August 25, 2025 • 15 mins
Losing the first series to the Orioles 1-2, followed by a sweep by the Tigers, the Astros look to have shaken back a bit following their 4-game series this weekend, taking 3 out of the 4 games in Baltimore. Still atop the AL West Division and looking to brush off their recent 2-series losses, Steve shares some positives from the weekend with a few things to be mindful of as we begin to expect a few key players to return to the lineup.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, first weekly visit, as always Monday at eight o'clock.
We're joined by Astros broadcaster Steve Sparks right here on
Sports Talk seven ninety Steve, great to have you in.
Now that for the most part this weekend looked like
a team that knows how to swing the bat and
bald flying out of the ballpark. That looked like we've
been waiting on that for all season long, and now
the consistency is sustaining. Was had to be a good
(00:22):
visual for your eyes, Steve.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
It was finally the home runs.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
You had four extra basits in Detroit in those three games,
but the eight home runs in the four games in
Baltimore was a cypress. Sore eyes, and you know some
of these guys are just starting to pick up the slack.
The two out stuff was evident, and you got Jordan
Alvarez around the corner.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
Now it finally looks like this offense is going to
be able to help him out.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Steve, have you been in all the years you've covered
or even played it, have you seen a team We
know the potentials there, we know what kind of the
resilience and all that I'm talking about that they've been
that inconsistent, inconsistent to play with the long but just
over the season, with all the injuries, it's been like that.
Have you ever been through one hundred and thirty games
or whatever it's been, and then all of a sudden
the last thirty or forty games seeing a team turn
(01:09):
it around completely if it gets to that, and sustain
it and carry it through the playoffs. Have we ever
seen that big a discrepancy in your mind in all
the years you've done it?
Speaker 2 (01:19):
You know?
Speaker 3 (01:20):
It was just good to see that the Astros were
able to capitalize on the three starters who through the
first three games in the Baltimore series, it was Young,
Kramer and Covids, right. These guys pitched against the Astros
in Houston and they crush them. I mean, they absolutely
went right through them and to be able to make
(01:42):
the necessary adjustments that they needed to this weekend against
those three pitchers in particular was a site that they
needed to see that. And I've told you I felt like,
so far this season there's been a type of pitcher
who's been able to command that out third against the
right handed batters with spin, they were going to give
(02:03):
them fits.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
And we saw it with Clarity and Detroit. We continue
to see it from.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Time to time, but they made some really good adjustments
against Baltimore on those pictures, and they were spitting on
those pitches out there and waiting for those guys to
come to the inner third of the plate, and guys.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Like Perea Christian Walker really took advantage of it. So
that's what I want to see. I want to see
some adjustments.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
I want to see a little bit more patience and
a better game plan against those types of pitchers.
Speaker 4 (02:30):
And I feel like we're starting to see that now.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Steve, Was it just as simple as making them make
the pitcher give you what you love to hit as
opposed to hitting a pitcher's pitch. Was it really just
that simple and patient?
Speaker 2 (02:43):
That's what it's all about, man.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
That's the number one rule of hitting is get a
good pitch. And it might be a little bit different
for different guys. It might be inner third, might be you.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Know, low or high or whatever, but.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Get a good pitch and you know what that is,
and especially early in accounts, you're gonna hunt that.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Pitch until you get it. Two strikes is a different story.
But I think that's where it starts.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Steve Sparks for his weekly visit here on Sports Talk
seven ninety Sean Salisbury show, Steve any concern at all,
I don't know, because lady was starting pitching and maybe
from or in particular, but mccullors is still trying to
get it. I thought the best thing that happened with
him on Friday was pitching out of that basis loaded jam.
You know I did. Did he to be able to
come out of that after it put loaded him up?
(03:28):
But is starting pitching a concern right now?
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Yeah? It is. You know, you can't sugarcoat it.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
I mean, you're looking for guys to kind of get
over that hump.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
And you know, there's a couple of the pitchers in.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Particular that have had long layoffs and we've seen Sandy
Alcantra of the Marlins, who's a sow Young Award winner,
Spencer Strider of the Rays the long layoffs and they've
come back and struggled, and you know, sometimes it's just
not easy to jump right back.
Speaker 5 (03:54):
In into the thick of things and command the ball
the way you hope to. So that's that's the main thing.
This is what I want to see. I want to
see guys attack the strike zone. I want them to
win the count. I want them to get ahead of
the count and then get the hitters to expand the
strike zone. I think that's the key is we need
(04:14):
to see whether.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
It's relievers or starters, whoever it is, guys attack and
make the other team know that you're coming after them.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Put them on the defense.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Steve, if you just Joe's done a great job. I
mean he's had to change lineups with all the adjustments
he's had to make this year. Applaud for him considering
all these injuries to keep them in this position two
games up in first place, but just the top the
first six. We don't have to go through the seven, eight,
and nine. Well, what's the best hitting order for you?
(04:44):
Where do you want these guys when Jordan's back? How
does that look to you?
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Gosh, I haven't even thought about it yet?
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Me either. That's why, right, what I thought about I said,
let me talk to the expert and see what he
would with back. I'm with you, but if you did
just an in the quick terms, what would you think?
How would it look to you?
Speaker 3 (05:04):
I'll tell you this is this is what I think
the Astros miss a lot.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
It's paradus.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Yeah, you know, the number of pitches that he was
able to see was different from most of the other
guys on the team. And if you remember in fort
bats one game, he set a record at dyke And
Park seeing thirty seven pitches.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
And for it bats, you can't replace that.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
And I feel like they're still trying to get guys
to kind of work to count and do some things.
I know I want Paya leading off yep, and I
know I want jord On to bat in the first inning.
And then where you go from that, Shohn, I'm not
exactly sure, mate, may depend on the pitching matchup or whatever.
And you're trying to get your best guys to hit
(05:49):
as often as possible. But it starts with Pinion jord
On for me hitting in the first editing.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Steve when you know we're all the like hitting. We've
done a lot of times taken best hitters and Jordan
hitting the two hole before we've seen Otani. Dude, it
kind of changed from was your three guy right and
then the two and it's kind of fluctuated between two,
three and four and a lot of these teams with
great hitters. But tell me the evolution just from your
your yours, you're your visual of what what a two
(06:14):
hitter needs to look like if you got him in
the two hole, just kind of like what do you
want there if you're putting them in a lineup.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
I think a lot of teams have always.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
I can still in the last years anyway I can do.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
With your best hitter in the two hole because they're
going to about fifty more times during the course of
the season than.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
The three hole hitter.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
I think that's the number somewhere really close to that,
and that could be very impactful.
Speaker 4 (06:38):
I mean, you could win a couple more games during
the season if you get him.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Up, you know, in the latter stations of the game,
rather than ending the game with him on debt.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
Right, So that's the biggest reason for that two hole.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
So the what the way they look is not the
same as what they used to look like when I played.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
Yes, it was a guy who could go inside out
and hit and run.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Move a guy the right, yeah, all that stuff.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
So it's a little different now.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
So you're looking for probably your best hitter to hit
in the two hole.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
I think Jordon likes to hit in the three hole.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
You got a chance with you know, if you put
your first few guys in the order with high on
base percentage, that's what you're trying to create.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
You're trying to make the other team Sean pitch to.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Jordon Alvarez and if you have a guy on first base.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
In second base, you give yourself the most chances for
him to swing the bat rather than them pitching around Jordon.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
Steve win with Jordon Well, I guess we're all anticipating
him being in the lineup tomorrow when they resume there
after this day off. What's fair or I mean, we
know how good he is, but what should we expect
from him early? Or is he just too good for
us to even put our finger on that.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
I think you run into trouble if there's expectations. But
you're just hoping he can impact the rest of the
lineup with his presence. You know, if he's going to
be a little little stale as far as his timing goes,
that's under animal. But we've seen him jump into the
lineup after long layoffs before where we've seen him play
three games in spring training, jump into the lineup and
(08:09):
you feel like he's never left the beat. So I
don't know if that's fair to expect that, but if
he does, I wouldn't be shot.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Right.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
He looks like he's swinging the bat really.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
Well and Corpus Christie's got four doubles down there in
fifteen at bats, and that's what you're hoping for. Man,
You're just hoping that Jordan gets pitched to and he
gets he gets to take advantage.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Of that power.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
Steve, I usually ask you this probably every fifty games
or so, kind of third to third a third to
break it down the season because the strengths and weaknesses
may change because of injuries. Right now, what unit are grouping?
What's the strength of the Houston Astros?
Speaker 2 (08:47):
The top of the rotation? I would say right now,
even with Thromber's got to turn it around.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
I mean he's had he's had pieces like this before,
but he.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Always comes out on the other end on the good side.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
So you know, you're watching the velocity more than anything else,
and you just feel like he can get back and
pitched like like he normally does. And the way Jason
Alexander is pitch. He's had a one and a half
the ra in August, and you can't ask for any.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
More than that, but it certainly needed it. But after
Brandon Walter.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Went down and was kind of doing what Jason Alexander
was for about six weeks.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
You know, that's what good.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Teams do, you know, And they've got guys that come
out of nowhere. I mean, nobody expected Walter and Alexander
to be able to do what they've done for the
Astros this year, but they did. And I told you,
I think the last couple of weeks the Astros sorely
needed a middle reliever to come in and throw strikes,
(09:51):
and that's what we saw blue Ball do the other day.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
Four innings. He got to win out of the bullpen,
but he.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Saved the relievers from an other one of those games
where the starters didn't go very deep.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
And that's when the Astros have been at their best.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
They've had a guy down there, kind of an unsung hero,
go in there and pound the strike zone. And unfortunately,
because he threw four innings, they had to send him
out and get another fresh arm in there, so we
won't see blue Ball for fifteen days.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
But that's what they need.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
They need somebody who can make sure they don't wreck
the bullpen when the starter doesn't go very.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
Deep, Steve, is it fair to say that Jason Alexander,
at least from my vantage point, I trust him right now,
big Tub, just not from this, but it's a guy
that you can't take him out of the rotation regardless
of who gets back healthy right now, can you? I
trust him right now?
Speaker 2 (10:39):
I do too. You know.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
I had a nice long conversation with him a day
or two ago, and he does something and I suspected
this because of the reaction of the hitters. He does
something that a lot of guys used to do. Now,
a lot of guys are are are chasing.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
A certain profile of their pitches these days, Sean, and.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
They're making the ball spin in a certain way to
get this kind of movement, and they know that's going.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
To be effective. So that's what they do a lot
of times on their change up.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
From a long time ago, all the pictures, when they
threw a change up, they were going to make it
look as much like their.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Fastball as they could.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
That means, if he was mostly a two seam fastball pitcher,
he would throw his change up to look like a
two seamer as well.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
Same thing with a four steamer well, a lot of.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Guys these days will throw a four seam fastball up
at the strike zone.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
Then they'll throw a change up off of a two
seam grip because it makes it.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Move more, but it alerts the hitter. The hitter can
see the spin is different and he knows it's not
a fastball. And that's what you're trying to make a
change up look like, is a fastball.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
And I asked, I asked.
Speaker 4 (11:42):
Jason Alexander the other day, how do you throw your
change up?
Speaker 2 (11:45):
And he showed it to me. He said, well, I.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Changed from last year to this year from a two
seam change up grip to a four scene change up
grip because I think it makes it look more like
my fastball.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
And I just I wanted to kiss him on the mouth.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Well, Steve, why didn't you?
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Well, if I'm being honest, if I'm being honest, I
really did. I actually did so. But that's the thing, man,
it looks like you're heater. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
Yeah, if he does it, man, he throws his change
up on this little bulking grip, but he throws it
off of a forcing grip that nobody else does, and
it makes it look like his fastball.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
And that's why he's he's making he's making.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
Hitters look a little silly with some of their swings
on that change up.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
And at eight fourteen in the morning, your great explanation
of that with Jason Alexander makes me want to kiss
you on the lips. I can't wait.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Oh, I appreciate that. Hey, can I tell you one
thing about the Rockies?
Speaker 1 (12:42):
You can run anything you'd like. Brother, Let's go.
Speaker 4 (12:46):
Okay, So the Astros play the Rockies in the next
three games.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
The Rockies have a minus I wrote this down, so
they have a minus three forty nine run differential.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
That's all three hundred and forty nine more runs than
they scored, which is an average of two point sixty
six runs per game, which will set a modern day
record that since nineteen hundred.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
So the reason why I say that is is because.
Speaker 6 (13:13):
When you look at some teams, the Mets have swept
the Rockies twice and have a plus twenty seven run
differential against them and just a plus three in every
other game. So they've done almost all of their run
differential damage against the Rockies San Diego, plus thirty five
against Colorado, plus three against all other teams, and Toronto
(13:34):
swept Colorado in a three game series earlier this year
and had a plus thirty nine run differential and only
plus five in all others.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
And I'm saying that because you looked at last year
with the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central,
who who had a brutal season. That the teams that
took advantage of the Chicago White Sox, Kansas City and
the Detroy Tigers who played them thirteen times a piece
made it to the playoffs, and the remaining schedule for
(14:07):
the Astros.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
And I'm saying this, and you don't take any team lightly.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
And you want to win every series, but you almost
have to sweep the Rockies. They've only won five series
all year long, right, but you almost have to sweep
them where you lose a little ground to the field.
And I say that because the Seattle Mariners play Colorado
in games one.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
Fifty seven, one fifty eight, and one fifty nine.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
This year, so they're still going to get the plays.
So you gotta take You got to take care of
business this series.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
You can't bogie par fives in a tournament. Steve to win,
right when when when you got to two stroke lead
you've got to birdie the par fives, and you've got
to par the par threes when they're hard. You gotta
birdy these and this is you got to birdy these
holes in every now and then mix in an eagle
if you're going to win the tournament. And that's who
the Astros are to coin the old golf phrase, which
I like doing that when it comes to baseball and
sports in general. Steve, great stuff, brother, that should be fun.
(14:58):
I can't wait to see Jordan out there. And we
always appreciate you sharing your kiss on the lip stories too.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Man.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
Awesome, you're the best. Nobody better than you appreciate your brother.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Thanks. I love it.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
That's a great skin, Sparks.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
You do.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Always a great storyteller, but also gives you something every
week to hang your hat on.
Well, first weekly visit, as always Monday at eight o'clock.
We're joined by Astros broadcaster Steve Sparks right here on
Sports Talk seven ninety Steve, great to have you in.
Now that for the most part this weekend looked like
a team that knows how to swing the bat and
bald flying out of the ballpark. That looked like we've
been waiting on that for all season long, and now
the consistency is sustaining. Was had to be a good
(00:22):
visual for your eyes, Steve.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
It was finally the home runs.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
You had four extra basits in Detroit in those three games,
but the eight home runs in the four games in
Baltimore was a cypress. Sore eyes, and you know some
of these guys are just starting to pick up the slack.
The two out stuff was evident, and you got Jordan
Alvarez around the corner.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
Now it finally looks like this offense is going to
be able to help him out.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Steve, have you been in all the years you've covered
or even played it, have you seen a team We
know the potentials there, we know what kind of the
resilience and all that I'm talking about that they've been
that inconsistent, inconsistent to play with the long but just
over the season, with all the injuries, it's been like that.
Have you ever been through one hundred and thirty games
or whatever it's been, and then all of a sudden
the last thirty or forty games seeing a team turn
(01:09):
it around completely if it gets to that, and sustain
it and carry it through the playoffs. Have we ever
seen that big a discrepancy in your mind in all
the years you've done it?
Speaker 2 (01:19):
You know?
Speaker 3 (01:20):
It was just good to see that the Astros were
able to capitalize on the three starters who through the
first three games in the Baltimore series, it was Young,
Kramer and Covids, right. These guys pitched against the Astros
in Houston and they crush them. I mean, they absolutely
went right through them and to be able to make
(01:42):
the necessary adjustments that they needed to this weekend against
those three pitchers in particular was a site that they
needed to see that. And I've told you I felt like,
so far this season there's been a type of pitcher
who's been able to command that out third against the
right handed batters with spin, they were going to give
(02:03):
them fits.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
And we saw it with Clarity and Detroit. We continue
to see it from.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Time to time, but they made some really good adjustments
against Baltimore on those pictures, and they were spitting on
those pitches out there and waiting for those guys to
come to the inner third of the plate, and guys.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Like Perea Christian Walker really took advantage of it. So
that's what I want to see. I want to see
some adjustments.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
I want to see a little bit more patience and
a better game plan against those types of pitchers.
Speaker 4 (02:30):
And I feel like we're starting to see that now.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Steve, Was it just as simple as making them make
the pitcher give you what you love to hit as
opposed to hitting a pitcher's pitch. Was it really just
that simple and patient?
Speaker 2 (02:43):
That's what it's all about, man.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
That's the number one rule of hitting is get a
good pitch. And it might be a little bit different
for different guys. It might be inner third, might be you.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Know, low or high or whatever, but.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Get a good pitch and you know what that is,
and especially early in accounts, you're gonna hunt that.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Pitch until you get it. Two strikes is a different story.
But I think that's where it starts.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Steve Sparks for his weekly visit here on Sports Talk
seven ninety Sean Salisbury show, Steve any concern at all,
I don't know, because lady was starting pitching and maybe
from or in particular, but mccullors is still trying to
get it. I thought the best thing that happened with
him on Friday was pitching out of that basis loaded jam.
You know I did. Did he to be able to
come out of that after it put loaded him up?
(03:28):
But is starting pitching a concern right now?
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Yeah? It is. You know, you can't sugarcoat it.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
I mean, you're looking for guys to kind of get
over that hump.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
And you know, there's a couple of the pitchers in.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Particular that have had long layoffs and we've seen Sandy
Alcantra of the Marlins, who's a sow Young Award winner,
Spencer Strider of the Rays the long layoffs and they've
come back and struggled, and you know, sometimes it's just
not easy to jump right back.
Speaker 5 (03:54):
In into the thick of things and command the ball
the way you hope to. So that's that's the main thing.
This is what I want to see. I want to
see guys attack the strike zone. I want them to
win the count. I want them to get ahead of
the count and then get the hitters to expand the
strike zone. I think that's the key is we need
(04:14):
to see whether.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
It's relievers or starters, whoever it is, guys attack and
make the other team know that you're coming after them.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Put them on the defense.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Steve, if you just Joe's done a great job. I
mean he's had to change lineups with all the adjustments
he's had to make this year. Applaud for him considering
all these injuries to keep them in this position two
games up in first place, but just the top the
first six. We don't have to go through the seven, eight,
and nine. Well, what's the best hitting order for you?
(04:44):
Where do you want these guys when Jordan's back? How
does that look to you?
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Gosh, I haven't even thought about it yet?
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Me either. That's why, right, what I thought about I said,
let me talk to the expert and see what he
would with back. I'm with you, but if you did
just an in the quick terms, what would you think?
How would it look to you?
Speaker 3 (05:04):
I'll tell you this is this is what I think
the Astros miss a lot.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
It's paradus.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Yeah, you know, the number of pitches that he was
able to see was different from most of the other
guys on the team. And if you remember in fort
bats one game, he set a record at dyke And
Park seeing thirty seven pitches.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
And for it bats, you can't replace that.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
And I feel like they're still trying to get guys
to kind of work to count and do some things.
I know I want Paya leading off yep, and I
know I want jord On to bat in the first inning.
And then where you go from that, Shohn, I'm not
exactly sure, mate, may depend on the pitching matchup or whatever.
And you're trying to get your best guys to hit
(05:49):
as often as possible. But it starts with Pinion jord
On for me hitting in the first editing.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Steve when you know we're all the like hitting. We've
done a lot of times taken best hitters and Jordan
hitting the two hole before we've seen Otani. Dude, it
kind of changed from was your three guy right and
then the two and it's kind of fluctuated between two,
three and four and a lot of these teams with
great hitters. But tell me the evolution just from your
your yours, you're your visual of what what a two
(06:14):
hitter needs to look like if you got him in
the two hole, just kind of like what do you
want there if you're putting them in a lineup.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
I think a lot of teams have always.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
I can still in the last years anyway I can do.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
With your best hitter in the two hole because they're
going to about fifty more times during the course of
the season than.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
The three hole hitter.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
I think that's the number somewhere really close to that,
and that could be very impactful.
Speaker 4 (06:38):
I mean, you could win a couple more games during
the season if you get him.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Up, you know, in the latter stations of the game,
rather than ending the game with him on debt.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
Right, So that's the biggest reason for that two hole.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
So the what the way they look is not the
same as what they used to look like when I played.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
Yes, it was a guy who could go inside out
and hit and run.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Move a guy the right, yeah, all that stuff.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
So it's a little different now.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
So you're looking for probably your best hitter to hit
in the two hole.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
I think Jordon likes to hit in the three hole.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
You got a chance with you know, if you put
your first few guys in the order with high on
base percentage, that's what you're trying to create.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
You're trying to make the other team Sean pitch to.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Jordon Alvarez and if you have a guy on first base.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
In second base, you give yourself the most chances for
him to swing the bat rather than them pitching around Jordon.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
Steve win with Jordon Well, I guess we're all anticipating
him being in the lineup tomorrow when they resume there
after this day off. What's fair or I mean, we
know how good he is, but what should we expect
from him early? Or is he just too good for
us to even put our finger on that.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
I think you run into trouble if there's expectations. But
you're just hoping he can impact the rest of the
lineup with his presence. You know, if he's going to
be a little little stale as far as his timing goes,
that's under animal. But we've seen him jump into the
lineup after long layoffs before where we've seen him play
three games in spring training, jump into the lineup and
(08:09):
you feel like he's never left the beat. So I
don't know if that's fair to expect that, but if
he does, I wouldn't be shot.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Right.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
He looks like he's swinging the bat really.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
Well and Corpus Christie's got four doubles down there in
fifteen at bats, and that's what you're hoping for. Man,
You're just hoping that Jordan gets pitched to and he
gets he gets to take advantage.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Of that power.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
Steve, I usually ask you this probably every fifty games
or so, kind of third to third a third to
break it down the season because the strengths and weaknesses
may change because of injuries. Right now, what unit are grouping?
What's the strength of the Houston Astros?
Speaker 2 (08:47):
The top of the rotation? I would say right now,
even with Thromber's got to turn it around.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
I mean he's had he's had pieces like this before,
but he.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Always comes out on the other end on the good side.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
So you know, you're watching the velocity more than anything else,
and you just feel like he can get back and
pitched like like he normally does. And the way Jason
Alexander is pitch. He's had a one and a half
the ra in August, and you can't ask for any.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
More than that, but it certainly needed it. But after
Brandon Walter.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Went down and was kind of doing what Jason Alexander
was for about six weeks.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
You know, that's what good.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Teams do, you know, And they've got guys that come
out of nowhere. I mean, nobody expected Walter and Alexander
to be able to do what they've done for the
Astros this year, but they did. And I told you,
I think the last couple of weeks the Astros sorely
needed a middle reliever to come in and throw strikes,
(09:51):
and that's what we saw blue Ball do the other day.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
Four innings. He got to win out of the bullpen,
but he.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Saved the relievers from an other one of those games
where the starters didn't go very deep.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
And that's when the Astros have been at their best.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
They've had a guy down there, kind of an unsung hero,
go in there and pound the strike zone. And unfortunately,
because he threw four innings, they had to send him
out and get another fresh arm in there, so we
won't see blue Ball for fifteen days.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
But that's what they need.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
They need somebody who can make sure they don't wreck
the bullpen when the starter doesn't go very.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
Deep, Steve, is it fair to say that Jason Alexander,
at least from my vantage point, I trust him right now,
big Tub, just not from this, but it's a guy
that you can't take him out of the rotation regardless
of who gets back healthy right now, can you? I
trust him right now?
Speaker 2 (10:39):
I do too. You know.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
I had a nice long conversation with him a day
or two ago, and he does something and I suspected
this because of the reaction of the hitters. He does
something that a lot of guys used to do. Now,
a lot of guys are are are chasing.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
A certain profile of their pitches these days, Sean, and.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
They're making the ball spin in a certain way to
get this kind of movement, and they know that's going.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
To be effective. So that's what they do a lot
of times on their change up.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
From a long time ago, all the pictures, when they
threw a change up, they were going to make it
look as much like their.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Fastball as they could.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
That means, if he was mostly a two seam fastball pitcher,
he would throw his change up to look like a
two seamer as well.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
Same thing with a four steamer well, a lot of.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Guys these days will throw a four seam fastball up
at the strike zone.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
Then they'll throw a change up off of a two
seam grip because it makes it.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Move more, but it alerts the hitter. The hitter can
see the spin is different and he knows it's not
a fastball. And that's what you're trying to make a
change up look like, is a fastball.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
And I asked, I asked.
Speaker 4 (11:42):
Jason Alexander the other day, how do you throw your
change up?
Speaker 2 (11:45):
And he showed it to me. He said, well, I.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Changed from last year to this year from a two
seam change up grip to a four scene change up
grip because I think it makes it look more like
my fastball.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
And I just I wanted to kiss him on the mouth.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Well, Steve, why didn't you?
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Well, if I'm being honest, if I'm being honest, I
really did. I actually did so. But that's the thing, man,
it looks like you're heater. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
Yeah, if he does it, man, he throws his change
up on this little bulking grip, but he throws it
off of a forcing grip that nobody else does, and
it makes it look like his fastball.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
And that's why he's he's making he's making.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
Hitters look a little silly with some of their swings
on that change up.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
And at eight fourteen in the morning, your great explanation
of that with Jason Alexander makes me want to kiss
you on the lips. I can't wait.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Oh, I appreciate that. Hey, can I tell you one
thing about the Rockies?
Speaker 1 (12:42):
You can run anything you'd like. Brother, Let's go.
Speaker 4 (12:46):
Okay, So the Astros play the Rockies in the next
three games.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
The Rockies have a minus I wrote this down, so
they have a minus three forty nine run differential.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
That's all three hundred and forty nine more runs than
they scored, which is an average of two point sixty
six runs per game, which will set a modern day
record that since nineteen hundred.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
So the reason why I say that is is because.
Speaker 6 (13:13):
When you look at some teams, the Mets have swept
the Rockies twice and have a plus twenty seven run
differential against them and just a plus three in every
other game. So they've done almost all of their run
differential damage against the Rockies San Diego, plus thirty five
against Colorado, plus three against all other teams, and Toronto
(13:34):
swept Colorado in a three game series earlier this year
and had a plus thirty nine run differential and only
plus five in all others.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
And I'm saying that because you looked at last year
with the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central,
who who had a brutal season. That the teams that
took advantage of the Chicago White Sox, Kansas City and
the Detroy Tigers who played them thirteen times a piece
made it to the playoffs, and the remaining schedule for
(14:07):
the Astros.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
And I'm saying this, and you don't take any team lightly.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
And you want to win every series, but you almost
have to sweep the Rockies. They've only won five series
all year long, right, but you almost have to sweep
them where you lose a little ground to the field.
And I say that because the Seattle Mariners play Colorado
in games one.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
Fifty seven, one fifty eight, and one fifty nine.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
This year, so they're still going to get the plays.
So you gotta take You got to take care of
business this series.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
You can't bogie par fives in a tournament. Steve to win,
right when when when you got to two stroke lead
you've got to birdie the par fives, and you've got
to par the par threes when they're hard. You gotta
birdy these and this is you got to birdy these
holes in every now and then mix in an eagle
if you're going to win the tournament. And that's who
the Astros are to coin the old golf phrase, which
I like doing that when it comes to baseball and
sports in general. Steve, great stuff, brother, that should be fun.
(14:58):
I can't wait to see Jordan out there. And we
always appreciate you sharing your kiss on the lip stories too.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Man.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
Awesome, you're the best. Nobody better than you appreciate your brother.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Thanks. I love it.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
That's a great skin, Sparks.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
You do.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Always a great storyteller, but also gives you something every
week to hang your hat on.
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