June 5, 2025 • 13 mins
Brian McTaggart Joins The Show Talking Line-Up & Lack Of Offense
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Our number two of the Matt Thomas Show with Ross
here on Sports Talk seven to ninety without Matt Thomas.
He is out today, he will be back tomorrow. Got
a lot of stuff coming up, including I just don't
get it at eleven thirty. But right now please to
be joined by our weekly Thursday guest Brian mctagger, covering
(00:25):
the Astros for MLB dot Com. Astros in a three
game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. First couple of games, Brian,
just like we expected, they beat Paul Skeins and they
lose to some guy named mac Burrows.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Yeah, just like we all all drew it up, right.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
I mean, I think I think it had more to
do with who the Astros had on the mound probably
than who the Pirates would throw.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
I mean schemes.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
They had no business winning that game, But I mean mccullor,
you know, had to to mccolors because he matched him
for six innings and then they got the big.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Swing from Walker. So nice job there.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
But you know, when when Gusto has pitched, it's uh,
you know, his last four or five starts, it's it's
you know, he's not getting deep in the games, not
giving them much of a chance.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
But hey, they got fromber today and a chance to
win a series on the road.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
How long much longer do you think Gusto is going
to stay in the rotation? And then who do you
think would be the next man up?
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Yeah, I mean I think they might be getting close
to that point. They're also going to be entering a
stretch up or they have a bunch of games without
a day off. Again, not as long as they did,
you know, last time, but like you know, I think
about you know, two weeks worth, so that might be
an area where they want to go to six man rotation.
But who do they put in the rotation at that point?
I mean, they're pretty much at the end of their
(01:51):
pitching depth.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Right now, you know.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
You know, do you bring up Uola, who's throwing really well?
I mean again he's he's a rookie. You don't know
what you're gonna get. Blue Ball was here before, do
you bring him back? So they're in a bit.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Of a buying here, I think, starting pitching.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
Wise, because you feel really good if you're the Astros
when you got Hunter Brown or fran Brivaldez going, and
I mean I'll even put Lance in that category now,
and then when Gusto and Gordon go you know, not
so not so good. I mean, not that you can't
win those games. And Gordon's pitched a little bit better
than Gusto at this point. But the point is they're
just at the end of their pitching depth right now
(02:25):
until they get.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Rig Getty back, maybe they get Garcia back in August,
or they make a trade.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
So they're in a bit of a tough spot with
their pitching depth, just with all the injuries.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Yeah, you mentioned mccullors and what a god said. He's
been the last couple of starts out there, quality starts
and one hundred and two pitches ninety six pitches to
say that that's where we are. Where you're kind of
putting him in the safer or reliable category, where even
not even a month ago against Cincinnati he was out
there getting shelled and you're like, is this guy about
to get DF eight in a couple of starts. It
(02:56):
has been crazy that he has turned it around in
the way he is. And you're saying, Brian, you think that, hey,
going forward until further notice, we can kind of trust
this guy in the rotation.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
I think so I mean, yeah, I mean it's only
been a you know, three four star sample here. But
when I mean, if you look back at Lance's entire career,
when he's been.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Healthy, he's been good. So it's not like this is
a guy who hasn't done it before and you're like, oh, okay.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
But if he's healthy, he's a really really good starting pitcher.
You know, he pitches a little differently than he did before,
but you know he can still be very effective when
he's landing both of those breaking balls, and you know
his fastball is good enough, and so you know, I'm
not ready to put him in the Fromber Hunter Brown category,
but I think if he's pitching on you the Astros,
(03:41):
you're like, we got a really good chance to win today.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Brian McTaggart Astros dot com, MLB dot Com with us
here on Sports Talk seven ninety. Brian, when, as we
often do on these segments, ask you to get out
your crystal ball. In let's say three months, how are
we ing Christian Walker and where is he in the
Astros lineup?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
And like at the end of the season, Yeah, we're.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Just in a few months. Is he still in the
cleanup spot? Do you think, I mean, can he turn
this around? Is this who he is? Is this decline?
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Is this?
Speaker 1 (04:17):
I mean, we we're way too far in the season
to blame the oblique thing from the start of the year.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Yeah, you can't say he didn't have a you know,
a spring training anymore or any of that stuff. Yeah,
I mean, you know, you're you're past the third point
of the season, so you know, you start to say, well, well,
maybe this is who he is. He's declined. He's not
Joseah Bray you decline, but he's declined quite a bit.
You know, his numbers, you know, the last month or
(04:45):
so aren't just terrible. They're not what you want.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Them to be.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
You know, if you're the I think his last you know,
thirty games, he's you know, he's still hitting like two nineteen.
I mean that you know you need that to be higher.
He's on base percentage just you know, like two sixty seven. So, uh,
you know, I'm not offending him, but yeah, the deeper
you get into this, you're wondering, well, this this is
who we have. I mean, the good part is he's
still playing at a very very solid first base.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
But yeah, I mean it depends how else the lineup
shakes out too.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
I mean, if you know, when Alvarez comes back, I mean,
I think Alvarez is going to hit clean up.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
That's that's pretty clear.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Joe said that he likes the one, two, three at
the top of the lineup like they are, so that's
going to bump him down to fifth. He bump him
down a little deeper, you know, maybe put somebody else
in that fifth spot. I mean, that's probably conversations that
they have to have.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
And I think.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
Walker is enough of a pro where, you know, they
get to the midway point of the season, you know,
he's still got a you know, you know ops of
you know, around seven hundred or whatever it is that
he'll understand what they're doing. And because he's, uh, you know,
I know this is not what he envisioned either.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
So but yeah, we'll see.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
I mean, you know, he could get hot and turn
it around. You know, he's but so far through a
third of the season, it's with especially the money they're
paying him, he's he's been a disappointment at the plate.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
Yeah, we kind of saw with Elt he had that
hot five game stretch and it just brought up his
season numbers so much. So you're hoping that for Christian Walker,
and really I think we'd be talking about Janer Diaz
and in the way that he struggled to play if
it weren't for Walker. He did get a couple of
hitch yesterday, but it just he seems to be another
bat that just hasn't woken up fully either.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Yeah, you just wonder if they would have got Yanner
Das production from last year, Christian Walker production.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
From last year.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
I mean, they they would have a pretty good little
cushion in this division, I think, you know, I mean,
look at their last few games, just offensively, they're just
struggling to score.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Runs and the games are winnings when you.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Know, Hunter Brown just pitches his tailoff for you know,
Framber Valdez thro is a complete game, and I'd be
three pitches and it's just good enough.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
For a one nothing win.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
There's just very little margin for air with the offense
right now, just because or with pitching, just because the
offense is just not getting it done. They just have
too many guys underperforming. You know, everything Jeremy Panya has
done and the striatees Jake Myers has made, you know,
a step back for Diaz at the plate, you know,
a step back for Christian Walker at the plate, so
(07:08):
that that sort of negates those things. And then you
have the injuries to Alvarez and you know, camp Smith's
up and down. So it's it's not a great offense.
They're gonna need their pitching to carry them. And like
we said, they're bullpen's been pretty good, you know, a
couple of awards against the Rays, and the starting pitching
their death is being tested. So this is certainly a
(07:28):
sort of a tenuous part of the season I think
for them.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Yeah, and you mentioned Cam Smith. I wanted to get
to him an over fourteen stretch for him. He started
to see some signs live a lot of hard hit contact.
He had that three hit game in the Seattle series
and looked like he was kind of coming around back
down from him. Just overall, if you kind of zoom
out and look at the forest of his season, how
would you evaluate. Of course, very good defensively, but sputtering
(07:52):
an up and down offensively.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
I think he.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Looks like a rookie. He's played fifty games. I mean,
he's had his ups and downs. You know, defensively, he's
become a very very good right fielder. I mean, no
one really even talks about it anymore, Like, Okay, Cam
Smith's in right. I mean, this is the guy who's
a third baseman when they traded for him and came
to spring training, is a third baseman. And then you know,
you remember he was hitting so well like Lden spring training,
like we're going to try.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Him the right field just because he thought that's where
they could get him in the lineup, and they did.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
He's their opening day right fielder, and he's done a
really nice job out there.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
But I mean, his his overall numbers aren't bad.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
I mean he's his ops is almost seven hundred, is
on base percent is three thirty.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
He's twenty two years old. I mean he's he's only.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Going to get better. I'm not too worried about him.
If I'm the Astros. He's going to have up some
downs like this. And he had a really good home
stand against the Mariners and the Athletics. Not so much
against the Rays. But you know, he hit a ball
really hard yesterday to the poll side that a diving
catch was made.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
That's a really good sign for him.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
When he's pulling the ball, that means he's you know,
he's on time and he's where he needs to be.
So if I'm the Astros, I'm not worried about Cam
Smith at this point.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Brian mctagger continuing with us here on a Sports Talk
seven ninety as far as lineup configure, aation goes now
with Jacob Melton up with him and left Myers and center,
Cam Smith and right and then jose L tuove back
to the old second base. How much and of course,
barring health and guys getting up and down and stuff
like that, how set in Stone do you think that
(09:17):
would be, especially with all this talk about L two
A being in left field and then getting some some
work in second base and really being a natural fit there,
especially with Melton up with the club.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Yeah, I'm not in Pittsburgh, so I haven't had a
chance to answer ask this question. If it you know,
the writers up there might have asked it, and if
you know, if I missed it, I apologize. But you know,
that's a very big left field in Pittsburgh. I mean,
it's one of the biggest in baseball. So I'm wondering
if that's you know, the reason that you know he
hasn't played you know, left field these two games, and
is the second base just because so much ground to
(09:50):
cover out there. And you do have Melton now another
left handed bat. He's been in the lineup twice against
right handed hit a couple of right handed pitchers, So
you know, I think probably both of those things play
into that. I mean, you know, before they got to Pittsburgh,
Dubond was still playing what three out of every four
games it's second base. Brandon Rodgers playing time is dwindled
(10:11):
here in the last couple of weeks, probably for good reasons.
So but I just wonder if it's just par park
related that we've seen how two bight second base the
last couple of days.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Yeah, okay, that'll be certainly something that we are monitoring.
Brian mctagger continuing here on Sports Talk seven ninety So
you keep on saying this in the season, and you know,
like the Astros kind of have maybe they haven't played
their best baseball. This and this and this has gone wrong,
and then of course the good news continues that the
division is very winnable for the Astros despite all these
(10:43):
struggles in pitch. We talked about basically this entire interview.
This is an issue, and the batting's an issue and
the pitchings an issue, and they're in first place in
the American League West.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
Yeah, you're right, Ross. I mean we sit there and
list out all these issues that they have and like, oh, yeah,
they're first place. You're like, what, this doesn't make sense?
I mean, yeah, number one, this is a weak division.
I mean, the Mariners are underachieving, you know, the changes
they made to their offense or it's just not enough.
The Rangers aren't very good, you know, the Angels have
(11:15):
slipped back to being the Angels. The Athletics, you know,
are pretty bad. So it's it's a winnable division. Astros are,
you know, have a half game lead here. Only two
teams in the division have a positive run differential, and
the Mariners barely do. Heck, the Astros only have a
plus fifteen run differential. So it's not like they're killing
it either, but a very winnable division that I think
(11:35):
once the Astros start to get some pitching back, you know,
they're going to make a move at the deadline. I
think it's a division they should win.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
Also, their schedule is is pretty easy here.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Coming up, you know, the next next few weeks.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
I mean, they got the White Sox coming in, the
Twins come in, but they're playing really, really well. Then
they go to the A's and Angels, I mean two
series that they should win on the road and be
able to fatten the cat a little bit.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
And you know the Rockies coming up up in early July.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
So a chance to you know, to stack some wins
and put some distance between you and the Mariners before
the trade deadline.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
Yeah. I believe by opponent's strength of schedule opponent win
percent is they have the weakest schedule in baseball remaining.
But with that being said, you mentioned a possible move
getting made, and we talked about the starting rotation. Do
you think Dana Brown is scuffling around trying to do
anything or you're just trying to hold the glue to
arag Getty gets back and you can get closer to
the deadline when hopefully there'd be more potential sellers.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
I think if they do anything, it's gonna be closer
to the deadline. You know, got to wait to see
how all shakes out a little bit, see who's really in,
who's really out. You're right, you are going to get
are Getty back maybe you know, it's going to be
closer to the deadline than not, unfortunately for the Astros,
so you know, they're probably going to be in the
market for a left handed bat as well, maybe someone
that you know they can plug in to help at
(12:51):
second base. And I'm not sure, but every team is
going to be in the market for starting pitching. And
any time Dana Brown talks, he's like, We're always in
the market for pitching. But I think that's true almost
for any team. If you look up and down, Yankees
are going to be in the market for pitching, Tigers
are probably gonna want some pitching. Every team's gonna want
some pitching. So that's you're gonna have to wait too
closer to the deadline before that plays out. But if
(13:12):
they get Rigeddy back, and if they believe that the
Garcia is on a better track maybe to join them
shortly after the All Star break, they'll feel a lot
better about their starting pitching.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
Brian McTaggart Astros dot Com, MLB dot Com with us
here our weekly guests on Thursdays. Brian, appreciate the time
and let the folks know what you got to go
on the website.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
Yeah, astros dot com. We have coverage from Pittsburgh. I'll
be in Cleveland this weekend, so yeah, just keep tuning
to astros dot com. We'll have you covered all weekend
on the road trip. And it's no paywalls, Ross, I
don't want your money. Just click on and reave.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
It's off for thank you. Well then, why are you
always asking me for a ten?
Speaker 4 (13:51):
No?
Speaker 3 (13:51):
Well that's that's a different issue.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Well, we'll talk about here.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
I'm sorry, my bad. I didn't mean to bring that up.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
All right, thanks Brian, appreciate it. We'll talk to you
down the road. Yeah,
Our number two of the Matt Thomas Show with Ross
here on Sports Talk seven to ninety without Matt Thomas.
He is out today, he will be back tomorrow. Got
a lot of stuff coming up, including I just don't
get it at eleven thirty. But right now please to
be joined by our weekly Thursday guest Brian mctagger, covering
(00:25):
the Astros for MLB dot Com. Astros in a three
game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. First couple of games, Brian,
just like we expected, they beat Paul Skeins and they
lose to some guy named mac Burrows.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Yeah, just like we all all drew it up, right.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
I mean, I think I think it had more to
do with who the Astros had on the mound probably
than who the Pirates would throw.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
I mean schemes.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
They had no business winning that game, But I mean mccullor,
you know, had to to mccolors because he matched him
for six innings and then they got the big.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Swing from Walker. So nice job there.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
But you know, when when Gusto has pitched, it's uh,
you know, his last four or five starts, it's it's
you know, he's not getting deep in the games, not
giving them much of a chance.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
But hey, they got fromber today and a chance to
win a series on the road.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
How long much longer do you think Gusto is going
to stay in the rotation? And then who do you
think would be the next man up?
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Yeah, I mean I think they might be getting close
to that point. They're also going to be entering a
stretch up or they have a bunch of games without
a day off. Again, not as long as they did,
you know, last time, but like you know, I think
about you know, two weeks worth, so that might be
an area where they want to go to six man rotation.
But who do they put in the rotation at that point?
I mean, they're pretty much at the end of their
(01:51):
pitching depth.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Right now, you know.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
You know, do you bring up Uola, who's throwing really well?
I mean again he's he's a rookie. You don't know
what you're gonna get. Blue Ball was here before, do
you bring him back? So they're in a bit.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Of a buying here, I think, starting pitching.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
Wise, because you feel really good if you're the Astros
when you got Hunter Brown or fran Brivaldez going, and
I mean I'll even put Lance in that category now,
and then when Gusto and Gordon go you know, not
so not so good. I mean, not that you can't
win those games. And Gordon's pitched a little bit better
than Gusto at this point. But the point is they're
just at the end of their pitching depth right now
(02:25):
until they get.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Rig Getty back, maybe they get Garcia back in August,
or they make a trade.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
So they're in a bit of a tough spot with
their pitching depth, just with all the injuries.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Yeah, you mentioned mccullors and what a god said. He's
been the last couple of starts out there, quality starts
and one hundred and two pitches ninety six pitches to
say that that's where we are. Where you're kind of
putting him in the safer or reliable category, where even
not even a month ago against Cincinnati he was out
there getting shelled and you're like, is this guy about
to get DF eight in a couple of starts. It
(02:56):
has been crazy that he has turned it around in
the way he is. And you're saying, Brian, you think that, hey,
going forward until further notice, we can kind of trust
this guy in the rotation.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
I think so I mean, yeah, I mean it's only
been a you know, three four star sample here. But
when I mean, if you look back at Lance's entire career,
when he's been.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Healthy, he's been good. So it's not like this is
a guy who hasn't done it before and you're like, oh, okay.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
But if he's healthy, he's a really really good starting pitcher.
You know, he pitches a little differently than he did before,
but you know he can still be very effective when
he's landing both of those breaking balls, and you know
his fastball is good enough, and so you know, I'm
not ready to put him in the Fromber Hunter Brown category,
but I think if he's pitching on you the Astros,
(03:41):
you're like, we got a really good chance to win today.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Brian McTaggart Astros dot com, MLB dot Com with us
here on Sports Talk seven ninety. Brian, when, as we
often do on these segments, ask you to get out
your crystal ball. In let's say three months, how are
we ing Christian Walker and where is he in the
Astros lineup?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
And like at the end of the season, Yeah, we're.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Just in a few months. Is he still in the
cleanup spot? Do you think, I mean, can he turn
this around? Is this who he is? Is this decline?
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Is this?
Speaker 1 (04:17):
I mean, we we're way too far in the season
to blame the oblique thing from the start of the year.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Yeah, you can't say he didn't have a you know,
a spring training anymore or any of that stuff. Yeah,
I mean, you know, you're you're past the third point
of the season, so you know, you start to say, well, well,
maybe this is who he is. He's declined. He's not
Joseah Bray you decline, but he's declined quite a bit.
You know, his numbers, you know, the last month or
(04:45):
so aren't just terrible. They're not what you want.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Them to be.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
You know, if you're the I think his last you know,
thirty games, he's you know, he's still hitting like two nineteen.
I mean that you know you need that to be higher.
He's on base percentage just you know, like two sixty seven. So, uh,
you know, I'm not offending him, but yeah, the deeper
you get into this, you're wondering, well, this this is
who we have. I mean, the good part is he's
still playing at a very very solid first base.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
But yeah, I mean it depends how else the lineup
shakes out too.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
I mean, if you know, when Alvarez comes back, I mean,
I think Alvarez is going to hit clean up.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
That's that's pretty clear.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Joe said that he likes the one, two, three at
the top of the lineup like they are, so that's
going to bump him down to fifth. He bump him
down a little deeper, you know, maybe put somebody else
in that fifth spot. I mean, that's probably conversations that
they have to have.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
And I think.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
Walker is enough of a pro where, you know, they
get to the midway point of the season, you know,
he's still got a you know, you know ops of
you know, around seven hundred or whatever it is that
he'll understand what they're doing. And because he's, uh, you know,
I know this is not what he envisioned either.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
So but yeah, we'll see.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
I mean, you know, he could get hot and turn
it around. You know, he's but so far through a
third of the season, it's with especially the money they're
paying him, he's he's been a disappointment at the plate.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
Yeah, we kind of saw with Elt he had that
hot five game stretch and it just brought up his
season numbers so much. So you're hoping that for Christian Walker,
and really I think we'd be talking about Janer Diaz
and in the way that he struggled to play if
it weren't for Walker. He did get a couple of
hitch yesterday, but it just he seems to be another
bat that just hasn't woken up fully either.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Yeah, you just wonder if they would have got Yanner
Das production from last year, Christian Walker production.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
From last year.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
I mean, they they would have a pretty good little
cushion in this division, I think, you know, I mean,
look at their last few games, just offensively, they're just
struggling to score.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Runs and the games are winnings when you.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Know, Hunter Brown just pitches his tailoff for you know,
Framber Valdez thro is a complete game, and I'd be
three pitches and it's just good enough.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
For a one nothing win.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
There's just very little margin for air with the offense
right now, just because or with pitching, just because the
offense is just not getting it done. They just have
too many guys underperforming. You know, everything Jeremy Panya has
done and the striatees Jake Myers has made, you know,
a step back for Diaz at the plate, you know,
a step back for Christian Walker at the plate, so
(07:08):
that that sort of negates those things. And then you
have the injuries to Alvarez and you know, camp Smith's
up and down. So it's it's not a great offense.
They're gonna need their pitching to carry them. And like
we said, they're bullpen's been pretty good, you know, a
couple of awards against the Rays, and the starting pitching
their death is being tested. So this is certainly a
(07:28):
sort of a tenuous part of the season I think
for them.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Yeah, and you mentioned Cam Smith. I wanted to get
to him an over fourteen stretch for him. He started
to see some signs live a lot of hard hit contact.
He had that three hit game in the Seattle series
and looked like he was kind of coming around back
down from him. Just overall, if you kind of zoom
out and look at the forest of his season, how
would you evaluate. Of course, very good defensively, but sputtering
(07:52):
an up and down offensively.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
I think he.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Looks like a rookie. He's played fifty games. I mean,
he's had his ups and downs. You know, defensively, he's
become a very very good right fielder. I mean, no
one really even talks about it anymore, Like, Okay, Cam
Smith's in right. I mean, this is the guy who's
a third baseman when they traded for him and came
to spring training, is a third baseman. And then you know,
you remember he was hitting so well like Lden spring training,
like we're going to try.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Him the right field just because he thought that's where
they could get him in the lineup, and they did.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
He's their opening day right fielder, and he's done a
really nice job out there.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
But I mean, his his overall numbers aren't bad.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
I mean he's his ops is almost seven hundred, is
on base percent is three thirty.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
He's twenty two years old. I mean he's he's only.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Going to get better. I'm not too worried about him.
If I'm the Astros. He's going to have up some
downs like this. And he had a really good home
stand against the Mariners and the Athletics. Not so much
against the Rays. But you know, he hit a ball
really hard yesterday to the poll side that a diving
catch was made.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
That's a really good sign for him.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
When he's pulling the ball, that means he's you know,
he's on time and he's where he needs to be.
So if I'm the Astros, I'm not worried about Cam
Smith at this point.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Brian mctagger continuing with us here on a Sports Talk
seven ninety as far as lineup configure, aation goes now
with Jacob Melton up with him and left Myers and center,
Cam Smith and right and then jose L tuove back
to the old second base. How much and of course,
barring health and guys getting up and down and stuff
like that, how set in Stone do you think that
(09:17):
would be, especially with all this talk about L two
A being in left field and then getting some some
work in second base and really being a natural fit there,
especially with Melton up with the club.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Yeah, I'm not in Pittsburgh, so I haven't had a
chance to answer ask this question. If it you know,
the writers up there might have asked it, and if
you know, if I missed it, I apologize. But you know,
that's a very big left field in Pittsburgh. I mean,
it's one of the biggest in baseball. So I'm wondering
if that's you know, the reason that you know he
hasn't played you know, left field these two games, and
is the second base just because so much ground to
(09:50):
cover out there. And you do have Melton now another
left handed bat. He's been in the lineup twice against
right handed hit a couple of right handed pitchers, So
you know, I think probably both of those things play
into that. I mean, you know, before they got to Pittsburgh,
Dubond was still playing what three out of every four
games it's second base. Brandon Rodgers playing time is dwindled
(10:11):
here in the last couple of weeks, probably for good reasons.
So but I just wonder if it's just par park
related that we've seen how two bight second base the
last couple of days.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Yeah, okay, that'll be certainly something that we are monitoring.
Brian mctagger continuing here on Sports Talk seven ninety So
you keep on saying this in the season, and you know,
like the Astros kind of have maybe they haven't played
their best baseball. This and this and this has gone wrong,
and then of course the good news continues that the
division is very winnable for the Astros despite all these
(10:43):
struggles in pitch. We talked about basically this entire interview.
This is an issue, and the batting's an issue and
the pitchings an issue, and they're in first place in
the American League West.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
Yeah, you're right, Ross. I mean we sit there and
list out all these issues that they have and like, oh, yeah,
they're first place. You're like, what, this doesn't make sense?
I mean, yeah, number one, this is a weak division.
I mean, the Mariners are underachieving, you know, the changes
they made to their offense or it's just not enough.
The Rangers aren't very good, you know, the Angels have
(11:15):
slipped back to being the Angels. The Athletics, you know,
are pretty bad. So it's it's a winnable division. Astros are,
you know, have a half game lead here. Only two
teams in the division have a positive run differential, and
the Mariners barely do. Heck, the Astros only have a
plus fifteen run differential. So it's not like they're killing
it either, but a very winnable division that I think
(11:35):
once the Astros start to get some pitching back, you know,
they're going to make a move at the deadline. I
think it's a division they should win.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
Also, their schedule is is pretty easy here.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Coming up, you know, the next next few weeks.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
I mean, they got the White Sox coming in, the
Twins come in, but they're playing really, really well. Then
they go to the A's and Angels, I mean two
series that they should win on the road and be
able to fatten the cat a little bit.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
And you know the Rockies coming up up in early July.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
So a chance to you know, to stack some wins
and put some distance between you and the Mariners before
the trade deadline.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
Yeah. I believe by opponent's strength of schedule opponent win
percent is they have the weakest schedule in baseball remaining.
But with that being said, you mentioned a possible move
getting made, and we talked about the starting rotation. Do
you think Dana Brown is scuffling around trying to do
anything or you're just trying to hold the glue to
arag Getty gets back and you can get closer to
the deadline when hopefully there'd be more potential sellers.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
I think if they do anything, it's gonna be closer
to the deadline. You know, got to wait to see
how all shakes out a little bit, see who's really in,
who's really out. You're right, you are going to get
are Getty back maybe you know, it's going to be
closer to the deadline than not, unfortunately for the Astros,
so you know, they're probably going to be in the
market for a left handed bat as well, maybe someone
that you know they can plug in to help at
(12:51):
second base. And I'm not sure, but every team is
going to be in the market for starting pitching. And
any time Dana Brown talks, he's like, We're always in
the market for pitching. But I think that's true almost
for any team. If you look up and down, Yankees
are going to be in the market for pitching, Tigers
are probably gonna want some pitching. Every team's gonna want
some pitching. So that's you're gonna have to wait too
closer to the deadline before that plays out. But if
(13:12):
they get Rigeddy back, and if they believe that the
Garcia is on a better track maybe to join them
shortly after the All Star break, they'll feel a lot
better about their starting pitching.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
Brian McTaggart Astros dot Com, MLB dot Com with us
here our weekly guests on Thursdays. Brian, appreciate the time
and let the folks know what you got to go
on the website.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
Yeah, astros dot com. We have coverage from Pittsburgh. I'll
be in Cleveland this weekend, so yeah, just keep tuning
to astros dot com. We'll have you covered all weekend
on the road trip. And it's no paywalls, Ross, I
don't want your money. Just click on and reave.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
It's off for thank you. Well then, why are you
always asking me for a ten?
Speaker 4 (13:51):
No?
Speaker 3 (13:51):
Well that's that's a different issue.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Well, we'll talk about here.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
I'm sorry, my bad. I didn't mean to bring that up.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
All right, thanks Brian, appreciate it. We'll talk to you
down the road. Yeah,
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