of getting blasted yesterday, game wasover in the first inning, final score
of thirteen to three. There's blameto go around. Hunter Brown suffers his
seconds of the season. His lasttwo outings have been abysmo. He's owing
too. So if you add upthree of the last four outings we've seen

(23:08):
from the guys that Dana Brown andJim Crane roll the dice on. Hey,
if we have injuries to compound theinjuries we already have, yeah,
we can go get Blair Henley andmore seriously, Spencer Eric gadd In.
Are you Hunter Brown? Yeah?I talked about it in the spring training.

(23:29):
Are we sure that Brown and Franceand France has been solid? But
are we sure that Brown and Franceare just gonna pick up where they left
on? Are we sure that whenguys come back, they're just gonna be
healthy? You know what, I'mgonna stop right there because I lied and
told Johnny and San Diego that Iwould get him on the other side.
I'm sorry, Johnny and San Diego. I was almost going off on another
tangent. Go ahead, Johnny,Hey saying good morning. Thanks for letting

(23:52):
me in. Hey, first off, I'm glad Gordy isn't in because I
feel like what I'm about to saymight spin you guys up. Y'all been
arguing in circles the last week anda half. Sound like sand and skip
right, starting to sound like sandand skip over there. Anyway. So
I'm a huge Astros fan, havebeen since I was five, whenever I
moved from San Marcos to Houston.But yesterday was the first time that I

(24:15):
was glad work and duty got inthe way of me watching the game.
That was it was upsetting. Youbrought up the point that we have the
same record at four INDs and aswe did back in twenty thirteen. It's
not the same roster we were tearingdown then. Hopefully we're not tearing down
now. That would be a bigconcern if we don't write the ship and

(24:37):
people start saying, well, tradeTucker while you can still get something for
him, Trade Bregman while you canstill get something for him. You know,
I hope that doesn't end up beingthe case this season, honestly,
big time. But pitching is thebiggest concern right now. And if people
aren't worried about pitching, they're crazy. You replayed Bogie's interview yesterday or from

(24:59):
yesterday, and uh, he broughtup a couple of points, one of
which I saw you cut the replayoffbefore. He contradicted your biggest concern,
which was getting more starting pitching inthe biggest issue was we couldn't have anticipated
the two starters going down in Verlanderand Arkidi. And if we would have

(25:19):
signed somebody like a Snell or Montgomery, Blanco would have gotten pushed out of
the rotation. He's been our beststarter. He wouldn't have been on the
starting rotation. But think about whatwould have been the case, correct,
So think play that out real time, Johnny. What if Blanco? What
if Blanco is the guy that getscalled up he was already gonna make the

(25:40):
time. Let me not say itthat way. What if he's the guy
that's inserted into the rotation when Farmergoes down, And now we're not looking
at Arraghetti and Henley. You seewhat I'm saying, Like you had other
right, but you've also but you'vealso at that point already missed two of
his starts where he only gave upone hit over almost sixteen in But why

(26:00):
wouldn't he do that when he cameup again? You see what I'm saying.
If you're going to give him creditfor going whatever it was, the
fourteen innings without line run or whateverlike, if you're going to give him
credit for doing it, then whycouldn't he do it at another juncture which
would have been his first time through. That's what I'm having a hard time
understanding there. There are some intangibleswith that. Okay, so he came
in knowing coming from spring training,hey I am going to be in the

(26:23):
starting rotation. He has that confidencebuilt in him now and that maybe allowed
him. I'm saying this isn't intangible. I'm not in his head, I'm
not in the I'm not in theclubhouse, so I don't know. But
maybe that confidence knowing that, hey, I'm on this roster, I made
the opening day starting rotation. Thatgave him the confidence to go out and

(26:44):
throw the way he did. Theother thing I'd like to bring up about
the fact that we didn't bring inany big name frontline starters. Is they
knew that there were Garcia and mccullorswaiting in the wings, supposed to be
coming back middle of the season.What's going to happen to them? If
all of our other starters are playinglike we expect them to and then you
have Garcia McCullers come in, Whatis Snell gonna do? What is Montgomery

(27:07):
gonna do? Are we gonna usethem as trade dates? Or are we
gonna just release them? What's gonnago on? Think about what you're saying.
There are two levels to what you'resaying, and you are thinking along
the lines of Gordy's philosophy here.So let's just say let's just say they
sign Okay, they didn't want togo pay the extra for snail, fine,
six million bucks got in the way. They didn't want to do it.

(27:27):
Fine, let's just say it's Montgomery. I was even saying Michael Lorenzen,
who ironically is now pitching for theRangers. So let's just say Michael
Lorenzen went for four and a halfmillion. But let's get back to the
Montgomery conversation. Let's say they getMontgomery and Fromer doesn't go down, and
Kidi and Garcia and mcculli's and everybodycomes back in June, July, maybe

(27:48):
even August. Now I have asurplus. I have an embarrassment of riches
with arms. What does this teamneed almost more than anything else other than
the first basement to replenish the farmsystem. I can now parse off these
pieces, especially if they're playing well. I could have done both. They

(28:11):
could have done both, but organizationalarrogance and pride in how they do business
got in the way. I'm gonnaspeak more to business, but do you
understand what I'm saying, Like ifyou got too many, that's like saying
my backup quarterback is too good?Huh? Like who's gotta come back your
quarterback? That's too good? Therewas no downside other than getting outside of

(28:34):
your business practices to going to getanother frontline starter. It could have been
two relievers. I don't know ifyou've seen the money, and then I'll
let you finish for what they paid, hater, they could have gotten both
Snail and Montgomery and would have beensix million dollars less. Now you wouldn't
have had it, you know,for half the time. But you still

(28:55):
could have had both guys on shorterdeals, so you would have maintained flexibility
if you wanted to go that route. Does all that make sense? That
does make sense, and that's agood point. I'm not I liked the
Hater signing. I didn't like themoney, right. I would have much
rather replenished all of those innings thatwe lost in our middle relief, like
all those guys that we've been talkingabout and Maton all those guys like I

(29:23):
missed those guys leaving. I wasupset whenever we didn't find some way to
get them on a one or twoyear deal, not going overboard like we
did with Mayton and we were ornot Maton Montero, and we currently regret.
But I would have liked to keepthat continuity in our middle relief.
But one of the reasons why Ialso feel that, and it could feed

(29:47):
right into your organizational arrogance point.But I feel like they brought up JP
France, and they brought up HunterBrown last year, and they did fairly
well for the majority of the season. Yeah, they out, they petered
out towards the end, if youright exactly, But if you bring in
someone like and I'm just using thetwo names Smella Montgomery because those were the

(30:10):
two biggest names that were on thetarget. If you bring those guys in,
then you got Blanco that got rolledout, and then whenever you start
getting C. M. McCullers comingback, then you start pushing Hunter Brown
and JP France down. You're notgoing to keep them in the bullpen.
You did that for the playoffs lastyear because that's just how playoffs. Bullpens

(30:33):
are constructed, with some starters inthere to bridge those gaps whenever you have
short outings. But you would havehad to have sent those guys back down
to the minors, and organizationally,I don't think that that's where their mindset
was at. I understand your point, Johnny and san Diego. I appreciate
the call in you listen, bromMartin Angleton. I'm up against it,

(30:53):
but I'll let the bosses yell atme to get you in here. You've
been holding for a while. Goahead, Broun, hey stand uh The
Astros right now are just one giganticpile of horse maneuver right now all the
way around. Uh Stan. Iagree with your organizational arrogance thing. Last

(31:15):
year we were having these problems withthe offense last year. And uh and
uh Hunter Brown has regressed so badhe's going to end up inside of his
mother's stomach again as a fertilized egg. Uh. This is this is maybe

(31:36):
stand As much as I hate tosay this as an Astro fan, maybe
I hope I'm wrong, hoping they'llprove me a wrong starting tonight. Maybe
the Astros are starting a slow dissensiondescending. I hope not. But uh,
that's all I have to say.I know you're up against that.
Yeah, see see you letters standing. Thank you so much, Martin and

(31:59):
Angleton. Hope everybody has a greatweekend out of Angleton kicking it with mart
Let's come back and talk about theorganizational and I use the term organizational arrogance.
We're going to peel back the layersand I'm going to allow me to
illuminate what I actually mean by that. Some of you taking it as a
shot at the organization or it hasa negative connotation, not necessarily because I

(32:23):
heard Reggie Jackson say something. We'lltalk about the decision making over there at
minute. May park on the otherside, KB and me. Next up
continues on your computer listen to SportsTalk seven ninety on any device with our
free iHeartRadio round. I pretty muchleft everything over the middle of the dish,

(32:45):
whether it was fastball, change up, Curvell Clider, you know,
I guess maybe maybe Perez's you know, ground ball at the middle was a
halfway decent pitsh But other than that, no, it's pretty much just a
brutal day all around. Yeah,damn, Hunter Brown, your last two
outings not great. Stan Fleet,here I go by at Stan sportsman on

(33:07):
social to my left, joining us. Now I know he's got program director
responsibilities. He is at Chris Gordon. Of course, we're at Sports Talk
seven ninety. Gordon. You andI watched the game yesterday afternoon while having
some lunch, and Hunter Brown's thestory of the game that was over in
the first inning. I already mentionedthe historic nature of the eleven hits in

(33:28):
the first inning. Hunter Brown didnot make it out of the first inning.
You have not had a chance tospeak, sir. I didn't the
people. As my witness, Idid not speak for you. I highlighted
some of the things that we've alreadysaid, but I want you to have
coming off Hunter's performance, the floor'syour sir, I'll shut up. Yeah.
I think what was lost in ourdebate and everything all week was that

(33:49):
I never said that like pitching wasn'ta problem. I said that it wasn't
at least through the first first severalweeks. The starting pitching you were getting
by and you and obviously you hadsome really good pitching performances as well.
But I thought the biggest reason forthe four and eight start this was following
Tuesday into Wednesday. The biggest issueyou'd had to that point in the season

(34:13):
is lack of timely hitting. Nowyou still have lack of timely hitting,
as you saw you scored two runson Wednesday, three runs yesterday. But
of course the pitching argument got exacerbatedthe last two days with Spencer getting getting
shelld in his third inning and thenHunter Brown not being out of the first
yesterday. The thing is, though, and this is this is where we

(34:36):
have to, you know, takea step backward. Had they signed a
big name free agent pitcher, HunterBrown was still going to be part of
the five MANU rotation. So HunterBrown getting shelled yesterday maybe still happens even
with another good arm in the rotation. It's just with another good arm in
the rotation. Yes, you probablydon't have Spencer rag Getty making this start
this early and so on and soforth. But again, like it's hard.

(34:59):
Like some my one of the nationalguys rode yesterday, they said Joe
A. Spot had never envisioned hewas going to start the season with Justin
Verlander on the IL and the JoserAkidi on the IL and then from Bervalde
is going down. I mean likeit it's a it's a it's a you
know, it's an epidemic of purportlike that you have never felt before.

(35:20):
Quick question, whose job is itto think about the what ifs? Whose
job is that? Well, Imean it's supposed to be Dana Brown,
but you know as well hear herein a little bit, sounds like there's
a lot of cooks in the kitchen. I don't know if Dana Brown a
full full autonomy over there. Theship has holes in it. And I

(35:42):
did, in fairness, same thingI said yesterday. I started the show
saying the same thing. I havenever disputed that what you said about and
that's that that you put up wasexcellent right fourth in hits and what some
mill of the pack in eighteenth,I believe, or something like that,
and turn to get as I pointedout, it is still in my opinion,
it's their biggest problem because it iswhy it is. It is the

(36:06):
primary reason why you're four and ten. The Blair Henley start was bad.
You overcame that because the bats showedup that one day. But overall,
go look at all their losses andit's one run, three run, three
run, one run, two run, two run, three run, two
run, three runs. These arewhat you've scored in the losses. It's
not enough. Three runs is notenough right now. And again that's barring

(36:30):
runout Blanco throwing a no hitter.And again that's what I said coming into
the season, I said, thestrength of this team has to be the
offense. When your on Alvarez ismaking what he's making, When Josel Tuove
gets a you know, albeit lifetimecontract, Astro for life, Alex Bragg
been playing for a contract, KyleTucker playing for a contract, all these
guys. You're you're considered amongst thebest hitters in baseball. But why do

(36:52):
I know this? Because I justhad a fantasy football or fantasy baseball draft
a few weeks ago. All theseguys went in the first few runs they're
expected to produce. Half these guysare not producing. And thus when you
walk away from a game and youscore two three runs, you're coming out
on an l because again, thepitching overall this season, I would say
that outside of a Hunter Brown debacleand the Spencer Araghetty debacle, overall the

(37:15):
pitching has given you chances to wintheir here offense has not come through and
back them. Chandler Rome, Chandlerand I put this that out to start
the show. Chandler Rome from hisarticle. He's got it up in the
Athletic right now. I just retweetedit because it's a fantastic article. Chandler
Rome says, through sixty six innings, the starters on this roster have a
five point zero five ERA. That'snot astro level, championship level. And

(37:39):
I'm gonna push back on that.This team is led with the bats because
if they're supposed to be, ifthat's how it's built right now with having
Luis Garcia, Lance mccullors back,now, when you get them back with
everybody else, a rotation can bea strength. A rotation that has justin
Verland Fromber, Javier, Hunter Brown, JP France, Bronel Blanc h like

(38:02):
and I'm talking about more about thosefirst three JV and I get it JV
hand pish yep. This year JVfrom being Javier. People told me when
I came into this thing over ayear ago, coming into last season,
staying all three of those guys areaces. Who's got a better first three
than the Astros? So when yousay, and I'm not disputing that the

(38:24):
bats are an advantage or should be, but I also can't back off of
so should the pitching, the startingpitching, the front line of starters should
be playing better at baseball then theyhave played. And this is before Framer
got hurt. So I don't wantto nestle, but breaking that who hasn't
been jabber through multiple starts has beenawesome Fromber in his first two starts was

(38:49):
awesome. Now he gets hurt.The first two starts, well, oh
well the second one, second one, he's awesome. First one was okay,
but point being, he was onpace, he was looking like he
was getting things together and he gothurt. But who who Utter Brown?
Yesterday? And Hunter Brown? Reallyhis last two starts has been not being
good. JP France is giving youchances. Who else has not bit lived

(39:12):
up to their what they're supposed tobe? Hey, everybody else is heard.
I mean JP Franz is oh andone, Well you're j Justin Erlanders
threw seven innings once and give upon run and took a loss. So
no, no, no, youcan't just go on record where you're making
my point oh and two because youdidn't get run support. No, oh
and two, be better as apitcher. I almost say he gave you

(39:36):
five and two thirds and three runs. That's that's that's a quality. It
may take five and two thirds inone run. You can be better.
But what about you asking let's askyou one much because the hitters in this
league are while because you're asking,you're asking this stuff to be silent.
No, I'm asking them to bebetter than ten other teams right now in
Major League Baseball have more quality startsthan the Astros. I'm at asking him.

(40:00):
Ten teams shouldn't maybe three, maybefour, nineteen nineteen. Other teams
have a better right in the HoustonAstros right now? It shouldn't be nineteen.
Well, what wasn't yesterday? PriorHunter Browns start yesterday. He's gonna
blow all those numbers. All ofthis was before yesterday. This was the
numbers before yesterday. All I'm sayingis Christian Haaveer and he was supposed to

(40:22):
be good. He's been great.Ronel Blanco was an unknown. He's been
awesome. JP France has been exactlywhat we thought he would be. No
one has asked. If you're askingJP Franz, brother, I need six
innings, two runs out of everyday. He can't give you that.
He's not that, but but heis a cheap labor and he's a perfect
five. Then the five of afive man rotation. The organization shouldn't put

(40:43):
him in a situation to do somethinghe can. But you got you gotta
pitch guys. You have team controlover stand. You can't be the Yankees
and have one hundred million dollar startera starter, one, starter, two
starter, three starter. Four teamsaren't built that I will bring up.
You have to be built with guysthrough your system. I'm gonna get to
this in eleve o'clock hour before weget out of here. It's the weekend.

(41:05):
People are moving around the city goingout hope, they're driving vehicles from
some friends of hous Well. Thered tags are out and Fred has Total
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(41:29):
of mind with two years no costmaintenance. It is a great time to
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put the windows down, the roofdown, whatever you're doing, open the
sun roof. Go get yourself ina new ride over at fred Has Total
World. They're open every Sunday,so if you can't get out there today,
they're not open tomorrow, but they'reopen Sunday, So go take care
of what you got to take careof tomorrow and then schedule a ride over

(41:52):
Sunday. Head over to Fred HasTotal World. Go check out what they
got again. The red tags areout. Number one to at a dealer
in Houston. It's Fred Has TotalWork Now what's next? Next up?
It's the next man up, Nextstop, the next step, take the
next step, next up, nextstop, next next up. This team

(42:13):
wants to be next. This isNext Up with Tad Norfleeten Chris Gordy.
Let's see what's next next next finalhour of the week here on Sports Talk
seven ninety Next Up is the show. Got my crew with me? Stand
Northfleet would be me, Chris Gordonwould be him. Connor de McGovern on
the other side of the screen thereappreciate him assisting us with our programming needs.

(42:37):
Thanks to you, Houston for kickingit with us, allowing us to
maintain our status as your home ofHouston sports. If you missed the first
hour of the show, available foryou Sports seven ninety dot com as well
as the free iHeartRadio app. Ifyou're visiting the city, you're coming in
for some ball games this weekend.As the Texas Rangers make their way back

(42:58):
to the scene of the crime aLCS game seven over at minute May part,
we will have that action for youhere Sports Talk seven night of your
home of Astros Baseball. That begins. By the way, they deserve criticism
too. Everybody wants to jump onthe Astros. The Rangers just lost two
out of three of the lowly aidsat least one zero. At least the

(43:19):
Kansas City Royals are a much improvedteam with Bobby Witt, who just got
a monster contract. That that dude'shitting the home runs left and right like.
That's an improved rate Royals team.No shame to losing to them.
If the Astros lose two out ofthree to the A's, we will come
in here and say, trash,you can't do that, Rangers. They
just did that to your point,seven straight wins for the Royals. They
outscored the Astros twenty eight to eightin this three game series and obviously swept

(43:45):
our Astros. So we have goneback and forth, and I will get
to your calls, Joe and Ray, you'll be next up. We've gone
back and forth about whatever you wantto call it, Priority one. The
bottom line is there's holes in theboat. How do we go about fixing
these holes? And who is ultimatelyresponsible for fixing these holes? That's what

(44:07):
I want to get to momentarily fornow, Gordon, Let's go to the
phone line people been holding for awhile. I know we're passionate about the
Astros in the city, Ray inMontana, jump in here, you're next
up? Hey, good morning,guys, I got I mean, I'm
just wondering if the manager is upto this. I mean, I don't

(44:29):
know about him. I mean Iwas in favor of him in the beginning,
but now I'm starting to worry.What has the spot done or not
done to say you don't know abouthim? Well, I just think that
a sense of urgency. And Isaw this last year with Dusty Baker.

(44:49):
The sense of urgency just doesn't seemlike it's been there since the World Series.
I agree. I mean it feelslike they just think that they can
walk go on to the field andthat the win is just gonna Yeah,
we just show up. It's easierto be the hundred versus the hunted.
I mean, everybody wants us.I mean not only because we're won a

(45:15):
World Series, but we cheated.The other thing is is there anybody out
there that we can trade for fora first baseman? And the third thing
is, and I don't understand whywe're not doing this. We did it
with a guy who is suspended forforty five games. Why are we not
trying to go for Trevor Bauer.Yeah, he's got some morality issues,

(45:37):
but you can sign him for theleague minimum and basically tell him we're the
only one giving you a chance.If you screwed this up, you're done
league minimum. And if he doesn'tjump on it, that's his problem.
I mean we that's one whole fixedright there. Appreciate Ray and Montana.
Two things. Trevor Bower's name continuesto come up. We know the history

(46:00):
and things he said about the organizationgoing back to the scandal. I think
if they were going to do it, because we had this same conversation last
year, where was he playing atTaiwan Japan? He was somewhere overseas.
We had this conversation last year,Dana Brown and the organization passed. Then
it doesn't amass when you say DanaBrown, the ASTROS passed, Everyone passed.

(46:22):
No one is sniffing around. Thattells you all you need to know.
And again Brian Lean brought up earlierthere was some more allegations that came
forward of another woman and all thatpeople are just looking at him as toxic.
Is as good of a picture ashe once was. We don't know
if he's still that picture now,but too when you got baggage like that,
people don't even want to touch it. Well, here's what I know

(46:43):
about pro sports, and I knowI'm just a football guy. If you're
good enough that what he said?Who said that? I get that all
the time. Hurt you on socialmedia? I get that all the time.
Nobody around, nobody saying that fromday one. You didn't. You
did an incredible job from day onewhen you stepped foot on the airways.
Here of getting caught up on theasters, junior research understanding. But so
people respect your baseball penn. No, I can't tell because at stance I

(47:09):
have to bite my tongue and turnon the cheek as the good books.
But I got some dirty words thatI want to say, some dirty verbs
as they say. No, no, you know the majority of the countries
not on Twitter, right this istrue? Uh, well, I was
gonna say I was in Trent Tha. If you're good enough and if the
team is desperate enough, they'll giveyou a change. Now, this team

(47:30):
doesn't appear to be desperate enough.Right now, we'll talk about the decision
making process about well they would haveto get supern like like we found out
tomorrow, Hobviers going on the alMaybe they'll bring a Trevor Bauer for a
visit. So I'm gonna get toyou to get that bad the the Econa
brought up a good point. Iam, and this isn't just yesterday.

(47:52):
This team's body language, Gordy.They look lethargic. They look like they're
in a day. They look likethey're waiting for somebody to come and save
them. Said, I don't getthat. I'm not the only one saying
it. I've heard it on thetenth Innis Show. I've heard and seen
things on social media like other astrofans are saying this team does not look

(48:15):
right. I'll say this like theydidn't. They didn't quit fighting yesterday like
they they end up. They getthat situation where two outs, they load
the bases, Jordan works a basisloaded walk uh and Kyle Tucker was up
with the bases loaded and he comesthrough with a I'm just saying, like,
no, two days ago, yesterdaywould have been easy throwing the towel.
We got no chance. They keptfighting the night before. Kyle Tucker

(48:39):
slams the bat down on the finalsbecause he and I understand why he's frustrated.
That doesn't mean lack of days ago. I mean you care. Look
at their body language, like,do me favor? And this is no
disrespect uh to TK and Blum onthe broadcast. They sitting home network,
they're friends of ours. Do mefavor. Go back to yesterday's game or

(48:59):
even the last few games. Mutethe TV and just watch the players.
The body language does not exude theconfidence. Remember jam ypinya round in the
bases last year and he's doing thehip gy racing. Yeah, what do
they have to celebrate? They can'tscore, run they're getting give me I
don't but I think like you're talkingabout something different. Like body language means

(49:20):
like they're still giving effort, they'restill try. No, no, they're
not. Frustrations. Yeah, thefrustrations are boiling over the score runs.
Two different things. Yesterday, Idon't believe the majority of that team thought
when it was nine zero they weregonna come back and win. You know
why they didn't believe that because theyknow the team. The locker room knows
itself better than we do, andthey know in the top of the six

(49:44):
with two outs, Victor Carrottini doublesto score a doubles. Penia goes to
third to bond, then singles Painascores Keratini to third, OL two.
V works a walk, Jordan worksthe basis line nine to three. Like.
I didn't say they quit, Isaid the body language does not zude
six division titles in the last sevenyears and seven consecutive alcs appens. That's

(50:07):
not what the why were they supposedto exude winning when you're four and ten?
I wanted to go and the StateWarriors do it. They have their
own is shits shure no, butlisten to what I'm saying. They never
take the floor and yeah, Idon't know. We're just gonna give it
our ba. I think I expecta certain amount of swag. Now I
will blame a spot for that,you know what. And we're gonna talk

(50:30):
about Jose bred You in this houras well. I read a statement,
a quote from Jose and Breh's interpreter. We're not talking about interpreters the day.
I have no desire to get intothat bs in l a. Jose
albra you, I've just lost myconfidence and I know what what I need
to do, and I just huh, oh, he's in a you're from
MVP. He's in his own category. But I think that is reflective and

(50:51):
indicative of the energy around that lockerroom, and it is something that I
look at yours. Stop and gosome updated statue real quick. They're they're
now fourth and all Major League Baseballand batting average, they are now second
in all of baseball and total hitsone hundred and thirty one those they're fifteenth
and run scoring going fifty five,one hundred and thirty one hits fifty five

(51:13):
of those guys who come around thescore crazy. Back out to the phone
line, galleria area. That's whatwe are. Joe, get in here,
man on a Friday. Yay,yay. Normally I agree with Gordian
Tuesday. But right now, rightnow, I'm agreeing with you one hundred
percent. Were something's wrong with theastrals And well that's evident, Joe,

(51:34):
they're four and ten. What doyou mean it's nobody here. You didn't
hear me say nothing's wrong with theastros. Don't misconstrue it. No,
but you sound real positive. Bottomor are supposed to dump on him and
hold up the batner. The runis all let the man's you're jos.

(51:55):
Hold on, let me ask you. Let me tall uh. Let me
ask you a question, Gordy.Yes, out of the top ten teams
in the league, in the league, how many of our astros active astros
right now would be starters? Topten teams in the league. All right,
let's start in the AL. TheYankees lineup loaded. The Guardians,

(52:17):
they're good, they're nine and three, but better half the half the the
Kansas City Rows does not have abetter roster. Baltimore sneaky, the Rangers
are good. Pirates Detroit half thatroster. You're just looking at al,
he said, all a baseball.I'm just saying. So we're going over
all records. We got a goodthe Pittsburgh Pirates who are nine and four.
Brewers, we gotta include the DetroitTigers who are seven and four.

(52:39):
Like those are all. Yes,the Astros have a better over half of
their lineup is better than than halfof these teams lineups. I would agree
with that. At the top ten, yeah, I would agree with that.
I mean, when you say topten, we're going off the base
of results so far. So likethe Cleveland Guardians are the number two team
in all baseball at nine and threeBraves better roster, Dodgers better. Right,

(53:00):
I would say Rangers equal roster,Yankees equal better roster because they swept
them. So I would say thoseare three teams, Yankees, Dodgers,
Braids right off the rip better rosters. But if you want to start getting
into a one for walk, Idon't know, Okay, appreciate it.
You want gliber Torrez or you wantJosel Tuv. Come on, let's let's

(53:22):
be reallier. Like the Astros havebetter hitters than a lot of a lot
of these guys, and they're justnot They're not duke pulling their weight score
some damn runs. Pitch better andget guys in here that pitch better.
Well. But here's here's what Igo back to. Blair Henley, who
didn't pitch well, don't need tosee him again, still won that game
because the hittings was there. Ifthe hitting shows up every night, we
can overcome average. Mahomes can throwfor five hundred every game, of course

(53:45):
they're gonna win. And he does, no, he doesn't. I watch
Patrick Mahomes this year average three airyards per pass. It was among the
lowest in the league. I'm justa point to you is when you're a
champion, you must learn to wina multitude of different In NFL, when
your defense is not good, youhave to win a shootout and the offense

(54:07):
has to step up. There aresyou can score ten runs, but there
are times that you have to wina game two, one, three,
two, sure, like every oncein a blue moon. But like this
team, the way it's built iswith pretty good pitching. Not supposed to
be Dyna Nite offense. Stanton issupposed to be a top ten offense in
baseball, and it's supposed to beone of the top ten rotations in baseball.

(54:28):
Went healthy, yes, and they'llget there all right. When they
get healthy, they'll be there ifyou like me. You were eating some
wings yesterday watching that performance from HunterBrown, and I was reaching for something
in a can. I had thewrong can. I know the can I'm
gonna have this afternoon, Gordy,some friends of I was over at Corbok
where the eight team was at yesterday. Well, yeah, we were there
yesterday too. Ross and I dida live edition of the Crawford box cast.
If you missed that, you canfind it on the iHeart I heard

(54:51):
radio app just search Crawford Box Cast. It's presented by Carbok Brewing in the
Crawford Bock. You know when yousee it was to Killa Sunrise Stripes.
We will be over at minute Mayall this weekend. Hopefully you guys are
partaking and enjoying some Crawford Box fromcar Bock Brewing. And again, if
you guys haven't been over there tothe beer garden over there, it is
a nice time year with this weather. Get over there before it starts getting

(55:13):
you know, depressingly hot in Juneand July. But tons of events going
on over there to a Carbock brings, so make sure you check their website,
check their schedule and all the greatevents that they have, and make
sure you're drinking a Crawford Bach.Again. Maybe that's the issue, Maybe
you guys aren't drinking enough Crawford Boxwatching the astros do so responsibly. But
let's get the astros back on theirrunning ways and let's enjoy that sweet taste
of victory. It's a home runevery time with the Crawford Bock with your

(55:37):
non Next up, the pictures tremblewith fear. You run all the rest
of the Coffree run over with Northfleetand Gordion. Next up, bellies tremble
with hunger. Lunchtime is so closeuntil then, chow down on more.
Next up, three and two toYiner. Singer delivers and this one's wallet

(56:07):
left field cutting through the wind.It's got a chance and it's gone way
out of here. The left centerfor yin or Das and the Astros are
on the board. Appreciate the bighomie Yan and d Ass Young Fela putting
the Astros on the board. Yesterdayfour hundred and thirty two foot Jack the

(56:29):
left center made it nine to one, Gordy toping forth. Thank you Dusty
nine one. That's what we're supposedto do, right, we're supposed to
thank him. So y'all, thankyou for what Young n d Is is
doing. Appreciate the young homie comingaround. Appreciate you. Houston my favorite
city in America. I tell youthat each and every day because you deserve
it what we have here in thiscity. And I do mean this.
We're gonna argue and debate our sports, and I do appreciate the passion.

(56:51):
I can even respect the difference ofopinion. But there's no better city in
all of America. Than Houston,Texas. I love it him. I'm
very thankful and appreciative that Gordy andthe is a lot me to sit in
his seat for what has been whatyou can need a massage, therapist over
or anything that will help. Likethat was unnecessary. They had nothing to
do. I'm just thinking, likeBregman and braving these guys. Maybe pro

(57:12):
athletes the massage in the city.Get your ann disclosure agreement and take care
of whoever the team sends you.Well. If you cross a line like
a certain quarterback, I know that'swhere you were going because you're sick individual.
Maybe these guys are too tense.Maybe to loosen up going to the
body language is bad and I can'tbelieve you're not seeing this. Can we
get a day off and go tolike a water park or something. Just
get everybody let loose. They gottaplay twenty games in twenty one days.

(57:36):
They don't get another day off untilThursday the eighteenth. That is me.
Joe goes, hey, guys,we're going bowling one night. If and
off night. Let's all get together. Joe forget baseball for a night.
Joe spot he's taking some heat.We need to talk about that this Like
me, I have no problem withyour criticizing the manager. I just need
to know reasons why. Give methe reasons why line up the Okay,

(58:00):
specifically what has he done with thelineup so right off the rip and it
has since quieted mostly going on attwo? All right, that has sense?
Quite has that been bad? ButI didn't say it's been bad.
I said there were people that feltsome type of way about it, keeping
a break you in the lineup asoften as he has. But hey,
you said people whole type of way. And I heard people say this,
I don't like it. Okay,well, like you don't have to like

(58:21):
it, but like it's not aproblem. Can I see if you look
at the numbers the through fourteen gameor through thirteen games last coming into yesterday,
Jordon's performance and the team performance runnersand scoring position with yourdon at two
versus your on at four or youon at three different I saw that come
out yesterday. But here's the cavelatarof that is him batting third was when

(58:43):
whoever was if it was Bregman backand second when he was hitting what Bregman's
not hitting? If he was battingsecond, right, I would being the
same results like some numbers that saidthe two hole, he's not performing to
what he normally had done. Butit's silly because it's how is it silly
if the numbers Because if if ifeight nine to one are getting on,
then he's surviving those guys in Sonow we're going to do the thing.

(59:07):
You know, the thing that makesme upset. People have to be on
bass room to drive you know,I know what makes me upset with you?
In correct? You you defend theorganization on every Why am I just
I'm not defending the organization. No, I'm not saying I'm just saying what
happens to callers. We get pitypeople is city who want to just bitch
and they just want to bitch andmy and my retorter is tell me why.

(59:27):
I have no problem with you.Tell me. But but you said
people are angry that you're on aboat a second, that's one of the
retorters. Why are you angry?And the retort I've heard from people is
because I don't like it. Wellthat's not a reason. No, I
just gave you a reason. Thereare actual metrics that prove your performance as
great as it is. Okay,we'll give it out. So there are
some people like mentioned Jose Brady inthe lineup. People have an issue.

(59:51):
How you can do about that.I'm just telling you. I'm just telling
you the people what they're SAA,they're run the base runners NAT Foods.
People have an issue not having toon in the lineup, staying with Jake
Myers. When Jake mis gives younothing not to play, I mean we
can go on like. People havesome ripes now, the newest one that
I'm add against. I don't likethe bouty language. The energy is not
exuding seven consecutive alcs. It's andthat's a problem for me. You're not

(01:00:15):
gonna walk around with your chest thisbitch. Christ and Sugarlane get in this
combo man staying. I called toget on your cave like I always do.
You know, I'm the guy youalways say, oh man, you
call it or rust my foot,rustle my fellow a lot of time,
Chris. But first of all,I said, I want to tell you
this, man, I enjoy y'allshow man. You guys show us better

(01:00:37):
than uh, you know, allthe other shows. It is my opinion.
Then on you know, on sevenninety man because you guys sound more
like real barbershop talk. If youever go to a black barbier shop,
this is what you're gonna hear,no question. So you know, going
back and they associate me with blackbarbershops all the time, Chris, I'm

(01:00:57):
telling you, man, if youever if you ever go to a black
barby shop and this is that,you know, you're gonna have ten chairs.
They're going doing exactly what you guysare doing right now. So I
really appreciate it. But anyway,uh staying, I was calling to get
on you, but then you justmade a value of point about about my
guy or you're doing. I thinkthey need to kind of mess around with

(01:01:19):
the line up and move him downbecause it's a guy called in to another
show yesterday and he got it.They tore them up just because he said
that maybe moving breakman uh to secondbat and second would be uh, you
know, could help out help breakthem out a little bit. And nobody
understood it because they're sticking with thesenumbers. You know, everybody's going to
be what you call this, Uh, everything's about numbers. You know.

(01:01:43):
They want to go to analytics andthen go to metrics and everything sometimes.
But what Dusty did was he askedyou was a combination of both. Okay,
So what it does is it doesgive a breakman a little bit of
a better opportunity to make a hitbecause nobody wants to pitch to uh Alvaret,
so he gets better pitches and he'sa good walk person. So I'm

(01:02:06):
not saying that's a solution. I'msaying he can within the lineup. Just
don't go by mythic. I don'tknow if the new skipper is that type
of person. I don't know ifhe's a combination of just numbers. I
mean, is he all about numbersor he's a combination of both, like
Dusty would. I don't believe injust, you know, allowing the you
know, everybody be programmed like it'sa computer. You just you just put

(01:02:28):
in these numbers and it's gonna workthat way. I don't believe in that.
I think it's got to be acombination of both. But my last
thing, really quick thing, isthat you know, I know, you
like throwing money at problems, andI have seen I have seen the Yankees
stole money and problems for years.I have seen the Dodgers did it last
year, and no and none neitherone of those teams you know want be
on uh what uh the Comforts Championship. So I just don't think throwing money

(01:02:52):
at problem is always the uh Asolution. I think you gotta go.
I think he gets yeah, theStates, of course, and let's just
see what happened. I think youknow, I'm a little bit nervous because
I've never seen him get off tothis slow start. But I don't I
don't believe in this body languagetand Idon't see we don't have those flashing type
of guys standing. You gotta realizewe don't have a lot of those big

(01:03:13):
personalities, like all guys are kindof row key anyway. So I don't
see Chris stopped this. I'm sorry. I've seen Chas get a stand up
double and do the chump. I'veseen Jeremy pinr jy rate. I've seen
your point back at the club.I mean I point back at the dugout
as he's round in the basin.I've seen Gush demonstrate some emotion out there.

(01:03:37):
Let's not act like that hasn't happened. I've seen al Reptil when he
strike out somebody hit his hat andyeah, I'm in the group. I've
seen that. Let's not act likeI'm making that up. We all watch
the game. But you're talking aboutguys celebrating good moments. Christians good to
celebrate. That's the problem. It'slike, it's like when the Texas are
the five day losing streak. Man, these guys look like they're the other

(01:03:58):
fun out there. Well, yeahthey're losing. That's just sir Win in
thoose like that. That's just anexample. I need jose L TV.
I need Kyle Tucker. I needsomebody to go no, no, no,
get your ass over there in thegap and make sure you catch the
next fly ball in right center.It's okay to be demonstrative. I watch
robots out there right now. I'mjust going to go to second base and

(01:04:19):
then when the inning is over,I'm going to proceed back to my dug
up and wait for my time inthe order. That's not Astros baseball.
Asharks baseball is about intimidating people.We're gonna fly around, We're making place
at the play in the field.We're talking our bleep amongst ourselves, like
where is the energy? Maybe theysigned somebody from Barbados. This is sport

(01:04:43):
Song seven ninety Chris Gordon one.It was my robotics one. The man
said a black bob shop. Hedidn't say you were going to damn Dominican
republics wherever. That was Johnny ChawnaviewMichael, and we'll still take your calls,
everybody. Let's talk some more strokeson the other side. Seven one,
three, two, two five,seven ninety. When Fleet streets Houston

(01:05:08):
listens, Yes, I have agreat shot already a huge brand. I'm
liking your stuff. Stanton or Fleetten Chris Gordy are next up on Sports
Talk seven ninety. Welcome back inthe next up here on Sports Talk seven
ninety, your home of Houston sports, including Astros baseball as well as Rockets
basketball, well for the two remaininggames, because the Rockets and bashed themselves

(01:05:30):
in Utah last night going at Rocketslost to a team in the Utah Jazz
that were playing literally their B team. They won a thirteen game losing streak.
Fred van Vliet dropped or Fred droppedlike forty something points hockey. I
had it pulled up. I don'thave to pull up anymore. Fred goes
crazy and they lose to some bombsone twenty four one one. Anyway,

(01:05:56):
they're still our friends. We stillso they out of the playoff runt.
Now you know what that was unnecessarythe Rockets. What's talking about last night
is that the Rockets had an opportunityand they won these three games to have
a winning record. Now, nowthe best that they can do is win
these next two and break even atfive hundred. Wait, so I'm just

(01:06:16):
starting for so what it sucks aloss last night? What does that mean
Rockets basketball is get another playoff night? Oh, they're already eliminated. Rockets.
Lets me much up Rockets basketball tonighton k t r H seven forty
pre game. Matter of fact,I'm on pre game that begins at eight.

(01:06:38):
Oh, I can't wait. Thenwe get over to the Rockets radio
network. All right, we alsohad what are you gonna teach you?
To teach me something about the Rocketsto night. No, I'm going to
teach you something about the Astros andabout the business of sports. Let's get
back to Astros baseball. I seeyou, guys, Jamal in midtown.
Michael Katy, I'm coming to you, but I have to get this part.
So the great Reggie Jackson. Right, we're trying to We talked you

(01:07:00):
and I have talked that nauseum aboutpitching, batting, Joe, Joe,
Aspoda, all the things. Allright, body language, it's a lot
of holes in the ship. Hoseair bray you all right? Who's in
charge of fixing this thing? Let'stalk about that. I heard something.
This is John Hayman. Is heMLB? Who's John Hayman with? He's

(01:07:24):
like New York post MLB network.So he had the Great Reggie Jackson on
and if you know anything about astro'slore in terms of our relationships, he's
tied him and Jim Crane. That'sthis guy. He's here, what is
he an ambassador for the Houston AstroAnd very cool that he got him because
he was, you know, he'ssuch was so tied to the New York

(01:07:45):
Yankees got him October. Yeah.The guy's a great baseball mind, no
question. I don't have an issuewith that. But he highlighted something for
me and we're gonna bring it toyou. Let me hear this. It's
a it's a little bit lengthy,but you got hold on. This is
Reggie Jackson on John Hayman's podcast,an interview talking about how the Astros came

(01:08:06):
to decision whether to add an onmeaning Blake Snail in the off season.
You know, we have a greatleadership group with our GM. Also,
we have a couple of other advisorsin Craig Bigio Jeff Bagwell who are very
much involved in our decision making.I'm involved. Jim takes those decisions and

(01:08:30):
puts them together, listens to ourmanagement and coaching staff on the field,
talks to our GM and his staff, and then of course some of the
analytics come into the future of aplayer and our decisions are made that way,
along with being fiscally responsible. Arebeing fiscally responsible, I think is

(01:08:55):
what kicked us out of the Snelldeal. He signed a two year deal.
I want to for sixty two.That's too much for him. He's
been hurt a couple of times,and I think there's incentives on top of
that. He's also got an optionon his own. And between the four
or five people that make the decisionswith the Astros, we don't play that

(01:09:18):
game. That was the great ReggieJackson on the John Hayman Podcast, And
forgive me for not giving the exclusivename and title of said podcast. If
y'all find it, you can tellme who that is. The point is
what I want to get to,the four or five of us, And
he named them Crane obviously, ReggieJackson obviously, Bags obviously, Visio obviously,

(01:09:42):
Dana Brown obviously. That's five.The five of them got together and
they ran the contract and the offeredthrough their analytics and formula, and they
came back with, here's our linefor Blakesneil. Well, they didn't say
that, but that's what he literallyjust had. I heard, I was
seeing he I was listening with rays, but I literally say it. We
determined that what Snail ended up signingfor was too much for us. It

(01:10:05):
was reported they offered it to thefour million, But what I'm saying is
he didn't necessarily say that because becausethis is what we've known for several years.
Jeff Baggle and Craig Bigio, bothbeloved by the organization, were added
as senior or special advisors a coupleof years ago. Voices in the room,

(01:10:27):
Edith Cavell was part of that group. Who was that but anyway,
well he's still he's still part ofthat group. But in other words,
what we don't know is was thisa decision that Jim Crane and Dana Brown
had and Reggie what happened to bein the room when they were talking,

(01:10:47):
and they talked it over, andthen the next day they called in Jeff
Bagl and Craig Bigio. I justwant to get your thoughts on this,
and then they you know, like, so, I don't know if we
want to painted a picture like it'sthe Star Wars boarder doesn't see that's romantic.
That's a man. What I'm saying, get other voices. I don't
have a problem with. The problembecomes at what point? Do you have

(01:11:12):
too many cooks in the kitchen?At what point? Because ultimately bi Yo
doesn't play anymore, he doesn't work, Badge doesn't necessarily work. Crane owns
the operation regiet doesn't work. Guesswho's the only one that got to go
to work every day, Dani Brown. But the carts ass over that min
may or wherever they playing every day. So if this thing goes left,

(01:11:33):
guess whose ass is gonna be?Dana Brown. So if I'm Dana,
I gotta find a respectful way tosay hey, Now, maybe they allowed
Dana to be the deal breaker.Maybe I want to believe older guys that
have played played ball at the levelof those names in the room understand that

(01:11:54):
pitching is essential to make a deeprun. Now I'm not saying you give
Snail a blank check. I agreeyou have to have a budget if you'll
afford me a couple of minutes,Gordon, I want to give an analogy
in business. The really good companies, they utilized opportunities along the way to

(01:12:15):
pivot, not change to pivot.I love the show comes on History Channel,
The Food that Built America. AndI watched all of these great companies
Hines and how Cope came to beand all this right, But here's one
point. In World War even thecompanies that built America, Ford and JP

(01:12:41):
Morgan Chase, all these people.In World War one and two, Gordon,
guess what the Ford Motor Company did. They stopped making Model t's and
they started making a product to aidin war efforts. There was a crisis.
They pivoted off their business model fora reason. Guess what happened when
the war was over. They wentback to cranking out Mustangs. When we

(01:13:04):
had the housing collapse, the bubblebursts in this country in two thousand and
nine. Guess what happened. Peoplehad to pivot how they did business.
Mortgage companies still were in business,they still had to make money. Now
the federal government had to get involved. Oh what about the pandemic in nineteen
twenty, I'm talking about twenty nineteentwenty twenty. The pandemic hits. Guess

(01:13:29):
who made a bleap ton of money. Panera was not delivering those sandwiches prior
to the pandemic. They pivoted temporarilyoff their business model for the best interests
of the product. That's all I'masking Jim Crane and the decision makers representing
the five boroughs of Houston. Iwant those men in this situation as it

(01:13:51):
pertains to starting pitching, even ifit was middle relief. You don't have
to get of a blank check forever. But in this moment, when you're
starting the season with four and fivearms were four, That wasn't it was
It was four. It wasn't herit was at the time, it was

(01:14:11):
four. You started the season withfour starters on the I A four but
knowing Verlander and Kitty would be back, not knowing what they're going to give
you. On the other side,Berland is forty one years old, and
he said, back to back seasonsand injuries. Er Katy has had chronic
issues with that shoulder and now it'shis elbow for on. But the thought
was they were both be ready forthe season. Why wouldn't you pivot?

(01:14:35):
I'm telling you because and again getlisten to his line there will They were
willing to go target snow, butthe press got two in case and he
said he's not worth that much.Okay, he's not. Michael Lorenzon didn't
work four and a half million dollarsand now he's playing for your rival in
Texas. The Razors think you're inhouse. Options are better. Oh,
seems better than Michael Lorenzen that theygot right now. JB. France is

(01:14:58):
not Hunter Brown, clear is notBlair hunting and clearly is not Blair.
Hiley is not Roniel Blanco is playinglights out baseball. Nobody saw that coming.
Michael Lorenzo went nine to nine lastyear with a four eighteen ERA.
Who's I'm talking about four, fiveand six on this roster? Who's better?
What Seth Martinez, Taylor Scott isbetter than Michael Lorenzen. But don't

(01:15:19):
even give me starts a reliever.I'm just I'm giving you options. What
I'm saying is yes, So I'mgoing to answer your question. JP France
was better than Michael Lorenzen last ifyou honest, JP France went eleven and
six with a three eighty three er. If you believe j undered on
one strikeoun Gordeon, I need youto hear me as one brother. I
need you to hit me right now. Yes, in your heart, if

(01:15:41):
you had to go play a baseballgame for your life, Yes, you're
putting J. P. France onthe man over Michael Lorenzon. Yes,
over over Montgomery. Well, Jordantgomeryis very I'm asking you a question.
I'm asking you a question. Whywould I But but so you just pivoted
though no I said, if I'mgonna go down the four for Lorenzen or
my Gummery's gonna cost me way morethan that. The point is simply this

(01:16:02):
Gordy, because you can We're deflectingfrom the actual point. The actual point
is the names that were available,including Snell, including Lorenza, including Montgomery.
I'm not asking Jim Crane, andI know Chris and Sugarland just accused
me of saying, all you wantto do is just throw money at it.
That's not the I'm not calling theman cheap. The Astros right now

(01:16:24):
have the third biggest payroll in MajorLeague Baseball, behind the Mets and Yankees.
I'm not sure I'm not calling theman cheap. I'm saying, when
crisis was at his doorstep, JimCrane chose not to pivot temporarily, and
it makes no sense. So nowsince they chose that, Gordy, how
they gonna get out of this,Well, you're right. They should have

(01:16:45):
in a time machine. They couldhave known Frombervelders is gonna get hurt and
man, we're gonna be shit.They had an issue. Befall fromber got
heard. No because the not thatyou or Keaty and Verlander are coming back
suit and we don't know what thatis. I know the expectations are gonna
be I can expect them in alottery. It's not like they're gonna go
out there and the arms are gonnafall off. Like the expectation is that
never happens. Forty one year oldpictures in this league never fall off.

(01:17:09):
Not the goat. He's the firLandersdy can fall off. Everybody can fall
off. I watched I watched GreatManning fall off. I've seen guys fall
off. Let's not do that,all right, Let's take these calls on
the other side. I'll let Gordyfinish his gibberish as well. Jamal Tony,
Michael, you're next up Sport's Talkseven ninety. This is next up

(01:17:29):
stuff with Stad Northfleet and Chris Gordyduring this next stage on Sports Talk seven
ninety huge you wheezy hey manka willexpress All right, let's wrap it up,
final segment of the week. Iappreciate everybody holding. You know the
name of the show, you knowthe station you're listening to. We appreciate
you. We couldn't do it withoutyou. My man, Michael and Katie

(01:17:50):
has been holding for Mike. I'msorry, brother, I'm trying to deal
with Gordy. You know it's adifficult job. Get in here, Michael,
Yeah, no worries, man,he love the show. Thanks for
having me. Thanks. I wantto see this astros fight. Here is
not giving up faith. I stillbelieve I know the pitching pad right now.
We just got to find a wayto put a tourniquet on it or
something until we get our Stallions backin. As far as the lineup,

(01:18:13):
you know, I'd like to seea shake up a little bit. I'll
too. They Tucker, Jordan,Yiner, Gregman, Tanya McCormick, Dubon
or Myers, whatever, and thenfinally Mel Debray you thanks, guys,
I'll hang up and listen my man, Michael, and Katy. So he
wants to tinker with the lineup.So he had two vey Oh hell,

(01:18:38):
I forgot what he said that quick. But he had Jordon at three or
four, Jordon and Tuck at somepoint in three and four? Did he
had Yaner at the five? That'sinteresting. That's interesting. I don't necessarily
hate that, and I'll be curiousto see and Gordon out when he're talking

(01:18:58):
about it. Depending on how thisthing goes versus the Rangers, this Silver
Booth series, this three game set. If we come here Monday and this
team has gotten swept by the Rangers, now I get it, they broke
even with the Rangers up there.But now we come back to Men in
May Park, which hadn't necessarily beenfriendly to this team over the last two
seasons. We come here on Mondayand they're coming off three games, and

(01:19:21):
yeah, Joe that he gonna getturned up on. Joe? Who is
it? Jamal in midtown? Comeon, Jamal? Get in here next
up? Are you? Brother?How's it going on? Man? And
all y'all ready for my blunt opinion. My blunt opinion is that I think
the catchers should take the initiative andfind out what the better that he's facing

(01:19:43):
a week at And that's what thepictures should be thrown at them. Man,
they you shouldn't be throwing off scoringall these runs like that. So
man, you're putting the movement onthe base pass by the opposition. You're
putting that on Yannie and DS exclusively. Yeah, I think he think and
I think he's all offense, andI think he needs to back it down
a little bit. And and shewould do these guys all weeknd and throw

(01:20:06):
it at him. You know that'snot fair, Jama. Wait a minute,
Wait a minute, Wait a minute. I appreciate the call. I'm
just address it. I appreciate thecall. All the defensive metrics that I
saw last year said from a framingstandpoint, from a throwing guys out catching
guys. Johnny Diaz was better defensivelythan Malty last year. Now doing the

(01:20:27):
homework, Maldonado clearly light years.I get it, Janny die As as
a young Patawan learner from my StarWars geeks as myself. But this notion
that that that, yeah, Ican't put that on Yanna. I just
can't. Oh, oh, Isee this right, you might like this
one, Tony and Angleton, whatthe hell you want? Well? I

(01:20:48):
had some other stuff, but Iwant to touch on the catch and thing
right quick. If you watch bothof the Astros catchers when they shift with
they shift late. When they shift, both of them put their gloves down
on the ground. Okay, AndI know that maybe they're trying to get
him to throw the ball down,but we've always been talked to throw to
the glove. The glove disappears andit reappears. That might that might be

(01:21:09):
something. But I want to talkabout the general I want to talk about
the general manager thing. Dana Brown, he's he's he's only this would be
his second draft coming up. DanaBrown is a scout at heart. He's
a player guy, okay, andhe's he's here to build to to keep
the keep the cupboard stocked, okay, And he came in with Couboads pretty
well, uh, you know,pretty bare, and he and he and

(01:21:30):
I don't think he really wanted tomake that Verlander trade last year. As
a matter of fact, I knowhe didn't. He when he when he
signed, when they signed, andalso you got a think about Clifford too
in that draft there's too too outfielddeal. But also when they signed Hater,
Uh, Jim Crane didn't show up. He didn't show up to the
to the suppress conference. I thinkthat was symbolic. You know, look,

(01:21:54):
this is Dana Brown's gig. He'sthis is his deal. We've had
a problem in this city stand fora long time with general managers trying owners
trying to play general manager, goingall the way back to Drake McLain when
he got Randy Johnson. After that, he thought every year we needed to
trade away prospects to bring somebody intoto to you know, to put the
astros on the front pages. Andyou saw how that worked out. You

(01:22:16):
know, Jerry Huntsicker was the bestdrieral manager we ever had until he was
till he couldn't take it. Anymore. He left went to Tampa Bay.
And what he did in Tampa Bayis it's still there. The remnants are
still there, that the foundation isstill there. So give Dana Brown a
little bit of time. I wouldtry to put al Tuve in the two
old find us the lead two,Alvarez at three, Tucker at four,

(01:22:42):
and then figured it out from there. Yeah, you got to put al
two Bay. I don't fear anyleading offs, man. I appreciate towing
an angle thro We gotta cut youa little short there. I'm not touching
Alto in the lead off like that'sit ain't. If it ain't broke,
don't fix it, they old say,

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