May 20, 2025 • 10 mins
Joe Espada Joins The Show Talking Recent Games & Why He Has High Hopes Moving Forward
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Twelve thirty two.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Let's spend ten minutes with the manager of your Houston Astros,
Joe Spota, skip back to back road winds. Did you
celebrate with a Tampa cigar?
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Or no?
Speaker 3 (00:13):
No?
Speaker 4 (00:14):
Why should have.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
Each Olebrady with a cigar? Man?
Speaker 4 (00:17):
We are you know it's too hot to be smoking shar.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Here seriously, how miserable was that?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
I mean, y'are dripping sweat like at four thirty right
basically with the weather, With the way the weather was
in Tampa yesterday.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Yeah, you know what, it was warm and humid.
Speaker 4 (00:33):
You know, we usually would come when we come here,
we have to dome and so we haven't been exposed
to uh to the weather yet.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
But yeah, but it was a little bit warm. But
when when you you know, the guy, the guys liked
the warm weather.
Speaker 4 (00:47):
He just he just he was like a like a
heating wave immediately when we got on the field and
and we started sweating.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
But uh, but you know, it's part of it this summer.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
You know, if you want to get ejected again tomorrow's
games at one time in Tampa time, I'm just throwing
that out there as a possibility for you there.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Uh no, you know what, Rather, I like watching the
games from the dugout better. You know the other day
watching the game from from from the office, it was
it was hard. Just happy that we were able to
pull that win.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Well, I will editorialize very quickly and say I applaud
you for doing it needed to be done.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Now let's go to.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
The logistics of it. So you get tossed, you go say,
you're what you need to say to say goodbye? Are
you jumping the shower right away? Are you still in uniform?
And the guys you're playing how does that work on?
And how do you kill two hours of time when
you're buying that in their clubhouse with you in the clubs?
Speaker 4 (01:34):
No, no, I don't shower out and take my uni off.
I'm still I'm still in the fight with the fellaws, even.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Though I'm not in in the dugout.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
I you know, I'm watching every pitch. I do shut
the door because I don't want to hear the fans
reaction because there's like a ten fifteen second pause and
fifteen second pause on the TV. So I want to
feel like I'm watching the game like live. So I
kind of shut everything off, trying to keep the noise
from outside, and I just walked myself in and I
(02:04):
continue to watch the game and and and you know,
hopefully we we could turn things around and and uh,
but you know it's it's it sucks watch sometimes from
the office.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Does missus a spot and notice the difference in pay
stubs when you get in about the ejection or does
she not even pay attention to that kind of thing?
Speaker 4 (02:21):
No, you know, the nice thing about those those fines
is that you're able to donate it to charity.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
So I don't mind, you know, making a donation.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
To some of my uh, some of my favorite charities
to you know, help uh, you know, children with cancer,
with autism awareness, all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
So don't mind.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
I don't mind at all times of fun.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Absolutely, Hey, let's get to the numbers. And again, if
you looked at your season box score, and last night
was a great example that three, four, five in your
order went over twelve. You're not supposed to win games
like that, but you're getting contributions from the bottom thirty order.
Your defense for the most part, has been spectacle this year.
Your relief corps has been nails, and your starting pitching
(03:07):
is giving you the fifth sixth and inn for that
great bullpen. Do you even if you are not the
manager of this team and you looked at the season
box score, going, man, this team's got to be in trouble.
But yet you're just a couple of games at the
first place. You've got two straight wins, You've went three
out of four. Are you even surprised that the team's
offensive numbers have not exploded yet you're still hanging around
about the first third of the season.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
Know that, the way I see it, this is the
sign of a good team when you have different different
parts of our lineup contributing, picking each other up.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
That's what good teams do when.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
Our middle a lineup gets hot.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Just think about how we're going to.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
You know, put wins in a row once. Are often
just gets going all at once, So good teams find
ways to win games the bottom ill order. Pick us up,
yesterda our bullpen. He's been doing f fibulous job.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Our rotation. He's keeping us in the game.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
It's easy when everything is going smooth and everything is
more in the right direction, of course, you know, but
doesn't happen in a one sixty two season.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
We have to pick one another up.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
We have to motivate our players to continue to make adjustment,
to stay to stay the course because things things change,
as we did last year.
Speaker 5 (04:21):
Part of those contributions from the back end of the
lineup have been from Cam Smith. What has it been
like for him? He's got, I believe, what is it,
nine hits in his last seven games, So things coming
around for him. Just for your conversations and things you're
seeing from him in the batters box.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Yeah, developing very nicely.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
I think he has made some adjustments to a swing,
you know, the guys that've been trying to have a
little bit more rhythm, more on his timing when he approaches,
you know, you know, he puts his foot down and
want to have a little bit more momentum, trying to
create more power.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
And he's he's.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
Working out very you know, very well, very nicely. You know,
my Cormy kind a nice game for us last last night,
trying to get him, trying to.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Get him in there, trying to get him going. We
we when we were getting a.
Speaker 4 (05:05):
Solid production from Jake Myers. Again, you know, not only
he's doing it with the glove, but he's been very
consistent with pality at best Night after Night.
Speaker 5 (05:13):
Joe spot Astro's manager with us here on Sports Talk
seven ninety Brandon Walter making his first major league start.
Do you just have a speech recorded at this point
for guys that are making their first time your league start.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
You know, I tell him, go out there and have
a good you know, have fun. You know, Walter has
been in the big leagues before, but for me, it's
more go out there and just do your job. Give us,
give us an opportunity to win.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Pound the zone.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
You have great defense behind you. Don't try to do
too much, be yourself, and we have a nice game
plan for him. I want these guys just to know that,
you know, and I told him he's screen training all
of these guys at some point, so one of you
guys will come up and we'll we'll help us at
you know, going and start throwing some innings. Do own
of the bullpen and I'm bad. Some way, you will
(05:58):
find you yourself contributing, contributing to our season.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
Big.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
It's the long season, and injuries are going to happen. Uh.
So you know, today today's Walter's chance to uh to
contribute and help us win tonight's game.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Back to last night and the defense your final two
outs al t with the great grab and then you
have the how much help did you guys give each
when he's coming your direction towards the third base to
the dugout?
Speaker 4 (06:26):
We do? And you know it's funny man that you
say that because here at need Ballpark. You know, we
we haven't played the ballpark a few of our guys
that play here in spring training uh before. But the
dimensions are are very you know, they're they're different right
from Trompe kind of field because there's not much foul territory.
The win it you know, bowls out and right, not
(06:47):
really bows out to left, you know. So the lights
it's kind of dark because the lights sits low. So
there's a lot of elements that we haven't been used
to coming in the ballpark. Uh So, you know, we
we had to do some work early in the day
just trying to get a feel forward the dimensions and
and the surface and the walls and stuff like. That's
(07:09):
a lot of credit for for paraders to stay staying
with that ball and some defensive play that we made
behind Graham Taylor and our and our leaders.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
You know why they know I command there because you
don't take your veterans with you the long ass spring
training trips. That's the reason why why don't you tough enough?
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Skip? But why don't you tell let's see, who would
you tell? Who's hell to me? Guess what? You had
a three hour bus ride? Enjoy a baby?
Speaker 4 (07:33):
Well, you know what, Uh it's uh, those are those
other things about screen training that you have to uh
be smart about how you you know, how much work
you give this guys and which trips you take them,
and you know, trying to build these guys there for
a season, so you know, not not really concern about
those guys not seeing any any getting any reps here
(07:56):
at a big ballpark. You know, the most important thing
is that we we met our adjustment yesterday and we
play and we played really well.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
We got two more games here, two important games to go.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
For.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Lets your run, Skip, You have had the ability to
use Victor and use your air in the starting lineup together.
And that's because you got the third catcher. And look,
you hopefully get yourdon back. And I'm not in charge
of making your roster moves. You are, But has it
made you contemplate what you want to do if indeed,
you want to carry that third catcher if and when
yourdon comes but not if but when he comes back.
(08:29):
Or is that a situation that you just kind of
take advantage of the situations in front of you.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
Yeah, you know what, I'm just taking the you know,
the situation in front of me and try to and
try to get these two guys opportunities to get their
passing there also, get him up their feet, get got
both of them behind the plate, and give him some
rest that way, you know, And once we get to
the your done decisions, we make that decision when.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
He comes to you know. Our our goal right now.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
Is to get you're done, helthy and get him back
in that lineup.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Hey, one thing I do want to bring up, and
you were asked about this last week about the long
stretch of games, and you had I think somebody asked
you when I was at Minute Dyke and Park about
Jeremy Pinion how you said he was built for one
sixty two. And I did the post game show on
Saturday when he got the air. The swing wasn't great,
and I know he likes to play it, but reality
(09:20):
was that was a perfect time for him to kind
of just take a step back. Did you've since that
he spent that and had How hard of a conversation
was that to say, hey, I need to give you
a day here.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
Uh, you know, he's actually on pace to play one
sixty two. By the way, he hasn't miss the game yet.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
He did.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
They come in that game that he did not start.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
So, oh, I said, what you are you're just being
sneaky that way. I got you. I got you.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
I'm just I'm just telling you.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
The thing about it is that you you watch how
we and it's not so much physical break, its momental
breaks that this players need. This guy's do a tremendous
job taking care of their bodies, their sleep of recovery,
eat the way they eat, especially like Jeremy right. So
it's more the mental grind of every day that he
(10:09):
needs that he needs that break. So that's what I'm
really more looking at.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
That actually performance when.
Speaker 4 (10:17):
The mental uh, when he meets a mental break, if
that starts, uh maybe holding him back on his performance,
and he starts he's a beast star suffering because he's
trying to do a little too much. That's when we
pull back and say, you know what, today is a
good day to get a breather, and we give him
a breather that day, and he bounced back today.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
It bounced back yesterday with a really nice offensive game.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Great stuff as always, kid, Thank you for the time,
best of lock. Let's make it three in a row
this evening against the Rais and we'll talk again next.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Week, all right, buddy, Thank you, guys.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
See you all right. That's the manager, Joe Spotify miss
Twelve thirty two.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Let's spend ten minutes with the manager of your Houston Astros,
Joe Spota, skip back to back road winds. Did you
celebrate with a Tampa cigar?
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Or no?
Speaker 3 (00:13):
No?
Speaker 4 (00:14):
Why should have.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
Each Olebrady with a cigar? Man?
Speaker 4 (00:17):
We are you know it's too hot to be smoking shar.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Here seriously, how miserable was that?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
I mean, y'are dripping sweat like at four thirty right
basically with the weather, With the way the weather was
in Tampa yesterday.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Yeah, you know what, it was warm and humid.
Speaker 4 (00:33):
You know, we usually would come when we come here,
we have to dome and so we haven't been exposed
to uh to the weather yet.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
But yeah, but it was a little bit warm. But
when when you you know, the guy, the guys liked
the warm weather.
Speaker 4 (00:47):
He just he just he was like a like a
heating wave immediately when we got on the field and
and we started sweating.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
But uh, but you know, it's part of it this summer.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
You know, if you want to get ejected again tomorrow's
games at one time in Tampa time, I'm just throwing
that out there as a possibility for you there.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Uh no, you know what, Rather, I like watching the
games from the dugout better. You know the other day
watching the game from from from the office, it was
it was hard. Just happy that we were able to
pull that win.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Well, I will editorialize very quickly and say I applaud
you for doing it needed to be done.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Now let's go to.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
The logistics of it. So you get tossed, you go say,
you're what you need to say to say goodbye? Are
you jumping the shower right away? Are you still in uniform?
And the guys you're playing how does that work on?
And how do you kill two hours of time when
you're buying that in their clubhouse with you in the clubs?
Speaker 4 (01:34):
No, no, I don't shower out and take my uni off.
I'm still I'm still in the fight with the fellaws, even.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Though I'm not in in the dugout.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
I you know, I'm watching every pitch. I do shut
the door because I don't want to hear the fans
reaction because there's like a ten fifteen second pause and
fifteen second pause on the TV. So I want to
feel like I'm watching the game like live. So I
kind of shut everything off, trying to keep the noise
from outside, and I just walked myself in and I
(02:04):
continue to watch the game and and and you know,
hopefully we we could turn things around and and uh,
but you know it's it's it sucks watch sometimes from
the office.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Does missus a spot and notice the difference in pay
stubs when you get in about the ejection or does
she not even pay attention to that kind of thing?
Speaker 4 (02:21):
No, you know, the nice thing about those those fines
is that you're able to donate it to charity.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
So I don't mind, you know, making a donation.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
To some of my uh, some of my favorite charities
to you know, help uh, you know, children with cancer,
with autism awareness, all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
So don't mind.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
I don't mind at all times of fun.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Absolutely, Hey, let's get to the numbers. And again, if
you looked at your season box score, and last night
was a great example that three, four, five in your
order went over twelve. You're not supposed to win games
like that, but you're getting contributions from the bottom thirty order.
Your defense for the most part, has been spectacle this year.
Your relief corps has been nails, and your starting pitching
(03:07):
is giving you the fifth sixth and inn for that
great bullpen. Do you even if you are not the
manager of this team and you looked at the season
box score, going, man, this team's got to be in trouble.
But yet you're just a couple of games at the
first place. You've got two straight wins, You've went three
out of four. Are you even surprised that the team's
offensive numbers have not exploded yet you're still hanging around
about the first third of the season.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
Know that, the way I see it, this is the
sign of a good team when you have different different
parts of our lineup contributing, picking each other up.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
That's what good teams do when.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
Our middle a lineup gets hot.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Just think about how we're going to.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
You know, put wins in a row once. Are often
just gets going all at once, So good teams find
ways to win games the bottom ill order. Pick us up,
yesterda our bullpen. He's been doing f fibulous job.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Our rotation. He's keeping us in the game.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
It's easy when everything is going smooth and everything is
more in the right direction, of course, you know, but
doesn't happen in a one sixty two season.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
We have to pick one another up.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
We have to motivate our players to continue to make adjustment,
to stay to stay the course because things things change,
as we did last year.
Speaker 5 (04:21):
Part of those contributions from the back end of the
lineup have been from Cam Smith. What has it been
like for him? He's got, I believe, what is it,
nine hits in his last seven games, So things coming
around for him. Just for your conversations and things you're
seeing from him in the batters box.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Yeah, developing very nicely.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
I think he has made some adjustments to a swing,
you know, the guys that've been trying to have a
little bit more rhythm, more on his timing when he approaches,
you know, you know, he puts his foot down and
want to have a little bit more momentum, trying to
create more power.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
And he's he's.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
Working out very you know, very well, very nicely. You know,
my Cormy kind a nice game for us last last night,
trying to get him, trying to.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Get him in there, trying to get him going. We
we when we were getting a.
Speaker 4 (05:05):
Solid production from Jake Myers. Again, you know, not only
he's doing it with the glove, but he's been very
consistent with pality at best Night after Night.
Speaker 5 (05:13):
Joe spot Astro's manager with us here on Sports Talk
seven ninety Brandon Walter making his first major league start.
Do you just have a speech recorded at this point
for guys that are making their first time your league start.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
You know, I tell him, go out there and have
a good you know, have fun. You know, Walter has
been in the big leagues before, but for me, it's
more go out there and just do your job. Give us,
give us an opportunity to win.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Pound the zone.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
You have great defense behind you. Don't try to do
too much, be yourself, and we have a nice game
plan for him. I want these guys just to know that,
you know, and I told him he's screen training all
of these guys at some point, so one of you
guys will come up and we'll we'll help us at
you know, going and start throwing some innings. Do own
of the bullpen and I'm bad. Some way, you will
(05:58):
find you yourself contributing, contributing to our season.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
Big.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
It's the long season, and injuries are going to happen. Uh.
So you know, today today's Walter's chance to uh to
contribute and help us win tonight's game.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Back to last night and the defense your final two
outs al t with the great grab and then you
have the how much help did you guys give each
when he's coming your direction towards the third base to
the dugout?
Speaker 4 (06:26):
We do? And you know it's funny man that you
say that because here at need Ballpark. You know, we
we haven't played the ballpark a few of our guys
that play here in spring training uh before. But the
dimensions are are very you know, they're they're different right
from Trompe kind of field because there's not much foul territory.
The win it you know, bowls out and right, not
(06:47):
really bows out to left, you know. So the lights
it's kind of dark because the lights sits low. So
there's a lot of elements that we haven't been used
to coming in the ballpark. Uh So, you know, we
we had to do some work early in the day
just trying to get a feel forward the dimensions and
and the surface and the walls and stuff like. That's
(07:09):
a lot of credit for for paraders to stay staying
with that ball and some defensive play that we made
behind Graham Taylor and our and our leaders.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
You know why they know I command there because you
don't take your veterans with you the long ass spring
training trips. That's the reason why why don't you tough enough?
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Skip? But why don't you tell let's see, who would
you tell? Who's hell to me? Guess what? You had
a three hour bus ride? Enjoy a baby?
Speaker 4 (07:33):
Well, you know what, Uh it's uh, those are those
other things about screen training that you have to uh
be smart about how you you know, how much work
you give this guys and which trips you take them,
and you know, trying to build these guys there for
a season, so you know, not not really concern about
those guys not seeing any any getting any reps here
(07:56):
at a big ballpark. You know, the most important thing
is that we we met our adjustment yesterday and we
play and we played really well.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
We got two more games here, two important games to go.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
For.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Lets your run, Skip, You have had the ability to
use Victor and use your air in the starting lineup together.
And that's because you got the third catcher. And look,
you hopefully get yourdon back. And I'm not in charge
of making your roster moves. You are, But has it
made you contemplate what you want to do if indeed,
you want to carry that third catcher if and when
yourdon comes but not if but when he comes back.
(08:29):
Or is that a situation that you just kind of
take advantage of the situations in front of you.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
Yeah, you know what, I'm just taking the you know,
the situation in front of me and try to and
try to get these two guys opportunities to get their
passing there also, get him up their feet, get got
both of them behind the plate, and give him some
rest that way, you know, And once we get to
the your done decisions, we make that decision when.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
He comes to you know. Our our goal right now.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
Is to get you're done, helthy and get him back
in that lineup.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Hey, one thing I do want to bring up, and
you were asked about this last week about the long
stretch of games, and you had I think somebody asked
you when I was at Minute Dyke and Park about
Jeremy Pinion how you said he was built for one
sixty two. And I did the post game show on
Saturday when he got the air. The swing wasn't great,
and I know he likes to play it, but reality
(09:20):
was that was a perfect time for him to kind
of just take a step back. Did you've since that
he spent that and had How hard of a conversation
was that to say, hey, I need to give you
a day here.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
Uh, you know, he's actually on pace to play one
sixty two. By the way, he hasn't miss the game yet.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
He did.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
They come in that game that he did not start.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
So, oh, I said, what you are you're just being
sneaky that way. I got you. I got you.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
I'm just I'm just telling you.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
The thing about it is that you you watch how
we and it's not so much physical break, its momental
breaks that this players need. This guy's do a tremendous
job taking care of their bodies, their sleep of recovery,
eat the way they eat, especially like Jeremy right. So
it's more the mental grind of every day that he
(10:09):
needs that he needs that break. So that's what I'm
really more looking at.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
That actually performance when.
Speaker 4 (10:17):
The mental uh, when he meets a mental break, if
that starts, uh maybe holding him back on his performance,
and he starts he's a beast star suffering because he's
trying to do a little too much. That's when we
pull back and say, you know what, today is a
good day to get a breather, and we give him
a breather that day, and he bounced back today.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
It bounced back yesterday with a really nice offensive game.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Great stuff as always, kid, Thank you for the time,
best of lock. Let's make it three in a row
this evening against the Rais and we'll talk again next.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Week, all right, buddy, Thank you, guys.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
See you all right. That's the manager, Joe Spotify miss
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
True Crime Tonight
If you eat, sleep, and breathe true crime, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT is serving up your nightly fix. Five nights a week, KT STUDIOS & iHEART RADIO invite listeners to pull up a seat for an unfiltered look at the biggest cases making headlines, celebrity scandals, and the trials everyone is watching. With a mix of expert analysis, hot takes, and listener call-ins, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT goes beyond the headlines to uncover the twists, turns, and unanswered questions that keep us all obsessed—because, at TRUE CRIME TONIGHT, there’s a seat for everyone. Whether breaking down crime scene forensics, scrutinizing serial killers, or debating the most binge-worthy true crime docs, True Crime Tonight is the fresh, fast-paced, and slightly addictive home for true crime lovers.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com