July 29, 2024 • 16 mins
The Astros take two of the three games in their highly anticipated series facing the Dodgers this weekend. With a shutout victory Friday, followed by a walk-off homer by Bregman Saturday, Steve Sparks speaks on the remarkable weekend by the Astros followed by the deadline now getting closer upon us.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
The Shawn Salisbury Show continued, Is.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
That time of the week we're gonna welcome in ASTROS
Broadcast or Steve Sparks.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
We sure are.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
It's our regular eight thirty visit on Mondays. And what
a call he had over the weekend. Classic. Still we
welcome in Steve Sparks. Now, Steve, do you have the
bat flip? Did it land in the press box? One
of the all time greats?
Speaker 4 (00:23):
Brother? How you doing.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
That?
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Was?
Speaker 4 (00:26):
That? Was?
Speaker 1 (00:27):
That was a classic? It landed up here? Hey, real quick, Tripley,
do you have that? Do you have that?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Pull that up for Steve so he can hear it
here and pay our respects to one of the greats here.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
So yeah, as I know you do, but we all do.
But it was it was, dude, It was classic.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
And as always we may not like hearing ourselves, but
when you do what you do, everybody loves it.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
And it was an awesome call.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
And Tripley let us know when you got it.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Yeah, he's getting it. We love doing this on at
you know, so I should I should have warned it.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
Smooth show, good transitions.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Here, there we go, there we go, Okay, I'll we
go all right? Here we go.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Here's Steve Sparks on the call and walk off Alex Bregman.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Fragman with the backflip that landed in our booth.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
That was great, obviously you Robert Robert Ford chuckle.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Yeah, good chuckle of the background after he made the
call this game is over and the bat flip by
Bregman Steven truth And it was a great call and
a great moment, kind of reminders of this team's clutch performance.
It hit like this is who the Astros are against
a good team in those moments and it must have
been a big watch. But I actually thought this weekend
(01:50):
felt like playoff baseball.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
It did.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Yeah, three sellout crowds playing the Dodgers and coming to
that game, in particular Kevin back and capping off five
nothing deficits.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
So to be able to do that.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
In Bregman, who's got the most swag of anybody on
the team, to be able to get that job.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
Done, it was perfect.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
So we had a great time, and you know, everybody
that was watching or listening or at the ballpark had
had a great time, especially because it was the Dodgers.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Hey, Steve, is that swag?
Speaker 3 (02:20):
We talked about it, you know, when you're losing, it's
tough to, you know, to do the things that they do.
But when they were been at their best, there's been
this and the swagger and the confidence and the smiling
and the happy I know it's easier when you're winning,
but that kind of looked like, Okay, we.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Need more of it.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Was it had to be nice, And I think there's
a direct correlation between swagger and winning, which is obvious.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
But do we expect to see that the rest of
the year with the way they're playing and with the
way they're acting.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
Well they should.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
You know, a lot of guys are rolling pretty well
right now, especially Bragman. When you talk about Bregman the
way he started the year or where he is now,
it's been going on for about six weeks. I think
the way he's swinging the bat, I feel like something's good,
Something could happen every time he steps in there. So
they're in a pretty good spot. You get Tucker Backman.
I like this lineup, maybe a little bit too much,
(03:12):
swinging mets at the bottom third every once in a
while in certain matchups.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
But Joe A. Spota has done a phenomenal job. I
think with his pinch hitting.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Guys have been coming through at a very high clip
as far as the pinch hitters go, So he knows
those matchups going into these games.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
And it's been fun. Man. I think one of the
twenty three and ten last last thirty.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Three games, it's nothing to sneeze at.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
So what the Astros have been able to do without
some guys has been fantastic.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Steve, you mentioned Joe Spotta.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
You know, like all managers do, you get good stuff
and then you get bad stuff and the slow start
people as he in over his head, is he over
all the all the talk?
Speaker 1 (03:57):
But he's never.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
Changed his demeanor, the way he handles press conferences, none
of it. He's he stayed the course, which a lot
of us are yo yelling up and down. So with
that not not a grade, but have you seen him
like a player, he's a rookie manager.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Have you seen him grow into the role.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Even though he's been familiar with this team, but grow
into the managerial role as the season's gone on, with
certain decisions he's made.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
I have you know, and I knew the communications skills
we're going to be there to begin with, but it's
just being able to you know, kind of navigate some
of this stuff.
Speaker 5 (04:30):
Now, would you agree with how you've chased wins to
get to this point, you know, and the way they've
used some of the relievers fifteen games for hater who's
pissing in games that they weren't winning.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
You're you're going to scratch your head and go how
in the world. But they had to do it, Sean,
And I don't blame I don't blame him one bit.
They've had they've had to chase these wins so to
be where they are right now, I think says a
lot about the way he's handled things.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
And you know, you go out there and you win
these games to get back in it, and you'll worry
about all the other stuff.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Later, Steve sparks Assos Broadcasting for his weekly visit at
eight thirty on Mondays.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
Steve, with all this good.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
You mentioned twenty three and ten, the last thirty three
and there's a lot good. But your job is you know,
you do it such a great job of under every
week you come on here and tell us stuff that
we're like, Okay, this is a different way to look
at it, in a unique way, in a good way.
So with this you mentioned swing and miss in the
bottom third of the order. Is is there something else
that I don't know if if concerns the right word,
but they makes you, like, makes you a little uncomfortable
(05:36):
with the lineup right now or what they're doing with it.
What's still missing aside from injuries, to make them to
where you're even more comfortable than you already are, because
I know you love the lineup when they're going good.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
You know, I'm not going to say that there's anything
that I really cringe, you know, as far as some
of these guys, some of these guys are young, and
you're still trying to learn their way to be too
anxious big moments. So I feel pretty good about a
lot of these guys. I'd say hitting with two strikes
from time to time, guys, you know, just being able
to choke up and put it in play. That's kind
(06:09):
of a lost art that we don't see many teams
do it all these days. But to win playoff baseball
and to play selfless baseball, which we've seen in the playoffs,
I mean, I think those are the game that the
situational hitting is where the Astros will be better than
the other teams when it matters.
Speaker 4 (06:27):
Most, Steve.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
I asked Dana Brown, probably a month maybe six weeks ago,
I asked him about and I don't think I've told
you to ask you about this yet or mention this year.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
I asked him about the home run ball.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
You know, teams who live in long ball, which is great,
but being a launch angle and all that, and as
in in the APEX has changed. But I said, if
you were going to sustain winning and you know, the
last one hundred or ninety games of the season, or
if you had your druthers, your choice of the long
ball or winning by small ball, what tells me more
about your team?
Speaker 1 (07:01):
And he said winning by.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Small ball would be his preference and that would tell
us more agree or disagree.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Well, to beat the best pickers, I feel like you
got to do a little bit of both, and I
don't want to.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
Yeah. He wasn't run, Stephen. Yeah, he wasn't diminishing the
whole run.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
He was just saying how important that moving runners over
at the right time and small ball was to for consistency.
Speaker 4 (07:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Yeah, when you get that leadoff double, you know, and
you can almost equate that, and thank goodness, they don't
do it in the playoffs, with that second base and
the extra innings and that next batter, that first batter
after the game hits the double is so, whether how
my inning is going to shape up, and if you
can hit it to the right side, and if you
could pull the ball, if you're left, if you can
(07:49):
figure out a way to position yourself in the box
to get that job done, then that's that.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
That's half the battle. That's how you win those games,
you know.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
And and doing that that that runner on second base,
nobody out get the runner over, you know, take your
shot the other way.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
If it falls in for a hit, that's a bonus.
But at the very least with less than to us,
you're gonna win a lot of games.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
So the Astros have done really well against the best
pitchers this year. Corvin Burns they beat, They beat Trek Scubele,
they beat Garrett Crochet and Pablo Lopez. They beat a
lot of aces. They're gonna see another one today. But uh,
but the long ball, Sean is played a bit part
in those. They fit four homers against Burns in the
(08:37):
last two times he started against them.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
So I don't want to diminish what the long ball does.
To a team.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
In in these games these days, you know, it's just
a part of it. And to win a lot of
these games, you gotta slug.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
I think the Astros certainly have a lot of guys
who can leave the ballpark.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
Yeah, And I think part of it was him saying,
we'll be better more consistent with weekend heyball on the ballpark,
but moving being able to do those little extra things,
moving runners over part of the small ball would help
us establish more consistency. And he, like you, believes in both.
And who doesn't, Steve. We have a caller who's a
diehard fan. You've probably you know you listen, You've probably
a Ronnie who who's who dives deep into this.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
And he didn't even know if you'd know.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
The answer, But I figured we'd ask you because he
asked us to ask you, And I thought, why not
when Orkidi and Garcia, you know, those young pitchers who
had to come in and do their thing in World
Series runs? And I had mentioned that Arragetty and Hunter
Brown as a full time starter, and even though he's
not young, Renelle Blanco, his first full season starting like
this in the Major So there's a similarity but he
(09:42):
wanted to know other teams, and being the fact that
you watch the Astros so much, is there a team
out there that has young that is in a similar
situation the Astros are in where they're going to have
to rely on young pitching like the Astros did and
still do to get where they want to go. And
he didn't really know the answer. And I I don't
know that answer, but I didn't know if you did
(10:02):
or if you've seen along in the travels this year
a team that's like, well, they're not just relying on Ventance.
There's a couple of young starters. I don't know, is
it Baltimore? Is there some team we're missing? And maybe
a couple names. If not, no big deal, But he
wanted to know if you may have that answer.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Well, the first two series, this series, the Astros are
facing five out of six rookie starters. So you know,
the Dodgers just threw three rookie starters at him with
River Ryan the point, gavinth Stone and who Robleski the
second day, and they're going to rely on those guys,
and that that dude yesterday River Ryan looked good.
Speaker 6 (10:38):
I mean that kid, yeah, yeah, So and they all
they all look good, to be honest with you.
Speaker 4 (10:43):
So I think the Dodgers are going to rely on
those guys.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
And you know, you're rolling the dice on on Clayton
Kershaw at this stage of his career. So, uh, we'll
see how they shape up as far as their health
a little later on. But I think they're going to
have to roll in there with some young guys, Paul Skins,
Garrett Jones with Pittsburgh. You know, if they make the playoffs,
they are certainly going to headline their rotation.
Speaker 4 (11:04):
So there's a few teams out there, you know. And
I think.
Speaker 6 (11:07):
Guys get to the big leagues now and they're much
better prepared to go out there and pitch on these
stages because they've been doing it since they were fourteen, right,
they were recognized.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
Real early that they had a special talent.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
So they've been facing the best and the best in Atlanta,
you know, in San Diego and all these places.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
Around the country, and they're used to it. They're used
to the attention in the bright light.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
Yeah, Steve, it reminds me of rookie quarterbacks. Now, we's
have one here in CJ. Stroud.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
We watched Mahomes.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
Soon we see the Josh Allen Lamar Jackson playing in
front of one hundred thousand in Ohio State Michigan. You've
been in these big moments. It's just now you're getting
paid well.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
In college.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
They're getting paid now all the time. So that's they
we're allowed to do that now. But you're exactly right.
But if Tariffson's are pretty amazing.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
It's much more sophisticated game in college now to right
for those quarterbrates. You know, they're they're reading the defenses
as much like they would at the pro level now,
much more so than they did back when you were
playing right.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
The far far more different, and there's so many different specializations.
You know, we're doing so many more formations and personnel groupings.
They've got a lot to grasp and then to be
able to execute it and play fast because they are
playing faster than they've ever played. So yeah, and you
got your mind's got to you got you got to get.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
Through those reads. Your eyes got to move quick.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
So there's so many similarities, all right, Steve, you know
the elephant in the rooms, the trade deadline. We're we're
what five o'clock tomorrow Central time, so we're what thirty
some hours away from that does. Does the not having
a move done yet give you that there's gonna be
And I say the desperation because you don't want desperation
or should we as you mentioned more of a wow
(12:40):
factor opportunity that you still think something like that's going
to happen. I think the only failure would be that
nothing happens. That's my opinion, whether it's right or wrong.
I think something's gonna happen. Where do you stand on
where we are right now with thirty some hours away
from that deadline?
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Well, I asked Dana yesterday, you know where he thought,
you know, things were going and where they were right now?
Speaker 4 (13:03):
He just felt like it was really slow.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
They've got a million million things out there and they're
they're trying like crazy, and they've they've got their names in.
Speaker 4 (13:12):
The hat on a bunch of them, and.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
He just says that every everybody is just going really slow,
and he thinks it's either going to be tonight or
tomorrow before the astros gets.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
Up and done.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
So maybe it'll be before then, but he just said
it's going slower than they had imagined. But they've been
very aggressive and they're in on a ton of guys,
and he says it.
Speaker 4 (13:33):
Over and over, it's all about pitching.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
We know that whether it's starting is the number one priority,
then it's relief pitcher priority. I said, what's third priority?
I said, is it a corner infield or what is it?
Speaker 4 (13:46):
And he says, it's just a bath.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
You know, it doesn't have to be a certain position
or anything like that. He would love another left handed
bat in the lineup, but he said, that's definitely third priority.
Speaker 4 (13:57):
But starting pitching.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
Man, they've cast their net out there for a lot
of different guys, and I would imagine it's some guys
that we probably haven't even talked about yet.
Speaker 3 (14:07):
Yeah, we were saying that before you came on, Steve,
there's names out there that nobody's talking about that maybe
one of those guys or two of those guys that
end up here.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
So Steve, there's a chance we did.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
I mean, you expect something to happen, but it could
get a little frenzied around baseball, right if the movement
goes like damn, eight moves in a matter of an
hour for different teams. We could see some of that
in the next handful hour. Whether it's tonight or tomorrow morning.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
It sounds like it's going to be a frenzy, you know,
and it might start tonight and it might start tomorrow morning.
But it sounds like everybody's just trying to get all
their ducks in a row, and they're lining things up,
and they've got it on the top board of what
everybody's offering. You know, there might be seven or eight
teams offering for one pitcher, you know, and they just
have to weigh and probably negotiate and see if they
(14:52):
can get a little bit more with the leverage that
they have because there's so many more buyers than our sellers.
So I don't blame them, you know, as a as
a buyer, you might get a little frustrated at how
slow it's going and how much more do you have
to go out there? But when there's that many, that
many bidders, you're gonna have to overpay, and and everybody
(15:12):
understands that, and that's why that's why these offers are
going to be so enticing.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
No question about it, And not a bad situation to
be tied for first place of all the things that
have happened right still, I mean, it's it's a pretty
good situation to be and everything's a bonus as long
as you get what you went out there to get,
and Steve, you'll get a chance to watch another ACE tonight.
What a treat it's going to be to watch schemes
on the mound and a chance for the Astros to
beat another ace. They just keep them coming, man, So
(15:38):
it'll be fun, and we always appreciate your insight. The
next time we talk, we'll be headed towards down the
stretch and hopefully you'll be talking about whoever the new
editions are, Steve, and we appreciate you all.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
Yeah, then off we go. Yeah, it's looking forward to it,
so thanks for having me. Uh. I would just say, man,
be patient.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
They're doing everything that they can to get to get
it done and to improve it.
Speaker 4 (16:00):
And I'm with you, guys. I heard you a little
bit as I was waiting to come on.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
This team needs a pitcher to keep everybody else healthy
more than anything, so we'll see where it goes. If not,
then you cross your fingers on on Justin Berlander and
Luis Garcia being able to contribute here pretty.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
Soon, no doubt, And every staff is somewhere around baseball
is going to be going through some sort of health
issue and concern about a picture somewhere along the line. Yeah,
there's no question, Steve. We appreciate you great stuff, and
have Bragman autographed the bat flip for you, brother, the
one that landed in the press box, and I appreciate it,
my many thanks so much. I appreciate that. All right,
the great Steve Sparks. We'll come back and discuss here.
(16:37):
It is Sports Talk seven ninety and it is Sean
salisbra Show with Triple Ley and Brian lille mccoming right back.
The Shawn Salisbury Show continued, Is.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
That time of the week we're gonna welcome in ASTROS
Broadcast or Steve Sparks.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
We sure are.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
It's our regular eight thirty visit on Mondays. And what
a call he had over the weekend. Classic. Still we
welcome in Steve Sparks. Now, Steve, do you have the
bat flip? Did it land in the press box? One
of the all time greats?
Speaker 4 (00:23):
Brother? How you doing.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
That?
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Was?
Speaker 4 (00:26):
That? Was?
Speaker 1 (00:27):
That was a classic? It landed up here? Hey, real quick, Tripley,
do you have that? Do you have that?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Pull that up for Steve so he can hear it
here and pay our respects to one of the greats here.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
So yeah, as I know you do, but we all do.
But it was it was, dude, It was classic.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
And as always we may not like hearing ourselves, but
when you do what you do, everybody loves it.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
And it was an awesome call.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
And Tripley let us know when you got it.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Yeah, he's getting it. We love doing this on at
you know, so I should I should have warned it.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
Smooth show, good transitions.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Here, there we go, there we go, Okay, I'll we
go all right? Here we go.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Here's Steve Sparks on the call and walk off Alex Bregman.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Fragman with the backflip that landed in our booth.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
That was great, obviously you Robert Robert Ford chuckle.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Yeah, good chuckle of the background after he made the
call this game is over and the bat flip by
Bregman Steven truth And it was a great call and
a great moment, kind of reminders of this team's clutch performance.
It hit like this is who the Astros are against
a good team in those moments and it must have
been a big watch. But I actually thought this weekend
(01:50):
felt like playoff baseball.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
It did.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Yeah, three sellout crowds playing the Dodgers and coming to
that game, in particular Kevin back and capping off five
nothing deficits.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
So to be able to do that.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
In Bregman, who's got the most swag of anybody on
the team, to be able to get that job.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
Done, it was perfect.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
So we had a great time, and you know, everybody
that was watching or listening or at the ballpark had
had a great time, especially because it was the Dodgers.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Hey, Steve, is that swag?
Speaker 3 (02:20):
We talked about it, you know, when you're losing, it's
tough to, you know, to do the things that they do.
But when they were been at their best, there's been
this and the swagger and the confidence and the smiling
and the happy I know it's easier when you're winning,
but that kind of looked like, Okay, we.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Need more of it.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Was it had to be nice, And I think there's
a direct correlation between swagger and winning, which is obvious.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
But do we expect to see that the rest of
the year with the way they're playing and with the
way they're acting.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
Well they should.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
You know, a lot of guys are rolling pretty well
right now, especially Bragman. When you talk about Bregman the
way he started the year or where he is now,
it's been going on for about six weeks. I think
the way he's swinging the bat, I feel like something's good,
Something could happen every time he steps in there. So
they're in a pretty good spot. You get Tucker Backman.
I like this lineup, maybe a little bit too much,
(03:12):
swinging mets at the bottom third every once in a
while in certain matchups.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
But Joe A. Spota has done a phenomenal job. I
think with his pinch hitting.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Guys have been coming through at a very high clip
as far as the pinch hitters go, So he knows
those matchups going into these games.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
And it's been fun. Man. I think one of the
twenty three and ten last last thirty.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Three games, it's nothing to sneeze at.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
So what the Astros have been able to do without
some guys has been fantastic.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Steve, you mentioned Joe Spotta.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
You know, like all managers do, you get good stuff
and then you get bad stuff and the slow start
people as he in over his head, is he over
all the all the talk?
Speaker 1 (03:57):
But he's never.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
Changed his demeanor, the way he handles press conferences, none
of it. He's he stayed the course, which a lot
of us are yo yelling up and down. So with
that not not a grade, but have you seen him
like a player, he's a rookie manager.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Have you seen him grow into the role.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Even though he's been familiar with this team, but grow
into the managerial role as the season's gone on, with
certain decisions he's made.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
I have you know, and I knew the communications skills
we're going to be there to begin with, but it's
just being able to you know, kind of navigate some
of this stuff.
Speaker 5 (04:30):
Now, would you agree with how you've chased wins to
get to this point, you know, and the way they've
used some of the relievers fifteen games for hater who's
pissing in games that they weren't winning.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
You're you're going to scratch your head and go how
in the world. But they had to do it, Sean,
And I don't blame I don't blame him one bit.
They've had they've had to chase these wins so to
be where they are right now, I think says a
lot about the way he's handled things.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
And you know, you go out there and you win
these games to get back in it, and you'll worry
about all the other stuff.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Later, Steve sparks Assos Broadcasting for his weekly visit at
eight thirty on Mondays.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
Steve, with all this good.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
You mentioned twenty three and ten, the last thirty three
and there's a lot good. But your job is you know,
you do it such a great job of under every
week you come on here and tell us stuff that
we're like, Okay, this is a different way to look
at it, in a unique way, in a good way.
So with this you mentioned swing and miss in the
bottom third of the order. Is is there something else
that I don't know if if concerns the right word,
but they makes you, like, makes you a little uncomfortable
(05:36):
with the lineup right now or what they're doing with it.
What's still missing aside from injuries, to make them to
where you're even more comfortable than you already are, because
I know you love the lineup when they're going good.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
You know, I'm not going to say that there's anything
that I really cringe, you know, as far as some
of these guys, some of these guys are young, and
you're still trying to learn their way to be too
anxious big moments. So I feel pretty good about a
lot of these guys. I'd say hitting with two strikes
from time to time, guys, you know, just being able
to choke up and put it in play. That's kind
(06:09):
of a lost art that we don't see many teams
do it all these days. But to win playoff baseball
and to play selfless baseball, which we've seen in the playoffs,
I mean, I think those are the game that the
situational hitting is where the Astros will be better than
the other teams when it matters.
Speaker 4 (06:27):
Most, Steve.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
I asked Dana Brown, probably a month maybe six weeks ago,
I asked him about and I don't think I've told
you to ask you about this yet or mention this year.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
I asked him about the home run ball.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
You know, teams who live in long ball, which is great,
but being a launch angle and all that, and as
in in the APEX has changed. But I said, if
you were going to sustain winning and you know, the
last one hundred or ninety games of the season, or
if you had your druthers, your choice of the long
ball or winning by small ball, what tells me more
about your team?
Speaker 1 (07:01):
And he said winning by.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Small ball would be his preference and that would tell
us more agree or disagree.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Well, to beat the best pickers, I feel like you
got to do a little bit of both, and I
don't want to.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
Yeah. He wasn't run, Stephen. Yeah, he wasn't diminishing the
whole run.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
He was just saying how important that moving runners over
at the right time and small ball was to for consistency.
Speaker 4 (07:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Yeah, when you get that leadoff double, you know, and
you can almost equate that, and thank goodness, they don't
do it in the playoffs, with that second base and
the extra innings and that next batter, that first batter
after the game hits the double is so, whether how
my inning is going to shape up, and if you
can hit it to the right side, and if you
could pull the ball, if you're left, if you can
(07:49):
figure out a way to position yourself in the box
to get that job done, then that's that.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
That's half the battle. That's how you win those games,
you know.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
And and doing that that that runner on second base,
nobody out get the runner over, you know, take your
shot the other way.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
If it falls in for a hit, that's a bonus.
But at the very least with less than to us,
you're gonna win a lot of games.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
So the Astros have done really well against the best
pitchers this year. Corvin Burns they beat, They beat Trek Scubele,
they beat Garrett Crochet and Pablo Lopez. They beat a
lot of aces. They're gonna see another one today. But uh,
but the long ball, Sean is played a bit part
in those. They fit four homers against Burns in the
(08:37):
last two times he started against them.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
So I don't want to diminish what the long ball does.
To a team.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
In in these games these days, you know, it's just
a part of it. And to win a lot of
these games, you gotta slug.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
I think the Astros certainly have a lot of guys
who can leave the ballpark.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
Yeah, And I think part of it was him saying,
we'll be better more consistent with weekend heyball on the ballpark,
but moving being able to do those little extra things,
moving runners over part of the small ball would help
us establish more consistency. And he, like you, believes in both.
And who doesn't, Steve. We have a caller who's a
diehard fan. You've probably you know you listen, You've probably
a Ronnie who who's who dives deep into this.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
And he didn't even know if you'd know.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
The answer, But I figured we'd ask you because he
asked us to ask you, And I thought, why not
when Orkidi and Garcia, you know, those young pitchers who
had to come in and do their thing in World
Series runs? And I had mentioned that Arragetty and Hunter
Brown as a full time starter, and even though he's
not young, Renelle Blanco, his first full season starting like
this in the Major So there's a similarity but he
(09:42):
wanted to know other teams, and being the fact that
you watch the Astros so much, is there a team
out there that has young that is in a similar
situation the Astros are in where they're going to have
to rely on young pitching like the Astros did and
still do to get where they want to go. And
he didn't really know the answer. And I I don't
know that answer, but I didn't know if you did
(10:02):
or if you've seen along in the travels this year
a team that's like, well, they're not just relying on Ventance.
There's a couple of young starters. I don't know, is
it Baltimore? Is there some team we're missing? And maybe
a couple names. If not, no big deal, But he
wanted to know if you may have that answer.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Well, the first two series, this series, the Astros are
facing five out of six rookie starters. So you know,
the Dodgers just threw three rookie starters at him with
River Ryan the point, gavinth Stone and who Robleski the
second day, and they're going to rely on those guys,
and that that dude yesterday River Ryan looked good.
Speaker 6 (10:38):
I mean that kid, yeah, yeah, So and they all
they all look good, to be honest with you.
Speaker 4 (10:43):
So I think the Dodgers are going to rely on
those guys.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
And you know, you're rolling the dice on on Clayton
Kershaw at this stage of his career. So, uh, we'll
see how they shape up as far as their health
a little later on. But I think they're going to
have to roll in there with some young guys, Paul Skins,
Garrett Jones with Pittsburgh. You know, if they make the playoffs,
they are certainly going to headline their rotation.
Speaker 4 (11:04):
So there's a few teams out there, you know. And
I think.
Speaker 6 (11:07):
Guys get to the big leagues now and they're much
better prepared to go out there and pitch on these
stages because they've been doing it since they were fourteen, right,
they were recognized.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
Real early that they had a special talent.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
So they've been facing the best and the best in Atlanta,
you know, in San Diego and all these places.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
Around the country, and they're used to it. They're used
to the attention in the bright light.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
Yeah, Steve, it reminds me of rookie quarterbacks. Now, we's
have one here in CJ. Stroud.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
We watched Mahomes.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
Soon we see the Josh Allen Lamar Jackson playing in
front of one hundred thousand in Ohio State Michigan. You've
been in these big moments. It's just now you're getting
paid well.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
In college.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
They're getting paid now all the time. So that's they
we're allowed to do that now. But you're exactly right.
But if Tariffson's are pretty amazing.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
It's much more sophisticated game in college now to right
for those quarterbrates. You know, they're they're reading the defenses
as much like they would at the pro level now,
much more so than they did back when you were
playing right.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
The far far more different, and there's so many different specializations.
You know, we're doing so many more formations and personnel groupings.
They've got a lot to grasp and then to be
able to execute it and play fast because they are
playing faster than they've ever played. So yeah, and you
got your mind's got to you got you got to get.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
Through those reads. Your eyes got to move quick.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
So there's so many similarities, all right, Steve, you know
the elephant in the rooms, the trade deadline. We're we're
what five o'clock tomorrow Central time, so we're what thirty
some hours away from that does. Does the not having
a move done yet give you that there's gonna be
And I say the desperation because you don't want desperation
or should we as you mentioned more of a wow
(12:40):
factor opportunity that you still think something like that's going
to happen. I think the only failure would be that
nothing happens. That's my opinion, whether it's right or wrong.
I think something's gonna happen. Where do you stand on
where we are right now with thirty some hours away
from that deadline?
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Well, I asked Dana yesterday, you know where he thought,
you know, things were going and where they were right now?
Speaker 4 (13:03):
He just felt like it was really slow.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
They've got a million million things out there and they're
they're trying like crazy, and they've they've got their names in.
Speaker 4 (13:12):
The hat on a bunch of them, and.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
He just says that every everybody is just going really slow,
and he thinks it's either going to be tonight or
tomorrow before the astros gets.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
Up and done.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
So maybe it'll be before then, but he just said
it's going slower than they had imagined. But they've been
very aggressive and they're in on a ton of guys,
and he says it.
Speaker 4 (13:33):
Over and over, it's all about pitching.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
We know that whether it's starting is the number one priority,
then it's relief pitcher priority. I said, what's third priority?
I said, is it a corner infield or what is it?
Speaker 4 (13:46):
And he says, it's just a bath.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
You know, it doesn't have to be a certain position
or anything like that. He would love another left handed
bat in the lineup, but he said, that's definitely third priority.
Speaker 4 (13:57):
But starting pitching.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
Man, they've cast their net out there for a lot
of different guys, and I would imagine it's some guys
that we probably haven't even talked about yet.
Speaker 3 (14:07):
Yeah, we were saying that before you came on, Steve,
there's names out there that nobody's talking about that maybe
one of those guys or two of those guys that
end up here.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
So Steve, there's a chance we did.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
I mean, you expect something to happen, but it could
get a little frenzied around baseball, right if the movement
goes like damn, eight moves in a matter of an
hour for different teams. We could see some of that
in the next handful hour. Whether it's tonight or tomorrow morning.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
It sounds like it's going to be a frenzy, you know,
and it might start tonight and it might start tomorrow morning.
But it sounds like everybody's just trying to get all
their ducks in a row, and they're lining things up,
and they've got it on the top board of what
everybody's offering. You know, there might be seven or eight
teams offering for one pitcher, you know, and they just
have to weigh and probably negotiate and see if they
(14:52):
can get a little bit more with the leverage that
they have because there's so many more buyers than our sellers.
So I don't blame them, you know, as a as
a buyer, you might get a little frustrated at how
slow it's going and how much more do you have
to go out there? But when there's that many, that
many bidders, you're gonna have to overpay, and and everybody
(15:12):
understands that, and that's why that's why these offers are
going to be so enticing.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
No question about it, And not a bad situation to
be tied for first place of all the things that
have happened right still, I mean, it's it's a pretty
good situation to be and everything's a bonus as long
as you get what you went out there to get,
and Steve, you'll get a chance to watch another ACE tonight.
What a treat it's going to be to watch schemes
on the mound and a chance for the Astros to
beat another ace. They just keep them coming, man, So
(15:38):
it'll be fun, and we always appreciate your insight. The
next time we talk, we'll be headed towards down the
stretch and hopefully you'll be talking about whoever the new
editions are, Steve, and we appreciate you all.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
Yeah, then off we go. Yeah, it's looking forward to it,
so thanks for having me. Uh. I would just say, man,
be patient.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
They're doing everything that they can to get to get
it done and to improve it.
Speaker 4 (16:00):
And I'm with you, guys. I heard you a little
bit as I was waiting to come on.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
This team needs a pitcher to keep everybody else healthy
more than anything, so we'll see where it goes. If not,
then you cross your fingers on on Justin Berlander and
Luis Garcia being able to contribute here pretty.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
Soon, no doubt, And every staff is somewhere around baseball
is going to be going through some sort of health
issue and concern about a picture somewhere along the line. Yeah,
there's no question, Steve. We appreciate you great stuff, and
have Bragman autographed the bat flip for you, brother, the
one that landed in the press box, and I appreciate it,
my many thanks so much. I appreciate that. All right,
the great Steve Sparks. We'll come back and discuss here.
(16:37):
It is Sports Talk seven ninety and it is Sean
salisbra Show with Triple Ley and Brian lille mccoming right back.
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