Brian McTaggart Joins The Show After Astros Comeback

Brian McTaggart Joins The Show After Astros Comeback

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, leven O three Sports Talk seven utie Brian
McTaggart is with us for his weekly visit.

Speaker 2 (00:05):
Now.

Speaker 1 (00:06):
Brian leaves and lives in League City. He covered the
game last night. We're gonna try to guess where he is.
He's on his way to Arlington right now, closest without
going over wins Ross. We don't know where he left
when he left. We're no wet. We're just appearing out
here a guest. So let's say he got home at
say midnight. Okay, Yeah, he's an instant career man. I

(00:28):
probably gets the Burly seven thirty. He didn't pack, so
we packed quickly for this. Uh huh, he's about a
fifteen minute packer said, I'll say something thirties two and
a half hours and I'm going to say he is
I'm going Buffalo, Texas. I was gonna say Buffalo. Are
you serious?

Speaker 2 (00:45):
Are you serious?

Speaker 1 (00:46):
I was really gonna say Buffalo. What's the place. We're saying, Oh,
fair I'm gonna go Fairfield. Okay, I'm gonna say in
course of Canada, Nope, too far, Brian, where are you?

Speaker 3 (00:57):
I just posted a picture on my Twitter. It tells
you exactly where It'm at okay here.

Speaker 1 (01:02):
So he's in Madisonville. Then if you posted it, it's
got to be Bucky. Yeah, you gotta be a Bucky's.

Speaker 2 (01:06):
Nice I just pulled him.

Speaker 1 (01:09):
Oh Madisonville. Damn. You know we went off chalk, Brian.
That's as we messed up.

Speaker 2 (01:16):
You did? You did? That was? That was? That was
a layup for you guys.

Speaker 1 (01:19):
So what time did you leave League City this morning?

Speaker 2 (01:22):
I left about nine ten?

Speaker 3 (01:24):
Okay, hit a little traffic around downtown when forty five
goes to two lanes for some unknown reason, and.

Speaker 2 (01:31):
Then yeah, but otherwise, yeah, otherwise fine.

Speaker 1 (01:34):
Okay, good, all right, good, Hey, uh the comeback kids
are back in action. This is not a bad little
serious performance for the local night, especially with two back
to backers. I thought yesterday was even more impressive because
of the fact that it felt like Kansas City was
on cruise control for much of the game.

Speaker 3 (01:48):
Yeah, I agree to take two or three with the
pitching matchups that that the Royals were throwing out there
and you know, come from behind win. I think, what
only their second win this year when trailing after seven innings,
So that was, you know, probably one of the most
impressive wins of the season. I mean, I was just
thinking that they're squeezing every ounce they can out of
this offense. I mean, two solo homers get it done

(02:09):
a couple of days ago, you know, yesterday do bomb
drops a couple of doubles. I mean, the offense is
still scuffling really badly, and they're making the most of it.
But the pitching has been so good for the most part,
especially the bullpen, that they're in every game pretty much,
with the exception of you know, a couple of those
on the home stand that we're all aware of. But yeah,

(02:30):
I mean, I think Joe said it a few times.
The fact that they have this record and their offense
is as poor as it's been, I think it's pretty
it's pretty promising. If you think once they get back
to full strength and everyone starts hitting up to their level.

Speaker 1 (02:44):
I think you have to make an exception to your
rule about everybody's struggling offensively except the leadoff man. Jeremy Pinion.
My god, is this ops gone up like five hundred
points in the last two weeks.

Speaker 3 (02:55):
Yeah, he's done a nice job in that leadoff spot,
and you know, he had that great spring and made
a few changes to his swing, and you know, got
off to a little bit of a slow start, but
he looks like now he's he's developing into everything they
had hoped he would be. I mean, this is his
fourth year now, so it's not like this is an
overnight thing.

Speaker 2 (03:11):
But man, good for him.

Speaker 3 (03:13):
I mean, he's put in a lot of work to
get to this point, and anytime you put someone in
the leadoff spot, you know, you wonder how they're gonna do.
It comes with a lot of pressure, and he's done
a very nice job. You know, just sort of like
when you move somebody to close it, you don't know
if they're built for it or not. Guys you know,
Will Harris couldn't do it, and you know Ken Giles
really couldn't do it, but you know other guys can,
and they move Penna the leadoff spot and he certainly is,

(03:37):
you know, a quarter through the season, is probably the
Astros MVP at this point.

Speaker 1 (03:41):
Yeah, we've seen hot streaks from him before, Brian, And
of course you always mentioned Memorial Day is kind of
where you shake things out. We're only a couple of
weeks out from that and he is still sustaining this.

Speaker 2 (03:53):
Yeah, but and that leads me to believe it's real.

Speaker 3 (03:55):
I mean, he's you know, not striking out as much,
walking a little more, and it just looks more confident
at the plate. His swing is just seems to be uh.

Speaker 2 (04:05):
You know the word he's uses quieter.

Speaker 3 (04:07):
There's just not not going you know, a lot going on,
a little toe tap.

Speaker 2 (04:10):
And he's got those quick hands.

Speaker 3 (04:12):
You know, yesterday I tried to you know, sneak a
ball by him, and you know, he was able to
get those hands in and just turn on it. And
so yeah, he's uh, you know, he's got a chance
to make the All Star Game in the in the
American League at shortstop. Add that to his resume, which
already includes a World Series, a World Series MVP, ALCS MVP.

Speaker 1 (04:31):
There was really only one poor reliever in the middle
relief corps and Taylor Scott obviously got DFA yesterday, but
I mean Dubin or King and then Bray you who's
felt like the appearances have gone down? Where would this
team be without this bullpen because not only are they successful,
but man, Brian, they're being used in the fifth any

(04:52):
more than perhaps any other bullpen in baseball.

Speaker 3 (04:54):
Right now, Yeah, I'd be interested to see where they
rank as far as innings. That's something I'll I'll look
up after I finished my icy here at Bucki's. But uh,
even even the two games where they had the short
starts and the Colors game and the Gusto game, the
bullpen came in and shut the door in both games
they they had a chance. You know, I think both

(05:16):
games maybe had the time run at the play it
at some point.

Speaker 2 (05:19):
So yeah, you know, I've said it before.

Speaker 3 (05:21):
I thought the bullpen was the one area where they
going into the season, I thought they were really thin.
But so far it's been it's been their strengths so far.
And Dubin's the guy we saw yesterday who can come
in and you know, sneak ninety six ninety seven by
you before you know it.

Speaker 2 (05:36):
He's He's very durable, a guy that.

Speaker 3 (05:38):
Can pitch two innings if you if you need to
start him and get four it in is he can
do that as well. So you know, it stinks for
Taylor Scott, who did a really nice job last year.
But yeah, Dubin I think can be even a bigger
weapon out of that bullpen. So you know, props to
all those guys. For for getting it done, but uh
got to do it over the next four months as well,
because some of those guys are are pitching a lot,

(06:00):
you know, a brave he's pitching a lot again. So
we'll see how they do here as we continue through
the season.

Speaker 1 (06:06):
Brian McTaggert continuing with us here on Sports Talk seven
ninety back to the lineup, real Quick, continuing struggles for
Christian Walker, oh for four a couple of strikeouts. Talked
about pinya and hoping that's real, and we hope it's
not real with the way that Walker's performing.

Speaker 2 (06:23):
Well.

Speaker 3 (06:23):
I went to Christian Walker Monday before the game and
did an interview with him on how well he was hitting,
you know, and if you talk to him, I know
Matt interviewed him after. I did a very stand up guy.
I mean in very honest, very candid. You know, he came,
as advertised, just one of the best, you know interviews
you could have. But he was great about a swing

(06:44):
and I think at that time he was hitting two
twenty five, he was coming around, and then I think
he had a hitless series against the Royals. So he
may never want to talk to me or Matt again,
but just when I think that he's coming around, and
then you have a stretch where he looks.

Speaker 2 (06:58):
Like, you know, he's a little bit low at the plate.

Speaker 3 (07:00):
So yeah, the deeper you get into this more you
start to scratch your head. But man, I still think
there's got to be better days ahead from Matt. I
just don't I'd be shocked of Christian Walker's hitting two
eleven at the All Star Breaker two fifteen, or even
two twenty.

Speaker 1 (07:18):
We all know full well how Astros fans can be. Brian,
there has been a lot of talk about hitting coaches
all year, especially now with Jeff Pass and Alex Bregman
article talking about adjustments he made. Just your opinion on
that whole narrative and any underlying possibility of a change
being made.

Speaker 2 (07:35):
There, Yeah, I don't see it.

Speaker 3 (07:39):
I mean, the same hitting coaches that you know in
twenty twenty two when they won the World Series, the
same pitching coaches when they won the World Series. To me,
I'm always going to put the blame on the player,
I mean, bottom line. Yeah, if you read the Passion article,
one of the things that stood out to me was
that one of the things that clicked for Bregman that
he said was that he was getting the knob. Pass

(08:00):
the ball. He said the same thing last year when
he was struggling here. He had a big game and
he's like, not pass the ball, that's what clicks. So
this isn't anything new. I don't think. I don't think
Bregman's got gone there and just reinvented his swing. I
think maybe he's made a couple of changes here and there.
He was the guy that was constantly tinkering with his swing,
always trying different things, always looking at video.

Speaker 2 (08:21):
I think he likes hitting at Fenway Park.

Speaker 3 (08:23):
That's one of the reasons he signed there is he
thought he really liked the backdrop and the idea of
the Green Monster. So I think it's just low hanging
fruit to say blame the hitting coaches. Blame the hitting coaches.
And I saw your tweet yesterday Ross that you know,
where's the praise for the hitting coaches for helping p
You know, come have a guy that looks like he'd
be an All Star. Now, the responsibilities on the players,

(08:46):
and yes, I mean at some point, if if there's
a team wide failure in hitting philosophy, then yeah, maybe
you make some changes, but you have some very accomplished
hitters in the Astros lineup not carrying the weight, and
the onus is on them more than it is the coaches.

Speaker 1 (09:01):
To wrap up our conversation, Brian, what's going through the
mind of Lance mccullors. Obviously the last start was far
from what he wanted. Only one third inning struggled in
terms of pitch cap the first one, and look, Arlington
is a place the Rangers are hitting well, it's an
easy ballpark for hitting offensively. I'm not going to say
how important is it, so I don't want you to

(09:22):
read into that, but start number three, he wants to
see some tangible improvement. I'm assuming yes, oh yeah.

Speaker 3 (09:30):
I mean it's got to be a case where a
if you're Lance after that start, you want to say, hey,
that was a one star thing. I'm back on track.
Get some quick innings, get some swing and miss, which
he wasn't able to do, maybe even build the velocity
just a little bit. I mean, the Rangers on a
great lineup. They just beat up on the Rockies, who
are just awful. Mark Corey Seegers on the I l again,

(09:52):
he's there, you know, by far their best hitter and
someone who's really gonna thorn in their sides. But you
know they have Jack Peterson hitting third last night, OPS
is under five hundred. So this is this is a
this is a lineup that I think he could have
some success against. But if he does go out there
have another short start, gets knocked around, then maybe you know,
you have to have some you know, real discussions about

(10:13):
you know, where do you go from here with Lions
mccullors junior. But if he has a good start on Friday,
then you try to build on it. But you know,
we'll see it's gonna be a very interesting start for
him on Friday for sure.

Speaker 1 (10:24):
And lastly, any thought of maybe seeing Jordan on this
road trip at some point.

Speaker 3 (10:29):
I would think I would think we will. I mean,
I know that Joe said we're close, and we've heard
that over and over. I guess until maybe he's taking
some batting practice on the field. I think they really
want him in the lineup for the for this series.
I don't maybe they get him back to the last
couple of games and maybe he's in there tonight, who knows,
But I certainly would be surprised if he is not
in the lineup at some point during this road trip,

(10:51):
and maybe we'll have more clarity on that when we
get to Arlington in a few hours and we're.

Speaker 2 (10:56):
Able to talk to Jump.

Speaker 1 (10:57):
All right, last question, Ross, you and I will guess
what flavor icy did Brian mctagger choose at BUCkies. Now,
the two leaders in the clubhouse are Cola and Cherry.
Blueberry also sometimes gets in there, and I believe doctor
Pepper can be a flavor. Now that BUCkies I've gone
to has multiple machines. I'm gonna go, you went Cola?

(11:20):
What do you say, Ross, I'm gonna go cotton candy.

Speaker 2 (11:25):
Cotton Candy.

Speaker 3 (11:26):
Well, I actually haven't gotten it yet about about to
go in, but yeah, I'm definitely a Cola guy.

Speaker 1 (11:31):
That's what I'm talking about.

Speaker 2 (11:33):
Kuber very Goodn't you are? You are? What do you say, Thomas?
That is?

Speaker 1 (11:39):
It's no ungus And by the way, thanks for throwing
Thanks for throwing under the bus with the Christian Walker
interview people, I was like, oh, that's sports empty curses.
Back in the play, I'm gonna start calling the McTaggart curse,
that's what. Because you got to him before I did, so, well, uh,
I he.

Speaker 2 (11:52):
Wouldn't have talked to him, he probably would have been
doing okay.

Speaker 1 (11:54):
He's been there for two World Series wins. Matt, so,
I don't think there's a Brian McTaggart curse. That feels fair.
Tags really really really safe travels will talk to you
again next week. It Brian McTaggart. Cola icy. I haven't
had icy in the longest time.