WEBVTT - Geoff Blum’s Astros checkup 0:00:02.720 --> 0:00:08.240 Blum, great guy, Houston, Astros broadcaster, just a good person, 0:00:08.320 --> 0:00:12.200 fourteen year MLB veteran World Series champion, and nice enough 0:00:12.240 --> 0:00:14.480 to be with us on foul Territory today. Blum, I 0:00:14.520 --> 0:00:16.279 tell you what every year that I try to say, 0:00:16.320 --> 0:00:18.799 the Astros are in some sort of rebuild or reboot 0:00:18.880 --> 0:00:20.360 or whatever the heck you want to call it. Here 0:00:20.400 --> 0:00:24.800 they are battling, jocking for position again atop the Al West. 0:00:24.800 --> 0:00:27.760 What has been your biggest takeaway of what this team 0:00:27.760 --> 0:00:30.480 has accomplished this year with a lot of missing pieces, 0:00:30.520 --> 0:00:32.479 a lot of injuries, and just a lot of unknown 0:00:32.520 --> 0:00:33.360 and welcome to the show. 0:00:34.760 --> 0:00:36.519 Good to be on the show. I always appreciate the 0:00:36.520 --> 0:00:39.319 opportunity seeing some friendly faces. And I'm glad I got 0:00:39.320 --> 0:00:41.919 the memo about the backwards hat, so I'm ready to go. 0:00:43.240 --> 0:00:46.720 But you know, the old saying, or I guess it's 0:00:46.760 --> 0:00:49.840 a new old saying, is the Astros are inevitable, and 0:00:50.360 --> 0:00:53.920 this year is truly a tale of organizational depth and 0:00:54.000 --> 0:00:57.440 maybe a little bit of culture involved, because, like you said, 0:00:57.480 --> 0:00:59.240 a lot of teams around the league have dealt with 0:00:59.280 --> 0:01:01.279 a lot of injury, and not just injuries that are 0:01:01.280 --> 0:01:04.200 going to keep guys out on a fifteen day il 0:01:04.760 --> 0:01:06.920 and they'll be back and mix right in. These have 0:01:06.920 --> 0:01:10.000 been catastrophic injuries that these teams have had to try 0:01:10.000 --> 0:01:13.679 and fix and replace and continue, and the Astros have 0:01:13.720 --> 0:01:16.000 done a very good job. I know that every year 0:01:16.080 --> 0:01:19.760 we start out the season with prospect lists and who 0:01:19.800 --> 0:01:22.080 has the best minor league system, and the Astros are 0:01:22.080 --> 0:01:25.640 continually at the bottom. Yet this season they have filled 0:01:25.680 --> 0:01:29.240 their rotation with a couple of rookies. You know, throughout 0:01:29.240 --> 0:01:31.560 the course of the season. They're going to ride a 0:01:31.600 --> 0:01:35.280 guide tonight in Jason Alexander here in Houston for another start, 0:01:35.319 --> 0:01:37.839 who's been brilliant for the Astros with his fastball, change 0:01:37.880 --> 0:01:40.200 up mix. The other day, we just saw a guy 0:01:40.280 --> 0:01:43.640 named Zach Cole who was number eighteen in the organization 0:01:43.680 --> 0:01:46.080 as far as prospects, and he pops a home run 0:01:46.120 --> 0:01:47.840 on the first pitch hecs. So I think it's just 0:01:47.880 --> 0:01:50.600 a credit to you know, the ability to draft, but 0:01:50.640 --> 0:01:52.720 also the ability to develop. I don't think a lot 0:01:52.760 --> 0:01:55.840 of these minor league coaches these days get enough attention 0:01:56.000 --> 0:01:58.680 or enough love because they're kind of, you know, tucked 0:01:58.760 --> 0:02:02.200 underneath the every organization. But if they have a huge 0:02:02.200 --> 0:02:04.520 impact on what these guys do at the big league level, 0:02:04.920 --> 0:02:07.760 and the Astros fortunately have created this dynamic where if 0:02:07.800 --> 0:02:10.240 you get to the big leagues, the expectation is you're 0:02:10.280 --> 0:02:12.399 gonna mix into this clubhouse, and if you're helping us win, 0:02:12.560 --> 0:02:15.160 you're gonna stick. If you're if you're not stirring the 0:02:15.200 --> 0:02:17.040 pot the right way, we're gonna get ready and find 0:02:17.040 --> 0:02:19.000 somebody else. But they've been very fortunate with some of 0:02:19.040 --> 0:02:19.920 the guys they've called up. 0:02:21.040 --> 0:02:23.600 All Right, well, who's gonna step in for the holes 0:02:23.639 --> 0:02:25.080 that they're currently missing? 0:02:25.160 --> 0:02:27.040 Because now it's not cutting time. 0:02:27.160 --> 0:02:30.079 I get it, like, you can't win because you won 0:02:30.120 --> 0:02:33.680 the last seven Like this last seven years doesn't have 0:02:33.680 --> 0:02:36.000 anything to do with this last two weeks of this season. 0:02:37.160 --> 0:02:40.919 Do they have enough to step in for the Josh 0:02:40.919 --> 0:02:44.079 Hater hole to step in for the fact that they 0:02:44.160 --> 0:02:47.080 don't have an Alex Bragman who has been that winning 0:02:47.200 --> 0:02:51.680 clutch player. I know Correa is back, but do they 0:02:51.760 --> 0:02:54.280 have enough to win a division or do they not 0:02:54.360 --> 0:02:56.200 even need to win the division because we're not gonna 0:02:56.200 --> 0:02:57.440 talk about the wild card yet. 0:02:59.040 --> 0:03:01.680 Yeah, I mean it's an itch question. Basically, do they 0:03:01.720 --> 0:03:03.120 have enough to get in the playoffs? And I think 0:03:03.160 --> 0:03:05.200 they do, and you brought up some key names, are 0:03:05.200 --> 0:03:08.239 I no losing Bragman is a big piece and obviously 0:03:08.240 --> 0:03:11.600 he's enhanced with the Boston Red Sox have been able 0:03:11.639 --> 0:03:15.040 to do both internally and on the field. You know, 0:03:15.320 --> 0:03:17.799 he's a great mind, sees the game a little bit differently. 0:03:18.280 --> 0:03:20.400 And then you mentioned Carlos Kore. He's kind of come 0:03:20.440 --> 0:03:23.000 in and really kind of filled that void of what 0:03:23.040 --> 0:03:25.920 the Astros are missing as far as leadership in the 0:03:26.000 --> 0:03:28.520 vocal sense. He will pull guys off the side and say, 0:03:28.560 --> 0:03:30.280 hey we need more of this, or hey, you did 0:03:30.280 --> 0:03:33.919 a great job. Continue to do that. They've got jord 0:03:34.000 --> 0:03:37.080 On Alvarez who's kind of the silent, you spoken guy 0:03:37.080 --> 0:03:39.080 that can go into that lineup and do some damage. 0:03:39.080 --> 0:03:41.680 You can follow his lead a little bit. Jeremy Paine 0:03:41.760 --> 0:03:43.760 has turned into a force on offense. So they've got 0:03:43.800 --> 0:03:46.000 some key pieces and key situations to be able to 0:03:46.040 --> 0:03:49.160 go out there and compete. For me down the stretch, 0:03:49.200 --> 0:03:51.080 it's going to be the Astros offense. I think they 0:03:51.080 --> 0:03:54.040 do have enough pitching. Oh, the starting pitching has done 0:03:54.040 --> 0:03:56.400 a great job. They're top ten as far as team era. 0:03:56.560 --> 0:03:58.480 They get a ton of swing and miss still even 0:03:58.480 --> 0:04:01.160 with Josh had or not the back end of that bullpen. 0:04:01.280 --> 0:04:03.040 So for me, it's going to be on the offense. 0:04:03.680 --> 0:04:06.760 Their record is something astonishing around eighty five percent when 0:04:07.360 --> 0:04:10.200 you know probability when they score four runs, So that's 0:04:10.280 --> 0:04:12.080 kind of the threshold I feel they need to get to. 0:04:12.160 --> 0:04:14.920 But I'm with you in the sense that when Josh 0:04:15.000 --> 0:04:17.680 Hader went down, not just with the shoulder injury, but 0:04:17.760 --> 0:04:19.120 with something that was going to keep him out the 0:04:19.279 --> 0:04:22.719 entire regular season, I had a little trepidation in the 0:04:22.760 --> 0:04:24.280 thought that he wasn't going to be at the back 0:04:24.360 --> 0:04:26.360 end of that bullpen because Brian Abrad, who has been 0:04:26.440 --> 0:04:30.120 such a phenomenal setup guy, and Brian King Steven Okert 0:04:30.120 --> 0:04:32.400 were great matchup guys getting to the back end of 0:04:32.400 --> 0:04:34.800 the bullpen. Now you're forcing some of these guys who 0:04:34.839 --> 0:04:38.120 aren't usually leverage guys into situations where you're gonna almost 0:04:38.200 --> 0:04:40.320 force Josh Miller and Joe A. Spotted to be very 0:04:40.480 --> 0:04:43.279 creative on what pockets they work those guys into. 0:04:44.560 --> 0:04:47.640 Wellmer, I know you're talking offense, but who's pitching. Alexander's 0:04:47.640 --> 0:04:50.800 pitching tonight, and then who it's TBD, So you're talking 0:04:50.800 --> 0:04:51.839 about all this great pitching. 0:04:51.960 --> 0:04:52.560 Who's pitching? 0:04:52.600 --> 0:04:55.800 Because the Rangers lined up their three best really, but 0:04:55.880 --> 0:04:59.200 the Valdi out, I mean they went They're going lighter, Merril, 0:04:59.279 --> 0:05:01.440 Kelly and for the last one, and then you got 0:05:01.480 --> 0:05:05.120 it Seattle coming in. So what is who's pitching? You 0:05:05.200 --> 0:05:07.000 keep talking about offense, but who's gonna pitch the next 0:05:07.080 --> 0:05:07.680 couple of games? 0:05:08.520 --> 0:05:11.320 Yeah, that's gonna be a problem the next couple of days. 0:05:11.920 --> 0:05:15.919 It Maybe you can almost get the sense that the 0:05:15.960 --> 0:05:18.839 Astros fear the Seattle Mariners more than they fear the 0:05:18.880 --> 0:05:21.400 Texas Rangers. I know that the Rangers are leading this series, 0:05:21.400 --> 0:05:24.159 I believe six to four, but the run differential, I 0:05:24.160 --> 0:05:26.440 think is at a flat line zero. They've scored as 0:05:26.440 --> 0:05:29.680 many as they've given up. Dolas Garcia is coming back. 0:05:29.880 --> 0:05:32.360 We still haven't seen Simmy and Seeger and credit to 0:05:32.400 --> 0:05:34.760 the Rangers for finding guys like Hellman and Freeman, some 0:05:34.800 --> 0:05:37.720 of these other guys. Josh Smith doing a got good 0:05:37.800 --> 0:05:41.480 job stepping in and scoring runs. They're getting timely hitting 0:05:41.560 --> 0:05:44.680 at the right time. But who's gonna stop them? Jason 0:05:44.720 --> 0:05:47.720 Alexander hasn't faced him yet. He's been very good after 0:05:47.800 --> 0:05:51.440 losses for the Astros, amazingly enough. And he's pretty predictable 0:05:51.440 --> 0:05:53.120 as far as he's gonna come at you with a 0:05:53.200 --> 0:05:55.760 two seamed fastball and a change up. He's not afraid 0:05:56.120 --> 0:05:58.000 to throw it to righty's or lefties. So it's gonna 0:05:58.000 --> 0:05:59.880 be up to the Rangers to adjust to that quickly. 0:06:00.520 --> 0:06:03.039 But like you said, once you get past that, is 0:06:03.040 --> 0:06:05.279 it going to be a bullpen day on that last day? 0:06:05.720 --> 0:06:07.839 Is it going to be a guy like aj Bluebaugh 0:06:07.839 --> 0:06:10.440 who's looked brilliant in the last maybe four or five 0:06:10.480 --> 0:06:12.560 outings coming out of the bullpen. He's gone one inning, 0:06:12.600 --> 0:06:14.799 he's got two innings, he's gotten four innings at a time. 0:06:15.480 --> 0:06:17.159 He's a guy that's kind of been lengthened out a 0:06:17.160 --> 0:06:20.120 little bit or do they piggyback, And it's really it's 0:06:20.200 --> 0:06:21.720 kind of a tough spot when you're going down the 0:06:21.760 --> 0:06:24.920 stretch trying to, you know, get back into the American 0:06:25.000 --> 0:06:28.360 League West Division lead. But they really saved up their 0:06:28.400 --> 0:06:30.680 big dogs in Hunter Brown and Frober Valdez for the 0:06:30.680 --> 0:06:33.360 Seattle Mariners. You're right, Blimmer. 0:06:33.520 --> 0:06:35.200 I mean, I know it sounds a little bit obvious, 0:06:35.200 --> 0:06:37.159 but if the Astros sweep the series, they go at 0:06:37.200 --> 0:06:39.960 five games, If the Astros get swept, they fall behind 0:06:39.960 --> 0:06:42.480 the Rangers by one game. I mean, is this let's 0:06:42.480 --> 0:06:45.160 circle this thing? I mean, what are the conversations going 0:06:45.240 --> 0:06:47.520 on in the dugout in the clubhouse. I know everyone 0:06:47.560 --> 0:06:49.720 says one game at a time, blah blah blah. This 0:06:49.760 --> 0:06:51.279 is not one game at a time, my friend. 0:06:51.360 --> 0:06:54.839 This is big. It's huge, and it's kind of crazy 0:06:54.880 --> 0:06:57.799 to think that everything comes down to this home stand 0:06:57.800 --> 0:07:00.960 for the Astros, where they've played very well. You know, 0:07:01.160 --> 0:07:04.000 the Seattle Mariners pitching rotation has been roughed up on 0:07:04.040 --> 0:07:05.760 the road. You kind of hope these trends kind of 0:07:05.760 --> 0:07:07.800 continue themselves. But I'm with you in the sense that 0:07:08.160 --> 0:07:10.240 you kind of throw everything out the window because they're 0:07:10.280 --> 0:07:13.800 five and five against the Mariners throughout the course of 0:07:13.840 --> 0:07:15.760 the season. So this goes big in a head to 0:07:15.800 --> 0:07:17.880 head matchup if they both be if they're both the 0:07:17.920 --> 0:07:21.280 three and six seeds, who's going to host that Wildcard 0:07:21.280 --> 0:07:24.400 Division series potentially? And then you have the Texas Rangers 0:07:24.400 --> 0:07:26.160 who are just trying to fight their way into this 0:07:26.200 --> 0:07:29.000 postseason and this is a huge series for them. They 0:07:29.080 --> 0:07:32.080 lead the Astros six to four overall coming into this series, 0:07:32.560 --> 0:07:34.920 but It's still amazing to me that we can play 0:07:34.960 --> 0:07:37.240 one hundred and sixty two game schedule and we're set 0:07:37.280 --> 0:07:40.280 to play game one fifty one to one fifty seven, 0:07:40.480 --> 0:07:43.200 and it's all basically going to come down this these 0:07:43.320 --> 0:07:46.240 next six games for all three of these teams to 0:07:46.280 --> 0:07:49.560 see who wins the West and who potentially becomes that wildcard, 0:07:49.880 --> 0:07:52.200 because the Astros are that third wildcard, and I think 0:07:52.200 --> 0:07:54.120 the reality is kind of set in a little bit. 0:07:54.520 --> 0:07:56.760 It will be interesting to get to the ballpark today 0:07:57.240 --> 0:07:59.240 and see the reaction of these guys and see the 0:07:59.280 --> 0:08:01.640 intensity of the pregame workout as they get ready for 0:08:01.680 --> 0:08:05.200 this series against the Rangers. But yeah, they can sit 0:08:05.240 --> 0:08:08.000 there and say, and you know, there's three of us 0:08:08.040 --> 0:08:10.880 that on this broadcast that have been in that dugout 0:08:10.920 --> 0:08:13.520 in playoff contending type situations where you say all the 0:08:13.560 --> 0:08:16.200 right things to the public, but internally, you know, you 0:08:16.240 --> 0:08:17.800 can feel that here on the back of your neck 0:08:17.880 --> 0:08:19.680 kind of jump a little bit, or you can feel 0:08:19.680 --> 0:08:22.200 that twitchiness a little bit. But I'm sure that's going 0:08:22.240 --> 0:08:24.920 on in the Astros dugout because everything is very real 0:08:24.960 --> 0:08:25.920 for the next six games. 0:08:27.680 --> 0:08:29.920 Crats, I'm gonna still aligne right from the top Here 0:08:30.360 --> 0:08:35.080 about me Undies a cut for every butt. I took 0:08:35.080 --> 0:08:37.400 a line that I feel like you would enjoy, but 0:08:37.480 --> 0:08:39.840 then you stole my thunder with show and tell. 0:08:39.920 --> 0:08:44.240 What do you have there besides a huge Baduka dunk. 0:08:45.000 --> 0:08:47.360 This is my pair of me Undies that I got. 0:08:47.600 --> 0:08:49.160 I'm not going to show you the other pair right 0:08:49.200 --> 0:08:51.439 now because I got them on, but it doesn't even 0:08:51.440 --> 0:08:55.480 feel like you have them on. Super soft, flexible and 0:08:55.600 --> 0:08:57.960 yet holding everything together. 0:08:58.520 --> 0:09:01.120 I love the twenty different styles, one hundred different colors 0:09:01.120 --> 0:09:05.400 and prints, and the micro modal fabric is what you're 0:09:05.400 --> 0:09:10.360 talking about. Breathable, stretchy, unbelievably cozy and right now, as 0:09:10.400 --> 0:09:13.199 a listener of FT, you can get cozy and spooky 0:09:13.320 --> 0:09:15.839 for less with deals up to fifty percent off at 0:09:15.840 --> 0:09:19.080 me undies dot com, slash foul and enter promo code foul. 0:09:19.360 --> 0:09:22.480 That's me undies dot Com slash foul, promo code foul 0:09:22.640 --> 0:09:26.520 for up to fifty percent off me Undie's Comfort that's 0:09:26.520 --> 0:09:27.319 made for fall. 0:09:27.920 --> 0:09:29.880 By the way, I gotta go back. So how important 0:09:29.960 --> 0:09:31.840 is it for the Astros to have home field? Because 0:09:32.080 --> 0:09:34.000 all I've heard from about the last five years is 0:09:34.200 --> 0:09:37.480 we can't hit in Houston. The batter's eye sucks and 0:09:37.600 --> 0:09:39.520 this and that. So now all of a sudden you 0:09:39.559 --> 0:09:42.440 love Houston. Like wait, I thought everyone, all the Astros 0:09:42.440 --> 0:09:43.440 guys hated playing there. 0:09:43.480 --> 0:09:44.120 Now they love it. 0:09:44.160 --> 0:09:47.760 Wait, cleared up for me, please, Blummer, I wish I could. 0:09:47.880 --> 0:09:50.240 They fixed They fixed the they fixed the batters either. 0:09:50.280 --> 0:09:53.040 They painted like that little section right, so now it's better. 0:09:53.559 --> 0:09:56.360 Yeah, they keep creeping over. Eventually that entire section is 0:09:56.360 --> 0:09:58.000 going to be green. But they keep, you know, pushing 0:09:58.000 --> 0:10:01.080 that Budweiser's signe out of the way. Yeah, they keep 0:10:01.160 --> 0:10:04.200 expanding that, trying to compete with you know, there are 0:10:05.000 --> 0:10:06.960 issues with the batter's eye. You know, the lights are 0:10:06.960 --> 0:10:10.640 a little bit lower in Dyke and Park. The sound 0:10:10.720 --> 0:10:13.280 is incredibly loud, which favors them. I think they enjoy 0:10:13.400 --> 0:10:15.560 the fan base that shows out for them a year 0:10:15.640 --> 0:10:19.360 after year after year. So there is some pleasure in 0:10:19.440 --> 0:10:21.280 playing at home knowing that you've got the fan base 0:10:21.320 --> 0:10:23.240 behind you. But there are certain things that you've got 0:10:23.280 --> 0:10:25.680 to overcome when you come into Dyke and Park. I 0:10:25.720 --> 0:10:27.680 know a lot of guys adjust by going out early, 0:10:27.760 --> 0:10:30.199 taking batting practice. But at the same time, the Astros 0:10:30.240 --> 0:10:32.800 have been very good on the road too, considering how 0:10:32.840 --> 0:10:34.720 some of the other teams have played. The Astros are 0:10:34.760 --> 0:10:37.040 actually a game or two, I believe over five hundred 0:10:37.080 --> 0:10:41.080 on the road. But in theory, playing at home is 0:10:41.120 --> 0:10:43.599 always better. But I'm not sure that you know that 0:10:44.360 --> 0:10:46.680 carries a lot of weight because I think, and this 0:10:46.800 --> 0:10:48.880 is literally just off the top of my head, because 0:10:48.920 --> 0:10:51.840 since the All Star Break, I think at home the 0:10:51.880 --> 0:10:54.760 Astros have been sub five hundred, and I think they've 0:10:54.760 --> 0:10:57.600 been outscored at home, So I'm not sure that that's 0:10:57.600 --> 0:10:59.760 a paramount idea. But at the same time, if you 0:10:59.800 --> 0:11:03.280 failish a season playing six games seven days on the road, 0:11:03.559 --> 0:11:05.320 and then you've got to travel to Seattle, play on 0:11:05.360 --> 0:11:07.160 the road, try and win that series, and then eventually 0:11:07.320 --> 0:11:09.640 end up on the road again, it kind of piles 0:11:09.720 --> 0:11:12.400 up a little bit. But I think these two teams 0:11:12.440 --> 0:11:13.839 are probably just trying to find their way into the 0:11:13.880 --> 0:11:16.680 playoffs and worry about the home field advantage later. 0:11:17.720 --> 0:11:22.439 What do you believe in the hypothetical that Escoc Paradis 0:11:22.480 --> 0:11:26.960 does return, Because if he's hitting and saying there's a 0:11:27.080 --> 0:11:30.040 chance he could play, he could DH at the end 0:11:30.040 --> 0:11:35.080 of this week Saturday Sunday, ish, he's got a DH 0:11:35.120 --> 0:11:38.160 at a slower level. Then you got to put your 0:11:38.240 --> 0:11:40.800 don and left and put out two bight back at second, 0:11:40.800 --> 0:11:42.080 which even trying to not do. 0:11:44.600 --> 0:11:47.959 Though. That's one of the craziest things because when Esac 0:11:48.040 --> 0:11:50.640 went on the injured list, everybody kind of dropped their 0:11:50.640 --> 0:11:52.960 shoulders a little bit and said, man, believe it or not, 0:11:53.000 --> 0:11:54.720 they felt like they lost one of their best hitters 0:11:54.760 --> 0:11:57.200 in the lineup. And there were plenty of game where 0:11:57.320 --> 0:12:00.280 Esoc Paradis was in the lineup, a pitcher was getting 0:12:00.320 --> 0:12:01.880 knocked out of the game and the fourth or fifth 0:12:01.920 --> 0:12:03.920 inning with one hundred pitches and you look at the 0:12:03.960 --> 0:12:06.400 line and Esock had seen literally a third of the 0:12:06.440 --> 0:12:09.640 pitches for the team. And that's what he kind of 0:12:09.679 --> 0:12:13.200 brings to this ball club, is that patience, the zone 0:12:13.200 --> 0:12:15.760 control everything that you know, these modern day hitting coaches 0:12:15.840 --> 0:12:18.440 like to hear he could pop a couple into left 0:12:18.440 --> 0:12:21.800 field through the Crawford box. I think he's perfected that 0:12:21.800 --> 0:12:24.560 that ninety eight mile an hour swing with the you know, 0:12:24.600 --> 0:12:26.600 the perfect launch angle to get at three hundred and 0:12:26.600 --> 0:12:29.640 seventy feet into the Crawford boxes. But his ability to 0:12:29.720 --> 0:12:32.520 lengthen out at bats protects guys like Altuve who can 0:12:32.559 --> 0:12:33.960 go out there and swing at the first pitch and 0:12:33.960 --> 0:12:37.000 you don't panic because Esoch just saw nine pitches. It 0:12:37.000 --> 0:12:39.040 allows Jeremy Paine, you to lead off a game and 0:12:39.080 --> 0:12:41.440 swing at the first fastball he sees because he wants 0:12:41.480 --> 0:12:44.080 to be aggressive on the heater early because you know 0:12:44.120 --> 0:12:46.959 it behind him, you're going to see Esock seeing nine pitches. 0:12:47.360 --> 0:12:49.600 So it kind of lengthen lengthens out the lineup in 0:12:49.640 --> 0:12:51.640 that sense. So he's a nice addition to lineup. But 0:12:51.640 --> 0:12:54.680 you're exactly right about what it does defensively for Joe Aspota, 0:12:54.760 --> 0:12:57.400 is it forces his hand to put you know, Jordan 0:12:57.480 --> 0:13:01.920 Alvarez out in left field at home preferle with Hunter 0:13:02.000 --> 0:13:04.319 Brown or fromber Valdez on the mound because those are 0:13:04.320 --> 0:13:05.920 heavy ground ball type pitchers. 0:13:06.480 --> 0:13:06.600 Uh. 0:13:06.840 --> 0:13:10.000 But then you have to put Josel Tuva at second base, 0:13:10.120 --> 0:13:11.840 and you've got to run the risk of you know, 0:13:11.920 --> 0:13:14.400 him being out there with a heavy ground ball percentage 0:13:14.440 --> 0:13:16.560 that guy on the mound. So you're gonna have to 0:13:16.600 --> 0:13:18.640 manipulate that line up a little bit. I know that 0:13:18.679 --> 0:13:20.320 once he gets here to Dyke and Park, you know, 0:13:20.360 --> 0:13:22.640 talking to Tony Paris Chica, who's a third base coach 0:13:22.640 --> 0:13:24.880 and infield guy. He is going to be working him 0:13:24.880 --> 0:13:26.440 out at third base, he's gonna be working him out 0:13:26.440 --> 0:13:28.160 at second base, and believe or not, he's going to 0:13:28.200 --> 0:13:31.400 be working him out at first base in certain situations. 0:13:31.400 --> 0:13:33.840 So they're trying to create the versatility. But I'm with you. 0:13:34.000 --> 0:13:36.040 I mean, that was a pretty pretty heavy strain on 0:13:36.080 --> 0:13:37.679 the hamstring, and it's a lot to ask him to 0:13:37.679 --> 0:13:38.520 go play defense. 0:13:39.360 --> 0:13:42.720 He's like the Max Muntcy of the Astros. Max comes back, 0:13:43.040 --> 0:13:45.880 they start hitting, you get That's that's a big, big piece. 0:13:45.920 --> 0:13:47.679 All right, last question for me, and I'm going to 0:13:47.760 --> 0:13:49.760 give you two options. So you can't pick the third 0:13:51.320 --> 0:13:54.400 better chance of the Astros missing the playoffs or winning 0:13:54.440 --> 0:13:54.959 the division? 0:13:56.480 --> 0:13:58.800 Oh man, you had to go top to bottom, didn't 0:13:58.880 --> 0:14:02.880 you saying that they can win it? Just this American 0:14:02.960 --> 0:14:07.480 League West? For me, having watched it all season long, 0:14:07.880 --> 0:14:11.640 does it's it's not that good. I don't think it's 0:14:11.640 --> 0:14:13.360 the best division in baseball. I don't think it's the 0:14:13.440 --> 0:14:16.679 best division in the American League. I still think it's 0:14:16.720 --> 0:14:19.760 up there for the taking. I'm a little concerned about 0:14:19.800 --> 0:14:23.240 the Seattle Mariners pitching on the road. Their numbers haven't 0:14:23.240 --> 0:14:25.400 been very good, especially in that last road trip where 0:14:25.440 --> 0:14:27.600 the Astros kind of tried to create a little separation. 0:14:28.840 --> 0:14:31.760 But I think that there's there's more likely a chance 0:14:31.760 --> 0:14:34.080 the Astros actually pull it off in and sneak in 0:14:34.240 --> 0:14:35.880 as the division winner. 0:14:36.200 --> 0:14:39.520 I'd be shocked if the Houston Astros missed the postseason. 0:14:39.560 --> 0:14:42.280 I mean, that's that just doesn't happen. Let me ask you, that. 0:14:42.400 --> 0:14:44.680 Would cause heart palpitations. To be honest with you, I'm 0:14:44.720 --> 0:14:49.080 with you. That wouldycheck. I'm getting a paycheck from him, 0:14:49.080 --> 0:14:50.800 and I've got a cheer for him. But yeah, it 0:14:50.800 --> 0:14:52.400 would cause some serious palpitations. 0:14:52.760 --> 0:14:54.520 Yeah, I agree with you, and that would just send 0:14:54.600 --> 0:14:57.200 shockwaves throughout the baseball landscape. Let me ask you one 0:14:57.280 --> 0:14:59.880 quick question again, Blummer, about Josh Hater when he's not 0:15:00.080 --> 0:15:01.800 on your team. He's the guy that seems like he's 0:15:01.840 --> 0:15:03.320 easy to hate, but I don't think we give him 0:15:03.400 --> 0:15:06.240 enough love with what he does in the community. The 0:15:06.320 --> 0:15:09.120 Roberto Clemente Award nominee, I don't know that there's an 0:15:09.160 --> 0:15:12.400 award in baseball that is more of an honor to 0:15:12.520 --> 0:15:15.160 get than the Roberto Clemente Award. He is the Houston 0:15:15.200 --> 0:15:17.920 Astros nominee. Tell me what he does in the community, 0:15:17.960 --> 0:15:19.320 what he means to this club. 0:15:20.440 --> 0:15:22.960 I think it's great that these guys actually get recognized, 0:15:23.040 --> 0:15:25.000 especially around the league, because you know, we follow our 0:15:25.040 --> 0:15:28.000 team specifically and we have an idea of what's going on. 0:15:28.040 --> 0:15:30.280 But for them to get recognized nationally through Major League 0:15:30.320 --> 0:15:33.640 Baseball with this great award in honor for Roberto Clementia 0:15:33.680 --> 0:15:35.400 and all of the charity and efforts that he put 0:15:35.440 --> 0:15:37.440 into it, I think it's great that these guys get 0:15:37.440 --> 0:15:41.160 the notoriety and Josh Hater, you know, it's I didn't 0:15:41.200 --> 0:15:43.240 find out what he was doing in San Diego and 0:15:43.280 --> 0:15:44.960 some of the other teams he was with until he 0:15:45.000 --> 0:15:47.440 became an Astro and started doing it in the community 0:15:47.440 --> 0:15:50.400 here with the with the Astros, he's got a great 0:15:50.520 --> 0:15:54.880 firm foundation on with his feet on the ground in 0:15:54.920 --> 0:15:57.920 the community. And I think as soon as he signed 0:15:57.920 --> 0:16:00.720 that contract, he started a foundation here has been working 0:16:01.000 --> 0:16:04.120 with I believe it's Covenant House, doing a great job 0:16:04.200 --> 0:16:09.000 helping out families and underprivileged kids. And you know, uh, 0:16:09.040 --> 0:16:10.800 some of the some of the abuse that goes on 0:16:11.040 --> 0:16:13.280 in some of these families, and he's protecting these kids. 0:16:13.280 --> 0:16:16.440 He's protecting these families he has done phenomenal work. And 0:16:16.480 --> 0:16:18.680 throughout the course of the season when he was playing, 0:16:18.760 --> 0:16:21.400 he was having you know, galas wine dinners. He was 0:16:21.640 --> 0:16:25.120 recruiting people and funding and doing a lot of things 0:16:25.120 --> 0:16:27.440 behind the scenes. And now since he's been on the 0:16:27.480 --> 0:16:29.640 injured list, it he hasn't hesitated a bit. He's actually 0:16:29.640 --> 0:16:32.080 probably continued to work a little bit harder behind the scenes. 0:16:32.080 --> 0:16:34.480 But he's a phenomenal dude. If you get a chance 0:16:34.520 --> 0:16:36.040 to know Josh Hater, get a chance to know him 0:16:36.080 --> 0:16:38.280 because he assaulted the Earth and he's got an electric 0:16:38.360 --> 0:16:40.400 left arm. 0:16:40.920 --> 0:16:42.920 Wellummer, before you go, There's two things I gotta say. 0:16:42.920 --> 0:16:45.480 One, the Astros will make the playoffs because we Fox 0:16:45.520 --> 0:16:47.480 has the American League and there would not be a 0:16:47.480 --> 0:16:49.880 playoffs without me doing. The Astros in the DS. So 0:16:50.440 --> 0:16:52.320 I will be in Houston one way or the other. 0:16:52.640 --> 0:16:55.160 They'll be in the They'll be in the Alds. Just 0:16:55.240 --> 0:16:57.920 it's just how it works. It's like it's inevitable. It's 0:16:57.960 --> 0:16:59.840 like one of those things that just happened. Even in 0:17:00.160 --> 0:17:03.640 the one year during COVID the Braves and the Marlin's 0:17:03.680 --> 0:17:04.439 played in Houston. 0:17:04.480 --> 0:17:05.840 I'm like, we have the National League. 0:17:05.880 --> 0:17:08.320 I'm still going to Houston. So I'll be in Houston. 0:17:08.359 --> 0:17:10.280 Don't worry, They'll be there. Maybe you'll come say hi. 0:17:10.680 --> 0:17:13.560 Probably not, because you never come around when the Astros 0:17:13.560 --> 0:17:14.040 are in town. 0:17:14.080 --> 0:17:16.399 I get at your time off. But before I'll let 0:17:16.480 --> 0:17:18.199 you go, I got you. I know. 0:17:18.320 --> 0:17:20.399 Yeah, I know you have the h Town sure, and 0:17:20.440 --> 0:17:22.800 you're paid by the Astros. But is there even like 0:17:22.840 --> 0:17:24.680 a little bit of love for the White Sox in 0:17:24.720 --> 0:17:26.639 your heart? I mean, it is the one team you 0:17:26.680 --> 0:17:29.320 did win with, and you did hit a big home 0:17:29.359 --> 0:17:33.200 run against the Astros in minute made the one swing 0:17:33.240 --> 0:17:34.800 you got was that one home run? 0:17:36.040 --> 0:17:38.119 Dude, you know as well as I do. Did I 0:17:38.200 --> 0:17:41.119 have a certain loyalty, and granted it, it may have 0:17:41.160 --> 0:17:43.360 a little bit to do with the paycheck. I spent 0:17:43.440 --> 0:17:46.399 a majority of my career with the Houston Astros, and 0:17:46.520 --> 0:17:48.199 what a lot of Astro fans don't know is that 0:17:48.200 --> 0:17:50.240 that home run with the White Sox was payback for 0:17:50.320 --> 0:17:53.119 trading me to Tampa Bay and maybe you put up 0:17:53.160 --> 0:17:57.680