Day 3 At Spring Training: Jake Meyers Fan Club Meeting, MLB Testing Challenge System, Wemby Out For Season

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Yeah, lunchtimers, This is the Matt Thomas Show ten O
one in h Town.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
Good morning, and welcome to a Thursday edition The Matt
Thomas Show at Ross from West.

Speaker 3 (00:13):
Palm Beach, Florida. This it's Sports Talk seven Nighty.

Speaker 4 (00:17):
In the first pitch of tonight's ball game and al
twove lifted in the center field roadless racing back still
going back at the wall.

Speaker 5 (00:25):
See letter.

Speaker 4 (00:27):
A first pitch lead off home run for Jose al
Twovey and the Astros jump out to a one to
nothing league Al two eight with his twenty fourth career
leadoff homer.

Speaker 2 (00:38):
Letters On Perston third, one o count break and ball
hit well deep to left field.

Speaker 3 (00:43):
Four going back, Matt, ball is gone.

Speaker 6 (00:48):
Dubon a three run shot. How do you like that?

Speaker 2 (00:53):
Ten come running the season for.

Speaker 4 (00:55):
Dubon and a big four to one lead for.

Speaker 3 (00:58):
The Astros, the biggest.

Speaker 6 (01:01):
Hit of his career to two.

Speaker 4 (01:03):
De Guerrero brown ball tap Lonco lets it go by.
Dubon fields throws the first head.

Speaker 3 (01:09):
Time Hondo hodelf Loco.

Speaker 4 (01:15):
Yider Dias the first fit jump into his arms and
the rest of his teammates come out to Mamo.

Speaker 2 (01:23):
Rodel Loco has thrown.

Speaker 4 (01:24):
The seventeen blow hitter in Houston. Astro's history has the
Astros defeat the Toronto Blue Jays ten to to nothing.

Speaker 2 (01:40):
All right, go ahead and say what you said. Knock
it out?

Speaker 3 (01:45):
What I got nothing?

Speaker 7 (01:46):
You just said something off here.

Speaker 3 (01:48):
John Hindley is one of the greatest of all time,
and I couldn't love this song anymore.

Speaker 7 (01:52):
You. First of all, you hate the Eagles.

Speaker 8 (01:54):
That's not true.

Speaker 2 (01:54):
Who probably despised Don Hiley by himself. That's not true. Alright,
I'm not putting words in your mouth, but I can
see in your eyes. You can see it on my face.
I can definitely see it in your face. Okay, I
said that I don't care for that song.

Speaker 3 (02:08):
I'll tell you. Okay, fine, I'll tell you since you
want to always people, I'm not Don Heley Truther. I
said as it was playing that this song sucks. I said,
I got a hot take for you, Matt, this song sucks. Yes,
I said that off air. It's I don't care for it.
I mean maybe it sucks is a bit of a
strong word, but it's not my favorite.

Speaker 2 (02:27):
Yeah, I get Hitterfield. I'm down. When we play Yesterday
Sultan's to swing. Yeah, dire straight.

Speaker 8 (02:31):
That's good.

Speaker 2 (02:31):
Yeah, I think we've officially knocked out every song of baseball,
and then you'll be.

Speaker 3 (02:36):
Playing We're supposed to play Nelly's Batter Up. I thought, oh,
you know what, I totally forgot about we do that
at noon. All right, you hear me, Connor Noon batter Up?

Speaker 2 (02:46):
Got it? So that's on the show today. All right,
that's Connor. He's he's gonna be happy to have us
back in town tomorrow. I can tell you that for sure.
I'm sure he is. We've been putting them to work. Yeah,
it's god like, man, I'm hard to making any money.
I'm having to pay pre to pot for dinner for
my Valentine. Yeah, he's probably still hurting from that. Yeah,
that's for the next six months. We got we got
to help you on that for sure.

Speaker 7 (03:07):
All Right.

Speaker 2 (03:07):
We are here in West Palm Beach, Florida for the
final time today. We'll be back in town tomorrow because
we gotta get back for Rockets and the taking on
the Minnesota Timberwolves tomorrow night, and then this Saturday at
Utah and take on the Jazz. So I'm I'm traveling
these national streets, baby, huge game Washington here Houston West
Salt Lake City for a big game against Anthony Everers.
But today we're gonna again large focus on the baseball

(03:29):
side of things. Spencer Agetty was supposed to be with
us earlier today yesterday, will not be with us. Wasn't
with us yesterday. We're with us today. We'll talk to him. Yes,
you'll hear from a meeting of the Jake Myers fan
club early on the show today. Okay, you'll hear a
little bit what Joe Spotta had to say, and you
never never know else is going to pop up over
the next couple of hours. Also, Eddie noon Yez athletic director.

Speaker 3 (03:50):
At University Houston's gonna stop around twelve thirty to discuss.

Speaker 2 (03:55):
Yeah, I'll step out and go to the bathroom or
something for that. I don't care what you do at
this point. Might sandwich? What time is? Uh? It's at
one twelveies central? Yeah, did you read driving? You can't
be eating the sandwich and dry?

Speaker 3 (04:05):
Yeah, I might go ahead crush that Wawa sandwich around then, Baba,
I'm sorry, Baba, Yeah, it's fine.

Speaker 2 (04:11):
They're not local they Yeah, if they were open up
and don't spend money with us and you're didn't really
going to get it. But yeah, Uh College Game Day
is coming to UH Fortita Center for the second time.
So it's a light schedule on Saturday.

Speaker 3 (04:22):
It's not it's Iowa States Houston. It's it's the national
game of the week. Uh, that's wonderful. The nation turns
its eyes to the Iowa State Cyclones in the Houston,
the Cougars.

Speaker 2 (04:32):
You know, there are a lot of schools, obviously in
the heartland of America that go How do eighteen year
olds find that that's the place where they want to go? Lawrence, Kansas,
great example, Ames Iowa, no idea, I really believe. Thirty
years ago it was about the women, Like you come
to these towns and you're an athlete, You're gonna have
a lot of fun. So you're saying they have beautiful,

(04:53):
fast and loose women at Iowa State. I don't know
how beautiful they are, but they're probably loose. Okay, not
that anything wrong with loose women, but Okay, the reality
now is is that, uh, it's not about the loose
woman anymore. It's about the loose cash.

Speaker 3 (05:10):
Okay, I mean the times both the.

Speaker 2 (05:12):
School two of the schools in the state of Texas
that are really doing well in IL are schools you
wouldn't put on the well, you put one on the radar.
SMU is doing very well because they've got ridiculous lots
amount of money from their alums.

Speaker 3 (05:22):
Uh huh.

Speaker 2 (05:23):
And Texas tex got a huge nil collective.

Speaker 3 (05:25):
Right now, who's the high powered Iowa state alums? Besides,
That's what I'm saying, What how are they doing it?
I don't know because I've been names. It's it's like
college station of Iowa. Nothing attractive to it. And I'm
not saying colle well, yeah, I am saying colle stations?

Speaker 2 (05:41):
Is town? Is Royce White making a bunch of I
don't know donations? Is he still running for all political office?

Speaker 9 (05:46):
I don't know.

Speaker 2 (05:47):
Is that already happening Minnesota?

Speaker 7 (05:49):
Right?

Speaker 3 (05:49):
I don't worry it was, but he was running for office? Yeah, well,
wishing him the best, all right, we have.

Speaker 2 (05:53):
I just don't get it today at eleven thirty today,
can't wait. We get many na is the news at noon.
You'll hear a little bit of astro spring going over
the course of the conversation. Today's kind of a light day,
although we have just received what Ross, I'm gonna ask
you to please leave the studio here from cass Palm
Beach remote location. Uh, you've got Lance mcculors pitching today.

(06:16):
Wow in a bullpen sestion? And what else did we have? Shi?
Go check that out.

Speaker 3 (06:20):
I believe Hunter Brown and Josh Haters. Okay, so throwing
three major people that you know, step aside. Call us
when you get to the field. So Connor, look on
the lawn in the call in line.

Speaker 2 (06:32):
Yes, because I know it doesn't use get used a
whole lot these days. Seven to one, three, two, five,
seven nine. If you want to join us, Uh, Ross
will leave us now, okay, that's the queue. Oh all right, fine,
really yeah, I'll see.

Speaker 7 (06:45):
You all right.

Speaker 2 (06:45):
So Ross is left and it's going to be giving
us a live report from the bullpen area where uh,
those guys are going to going. So we should be
hearing from Ross in about I don't know two minutes. Oh,
We're gonna take a break and then you'll come out.
I can join us live on the phone from the
back of the bullpen. All right. So today was a

(07:06):
photo day for the Astros or they put their uniforms
on and they take the pictures that you'll see when
you go to a dike in park, or if you
happen to look in a media guide, if you see
anything in the chronicle. This is the day that they
have an opportunity to put their uniforms on in smile
pretty for that. So it's kind of a little bit
of a lighter day. The Astros will start a spring
training schedule coming up on Saturday. There's a split squad

(07:28):
game Saturday. Sunday, they'll pitch. You have a game as well,
and then we're gonna be your home for Astros spring training,
which will include a lot of games. Ninety percent are
gonna be live, some in this time slot, some after
our time slot, some before. So we will be your
spring training home. And of course all one sixty two
right here on Sports Talk seven ninety What else again,

(07:51):
I wish I could come to you with some really
interesting tidbits of you can't believe this storyline, but I
will tell you the Josel two Bay conversation piece is
not gonna go away. It isn't gonna go away at
any point during the during the spring training. It's good
when he goes out there and plays his first game

(08:11):
in the left field in the spring training, it's gonna
it's gonna be a big story. When he plays his
first game at Dykin Park in left field, it's gonna
be a big story. It's really the storyline. I know
there's gonna be some issues about the pitching death rotation
and whether and who does play second base, and whether
or not Jake Myers and Chas McCormick can help out
the cause and be a solidified outfield and the three
minor leaguers, But right now, it's about taking the greatest

(08:34):
master of all time and making him feel comfortable. And
I know that Chandler Rome was in our media availability
today with the skipper Joe Spot and he noticed something
I noticed as well when watching Jose. He's in really
good spirits. He is in a really good spot. He
loves the fact that I wouldn't say loves that. Maybe

(08:55):
it's too strong with a term, but he isn't begrudgingly
thinking about going to left field. And you know, guys
in their thirties have to adjust and move to different
positions sometimes on the field. Sometimes they go from second
base to just the shortstopper shortstop to third or some
guys that are catchers turn to first base towards a
lot of portions of their career. This is a pretty
significant switch, but it's also a switch that a couple

(09:17):
of other Astros in their heyday still did great bizjo
second base year after year after year goes to the outfield.
So it's not unprecedented within the Astros organization to bring
somebody in the infield and taking the outfield. So we'll
talk to Jake Myers about that a little bit today
about what advice he's maybe giving to one Jsel two Bay.
All right, we come back. We're gonna go to the

(09:37):
fields find out exactly what uh uh Ross is finding
out as he looks at the three pitchers in their
current bullpen sessions. It is about tomashold Ross. We're here
from West Palm Beach. If you'd like to join us
today to talk all things Astros baseball, you may do
that at seven to one three two one two five
seven ninety seven one three two one two five seven

(09:58):
ninety Also, we had a pulp question, Yeah Sho today
about whether or not you could see yourself publicly supporting
with your friends, your family calling a radio show about
public financing of a new Texans facility stadium, if indeed
they decide they want to build one. It's compared to
refurbishing NRG. We'll give you the results on that. All

(10:18):
that coming up today at seven one three two one
two five, seven ninety.

Speaker 6 (10:23):
This is the Matt Thomas Show with Ross on four
Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 2 (10:33):
All right, as promise, let's go to the baseball fields.
We send reporters from c to Shining Sea, or in
our case, about one hundred feet to the right of us.
Ross Field Oreal joining us live from the batfields at
West Palm Beach in the facility known as the Houston
Astrospring Training Complex. Ross, How the hell are you?

Speaker 3 (10:54):
I'm doing great, Matt. Yes, we're out here. Lance mcellor's
junior Hunter Brown Josh Hater all throwing bullpins.

Speaker 2 (11:02):
At this moment and apparently live. I was that.

Speaker 7 (11:06):
Hold on?

Speaker 2 (11:07):
What was that out here as well?

Speaker 10 (11:10):
Oh?

Speaker 2 (11:10):
I think Lance mccullor's just walked a guy.

Speaker 7 (11:13):
No, he did not.

Speaker 3 (11:14):
There's no batters in there. What are you talking about? No, yeah, yeah,
they got a scoreboard up here. He's got to He
walked the first two batters. So this is not looking
great so far. Mat oh my god, Wait a minute,
hold on, Lance mccolor is grabbing his elbow. Matt, No,
it's just no, stop stop, it's just an inch.

Speaker 2 (11:35):
No, no, he's just he just it was a scrash.
He's good, he's good. We're all good people. People are
believing you in this bit right now. This is terrible.
Beat the catcher.

Speaker 3 (11:46):
Now the catcher's man is popping, Matt. Everything sounds great.
I think he just walked another guy. This is there's
no walks, they're not doing striking ball counts. Okay, well
that it looks like the track man is catching on fire.
I think that's good. Is that good or is that bad?

Speaker 2 (12:05):
How about the Is the robot system in place to
do challenging balls and strikes at this point? Yes it is.

Speaker 3 (12:12):
And now the scoreboard says, Josh Hater just gave up
a solo home run. Must not be a safe situation
in the bullpen.

Speaker 2 (12:18):
Okay, come back to the studio over here, because you're
doing this new service.

Speaker 7 (12:23):
Goodbye.

Speaker 2 (12:24):
Yeah, they're telling me to leave. Yeah, that's returning. That
was the worst attempt at on the at site reporting
I've ever heard in my entire life. So I apologize
for that. That was not good at all, and that
was about as bad as it gets. But yeah, the
bottom line is those guys are throwing their normal days

(12:44):
and they feel good. They feel great. Can't wait for
the start of the season. It's six weeks of this
and so it'll be kind of nice to see what
they actually doing. Games and I know the Space City
folks are gonna have a bunch of games on TV,
and of course we'll have all the games on radio,
so give you an update of what's happening in there.
But yeah, those three guys haters going today, Brown's going

(13:04):
and I had a chance to catch up with Hunter
Brown and you'll be hearing that in the one o'clock
hour of the show. So we're very much excited about that.
One of class gonna be really ful because we've got
the conversation with Christian Walker we had a couple of
days ago. If you missed that talk, we're gonna have
that for you. You're gonna hear from Jake Myers, you'll
hear what Joe spot I had to say, and we'll
get all that mixed in.

Speaker 3 (13:22):
Plus again, Spencer Arraghetty's gonna join us live in just
a few minutes or once he gets done with his workout.
So yeah, there's nothing dramatic. There's no injuries to really
worry about. I'm not overly keeping an account on when
Lance my Colors has coming.

Speaker 2 (13:38):
I come into play. Like I said with Lance, and
I will repeat myself on this. If he pitches in
twenty twenty five, it's gravy, It's one hundred percent gravy.

Speaker 7 (13:51):
I'm just.

Speaker 2 (13:53):
I've been led down, not a path of misinformation because
somebody wants to pitch. Somebody needs to pitch. Somebody feels
like they're right to pitch. Oh, Hi, you're back. Yeah,
I was talking about my colors. Everything looking good, by
the way, good, that's good. The reality is, if he pitches,
he pitches, I don't want to I'm not putting any

(14:14):
more timetables on him. I'm not listening to what he says.
I'm I'm listening to what the manager says. And when
he's in live action, when he goes to Triple A
and Double A and he starts working in the rehabbit's
he'll probably be down here for extended spring training getting
more workouts. If I get him in twenty twenty five,
it'll be a nice thing. It'll be a good thing
to add to a depth chart that we've discussed a
little bit. Uh, there could be a little bit of worry,

(14:37):
especially if that back end uh does not perform up
to expectations. Plus if it big, it's hurt.

Speaker 7 (14:43):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (14:43):
The thing is if we change his name to and
he put a different name on his jersey, Don Johnson,
number five, whoson? Yeah, Don Johnson. He plays for Miami.
He looks like he's ready to go. He's been throwing bullpens.
Everything's on schedule, the everything's gonna you know. But because
his name is Lance mcculor's junior, we all have reservations.

Speaker 2 (15:09):
And I mean nobody can blame. Nobody's blaming anybody.

Speaker 3 (15:12):
Anybody saying if anybody's saying, I don't know what, I'm
not expecting anything from Lance mccullors junior.

Speaker 2 (15:17):
A you're gonna get mad at him?

Speaker 3 (15:18):
At him? No, are you gonna say that's just an
unreasonable take? Absolutely not.

Speaker 2 (15:22):
Like let's and you know they call me mister analogy.
You have a friend who's battled away issues his entire life,
and he tells you he's gonna go on a diet.
Oh God, here we go, mister analogy, and he starts
eating better. He's like, man, I'm just on the start
of this, said, I've lost four pounds. This is great.

Speaker 3 (15:41):
Let's check in with you in a month. Are you
down ten? Let's check yout you in.

Speaker 2 (15:45):
Six months, are you're down twenty five thirty. If it happens,
it's great, but if not, we kind of no use
a fat person. I don't like this.

Speaker 3 (15:54):
That's fine because his injuries are not of his choosing.

Speaker 7 (15:56):
No, they're not.

Speaker 3 (15:57):
That's what I'm saying.

Speaker 2 (15:58):
Get you gets four hundred, you earned it. Well, here's
the reality. I don't think he's going rogue when it
comes to how he pitches and how he has prepared
himself on this comeback. If the body says I ain't,
I can't do it, I can't do it again. When

(16:19):
God created our beautiful bodies, ross, they didn't expect the
people to throw take a baseball and throw it at
ninety five miles an hour. That wasn't the game.

Speaker 3 (16:26):
Planning for the human hour and torquing your elbow as
much as you do with all trying to yeah within
a high emphasis on spin, which Lancewa Colors Junior are
always has had. The bottom line is I understand everyone
is expecting nothing out of him.

Speaker 2 (16:43):
It's a joke. And that comes to the territory unfortunately,
because again major league players are held to criticisms that
could be about performance, it could also be about non
performance and the low hanging fruit. And we've all done it,
including me. Is you know, Lance, it's great, nice to
see you. We'll see you know, will you? What was

(17:04):
your best moment? What was your favorite Lance mcolor from
a moment of twenty seventeen or eighteen or nineteen or
twenty or twenty. I mean, you don't have many of them.

Speaker 3 (17:10):
I know it's Thursday, but I got I gotta got
a feeling. Mate, he's gonna contribute. It's going to contribute
to the twenty twenty five season for the Houston.

Speaker 2 (17:18):
I got a bigger one. I've seen enough. Let's go
through a couple of bullies.

Speaker 3 (17:22):
He wants to throw here in spring training and then
he's gonna hit triple A for a couple of rehab starts.

Speaker 2 (17:28):
I'm in, baby, let's go. I choose to be optimistic.

Speaker 3 (17:32):
Lance mccullors, Junior contributor to the twenty twenty five Houston
astrois I got a question for you.

Speaker 2 (17:37):
Okay, it's gonna be an A, B, C or D. Okay,
who contributes more in twenty twenty five A Lance mccollors
junior junior B, Forrest Whitley.

Speaker 3 (17:53):
False Woodland C. Both A and B, both A and
B Like there, they both got a war of over
five D. Neither A ARB, just just a random GUESSO.

Speaker 7 (18:06):
That's it.

Speaker 9 (18:07):
I'm leaning A.

Speaker 3 (18:10):
I'm leaning A because you just at the end of
the day, maybe Forrest.

Speaker 2 (18:15):
Is A is a major league pitcher. We don't really
have a whole lot.

Speaker 7 (18:21):
And here's the reality.

Speaker 3 (18:22):
There are thousands and thousands of for A players, yes,
and high draft picks.

Speaker 2 (18:31):
That are for A, and we can go through hundreds
of guys. At one point.

Speaker 3 (18:33):
I believe, for a moment in time, Force Whitley was
the best pitching prospect in all of baseball.

Speaker 2 (18:39):
But injuries, weight changes, suspensions, lack of success, spin the
wheel again, go through all those again have hurt him.
I'll give the Astros credit. They I mean, they could
have given up on him. They you know, they gave
him first round money because that's what you do as
a draft pick. But they haven't not they're investing is

(19:00):
not nearly as of high investment as Lands, but Colors
number numbers are I mean, that's Colors eighty five million
dollars Forrest Willy's first round salary. What was his I mean,
I don't know what his slot value was back in
the day, but it's nothing. I mean, it's really good.
I mean, he's he's going to comfortably live the rest
of his life. But it's not like they're going to
the poorhouse over this. I think, what is the situation
with him? Isn't he out of options or something like that.

(19:22):
He's got to make the team.

Speaker 3 (19:23):
He's got to make the team, the major league squad, yes,
or that he could be up for it.

Speaker 2 (19:27):
He'll be a free agent free agent, which, again, if
he doesn't make the team and all of a sudden
he goes somewhere in his say seven and four, within
the area of four and a half, you kind of say,
good for you, glad you were able to resurrect your career.
But I can't imagine you and I in the middle
of the season going wow, the Astros just couldn't give

(19:49):
him that one more shot, and look what he's new
and doing now with Atlanta. Or Oakland or whatever, not Oakland, uh,
Sacramento or incertain team. He's twenty seven years old now
in Triple A sugar Land. Yes, last year in thirty
two games, he had an ERA of one eighty nine. Oh,

(20:13):
there wasn't an issue getting outset at sugar Land. But
there's a difference between again extraordinarily short. Slight difference, slight difference.

Speaker 11 (20:21):
No cool.

Speaker 3 (20:21):
Okay, the biggest leap you can make in baseball, of course,
from Triple A to the major leagues. But the reality
is ross he's got a shot to make this team
because everybody that's a middle reliever, none of those guys
should be going, oh, I've got a guaranteed lot.

Speaker 2 (20:36):
I mean a bray who's got a lock spot. You
have hater with a lock spot. But there's just as
many guys on there that could be having the area
of six this spring and develop arm trouble or the
velocity's not coming out of the arm and be like,
you know what, you know, it's maybe not me. I
will say this, I give him credit for readjusting his

(20:56):
career values. And this guy's supposed to be front line
starter now he's he'd be lucky to make the team
as a mint, as a long reliever.

Speaker 3 (21:02):
Oh, he didn't really have a choice. Especi might walk
away from baseball. Yeah, yeah, he had a big signing bonus.
But I don't think he's been making much sense. And
he's twenty seven years old.

Speaker 2 (21:12):
Yeap. So there you have it. Seven one three two
one two five seven ninety. So again my question A. Mccullors, B. Whitley,
see both, d none of the above.

Speaker 7 (21:23):
You know what else?

Speaker 2 (21:24):
Say see both? You are full of optimisms. Let's go.
It's spring spring training. It's eternal.

Speaker 3 (21:31):
Jake Myers is hitting twenty bombs.

Speaker 2 (21:33):
Yeah, see what else?

Speaker 3 (21:34):
Chas McCormick twenty five.

Speaker 7 (21:35):
You can't pull him out of right field.

Speaker 3 (21:37):
Jacob Melton's gonna be knocking down the door. Camp Smith
is gonna be uh. You can be up here in
Delan and hoseel to Vegas and glove and left. Okay,
now let's get Now you're getting and you said, you're
said litok he's not gonna play enough games.

Speaker 2 (21:52):
Oh that's left. But it's the only thing.

Speaker 3 (21:55):
That's gonna keep him from doing if it was per
one sixty two, Yeah, exactly, I got Jordan's going for
fifty bombs.

Speaker 2 (22:01):
Let's go, all right?

Speaker 8 (22:03):
Uh?

Speaker 2 (22:03):
Seven one three two one two five Seminati. Speaking of
Jake Myers, we're gonna hear from him coming up in
just a couple of minutes. But I do want to
come back and give you that poll question about what
we talked about a little bit on the show yesterday,
and that was would you be willing to spend help
spend public tax dollars to get the Texans a new
facility if they so choose. By the way, uh, looking
at Twitter yesterday, a lot of folks want to find

(22:24):
a spot needle for the football team. I don't know
that area well enough. That land is going to cost you.
That's that's part of the issue, is the land cost. Absolutely,
that's probably issue one, probably for sure. Where again I
don't know the real estate values, but I'm going to
assume that I ten and guester maybe a little bit
easier than say, uh, navigation, Yes, I would agree with that,

(22:51):
all right? Seven one three two one two five Semininni
with a word now for Love Volleyball League one Volneyball
l ovb dot com as a website. They've got a
match coming up in a week or so down at
the four ben Epicenter. And if you have become a
fan of volleyball, it's one of the fastest growing sports.
And you hear that a lot of times, but literally
it's the fastest growing sport. These colleges are now making

(23:13):
serious revenue, having huge crowns. There was like seventy five
thousand in a game in Nebraska a year or so ago,
the National Championships getting huge ratings. We've now got a
professional volleyball league. More kids are playing volleyball, both boys
and girls. My daughter is heavily involved in it. And
I promise you if you want to check out the
best volleyball in this country, it's going to be found
at League One Volleyball lovb dot com for games in

(23:37):
February March. Check out the schedule, get yourself so tickets,
go down to Fort Benk County, Richmond, Rosenberg area and
enjoy the next major league.

Speaker 3 (23:43):
It's League One Volleyball l ovblovb dot com.

Speaker 1 (23:49):
The Manana Show with Ross continues on Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 7 (23:59):
All Right, we've got a meeting of the Jake Myers
Fan Club coming up.

Speaker 3 (24:01):
At it just a few minutes here on the Matt
Thomas show actually did it this morning, and you'll hear
a little bit of that in the next segment of
the radio show.

Speaker 2 (24:09):
I did put the question out yesterday.

Speaker 3 (24:12):
As long as it's deemed a reasonable should tax money
be used to help the Texans build a new stadium.

Speaker 2 (24:19):
Rossie. We have two hours and three minutes left in
the voting, so if you have not voted Jet, make
your voice heard at sports.

Speaker 3 (24:27):
I said, I'm willing to fork over as much money
as it takes to get these poor mcnares who have
poured out their hearts and souls for this city, and
they live you know, they don't live extravagantly, paycheck to paycheck,
paycheck to paycheck, to give it at every turn.

Speaker 5 (24:49):
They never make it about themselves. I love the mcnares
and they could take anything that they need from me.
Take all my money. Texans are only worth six billion dollars.

Speaker 2 (25:05):
Take my money, Hannah. It's for you for all you've
given us. Five hundred and seventy three votes are in,
so there's some opportunity for more of a sample.

Speaker 3 (25:14):
I like it. I have like thirty one hundred followers.
I only have five hundred and seventy three votes. Get
your vote in, let's go, did you vote? Their bots
are probably a certain percentage in they're.

Speaker 2 (25:24):
Dead, let's be real. Oh my god, Yes, so the
bots are real, and I do a pretty good job
of getting ready bots. No, you don't. I mean I
could do a better job blocked legitimate people. But I've
also figured out I said I'll stop blocking people whatever. Uh,
fifteen percent said I love them twenty four to seven. Yes,
some peop willing to do it as long as they reasonable.
Fourteen percent said win a super Bowl and then I'm

(25:45):
all in. And then seventy one percent said no, you
want it your money. Now, let's say that Mark VanderMeer
did it. I'm gonna guess his numbers would be skewed
a different direction. If tex Con roll new stadium, If
Texas Darlene had a Twitter account, my guess is her
numbers would be significantly higher. If you know, I'm not

(26:07):
gonna use you because you're associated with the show. But
let's say a battle Red Rick was to you know,
who's that dude that was wrestling the Road Warrior. He's
got oh yeah, the Ultimate Multi Yeah, I'm sure his
for him. His Twitter numbers would be stifling mean more
of a we got to keep him under all sear
great podcast. By the way, I'm not listening to were you? Yeah? No,
I'm not a guest. Now, well you you guessed before

(26:27):
a Day one subscriber.

Speaker 7 (26:28):
Oh you listened to all those? Ok No, I didn't listen,
all right.

Speaker 2 (26:31):
I was kidding. Sorry, I'm listening to all the nafle
iHeart podcasts we have.

Speaker 3 (26:35):
Yes, by the way, make make uh Houston Sports and
seven your number one pre set.

Speaker 7 (26:41):
Do me a favor on that way? You please?

Speaker 3 (26:42):
Oh? Yeah, that's true. Tell the folks Matt come on, okay,
you go to the Iarheart radio app. There's a preset. Yes,
put us number one. Make us makes it, makes it
real nice and easy to find. Put Sports Talk seven
ninety on your presets.

Speaker 2 (26:56):
Like we leave today to go to the airport, we're
putting on the I radio app. So you listen to
Adam and Adam. Look, I'm gonna be honest.

Speaker 3 (27:05):
If you like the show, you enjoy the show, you
want to support Matt Thomas and me Ross. We've been
asked by our bosses.

Speaker 11 (27:10):
To do it.

Speaker 3 (27:10):
So if you could just put it a preset, it
really helps us out. Just put a precests, put a
preset and again, thank you. If it's something I can
do for you guys.

Speaker 2 (27:17):
I did it on my app. I'm asking my family
to do it.

Speaker 3 (27:20):
Oh yeah, Sports Talk seven ninety make us a preset
on your iHeartRadio app.

Speaker 2 (27:24):
There you go, we'd appreciate it. Yeah, that's it. That's
it right there.

Speaker 3 (27:28):
All right, uh so back to it, and we're not
gonna we're not gonna make this a daily conversation, beats,
but I wanted to ps this on the on the
pole question yesterday.

Speaker 2 (27:40):
I can tell and I couldn't tell you. This was
certainty twenty five years ago when I was a young man,
as a little old little wiser, the NFL ain't leaving Houston, Texas.
I think that's a good point by you. I think
that's right. There's there was Nashville, there was Jacksonville back
in the day. There was other cities, Las Vegas, Charlotte, Charlotte,

(28:04):
Los Angeles. Who is in flux Oakland? I mean, there's
nowhere else to go. They're not taking the Houston Texans
and sending them to Chattanooga. They're not taking the Houston
Texans to put them in Boise, Idaho. The Texans I
think won't do this, but if they come with any pressure,

(28:31):
they're gonna get their ass kicked. Because we as a society,
I think, are largely done with buying the sports facilities
for teams because I don't know if look, I travel
a lot, and I do a lot of this with
my daughter's volleyball club schedule, which he bumps around the country.

(28:53):
We go to places like San Antonio in Orlando, and
I don't know what the Las Vegas taxes are for
their stadiums, But Orlando and San Antonio go look at
your hotel bill and look at the outrageous county stadium
facility taxes that are added to your bill. You will

(29:15):
lose your freaking mind. And I'm telling you, in the
world of conventions and cost big companies are first of
all getting rid of these major conventions. Las Vegas is
always gonna be destination, Orlando's always gonna be destination. But
if I have a shot to go haul a convention
of woodworkers or plumbers, and I get a better rate

(29:40):
of a hotel and better convention fees and less taxes.
If I'm doing an Omaha, it's compared to San Antonio. Sorry,
San Antonio. We're not going there. So if you want
to put on another hotel and rental car tax on
our community, we will lose We being the City of Houston,
will lose business because of that. It's just gonna happen. Hmmm.

(30:01):
So this whole notion of we'll let the outside pay
for it, that's true in some regards, but I'm telling
you this, the McNair's are going to have to put
and it's gonna be audited by somebody not from the
Harris County Sports or it's gonna be audited by real
true uh thirty third party CPA's ross. They're gonna have

(30:23):
to step up and put a lot of cash in
this bad boy, because if they put a lot of
cash in, it's gonna it's it's going to happen there.
We're not gonna see the Texans as currently situated where
they are five years a month. They're either going to
start rebuilding and refurbishing energy or there's gonna be construction
on a new facility. I know this is coming. It's

(30:45):
just gonna be who's gonna pay for it. Well, it's
probably be the City of Houston, but it's a matter
of how much right. Oh yeah, I guarantee you will
be on the city Houston. We unhook for some of
it for sure. Uh.

Speaker 3 (30:55):
By the way, you're talking about places to move and
uh from a previous discussion, we had the largest metro
areas in the United States. Now I didn't know that Riverside,
San Bernardino has four point seven million people.

Speaker 7 (31:11):
Yeah, but they're not they're not.

Speaker 2 (31:12):
They're not gonna throw them out right.

Speaker 3 (31:15):
San Diego eighteenth NIEDA Stadium, So maybe San Diego would
be a threat, but they have no interest in They
had a chance.

Speaker 2 (31:24):
They had ten times ten chances to keep the Chargers,
Orlando twenty first.

Speaker 3 (31:28):
No, I'm just going for a team that don't have
an NFL right, Not San Antonio twenty fourth Nope, Portland
twenty fifth, Nope, Austin twenty sixth, Nope, Sacramento twenty eighth.

Speaker 2 (31:40):
No, that's top thirty. You have NFL teams s running
all those metropolitan areas San Antonio, Texans. You wouldn't have
to change the name.

Speaker 7 (31:47):
That isn't.

Speaker 2 (31:48):
That's the last you have You have to just first
of all, you have to completely destroy the animal them
and rebuild it from scratch. Those people in San Antonio
are bitching about the Spurs getting a new arena. They're
not building a new stadium. They already got built he
want and didn't get a football team out of it.
They're not doing any right when it was the weren't they.

Speaker 3 (32:04):
Trying to make a good impression when the Saints played
over there after Katrina?

Speaker 2 (32:07):
Yeah, and they're like this Alimaldome's nice, but it's about
a college facility. Hey, I love the Dome. You've got
a permanent seat in there. You've been there more times
than than David Robinson for games and he played there.
So yeah, don't worry, Houston. They're not moving. And I
guarantee you they're not moving. But we're gonna have to

(32:29):
see the McNair's. Cal doesn't care because he didn't even
know what the books say.

Speaker 8 (32:36):
He like, we have to do what.

Speaker 2 (32:39):
It's gonna be, Hannah, it's gonna be more pissed than Cal.
And by the way, you don't want Cal in front
of anybody trying to explain how much money he's putting it.
That's another thing. When you have savvy business people that
are in front of a microphone all the time, they
can convince you of something. That's one thing.

Speaker 3 (32:55):
How is Cal going to push an agenda to say
we've given enough money.

Speaker 2 (32:59):
Or we're doing our part. The Texans pr revival has
been because Cal has been put out to the side. Yep,
you can't have Cal out in front trying to explain
to the city of six million people why you need
two billion dollars to help you build a stadium. Hanna

(33:20):
McNair is acutely aware of the image that the Houston
Texans had and projected to the city. Yes, and she's
absolutely had a big part in reviving how the Texans
are viewed and so it and she's gonna be aware
if the city of Houston and the polls of the

(33:41):
City of Houston is going to want to have any
part in this stadium as far as financial financially, So
that's another angle of this. It's gonna make it interesting
when the reality is they're probably gonna need to front man.
And that's why they hired a new team president. Let
him do the heavy lifting, all right. Ten forty four
Matten Ross with you here from West Palm Beach and
early Jake Myers fan Club meeting is up next. It's

(34:02):
the Matt Thomas Show with Ross seven one three two
one two five seven nine. If you want to get
in seven one three two one two five.

Speaker 1 (34:08):
Seven ninety Matten Ross return return on Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 3 (34:18):
Ten forty nine on the Matt Thomas Show with Ross
seven one three two one two five seven niney if
you want to chime in and say hello, or you
just want to argue with us or yell at us,
we'll do all that.

Speaker 2 (34:27):
We're fair game, Rossie. We have monthly meetings about the show.
We have monthly meetings about well they're supposed to be weekly,
but you're always out of town. Yeah. Uh, but you
were out of time with me. This time.

Speaker 3 (34:41):
We'll meeting it. We'll meet this now. We're not gonna
meet this Tuesday. I can't totally sorry.

Speaker 7 (34:45):
Uh, well, we'll mention meet.

Speaker 2 (34:46):
We have monthly meetings of the iHeartRadio app and I
you wanna make a number one of your preset, Yes,
let's go. And then uh, we have monthly meetings of
what we like to call the Jake Myers Fan Club.

Speaker 3 (35:00):
I don't think I would have ever thought to ask
you this question. What advice are you giving to Josel Tuday?

Speaker 7 (35:06):
Seriously, I can't believe I'm asking you, I know, Uh yeah,
I'm in shock as well, because we've had some great
conversations out there and it's just amazing that a player,
you know, of his caliber, you know, is kind of
you know, going through something like this, and for me
to be a part of it, I'm really grateful for
it because you know, we've had conversations, he's asked me

(35:27):
a couple of questions of you know, what I've learned
and whatnot, and it's just been so much fun for
me to kind of share what I've what I've learned
and watch him, you know, go out there and do
what he's doing.

Speaker 3 (35:39):
The reality is, however, you've all caught fly balls, whether
it was an infield or not. But fallparks are different, nuances,
falls off the wall different. That's something that only game
experiences can help out with, right sure.

Speaker 7 (35:50):
And and that's why I mean, the first couple of
days he's been he's been out there just taking reps
and it's so fun to watch and VP and he's
just loving it, you know, and he's loving it. And
that's honestly, that's how I see outfield as well. It's
like I just absolutely love you know, catching fly balls,
and I can tell he kind of shares that passion.

Speaker 2 (36:10):
All right, You've probably been playing baseball since you were
able to walk. So if you went to Joe's spot
and said, I want to go in the infield, Now,
where do we find Jake Myers?

Speaker 7 (36:18):
Uh, we'll see. I'm working with an element of the
game that's teving me away from three of the positions. Okay,
but if I could choose, I mean, throw me at shortstop?

Speaker 5 (36:29):
Why not?

Speaker 7 (36:29):
Does Jeremy know this yet?

Speaker 6 (36:31):
Uh?

Speaker 7 (36:31):
No, he doesn't, but I don't think he has to worry.

Speaker 2 (36:33):
I don't.

Speaker 3 (36:34):
Hey, your maid was outstanding. I mean we know how
good that was, and obviously the second half season was not.
Do you look at the tapes of that month and
go things were clicking? And what did I not do
after them?

Speaker 7 (36:46):
Just start? Yeah, I mean that's something I always believed
in and knew I could do. So I wouldn't say
I necessarily look back at it and try to pick
it apart or whatnot. But it's it's I think it's
the other times of just getting better at you know,
helping the team win, whether that's you know, situational hit

(37:08):
or or you know, getting a knock here in there.

Speaker 12 (37:10):
Walk that's a little bit, yeah, a little bit walk, Yeah,
a little bit, a little bit maybe a little bit
more discipline in.

Speaker 7 (37:17):
Some of those areas, uh, you know in the times
where it's it's not uh you know, just on fire.

Speaker 3 (37:22):
Showing up right now is a Rossfield? Reality is the
president of Jake Myers Fan Club is true. The group
Ross was a huge last year early on right, you
know a lot of memberships, so we're looking to regain enrollment.
What's going to happen to get this the Myers Fan
Club back stronger than ever in twenty twenty five.

Speaker 7 (37:38):
Yeah, Like I said, just play like I know I
can and just trying to help the team win however way,
however way I can do that. What is it like
now with Chaz and Rinfield to start the season.

Speaker 3 (37:50):
Look, all of you have done all these different positions,
but what advice would you give to him? And he's
done it before, but it's still has been me that's
been Kyle spopped the last couple of years.

Speaker 7 (37:58):
Obviously. Yeah, I mean I think he's he's gonna hit
the round running. He is a he's a great player
and he yeah, he's comfortable over there, and it's just
gonna be a lot of fun to get to play
with him.

Speaker 2 (38:11):
Yea.

Speaker 3 (38:12):
And what about you as far as improving and wanting
to be better and wanting to help the team, but
also maybe not pressing too much and not putting too
much pressure on yourself.

Speaker 7 (38:20):
Yeah, Uh, it really is about just keeping it simple
and being athletic. Those are the two things I just
really wanted to focus on this offseason because you know,
the big leagues is everyone's good, So you just gotta
show up on a daily basis and find a way
to help the team win. And I know we're all
going to be a great spot if if each one
of us do that last question.

Speaker 3 (38:42):
Look, you guys overcame ten games in a very short
period of time, but it was it was coscruciating to
find yourself down by the double digits a fast start.
I mean, look, they're all gonna count the same. But
is that part of the mindset for this veteran group.
The guys are come back saying, hey, we don't want
to dig ourselves an early holes. Yeah, we had kind
of talked about that.

Speaker 7 (39:00):
Joe Uh was up in front of us kind of
and gave us a great, great uh, you know pre
year speech of No, last year is great. We had,
we learned a lot of great things. We have a
great clubhouse, great culture. But this is a new year
and we're just gonna start with game one, and I
think if we go game by game, we're gonna be
in a great spot.

Speaker 3 (39:20):
The February edition of the Jake Myers Fan Club Meeting
has adjourned.

Speaker 7 (39:22):
Thanks Jacob, Yeah, thank you guys.

Speaker 2 (39:26):
All right, I think we're.

Speaker 7 (39:27):
Gonna get enrollment.

Speaker 2 (39:28):
Bump, don't you need don't you need a web page?
You got?

Speaker 8 (39:31):
Do you guys?

Speaker 2 (39:32):
Do you guys a little MySpace page for the Jake
Myers Fan Club. Yeah, we have a uh we got
a Discord server.

Speaker 7 (39:39):
Do you really you're on the copy server account?

Speaker 2 (39:42):
No, No, that's it's different. The kids are on the Discord.
I don't know what that means.

Speaker 7 (39:47):
That's fine.

Speaker 3 (39:50):
Hey, it's all it's like WhatsApp or something like that. Okay, Oh,
I see, I see, not really, but okay, I'm trying
to help you. Jake's gonna get probably a lot longer
leash than Chazz and right Field. Do you feel like that,
because I get the feeling that if Cam Smith rakes
early on and Chazz does not that they might want

(40:11):
to give Cam an opportunity if we kind of pictured
him as the future third baseman. Maybe Cam gets this way,
I'm in major league roster playing at quarner outfield spot.

Speaker 2 (40:22):
That could definitely be the case. I think you're absolutely correct.

Speaker 3 (40:27):
So, I mean, it happens anyway in any given normal
year that you're opening day lineup is in anywhere close
to what it is at the end of the year,
to being on injuries and all that type of stuff.
I think that's especially going to the case for the
Houston Astros because here's the reality of it. We're trying
to find a storyline that we haven't thought of yet
that if you and I four months and ago said,

(40:47):
remember we were down in spring training, we never thought
of that exactly. Absolutely, we're trying to.

Speaker 7 (40:51):
Do that right now.

Speaker 2 (40:53):
That's gonna happen. So that storyline it's got to be,
is Cam Smith the X factor. I don't think Bryce
Matthews will be that guy. Jacob Melton comes in or
is it maybe uh, you know, uh, a return of
an injured pitcher.

Speaker 3 (41:11):
Is it a guy that you know, I don't know.
There's when there's such a little storylines.

Speaker 2 (41:17):
You're trying to find something, and that's the one I'm
kind of curious about is how long will the Astros
live with a outfield that doesn't provide much offensive punch.
So we'll have to see how that works out. Seven
one three two one two five seven ninety. If you
want to jump into the conversation seven one three two
one two five seven ninety, Joe A. Spot has met

(41:38):
with the media a little bit ago, and we'll hear
some of those comments here in just a little bit. Plus,
we'll hear from Spencer Reghetti Spencer arrogant South Sylvannah, Georgia. No,
I don't think I I believe he's from He went
to Seven Lakes right or Single Ran?

Speaker 8 (41:54):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (41:55):
Well I know, yeah, you know hits you guys like twice.
What did was Neski say? Is I know what kind
of school you went to? You know he came wait, Neski,
you were my guy into you said that he wasn't wrong.

Speaker 2 (42:06):
He wasn't wrong.

Speaker 3 (42:07):
Seven one three two one two five seven ninety seven
one three two one two five seven nine zero any
nuonya is University of Houston Athletic Church is gonna be
with us at about to twelve thirty the news at noon,
and I just don't get it coming up in about
a half an hour right now.

Speaker 8 (42:21):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (42:22):
Unfortunately, unexpected things can happen, especially.

Speaker 3 (42:25):
If you're in your vehicle, if you're at a workplace
and you've been involved in an accident that's got you
down and out. You've got high medical bills to pay,
You're in a situation where you have been off your feet,
your family is suffering, and you need to get good
legal representation. That's why I want to tell you about
Scott Callahan and Associates, Board Certified and personal Injury Trial law.

(42:46):
But the Texas Board of Legal Specialization less than one
ten percent of Texas lawyers are Board certified, and that's
what Scott Callahan is over twenty five years of experience.

Speaker 2 (42:57):
He's also been voted a Texas Super Lawyer by the
Texas Attorneys that are only picked by this very very
small group we're talking about. Thomson Reuters says, you know what,
we need super lawyers, and yes, Scott Callahan, you are
one of them. So if the unexpected happens, get yourself
back on your feet, get those medical bills paid, and
get stop fighting with the insurance companies.

Speaker 7 (43:18):
You'll be calling seven.

Speaker 3 (43:19):
One three eight eight eight nine thousand, seven one three
eight eight eight nine thousand, or we help Texas dot
Com from the company your own home visit with the
great folks via Zoom for the phone at seven one
three eight eight eight nine thousand, or we help Texas
dot Com for Scott Callahan and Associates Principal Office Katie Texas.

Speaker 6 (43:40):
Lunchtimers. This is the Matt Thomas Show.

Speaker 7 (43:45):
It is eleven oh one.

Speaker 2 (43:46):
In h Town, second hour of four today on The
Matt Thomas Show with Ross on Sports Talk seven. I
ay coming to you from West Palm Beach, Florida. If
you'd like to join us to say hello, you can
do it two ways. One is we want to hear
your voice at seven one three two one two five
seven nine zero seven one three two one two five
seven on He can also visit with us on Twitter,
at Sports Empt, at Sports RV, and at Connor d McGovern.

(44:10):
A few headlines we'll get to before we let you
hear from a Joe spot Againstpencer o Getty. It's gona
join us a little later if I just don't get
it at any nun yez University Houston Athletic director is
gonna join us as well before we get you to
an all Astros final hour of the show. One to
two will be all Astros for the.

Speaker 3 (44:26):
Full sixty minutes as we wrap up our coverage here
from the last poem, All right, quick headline check Bobby
Portos taking a pain killer. Bobby Forodis, Milwaukee Bucks find
twenty uh suspend the twenty five games?

Speaker 2 (44:41):
You don't very often in the NBA. Well, it wasn't.

Speaker 3 (44:44):
I'd beprofen then, Uh No, if I gave you to
you would I don't know if you would know the
answer to what it was.

Speaker 2 (44:50):
But it is one of those things. And look, his
agent's already send something out and the leagues like, I
don't care. You're gonna meets twenty five game tramadol. Tramadol.
Are you familiar with tramadol? No, I am not. It's
an anti drug policy the NBA has, Uh. I gotta

(45:12):
say this, and because I gotta be consistent about this,
whether this is a rocket, a buck of a Orlando
Magic player or NFL or Major League Baseball player. If
you are one of the how many professional athletes there's
thousand take right, Yeah, a couple of thousands between the
majors major sports. If you ingest anything shy of a

(45:36):
tail it all or an adville or a bear, you
got to run to your team doctor.

Speaker 11 (45:44):
You just do.

Speaker 2 (45:46):
And I feel like Ross, I've been repeating this for
twenty five years because the banned substance list. Some of
them in the are the substances don't make any sense.
Some of them like, there's no malicious intent to them
trying to gain a performance enhancing advantage over a competition.

(46:07):
But since the steroid era in baseball and in football,
much lesser extent in basketball, these teams have put together
list of absolutely one percent safe things you can take,
no worries, no big deal.

Speaker 7 (46:24):
If you're trying.

Speaker 2 (46:24):
If you go to that master list and you don't
see what you're about to ingest on that list, you
are taking a tremendous risk. Bobby Portous and for those
of you who don't know, it's six man for the
Milwaukee Bucks, good rebounder. Back to the bastard guy probably
scores what ten eleven points a game, somewhere in that range,
going be a little bit more. He's missing twenty five

(46:46):
games that is going to really hurt the Milwaukee Bucks.
Not that we've got a Milwaukee Bucks audience in Houston,
but the Rockets are playing the Bucks coming up in
a couple weeks, and so that will make a difference
as they try to climb up the East Conference. Liner
Ross helped me explain. You explained to me, why do
we in twenty twenty five, when you are taking anything

(47:09):
except a something you would buy over the counter at
a Montgreens or at a MEBS, why would you not
go to your team doctor or somebody a trainer and say, hey,
is this okay for me to take it? While you're right, Matt,
these are also human beings who aren't paying attention, or
maybe just forget or it slips their mind. Or if

(47:30):
he's in pain, he wants him andy inflammatories and he
forgets and they tell him.

Speaker 3 (47:33):
Maybe he even told them, Maybe if somebody even told
me it was okay and it wasn't so to me, yeah,
he should be checking and double checking.

Speaker 2 (47:41):
In triple five games is a heavy price to pay,
and he made a mistake, or he's just juicing and
got caught. One are the others. It runs, you know
what to me, because it's funny when you see this
happening in the NFL all the time, whoa tainted supplement?

Speaker 7 (47:59):
They run to their twitters agent one to what was it?

Speaker 2 (48:04):
Autry?

Speaker 1 (48:05):
Right?

Speaker 3 (48:05):
Was the guy that got h Gene Autry? No Audry
Jean's great grandson.

Speaker 7 (48:14):
Uh, he ran to it.

Speaker 2 (48:16):
I'm sorry, I thought I was doing this. You know
what it makes me when I see this and I
hear this, I think you're just lying to us because
the average average person lasts four times a day, and
why can't this be one of them?

Speaker 3 (48:30):
It's possible, I mean, yeah with a Denkotr case, and
I feel like yeah to me just in general, If
you ask me, do I think there's more players using
abusing steroids and performance and dancing drugs in the NFL
or the NBA, I would say the NFL.

Speaker 7 (48:45):
So I don't know.

Speaker 3 (48:45):
It doesn't make a lot of sense for Bobby Porters
being on the juice. I don't know what tramadol does.
Seems like an honest meness.

Speaker 2 (48:52):
I think we should try some on air see how
it goes. But there's no better way to give the
audience a real feel of what that is. But I
taking a count of inflammatories you're inflamed. I've been flamed
about a lot of things. One Baseball knows. We segue
into a Joe Espada, the starting pitcher for the Los
Angeles Angels of Anaheim opening day will be ross well

(49:15):
that I don't know.

Speaker 7 (49:18):
You told me three minutes ago, so you actually do know.

Speaker 2 (49:21):
I thought we were doing a bit.

Speaker 3 (49:22):
Oh, sorry, you're supposed to tell me. Oh you want
me to tell you you today? Kakuchi, Matt so.

Speaker 2 (49:28):
Kakuchi goes from being a guy that was destroyed by
the Astros for being coming here, yes, to being a
guy that got a pretty good chunk of change for
being a free agent, to being the opening Now. Is
that really more an indictment against the Angels than it
is about how good you say it was?

Speaker 7 (49:46):
Problem?

Speaker 2 (49:49):
Thank you, That's why we left Connedy McGovern.

Speaker 3 (49:54):
You say, Kakuci opening day starter, Los Angeles Angels, all
right to the Astros.

Speaker 2 (49:59):
More, Joe was spotted. You heard from Jake Myers a
few minutes ago. Yes, we had a fan clem meeting
February and he was asked, among many things about Jake Myers,
can his bat be good enough to keep him in
the lineup, especially late in games when you know you
need his defense to help you win some games.

Speaker 11 (50:20):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (50:20):
You know, his swinging, he's been good.

Speaker 13 (50:22):
You know, he made some adjustments in the offseason on
his swing wise, and I think we're just trying to
create more consistent you know, some walks, do some small stuff.

Speaker 2 (50:31):
That I know he's capable of doing.

Speaker 13 (50:34):
We're just trying to avoid the big dip and you know,
like the May he had right and then it was
kind of a rapid dip that we're trying to kind
of level that and create some consistency when he comes
to the quality of his at bats.

Speaker 8 (50:49):
Has he changed that much?

Speaker 10 (50:50):
I mean, his approach act to play differently so far
well compared to the last season.

Speaker 9 (50:56):
Yeah.

Speaker 13 (50:56):
Yeah, you know, we just we just seen how good,
you know, he can be. So when we see the
biggest drop in production, we it kind of it.

Speaker 2 (51:05):
We want to make sure that it's not for a
whole month.

Speaker 13 (51:09):
You know, you know, hitters go through tough moments on
the season, but he needs to make this adjustments quicker
than what he's done in the past.

Speaker 3 (51:17):
With myers range. Is that part of the conversation you
had with Jose was let's green Van left. Yeah, you
got a centerfielder's gonna cover a lot of ground.

Speaker 13 (51:26):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, and uh, you know right now he's
we tell him that. But right now when we do
a drills, you know, Jake is not there next to him,
so he'll he'll he'll he'll get he'll understand that. So
those are questions that we need to ask right when
we start playing games. How far left he can go?
You know, coming in towards the line, you know he's

(51:48):
gonna have Jeremy who has a ton of range.

Speaker 2 (51:50):
You know, you don't have to catch them all.

Speaker 13 (51:53):
But also when he's walked, you know, when he's running
into the infield, he's got the priority over the shorts
up on the third basement.

Speaker 7 (51:58):
So he kind of likes that being ahead of the
game a little bit. When you need to give Jacob
day off.

Speaker 2 (52:02):
Will that effect whether or not you put Jose in
left hill on that Yeah, you're thinking way to it.
I know, But I can ask this quest. Yes you can't, Yes,
yes we can, Yes we can. I think of all
those things right now. I like where Altuve is in
this process.

Speaker 14 (52:16):
We see him more than we do, but like just
watching him, he is smiling, he's bouncing, like, is this like,
is he excited?

Speaker 8 (52:23):
Is this energizing him a little bit? Yes?

Speaker 2 (52:27):
Too much?

Speaker 13 (52:29):
What are we trying to control the volume of yards
he's running a day Again, he wants to win, and I,
as the manager, I I really appreciate what he's doing,
his teammates, I appreciate everything he's doing trying to put
us in a position to win. But you know today
I told him, mate, can you see so we're gonna

(52:51):
We're gonna monitor his volume in the next couple of days.

Speaker 7 (52:54):
You mentioned Spencer on Sunday.

Speaker 3 (52:56):
For a rookie pitcher to go through that in the
first few couple of months or the lon innings weren't
very long, high strikeouts, high walks. What is it for
him and with your staff, especially your pitching coaches, about
getting off of that start in April that he had
obvious in.

Speaker 9 (53:08):
The middle of the year.

Speaker 13 (53:08):
Yes, you know, we we always tell Spencer just throw
the ball in the box, be more aggressive when you.

Speaker 2 (53:13):
Get ahead, put people away.

Speaker 13 (53:16):
You don't need to throw an extra two pitches after
he gets ahead of hitters.

Speaker 2 (53:20):
Just put him away. You've got quality stuff. Simplify his approach.

Speaker 13 (53:25):
And I think we have to point out some things
about his h his attack plan that I think he's
going to be more more efficient when he comes to
putting hitters, you know.

Speaker 3 (53:35):
Away you see him taking more deep press maybe even
the second half of the year, getting over the anxiouses
of being a major leader for that.

Speaker 8 (53:40):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (53:41):
Yeah, both him and Hunter.

Speaker 13 (53:42):
I think they overcame a lot of stuff in the
in after the first half, and I expect him just
to come out, you know, kind of carrying that momentum
come from the second half.

Speaker 8 (53:52):
You know, Berner Rogers or good here.

Speaker 2 (53:56):
Yes, but you know, we're still working through through something.
That's what you says, what do you got to testing
out during a challenge?

Speaker 3 (54:06):
I actually like it. I actually like it.

Speaker 13 (54:10):
I'm just telling, you know, a lead off guy or
you can use them all in the first inning. So
you know, there's some strategy behind it. Obviously, it's we're
just going to test it this supreme training.

Speaker 2 (54:24):
So we're trying to we want our catchers to you know,
to be able to use it. And and you know
I told about this.

Speaker 13 (54:32):
I was joking around with him. I said, you can't
just use it in the first inning and so but
but but I like it personally. I think we're trying
to get all the calls right. I like the human side.
I think I think the umpire should still have, you know,
the power back there just to call balls and strike
the human side of things, it's it's baseball, and and
I like that that we still can control some of

(54:53):
those things.

Speaker 2 (54:54):
But I'm you know, it's gonna be it's gonna be
something fun, something different.

Speaker 8 (54:57):
One decrease the framing of want to catch a really.

Speaker 13 (55:02):
Good Yeah, you know, eventually, but you know, you only
got two challenges, so you just gotta make sure that
you know you use it wisely.

Speaker 8 (55:12):
Let your pitch your challenge.

Speaker 13 (55:13):
You can make it like that's we gotta we gotta come,
you know, we gotta talk about that. And we have
some guys that, oh that we'll use in the first
three pitches of the game.

Speaker 8 (55:26):
I get it, I get it. It's been four days.

Speaker 14 (55:27):
But first impressions of getting your eyes on the camp sniff,
kind of how he's moved at third, some of the
swings has taken kind of want to be thought of.

Speaker 8 (55:34):
Early impressions of him.

Speaker 2 (55:36):
Yeah, you know, I I now I see why everyone really.

Speaker 13 (55:41):
Pointing him out when we were trying when we trade
to Tucker. These tools are our legit power. It's pretty
athletic for his size, pretty pretty smart kid too. So uh,
this is a kid that you know, we're gonna I'm
gonna give him some rep third, but you know, I

(56:01):
think he can be also capable of playing corner outfield.

Speaker 2 (56:04):
So he's exciting. So pretty bright future ahead for this,
you know, many if he stays healthy.

Speaker 7 (56:11):
All right. That again, there's some thoughts from manager Joe Aspotou.

Speaker 2 (56:16):
I want to talk about this a challenge system, because
Ross and I have gone back and forth on this.
I think there has been pretty much.

Speaker 3 (56:24):
A consensus, and I'm gonna I'm not gonna mention for
all hundred percent of the baseball players and people have
talked to, but enough people in baseball believe the challenge
system is gonna be the one that's gonna ultimately be
used for the future of Major League baseball.

Speaker 2 (56:36):
Tay more about that, coming back in a minute. Our
time is eleven fourteen.

Speaker 7 (56:39):
I just don't get it.

Speaker 3 (56:40):
Coming up at the bottom of the hour here on
Sports Talk, Sementini, Matt and Ross with you from West
Palm Beach seven one three two one two five seven
niney if you want to join us here on Sports
Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 1 (56:51):
The Man Tana Show with Ross continues on Sports Talk
seven ninety.

Speaker 2 (57:00):
So I've got good news and bad news. If you
like to see the umpires make the right calls, Ross,
You're gonna get a challenge system in for the spring
training games where teams play games that minor leaguers ultimately play.
Meaning there's no minor league team that plays in this ballpark,

(57:22):
so they're not putting the ABS system in. Okay, So,
if you're gonna watch an Astros game in this ballpark
where they share with the Nationals, Cacti Park, whatever it's called,
you will not see ABS. You'll only see it when
they go to other places where there is a Florida
State League team. Oh, what the hell, That's what I'm saying.

(57:42):
I mean, is it that expensive? Let's go come on,
Jim Crane. I don't think it's really Jim craining. I
think it's the league's called Major League Baseball's called I'm
just kidding. So they're gonna have this automatic ball strike
challenge system. It's gonna playing in spring training. Each team
will start the game with two challenges apiece. Now, this
won't be for Saturday here, But there were some of

(58:03):
the road games when the Astros play, if they were
to play the Yankees in Tampa, or if they were
to play the Blue Jays and Dunedin, and if they
were to play the Bray I mean there's Red Sox
would be in Fort Myer. I mean, there's just places
that the minor league teams play, so this is not
one of them. But you will see this probably when
you watch National Games broadcast and if the Astros play
any road games on TV.

Speaker 3 (58:24):
You get two challenges. Who can challenge the issue or
issue the challenge? I should say the batter, the pitcher
or the catcher can challenge an umpire's call.

Speaker 2 (58:33):
Nobody else, not even the manager, can't do it. Challenges
must be made immediately add for the umpire's call without hesitance,
without assistance or hesidance for that matter, from the dugout
or other players. The pitcher taps his cap or helmet
to alert the umpire who was desired to challenge the call.
The Hawkeye view is shown to those in attendance via

(58:54):
the video board and to home viewers via the broadcast.
Our successful challenge is retained.

Speaker 3 (59:02):
Yes, a team only loses its challenge if the umpire's
call is confirmed.

Speaker 2 (59:09):
So I know I still I hear the disgust in
your in your voice. Ross, you went to your bosses
and said I need.

Speaker 3 (59:19):
A twenty percent raise. Okay, you're getting five. I know
you're worth twenty.

Speaker 2 (59:28):
This isn't again a bad analogy. It's a wonderful. They
can get every single call right.

Speaker 3 (59:33):
Then they're saying it to your face, we can get
every call right, and we choose not to. We're going
to guess. We're kinda keep it guessing. This would be
the NBA.

Speaker 2 (59:48):
This would say we made a magical want. We we
have a magical system to So I have two words
for you. That's the that's the only way to describe
why your plan is never going to happen. Human element?

Speaker 3 (01:00:00):
Why what is human element is a euphemism for getting
it wrong, for errors.

Speaker 2 (01:00:04):
If I said I can.

Speaker 7 (01:00:07):
Yelling at me, it's ridiculous, I don't know.

Speaker 2 (01:00:10):
I'm not yelling at you, man, This is ridiculous.

Speaker 3 (01:00:13):
If I could wave a magic wand and I said,
I can get every single NBA foul call right, every
single one.

Speaker 2 (01:00:20):
But instead we're going to use a challenge system. How
stupid would that sound. We do use the challenges a minute,
and I don't like it.

Speaker 3 (01:00:26):
But if there was, for whatever reason, they came up
with some crazy AI algorithm with a with a camera system,
they could get every single NBA foul call right yep.
And they're like, now we're not going to use the system.
We are going to keep a challenge system. You would say,
that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life,

(01:00:46):
and that's what's happening here.

Speaker 2 (01:00:47):
They have a system to get.

Speaker 3 (01:00:49):
Every single call right. Instead they're going, eh, we'll give
you two challenges. There's two hundred plus whatever pitches in
a game, and you're get two challenges one percent of
the time. Instead of getting one hundred percent of the
call right, calls right, we're giving you a chance to
challenge one percent of the pitches.

Speaker 2 (01:01:12):
I heard two players. I didn't interview them directly, but
I heard two players in the clubhouse today.

Speaker 3 (01:01:17):
I know they were asked about it that picture. Excuse
me two hitters. The hitters are like the ABS's challenges
some goodbye that they don't want every pitch judged. Ross Again,
I don't want to speak for every major league player.
Among the twenty six players on a thirty mine man roster,

(01:01:37):
twenty six roster on a thirty man team around the league,
I think you'd lose, and I'm not.

Speaker 2 (01:01:43):
I'm terri if i'd lose. I'm right.

Speaker 3 (01:01:45):
The logic makes sense. It doesn't matter what they want.
It's about getting the calls right. We can get every
call right, and we're saying no, unbelievable. Okay, I believe
it because of so put yourself in those shoes for
a minute.

Speaker 2 (01:01:57):
The why does if we went around Major League Baseball,
I bet I could find seventy five percent would say
this abs challenge totem was pretty good.

Speaker 3 (01:02:06):
Because because that's the way we've always done it, because
it's tradition to have umpires back there. Why does everybody
hate the man on second base, which I think is
a good rule because it shortens games because it's changed,
it's changed from tradition. Anytime you try to change a game,
everybody gets all upset about it. And that's any game
I thought I thought NBA rule For the most part,

(01:02:27):
they don't like change.

Speaker 2 (01:02:28):
Rule changes. People always resist change. I do love the
sincerity that Major League Baseball has, the keeping it is
true of a game that it was when it was created.
I never understood the last couple of years why everybody
lost their.

Speaker 3 (01:02:42):
Blank over the Manford rule. Manford Man rule. We want
to get out of the ballpark. We don't want to
be there for fifteen innings. The players don't want to
be there. You don't want to add extra injuries, you
don't want to bury a pitching staff, and you want
to get out of there.

Speaker 2 (01:02:56):
In three hours. You just do it or shorter if
you can if a game goes extra man for man rule.
I am one hundred percent for it now when it
was first announced, and I still to this day believe
the exact same way. I would like it to start
in the eleventh setting as compared to the tenth. But
you can't win everything. Okay, So how about this. How

(01:03:16):
about I give you a little bit of optimism. What
if I tell you this system, this challenge system, is
so good once they permanently implement it into Major League
Baseball the games. This is just a trial for spring training.
Would you be happy if I give if I give
you full abs in five years, yeah, we'll take it.
This could be a step in the right direction.

Speaker 3 (01:03:36):
But what would when you pulled the players in nineteen
seventy whenever when they made the DH, what did everybody say.
Everybody hated the DH. It's not real baseball, blah blah blah.
Now it's in both. Actually, the original baseball was originally conceived.
You had nine like it was like nine balls and
five strikes or something like that. Yeah, and then you
could put spit and mud and whatever you wanted on
the ball. You toss it over there. You got nine

(01:03:56):
balls and like five strikes. I think it was still
three outs, but it and the mound has gone up
and it wasn't even sixty foot six inches until like
the nineteen hundreds. You went thirty forty years where the
mound was moved, the mound was up, the mound was down.

Speaker 2 (01:04:09):
You added DH. You've changed rules, and I'm sure there was.

Speaker 3 (01:04:12):
Resistance to every single one of these changes, but at
the end of the day, you got to say, we
got to get it right, and they're not gonna do
that whatever. I'm I don't think I'm alone on this island,
but probably, for whatever reason, were the most vocal ones.

Speaker 2 (01:04:27):
I think I think people are concerned about time. I
think are people concerned about the world of technology taking
over sports?

Speaker 11 (01:04:36):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (01:04:37):
And a lot of technology that takes it gets taken
over is good for US. AI has value ross, but
AI has can be dangerous too.

Speaker 3 (01:04:46):
Okay, Well, I'm not asking for any AI robot umpires
that go out there and then start hitting people with
guns and bullets and torpedoes and destroy the world.

Speaker 2 (01:04:53):
I'm asking for that.

Speaker 3 (01:04:55):
They they behind the curt behind a curtain, They can
get every single call right, and they choose not to.

Speaker 2 (01:05:02):
All Right, all I'm gonna ask you is just enjoy
the spring training games you see, and let's see how
it goes. Okay, but don't don't expect to see it
when the astros are on home TV games. Yeah, they'll see,
And don't expect me to ever. I mean, I just
we'll see. It'll change eventually. I think. I think automatic

(01:05:22):
full abs has to come at some point. I hope,
I hope and wish like every single World Series game
one year is marred by bad umpiring calls, and they
kind of are we just got to forget about it.
But the thing that Joe A Spot brought up a
few minutes ago, which makes a lot of sense, is
you don't need your picture or your catcher burning those
challenges early. It's like it's like challenge calls in the NBA.
You've only got you only get two, and that's if

(01:05:44):
you win the first one. Well, you're gonna be mad
at me. I disagree with that too.

Speaker 3 (01:05:48):
If it's a look, a crucial out in the first
inning can be just as crucial in the ninth inning.
A two point basket in the first quarter counts as
much as a two point basket.

Speaker 2 (01:05:57):
You and I will disagree on that one because again,
while theory you're right, I just I like having that
in the back pocket.

Speaker 7 (01:06:03):
Again, it doesn't make it make it right.

Speaker 2 (01:06:05):
But give me a challenge opportunity with a minute fourteen
left to go in the game, as compared to worrying
about whether a foul is called or possession change with
three zero nine remaining in.

Speaker 3 (01:06:14):
The first Right, but you've back if you back pocketed
and then it's a one point game at the end,
what if you should have not saved your challenge and
it could be a three point game from the first quarter,
you could say that's up.

Speaker 2 (01:06:24):
I'm just knowing I have called enough NBA games to
know that I have watched challenges be burned early. Where
I was thinking three or four times a game. In
the fourth quarter of a loon, when everything is tighter
and everything has more magnitude and there's a lot more drama.
I would want one in my back pocket.

Speaker 3 (01:06:43):
You would, absolutely, But I'm saying use it early. If
you're one hundred percent right, there's no reason to save it.

Speaker 2 (01:06:49):
And I think they were saying that, all right, it's
time for it. Just don't get it. Uh, this is
where you come on this radio show at seven one
three two one two five seven nine eight and you
say I just don't get it seven to one to
three two one two five seven ninety seven one three
two one two five seventy And there's something in your
life you don't get sports wise or in your life.
Tell us you just don't get it.

Speaker 3 (01:07:10):
Seven one three two one two five seven ninety And
it's a Matt Thomas show with Ross coming up, Spencer,
Raghedty coming up as well, Eddie NOONEZ and a full
Astro hour. To wrap up our coverage here from West
Palm Beach is straight Ahead between now and two on
Sports Talk seven ninety Do you have something in your

(01:07:32):
life it's just don't get No need to worry, no
need to. We will dis do specifics to see if
we comprehend the things that make can use on friends.

Speaker 6 (01:07:43):
It's time to say I just don't get it.

Speaker 2 (01:07:49):
It is a weekly Thursday get together on the Matt
Thomas Show with Ross. At this time we do spend
a little bit of time discussing things in life.

Speaker 7 (01:07:55):
We just don't get. What don't you understand? What can
we help you with?

Speaker 2 (01:08:01):
And sometimes we join you in our uncertainty and sometimes
we can help you with exactly.

Speaker 7 (01:08:06):
What you need in terms of advice.

Speaker 2 (01:08:08):
What don't you get seven one three, two, one two,
five seven nine zero seven one three two one two
five seven nine zero Connor, you have worked very hard
this week, You've had some Valentine Days issues, anything else
you just don't get that we, as the elder statesman

(01:08:30):
of this radio program, can help you with or the
people if you used to, can help you with with
that matter.

Speaker 15 (01:08:35):
I mean not really, I'm just all I'm gonna say
is that, like tonight is the four Nation's face off
final between Canada and US, and there's nothing else will
going on in the sports world, So if you're not
watching that, then then what are you doing?

Speaker 2 (01:08:45):
I just don't get you if you don't want to
watch that. So basically, even if you're not even a
hockey fan, you have to watch it because there's literally
nothing else on pretty much.

Speaker 8 (01:08:52):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:08:52):
I mean there might be some NBA I don't know,
but no.

Speaker 7 (01:08:55):
There's actually there's a full side of NBA games tonight.

Speaker 2 (01:08:58):
Yeah, but who cares about that? The Rockets aren't playing?
So does that? There you go, that's much much better
way to save your size nobody playing. By the way,
NBA numbers went down fourteen percent from the All Star
Game of a year ago.

Speaker 3 (01:09:13):
Wow, they changed the format and the numbers went down. Yes,
who nobody cared? Much more important to.

Speaker 2 (01:09:19):
The NBA world, The NBA communications PR Flax said NBA
canter ratings going fifty nine percent for the All Star Game. Here,
I'll give you one. I don't go get okay when
people tweet at me and call a case of saying
I hate the NBA. All my friends hate the NBA.
I don't nobody cares about the NBA. I mean maybe

(01:09:41):
your cluster friends don't care about it. They just signed
a multi billion dollar deal. Yes, with all these TV networks,
the global reach of the sport is the NFL dreams
of that Major League Baseball dreams of their global reach.
And while again the game is far from perfect, the
All Star Game, frankly, in my opinion, is an under joke.

Speaker 7 (01:10:03):
The amount of resting and taking having guys take games off.

Speaker 3 (01:10:12):
For stupid reason, load managing, load management is stupid, But
I agree.

Speaker 2 (01:10:17):
You continue to tell me nobody cares about something, and
that's about anything I say. I just don't get it,
Like you're.

Speaker 3 (01:10:24):
Going out of your way to tell somebody I don't
care about it, especially like on a social media stupid thing.

Speaker 2 (01:10:30):
I'll give you one that I do stupidly. I always
tell you nobody cares about soccer. That's not true. I
do to aggravate you. Yeah, but the reality is soccer
is the world's most popular sport there is. There are
foreign leagues that have national US TV deals, that's how
big it is. Premier League, Euroleaguel Liga League.

Speaker 3 (01:10:53):
Look at you, City, ah, Conca, caffacast nothing.

Speaker 2 (01:10:59):
Well, you get my dress?

Speaker 5 (01:11:00):
Now?

Speaker 2 (01:11:01):
Does nobody care about the Namls?

Speaker 3 (01:11:02):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (01:11:03):
I feel pretty good about saying that. Apparently the values
of the franchise is going up, So to tell me
you don't care about something really means you're just trying
to aggravate to me, Like when one ROSSI says I
don't care about pro wrestling. It sucks. It's stupid. You're
stupid talk about that. No, I'm not. I mean, you're bripe,
but you're stupid.

Speaker 3 (01:11:20):
It's a bunch of play actors doing uh, getting oiled
up and roided up. It's about snorting as much cocaine
as possible. It's about your business. Look, if you're twelve
years old, I get it. But if you're over let's
say twenty one, no, you know, I'll even give it
to the college kids. If you're over twenty five and
you're still deep in the wrestling.

Speaker 2 (01:11:42):
I just don't get it, all right, seven one three two,
one two five seven ninety seven one three two one
two five seven one eighty.

Speaker 3 (01:11:48):
Or's something in your life you just don't get Let
us know, ross what you got this one? Uh, well
I'll go with that one wrestling, I'll go to this.
Did you see what the Yankees did like lately they
extended Aaron for.

Speaker 2 (01:12:00):
Twenty twenty seven. What I just don't get it. They
won the American leagupenant.

Speaker 3 (01:12:05):
It's fine, he's good, but give him a fat extension.
Who's coaching Aaron boom? Uh?

Speaker 2 (01:12:14):
I mean they were a defensive disaster.

Speaker 3 (01:12:16):
I got Aaron Judge goes, oh, Aaron Judge and Wan Sota.
You could have led the Yankees to the World Series
last year. And Jared Carl Stanton hit like nine thousand
home runs in the playoffs.

Speaker 2 (01:12:26):
I think he gets criticized, but I don't think he's
I don't think he I think he's mid yeah exactly.
I don't think he's a bubbling fool.

Speaker 3 (01:12:35):
I don't think he's some you know, master stroke genius
extending him.

Speaker 2 (01:12:40):
I don't get it. You're the dud, You're the you
know what, Rossie.

Speaker 7 (01:12:46):
I gotta tell you.

Speaker 2 (01:12:47):
You won the American League, Pennant. I know you were
a star studed team and still have to put the
guys in the lineup, cards stuff to manage an end game.
I say, I get it, Well, how much time a Look,
he's only just it's just a twenty twenty seven. It's
this is two more years, like he's there for life.
Was he lame duck this year or something? You know,
these managers don't want to be on lame duck situations,
So I say I get it. Does he see the

(01:13:09):
end of that. That's not a guarantee under any circumstance.
Then I don't get it. He's there for two of
the three years. Maybe, Okay, they are the American League favorites.
We go by betting on the New York Yankes and
the Astros have taken a dip since the two moves.

Speaker 3 (01:13:30):
That is correct. Another third in the AL odds.

Speaker 2 (01:13:35):
Yeah, I'm talking about World Series, World Series. I think six,
I'll go. I can confirm that. I did check the
other day. They were third in the AL. It's Yankees
and then Dodgers. Al oh, al Yankees? Then god do I?

Speaker 3 (01:13:54):
Uh?

Speaker 2 (01:13:55):
Who would be Oreoles? Maybe correct? The Oars have just
call you the wizard of Odds.

Speaker 8 (01:14:01):
I don't get.

Speaker 2 (01:14:02):
I don't get the Oriole love. I've been trying to
push the Oriols and they just peter out in the playoffs.

Speaker 3 (01:14:08):
Uh, they're pretty good with all their Jackson's and their
yeah yeah, what said is the Tiger Yeah, Zaxxon Gunners
and Adlee's. Let me tell you what the Baltimo Orels are.
There a bunch of fraternity bros. Here's their projected lineup.
Gunner Dandy ding, Ryan, that's a normal.

Speaker 2 (01:14:28):
Let me tell what they're Tyler. Oh my god, Colton,
there are a bunch of douchebags, Colton Jackson, Jordan.

Speaker 3 (01:14:36):
Then you got Cedric Bullins. We're on Mount Castle. Oh yeah,
they signed Charlie Morton.

Speaker 8 (01:14:46):
Maybe good.

Speaker 2 (01:14:46):
He's like the dad he's the dad factor. He's the
dad of that watched over the kids right in the
fright house.

Speaker 3 (01:14:54):
Okay, could you imagine doing that?

Speaker 2 (01:14:57):
NAS shows thirteen to one to win the World Series?
That is, yes, six Dodgers three to one. If the
Dodgers don't win the World Series, it's a complete utter failure.
They have literally spent more money than anybody and then some,
even the Mets signing the big deal for Juan Soto,

(01:15:18):
the Dodgers like, hold my beer.

Speaker 7 (01:15:24):
Yeah, you put money. If you're put money down right now,
would you put out Dodgers.

Speaker 2 (01:15:29):
Actually, I'm gonna give you.

Speaker 3 (01:15:30):
I'm gonna give you some money.

Speaker 9 (01:15:31):
For that too, normal strip.

Speaker 2 (01:15:32):
Okay, I got you, I got you, all right? Well
Venmo sports empty, Oh you can do that. By the way,
I did a nicer cameo the other day. If you
want to use my services for cameo, let's go look
at this guy. I'm very reasonable, quick rich. First of all,
I'm going to Ryan Hollins. Ryan Hollins is more about
the uh the uh there. No, he's he's not on there.

(01:15:54):
He's also doesn't want to go on IG because he
thinks the only guys go to IG for d MS
for people.

Speaker 3 (01:15:59):
Well, at least you're not charging. At least you're not
charging Julia Morales prices.

Speaker 2 (01:16:03):
What is her price?

Speaker 9 (01:16:04):
I don't know.

Speaker 7 (01:16:05):
You don't even know what her price.

Speaker 2 (01:16:06):
I'm just joking.

Speaker 3 (01:16:07):
Maybe she's very value. Who thinks that is the most
expensive broadcaster in Houston is to get?

Speaker 11 (01:16:12):
Uh?

Speaker 7 (01:16:13):
It's it could be made.

Speaker 2 (01:16:14):
Let's see cameo dot com. Julie Morales. How much is yours?
Forty nine dollars?

Speaker 3 (01:16:19):
Who go Julie Morales thirty five? You think you're more
important than Julie Morales.

Speaker 2 (01:16:25):
No, you got another thing. Oh, it's not more important.
It's about I take the time and after.

Speaker 3 (01:16:29):
I'm going to Juwil, I'm gonna actually I'm gonna pay
Julie Morales thirty five.

Speaker 2 (01:16:32):
Dollars to tell you to lower your price. Why she's here?
Why the money? I literally was talking to her earlier. Oh, Okay,
I see what you Okay, I got you all right?
Uh seven one three two one two five, seven ninety
If you want to chime in seven one three two
one two five seven nine eighty, there's something you just
don't get.

Speaker 9 (01:16:50):
Let us know what that is.

Speaker 2 (01:16:52):
We've got that for you. The news and Noon is
coming up in a few minutes. Still ahead, we expect
to hear from see Spencer arraghetti with us. I was
gonna say, Spencer Tolker, So that's gonna happen, Spencer arrogant?
Interesting and any noon, Yes, I thought a director at
the University of Houston. Plus in the final hour, it's
all astros between one o'clock and two right here on
Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 1 (01:17:10):
More Matt Thomas Show with Ross Now Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 7 (01:17:22):
Eleven.

Speaker 2 (01:17:23):
On The Matt Thomas Show with Ross, we had the
News at Noon coming up at about to twelve minutes
from now. But I think I got some breaking news
that need to jump in before we get to the
News at noon.

Speaker 9 (01:17:34):
That's one.

Speaker 2 (01:17:36):
I don't know what it is.

Speaker 7 (01:17:37):
Don't look.

Speaker 2 (01:17:38):
Five is the Max. Let's give it, Connor, Let's give
it one more. Connor, you decide, we go to a third.

Speaker 9 (01:17:48):
Or two two.

Speaker 2 (01:17:48):
This is juicy. It's on the borderline of three.

Speaker 3 (01:17:52):
Oh no, oh my god, what team san Antonio? Okay Ooh,
Wimby's hurt keep going significantly, keep going. He's out for
the year. There you go, Oh my god, are you serious?

Speaker 2 (01:18:16):
San Antonio Spurs All Star center Victor weber Yama is
expected to miss the remainder of the season with a
deep vein thrumbosis is right shoulder.

Speaker 3 (01:18:28):
Oh that's not good.

Speaker 2 (01:18:30):
All right, real quick, Connor, I know we throw things
at you very last second. Get the er theme ready
because this is where Ros shines. He has to go
to web md for this. I'm gonna give you guys
a few seconds here to get your ducks in a row.
And when the paid and when you get a R
ready and the music just start playing it, we'll go
to doctor villar Real. I want to once again describe

(01:18:51):
to you what it is a deep vein thrombosis.

Speaker 3 (01:18:56):
Is this where we get Adam Clinton to call in
the victory lap Adam Clinton, if you're listening, you.

Speaker 2 (01:19:02):
Have to call right now. Matter of fact, we're gonna
I'm gonna text them right now to call the show. Ladies, gentlemen,
we present to you doctor R. V. Rosvin Rial with
the with the explanation of what a deep vein thrombosis.

Speaker 3 (01:19:20):
Yes, man, I'm glad you asked. Deep vein thrombosis. According
to my extensive research, it occurs when a blood clot,
known as a thrumbus, forms in one or more of
the deep veins in the body, usually in the legs.
Deep vein thrombosis can cause leg pain or swelling. Sometimes
there are no noticeable symptoms. Basically, it is blood clotting.

(01:19:43):
You can also get it if you have certain medical
conditions that affect how blood clots.

Speaker 2 (01:19:49):
A blood clot in the legs.

Speaker 3 (01:19:50):
Can also develop if you don't move for a long time.
For example, you might not move a lot when traveling
a long distance or when you're on bed rest due
to surgery and illness.

Speaker 2 (01:20:00):
Or an accident.

Speaker 3 (01:20:04):
Symptoms include leg swelling, leg pain, he's got to be shoulder, right,
it's in his shoulder, yes, A feeling of warmth of
the affected leg, but it could be he's got in
his shoulder.

Speaker 2 (01:20:12):
Bro Chest pain or discomfort, sudden certainness of breast, feeling
light breath, feeling light headed, or dizzy.

Speaker 3 (01:20:24):
You could be fainting, rapid breathing, It could be coughing
up blood, could be from a pulmonary embolism as well.

Speaker 2 (01:20:32):
This is this sound is absolutely horrific. Now, this is
nothing to do with the fact that he's seven foot whatever, right,
this is this could have happened to any guy that's
six feet talk right.

Speaker 3 (01:20:42):
Prevention, move your legs, don't smoke, manage weight. He's been
trying to add weight.

Speaker 2 (01:20:49):
Interesting, San Antonio is not gonna make the playoffs this year.
They are three and a half out of the ten spot,
so this is not like their Their playoff plans have
been thorns.

Speaker 3 (01:20:59):
So this is more known as upper extremity deep bin
thumb process or you e DVT man, what yeah what,
I don't even know what any of that means. About
ten percent of DVTs that would be deep ing thumb
pro sidon throw yeah, yeah, thrown by and they effect
about three out of every one hundred thousand people.

Speaker 2 (01:21:19):
So this is bad luck. But it's not because he
didn't take care of himself. I don't know the.

Speaker 3 (01:21:27):
Symptom, even says on this page. The symptoms are vague
shoulder pain, swelling of the arm, or hand bluish skin color,
hand weakness. Sometimes it has no alright causes could be
strenuous activity.

Speaker 2 (01:21:43):
So here's here's the bit we got going here. Clinton
hates him. He thinks he's a ball, which is just stupid.
And I've told him, We've told him that we love
at him, but it's stupid. But in Clinton's defense, guys
of that stature and of that build have had a
hard time staying healthy.

Speaker 3 (01:22:05):
And we've always said that as the caveat correct. He
is a special NBA player as long as he's on
the floor.

Speaker 2 (01:22:13):
But I could if you wanted to argue with me
that I'm not going to buy into a particular player
because he's always going to be hurt. ROSSI, a certain
broadcaster many moons ago, didn't buy into the Yao Ming
mania because I knew he was a this person was
going to be hurt. That this person that that wasn't
buying into Yao Ming was like, he's going to be hurt.

(01:22:33):
His body is not able to with stand the wear
and tear of any two game schedule. That person was me.
So I wasn't anti Yao Ming. I did not value
who he was. I didn't turn the blind eye to
what he couldn't could and could not do on the court.
But Yao Ming to me back in the day was
just can't stand the court for a long time. And
I was right. I've remember wrong on a lot of

(01:22:56):
other things. But the Yao Ming when he played was awesome.
But Victor webbin Yama missing the last twenty five or
so games, whatever it is, there's going to be people
that are gonna say, does the wear and tear of
a guy of his sight, his of his length and
his lack of girth, no nerth with girth, body body weight? Wait,

(01:23:18):
what's muscularture is going to play a factor in? You know?
Part of the reason why Lebron James has been able
to stay in the league as long as he is
because first of all, he was built by a machine.
But secondly, he's always ripped, he's filled out, he's physically
able to withstand the pressures of a of a long
NBA season. The closest guy and help me out if

(01:23:42):
I'm wrong on this, or help me if I'm right.
The closest guy that's been able to kind of stay
relatively healthy because of who his build it is. That
is it Yannimbo. Uh yeah, but he's won six to
eleven ish.

Speaker 7 (01:23:58):
Yeah, there's this.

Speaker 2 (01:23:59):
There's even a significant difference between Giannis and and Victor.

Speaker 3 (01:24:05):
Uh you ev dv T can be treated with Matt
with blood thinners, Okay, thrombolytics, yes, which I'm sure Darryl
Mory loves, and surgery.

Speaker 2 (01:24:20):
I if I'm in San Antonio, I'm really wigging out
over this that I just I can't explain it any
other way. If I'm a Spurs fan, I am really
really distarted about this today. All right, I'm looking for
like the.

Speaker 3 (01:24:37):
Tallest active NBA player, Zachy is seven four and cannot
defend it. He played for a while, he was ever
playing major minutes. Yeah, Mark Eaton seven four.

Speaker 2 (01:24:51):
He played a nice ung made career. Rick Smith's seven four.

Speaker 7 (01:24:55):
He had feet problems.

Speaker 2 (01:24:56):
Dunctioneon the dunking and Dutchman, but he played for a while.

Speaker 3 (01:24:58):
He did he didn't go okay, Yeah, Ralph Sampson, Nope,
knees feet arenas the bonus played. Hell played a billion games,
but a billionaimes.

Speaker 2 (01:25:12):
Most of them were overseas. But he's still he was
heard at the end of his career. But I mean
for all the wear and teara it doesn't surprise me.

Speaker 3 (01:25:18):
And then we come to guys like seven foot three,
guys like Victor, when Minyama is the Junius Ilagaouskis and
Hashim Tabet, we just couldn't please.

Speaker 2 (01:25:28):
It would go no, no real quick. Before we get
to the news at noon, Tom is a Monroe, Louisiana
on seven Ony, Tom, we are your Monroe sports leader, Tom,
Good morning to you.

Speaker 11 (01:25:38):
Good morning gentlemen. Does do you know whether or not
Victor has more fans syndrome?

Speaker 2 (01:25:45):
Oh, mar fan syndrome. I don't think he does.

Speaker 3 (01:25:49):
Don't you normally have like an extended No, I'm gonna,
I don't know about a doctor, but I don't think
he does. Okay, because being as tall as he is,
that swill of symptoms and the thrombosis is also a
symptom of that.

Speaker 11 (01:26:03):
Knowledge is curious.

Speaker 2 (01:26:05):
Yeahs on that one. Yeah, I don't. I don't.

Speaker 3 (01:26:10):
I don't know what his history or background or whatever.

Speaker 2 (01:26:14):
Google says he does not have it.

Speaker 7 (01:26:15):
Okay, there you go.

Speaker 3 (01:26:16):
But normally, yeah, you have you have like super long
arm fingers, I think nose two, the curvature of the spine.
But I I don't believe he has mar Fans syndrome. No,
I don't believe he does either, not that I have
a doctor, but I'm playing on the road. Apparently Google
says he doesn't.

Speaker 2 (01:26:34):
Okay, Google, that's the light that Wikipedia never lies to you.

Speaker 3 (01:26:38):
I don't lie to you.

Speaker 2 (01:26:39):
Wikipedia doesn't lie to you, and Google doesn't lie to you.
Mm hmm. But seriously, if we were doing San Antonio sports.

Speaker 3 (01:26:46):
Talk today, we would be beside ourselves.

Speaker 2 (01:26:50):
And by the way, the Spurs and the Sun's play
tonight in Austin, ironically enough on tn T. Well, Victor
Wimbinyama will not be there. No, well, at least he
won't be playing. He may be in street club. You
know what, do you make the drive to Austin for
that bad boy?

Speaker 13 (01:27:02):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (01:27:03):
Absolutely to do. What what do you mean you go
have a night out of the town. Dollar bet he's
not there. Hit the sixth Street dollar, bet the game.

Speaker 7 (01:27:10):
No, you can still go.

Speaker 2 (01:27:11):
No, why won't you have a good time? One dollar?
You're not there.

Speaker 3 (01:27:14):
I don't care. Make a dollar, well, I don't care
enough to bet. You bet one dollar? Go ass channel
roll and he'll take to take the episode.

Speaker 2 (01:27:22):
What he said? Okay, I'll do a dollar. What I
like I'm talking about, like what.

Speaker 3 (01:27:29):
This is the worst bet. I do not care if
he's gonna go with no bet saying he should go.
He should go because you have a nice night out.
If they know he wants being home crying as he
was from boss, He's not gonna go around in Austin,
go way to the crowd well with whatever shoulders healthy?
Oh my god, being at the mood or where Moody come?

Speaker 2 (01:27:48):
Yeah? Okay yeah? Uh seven one three two one two
five seven. The News at noon is next.

Speaker 6 (01:27:56):
Lunchtimers. This is the Matt Tommy Show.

Speaker 3 (01:28:00):
All right.

Speaker 2 (01:28:01):
The Matt Thomas Show with Ross continues. We're gonna give
you the news at new but we're gonna give you
the news at twelve twenty instead.

Speaker 7 (01:28:07):
That's what we like.

Speaker 2 (01:28:07):
Do we make an adjustments here as uh, you guys
know that. Listen to The Matt Thomas Show with Ross.
I am out of our fantasy league because I'm sick
of losing and finishing in sixth place because of terrible defense.

Speaker 3 (01:28:20):
Yeah there's well this one guy, he's really annoying. He's
like back to back to back champion and he just
won't ever shut up of.

Speaker 2 (01:28:26):
Such an ass. All right, So the man, the man
replacing him in our fantasy league will be our next guest,
the product. We got a spot open. Now he's out
single Ranch high school. What one look your economic potential?
I wait, worried about you.

Speaker 3 (01:28:41):
I'll put the.

Speaker 2 (01:28:41):
Number on our phone. We don't want to say it
on air. We don't discuss those things on air. First
of all, you can afford it. Yeah, I'm a grinder.
I like analytics. How many how many leagues are you in?

Speaker 16 (01:28:52):
I was only in one this year, but it was
like an important one. Yeah that's good. Yeah, all right,
I mean I like winning money and fantasy that's the
if you're good.

Speaker 3 (01:29:00):
Actually, because he's terrible, sins again, we need somebody weak,
all right. I'm gonna tell you he's he's terrible, so
we can't let you in.

Speaker 2 (01:29:08):
Actually here, I got.

Speaker 16 (01:29:09):
Fourth place in our league this year. But there was
I mean, there was really one trade I could have made.
I'm kind of kicking myself over it. Ja yeah, man,
it was like week four, week five, I kind of
I was a little bit higher on Remandre Stevenson than
I should have been, and I had an opportunity to
acquire Chase Brown. You know, I think that could have
won me the league. I think that would have been
a difference. So Zach Moss wasn't hurt yet, right, Zach

(01:29:30):
Moss was not.

Speaker 2 (01:29:31):
That's not your fault.

Speaker 16 (01:29:32):
That's not no, it's not my fault. But Brian Thomas
Junior was also in the trade. I was gonna have
to sacrifice Dk Metcalf. I liked Metcalf at the time.
I mean, I love Metcalf as a player. I just
wasn't I wasn't thinking straight week four, you know, I
wasn't looking at upside.

Speaker 2 (01:29:49):
Look, all you gotta do is just try to get Bett,
go out there and be better. Next year. I'm going
to look to improve.

Speaker 16 (01:29:54):
I mean, trade I made some I made some I
made some mistakes not making them.

Speaker 2 (01:29:57):
You know, I don't know if the bros Are doing
the fan see Baseball draft anymore. But let's ask the
question if you were if I was in a draft,
what round would I a draft spencer or getting. If
I was in a draft, I'm probably.

Speaker 16 (01:30:09):
Let's see, if I'm drafting early in like a ten
or twelve man, I'm probably picking myself.

Speaker 2 (01:30:16):
Like on the cusp of eight.

Speaker 3 (01:30:20):
Probably seven eight. If I had to guess, your strikeout
totals will help us out big time. Yeah, get some winsts.
Walks down, yeah, walks down, k's up. It's like the
whole goal going into the year. And yes, so I
think I think that's a lot to be excited about
the fantasy baseball manager.

Speaker 2 (01:30:35):
He is the hero of Single Ranch High School. You
know hit my May Creek rams, not once, but twice.
I remember that from last year. Thanks for bringing that out.

Speaker 11 (01:30:42):
I do.

Speaker 3 (01:30:43):
But I'm in their Wall of Honor, so that's nothing terrible.
I don't know if I'll be in the CINCO while honor.

Speaker 2 (01:30:47):
Oh my god. Yeah, yeah, your school has barely been around.
You'll be contacted shortly.

Speaker 16 (01:30:51):
We got one another big leaguer in program history. We
got another one on the way probably we're excited about.
But yeah, I sinko. Ranch means a lot to me, obviously.
I love I love being from the area and getting
to play for the team. Now, I mean you live
out in Katy Now, No, I don't live in Katy anymore.
I live I live closer to the Loop. Now, yeah,
that would be quite a commute to get to the
stadium every day. That's not much better. No, it's not

(01:31:14):
at all, not at all better.

Speaker 2 (01:31:16):
All right, So I'm looking at the videos of all
the people that were down here. Like Spencer's more mature,
he's got he's got a greater stance on things. He's
he's more confident. I didn't think you were like quiet
and meek when you when we talked to you last year.

Speaker 9 (01:31:33):
I mean, what what's up with that?

Speaker 16 (01:31:34):
I think I just got used to talking more to
you guys. I guess like I did more, did more
media stuff, did more interviews, get a little more comfortable
finding the voice, and uh, it's been fun for me.
I think I enjoyed doing this stuff a lot. And
I last year in camp was definitely intentionally a little
bit less talkative when it was my turn. But I
definitely I can let it fly when it's time.

Speaker 7 (01:31:55):
Well, we told you.

Speaker 2 (01:31:56):
When you were on the shut up justin let me
tell you how to pitch.

Speaker 16 (01:31:58):
No man, Actually it was I was hoping for him
to tell me the same thing.

Speaker 2 (01:32:01):
Actually, I wish he would have told me to shut
up and how to pitch.

Speaker 3 (01:32:04):
You don't have a brother. The gravy trains off your
success to yeh, why are you doing.

Speaker 7 (01:32:08):
This that was a stray.

Speaker 2 (01:32:11):
Ben. Ben is in our league technically, so the connections
here are crazy. Yeah.

Speaker 16 (01:32:16):
Ben had a great football Ben had a great fantasy
football team.

Speaker 7 (01:32:19):
I'm sure he's great.

Speaker 2 (01:32:20):
He's wonderful. Oh my god, he's a heck of a Yeah. Right,
I'm sure he's outstanding. I can't wait to visit with
him again.

Speaker 3 (01:32:27):
What's been the focus for you this offseason we talked.
I mean there's been more mental, more physical, all the above,
as far as you know, going from that guy, not
that you you know, you're established ten year vet, but
being like you said, starting out and now going and
getting ready for your second year.

Speaker 16 (01:32:42):
Uh yeah, I think it's it's always both. Spring training
is always both for me. I think it's obviously the
mental aspect of it's kind of just getting back into
the routine, getting back into the into the like kind
of flow of everything, feeling like I'm on top of
my five day. A lot of the mental stuff this
year is just kind of embracing the readiness to compete.
I think that's always been a part of my game.
It's just like itching for the challenge, itching for that moment.

(01:33:05):
And obviously this year I'm a little more welcoming to it.
I think last year this time, I was a little
unsure where I was at. Was I ready for the
big leagues? Am I gonna have success when I get there?
Obviously we saw the story right itself a little bit
last year, and it wasn't pretty right away, but I am.
I'm very confident that I can continue to build off

(01:33:26):
of what I was able to achieve in the second
half last year, and I think a lot of that
centers around me getting my brain and my body ready
right now. I think the physical aspect of it's the
same camp is camp every year for me. I'm just
I am really trying to attack my routine and then,
like I said, just really really preparing the brain to
go out there and fight for it every time I'm
on the bump.

Speaker 2 (01:33:47):
I asked this to a lot of young players because
it just comes there had been a turning point and
I don't know if it was a particular start or
where you were, or a bit of advice you got,
but you're no in your head, So there had been
something that you want to bring to the passion here.

Speaker 16 (01:34:00):
Yeah, I think I hit on it at FanFest a
little this year. I didn't really get a chance to
talk about that a whole lot.

Speaker 2 (01:34:05):
Last year.

Speaker 16 (01:34:05):
You know, we're in the heat of it, we're trying
to we're trying to make up ground in the division.
Right when I finally started hitting my stride and really
the day that everything changed for me. I actually went
to check myself after I mentioned this at FanFest, But
it was the day that we actually got back to
five hundred baseball. It was against the Colorado Rockies at home,
and that was the turning point for me in my head,

(01:34:29):
because not only did I have a great game, I
mean everything, everything was good, My stuff was great. Mentally
I'm great. I'm dominanting in my brain. That's really where
I had my best days, is where in my head
like I'm untouchable, I'm in my bubble, I'm in my zone.
And on top of that, like obviously being able to
be the guy on the bump when we started rough
and I was there to witness it, and I was

(01:34:49):
part of the reason we were struggling and to be
the reason why we were able to flip the script
and be at five hundred at that point in the season.

Speaker 2 (01:34:55):
Was that was a big deal to me. I think that.

Speaker 16 (01:34:58):
Confidence wise, that kind of propelled me to a new
level in my head where I could be dominant like
I had always been in the past in minor league ball,
in college coming up, And uh, yeah, I think that
that really flipped the switch for me. Right there was
just having that one first, really really clean, really crisp outing.
I had no walks, I punched a ton, I didn't
give up any runs. It was it was a It
was an incredible feeling. But then the feeling was really

(01:35:21):
only there because of the stark contrast to the months
that were leading up to that, the the real lows
that I felt trying to find myself in the big leagues.

Speaker 2 (01:35:30):
And yeah, that that day things really really changed for me.

Speaker 3 (01:35:33):
Spencer Raghetty with this year on the Matt Thomas Show
with Ross Sports talks Aroundy from West Palm Beach, Joe said,
today he doesn't want you to waste pitches that you
get ahead of counts.

Speaker 2 (01:35:42):
Now, there is a difference between wasting pitches and also
having a one to two pitch get away just to
have a guy chase. So tell me until the audience
a difference in those two philosophies. Man, I think.

Speaker 16 (01:35:54):
One of the biggest things I learned last year was
I really have two versions of every pitch. It's the
one that I'm getting there and the one that I'm
trying to get past you. And I really feel like
I think that's what he's talking about, is me embracing
the pitcher that I am when I'm good and trying
to throw more of those pitches to get it past
people and not necessarily just throwing a pitch to throw

(01:36:14):
a pitch.

Speaker 2 (01:36:15):
And he's one hundred percent right.

Speaker 16 (01:36:16):
I could pitch a lot deeper into a lot of
ball games this year just by taking that approach and
throwing the right one in the right count, like the
getting there early so I can have some count leverage,
and then like you said, using the two, using the
one two to try to generate a chase, try to
generate a with and if I don't get it, right
back to the aggressive stuff.

Speaker 2 (01:36:35):
You know.

Speaker 16 (01:36:35):
I think that I had success doing that last year.
I had success when I was in the zone a bunch,
and I think that's exactly what he's talking about.

Speaker 2 (01:36:41):
I think we all know the potential that.

Speaker 16 (01:36:43):
I have when I'm throwing the ball where I want
to throw the ball, and that's exactly it it's just
just being a little bit more aware of what it
is I'm trying to do that pitch.

Speaker 3 (01:36:52):
We talked a lot last year about you being one
of those guys it loves diving into the numbers and
shapes and spin rates and all that type of stuff.
After a year of a major league experience, are you
more less or about the same with that stuff.

Speaker 8 (01:37:04):
I think the.

Speaker 16 (01:37:04):
Scales have kind of tipped in the other direction just
a little bit, and I think that's healthy for me.
I think that my concept of what made somebody good
prior to making my debut, prior to having that stretch
early where I wasn't really having success, and then finally
being able to figure it out around the midpoint of
the season last year, a lot of my struggles came

(01:37:24):
from having the analytically centered brain, from thinking to myself
that this is my best pitch, so I need to
throw it right here because analytics say this is my
best chance of a swinging miss, when in reality, I
was searching for swinging misses in the wrong counts against
the best hitters in the world. And that's where you
see the walk numbers go up. That's where you see
the era start to inflate a little bit just because
I'm not doing myself any favors. Really, and like I

(01:37:48):
said a minute ago, like trying to get my brain
in a place where it's more about competing than it
is about the numbers on the scoreboard. That's really gone
a long way for me. So I think I'm still
definitely all in on it analytics. I believe that that's
something that's helped me develop an arsenal that I can
go compete with against the one percent in this game.
And and having that having that mental state where the

(01:38:11):
rubber meets the road and it's time to go, and
it's time to just compete and not worry about what's
what the track man's saying in the bullpen that a
few days ago, that's really where you start to see success.
I think that there's a ton of guys in this
game that have the most elite stuff you can imagine,
and really would just benefit from that approach. I think
that a lot of guys watching what we do in

(01:38:32):
professional baseball, like the data driven training is awesome. It's
really cool, and it's really easy to get hooked on
that and have some identity in that. But when your
identity is the competitor in the arena, and that's what's
backing you. Like, that's you, that's your bas is. I
know I'm nasty on track, man like. It's it's scary,
man like. You got a lot of confidence, you got
a lot of options, you got a lot of weapons,
and you can just go to work that way.

Speaker 2 (01:38:52):
I don't know if you're going to be a future
broadcaster or general manager. Are both? She's actually making me angry.
You can have this nasty stuff. See if what is
wrong with you? For twenty five you throw mid nineties,
you get strikeouts, you've got decent money, you're broadcasting already,
a future ahead of you your general manager. Absolutely, let's

(01:39:15):
see what is wrong with me. I can tell your
biggest flaw. Do give a quick temper? I do? Yeah.
I think we saw it in Cleveland last year.

Speaker 16 (01:39:23):
It's something I haven't wanted to talk about, but yeah,
I mean my temper flares a little bit when when
somebody hits a nerve. I guess that's a big low
point and I've been doing work on that. I think
as a young player in the game, that's not the
best thing to happen properly. Maybe, Yeah, Channel it properly,
is the right way to sign it. I definitely I
heard about it from some guys that I look up
to a lot that that I should like. You just said,
control that temper a little bit better, kind of channel

(01:39:46):
it into my game and what I do.

Speaker 2 (01:39:47):
It's Yeah, it's awesome. Look I have a zero sixty
on the same thing, but I quickly forgot about it. Yeah,
don't listen to I mean, I got I got road rage.
I think that's really that's really like the oh my god,
you're going to see mom and dad on the kid freeway.

Speaker 7 (01:40:00):
Stay away from your.

Speaker 2 (01:40:02):
I mean, I'm driving in the hov Land no matter what. Oh,
if you buy yourself you don't care.

Speaker 9 (01:40:06):
I mean, I'm not.

Speaker 2 (01:40:07):
Gonna I'm not gonna admit that way. I got sixty
seconds here while strikeout. You struck out blank person last year.
You're like, damn, this is awesome. Oh it's that.

Speaker 16 (01:40:16):
Goes without saying it's the week's a rise. That guy
doesn't punch out. Yeah, he doesn't punch out. That is
that is so inside baseball. But that's so good that
you said that he doesn't punch out like that guy.
If you you gotta really earn it like Hunter Brown
got him to punch out looking last year and I
was impressed. Man, I was like, there is not a
pitch in or around the zone that that guy won't
swing at, and you got him to turn and not

(01:40:38):
move the bat Like that's awesome.

Speaker 2 (01:40:39):
I thought that was cooler honestly, all right, real flast question.
ABS hitters love it because they don't want to be
watching the computer head call the balls and strikes every time.
What is a picture's perspective on it?

Speaker 16 (01:40:49):
Uh, the picture's perspective on it is a little different.
I think there's always been the human element in baseball,
and the umpire is really the regulator there. Like human
in the fact that like I can, I can aim
up and in and miss down away and still get
a call because it's over home plate. So I think
that the ABS is good. I think that it's nice
to have a look in the mirror for umpires also,

(01:41:11):
because that's that's what we're constantly doing, like we're adjusting
our game, trying to turn to dial it in a
little bit. And I think if you talk to the
umpires that were in Triple A the last couple of seasons,
it's probably made them tighten the zone up a little bit,
and I don't I think most pitchers don't like it.

Speaker 2 (01:41:25):
I don't like it. Nobody likes pitch into a small zone.
But at the same time, it is.

Speaker 16 (01:41:31):
It is a competitive advantage to be able to convince
the umpire that a ball outside of the zone is
a strike. We can all admit that, but it's also
been part of the art of pitching for a long
time now. So it's it's hard to it's hard to
accept that that's kind of seemingly where the game is moving.
But it's also you got to adapt, you know, like
that's that's how we all get paid, that's how we
all stay alive, and this game is making adjustments.

Speaker 2 (01:41:52):
General broadcast we're arruing about this.

Speaker 3 (01:41:56):
This is my my argument is you tell me you
have the ability to get every call right, but we're
not gonna do it.

Speaker 2 (01:42:01):
I know.

Speaker 16 (01:42:02):
It's so hard, Like you're looking at that and you're like, yeah,
that's the most fair version of the game.

Speaker 2 (01:42:07):
But you also have to think.

Speaker 3 (01:42:08):
But I would think maybe even a little bit of
maybe expanding a slight expansion with full abia.

Speaker 16 (01:42:13):
I think there so that's the one thing that we
all argue about constantly is there's obviously a gray area
where part of the ball is or appears to be
in zone, and that's where those calls outside of the
zone come from. And it's really like, if I can
be super nasty and make things move super late and
convince the umpire it was there if it wasn't, that's
part of the game.

Speaker 2 (01:42:32):
Yep.

Speaker 16 (01:42:33):
It's also now part of the game that if I
do that and the hitter feels that way, they can
kind of have that check and bounce, which I think
is good for them. I know pitchers are nastier, firmer,
faster than ever before. Like that's just that's the direction
our game has moved. So if that's how we continually
be competitive, then that is what it is, and I'll
make my adjustment.

Speaker 2 (01:42:51):
All right, good luck on Sunday. You've already got your
script down. Throw them my pitches. I felt good. It
was good to get out there. Good to see the
guys behind me. All that's that's why we're we can't
I don't want to see.

Speaker 16 (01:43:01):
Sily said that the other day We're doing PFPS and
I'm like, man, it is nice to see the defense
out there behind me. It's nice to know like we've
got guys working, everybody's everybody's getting back in their rhythm,
and yeah, I'm fired up to get after it.

Speaker 2 (01:43:12):
On Future seven ninety, hosts Spencer Arraghetty with us here
on the Matt Thomas Show, Quick with Ross, but quick
time out, come back. We got the news at noon,
Andy Nunia's athletic director joining us. You of h Spencer,
We really appreciate make cau you Spence, you can call
me whatever you want.

Speaker 8 (01:43:24):
That's fair.

Speaker 2 (01:43:24):
Thank you for having tell Ben I said my best.
I will it is twelve what's hell? Late a week?
Oh we whaley, Oh we're waley. Oh we're going to break.

Speaker 3 (01:43:32):
Twelve twenty On Sports Talk seven Go back to Matt
Thomas and Ross via real fine.

Speaker 6 (01:43:38):
On Sports Talk seven ninety, it's the news at.

Speaker 2 (01:43:44):
Twelve twenty five. It's gonna be Brie because we've got
Eddi Nuniaz, you age joining us in a couple of
minutes to the news center. Here's Ross.

Speaker 3 (01:43:51):
All right, man. We've been talking a lot about this
automatic ABS. It's been discussed all over the place. Just
talked about it with Spencer Aarraghetty and others Joe A. Spotta,
speaking as we are at West Palm Beach for spring training.

Speaker 2 (01:44:03):
Here's what he had to say earlier today about the ABS.

Speaker 3 (01:44:07):
I actually like it. I actually like it.

Speaker 13 (01:44:09):
I'm just telling, you know, a leadoff guy or you
can use them all in the first inning. So you know,
there's some strategy behind it. Obviously, it's we're just gonna
test it this spring training. So we're trying to We
want our catchers to you know, to be able to
use it. And and you know, I told about this.

(01:44:31):
just use it in the first inning and so. But
to get all the calls, right. I like the human
side of things.

Speaker 7 (01:44:41):
I think the.

Speaker 13 (01:44:41):
Empires you still have, you know, the power back there
just to call balls and strike the human side of things.
It's his baseball, and and I like that that we
still can control some of those things. But I'm you know,
it's gonna be it's gonna be something corn.

Speaker 2 (01:44:58):
Yeah, like I was kind of we were talking with
with Raghetty.

Speaker 3 (01:45:01):
He said, he said, I know you're right when I
mentioned we can get all the calls right, but we don't.

Speaker 2 (01:45:05):
But I think that's what the picture's beef is is
that there.

Speaker 3 (01:45:07):
It's also kind of a tight strike zone, so maybe
a slight expansion of the zone.

Speaker 2 (01:45:13):
With full ABS.

Speaker 3 (01:45:15):
That's probably the compromise that most everybody else would agree
with challenges.

Speaker 2 (01:45:20):
I'm gonna tell you one thing. I'm going to a
dark place for just one second. When I hear ABS,
I think of ibs.

Speaker 3 (01:45:25):
Almost immediately after someone says ABS, I think of automatic
breaks again. I think of ibs, and I think that
start thinking about cars and you're thinking about bowels or diarrhea.

Speaker 2 (01:45:36):
Yeah, yeah, continue on.

Speaker 3 (01:45:40):
I don't even nowhere to continue on for Okay, when
Minyama is out for the season with deep vein thrombosis
upper extremity deep vein thrombosis match and he is going
to miss the rest of the year, I have a question.
Have we heard about this happening to anybody?

Speaker 13 (01:45:58):
One?

Speaker 2 (01:45:59):
And number two? Clearly this is a tanking move by
the San Antonio Spurs. Okay, I'm just kidding. How do
you think Daron Fox feels about this? Right now?

Speaker 3 (01:46:06):
Well, they were gonna be I think the Spurs don't
want to make the playoffs. Anyways, so it's taking the lottery.
So you know what you got, Thrombos.

Speaker 2 (01:46:17):
I don't know why, you know why? It sounds like.

Speaker 3 (01:46:24):
Okay, Well, anyways, out for the year, Matt. And then
one quick thing I was going to get at the
news at noon, the Orange and White spring game at
Texas is no more. Nebraska's Matt rule earlier making waves
when he was talking about the Huskers not conducting an
open spring scrimmage because he doesn't want other teams poaching

(01:46:45):
and looking.

Speaker 2 (01:46:46):
At his players.

Speaker 3 (01:46:47):
Steve Sarkisian following suit, the spring scrimmage is dead.

Speaker 2 (01:46:51):
No more Orange and White, kit and at this point
A and M is going to have theirs. Okay, And
that is the news that new we visit with Eddie noon. Yes,
that's on the director University of Houston. Next after I
tell you about Uptown Appliance Repair. I want you to
get your appliances fixed when they're not working. I want
them checked on occasionally as well. And that's why you
go to Uptown Appliance Repair dot com and find out

(01:47:15):
what Bobby Ferro and his team can do for you,
fixing anything from a high end gas grill, a high
end dishwasher, your sub zero refrigerator, your ice maker, your
wine seller that needs checking out. I know same, you've
got wine sellers, your boogie like that. You might as
well make it look it's best. And that's why you
call it making sure it's working it's best. At two
eight one, seven, five, eight, nine nine seven eight two

(01:47:36):
eight one seven, five eight nine nine seven eight, you'll
get one hundred percent customer satisfaction. You get exclusive to
your warranty. And we had some dryer issues at our
house about a month ago. It was our dryer event
that needed to be cleaned out. Guess what Uptown's gonna
do that for you? Phone number again is two eight,
one seven, five eight nine nine seven eight two eight

(01:47:56):
one seven, five eight nine nine seven eight Online Uptown Appliants,
repayer dot Com, Lunchtimers, Lunchtimes.

Speaker 1 (01:48:05):
It's the Matt Thomas Show with Ross on Sports Talk
seven ninety.

Speaker 3 (01:48:13):
Matt and Ross with you here from West Palm Beach, Florida.
A reminder, all of the next hour of The Matt
Thomas Show with Ross will be all astros. A lot
of great interviews we've still yet to hear. You'll hear
from Riesto Duban. You'll hear from who else we got,
Christian Walker, You'll hear from Jake Myers, you'll hear from

(01:48:34):
Joe Espotta.

Speaker 2 (01:48:35):
All next hour here on Sports.

Speaker 3 (01:48:37):
Talk seven ninety as we come to you from West
Palm Beach, the Pride of Miami, Florida. Eddie Nunia is
Thought director at the University of Houston, joining us here
on the Matt Thomas Show with Ross Eddie, I've dropped
your name here in South Florida, and all I'm getting
is a discount at wahwah. Can you help me out
with something here?

Speaker 11 (01:48:54):
Yeah, here, Palm Beach, West Palm Beach or whatever that's
that's not that's not South Florida. You're gonna go down there.
You gotta go down to Miami. You enjoy yourself some
great Cuban food. I mean, I don't know what you're
doing up there. I mean, enjoy the beach.

Speaker 2 (01:49:05):
Maybe you tell me, Wait a minute, you're telling me
there's hate between Palm Beach and Miami. That doesn't seem
very nice.

Speaker 11 (01:49:13):
It's not hate, but it's you know, if you want
the real softward, you got to go down to the
real soft Florida. That's where you get thinks I'll be there.

Speaker 2 (01:49:20):
I'll be there next month with the rockets. Ill I
better get some serious discounts when dropping your name. Hey,
First of all, congratulations on getting a college game day
back to our campus. It'll be the second time, uh
for those that just heard of us for the very
first time in the last twenty four hours. And and
this may be a long winded question for a long
winded answer, but what are some does and don'ts. Where

(01:49:40):
do you want people to be? Where do you want
them to park? What time do you want them to
get there?

Speaker 11 (01:49:45):
So, first off, we're extremely excited. I mean, this is
a testament to the program that coach Champson has built
and you know, just just the season that we're we've
had the last couple of years and this year as well.
But we're asking everybody to come out. Let's let's show
a ma and what what uh basketball with the University
of Houston's about. We're asking everybody to come out there.
We're gonna start opening up the Homan Street concourse, so

(01:50:10):
on the home in side at seven am, and so
first five hundred students with tickets will have will ligne
everybody up. Those that don't have tickets, will also let
them in. But we're gonna we're gonna line up every
student we can, anybody that's a fan that wants to
come out there. We're gonna have another line designated for them.
We're gonna have posters so they can make signs, hopefully

(01:50:32):
that are respectful. At the same time, we're gonna have
We're gonna have our football team there passing out doughnuts
and and spend other items to the fans as they
come in. And then the whole we're gonna have as
many student athletes supporting the basketball team there as well.
So it's it's gonna be a fun event. We're gonna

(01:50:52):
make this want to remember, hopefully here for for for
Houston for a long time to come.

Speaker 3 (01:50:58):
And I guess, Eddie, I don't know if you know
if the answer to this, but who gets to take
the nineteen thousand dollars half court shots?

Speaker 2 (01:51:03):
Somebody's gonna want to do that.

Speaker 11 (01:51:06):
That's ESPN I wish. I mean, I'll take it if
I could too. I've got a lot of ideas put
that kind of money.

Speaker 2 (01:51:13):
I know, man, as I've told you many times on
air and off air, you have just had to have
such a huge responsibility with fundraising, not only for the scholarships,
but the NIL has now been a huge play. Maybe
when you and I talked about it, we didn't put
necessarily a percentage on it. But now that you've had
your feet settled down on campus and then you're not

(01:51:35):
unlike any other athletic director, how do you how are
you balancing your time right now on that? Besides facilities
and compliance and winning and oh, by the way, you
got to fund this NIL and you gotta fund scholarships.
Where is the percentage of balance of your time on
a week to week basis on that right now?

Speaker 11 (01:51:53):
Well, I think I think week to week it changes
quite a bit. The one thing is every week is
a little bit different. I've got to focus on certain
as fix probably more depending on what's happening just in
our industry. So the one thing that's that's constant is
we've got to continue to right size our budget, and
part of that is increasing fundraising NIL. And so I

(01:52:14):
kind of goop all that together. Yes, it has different
pods within it, but I tried to groop it all
as one because we have to elevate our fundraising. We
have to elevate our budget. We've got to get it
so that we're not just doing everything we can to
compete at this level. We need to make it a
little bit easier in some respects. So but even this week,

(01:52:37):
we've got two six figure gifts from donors, and a
lot of it is because they're seeing the vision, they're
seeing what we're doing, where we're executing, and so every
date it's a little bit different. I'm trying to even
take a little time during all this craziness and actually
continue to take care of myself. Before I was crazy
running around from one side of the.

Speaker 7 (01:52:55):
City or the state to the other.

Speaker 11 (01:52:56):
But it's been fun.

Speaker 7 (01:52:57):
It's been fun.

Speaker 2 (01:52:59):
Well, I'll say that game day when it's come to
our campus for football and for basketball, it's literally an infomercial.
And so your video staff is gonna have a good time,
your marketing company department's gonna have a good time with this.
But I to have Kelvin and how well spoken he
is and how he's beloved by the national folks, and look,
Willie's gonna be that too. I mean, if there's anybody
that could be a charmer for a national for a

(01:53:21):
national network like ESPN, you're two top coaches, not in
disrespecting anybody else you got on your staff, but your
two main guys that are the faces of your of
your athletic department couldn't be any more media affable than
Kelvin Sampson and Willie Fritz.

Speaker 11 (01:53:34):
Absolutely. I mean he Willy was the first one to
raise his hand and said, what do you need me
to do? When he heard about this, he said, I'll
get the whole team there. We want to support Kelvin
and the men's basketball team. So when you have that
support from your football coach in understanding how we can
really elevate uh, the brand, not just in the Big Twelve,

(01:53:54):
but nationally. No, We've got two unbelievable ambassadors and many more.
It's it's exactly what hopefully our our Cougar fan base
is really proud of.

Speaker 2 (01:54:09):
I'm gonna throw a crazy idea at you were visiting
with any union as ethotic director at the University of Houston. Uh,
the Vegas event. To me, when the basketball team went
and played, it was basically to fund their nil. Let
me ask you if we added an extra football game
and added one or two extra basketball games and just

(01:54:29):
said let's make those revenue games for the NIL movement.
Is there any legs of that is that?

Speaker 3 (01:54:36):
Does that sound preposterous or would it be too much
of a financial disadvantage to the schools because you have
to put these games on, You gotta turn the electricity on,
you gotta pay the employees, you gotta pay the expenses.
Is there any part of that that says we can
take separate games and make those games where we can
take the revenues from that and give it directly to

(01:54:57):
the athletes.

Speaker 11 (01:54:58):
Yeah, I would tell you that those conversations are being had,
not just here but everywhere. What that basketball tournament in
Vegas showed was that those are possible. Now, you've got
to get a lot of sponsorships, you've got to get
a lot of things to help generate the revenue that
you were able to get from there. But if you
if you're hope is to generate something, those are all

(01:55:20):
possibilities and it's and it does. We have to make
sure that it goes outside the normal scheduled games that
we already have that help us for our budget and
make sure that we can do things. But no, everything
right now is on the table and we are we
are aggressively looking at ways to do more of those,
but also trying to make sure that we don't push it,

(01:55:43):
you know, go to to other parts of the world
or the country, because we want our fan base to
be able to see it and then and experience it.

Speaker 2 (01:55:49):
So you got to bounce that out for let's your run.
This Cougar basketball team. I beyond proud because it's not
only my good friend Covin Samson is my school. To
win at Arizona and Kansas in the same year, I
think no one's done that. Probably I think I saw
it was like late eighties of the last time it happened.
The schedule is awesome, the tournament's going to be fun.

(01:56:11):
Hopefully we're at least a minimum of a top two
seed where if people want to just get on a
plane and go, because there is nothing more electric than
being in a tournament atmosphere, whether it's the first round,
the sweet sixteen, or hopefully the final four. What's the
easiest way to get on that waiting list and let's
hang out. I want to make sure I get tickets

(01:56:31):
for these events coming up.

Speaker 11 (01:56:33):
Reach out to our department, just go online, any heck,
you call my office I'll get you to the right person.
But biggest thing right now is reach out. If you're
interested in any way to go along the ride with us,
We're going to have packages if now, We're going to
find ways to make sure that we get you all
the information on how to get there. But let's start
it all starts this weekend. We've got a great opportunity

(01:56:55):
here at home for everybody to come out. We need
that place full of koogs and so so let's let's
start that that craziness here this weekend.

Speaker 2 (01:57:03):
Well, Eddie, I wish I was there. I would have
been in Salt Lake City with the Rockets. But man,
I'm so excited. It's again a great opportunity. And look,
the guys at ESPN love our program and I cannot
wait for them to see it firsthand. And and if
you're any of you are going to the game and
you don't you can't get there or can't get there,
give your seat to somebody. I want every single seat
at for Tita Center sould the better not be an

(01:57:24):
empty spot, because I we owe Iowa State for last
year and I look forward to getting that revenge coming
up on Saturday.

Speaker 7 (01:57:29):
Eddie, thank you for those.

Speaker 11 (01:57:31):
Don't give them to Iowa State fans. Don't give the
Iowa State fans.

Speaker 3 (01:57:33):
Oh hell no, yeah, No cyclones are invited under any circumstance.

Speaker 2 (01:57:38):
Thanks Eddie, we'll talk to you all right. That's uh,
it's Eddie and Nunia is joining us here, the vice
president Interclane Athletics. Again, if you're an Iowa State fan,
I'm sure you're a lovely person. You're not invited. Seven
one three two one two five seven Hoey back to
wrap things up here this hour. Remember all next hour
it's an entire Astros hour of interviews as we get

(01:57:59):
you ready for the spring training opener, which will be
coming up on Saturday, as the Astros will be in action.
A reminder tonight six o'clock this evening, it'll be Astroline
with the special guest Joe a spot of the Astros
manager for a full hour. Right now, I want to
tell you about Big City Wings, Delicious wings, amazing sandwiches.
Crawfish is in season now, they have shrimp boils going

(01:58:21):
on right now. It's just the biggest menu in town.
The wings are the tried and true favorite that if
you're looking for a hamburger, you can get it there.
You're looking for crawfish, your shrimp, your salads, your sandwiches.
The chicken sandwiches are absolutely amazing. The desserts are delectable.
They're not fat free, they're not calvary free, but you
know what you deserve it you put in a hard
day of work or the weather being nasty and cold,

(01:58:43):
you don't want to be sitting there cooking over a
hot stove. Get Big City Wings. Either you stop by
one of their locations or you get some to go.
It'll be a great experience for you. And if you're
in their locations, thirteen of them, they're wall to wall
big screen televisions all today at Big City Wings and
Big Citywings dot.

Speaker 1 (01:58:58):
Com Mastros Bunny, you have Ange grad, Texas mex connoisseur.

Speaker 6 (01:59:06):
Well, is there anybody more Houston than Matt Thomas? No
way back to the Matt Thomas Show.

Speaker 7 (01:59:14):
There are plenty of people that are just as much
used to as meat. I'm sending a man.

Speaker 8 (01:59:18):
Am I right?

Speaker 17 (01:59:20):
Ald Nimits grad Yes, born and raised, born and raised
h Town, Proud Order fan, two year Texan fan, Yes,
Rocket fan, Yes, Astro fans, Dynamo Dash.

Speaker 2 (01:59:34):
I've been in some dash games. He went for the
food and drink. You kidding and big and Cougar fan
when the Cougars won the Final four win the National
Championship of college basketball. As long as I get that,
futures bet down.

Speaker 7 (01:59:45):
I got you.

Speaker 2 (01:59:46):
I tell you, I got you. Appreciate it.

Speaker 10 (01:59:49):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (01:59:49):
I brought up this thing with Addie Nudia's real quick
and our previous guest you were I was crushing to say.

Speaker 3 (01:59:56):
Okay, so listen. We had some people ask about this,
namely our Ashley. Okay, uh, what did you get for
a wah wah oh.

Speaker 2 (02:00:04):
I went with the uh, honey, honey garlic turkey, with
the garlic aoli, Yes, delicious, that's a good choice. I
went with a strict Italian. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (02:00:15):
I had Italian last night. Truth be told, I've eaten,
I've eaten two days in a row.

Speaker 7 (02:00:21):
Good.

Speaker 3 (02:00:21):
I went with the Italian yesterday, which is great, and
I went with the yeah, the honey honey garlic Italian today.

Speaker 2 (02:00:27):
I think it's great.

Speaker 7 (02:00:29):
I'm telling you.

Speaker 3 (02:00:29):
And look, I'll give wa Wall run because first of all,
they're not in Houston, so it's not really doing much
damage there.

Speaker 2 (02:00:35):
But wah wah is it's the goat East Coast. Primarily
they have Florida ole Kachs freak inconvenience store in the
sandwich but it's literally like a like a uh what
a what's what's the seven eleven seven? It's a seven
eleven with an awesome sandwich shop. Yeah. Now I don't
have to get their hot food, but the sandwiches itself

(02:00:55):
as to be good.

Speaker 3 (02:00:57):
I didn't know.

Speaker 7 (02:00:59):
Damn them.

Speaker 2 (02:01:00):
Things you learn on them at Thomas should ross. Okay,
back to my point, I said, why don't we give
a why don't we take a game, an added game
and give them money to the players as a way
to help with n IL directly just just directly give
the proceeds to it. Now with within read I guess
within reason, because if Alabama's gonna have eighty five thousand
for a game and you bas are gonna have thirty five,

(02:01:21):
it would be obviously a huge difference. Yeah, but could
you schedule an extra game or in basketball too, at
extra game just to give them and say this certain
revenue off of this is given the players, And I
guess you have to give them a minimum guarantee.

Speaker 3 (02:01:39):
Yeah, the NCAA can't sanction that. I don't know then,
I guess you'd have to then how how is that
amateur athletics?

Speaker 9 (02:01:45):
I guess it's not.

Speaker 2 (02:01:46):
But they do in Vegas that that Vegas event next
year has been doubled.

Speaker 3 (02:01:50):
They're giving them a million dollars a pot they did
last year, and they're gonna get They're gonnadd eight more
teams and give them a million million.

Speaker 2 (02:01:56):
Yeah, doubling the team, double the money. Yeah, they're going
team Okay. Interesting hmm. I don't know how is any
of this standing up?

Speaker 7 (02:02:08):
It's not.

Speaker 3 (02:02:09):
How is the NCU regulation? How could the NCAA go
in front of any judge and say this is amateur athletics?

Speaker 2 (02:02:14):
If this is happening, But I'm telling you, as much
as I'm against it, I got to be a realist
about it, and so does any Noonias and so does
every other athletic director in this country. You may not
like the rules, but if you don't play by them,
you're going to lose.

Speaker 3 (02:02:28):
Correct If you want to make a stand and say no,
this is about amateur athletics, or giving them room and
board in a college education, you're going to not get
any athletes unless they're literally the sons of billionaires.

Speaker 2 (02:02:39):
Now, I'll say this, you are losing a lot of
really good coaches to the industry because they're like, yeah,
I'm good, I think pro coach. I think you're gonna
see more coaches gravitate towards the professional side of it
because they don't have to worry about it. It's an
extra layer of responsibility.

Speaker 3 (02:02:53):
Well, there's only thirty spots, that's right, well.

Speaker 2 (02:02:55):
Or NBA football, whatever the case would be. I mean,
you're you're gonna have a better shot of being being
a I mean, I know, I don't know. There's only yeah,
there's only thirty two NFL jobs. There's only you know.
I guess competition for professional jobs will be much more
intense than they were before.

Speaker 3 (02:03:12):
Yes, I think at the end of the day, you
could have you could argue that the especially college football,
the top top top jobs might be to some more
desirable then in an NFL job. But I think that
argument is lessons and lesson and less in the last
few years because of all this nil stuff.

Speaker 2 (02:03:36):
If you're really good, you're gonna at the college Leman,
You're gonna you're gonna You're gonna see college coaches making
more than NFL coaches and in fact you're seeing that. Now,
what is Kirby Smart making at Georgia. It's obscene.

Speaker 3 (02:03:48):
He's making more than Dimigo Rians. Yeah, way more, I
think way more.

Speaker 2 (02:03:51):
Yeah. Dimiko Ryans worked his way as an assistant coach
after playing a long, successful NFL career his first head
coaching job. And Kirby Smart's like man bra I coached
five less games a year or four less games a year,
and look at the responsibility carry I'm gonna be making
more money because he now has to. Kirby Smart has

(02:04:12):
to maintain being a father figure. He's got to run
the program. He's got to win football games, he has
to kiss the babies and shake the hands of the
big donors, and he's got to pay the athletes something
you have to worry about. Ten years ago, maybe maybe
maybe these college were guys making ten millive million dollars
are worth the money.

Speaker 3 (02:04:31):
This what I'm reading on Google says Dimiko makes uh
four point six million a year.

Speaker 2 (02:04:38):
Kirby's what eleven or twelve somewhere in that range. Someone
while start doing it a team? How smark at you?

Speaker 3 (02:04:43):
You t doing ten million a year? So I can
find making more than four point six.

Speaker 7 (02:04:50):
There are.

Speaker 2 (02:04:53):
Forty five coaches. You know he's making the same the
cow coach. You know who it is.

Speaker 3 (02:04:59):
I didn't know who it was.

Speaker 2 (02:05:00):
Justin Wilcox. I got news for you. I think Willie
Fritz makes more money than than Na Damiko Ryans does.

Speaker 3 (02:05:05):
Really yeah, Willi Fitz four and a half. It says, okay,
so close, yeah, really close. Wow, let's get to Meiko
an extension, but we can play.

Speaker 2 (02:05:17):
The AFC Championship game.

Speaker 7 (02:05:18):
First.

Speaker 3 (02:05:18):
Back to back AFC South champions Brian Brad's I hear
he's in love. Sorry, back to back AFC South champions
Aaron two playoff wins, two playoff losses, but two playoff wins,
zero air dogs in both of them.

Speaker 2 (02:05:37):
True, So he didn't did he cover? Oh yeah, you
went out righting as a dog man. That's called it cover.
Do you think he uses that in his negotiation?

Speaker 3 (02:05:46):
Did he money? I've covered games? He's like, I'm up
on the money line.

Speaker 2 (02:05:52):
If he went to a fantasy website, you wouldn't up
well with me. Absolutely, that's what he's saying. All right, Uh,
we got one more hour left to go with the
mat two. I'm Michael Ross. We've got lots of things
going on. You're gonna hear from lots of players. You're
going to hear from Mauricio Dubon, You're gonna hear from
Jake Myers, You're gonna hear from Joe Aspatta, You're going
to hear from Christian Walker. And we're gonna take you

(02:06:13):
for a full one hour of Astros baseball conversation. We
are back in Houston one hour, one day from tomorrow,
ten o'clock until two, So be ready for a full
sixty minutes of Astros interviews. Final hour from West Palm Beach.
Next here on Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 6 (02:06:32):
Lunchtimers. This is the Matt Thomas Show.

Speaker 2 (02:06:36):
It's the final hour of the Matt Thomas Show with Ross.
We come to you from West Palm Beach, Florida, where
Astro spring training is underway.

Speaker 3 (02:06:42):
They'll play their first game coming up on Saturday. This
hour an opportunity for you to catch some of our
better interviews while Ross and I were down here covering
the team. Our visit on a couple of days back
was really good. We had a chance to talk with
Christian Walker. The brand new first basement for the Astros.
Back to back to back gold gloves as a member
of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and we visited about life as

(02:07:05):
a Diamondback, moving on to the Astros and what it
was like to be a part of the frage and
process trying to figure out where he was going to
play his baseball in twenty twenty five.

Speaker 18 (02:07:13):
There's definitely quiet periods and crazy periods of the off season. Fortunately,
we had a little bit of leverage coming in, so
I wasn't too worried about, you know, if somebody was
going to call. It was just a matter of finding
the right fit and the place that that I wanted
to play there. There's not a lot of chances and
opportunities in the business side of things these days to
get to.

Speaker 9 (02:07:33):
Pick where you play.

Speaker 18 (02:07:34):
Yeah, try to pick a place where you want to play.
So we wanted to use that to our advantage. And
you know, Arizona was great, but it was pretty far
from home for us. We live in South Carolina, so
so going into the off season, my wife and I
had Houston circled. It was a city that we were
excited to be a part of and just super pumped
when when the front office reached out and what's.

Speaker 3 (02:07:56):
It been like for you getting here, getting acclimated. Obviously
first team work out here today, but from the outside
looking in and now kind of being here for a
little bit.

Speaker 18 (02:08:04):
Getting to know the guys that the the Astros. It's
the club clubhouse you feel for you, Yeah, it's great.
It's a you can tell winning is at the forefront,
but in the same sense, you know, at this time
of the year, it's just getting back into the swing
of things, and it's it's a pretty lighthearted attitude, I think.
You know, you see guys working hard and getting their
reps in, but also you know, joking around and having fun.

(02:08:26):
It's it's a it's a good time of year. We're
all we're all got the itch after a long offseason
and uh, you know, being being back in the good
weather and playing playing baseball again is what we want.

Speaker 3 (02:08:35):
Judy ricon about the Astros an organization when you knew
they were on the shortlist for yourself.

Speaker 18 (02:08:40):
A little bit, a little bit other than the obvious things,
you know, it's it's cool, you know, meeting a guy
like Bagwell, getting to have some conversations with him, how
much pride he has for this organization, and you know,
he said something today. He's been wearing this this uniform
since nineteen ninety so, so here in hearing little things
like that, I didn't really remind you of the culture.

Speaker 9 (02:09:01):
And uh, you know, the the winning tradition.

Speaker 2 (02:09:04):
Three straight goal gloves for yourself? First of where are they?
I mean, do you have them in your at the house?
Or where where can I find the goal glove of yours?

Speaker 9 (02:09:11):
Yeah, they're They're in the house.

Speaker 18 (02:09:12):
I have a little workout room upstairs with some some gears,
some bats that I've had signed by guys and some teammates,
and and they're in there.

Speaker 9 (02:09:20):
You know, on the on the the trophy rack if
you will.

Speaker 2 (02:09:23):
Who is your first baseman idol growing up?

Speaker 9 (02:09:26):
That's a good question.

Speaker 18 (02:09:29):
So I didn't actually start playing first base until college.
Growing up, high school, middle school, I was I was
an infielder, but mostly third base.

Speaker 9 (02:09:39):
Loved watching Scott Roland. He was he was my guy.
I got a chance.

Speaker 18 (02:09:41):
I was a Phillies fan growing up, so he he
came through Philly and and you know, watching him was
was a lot of fun. And then and then Ryan Howard.
You know that that first year he had that rookie
year broke onto the scene.

Speaker 2 (02:09:53):
That was.

Speaker 9 (02:09:53):
That was a lot of fun to watch too.

Speaker 13 (02:09:54):
I was.

Speaker 9 (02:09:54):
I was in high school for.

Speaker 3 (02:09:55):
That when we were growing up, and probably you as well.
A lot of the first base we're big, stagey guys.

Speaker 2 (02:10:01):
Just to find a place for him. First of all,
I grew up watching Jeff Bagwell, so I knew there
was intricacies to it. Yuligi out before a couple of
years before your same situation. The art of playing first base, thankfully,
I think is no longer just put the fact out there.
It's a skill.

Speaker 3 (02:10:17):
Holding runners on fielding your position, well, tell me the
biggest adjustment for you going from the left side of
the to the right side of the infield and being
able to say, yeah, I want to own this part
of the field absolutely.

Speaker 18 (02:10:27):
I think what helped me was was playing on the
other side of the infield at one point and knowing
what it's like to feel like you have to make
a perfect throw, feel like you got to hit somebody
in the chest over there for them to make the play.
And you know, I pride myself on not being that guy.
I want to be somebody that you know, my shortstop
can lay out in the hole and come up and
throw from his knees and know that if he gets
it close, we're gonna make the out. That that always

(02:10:49):
helped me as an infielder, know when I had somebody
over there, So you know, that's something that's important to
me playing first base.

Speaker 3 (02:10:54):
Now, Christian Walker, newest Houston astro with us here on
the radio program. Very excited that you came here because
we were all anxious about what's gonna happen with Alex.

Speaker 7 (02:11:03):
And figuring out with Kyle and whatnot.

Speaker 2 (02:11:06):
When you finally signed on the dotted line, tell me
what it was like, get trying to find your teammates,
know what was going to be there, and honestly, this
infield is going to be completely different. How long do
you think it's gonna take? And is there gonna be
a magic day that you're gona go?

Speaker 7 (02:11:20):
All right, we as a collective group.

Speaker 2 (02:11:21):
Know what we're doing in here.

Speaker 9 (02:11:22):
Now, that's hard to pick a data.

Speaker 18 (02:11:24):
I think I think Tony Perry's cheek is going to
do a great job of making sure we get quality
reps out there together. I think practicing fast is important. Yeah,
you know, feeling out, feeling out each other's range and
and you know, like something little like knowing that you know,
Juban is such a great arm uh but but trying
to figure out his arm action.

Speaker 9 (02:11:43):
Does he does he cut it? Does he does?

Speaker 2 (02:11:44):
He?

Speaker 9 (02:11:44):
Does he throw it clean?

Speaker 11 (02:11:45):
You know, is it?

Speaker 18 (02:11:46):
Is it a true ball? Does it have armside? You know,
everybody has the has their tendencies. So so it's, uh,
it's fun to get to know, you know, some new
really really good infielders. How long can that take to
get used to with that climate team this time of
the year, It happens pretty quick. It's uh uh, it's
never really a struggle. It's just you know, before we
know it, here we're gonna have hundreds of ground balls
together and you know, hundreds of double plays that we've

(02:12:09):
turned on the backfield. So it happens quick, i'd say, here,
and you know, about a week or so, we all
start feeling pretty comfortable with each other.

Speaker 2 (02:12:15):
You have a lot left in your career.

Speaker 3 (02:12:17):
But once the clock turns thirty and beyond, did you
have to as getting ready for this season, getting maybe
a little sooner as compared to maybe when you're in
your twenties coming up in the game.

Speaker 18 (02:12:28):
I mean, yes, I know, I think there's there's a
side of it where the more time you spend around
the game, the more you know yourself and you know
your routine and you know what you need to be
ready for a season. Sprint trainings, it can be it
can be a long amount of time and it can
be short.

Speaker 2 (02:12:44):
It's right.

Speaker 18 (02:12:44):
It's like some years you feel like you just you're
not clicking, you're not clicking, and then all the opening
day comes and it's it's it's it's lightning, and and
then other years it's like by ten at bats in
you feel like you're in a good spot and you
could go Opening Day the next day. So it's you know,
the the age or anything like that. That's that's, that's
nothing that's on my radar. My body feels good. I

(02:13:05):
spend a decent amount of time in the weight room.
It's something that I pride myself on. It's it's helped
me stay on the field for a while. So, you know,
feeling strong, feeling feeling ready to go and and looking
to looking forward to playing a lot of games.

Speaker 2 (02:13:17):
Your overall thoughts about playing it at what Dyke and
Park Now you've been there obviously a few times over
your career. Very excited. I like the dome feel. I
think that's cool.

Speaker 18 (02:13:25):
I think I think the consistency in the environment, knowing
you know that the weather in Houston and the rain
I'm sure, I'm sure it comes in quick, and the
humidity and all that. So knowing if there's a home
game we're playing that mental uh, just just knowing what
to expect, getting into a routine. You know, there's there's
nothing like waking up on a on a gloomy day
and trying to figure out if there's going to be
a delay or if you're hitting VP on the field

(02:13:46):
and this and that.

Speaker 2 (02:13:47):
So so I'm looking forward to that. And then you know,
the fans.

Speaker 18 (02:13:50):
It's something that's always stuck out to me coming in
as a visiting team, is playing in front of the
fan base.

Speaker 3 (02:13:55):
What was your conversation's been like so far with Joe's
spot it, because, I mean, you know, first base was
in flux for the last couple of years. Now you like,
give you a big hug, say, I'm happy to put
you at first base every day.

Speaker 2 (02:14:07):
Any conversations also about DH and can you play left field?

Speaker 3 (02:14:12):
Yeah, we're trying to figure out left Everybody their mother
wants to play left field.

Speaker 9 (02:14:15):
Of Caroland.

Speaker 18 (02:14:16):
I actually coming up with a few different teams. There
was a lot of really good first basement in front
of me. So I have played left field.

Speaker 3 (02:14:21):
Oh that's there, we got fox head.

Speaker 2 (02:14:24):
Here we go.

Speaker 18 (02:14:25):
Hopefully we just started a controversy to see it because
it's not it's not pretty out there, no, I mean,
I mean d h and cool like if that's something
where you know, it's a way to maybe take a
day and and and get the legs back under me.
But but honestly, I like to be out in the field.
I think it helps me stay in the routine offensively
and you know, stay moving, and it's it's something that
I've I've.

Speaker 9 (02:14:45):
Just grown up doing.

Speaker 2 (02:14:46):
I enjoy.

Speaker 18 (02:14:46):
I enjoy being out in the field, for sure. But
but yeah, I think I think there's something too, uh
coming in and feeling valued. You know that that makes
you excited to play and makes you excited to prove
everybody everybody right, you know this and are real, the
expectations are real, and it's it's something that that you
crave as a big leaguer. You want do you want
somebody to put pressure on you and and you have.

Speaker 9 (02:15:07):
To go out and prove it.

Speaker 7 (02:15:09):
So you're South Carolina native.

Speaker 9 (02:15:11):
No, no, no, I grew up grew up just outside
of Philly.

Speaker 7 (02:15:13):
Oh, I was gonna say, because I was like, you
have no accent whatsoever.

Speaker 2 (02:15:16):
You have a Philly accent, of a South Carolina accent,
none of that.

Speaker 8 (02:15:19):
Yeah.

Speaker 18 (02:15:19):
Yeah, they've they've both kind of disappeared. I uh, I
went to school there obviously, and and just fell them up.

Speaker 9 (02:15:25):
With the area and never left. But grew up just
outside of Philly.

Speaker 3 (02:15:28):
Same city as Mike Piazza and Gino Arima. Do your research, Matt,
come on.

Speaker 9 (02:15:32):
Yeah, Tommy Lasorda.

Speaker 2 (02:15:33):
By the way, we know we know your We know
your dog's names too. That's true. What was it, Dottie
and uh Jack Jackson, Milly Millie?

Speaker 18 (02:15:40):
We had, we had there's a cat. Oh ok, yeah,
she's she's a she belongs to the neighborhood.

Speaker 2 (02:15:45):
Oh really, the neighborhood cat.

Speaker 9 (02:15:46):
Yeah, she's just son.

Speaker 2 (02:15:48):
What part of South Carolin do you have in Columbia
itself or we do just north of Columbia.

Speaker 9 (02:15:51):
We're like, we're like fifteen minutes from campus.

Speaker 2 (02:15:53):
So can you walk around town incognito?

Speaker 8 (02:15:56):
Or do you do?

Speaker 2 (02:15:56):
People stuck at the grocery store?

Speaker 18 (02:15:57):
Uh, they they they recognized me, for sure, but it's
it's it's more from the Gamecock days than than from
Pro ball, the braves of the team there, So so
everybody knows knows the game Cocks more than more than.

Speaker 2 (02:16:08):
That, Do they realize how many home runs you've hit
in the last five years?

Speaker 18 (02:16:10):
Yeah, Arizona, Arizona was cool. It's a crazy thing getting recognized.
It's it's humbling and all that. But but back home
in South Carolina, it's it's mostly from the from the
national championships.

Speaker 2 (02:16:19):
Okay, uh that I've never been to South Kirolina apparently
quite an experience. I mean for football basketball, the women's
team never loses. I mean, I don't know, that's all. Yeah, jeez,
they did they did any sec smack talk in the
clubhouse at.

Speaker 9 (02:16:35):
This point, not yet, not yet.

Speaker 2 (02:16:36):
I'm sure.

Speaker 18 (02:16:37):
I'm sure it'll start once, especially when football season starts
back up, but but nothing, nothing so far.

Speaker 2 (02:16:42):
Well, we're very happy to have you here. Such a
nice surprise when you came here. I mean, I mean,
we're anxious, but this is kind of new to us.
We we've known Braggs, we've known U. You're regularly a
couple of years ago, and we've had JV and Kyle Tucker.

Speaker 3 (02:16:55):
This is uh, you're actually coming on at a bad
time because I think they're all your much trying to
figure out what the ViBe's going to be right now.

Speaker 2 (02:17:02):
Yeah, Yeah, it's a it's a fun time.

Speaker 18 (02:17:04):
It's it's uh, you know, if guys, guys come and go,
it's it's part of the business side of things. Unfortunately,
you know, you never want to lose guys, especially people
who you know, we're staples in the lineup and and
a part of a lot of successful years. But I
think there's a there's a cool opportunity about that of
of being able to keep the success going with a
different group of guys, different responsibilities, different roles. And so

(02:17:27):
far the clubhouse has been great and I'm looking forward
to you know, continuing to Mesh, he alluded to the
DH for let your run. Do you like the DH
once in a while to get off your feet a
little bit? Or is that you just I need to
be if I'm in the lineup, I need to be
at first base. So I mean, I would much rather
be at first base, but I would rather be in
the lineup than not at a full day off yeah.

Speaker 9 (02:17:47):
Period.

Speaker 18 (02:17:48):
So you know, if that's a way to get some
at bats and help the team on days where you know,
maybe we're trying to rest up the legs or something
like that. Uh for sure, very very interested in something
like that. But but if it was my call, I'd
be a first every day.

Speaker 2 (02:18:01):
That was a good visit with Christian Walker. Hope you
have an opportunity to catch him in action. He should
be hitting a lot of home runs this year.

Speaker 3 (02:18:05):
Onto the porch, the Crawford boxes out at the dyke
In Park or coming up here from West Palm Beach
in a moment, as you listen to Sports Talk seven ninety,
Matt Thomas.

Speaker 1 (02:18:16):
Ross Uriel, It's the Matt Thomas Show with Ross on
Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 2 (02:18:33):
The Matt Thomas Show with Ross continues here on Sports
Talk seven. I to here from West Palm Beach an
opportunity for you to hear from a couple of guys
for the first time this spring. We're gonna hear first
from starting pitcher Hunter Brown, who should be an excellent
part of the five man rotation for the Local nine.
And one of the things I had a chance to
talk to him about was getting the word from a
one of his idols, justin Verlinder that he was leaving

(02:18:55):
to go play somewhere else.

Speaker 7 (02:18:56):
I know, you and JV were tight.

Speaker 3 (02:18:58):
Just talk about if you can a little bit, the
conversation when he said I'm going to play with the
Giants and how that was like, hey you later.

Speaker 7 (02:19:04):
Love you appreciate that kind of thing.

Speaker 19 (02:19:05):
Yeah, I mean, he just you know, shot me a
text and hey, you'll probably see the media that you know,
I'm not coming back to the Astros, so you know,
pulling for you man kind of thing, and you know,
see you're a round. It was not like a you know,
an official goodbye because the baseball world. No, no, no, no,
just shot me at text. He's probably sure, he's busy
trying to get his ducks in a row.

Speaker 2 (02:19:25):
So it was nice of him to reach out, and
you know, I was thankful for that.

Speaker 3 (02:19:30):
Tell me one or two things and maybe just little
things that he taught you about, not necessarily the mechanics
or of the sport, but just thinks about being a
major league baseball player.

Speaker 19 (02:19:38):
Yeah, I mean, I think the biggest takeaway I got
is probably when things are going well, that's you know,
that's who you are. So like you want to attach
to that versus like, you know, kind of the roller
coaster that results can be like when you're when you're going, well,
that's who you want to identify yourself as versus you know,
maybe like I said with with the roller coaster of

(02:20:01):
the game, you know, being being a true student of
the game. I learned a lot from just watching him,
watching him go about his business where there was you know,
doing scouting reports and stuff like that.

Speaker 2 (02:20:14):
But so i'd say like being prepared.

Speaker 5 (02:20:16):
And then.

Speaker 2 (02:20:18):
I don't want to.

Speaker 19 (02:20:18):
Say self confidence because I think you should have that anyway,
but yeah, exactly, So.

Speaker 3 (02:20:23):
Uh, do you walk in this and look that you
guys have been here a little bit the position players
come in, do you do you get the vibe of
helping things have change or is it just like when
you get in your locker and you sit down and
you start working out it's kind of focusing what you
need to do when you get down here.

Speaker 2 (02:20:37):
Yeah, I mean I think it's a little bit of both.

Speaker 19 (02:20:39):
I think I was excited to to see what the
clubhouse will be like this year, you know, with just
a lot of changes, something that I haven't experienced as much.

Speaker 2 (02:20:48):
But you know, I think that the vibes are great.
I think that I think it seems light.

Speaker 19 (02:20:52):
You know, this year it seems you know, it doesn't
seem like tight and everybody's kind of wild tight.

Speaker 2 (02:20:56):
It's just seems like everybody's excited.

Speaker 19 (02:20:59):
I don't know I would say that maybe necessarily, but
I think this year just feels like loose and everybody's
just excited to be here.

Speaker 2 (02:21:03):
Yeah.

Speaker 19 (02:21:04):
I don't want to speak on behalf of everybody else
outside I feel, you know.

Speaker 3 (02:21:07):
Just excited to be here, get to work. Your second
half of last year was really really good. Was there
a turning point for you? Something a game situation you
felt like that? You know, because I know that everybody
wants to play in pitch twenty six times, it could
be twenty six good outings. But things obviously the second
half of the year were significantly better than the first.

Speaker 2 (02:21:23):
Yeah.

Speaker 19 (02:21:24):
I mean, I think I could point to so many
different things, whether it's the execution of some of my
off speeds, whether it was you.

Speaker 2 (02:21:31):
Know, adding into two seam. You know, maybe I remember
sitting in the analytics.

Speaker 19 (02:21:37):
Room at the computer with Lance and JV and Bregmant
and kind of maybe you know, changing how I kind
of scout opposing lineup.

Speaker 2 (02:21:45):
I think that factors in. You know, that was just
kind of all of it.

Speaker 19 (02:21:50):
I think I felt I felt good again when I
went out, I kind of I kind of went back
to some of my older mechanics and added the two seam.
And I mean it wasn't a significant moment in the
in the season. I don't think it was even really
a great start. But I pitched at Seattle at home,
and it was full count bases loaded to Julio Rodriguez,

(02:22:14):
who obviously is an exceptional player, and I just threw
my two scene for the first time and struck him out.

Speaker 2 (02:22:19):
And I was like, all right, you know that maybe
that'll maybe that'll keep working, you know.

Speaker 3 (02:22:23):
So, uh so you're a grown man and you are
in the major leagues and you're adding a new pitch
to your repertoire. I mean, is that a little scarier,
Like why didn't I throw those like ten years ago?

Speaker 2 (02:22:33):
Well?

Speaker 19 (02:22:33):
I had it when I first got drafted, and then
the Ashoes, you know, kind of introduced me to all
the analytics stuff that I wasn't aware of that coming
out of the D two school, but it was kind
of more I mean, yeah, it was obviously I threw.
I threw in one bullpen and then went out there,
but it was a pitch that I used the whole
time in college, and I just kind of shied away

(02:22:53):
from just based on everything else. So I mean, yeah,
nerve wracking a little bit, but also I didn't really
have much to lose, so I just kind of went.

Speaker 3 (02:23:01):
For two last questions, you mentioned Brickman, assistant pitching coach
last year to the team.

Speaker 7 (02:23:05):
Corrected.

Speaker 19 (02:23:06):
I wouldn't say that he's He's just a true veteran
leader that you could that you could go to with anything.
And he's obviously a really smart guy, so not a
bad guy to turn too.

Speaker 3 (02:23:15):
Yeah, for sure, you got a couple of guys in
this rotation that are gonna have a chance to make
it plus bullpen work.

Speaker 7 (02:23:21):
Are they leading at you at this point?

Speaker 3 (02:23:22):
Do you feel like you've been enough in the main
leagues to say, all right, here's the dues and don't
get yourself ready.

Speaker 7 (02:23:27):
For the start of the season.

Speaker 19 (02:23:29):
You know, I don't know if if I don't know,
if I'm the guy that on the forefront of their mind,
you don't they know you?

Speaker 10 (02:23:34):
Right?

Speaker 19 (02:23:35):
Yeah, exactly, I'd like to think so, and you know,
I'm to be here with open arms. I think there's
a lot of stuff that I've learned over the last
couple of years, and you know, definitely love to help
guys out. I mean a couple like Spencer last year.
I thought, you know, I kind of went through the
same thing that he did the year before.

Speaker 2 (02:23:50):
Come up, you know.

Speaker 11 (02:23:52):
And do that.

Speaker 19 (02:23:53):
I thought that was that was great that you know,
he came to me for a lot and then I
was able to, you know, hopefully give him some words
a wisdom, but also you know, you got land for yourself.
But I'll definitely be here as a sounding board. And
so so we'll the rest of the guys in the clubhouse.
It's kind of the team that we had.

Speaker 7 (02:24:07):
Again, that's good stuff from Hunter Brown.

Speaker 2 (02:24:09):
We'll go to the infield now, where we'll find Mauricio
Dubon last year play a little bit of left field,
played different spots in the infield, and now looks like
he's gonna be playing a lot of second base with
the move to left field for one Jose Altuve. Here's
Mauricio and I talking about what kind of glove he's
gonna be carring at least to the early portions of
this spring.

Speaker 20 (02:24:27):
Carrying just one right now. Yeah, yeah, that's the infield
one right now. So I'm carrying this one.

Speaker 3 (02:24:33):
Well, I'll say this with Jose going to left field,
they obviously think a lot of what you're doing there.
When you found out, what was your initial reaction and
now that it's settled in, what's it going to be
like seeing this new infield?

Speaker 20 (02:24:43):
It's crazy, It's crazy. This is a Hall of Famer,
you know, just carrying on what's best for the team.
I mean when you see situations in all different places
and what's going on, players new in position and this
is the first literally the first ballot Hall of Fame,
or just saying, you know what, I'm going thinking what's

(02:25:04):
best for the team, and I'm going to the outfield
and you know it's it's Southwest.

Speaker 2 (02:25:09):
What is doing like? It's pretty pretty crazy? All right?
This is you and me talking nobody else listening.

Speaker 3 (02:25:13):
Did you like all the changes or are you a
guy that likes kind of consistency the best you can
get it?

Speaker 7 (02:25:19):
Like I said, I like winning. Yeah for me, it's
like winning. I like whoever wherever's gonna come and help win.

Speaker 2 (02:25:24):
I love the parades. I love the parade.

Speaker 20 (02:25:26):
I love the feeling of winning, and I think where
it comes and helps them win, and I think it's welcome.

Speaker 7 (02:25:31):
Was it a little strange last year?

Speaker 3 (02:25:33):
You know, we're used to seeing this team go on
these deep, long posts it runs to end the way
that it did.

Speaker 7 (02:25:37):
Was it a little surreal that you see it in
as soon as it did?

Speaker 11 (02:25:39):
Yeah?

Speaker 7 (02:25:40):
I didn't.

Speaker 2 (02:25:40):
I still didn't believe it at the time.

Speaker 20 (02:25:42):
I mean, I was the last out too, so when
I hit him, like there's no way, you know, I'm
going to the house beginning of October, like it's crazy
long long, it was felt like a long off season.

Speaker 11 (02:25:54):
It was.

Speaker 2 (02:25:54):
It was.

Speaker 20 (02:25:56):
It was an eye opener. It was humbling experience for everybody.
I think it just right now, it's just out of
you know, getting through the World Series and winning it.

Speaker 3 (02:26:03):
You know, people always want to ask about changes from
year to year. I would think one of the things
you guys want to probably do this year is get
up to maybe a little bit of a faster start.
I felt like you guys were always, you know, from
behind and to you made that big run towards the
middle of the season.

Speaker 20 (02:26:15):
Yeah, No, it was it was for the six games.
It was climbing up hill. I mean ended up no
winning the division. We're down ten games and was still
you know, ended up winning the division. It's not us
starting starting like you start start hot and you'll give
guys a little bit more breaks and everything.

Speaker 2 (02:26:31):
Just start heart hot.

Speaker 20 (02:26:32):
And like I said before, he said, you're not gonna
win every game, but might as well try to.

Speaker 3 (02:26:36):
Got a new first base. But to tell me about
how long you think it will take? And my guess
is y'all are pro so won't take that long. But
what about is there such a thing as infield chemistry
and how long do you think it will take?

Speaker 20 (02:26:45):
I mean, he's a goal glover. I mean they don't
hand them out. Yeah, that's right, that's right. So he's
he's good.

Speaker 2 (02:26:50):
He's good.

Speaker 20 (02:26:51):
I know, Christian. I've seen him play again. I play
against against him, and he's he's special. I mean a
little bit of communication game or two and we'll be
in the same page.

Speaker 7 (02:27:01):
As far as a couple of departures here.

Speaker 3 (02:27:04):
You've been around now a few years now, do you
do you feel like you have to take maybe a
leadership role or is it like, you know what this
thing this stuff will come organically to the squad.

Speaker 7 (02:27:11):
I think it will be. It will come organic.

Speaker 20 (02:27:12):
Like I always been a iways been a loud guy
since I got here, So I'm I'm just I like talking,
So I talk to the guys and I don't go
out there and tell him what to do. And and
Cosey is the same way we see go see it's
you know, he he'll quietly, but no, I'm I like
talking to people, so it'll come organic.

Speaker 3 (02:27:32):
I think do you feel like a team has to
have that or is you guys enough grown ass men
are out there to go.

Speaker 2 (02:27:37):
You know, we know we have to do it.

Speaker 7 (02:27:38):
If we're not playing well, we don't need somebody telling
us what to do.

Speaker 2 (02:27:40):
You know, it depends, I mean it depends that.

Speaker 20 (02:27:43):
In twenty two was Maldy, No, twenty three was Michael
Like it's it's it's it's something that that you need
to in the clubhouse. You know that that sorely like okay,
like if you do something back, he's gonna get mad,
right right, Like we gotta do it right. So I
think you needed that ask in a team. You know,
you need somebody in a team, you know, to to

(02:28:05):
vouch for you or like to like tell you kind
of like okay, same time with playing a kids game.

Speaker 7 (02:28:10):
So yeah, I like the swagger that Mauricio has.

Speaker 3 (02:28:12):
Looking forward to hearing more from him over the course
of the season and hopefully a productive season at the
plate and wherever he plays defensively.

Speaker 7 (02:28:18):
More coming up here from West Palm.

Speaker 2 (02:28:20):
Beach at a moment as you listen to The Matt
Thomas Show with Ross, this is Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 1 (02:28:25):
Lunchtimers, lunch timers, It's the Matt Thomas Show with Ross
on Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 3 (02:28:51):
The Matt Thomas Show with Ross continues here on Sports
Talk seven ninety. We had a chance to have a
brief get together of the meeting of the Jake Myers
fang up me, Jake and of course the President. I
don't think I would have ever thought to ask you
this question, what advice are you giving to Josel Tuday?

Speaker 7 (02:29:09):
Seriously, I can't believe I'm asking you. I know, uh yeah,
I'm in shock as well, because we've had some great
conversations out there, and it's just amazing that a player
you know, of his caliber, you know, is kind of
you know, going through something like this and for me
to be a part of it, I'm really grateful for
it because, you know, we've had conversations. He's asked me

(02:29:30):
a couple of questions of you know, what I've learned
and whatnot, and it's just been so much fun for
me to kind of share what I've what I've learned
and watch him, you know, go out there and do
what he's doing. The reality is, however, you've all caught
fly balls, whether he was in the infield or not.
But fallparks are different, nuances, falls off the wall different.

Speaker 3 (02:29:50):
That's something that only game experience has been helpen out with,
right sure, And that's why.

Speaker 7 (02:29:54):
I mean, the first couple of days he's been he's
been out there just taking reps and it's so fun
to watch the VP and he's just loving it, you know,
and he's loving it. And that's honestly, that's how I
see outfield as well. It's like, I just absolutely love,
you know, catching fly balls, and I can tell he
kind of shares that passion.

Speaker 2 (02:30:13):
All Right, you've probably been playing baseball since you were
able to walk. So if you went to Joe's spot
and said, I want to go in the infield, now,
where do we find Jake Myers. Uh, we'll see.

Speaker 7 (02:30:23):
I'm working with an element of the game that's keeping
me away from three of the positions. Okay, but if
I could choose, i mean, throw me at shortstop?

Speaker 20 (02:30:32):
Why not?

Speaker 7 (02:30:33):
Does Jeremy know this yet? Uh no, he doesn't, But
I don't think he has to worry. I.

Speaker 3 (02:30:38):
Hey, your maid was outstanding. I mean we know how
good that was, and obviously the second half season was not.
Do you look at the tapes of that month and go,
things were clicking? And what did I not do after
the start?

Speaker 8 (02:30:50):
Yeah?

Speaker 7 (02:30:50):
I mean that's something I always believed in and knew
I could do, So I wouldn't say I necessarily look
back at it and try to pick it apart or whatnot.
But it's it's I think it's the other times of
just getting better at you know, helping the team win,
whether that's you know, situational hitting or or you know,

(02:31:12):
getting a knock here in there.

Speaker 12 (02:31:13):
Walk that's a little bit yeah, a little bit more walk, Yeah,
a little bit a little bit maybe a little bit
more discipline in some.

Speaker 7 (02:31:20):
Of those areas. Uh, you know, in the times where
it's it's not uh.

Speaker 8 (02:31:24):
You know, just on fire.

Speaker 3 (02:31:26):
Showing up right now is a Rossfield. Reality is the
president of Jake Myers Fan Club. The group Ross was
a huge last year early on right, a lot of memberships,
so we're looking to regain enrollment. What's going to happen
to get this the Myers Fan Club back stronger than
ever in twenty twenty five.

Speaker 7 (02:31:42):
Yeah, Like I said, just play like I know I
can and just trying to help the team win however way,
however way I can do that.

Speaker 3 (02:31:50):
What is it like now with Chaz and Rinfield to
start the season. Look, all of you have done all
these different positions, but what advice would you give to him?
And he's done it before, but it's still as I mean,
that's been Kyle spotted the last couple of years obviously.

Speaker 7 (02:32:02):
Yeah, I mean I think he's he's gonna hit the
run running. He is a he's a great player and
he yeah, he's comfortable over there and it's just gonna
be a lot of fun to get to play with him.

Speaker 8 (02:32:14):
Yea.

Speaker 3 (02:32:15):
And what about you as far as improving and wanting
to be better and wanting to help the team, but
also maybe not pressing too much and not putting too
much pressure on yourself.

Speaker 8 (02:32:23):
Yeah.

Speaker 7 (02:32:24):
Uh, it really is about just keeping it simple and
being athletic. Those are the two things I just really
wanted to focus on this offseason because you know, the
big leagues is everyone's good, So you just gotta show
up on a daily basis and find a way to
help the team win. And I know we're all gonna
be a great spot if if each one of us
do that last question.

Speaker 3 (02:32:45):
Look, you guys overcame ten games in a very short
period of time, but it was it was co rescruciating
to find yourself down by the double digits.

Speaker 7 (02:32:53):
Does a fast start? I mean, look, they're all gonna
count the same.

Speaker 3 (02:32:56):
But is that part of the mindset for this veteran
group of guys are come back and saying, hey, we
don't want to take our early holes.

Speaker 7 (02:33:01):
Yeah, we had kind of talked about it. Joe was
up in front of us kind of and gave us
a great, great, uh you know, pre year speech of
you know, last year's great. We had, we learned a
lot of great things. We have a great clubhouse, great culture.
But this in new year, and we're just gonna start
with game one, and I think if we go game
by game, we're gonna mean a great spot.

Speaker 3 (02:33:23):
The February edition of the Jake Myers Fan Club Meeting
has adjourned.

Speaker 7 (02:33:26):
Thanks Jacob, Yeah, thank you guys.

Speaker 3 (02:33:27):
Hopefully what we saw from Jake offensively in May can
translate into a six month season here in twenty twenty five.
We're coming up from West Palm In a moment. As
you listened to Sports Talk seven Ati.

Speaker 6 (02:33:38):
Matt has eye trouble.

Speaker 1 (02:33:40):
He's having trouble seeing Dallas to win anything anytime soon.
Sorry about that, friends to the north. Back to the
Matt Thomas shown.

Speaker 2 (02:34:16):
It's our final segment of our time here in West
Palm Beach here on Sports Talk seven ninety The Matt
Thomas Show with Ross had a chance earlier today to
catch up with manager Joe as Spatta, as he did
with the rest of the media here, covering the team
variety of topics in conversation, first about our previous guest,
Jake Myers, and whether or not he can keep his
bat in the lineup.

Speaker 7 (02:34:34):
We know his glove will be there.

Speaker 3 (02:34:35):
Also talked a little bit about Spencer Arraghetti, the automatic
ball strike situation, not automatic, but a challenge system coming
into place, and then a little bit about the player
we visited with on the show yesterday, Cam Smith. So
some wide variety of topics right now from the manager
Joe Aspatta ultimately talking about again something that's been then

(02:34:56):
number one topic of conversation, how jose A L two
Bay is handling left field in the role of Jake
Myers playing next to him.

Speaker 2 (02:35:02):
Yeah, you know, his swing, he's been good.

Speaker 13 (02:35:05):
You know, he made some adjustments in the offseason on
his swing wise, and I think we're just trying to
create more consistent you know, some walks, do some small
stuff that I know he's capable of doing. We're just
trying to avoid the big dip and you know, like
the May he had right and then it was kind
of a rapid dip that we're trying to kind of

(02:35:27):
level that and create some consistency when he comes to
the quality of his at bats.

Speaker 8 (02:35:31):
Has he changed that much?

Speaker 10 (02:35:32):
I mean his approached at the plate differently so far
well compared to the last season.

Speaker 8 (02:35:38):
Yeah.

Speaker 13 (02:35:39):
Yeah, you know, we just we just seen how good,
you know, he can be. So when we see the
biggest drop in production, we kind of.

Speaker 5 (02:35:47):
It.

Speaker 2 (02:35:48):
We want to make sure that it's not for a
whole month, you know, you.

Speaker 13 (02:35:52):
Know, hitters go through tough moments around the season, but
he needs to make those adjustments quicker than what he's
done in the past with.

Speaker 7 (02:36:00):
The Myers range. Is that part of the conversation you
had with Jose was let's reinvent left field. Yeah, you
got a center fielder. He's going to cover a lot
of ground.

Speaker 13 (02:36:08):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, And uh, you know right now he's
we tell him that, but right now when we do
a drills, you know, Jake is not there next to him,
so he'll he'll he'll he'll get he'll understand that. So
those are questions that we need to ask right when
we start playing games. How far left he can go?
You know, coming in towards the line, you know he's

(02:36:30):
gonna have Jeremy who has a ton of range.

Speaker 2 (02:36:33):
You know, you don't have to catch them all.

Speaker 13 (02:36:35):
But also when he's walked, you know, when he's running
into the infield, he's got the priority over the shorts
up on the third basement.

Speaker 2 (02:36:40):
So he kind of likes that.

Speaker 3 (02:36:42):
Getting ahead of the game a little bit. When you
need to give Jacob day off, will that effect whether
or not you put Jose and left Hill on?

Speaker 2 (02:36:47):
That's yeah, you're thinking way to it.

Speaker 7 (02:36:49):
I know, but I can ask this ques.

Speaker 2 (02:36:50):
Yes you can't, Yes you can, Yes we can, Yes
we can. I think about all those things.

Speaker 6 (02:36:55):
Right now.

Speaker 2 (02:36:55):
I like where al Tuve is in this process when
you see.

Speaker 14 (02:36:59):
Him more than we do just watching him. He is smiling,
he's bouncing right. Is this like is he excited?

Speaker 8 (02:37:06):
Is this energizing him a little bit?

Speaker 7 (02:37:08):
Yes?

Speaker 2 (02:37:10):
Too much? What are we trying to control the volume
of yards? He's running a day.

Speaker 13 (02:37:19):
Again.

Speaker 2 (02:37:19):
He wants to win, and I as the.

Speaker 13 (02:37:22):
Manager, I I really appreciate what he's doing, his teammates,
I appreciate everything he's doing trying to put us in
a position to win.

Speaker 2 (02:37:30):
But you know, today I told him, mate, can you
interest you?

Speaker 13 (02:37:32):
So we're gonna We're gonna monitor his volume for the
next couple of days.

Speaker 7 (02:37:36):
He mentioned Spencer on Sunday.

Speaker 3 (02:37:38):
For a rookie pitcher to go through that in the
first few couple of months or the long not innings
weren't very long, high strikeouts, high walks. What is it
for him and with your staff, especially your pitching coaches,
about getting off of that start in April that he
had over was in the middle of the year.

Speaker 13 (02:37:51):
Yes, you know, we always tell Spencer just throw the
ball in the box, be more aggressive when you.

Speaker 2 (02:37:56):
Get ahead, put people away.

Speaker 13 (02:37:59):
You don't need to throw an extra two pitches after
he gets ahead of hitters, Just put him away.

Speaker 2 (02:38:04):
You've got quality stuff. Simplify his approach.

Speaker 13 (02:38:07):
And I think we have to point out some things
about his uh, his attack plan that I think he's
going to be more more efficient when he comes to
putting hitters, you know, away.

Speaker 3 (02:38:18):
You see him taking more deep press maybe in the
second half of the year, getting over the anxious of
being a major leader for that.

Speaker 2 (02:38:23):
Yeah, yeah, both him and Hunter.

Speaker 13 (02:38:24):
I think they overcame a lot of stuff in the
in after the first half, and I expect him just
to come out, you know, kind of carrying that momentum
from from the second half.

Speaker 8 (02:38:34):
You know, berniand Rogers get here.

Speaker 2 (02:38:39):
Yes, but you know we're still working through through some things.
What do you got to testing out the challenge?

Speaker 11 (02:38:48):
I actually like it.

Speaker 3 (02:38:50):
I actually like it.

Speaker 13 (02:38:52):
I'm just telling you know, a leadoff guy or you
can use them all in the first inning. So you
know there's some strategy behind it. Obviously, it's we're just
gonna test it this supreme training. So we're trying to.
We want our catchers to, you know, to be able
to use it. And and you know, I told about this.

(02:39:14):
just use it in the first inning and so but
to get all the calls right. I like the human side.
I think I think the umpires who still have you know,
the power back there just to call balls and strike
the human side of things, it's it's baseball, and and
I like that that we still can control.

Speaker 9 (02:39:35):
Some of those things.

Speaker 2 (02:39:36):
But you know it's gonna be it's gonna be something fun,
something different.

Speaker 8 (02:39:40):
One decrease frame.

Speaker 13 (02:39:45):
Yeah, you know eventually. But you know, you only got
two challenges. So you just gotta make sure that you know,
you use it wisely.

Speaker 8 (02:39:54):
Let you get your challenge.

Speaker 2 (02:39:55):
Can like, that's we gotta we gotta come, you know,
we gotta talk about that.

Speaker 13 (02:40:01):
And we have some guys that, oh that we'll use
in the first three pitches of the game.

Speaker 8 (02:40:08):
I get it, it's been four days.

Speaker 14 (02:40:10):
But your first impressions of getting your eyes on Cam
Smith kind of how he's moved at third, some of
the swings has taken kind of What have you thought
of early impressions of him?

Speaker 13 (02:40:18):
Yeah, you know, I now I see why everyone really
pointing him out when we were trying when we trade
at Tucker. His tools are our le jet power. It's
pretty athletic for kid his size. Pretty pretty smart kid too.
So uh, this is a kid that you know we're

(02:40:40):
gonna I'm gonna give him some reps up third, but
you know, I think he can be also capable of
playing corner outfield.

Speaker 2 (02:40:46):
So he's exciting.

Speaker 13 (02:40:48):
So pretty bright future ahead for this, you know, many
if he stays healthy.

Speaker 21 (02:40:52):
A lot of great stuff you've heard throughout the week
three days with the Tamas Show with Ross that of
course Joe A spot of his first basement is Christian Walker.

Speaker 22 (02:41:01):
More from him from spring training.

Speaker 23 (02:41:04):
Y'all have no idea how much of a big deal
it is. As with the Cubs, it was, and I
loved flying for him. It's just I didn't know what
my role was. I didn't know where I stuck. I
did everything. I would show up to the park and
I wouldn't know what I was doing that day, And
that's a weird feeling to have.

Speaker 3 (02:41:19):
Is that is that unfortunately the management or is that
just guys like yourself that just don't have a spot
just yet.

Speaker 2 (02:41:25):
I think it's that. I think it's what they needed
me to do.

Speaker 8 (02:41:28):
Right.

Speaker 23 (02:41:29):
A lot of guys get hurt, and I think a
lot of it has to suit the clock, and that's
another issue another time. But a lot of guys get hurt,
and at some time, my starter gets hurt, they need
to go there. And then a guy get the bullpen
gets hurt and I gotta move there.

Speaker 8 (02:41:39):
Right, It's just kind of what.

Speaker 2 (02:41:40):
You have to do to balance out. How does your
arm handle all that?

Speaker 23 (02:41:42):
I got hurt last year, so you know what happens.
But for the most part it's good. I'm pretty healthy.
I mean, like you get banged up, but it happens.

Speaker 3 (02:41:50):
Yeah, Well, we're gonna see you out here for the
first time twenty fifth. I think, what is today?

Speaker 2 (02:41:55):
That's nineteen We got six days twenty fit.

Speaker 23 (02:41:57):
Yeah, I feel live tomorrow and then after that thing
the twenty fifth. Do you like spring training? No, sucks
are just part of the business. Part of the business.
It's just like I'm you get really frustrated. I get
really frustrated, like things aren't going the ball's not coming
out the way I want it to.

Speaker 2 (02:42:12):
You know, like it's just like it's early on. Get
through the season.

Speaker 23 (02:42:16):
It's like, Okay, when something doesn't happen the way you
want it to, you know how to fix it.

Speaker 2 (02:42:20):
You know how to spin it right or throw pull
it back.

Speaker 23 (02:42:22):
Yeah, spring training, I just for some reason, I'm like
throwing a pitch and I go, why isn't it doing
what I wanted to do? And it's just you try
to figure out how to fix it, and you put
your head against.

Speaker 2 (02:42:33):
The white green news.

Speaker 23 (02:42:34):
You got a month and nine days or something to
figure it out. Yeah, No, I will figure it out.
But it doesn't mean I'm not gonna be frustrated the whole.

Speaker 10 (02:42:41):
No.

Speaker 2 (02:42:41):
No.

Speaker 21 (02:42:41):
You know, if you thought Christian Walker knew a lot
about pitching, well so did I, especially since that was
Hayden was Nesky.

Speaker 22 (02:42:48):
You missed that earlier this week.

Speaker 21 (02:42:49):
That actually was one of my favorite lines of the
entire three days and it came from Hayden was Nesky.

Speaker 22 (02:42:55):
So do you like spring training? No, they haven't hardly
even begun.

Speaker 21 (02:42:59):
They haven't even been there a week, and he hasn't
been with this team at all, and he's straight up
and very serious. Hayden was one of the players we
had a chance to catch up with during FanFest. I
think everybody from a media side it's absolutely going to
love him. Hopefully he can handle that role that he
is very clearly slated to hopefully earn and hold on to.

Speaker 22 (02:43:19):
That is the fifth spot in the rotation.

Speaker 21 (02:43:21):
He heard from Spencer Araghedy a little bit earlier today
coming up on the A team for those that were
not with us earlier during the Matt Thomas Show with
Ross from spring training there Cacti Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.
We will bring you the Spencer Aarraghetty short form interview
coming up at three point fifteen this afternoon, part of
our four hour show, and again a lot more of

(02:43:42):
the other things you might have missed from earlier today
from spring training from.

Speaker 22 (02:43:46):
Matt and Ross. Got a couple of those things to
bring your way.

Speaker 21 (02:43:48):
In addition to that, back to well the court for
most of the rest of the NBA tonight, major major
news item, an unfortunate one from the NBA as well well,
and of course rockets are on the practice court today.
It's all sorts of goodness coming your way next. It's
a nice every once in a while to get a
real fresh personal tease ahead for the eight seam myself

(02:44:13):
Ac Dan. We will be with you from two to
six as we are eaching every weekday afternoon right here
on your own for Astros and Rockets Courts Talk seven
night

All Episodes

Episode Transcript

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know

Dateline NBC

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

.css-15opob5{left:0;position:absolute;top:0.8rem;} All Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Day 3 At Spring Training: Jake Meyers Fan Club Meeting, MLB Testing Challenge System, Wemby Out For Season

Episode Transcript

Popular Podcasts

.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}Stuff You Should Know

Dateline NBC

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

All Episodes

Day 3 At Spring Training: Jake Meyers Fan Club Meeting, MLB Testing Challenge System, Wemby Out For Season

Stuff You Should Know