September 9, 2025 • 8 mins
Joe Espada Joins The Show Before Astros vs Blue Jays
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Spend a few minutes with Joe a spot of the
manager of your Houston astro is getting ready for Neils
will say, a very important series really, frankly, all them
are important between now and the end of the year. Skip,
it's Matt and Ross. Good afternoon to you. Let me
ask you so since Mcbrian mctecker put out us that
since that July fourth sweep, your squad's twenty nine and
(00:20):
thirty one, and look, it's kind of felt that way,
but you've been able to maintain first place and that's
the most important thing. What have you noticed in those
last sixty games? Is it the injury? Buggets hit? Has
there been too many lapses in offense? Kind of run
us through why this team has been kind of stuck
in neutral for the last couple of months.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
You know what, thank for having me guys. By the way,
sure you know for me is it's a combination of
all of those things.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Obviously, we've been injured and we've been banged up, and
we have been able to sustain you know, good play
doing those stretches. You know, I think that there is
a moment where we have seen signs of okay, here
we go. We can run, you know, four or five
(01:07):
wins in a row, and then there's big some inconsistency
with with with our approach and is being able you know,
we haven't been able to put a tonal gains in
a row where we can see our offense really separating
yourself from the rest of the league, you know. So
I think we trying to handle and trying to make
some adjustments, you know, right now, trying to get our
(01:31):
guys to you know, be more consistent in the strike zone.
You know, we're starting to get some good starting pitching
and there's times where we can be better at you know,
probably taking us deep in the game. So that inconsistency
something that has has been part of our game for
the last couple of weeks. But you know, we, like
(01:52):
you mentioned, it's a.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Very important week.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
We have the talent and the desire to to do it,
and it's just a matter of just put us put
it in result together.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
I'm curious, Joe, when you are on an off day
on a road trip and you were in Toronto yesterday
and you see a player, do you give that player
an opportunity to just get away from the sport or
do you sometimes take the opportunity if you were to
find XYZ player, whether he is the team leader or
he is in a slump or not performing after your expectations,
(02:21):
do you pull him aside or do you try to
stay away from baseball on the off day.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
No, I try to stay away from the game on
the off days. I think it's better to do that.
Maybe on the way on the way from Texas, here
is an opportunity for me to maybe touch base with
some of the players on the plane while they're trying
to relax. You know, they're relaxing and they're playing cards
or they're watching a movie. And I asked him if
I could go sit next to them and we could
(02:46):
have a conversation something that they can kind of reflect
during their off day and they could come back game
day just ready to go put you know, pulling guys
to the side on an off day. I don't. I
don't think it's beneficial for them. I want him just
to relax, disconnect to their parents, you know, talk to
their family, and and just feel like, get the man
(03:08):
mine away from the game.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
You get Jake Myers back a thought or two about
his performance and not that he's the doctor. You have
to rely on your medical staff and your trainers, but
you're also going to be spending some time talking to
him about how much he can play and when you
want him out there at one hundred percent, because look,
as much as Jake's had a good season, Jake not
being one hundred percent and playing at seventy he probably
doesn't do you or the team any good at this point.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
All right, and especially especially you know the turf in
Texas and the turf you're in Toronto.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
So we we are.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
We keep an eye on him, my conversations with him
and also with the medical department just to make sure
that we don't we we build him up to one
hundred percent. But he is feeling good. He's indebted tonight
and you know, excited to have him. Really, you know,
we really needed him in centerfield.
Speaker 4 (03:57):
As Sure's manager Joe spotted with us here on a
Sports Talk seven ninety. Since Jrdan's come back, he's played
a good amount of left field, obviously, with wanting to
put Altuve in the designated hair spot as well. What
is that like for you going forward? Is it more
of a fluid situation and and plotting that out and
planning it out and trying to figure that out on
game game babies, game two game basis.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Yeah, yeah, just the fluid situations.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
I want to keep both of them, uh, you know,
rested and healthy. You know, Josey playing some second base
also allows me to have your downing as a d H.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
And you're trying to keep them both.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Obviously in the lineup and and you know healthy for
the remaining of the season. Also taking in consideration, you know,
who we're playing, who's pitching for us, the conditions I
here turf, you know how, the condition of the ballpark
being a little bit big on left field. So I'm
trying to make sure that I put good defense out there,
keep this guy's healthy, and try to keep our good
(04:55):
offense on the field.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
Does it make it easier to do that with somebody
who putting 'ord on and left I'm talking about with
somebody like Jake Myers who can cover so much ground
and center.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
One hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
You know, I think he helps. He's helping his immense
since he can cover some ground. He's a good communicator,
and the guy in left field knows that he's got
someone that cover his wings.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
So it does really.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Help when you have Jake in Tenerfield.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Yes, Skip, You've got a balance left of your schedule
of teams that are I mean, seriously in the thick
of things, Seattle in Texas trying to chase after your championship,
You've got Atlanta, the Angels, and the A's kind of
just running their course out. Is it harder to get
guys ready for those types of series where they have
as much on the table as you do, or is
(05:41):
it harder to get guys ready and mentally prepared for
teams that are just playing out the streak?
Speaker 5 (05:47):
Guys, Listen, anything can happen at any given night, don't
We don't look at Texas any different than we look
at the A's and the Angels and the Brakes.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Right now, every team means it has a purpose. They're
playing for something, and is it, you know, playing for
next season, you know, winning some spots on the roster
like some of these younger teams. It don't really matter.
We're trying to win series. We're trying to win game,
one pitch at a time, one game at a time.
But anything can happen on any given night on a
(06:21):
baseball field.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
How are you at the bullpen? Look a day off
is always a best friend of the bullpen. As things
shape up, you got guys in and out, obviously, are
you watching pitch cowns a little bit more? Are you
looking to extend guys a little bit more? Knowing that
these games, regardless of they paling we're just talking about,
obviously mean a lot more as you're trying to hold
onto this two game lead.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
You know, whether they all say yesterday, it helped.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
We also got some lend from Hunter and Valvedsk which
also helped. You know, going into the series, we were
in a pretty good, pretty good shape. You know, it's
nice when we get our starters to give us take
us into the sixth inning that that's usually a huge help.
But we're just taking one game at a time, leaning
on our offense to you know, give us some you know,
(07:07):
score some runs and give us an early lead and
getting our starters to settle in and give us some
quality innings and then hand the ball off to our bullpen.
That strategy is still the same thing. That's who we
are when we plan our best and hopefully we could
get going. This week very important week for for a
ball club.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
And it all starts tonight with Luis Garcia. What has
he told you about himself since coming back and now
healthy and ready to be back in your rotation. Is
he a different pitcher in terms of mindset, pitch selection, velocity.
What do you or maybe it's just you know, he's
been a long way a long time and he's just
kind of getting back acclimated pitching at the major league
(07:42):
level again.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
You know, I think we not. You know, he's not
trying to reinvent himself. He knows which are his strength
and he's weaknesses. He knows the pitches that he likes
to go to ahead of the count. He's always been
really good executing a game plan and you know, following
a game plan and things are not working adjusting to
that game plan, He's always been really.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Good at that. Uh, you know, obviously this.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
Is a really good Toronto lineup. He is going to
have to execute and stay away from the middle of
the middle of the plate to have success. And but
one thing about him is that he is healthy. He
feels good. The feedback that we get him from him
is super positive. And we're gonna, you know, we're gonna
give him a good game plan and and and and
help him execute that one tonight.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Great stuff as always, kid, Thank you very much for
the time, best of luck this week and we will
talk to you back in town next Tuesday.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
All right, fellows, thank you, I thank you.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Joe spotted with us here on Sports Talk seven ninety
Spend a few minutes with Joe a spot of the
manager of your Houston astro is getting ready for Neils
will say, a very important series really, frankly, all them
are important between now and the end of the year. Skip,
it's Matt and Ross. Good afternoon to you. Let me
ask you so since Mcbrian mctecker put out us that
since that July fourth sweep, your squad's twenty nine and
(00:20):
thirty one, and look, it's kind of felt that way,
but you've been able to maintain first place and that's
the most important thing. What have you noticed in those
last sixty games? Is it the injury? Buggets hit? Has
there been too many lapses in offense? Kind of run
us through why this team has been kind of stuck
in neutral for the last couple of months.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
You know what, thank for having me guys. By the way,
sure you know for me is it's a combination of
all of those things.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Obviously, we've been injured and we've been banged up, and
we have been able to sustain you know, good play
doing those stretches. You know, I think that there is
a moment where we have seen signs of okay, here
we go. We can run, you know, four or five
(01:07):
wins in a row, and then there's big some inconsistency
with with with our approach and is being able you know,
we haven't been able to put a tonal gains in
a row where we can see our offense really separating
yourself from the rest of the league, you know. So
I think we trying to handle and trying to make
some adjustments, you know, right now, trying to get our
(01:31):
guys to you know, be more consistent in the strike zone.
You know, we're starting to get some good starting pitching
and there's times where we can be better at you know,
probably taking us deep in the game. So that inconsistency
something that has has been part of our game for
the last couple of weeks. But you know, we, like
(01:52):
you mentioned, it's a.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Very important week.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
We have the talent and the desire to to do it,
and it's just a matter of just put us put
it in result together.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
I'm curious, Joe, when you are on an off day
on a road trip and you were in Toronto yesterday
and you see a player, do you give that player
an opportunity to just get away from the sport or
do you sometimes take the opportunity if you were to
find XYZ player, whether he is the team leader or
he is in a slump or not performing after your expectations,
(02:21):
do you pull him aside or do you try to
stay away from baseball on the off day.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
No, I try to stay away from the game on
the off days. I think it's better to do that.
Maybe on the way on the way from Texas, here
is an opportunity for me to maybe touch base with
some of the players on the plane while they're trying
to relax. You know, they're relaxing and they're playing cards
or they're watching a movie. And I asked him if
I could go sit next to them and we could
(02:46):
have a conversation something that they can kind of reflect
during their off day and they could come back game
day just ready to go put you know, pulling guys
to the side on an off day. I don't. I
don't think it's beneficial for them. I want him just
to relax, disconnect to their parents, you know, talk to
their family, and and just feel like, get the man
(03:08):
mine away from the game.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
You get Jake Myers back a thought or two about
his performance and not that he's the doctor. You have
to rely on your medical staff and your trainers, but
you're also going to be spending some time talking to
him about how much he can play and when you
want him out there at one hundred percent, because look,
as much as Jake's had a good season, Jake not
being one hundred percent and playing at seventy he probably
doesn't do you or the team any good at this point.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
All right, and especially especially you know the turf in
Texas and the turf you're in Toronto.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
So we we are.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
We keep an eye on him, my conversations with him
and also with the medical department just to make sure
that we don't we we build him up to one
hundred percent. But he is feeling good. He's indebted tonight
and you know, excited to have him. Really, you know,
we really needed him in centerfield.
Speaker 4 (03:57):
As Sure's manager Joe spotted with us here on a
Sports Talk seven ninety. Since Jrdan's come back, he's played
a good amount of left field, obviously, with wanting to
put Altuve in the designated hair spot as well. What
is that like for you going forward? Is it more
of a fluid situation and and plotting that out and
planning it out and trying to figure that out on
game game babies, game two game basis.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Yeah, yeah, just the fluid situations.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
I want to keep both of them, uh, you know,
rested and healthy. You know, Josey playing some second base
also allows me to have your downing as a d H.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
And you're trying to keep them both.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Obviously in the lineup and and you know healthy for
the remaining of the season. Also taking in consideration, you know,
who we're playing, who's pitching for us, the conditions I
here turf, you know how, the condition of the ballpark
being a little bit big on left field. So I'm
trying to make sure that I put good defense out there,
keep this guy's healthy, and try to keep our good
(04:55):
offense on the field.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
Does it make it easier to do that with somebody
who putting 'ord on and left I'm talking about with
somebody like Jake Myers who can cover so much ground
and center.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
One hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
You know, I think he helps. He's helping his immense
since he can cover some ground. He's a good communicator,
and the guy in left field knows that he's got
someone that cover his wings.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
So it does really.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Help when you have Jake in Tenerfield.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Yes, Skip, You've got a balance left of your schedule
of teams that are I mean, seriously in the thick
of things, Seattle in Texas trying to chase after your championship,
You've got Atlanta, the Angels, and the A's kind of
just running their course out. Is it harder to get
guys ready for those types of series where they have
as much on the table as you do, or is
(05:41):
it harder to get guys ready and mentally prepared for
teams that are just playing out the streak?
Speaker 5 (05:47):
Guys, Listen, anything can happen at any given night, don't
We don't look at Texas any different than we look
at the A's and the Angels and the Brakes.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Right now, every team means it has a purpose. They're
playing for something, and is it, you know, playing for
next season, you know, winning some spots on the roster
like some of these younger teams. It don't really matter.
We're trying to win series. We're trying to win game,
one pitch at a time, one game at a time.
But anything can happen on any given night on a
(06:21):
baseball field.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
How are you at the bullpen? Look a day off
is always a best friend of the bullpen. As things
shape up, you got guys in and out, obviously, are
you watching pitch cowns a little bit more? Are you
looking to extend guys a little bit more? Knowing that
these games, regardless of they paling we're just talking about,
obviously mean a lot more as you're trying to hold
onto this two game lead.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
You know, whether they all say yesterday, it helped.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
We also got some lend from Hunter and Valvedsk which
also helped. You know, going into the series, we were
in a pretty good, pretty good shape. You know, it's
nice when we get our starters to give us take
us into the sixth inning that that's usually a huge help.
But we're just taking one game at a time, leaning
on our offense to you know, give us some you know,
(07:07):
score some runs and give us an early lead and
getting our starters to settle in and give us some
quality innings and then hand the ball off to our bullpen.
That strategy is still the same thing. That's who we
are when we plan our best and hopefully we could
get going. This week very important week for for a
ball club.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
And it all starts tonight with Luis Garcia. What has
he told you about himself since coming back and now
healthy and ready to be back in your rotation. Is
he a different pitcher in terms of mindset, pitch selection, velocity.
What do you or maybe it's just you know, he's
been a long way a long time and he's just
kind of getting back acclimated pitching at the major league
(07:42):
level again.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
You know, I think we not. You know, he's not
trying to reinvent himself. He knows which are his strength
and he's weaknesses. He knows the pitches that he likes
to go to ahead of the count. He's always been
really good executing a game plan and you know, following
a game plan and things are not working adjusting to
that game plan, He's always been really.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Good at that. Uh, you know, obviously this.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
Is a really good Toronto lineup. He is going to
have to execute and stay away from the middle of
the middle of the plate to have success. And but
one thing about him is that he is healthy. He
feels good. The feedback that we get him from him
is super positive. And we're gonna, you know, we're gonna
give him a good game plan and and and and
help him execute that one tonight.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Great stuff as always, kid, Thank you very much for
the time, best of luck this week and we will
talk to you back in town next Tuesday.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
All right, fellows, thank you, I thank you.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Joe spotted with us here on Sports Talk seven ninety
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