January 25, 2025 • 15 mins
Spencer Arrighetti talks the latest with the Houston Astros from 2025 Astros Fan Fest at Daikin Park.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back to the Astros fan Fast Spectacular hero on
Sports Talk seven ninety rosby a real Dan Matthews Adam Wexer.
Please to be joined to buy Spencer Arraghetty. So right
off the bat, we're gonna start with the latest river Spencer.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
You're playing left field?
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Yeah, I mean, and how's the glove, how's the arm?
Speaker 2 (00:18):
We know the arm's good. Arms were good? Bad arm place?
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Ye?
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Speed? Maybe?
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Okay, that's the last time you tracked a fly ball?
Speaker 2 (00:26):
I mean in this stadium?
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Never.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
Yeah, it's probably been since I was about, you know,
twelve years old. But yeah, I was a I was
a I was a corner infield guy before I was
a pitcher. So I think corner outfield I could translate
a little a little easier than maybe middle infielders, you know.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
So it's been a wild offseason. Obviously.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
We were talking with John Singleton earlier. He said he
kind of tries to stay away from it. You try
to stay off your phone, like you text you If
you do, you're probably gonna go crazy if you look
at every single rum that's been happening.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
Absolutely, Yeah, I kind of I'm a little I'm bad
about it. Sometimes I will look you know, it's it's
definitely not a great habit, but yeah, I can't help it.
You know, it's I'm a I'm a fan and i'm
a player, so I like I like knowing what's going
on in the league and what's what's going on with
the Astros. So, uh yeah, the rumors, the rumors can
drive you crazy, for sure, though, I agree.
Speaker 5 (01:07):
So our our first guest was John Singleton. Probably call
him King of the bat flips. You're sitting here with us,
probably call you king.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Of the flow? Thank you?
Speaker 5 (01:16):
Is that a big part of what this upcoming season
is going to be about?
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Your flow?
Speaker 5 (01:19):
You're your manner on the mound.
Speaker 4 (01:22):
Uh I think all of that play is a factor.
You know, you look good, you feel good, you play good.
But uh no, that it's just out like my hair,
you know, I like it. I like it because I
have it. I've had it this way for a while now,
and you know, the fans like it, they like it.
I just like it because I think it looks good.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Last year, towards tail end of the season, you really
caught on and you started to hit your stride. Can
you point to a a you know, time in the
year where there was kind of.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
That flip switch.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
Yeah, I think I had a I had a game
here in uh in June or July against the Rockies,
and I think I reached double digit punch outs for
the first time of anybody on the staff last year,
and it kind of clicked right there. I was like, Okay,
I'm I'm still capable of dominating at this level. And
I kind of felt a little bit more confident rolling
into my next outings after that. And I'd say that
(02:08):
there were some there was some things prep wise that
some guys had pointed out to me I was neglecting
a little bit, and then those ones, those small things
kind of made a really big difference for me. Just
that little bit of confidence and that little bit of preparation.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
What was kind of that welcome to the Major's moment
for you where you're like, man, these these guys they're
as advertised, they're good.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
The second I started pitching out of the stretch in
Kansas City, you look, if you look before and after
the wind up in the stretch, I mean, the first
two innings are pretty good.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
I think I punched four.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
I was I was feeling good about it, and as
soon as I had to throw a pitch out of
the stretch, it was like they knew everything.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
And I didn't know why right then, but I do.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
I have some mannerism differences sometimes, and I don't want
to call it tipping, because any like any information I
give away is just that's on me. But if there
was something then that was like kind of where it
really hit me. I was like, Wow, anything I give
these guys they take it, they run with it. And
then all of a sudden, there's seven runs on the
scoreboard and I'm looking around like what happened? So that
was a that was a wake up call for sure,
And I realized after that that I just needed to
(03:04):
be really careful about about what I was doing on
the mound and about what my body was doing. If
I wasn't aware of it or what like the prep
work that I was doing. I really feel like that
was a big difference too. Is just in minor league ball,
I would I would spam sliders to anybody I could
because I thought it was my best pitch. But here
if I just throw my best pitch, they'll hit it
the second or third time I throw it. And then
I got to face these guys three times in a night.
(03:25):
You know, I can't show them every trick I got
the first time through. And if I've if I've learned anything,
it's that I really got to work hard to mitigate
those lineups if I want to pitch deep into games.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
If you mentioned that, going through and figuring out what
you're doing, what is that process like?
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Is it other players? Is it the staff? Is it
the kind of a team thing?
Speaker 4 (03:41):
I think it's a it's a team thing, like the
it takes a village is really true at this level.
And it's not just like it's not just me, It's
not just guys that are trying to establish themselves.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
I think it's everybody.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
We all have our group of people that we trust
with our lives in this game and that and will
take their word for what it is and try to
make something of it. But I try to take that
from everybody, just because I feel like everybody here has
got so much more experience than me, and so many
more trips around the sun, especially in professional baseball. And
I would like to think that last year I spent
most of my time listening and not really talking, because
(04:11):
I think that there was so much valuable information being
passed around from Verlander, from Hunter Brown, from Blanco who
had such a great season last year. There were so
many guys building me up even when the results weren't there.
So I mean, Josh Miller, Bill Murphy, all these guys,
they're fantastic at helping me see the silver lining and
that that was really what kept me hopeful and helped
me stay able to be grounded and be in my
(04:33):
work process and not really worried about the result.
Speaker 5 (04:35):
Seems like that's obvious, and you've even talked about it.
Hunters talked about it. But you know, the day to
day stuff. You're a starting pitcher, you're working on different
things before a game. You're not starting during a game,
that's different. When you're not starting, you're spending two and
a half three hours on the bench with Justin Erlander
or might be Hunter Brown or might be run Out Blanco.
Those three hours, how do they go by for you?
And how valuable can they actually be while you're watching
(04:57):
your team go out there.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
I mean, you can't put a dollar amount on listening
to Verlander talk about pitching like the I've said it.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
A million times.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
He knows and has forgotten more than I will ever know, maybe,
but I really believe that that those hours spent not
on the field are just as valuable because those that's
where I'm getting new bits and tips that I can
maybe take into my bullpen or taken to my throwing program,
and then take it into the game eventually once I
feel comfortable and confident in doing something. And I mean
there was there were several conversations during games last year,
(05:25):
even when we're when we're hanging around, sitting sitting in
the kitchen having having meals before the game, like just
like really really invaluable bits.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Of bits of baseball knowledge. Like I can't put a
dollar amount on it.
Speaker 5 (05:37):
You couldn't ever say Justin doesn't know what he's talking about.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Oh you couldn't. I mean, you'd be crazy if you did.
They shut up, Justine. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
Spencer Urgedy again joined us here at Astros fan Fest
on Sports Talk seven ninety. You've mentioned information gathering, and
you know, I know that Hunter talked about it last year,
Taylor Scott talked about it last year.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
I think you know where I'm going with this.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Alex Bregman, Yeah, just how valuable he was for you
guys in that regard just what did he mean for
you last year and what would it mean to have
him back in that club house.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
That guy's an absolute weapon in every sense of the word.
I mean, he is just really sharp, he's really really
really process oriented, and he's he's he doesn't let details slip.
I think that's really the most valuable thing about his game.
Is any any stone that's unturned, he's gonna turn it
over to find the answer. And that's whether it be
helping a pitcher decide what their attack plan for a
(06:29):
hitter in the lineup, that you got the circle around
his name, you're not gonna let him beat him and
beat you that day. I mean, he just he's he's
seen so many elite pitchers and he's seen so many
elite pitches from the batter's box that he couldn't possibly
not know what he's talking about. You know, I think
that having him back obviously like that. Everybody's excited at
the prospect of that. There's not a single person in
Houston that wouldn't love to have Alex Bregman heir for
(06:51):
his whole career.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
But the reality is is if it.
Speaker 4 (06:54):
Does or it doesn't happen, we're We're still going to
keep that attitude that he instilled in us, that like,
do not let anything go unturned, the super process, super
detail oriented regime. I think that's that's something that will
stay here regardless if he does or not.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
But yeah, I mean, everybody wants Alex in the clubhouse.
He's the best.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
How much do It's funny to try to put a
value on that because we talk about you know, contracts
and dollars and this team's willing to pay this, this
team's willing to pay that, and it's about production and
op yes, whatever, it's it's that certain something you can't
put a value on, like how much does this team
lose with Alex.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Brickman not providing those things?
Speaker 4 (07:31):
That's a like you said, it's it's it's tough to
answer questions about intangibles like you're asking about, but I mean,
the the real answers.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
I don't know. I haven't been around long enough.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
I haven't I haven't experienced loss like that in the clubhouse.
I've only I've only been so fortunate to experience all
the wonderful, awesome, amazing personalities and players that we've had
this year, and obviously in spring training last year and
previous years where I've gotten a chance to meet the
guys that make up this culture, they're.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
They're all irreplaceable in my opinion.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Everybody brings their own thing to the table, and we're
all really good at being good at what.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
We're here for, if that makes sense.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
I think we all are giving a clear picture of
what our job is and how to get there. And
I think that you know, the loss is lost and
it's hard for anybody to cope with.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
But I couldn't really put a value on it.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
Like you said, there's certain things that you can't put
a dollar amount to.
Speaker 5 (08:23):
A couple of questions about some new teammates. Had a
chance to spend a little time with Taylor Trempelle on
the caravan, get to know him a little bit hopefully,
And I was curious if you knew Hagen Wiznsky before
now coming crew used it being a picture and taking
a similar path.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
So Hayden trains at DST North, which is in Cyprus,
and I train at DST West, which is in like
Memorial area.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
But I've been at the.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
DST in Cyprus previously when I was in college and
when I was living out in Katie, it was a
little closer for me. So yeah, I spent a good
around amount of time around him, watching him work and
watching the way that that he does his business. And
I mean he is he's a horse man like. He's
really about it again, really detail oriented, really good about
about taking care of business. And he's a really nice
guy too. He's a little bit of a clown. He
(09:08):
makes great jokes. I mean, he's really enjoyable to be around.
So I'm stoked to have him in the clubhouse. And
obviously any any hometown guys like this means a lot
to us. I've talked to him a little bit about that.
I mean, nobody can deny it. It's a dream come
true to play baseball where you grew up watching it.
So I think he's super stoked to be here. I
know we're stoked to have him. I think he's nasty
on the mound, So it's somebody to be excited about,
(09:29):
for sure.
Speaker 5 (09:29):
Learned anything about Taylor as you got to know him
a little bit, Yeah, I mean.
Speaker 4 (09:32):
We were mainly like meeting fans, doing autographs and stuff,
you know, the normal care vandild, But yeah, we had
we had a little bit of a longer drive. I
got to talk to him a little bit about where
he's from in Atlanta, and I had spent a little
bit of time there playing travel ball. You know, we
I feel like the baseball world's kind of small, Like
we all end up in the same places at different
points in time, so that's usually like the connection bars, like, yeah,
(09:52):
we've all been here, we know these guys.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
So yeah, it's it's cool to meet new faces always.
Speaker 4 (09:57):
I feel like every time I do, I'm reminded just
how small baseball all this.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
I heard stories on the road trips last year. If
you guys had an off day that the clubs will
be broken out, you'd be out there on the course playing.
Taylor Scott Seth Martinez I think was like far I
was gonna say he was the scratch guy, So so
now how much are you able to get that in
and during the offseason?
Speaker 2 (10:19):
But who is the new striper on the team?
Speaker 4 (10:22):
I've heard stories of Mauricio Dubon being that guy.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
I know JV was, I watched JV do it. I've
never heard of golf ball sound like that coming off
a golf club.
Speaker 4 (10:33):
Taylor Scott's good man. I don't know if he plays
it down. He kind of does that. I don't know
if you've noticed that, even like with his pitches and stuff,
everything that wasn't good, that one wasn't good.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
I'm like Taylor, it was really good Man. And yeah,
he's actually really good too. He and I. He and
I have had some pretty good matches.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
He kicks my butt sometimes, but yeah, this offseason, I
played maybe once or twice a week.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
It kind of just depended.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
Early in the year, I took a vacation to Hawaii
and I saw some really nice golf courses out there,
so that was that was a huge privilege. I've never
never been there before. But yeah, it's a pretty routine
hobby of mine. I think it's good to get good
at something else. I've read a little bit about that,
and I feel like if I'm only ever challenging myself
to be good.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
At baseball, I'm kind of wasting some potential.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
I feel like, if I'm as good with my body
as I think I am, I can get good at
other athletic things too, And I think that that's kind
of like a thing. Baseball players are usually good at
other sports too, other sports like put them in a
baseball arena.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
It's it's a little bit different, but yeah, I like
playing golf a lot. I'm glad I get to do it.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
So a couple of weeks from Pictures and Catchers, you
mentioned physically taking care of your body. What do you
know maybe now that you didn't know a year ago, and.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
Just how you're feeling and ramping up. I mean, I
think I kind of used.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
To be a little more like pedal to the metal
the whole way through the offseason and even in spring training,
just like trying to turn heads, trying to impress people,
and I feel like I've kind of I backed away
from that.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
A little bit this year.
Speaker 4 (11:50):
I've try to take a little bit more of a
steady approach and build the intensity in like a reasonable way,
and I feel like that's probably going to contribute to
me feeling a little bit better throughout the course of
the season. I definitely learned that that rest is just
as important as work last year, because I mean, throwing
one hundred and forty innings was I think it was
one hundred and forty five somewhere around there. That was
the most I'd ever thrown, and I think it was
(12:11):
by almost twenty forty. Yeah, one hundred forty five, and
I had never thrown more than one hundred and twenty
five before that, So obviously, like building by fifteen to
twenty innings a year, I'd be super happy with that.
If I can go out there and be healthy and
feel good, feel dominant for one hundred and forty one
hundred and sixty innings again this year, I'd be super
happy about that. I think I have a better understanding
of how to make that happen too.
Speaker 5 (12:31):
Dan had asked you earlier about you Maybe you're welcome
to the Major's moment, but there were some really good times.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
For you out there.
Speaker 5 (12:36):
Were there some days you still look back on, or
even right then in the moment, you said, Man, this
was fun. This is what I want to do for
this team, This is what I want to be as
a Major leaguer.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (12:45):
I mean, obviously, I think that it's really easy to
get stuck in those moments, even like you can you
can ride out that high as long as you choose to.
But I think that once those things happened, like it
for me was was assurance that I can keep doing it,
if I keep evolving, if I keep refining my craft.
I can continue to have moments like that, and those
moments just make me really hungry to get better.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
Honestly, I do.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
I spend a fair amount of time like thinking about it, reminiscing,
especially in the off season when I'm not competing, I'll
go back and watch film. I mean, I love baseball,
I love competing. And I've said it on camera before.
My favorite thing in the world is striking somebody out,
So I really do.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
I mean, I'm a student of it.
Speaker 5 (13:25):
You know, saying that is which of your teammates that
you pitched with last year was the most fun for
you to watch and say, that is some good stuff.
Speaker 4 (13:34):
I feel like Hunter Brown inspired me last year. I
mean I came up, I had my debut. It was rocky, ugly,
whatever you want to call it. I mean, you can't
we can't avoid talking about it. I mean, Hunter had
a rough start in Kansas City and then proceeded to
say screw it and just relentlessly go after people.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
For the rest of the year.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
And that was that to me was awesome, like seeing
that be the answer when you get kicked in the
mouth and then it working so well in him, like
the bets On himself that he did throwing a new
pitch that maybe our analytics game says, like, isn't that great?
Like we we had there was a bunch of guys
last year that threw those like unicorn pitches where it's like,
oh my gosh, this is supposed to be in the
dead zone, but it's beating everybody in the league. Like
(14:13):
that was really cool for me to watch because, I mean,
my fastball is not that great on track man sometimes too,
but I throw funky like he throws different. Anything that's
different is good. And watching him embrace that different and
have it be the reason why he ends up where
he ends up at the end of the year looking
back at a fantastic season like that.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
That was awesome for you.
Speaker 5 (14:31):
You appreciate his on the mound demeanor.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
I love it. Yeah, he gets more pissed off you
were him. I don't know.
Speaker 6 (14:37):
I think I think I yeah, I think I think
he's got a little more of like the like the
flare to it when he's doing it. But like I
get angry, I get angry, and I don't show it
all the time.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
I think I think it's in there though. I think
it's good. Yeah, the hair flow works.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Thank you, Thank you all right, Spitzer Ergant, thank you
so much for the time man, great stuff. We thank
you for making some time for us, and good luck.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
We'll talk to you in a couple weeks in West Palm. Absolutely,
thank you for having me. It's a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Spencer Arraghetti here on Sports Talk seven ninety the Astros
Fan Fast Special, Dan Matthews, Adam Watson, Ross View Rial.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
We take a quick break. We'll be back with you
in a minute.
Welcome back to the Astros fan Fast Spectacular hero on
Sports Talk seven ninety rosby a real Dan Matthews Adam Wexer.
Please to be joined to buy Spencer Arraghetty. So right
off the bat, we're gonna start with the latest river Spencer.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
You're playing left field?
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Yeah, I mean, and how's the glove, how's the arm?
Speaker 2 (00:18):
We know the arm's good. Arms were good? Bad arm place?
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Ye?
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Speed? Maybe?
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Okay, that's the last time you tracked a fly ball?
Speaker 2 (00:26):
I mean in this stadium?
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Never.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
Yeah, it's probably been since I was about, you know,
twelve years old. But yeah, I was a I was
a I was a corner infield guy before I was
a pitcher. So I think corner outfield I could translate
a little a little easier than maybe middle infielders, you know.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
So it's been a wild offseason. Obviously.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
We were talking with John Singleton earlier. He said he
kind of tries to stay away from it. You try
to stay off your phone, like you text you If
you do, you're probably gonna go crazy if you look
at every single rum that's been happening.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
Absolutely, Yeah, I kind of I'm a little I'm bad
about it. Sometimes I will look you know, it's it's
definitely not a great habit, but yeah, I can't help it.
You know, it's I'm a I'm a fan and i'm
a player, so I like I like knowing what's going
on in the league and what's what's going on with
the Astros. So, uh yeah, the rumors, the rumors can
drive you crazy, for sure, though, I agree.
Speaker 5 (01:07):
So our our first guest was John Singleton. Probably call
him King of the bat flips. You're sitting here with us,
probably call you king.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Of the flow? Thank you?
Speaker 5 (01:16):
Is that a big part of what this upcoming season
is going to be about?
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Your flow?
Speaker 5 (01:19):
You're your manner on the mound.
Speaker 4 (01:22):
Uh I think all of that play is a factor.
You know, you look good, you feel good, you play good.
But uh no, that it's just out like my hair,
you know, I like it. I like it because I
have it. I've had it this way for a while now,
and you know, the fans like it, they like it.
I just like it because I think it looks good.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Last year, towards tail end of the season, you really
caught on and you started to hit your stride. Can
you point to a a you know, time in the
year where there was kind of.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
That flip switch.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
Yeah, I think I had a I had a game
here in uh in June or July against the Rockies,
and I think I reached double digit punch outs for
the first time of anybody on the staff last year,
and it kind of clicked right there. I was like, Okay,
I'm I'm still capable of dominating at this level. And
I kind of felt a little bit more confident rolling
into my next outings after that. And I'd say that
(02:08):
there were some there was some things prep wise that
some guys had pointed out to me I was neglecting
a little bit, and then those ones, those small things
kind of made a really big difference for me. Just
that little bit of confidence and that little bit of preparation.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
What was kind of that welcome to the Major's moment
for you where you're like, man, these these guys they're
as advertised, they're good.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
The second I started pitching out of the stretch in
Kansas City, you look, if you look before and after
the wind up in the stretch, I mean, the first
two innings are pretty good.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
I think I punched four.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
I was I was feeling good about it, and as
soon as I had to throw a pitch out of
the stretch, it was like they knew everything.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
And I didn't know why right then, but I do.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
I have some mannerism differences sometimes, and I don't want
to call it tipping, because any like any information I
give away is just that's on me. But if there
was something then that was like kind of where it
really hit me. I was like, Wow, anything I give
these guys they take it, they run with it. And
then all of a sudden, there's seven runs on the
scoreboard and I'm looking around like what happened? So that
was a that was a wake up call for sure,
And I realized after that that I just needed to
(03:04):
be really careful about about what I was doing on
the mound and about what my body was doing. If
I wasn't aware of it or what like the prep
work that I was doing. I really feel like that
was a big difference too. Is just in minor league ball,
I would I would spam sliders to anybody I could
because I thought it was my best pitch. But here
if I just throw my best pitch, they'll hit it
the second or third time I throw it. And then
I got to face these guys three times in a night.
(03:25):
You know, I can't show them every trick I got
the first time through. And if I've if I've learned anything,
it's that I really got to work hard to mitigate
those lineups if I want to pitch deep into games.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
If you mentioned that, going through and figuring out what
you're doing, what is that process like?
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Is it other players? Is it the staff? Is it
the kind of a team thing?
Speaker 4 (03:41):
I think it's a it's a team thing, like the
it takes a village is really true at this level.
And it's not just like it's not just me, It's
not just guys that are trying to establish themselves.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
I think it's everybody.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
We all have our group of people that we trust
with our lives in this game and that and will
take their word for what it is and try to
make something of it. But I try to take that
from everybody, just because I feel like everybody here has
got so much more experience than me, and so many
more trips around the sun, especially in professional baseball. And
I would like to think that last year I spent
most of my time listening and not really talking, because
(04:11):
I think that there was so much valuable information being
passed around from Verlander, from Hunter Brown, from Blanco who
had such a great season last year. There were so
many guys building me up even when the results weren't there.
So I mean, Josh Miller, Bill Murphy, all these guys,
they're fantastic at helping me see the silver lining and
that that was really what kept me hopeful and helped
me stay able to be grounded and be in my
(04:33):
work process and not really worried about the result.
Speaker 5 (04:35):
Seems like that's obvious, and you've even talked about it.
Hunters talked about it. But you know, the day to
day stuff. You're a starting pitcher, you're working on different
things before a game. You're not starting during a game,
that's different. When you're not starting, you're spending two and
a half three hours on the bench with Justin Erlander
or might be Hunter Brown or might be run Out Blanco.
Those three hours, how do they go by for you?
And how valuable can they actually be while you're watching
(04:57):
your team go out there.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
I mean, you can't put a dollar amount on listening
to Verlander talk about pitching like the I've said it.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
A million times.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
He knows and has forgotten more than I will ever know, maybe,
but I really believe that that those hours spent not
on the field are just as valuable because those that's
where I'm getting new bits and tips that I can
maybe take into my bullpen or taken to my throwing program,
and then take it into the game eventually once I
feel comfortable and confident in doing something. And I mean
there was there were several conversations during games last year,
(05:25):
even when we're when we're hanging around, sitting sitting in
the kitchen having having meals before the game, like just
like really really invaluable bits.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Of bits of baseball knowledge. Like I can't put a
dollar amount on it.
Speaker 5 (05:37):
You couldn't ever say Justin doesn't know what he's talking about.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Oh you couldn't. I mean, you'd be crazy if you did.
They shut up, Justine. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
Spencer Urgedy again joined us here at Astros fan Fest
on Sports Talk seven ninety. You've mentioned information gathering, and
you know, I know that Hunter talked about it last year,
Taylor Scott talked about it last year.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
I think you know where I'm going with this.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Alex Bregman, Yeah, just how valuable he was for you
guys in that regard just what did he mean for
you last year and what would it mean to have
him back in that club house.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
That guy's an absolute weapon in every sense of the word.
I mean, he is just really sharp, he's really really
really process oriented, and he's he's he doesn't let details slip.
I think that's really the most valuable thing about his game.
Is any any stone that's unturned, he's gonna turn it
over to find the answer. And that's whether it be
helping a pitcher decide what their attack plan for a
(06:29):
hitter in the lineup, that you got the circle around
his name, you're not gonna let him beat him and
beat you that day. I mean, he just he's he's
seen so many elite pitchers and he's seen so many
elite pitches from the batter's box that he couldn't possibly
not know what he's talking about. You know, I think
that having him back obviously like that. Everybody's excited at
the prospect of that. There's not a single person in
Houston that wouldn't love to have Alex Bregman heir for
(06:51):
his whole career.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
But the reality is is if it.
Speaker 4 (06:54):
Does or it doesn't happen, we're We're still going to
keep that attitude that he instilled in us, that like,
do not let anything go unturned, the super process, super
detail oriented regime. I think that's that's something that will
stay here regardless if he does or not.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
But yeah, I mean, everybody wants Alex in the clubhouse.
He's the best.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
How much do It's funny to try to put a
value on that because we talk about you know, contracts
and dollars and this team's willing to pay this, this
team's willing to pay that, and it's about production and
op yes, whatever, it's it's that certain something you can't
put a value on, like how much does this team
lose with Alex.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Brickman not providing those things?
Speaker 4 (07:31):
That's a like you said, it's it's it's tough to
answer questions about intangibles like you're asking about, but I mean,
the the real answers.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
I don't know. I haven't been around long enough.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
I haven't I haven't experienced loss like that in the clubhouse.
I've only I've only been so fortunate to experience all
the wonderful, awesome, amazing personalities and players that we've had
this year, and obviously in spring training last year and
previous years where I've gotten a chance to meet the
guys that make up this culture, they're.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
They're all irreplaceable in my opinion.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Everybody brings their own thing to the table, and we're
all really good at being good at what.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
We're here for, if that makes sense.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
I think we all are giving a clear picture of
what our job is and how to get there. And
I think that you know, the loss is lost and
it's hard for anybody to cope with.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
But I couldn't really put a value on it.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
Like you said, there's certain things that you can't put
a dollar amount to.
Speaker 5 (08:23):
A couple of questions about some new teammates. Had a
chance to spend a little time with Taylor Trempelle on
the caravan, get to know him a little bit hopefully,
And I was curious if you knew Hagen Wiznsky before
now coming crew used it being a picture and taking
a similar path.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
So Hayden trains at DST North, which is in Cyprus,
and I train at DST West, which is in like
Memorial area.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
But I've been at the.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
DST in Cyprus previously when I was in college and
when I was living out in Katie, it was a
little closer for me. So yeah, I spent a good
around amount of time around him, watching him work and
watching the way that that he does his business. And
I mean he is he's a horse man like. He's
really about it again, really detail oriented, really good about
about taking care of business. And he's a really nice
guy too. He's a little bit of a clown. He
(09:08):
makes great jokes. I mean, he's really enjoyable to be around.
So I'm stoked to have him in the clubhouse. And
obviously any any hometown guys like this means a lot
to us. I've talked to him a little bit about that.
I mean, nobody can deny it. It's a dream come
true to play baseball where you grew up watching it.
So I think he's super stoked to be here. I
know we're stoked to have him. I think he's nasty
on the mound, So it's somebody to be excited about,
(09:29):
for sure.
Speaker 5 (09:29):
Learned anything about Taylor as you got to know him
a little bit, Yeah, I mean.
Speaker 4 (09:32):
We were mainly like meeting fans, doing autographs and stuff,
you know, the normal care vandild, But yeah, we had
we had a little bit of a longer drive. I
got to talk to him a little bit about where
he's from in Atlanta, and I had spent a little
bit of time there playing travel ball. You know, we
I feel like the baseball world's kind of small, Like
we all end up in the same places at different
points in time, so that's usually like the connection bars, like, yeah,
(09:52):
we've all been here, we know these guys.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
So yeah, it's it's cool to meet new faces always.
Speaker 4 (09:57):
I feel like every time I do, I'm reminded just
how small baseball all this.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
I heard stories on the road trips last year. If
you guys had an off day that the clubs will
be broken out, you'd be out there on the course playing.
Taylor Scott Seth Martinez I think was like far I
was gonna say he was the scratch guy, So so
now how much are you able to get that in
and during the offseason?
Speaker 2 (10:19):
But who is the new striper on the team?
Speaker 4 (10:22):
I've heard stories of Mauricio Dubon being that guy.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
I know JV was, I watched JV do it. I've
never heard of golf ball sound like that coming off
a golf club.
Speaker 4 (10:33):
Taylor Scott's good man. I don't know if he plays
it down. He kind of does that. I don't know
if you've noticed that, even like with his pitches and stuff,
everything that wasn't good, that one wasn't good.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
I'm like Taylor, it was really good Man. And yeah,
he's actually really good too. He and I. He and
I have had some pretty good matches.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
He kicks my butt sometimes, but yeah, this offseason, I
played maybe once or twice a week.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
It kind of just depended.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
Early in the year, I took a vacation to Hawaii
and I saw some really nice golf courses out there,
so that was that was a huge privilege. I've never
never been there before. But yeah, it's a pretty routine
hobby of mine. I think it's good to get good
at something else. I've read a little bit about that,
and I feel like if I'm only ever challenging myself
to be good.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
At baseball, I'm kind of wasting some potential.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
I feel like, if I'm as good with my body
as I think I am, I can get good at
other athletic things too, And I think that that's kind
of like a thing. Baseball players are usually good at
other sports too, other sports like put them in a
baseball arena.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
It's it's a little bit different, but yeah, I like
playing golf a lot. I'm glad I get to do it.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
So a couple of weeks from Pictures and Catchers, you
mentioned physically taking care of your body. What do you
know maybe now that you didn't know a year ago, and.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
Just how you're feeling and ramping up. I mean, I
think I kind of used.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
To be a little more like pedal to the metal
the whole way through the offseason and even in spring training,
just like trying to turn heads, trying to impress people,
and I feel like I've kind of I backed away
from that.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
A little bit this year.
Speaker 4 (11:50):
I've try to take a little bit more of a
steady approach and build the intensity in like a reasonable way,
and I feel like that's probably going to contribute to
me feeling a little bit better throughout the course of
the season. I definitely learned that that rest is just
as important as work last year, because I mean, throwing
one hundred and forty innings was I think it was
one hundred and forty five somewhere around there. That was
the most I'd ever thrown, and I think it was
(12:11):
by almost twenty forty. Yeah, one hundred forty five, and
I had never thrown more than one hundred and twenty
five before that, So obviously, like building by fifteen to
twenty innings a year, I'd be super happy with that.
If I can go out there and be healthy and
feel good, feel dominant for one hundred and forty one
hundred and sixty innings again this year, I'd be super
happy about that. I think I have a better understanding
of how to make that happen too.
Speaker 5 (12:31):
Dan had asked you earlier about you Maybe you're welcome
to the Major's moment, but there were some really good times.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
For you out there.
Speaker 5 (12:36):
Were there some days you still look back on, or
even right then in the moment, you said, Man, this
was fun. This is what I want to do for
this team, This is what I want to be as
a Major leaguer.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (12:45):
I mean, obviously, I think that it's really easy to
get stuck in those moments, even like you can you
can ride out that high as long as you choose to.
But I think that once those things happened, like it
for me was was assurance that I can keep doing it,
if I keep evolving, if I keep refining my craft.
I can continue to have moments like that, and those
moments just make me really hungry to get better.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
Honestly, I do.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
I spend a fair amount of time like thinking about it, reminiscing,
especially in the off season when I'm not competing, I'll
go back and watch film. I mean, I love baseball,
I love competing. And I've said it on camera before.
My favorite thing in the world is striking somebody out,
So I really do.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
I mean, I'm a student of it.
Speaker 5 (13:25):
You know, saying that is which of your teammates that
you pitched with last year was the most fun for
you to watch and say, that is some good stuff.
Speaker 4 (13:34):
I feel like Hunter Brown inspired me last year. I
mean I came up, I had my debut. It was rocky, ugly,
whatever you want to call it. I mean, you can't
we can't avoid talking about it. I mean, Hunter had
a rough start in Kansas City and then proceeded to
say screw it and just relentlessly go after people.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
For the rest of the year.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
And that was that to me was awesome, like seeing
that be the answer when you get kicked in the
mouth and then it working so well in him, like
the bets On himself that he did throwing a new
pitch that maybe our analytics game says, like, isn't that great?
Like we we had there was a bunch of guys
last year that threw those like unicorn pitches where it's like,
oh my gosh, this is supposed to be in the
dead zone, but it's beating everybody in the league. Like
(14:13):
that was really cool for me to watch because, I mean,
my fastball is not that great on track man sometimes too,
but I throw funky like he throws different. Anything that's
different is good. And watching him embrace that different and
have it be the reason why he ends up where
he ends up at the end of the year looking
back at a fantastic season like that.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
That was awesome for you.
Speaker 5 (14:31):
You appreciate his on the mound demeanor.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
I love it. Yeah, he gets more pissed off you
were him. I don't know.
Speaker 6 (14:37):
I think I think I yeah, I think I think
he's got a little more of like the like the
flare to it when he's doing it. But like I
get angry, I get angry, and I don't show it
all the time.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
I think I think it's in there though. I think
it's good. Yeah, the hair flow works.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Thank you, Thank you all right, Spitzer Ergant, thank you
so much for the time man, great stuff. We thank
you for making some time for us, and good luck.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
We'll talk to you in a couple weeks in West Palm. Absolutely,
thank you for having me. It's a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Spencer Arraghetti here on Sports Talk seven ninety the Astros
Fan Fast Special, Dan Matthews, Adam Watson, Ross View Rial.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
We take a quick break. We'll be back with you
in a minute.
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