Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
If you missed the first hour of the Matt Thomas show.
Here with Ross we are at Tyler Brewing. You need
to come by and have some lunch. Ross and I
just ordered a sausage pizza. It's gonna be magnificent. You
also learned the minutia of the UNO playing rules and
skin to skin contact with new Fathers.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
What other show in the marketplaces you would say Matt
is gonna get There.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Isn't a single show that.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
That's why Brian McTaggart insists on being with us every
Thursday at eleven o'clock on seventy tags.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
How are things?
Speaker 4 (00:29):
I'm good?
Speaker 3 (00:30):
How are you good?
Speaker 1 (00:32):
All right, let's let's put things in perspective here. So
you're in the clubhouse after the game yesterday and you asked,
or somebody asked among the scrum about does it hurt
less or more for Jake Myers?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
And he didn't want to answer it. Were you just
like dumbfound that? Are like?
Speaker 4 (00:49):
Uh oh yeah, that was me who asked him. I
mean we were told that Myers wasn't gonna talk, but
me and and Chandler and at Kawahara waited him out. Anyway,
I mean, we need to hear that from him, and
Myers is a great guy and was kind enough to
do a you know, a short interview, so.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Props to him.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
But yeah, he uh, when he was asked that question,
he gave a long pause and then asked an MPR
staff if he has to answer that, and then he
didn't answer it. And that's fine, that's his prerogative. I'm
just glad he talked and gave us some kind of update.
But uh, you know, he he he was hurting. I mean,
he was walking around really gingerly on uh, you know,
(01:28):
limping pretty noticeably, so did not look very comfortable. So yeah,
it's uh, you know, I if I don't have good
vibes for Jake Myers, you know, I hope he's okay,
but it didn't look good.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
You know.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
The reality is this, uh, and we've spent the first
hour primarily talking about this. We're not doctors. We don't
have the inside intelligence from the organization. We do know
what Joe A. Spotta said, we don't. We do know
what an athlete wants to do, he wants to play.
We know that a manager is not going to put
a player out there just exclusively based off of the
(02:02):
players saying to you, I feel good. So as you're
watching this unfold, and we were at the ballpark yes yesterday.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Seeing him being helped off the field. Could he have
just made a bad move.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
What I can't accept is anyone trying to rush him
back on the field. And I think there are probably
some that are thinking, why are you putting a player
out there that isn't one hundred percent. I just can't fathom,
even if there is malpractice, even if there is a misdiagnosis,
that anyone would say, rough, you know, fight through this, Nancy,
(02:41):
get on the field.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
We need you immediately.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
And that's my point is that I know people want
to find the answer and want to crucify everybody, but
come on, I just think that that's not in the
DNA of the manager and of the player.
Speaker 4 (02:56):
Yeah, for sure, Spot is not gonna put him out
there if he doesn't get total clearers from medical staff,
if Myers doesn't say, hey, I'm good to go, And
Myers before the game was was was hey I'm good
to go. I mean, he did it, He did it.
He told us he did a twenty to twenty five
minute workout, he did sprinting, he did cuts, no issues,
he looked, he looked and felled one hundred percent. Uh
and then something happened just when he was jogging back
(03:17):
out Uh, you know, jogging back out there. So uh yes,
I don't think in this case you can't point a
finger at anyone and say.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
Uh boy.
Speaker 4 (03:26):
They they rushed them back because I guess the information
everybody was getting, including the player, was like I'm good
to go, and so hey, he's good to go. Medical
staff cleared him. Uh, he's doing these workouts without any issues.
He's not feeling it. Let's put him in the lineup
and it's not like it's not even like he was
the weird thing is I mean, he was not like
he was running the first or going first to third.
I mean he was just jogging the center field and
(03:47):
started limping all of a sudden. So just really a
strange deal.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
So I guess they'll give us some sort of update
on Fridays or in conjecture mode for the next forty
eight hours.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
This is just.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Another name to the seemingly endless list of injuries. And
did we finally see the astros Brian get caught up
in the moment, go you know what we're running out
of depth. The bottom third of the order just didn't
provide much if not for jose Al two, but they
wouldn't be a runner in scoring position scoring. Where are
we with this squad of Hey, this has been good
(04:21):
to see some of these younger guys get an opportunity,
but man, we've got to start getting some healthy players
back on the field.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
I think that's one hundred percent fair. I mean, I
think their injuries offensively have caught.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Up with them.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
I don't think there's any doubt. I mean, you don't
have Panya for that series. You don't have Christian Walker,
who had a really good road trip and was swinging
the bat really well. Of course Alvarez is out, and
I mean that's three you're you know, like it or not,
Walker still a guy you want your middle of your
lineup at this point, So three middle of the lineup
(04:54):
guys that you just don't have, and you're replacing them
with guys that they brought into spring training as non
roster players for depth, for their defense, you know, as pieces,
and now they're getting the bats at the bottom of
the order. It's just a big drop off, you know, offensively,
And yeah, I mean it's it's definitely catching up to
him a little bit.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
And uh, you know, I I'm.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
Walker can be on the fraternity to list three days,
which is up now, of course tomorrow. I mean today
they're off, so I would suspect he's in the lineup tomorrow.
And now now it looks like Jake's going to be
out a while, so they're they're in a tough spot.
And uh, they don't want to rush these guys back
from injuries because they don't want to risk reinjuring. They
also have an you know, still have a pretty good
(05:34):
lead in the division, so they can take a little
bit of time, but certainly they have to start getting
some healthy bodies back in this lineup sooner than later.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Brian McTaggart with us here on Sports Talk seven ninety
and with that, you're you're talking about bodies. I think
it's interesting now three weeks away from the trade deadline, Uh,
where do you think we are? Because it could be
guys coming back and then if you make a trade
and then that person you trade for war doesn't need
the playing time if everybody's coming back healthy, and that
(06:03):
that could be both on the pitching side and the
position player side.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
Yeah, I think there's no doubt. We've said it before.
I think they're gonna look to get a bat, a
left handed bat. I mean Dania Brown's even admitted that
after after Alvarez, uh, you know, had his setback, he
said that, you know, hasn't changed their thoughts on the
the trade deadline. They're still gonna be in the market
for a left handed bat. I still think they're gonna
go after a starting pitcher. I mean, I've been kind
(06:29):
of back and forth on that, and I'm back in
the camp of I think they want to add a
starting pitcher. From the aspect of you still don't know
when these guys are coming back. I mean, Arraghetty was
supposed to be out six weeks and I don't think
he's faced uh he's faced hitters yet. And uh and
that you know, he got injured in early April. So, uh,
these rehabs have been slow and there's been you know,
guys have had setbacks here and there. So I think
(06:52):
it behooves them to go out look at the starting
pitcher market as well, just to get another arm in here.
You can plug in the rotation so you're not having
the you know, rely on on you know, some guy
who was you know, a non roster invited to camp.
I mean, Brandon Walter did a really nice job last
night other than the two pitches the Homers, and those
were good pitches, I mean. But still, if they can
(07:12):
get better with their pitching staff and that a veteran arm,
then they probably should try to do that.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Yeah, and interesting wondering how Lance mccullor's junior, you know,
factors into that.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
He's been so up and down.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
But of course this the start in LA was very good,
and I would say like the last couple of innings
of that of Brian, he looked about as locked in
as I've seen him this year.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Yeah, he did.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
And props to Lance. I mean, he was not coming
off a good start. He's facing the Dodgers, you know,
Dodger Stadium was a place that he's he's pitched very
very well in his career. Of course at a you know,
a started Game seven of the World Series. But yeah,
I think if be the Astros, you would definitely like
to see Lance, you know, get get his feet under
him a little bit, you know, start to build some
consistent starts here and there chance to do that against
(07:58):
the Rangers lineup that's not very good. So his last
start before the All Star breaks, so I think he'll
be he'll be fired up for that.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
But he's done.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
Lass has done better than I you know, I thought
he would at this point. I mean, he's had had
a couple of stinkers, but for the most part, he's
gone out there and competed and and uh, you know,
I thought, I thought done a pretty nice job, and
Dodger Stadium was one of his better starts.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
A couple more minutes here with Brian mctagger here on
The Matt Thomas Show with Ross, Uh, do you think
if you pulled jose L tu bay aside, he would
tell you tags, I love playing second base. I mean
I did left field because I'm a good teammate and whatnot.
But I'm really comfortable and enjoying what I'm doing right now,
and I think it's in it indirectly helping me feel
more comfortable to play it. Or do you say, you
(08:42):
know what, he's just hitting the matter what position he plays.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
I think probably a little of both. I think deep
down he wants to play second, but uh, he also
put in a lot of time and effort into trying
to learn left field in the offseason. You know, with
the injuries that they have, it's you know, you need
to bond to play other places. So I see why
they're playing him at second right now, and there's probably
an element to where he does feel really comfortable there.
Does that carry over at the plate, you know, I'm
(09:07):
not sure I think josel two Bay is going to
hit or he's not. I don't think he's gonna take
his defensive position with him, But I mean, I meant
to look up the numbers yesterday. I think he's probably
approaching as many games at second now that he.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Is in left field.
Speaker 4 (09:21):
It'll be interesting see if they get start getting guys
back healthy, when Penya comes back, if if he plays
in left field a little more, if they continue, you know,
to play him at second base. But all in all,
I think the move to left field work in that
your defense on the infield got a lot better with
him in left field. I mean, he's not a great
left fielder, but certainly he's not a great second baseman either,
(09:43):
And the infield defense is so important to this team
and it has gotten a lot better with L two
Van and left field. I mean they were the I
think they were the best defensive team in baseball. So
all in all, it was it was a transition that
made sense and it was working. So when they get
Penya back, definitely have to keep an eye on how
they handle out two Bay in his playing time. Positionally.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
Lastly, there are two space cowboys, one as John Singleton,
who continues to always crush at the Triple A level
the major league numbers have been mixed, and Bryce Matthews.
We have seen a pluthrow of new players come to
the Astros this year and have all had some levels
of success, but regression back to the norm in the
last two week or so. Any chance one or both
(10:28):
see major league playing opportunities for the Astros before the
end of the year.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
Yeah, I think there's a chance. I'll probably say Singleton more.
I could see him as a bat they bring up,
but at some point, maybe in September, when they add
a couple of guys, get that left handed bat. Matthews,
from what I'm hearing, just defensively is not there at
second base yet. I mean, he came up as a
shortstop in college and the defense is just not there.
And that goes back to what I was talking about before,
(10:55):
is you know, this team really stresses defense. It's really
important what they do, and uh, he's gonna have to
button that up a little bit. Also a lot of
swing and miss there too, so he's got things to
work on. I do think at some point next year
he's probably your starting second baseman, but I don't know
if he's gonna get to the big leagues this year.
If he does, I don't think he's gonna come in
here and play a big role. It could be an
(11:17):
end of the year type thing. But I would say
probably won't see Matthews until next year unless there's just
you know, more injuries and there's no way around it.
But he's still got work to do down in Triple A.
Of course, he is playing in the Futures Game this week,
so you know, props to him for that, but uh,
he's still he's still got some stuff he's got to do.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
TAG great stuff is always.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
Thank you for the visit and we'll talk in next
Thursday before the start of the second half of the season.
Speaker 4 (11:41):
All right, sounds good, Thanks guys, You got it.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
Brian McTaggart MLB dot Com and on the Astros Beat
here on Sports Talk seven Honty