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Speaker 1: What's up? Everybody. Welcome into another edition of Crush City Territory.

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Speaker 1: My name is Chandler Rome along with Tyler Stafford and Tyler.

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Speaker 1: Our long national nightmare is almost over, and by that

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Speaker 1: I mean the Texas A and M baseball season is

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Speaker 1: what is going on with the fight in Texas? Aggi's

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Speaker 1: and whoever replaced Jim Schlasnigel.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, it's been a rough start to the year. This

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Speaker 2: was the first year. I mean as I don't know

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Speaker 2: about you, but after covering A and M sports for

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Speaker 2: a while, I really didn't watch it for a bit

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Speaker 2: because it was just kind of weird to care about it.

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Speaker 2: And I'm finally far enough from moved that I'm back

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Speaker 2: to letting twenty year old children affect me emotionally depending

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Speaker 2: on how they perform in sports. And I was so

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Speaker 2: hyped for this year preseason number one, you know, runner

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Speaker 2: up in the College World Series last year. Everybody's returning.

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Speaker 2: They got you know, like a double A squad. Basically,

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Speaker 2: they got all these first round picks, and from the

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Speaker 2: first inning of the first game, they've been terrible. And

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Speaker 2: for some reason, I've decided to watch all of these

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Speaker 2: games and it's ruining my life, So thank you for

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Speaker 2: bringing up on my Astros show as well.

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Speaker 1: This is instructive for baseball fans everywhere. If you run

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Speaker 1: a payroll that is comparable to Miami Marlins, you will

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Speaker 1: play like like the Miami Marlins. And that is what

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Speaker 1: the Texas A and m Maggie's are doing. They're gonna

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Speaker 1: have to sedate some of these oil dudes that are

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Speaker 1: paying whoever, Gavin Grohovic is fifty million dollars to not

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Speaker 1: do anything. He's good.

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Speaker 2: That's the scary part is that I sent you last night,

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Speaker 2: just an embarrassing way to just get thrown out at

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Speaker 2: second to end a game against Vanderbilt. He's one of

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Speaker 2: the better players on an m He's not even a

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Speaker 2: bad one. And that's that's what we're dealing with this year.

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Speaker 2: So I appreciate it. Thanks for bringing it up. Anything

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Speaker 2: else you want to talk about that's gonna depress me.

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Speaker 1: They still have Jeff Kent's kid or did he go

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Speaker 1: get money somewhere else?

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Speaker 2: Uh? He's there. He's not great, he plays every once

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Speaker 2: in a while. But they do have a guy who

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Speaker 2: Hayden Shot, who I assume is thirty five years old

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Speaker 2: by the looks of him. And he's played the whole

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Speaker 2: season with a gigantic knee brace on like a you know,

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Speaker 2: the JJ Watt elbow pad basically, but on his knee,

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Speaker 2: and he I don't know why he gets to play

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Speaker 2: all the time. He can't. I mean, he has to

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Speaker 2: like be helped to first base every time he accidentally

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Speaker 2: makes contact. But yeah, that's what I'm watching. So I need,

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Speaker 2: I need the Astros to come back because I gotta,

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Speaker 2: I gotta get out of this.

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Speaker 1: This is rough. Yeah, none of you tuned into this

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Speaker 1: listen to us talk about bad college baseball, so we

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Speaker 1: will talk about meaningless professional baseball. Our actual long national

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Speaker 1: nightmare is nearly over. The Astros have two Greape Fruit

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Speaker 1: League games remaining as we record this. They will play

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Speaker 1: the Sugarlands Space Cowboys two times next week at Dyke

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Speaker 1: And Park, and then the New York Mets and Clay

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Speaker 1: Holmes and Lon Soto come to town for Opening Day

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Speaker 1: on Thursday. So we're gonna we're gonna fast forward a

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Speaker 1: little bit here. Well, we're gonna talk about some takeaways

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Speaker 1: that we have gotten from spring training, because look, I

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Speaker 1: don't think we will see anything instructive in the next

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Speaker 1: four games on Sunday. There is a league wide mandate.

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Speaker 1: It is unspoken, but the last grape Fruit League or

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Speaker 1: Cactus League game a team plays, everyone swings at the

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Speaker 1: first pitch because everyone wants to get out of here.

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Speaker 1: There is nothing we can glean from these next couple

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Speaker 1: of games unless someone gets hurt or unless just something

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Speaker 1: the catastrophic happens on the field.

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Speaker 2: Who knows, but the Jose L. Twove Memorial Spring Training game.

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Speaker 1: Everyone will be just like al two. You like, you

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Speaker 1: have seen the Astros play the exact game they're going

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Speaker 1: to play Sunday like one hundred times last year, because

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Speaker 1: they're gonna swing at everything and it will be uh,

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Speaker 1: it will be over very quickly.

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Speaker 2: It's just Yiner Dubon al Tove get to take every

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Speaker 2: at bad. Just just let them go for it.

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Speaker 1: And I'm all for it because I have a flight

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Speaker 1: back to Houston at four forty five in the afternoon

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Speaker 1: that I need to be on and so I would

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Speaker 1: enjoy if the first pitch swinging happens one through nine

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Speaker 1: throughout the lineup all game. So we will get that.

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Speaker 1: So up until this point, obviously, Tyler, the conversation has

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Speaker 1: been jose Al two Van, and camp Smith, and we're

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Speaker 1: going to get to those guys. Please don't misunderstand me.

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Speaker 1: We were going to talk about Cam Smith. I know

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Speaker 1: that there is this there has become this narrative. I

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Speaker 1: don't know who's starting it, but there's become this narrative

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Speaker 1: that I am not a fan of Cam Smith. Don't worry,

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Speaker 1: I am a Cam Smith fan. Nice being. You know

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Speaker 1: who's a big Camp Smith fan is Mauricio Dubon and

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Speaker 1: we will talk about what he had to say about

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Speaker 1: cam Smith a little bit later in the show. But

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Speaker 1: let's start with someone that I think is going to

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Speaker 1: be a lot more maybe integral to this team's success

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Speaker 1: from day one, than Cam Smith, and someone that is

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Speaker 1: having just as good of a spring as Cam Smith.

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Speaker 1: Everyone remembers when we had Joe Aspata on this podcast

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Speaker 1: or before spring training started, Jeremy Pania was his pick

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Speaker 1: to click. He came on this show and said that

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Speaker 1: both in the clubhouse and on the field, Jeremy Pania

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Speaker 1: was his pick to click. Jeremy Pania has responded by

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Speaker 1: going seventeen for thirty seven in Great Fruit League play

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Speaker 1: with four home runs and ten RBIs like We've said,

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Speaker 1: don't put a ton of stock in the spring training stats,

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Speaker 1: but I think with Paynya, it is more instructive because

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Speaker 1: of how he's hitting the ball. He's elevating the ball more.

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Speaker 1: You're seeing a lot more line drives, you're seeing home runs,

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Speaker 1: you're seeing balls defense. These are good signs from Paanya,

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Speaker 1: who came into camp last year with that retold swing.

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Speaker 1: Everybody remembers he he quieted the stance down, he stopped

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Speaker 1: wiggling his bat, and that was something that maybe took

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Speaker 1: him a little time to get used to. Tyler, he

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Speaker 1: has come into camp, he has looked every bit the

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Speaker 1: part of a guy that could be the pick to

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Speaker 1: click and the guy that really raises the floor of

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Speaker 1: this Astros lineup.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, he looked awesome, Like like we said, I mean,

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Speaker 2: the dude's got thighs for biceps. It's very annoying that

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Speaker 2: he doesn't hit more five hundred foot home runs. And yeah,

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Speaker 2: he's just looked. He's looked so good this spring, and uh,

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Speaker 2: you know, you just hope that that can carry over.

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Speaker 2: But I don't. I don't see why, you know, why

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Speaker 2: you would expect it wouldn't. Right, It's not like he's

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Speaker 2: just tagging, you know, double a guys. He's he's been

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Speaker 2: doing it consistently throughout the spring. I just I just

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Speaker 2: pulled it up. So he's got thirty seven at bats?

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Speaker 2: How many strikeouts?

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Speaker 1: I guess I'm gonna guess he's a thirty seven at batch.

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Speaker 1: You said, m hmm, I'm gonna guess seven. Three. Oh wow,

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Speaker 1: that's pretty good.

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Speaker 2: How many walks?

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Speaker 1: Uh, I'm gonna go seven again? Zero?

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Speaker 2: The man is just putting the ball in play. We're

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Speaker 2: going back to eighties baseball, which I am. I'm here for. Uh. Yeah,

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Speaker 2: he's looked, he's look great. It's it's been really fun

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Speaker 2: to watch four home runs. I mean, he's he's tagging

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Speaker 2: the ball right now.

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Speaker 1: Something about him that maybe goes a little bit we

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Speaker 1: don't We don't talk about it enough. As his speed,

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Speaker 1: right he is the fastest guy on this team by

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Speaker 1: measuring by sprint speed. He's the fastest guy on this team.

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Speaker 1: And while we have both discussed how he should have

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Speaker 1: more power because of how jack he is, and we

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Speaker 1: have seen the home run power this spring, you know,

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Speaker 1: I think what could help this lineup, frankly, is just

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Speaker 1: him finding a way to get on base more like,

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Speaker 1: whether that is hitting doubles, whether that's just putting the

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Speaker 1: ball in play and hitting the ball on a line.

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Speaker 1: This is a guy that at a three toho eight

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Speaker 1: on base percentage last year. He had a two eighty

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Speaker 1: nine on base percentage as a rookie his career on

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Speaker 1: bas is three oh seven. If he gets set up

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Speaker 1: just like twenty points, like fifteen to twenty points like

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Speaker 1: three twenty three, thirty like, you have a guy that

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Speaker 1: can reak havoc on the bass pass because of how

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Speaker 1: fast he is. We do know that there is a

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Speaker 1: bet between him and first base coach Dave Clark to

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Speaker 1: see if he can steal fifty bags this year. I

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Speaker 1: think if I think, if he does steal fifty bags,

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Speaker 1: Dave Clark has to buy him a car. I think

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Speaker 1: Dave Clark is okay. I don't think he's gonna happen.

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Speaker 2: They'll build a statue for him if he steals fifty

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Speaker 2: bags this year. That would be insane.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I don't think that's gonna happen, But I do

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Speaker 1: think it would help this lone because Tyler so often

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Speaker 1: last year when we looked at this lineup, it was

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Speaker 1: so stationed station like it took three hits to score

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Speaker 1: one run because the guys that had the highest on

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Speaker 1: base percentage were not the guys that were going to

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Speaker 1: be running. Like Jordan was not going to steal a

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Speaker 1: bunch of bags. Alex Bregman was not going to steal

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Speaker 1: a bunch of bags. Even if his on base percentage

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Speaker 1: was down last year. The guys that got on base

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Speaker 1: were not the guys that you wanted running. So if

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Speaker 1: they can just get him on base more to change

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Speaker 1: the dynamic of this line up, because look, I know

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Speaker 1: in their heart of hearts they want this lineup to

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Speaker 1: be more dynamic. They want to use their speed, the

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Speaker 1: little team speed they do have. They want to showcase it.

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Speaker 1: They want to put pressure on the opposing pitcher, of

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Speaker 1: pressure on the catcher because last year this lineup got

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Speaker 1: way too it was way too homer prone. Well, I

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Speaker 1: guess reliant on home runs, I should say, to score runs.

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Speaker 1: And this was not an offense that you would ever say,

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Speaker 1: was you know, athletic or dynamic or put any pressure

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Speaker 1: on guys unless they were hitting the Battle of the ballpark.

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Speaker 1: I think Jeremy Panya getting on Basemore can that yeah.

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Speaker 2: To be fair. He's on pace for zero walks, so

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Speaker 2: to get the OBP to three thirty, he's gonna have

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Speaker 2: to hit three thirty. So that's that's gonna be uh

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Speaker 2: an impediment to that. Plus he's he's hitting for too

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Speaker 2: much power. He's giving me on second base or at home,

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Speaker 2: too much to steal fifty bags. He's gonna have to

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Speaker 2: start uh ripping a few more singles so he can

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Speaker 2: then get his car. But I think they'll be okay

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Speaker 2: if he just has forty doubles instead.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I think I think that'll manage. Do you think

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Speaker 1: anyone's gonna hit sixty home runs on this team?

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Speaker 3: No?

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Speaker 1: Mauricio Dubon seems to think that Cam Smith could be

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Speaker 1: could be that guy. We're gonna talk about Newby.

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Speaker 2: You can hop on the hype train with me.

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Speaker 1: We're going to talk about Mauricio Dubon's wild quote and

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Speaker 1: more about Cam Smith. Right after a message from our

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Speaker 1: friends at Foul Territory.

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Speaker 4: FT FAM, I hope you have as much confidence as

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Speaker 4: Penelope right now, who is an avid Spot and Tango fan. Okay,

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Speaker 4: and she uses the code foul crats because this is

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Speaker 4: a personalized dog food subscription service that prevents you, of

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Speaker 4: course from going to the store to pick up the food,

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Speaker 4: and she just gets the highest quality unkibble. That is

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Speaker 4: what they're known for. And I know you love the

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Speaker 4: quiz part of it too.

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Speaker 3: It's a super quick quiz, but it lets you give

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Speaker 3: them the information and they tailor it to what is

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Speaker 4: That's spotan tango dot com slash foul. It's spotan tango dot.

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Speaker 1: Com flat foul quote foul. If you don't watch us

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Speaker 1: on YouTube, you need to go. You need to go

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Speaker 1: on YouTube just to watch that ad see Penelope wearing

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Speaker 1: an oversized foul territory T shirt like that that is

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Speaker 1: worth going to our YouTube going to Like, I can

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Speaker 1: tell you the timestamp. The time stamp is like eleven

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Speaker 1: fifty to flash forward to eleven fifty, so you can

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Speaker 1: sell I'm a little thrown off by what we just saw,

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Speaker 1: but cam Smith will get us back on track, as

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Speaker 1: he has this whole spring dogs. Speaking of dogs, cam

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Speaker 1: Smith certified dog. He is still the talk of spring training. Obviously,

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Speaker 1: he probably had his worst game of spring yesterday against

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Speaker 1: the Cardinals, struck out twice against Sonny Gray, who has

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Speaker 1: a fourteen ERA in spring. But I will say this

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Speaker 1: looked really good in right field. He made a couple

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Speaker 1: of plays, one in the first inning where he had

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Speaker 1: to run along that there's a short of territory wall

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Speaker 1: in Jupiter. He had to run along that wall with

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Speaker 1: the win playing tricks on him, caught it on a line,

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Speaker 1: you know, athletic play head, he play with with how

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Speaker 1: he approached that, ran down a ball in the gap.

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Speaker 1: Still don't think he's quite like playing in a major

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Speaker 1: league game in right field, but he's getting there. So

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Speaker 1: as part of cam Smith Mania, I decided this week

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Speaker 1: to kind of go around the Astros clubhouse and talk

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Speaker 1: to everybody but cam Smith about cam Smith, just to

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Speaker 1: see what they what. The veterans in this clubhouse who

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Speaker 1: have seen a ton of prospects, a ton of top

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Speaker 1: prospects come in and out. They've seen a ton of

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Speaker 1: NRIs come and set the world on fire in spring training,

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Speaker 1: and I kind of wanted to know what they have

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Speaker 1: thought made cam Smith different. And I thought the story

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Speaker 1: had a lot of interesting insights. You know, Omar Lopez

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Speaker 1: compared him to Carlos Korea in the way that Carlos

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Speaker 1: had his work ethic. Christian Walker had some really interesting

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Speaker 1: things to say about what he's seen from him in

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Speaker 1: the clubhouse, his makeup, kind of how he's hands all

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Speaker 1: this attention. But everyone is focusing on Mauricio Dubond's quote,

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Speaker 1: which I have pulled up for everyone that is watching

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Speaker 1: on YouTube. I will read it verbatim. You can quote

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Speaker 1: me on this when he figures it out, when he

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Speaker 1: has an idea of what they're going to do to

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Speaker 1: him in the big leagues. I think he's going to

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Speaker 1: be the next sixty homer guy. Yes, he said sixty homers.

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Speaker 1: Thanks for the clicks, Mauricio, I appreciate it.

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Speaker 2: I love any quote that starts with you can quote

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Speaker 2: me on this.

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Speaker 1: I had to put that in there because I knew

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Speaker 1: everyone would accuse me of taking it out of context

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Speaker 1: or you know, you didn't You didn't hear him right,

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Speaker 1: or there's no way he said that. Yes, So that's

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Speaker 1: that is the sole reason I left that in there.

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Speaker 2: But who's reading these and is mad at an Astros

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Speaker 2: player saying an Astros prospect is going to hit sixty homer?

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Speaker 2: You're just talking about the press box.

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Speaker 1: No, I'm talking about Cubs fans. I'm talking about rain yours, don't.

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Speaker 1: I don't know. It got around and I got a

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Speaker 1: lot of very nasty responses to what was Otherwise, I

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Speaker 1: think a pretty interesting look at Cam Smith and how

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Speaker 1: he has done off the field, because we can sit

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Speaker 1: here and talk about, Look, he's not gonna hit sixty

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Speaker 1: homers in the big leagues. I'd be floored if that happens.

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Speaker 2: And but Cam Smith hater Chandler wrong.

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Speaker 1: But what is what has maybe been more impressive to

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Speaker 1: people in the Astros organization this spring has been the

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Speaker 1: guy's makeup and has been what he has done off

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Speaker 1: the field, how he has come into that clubhouse and

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Speaker 1: just been really seamless, and how he's transitioned in there.

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Speaker 1: Omar Lopez, the bench coach, said that he's at the

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Speaker 1: facility every day at six am. Cam Smith is right

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Speaker 1: behind him at six fifteen and is in the gym

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Speaker 1: getting his prep work done. He's he's now balancing two positions,

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Speaker 1: working with the infielders and the outfielders. There's a lot

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Speaker 1: on his plate. He's getting a lot more media attention,

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Speaker 1: he's getting a lot more requests for interviews. And the

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Speaker 1: way he's handling it, Tyler, like the veterans are really impressed.

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Speaker 1: And look, I know makeup is a very cliched thing

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Speaker 1: because we don't want to you know, it's something not

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Speaker 1: something we can quantify, right, we can't quantify, Oh, this

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Speaker 1: guy is good makeup, so it's going to translate into

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Speaker 1: this or this guy. We can't put a number on it.

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Speaker 1: But I'm telling you, in the Astros clubhouse, it matters

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Speaker 1: because of the culture they have, they have created in there,

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Speaker 1: and they don't just welcome anyone in there, like you've

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Speaker 1: got to show them that you're a team first guy,

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Speaker 1: that you're a guy that's going to be easy to

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Speaker 1: relate to, easy to talk to. And Cam Smith is

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Speaker 1: passed with flying colors in the clubhouse. We've seen what

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Speaker 1: he's done on the field, Tyler. He's done everything I

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Speaker 1: think he needs to to be have a legitimate shot

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Speaker 1: at cracking this roster.

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Speaker 2: Crazy, I mean, what what an insane story to I mean, again,

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Speaker 2: whatever happens happens. But you can't be more excited than

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Speaker 2: watching Cam Smith right now. I mean, he is so

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Speaker 2: fun to watch, He's so fun to talk about, to

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Speaker 2: hear quotes from other players. I mean, one, it's cool

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Speaker 2: that we have this podcast and we can talk about

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Speaker 2: Cam Smith, and then your job is you can just

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Speaker 2: go inside the clubhouse and ask other players about camp Smith.

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Speaker 2: That makes us a lot more interesting, I think than

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Speaker 2: it's just kind of reading box scores. But I mean, look,

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Speaker 2: baseball players know right like they can feel it when

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Speaker 2: a guy is capital letters a guy, and I mean

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Speaker 2: everything about camp Smith is just screaming. This is a guy.

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Speaker 2: And man, I cannot wait to see him playing in

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Speaker 2: Houston whenever that is, whether it's opening day, whether it's

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Speaker 2: the second day of the season, maybe even the third

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Speaker 2: day of the season at worst, I'm excited to watch

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Speaker 2: him play.

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Speaker 1: All right, So let's let's talk about that. When is

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Speaker 1: when are you going to get to watch him play

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Speaker 1: in Houston? As of this recording, I do not believe

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Speaker 1: any final decisions have been made on the Astros roster,

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Speaker 1: and I don't I honestly cannot tell you right now

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Speaker 1: where they are leaning one way or the other. The

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Speaker 1: fact that Cam Smith is still in Major league camp,

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Speaker 1: the fact that they keep playing him in right field

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Speaker 1: to try to see what he looks out there like

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Speaker 1: that is evidence enough that he is very much in

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Speaker 1: the mix to make this team. However, they have to

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Speaker 1: consider a lot of different things here. First and foremost,

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Speaker 1: Zach Dezenzo is playing just as well as Cam Smith.

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Speaker 1: He is seventeen for forty one in Great Fruit League play,

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Speaker 1: which if Cam Smith didn't exist, we would be talking

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Speaker 1: about Zach Dezenzo as the breakout are of this this camp.

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Speaker 1: Just like Cam Smith, They're playing Zach Dezenzo a lot

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Speaker 1: in the corner outfields. Zach Dezenzo has been in the

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Speaker 1: big leagues already. He has experienced failure in the big

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Speaker 1: leagues already. Not a ton, but I mean he came

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Speaker 1: up last year and didn't look overmatched, but certainly didn't

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Speaker 1: get the results that I think the Ashers were hoping.

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Speaker 1: So he's been through that already. And the fact that

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Speaker 1: he was getting outfield reps last season with the Big

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Speaker 1: League team. He never played in a major league game

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Speaker 1: in the outfield, but was working in the outfield. Went

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Speaker 1: to Puerto Rico this winter and played primarily in the outfield.

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Speaker 1: Came to spring training and was training primarily with the outfielders.

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Speaker 1: He is more advanced playing right field in any situation

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Speaker 1: than Cam Smith. They just started camp Smith out there

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Speaker 1: two weeks ago. I asked Joe a spot a point

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Speaker 1: blank yesterday whether he thinks Cam Smith can play right

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Speaker 1: field in the major league game right now, and he

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Speaker 1: basically said, ask me later. So I think, and this

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Speaker 1: is what I think. This is not some reporting, This

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Speaker 1: is just my gut. My gut tells me that they

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Speaker 1: want cam Smith to go to the minor leagues and

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Speaker 1: play right field every day for however long it takes

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Speaker 1: for them to feel comfortable. Whether it's a month, whether

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Speaker 1: it's two months, whether it's two weeks, I don't know

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Speaker 1: what that timeline is. I think if cam Smith had

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Speaker 1: come into camp from day one and been a right fielder,

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Speaker 1: I think we're having a completely different conversation. But I

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Speaker 1: think it's a tough ask Tyler to ask this kid

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Speaker 1: to go face the best pitching you've ever seen in

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Speaker 1: your life and grateful league does not count. Go face

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Speaker 1: the best pitching you've ever seen in your life. Also,

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Speaker 1: go play a position that you have never played before

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Speaker 1: aside from these couple of spring training games. Oh and

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Speaker 1: by the way, you have a left fielder that is

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Speaker 1: still learning the position, and all eyes are going to

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00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:08,240
Speaker 1: be on you every time you come up to the plate,

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Speaker 1: every time a ball is hit to you. We just

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Speaker 1: talked about how great the Ashers think his makeup is.

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Speaker 1: I think they do run the risk a little bit

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Speaker 1: of if they carry him on opening Day and he goes,

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Speaker 1: you know, two for thirty, just like Alex Bregman did

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Speaker 1: to start his big league career, they run the risk

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Speaker 1: of maybe cratering his confidence a little bit. And I

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Speaker 1: don't know if they want to do that. So where

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Speaker 1: do you stand, Tyler on this whole conundrum, Because you know,

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Speaker 1: I think camp Smith sails onto this roster if it

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Speaker 1: wasn't for Zach Dezenzo playing well, and if it wasn't

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Speaker 1: for them switching him to right field so late in camp.

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Speaker 2: I mean, I want to see him play right Like

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Speaker 2: to me, I would rather look. Everyone understands that failure

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Speaker 2: is going to come in the You know, I don't

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Speaker 2: think at this point anyone is going to come up

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Speaker 2: to the big leagues and struggle and people give up,

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Speaker 2: you know, I mean, especially considering what happened, uh to

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Speaker 2: the guy that vacated right field, right, like Kyle Tucker

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Speaker 2: had two and a half years of really struggling, and

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Speaker 2: no one's ever going to talk about that because he's

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Speaker 2: Kyle Tucker now, right, And so if you've got the talent,

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Speaker 2: it's gonna come through eventually. I get it, you know,

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Speaker 2: if if I have to pivot from the camp Smith

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Speaker 2: hype train and then you know, go on and all

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Speaker 2: my fellow desinerates, well for zachtizens that you like that one,

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Speaker 2: thank you that was that was off the off the

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Speaker 2: dome just now. I thought that was pretty good.

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Speaker 1: That's good.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I I get It's so funny that the reason

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Speaker 2: that he's probably not gonna play is Josel Tuve is

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Speaker 2: a left fielder now, which is not an issue that

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Speaker 2: I anticipated running into. And it's also just hilarious that

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Speaker 2: the Ashers have too many outfielders after the panicking so

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Speaker 2: much about what they're gonna do. But I get it.

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Speaker 2: I'm not gonna like throw a fit if if he

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Speaker 2: has to go hit six hundred in sugar Land for

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Speaker 2: two weeks to prove to everybody that he's gonna be now,

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Speaker 2: I mean, he's gonna be up eventually, you know, like

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Speaker 2: he has the talent, would I mean, which is crazy

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Speaker 2: that you can just tell already, you know, like he's

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Speaker 2: just he's good man, and uh, I want him to

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Speaker 2: be up. I get why they won't. I get why

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Speaker 2: they don't have to. I guess there is a better

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Speaker 2: way of putting it. They could. I mean, it's not

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Speaker 2: gonna like Crater the team either way, but they're not

432
00:23:59,600 --> 00:24:03,480
Speaker 2: in a position where they have to bring up their

433
00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:07,600
Speaker 2: top prospect and throw them into a weird situation. And

434
00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:11,720
Speaker 2: so I just I don't think they will. But man,

435
00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:13,920
Speaker 2: would I love to see it. That would be That

436
00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:14,879
Speaker 2: would be a lot of fun.

437
00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:20,560
Speaker 1: And you know, I think I mentioned the way to

438
00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:23,640
Speaker 1: prep player development works like player development is not linear.

439
00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:27,240
Speaker 1: Like Alex Bregman came up and he was the most

440
00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:29,919
Speaker 1: can't miss of Camp Miss prospects when he came up

441
00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:33,000
Speaker 1: to the Astros, and very infamously, he started his career

442
00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:36,600
Speaker 1: two for forty and aj Hinch moved him up in

443
00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:39,160
Speaker 1: the batting order amid that. I don't know if people

444
00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:42,440
Speaker 1: remember that, Like they knew this kid was just different.

445
00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:45,480
Speaker 1: They knew Alex Bregman was different mentally and how he

446
00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:48,200
Speaker 1: approached the game, things like that. Maybe they think cam

447
00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:51,359
Speaker 1: Smith is like that. Maybe they think cam Smith would

448
00:24:51,520 --> 00:24:55,000
Speaker 1: be fine with failing a little bit. He would handle

449
00:24:55,040 --> 00:24:57,840
Speaker 1: it and stride, take it in stride. The Astras certainly

450
00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:02,120
Speaker 1: have enough around him that if cam Smith comes up

451
00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:05,479
Speaker 1: and does struggle, like, he's not going to be the

452
00:25:05,480 --> 00:25:07,960
Speaker 1: sole reason, you know, the team loses a game or

453
00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:11,000
Speaker 1: like like things, if things go south, like, there's enough

454
00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:13,160
Speaker 1: around him that he doesn't have to carry the team

455
00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:16,080
Speaker 1: be an aircraft carrier, as Dana Brown says, he doesn't

456
00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:20,199
Speaker 1: have to be that yet. But I think you have

457
00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:22,400
Speaker 1: to remember, this kid's twenty two years old. He's taken

458
00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:25,439
Speaker 1: one hundred and thirty four professional plate appearances, like it

459
00:25:25,520 --> 00:25:29,520
Speaker 1: is probably best for his development if he goes and

460
00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:32,639
Speaker 1: learns a position, like if they want him to be

461
00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:35,560
Speaker 1: the right fielder of the future, because like, let's also

462
00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:38,879
Speaker 1: remember eastak Paratus is here for three years, Christian Walker

463
00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:41,240
Speaker 1: is here for three years. Like the corner spots on

464
00:25:41,280 --> 00:25:44,040
Speaker 1: the infield are locked up for the next three years.

465
00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:47,200
Speaker 1: We have definitely figured out that Cam Smith is going

466
00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:49,760
Speaker 1: to be an everyday player for this team. Well before

467
00:25:50,040 --> 00:25:52,480
Speaker 1: these those three years are up, he's probably gonna have

468
00:25:52,520 --> 00:25:55,800
Speaker 1: to play right field. So I think it's probably better

469
00:25:55,840 --> 00:25:58,679
Speaker 1: for his long term future to send him to Double IT.

470
00:25:58,760 --> 00:26:01,520
Speaker 1: I honestly think you should go to dub where the

471
00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:05,240
Speaker 1: pitching is better. The pitching and the competition overall is

472
00:26:05,280 --> 00:26:07,880
Speaker 1: better in Double A. If he goes to the PCL,

473
00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:10,080
Speaker 1: where like everyone hits six hundred, he may hit eight

474
00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:13,120
Speaker 1: hundred in the PCL because the pitching's not great and

475
00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:15,840
Speaker 1: every ballpark that you go to is in elevation and

476
00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:19,760
Speaker 1: the ball just it's a launching pad there. So it's

477
00:26:19,880 --> 00:26:23,359
Speaker 1: probably best for his development to go play right field

478
00:26:23,359 --> 00:26:26,480
Speaker 1: every day for the Corpus. Christy hooks for however long

479
00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:30,199
Speaker 1: it takes for either you know him, to force the

480
00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:35,320
Speaker 1: team's hand or for someone to play themselves off of

481
00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:37,480
Speaker 1: the major league roster. And I think that's where we

482
00:26:37,560 --> 00:26:43,159
Speaker 1: start to talk about Chas McCormick, who, in contrast to

483
00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:47,359
Speaker 1: Cam Smith and Zach Decenzo, has had an awful spring training.

484
00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:50,960
Speaker 1: He has not been good. He did homer yesterday off

485
00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:54,280
Speaker 1: of Sunny Gray just destroyed a middle middle change up

486
00:26:54,760 --> 00:26:56,760
Speaker 1: for a for a three run home run to his

487
00:26:56,800 --> 00:26:58,800
Speaker 1: pull side, which is a good sign when Chas is

488
00:26:58,800 --> 00:27:01,520
Speaker 1: pulling the ball. But I mean, he's five for thirty

489
00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:04,240
Speaker 1: one in Great Fruit League play. He has taken eleven walks,

490
00:27:04,359 --> 00:27:08,280
Speaker 1: so maybe he can donate some walks to Pena. They

491
00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:11,080
Speaker 1: like his pitch selection, they like that he's you know,

492
00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:13,800
Speaker 1: getting on base. But Joe Spotta said yesterday like he

493
00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:16,200
Speaker 1: needs to see some damage being done, and obviously Chaz

494
00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:20,119
Speaker 1: did that yesterday homering off Sonny Gray. But Tyler, I

495
00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:24,280
Speaker 1: think this spring is underscored not just by Cam Smith's

496
00:27:24,359 --> 00:27:28,680
Speaker 1: you know, ascension, but also Zach Decenzo's that Chas McCormick's

497
00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:29,280
Speaker 1: on the clock here.

498
00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:34,159
Speaker 2: Yeah, and we talked about this the other day, but

499
00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:40,880
Speaker 2: I truly believe Chas McCormick is victim to having too

500
00:27:41,040 --> 00:27:44,679
Speaker 2: cool of a thing for fans to do relative to

501
00:27:44,760 --> 00:27:51,480
Speaker 2: his own talent. The Chaz chump is like so cool

502
00:27:51,720 --> 00:27:55,560
Speaker 2: that it really should be reserved for somebody who's hitting

503
00:27:55,840 --> 00:27:58,720
Speaker 2: you know, fifth or above, and McCormick was just never

504
00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:05,480
Speaker 2: that guy. Unfortunately, I think literally that created too high

505
00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:08,399
Speaker 2: of expectations because if he's a look, if he's a

506
00:28:08,400 --> 00:28:12,040
Speaker 2: fourth outfielder who hits eighth or ninth and doesn't have

507
00:28:12,119 --> 00:28:15,520
Speaker 2: a chas chomp and people dressing up for him. I

508
00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:18,920
Speaker 2: don't think people really care or think about it too much.

509
00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:22,320
Speaker 2: I think he, you know, had a really good stretch

510
00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:27,000
Speaker 2: and people thought too highly of him, and now that

511
00:28:27,080 --> 00:28:29,760
Speaker 2: he's kind of come back down to earth, it looks

512
00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:32,360
Speaker 2: like a bigger fall than it should be. I mean,

513
00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:37,600
Speaker 2: you know, I don't think anyone would have expected him

514
00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:40,760
Speaker 2: to have been, you know, a guy that's going to

515
00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:44,440
Speaker 2: carry a team or be like a steady, you know,

516
00:28:45,240 --> 00:28:50,920
Speaker 2: central figure in a team's roster building. But yeah, man,

517
00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:58,520
Speaker 2: he's just he's not looked good and I don't know

518
00:28:58,680 --> 00:29:03,400
Speaker 2: what that means for him him eventually. But like you said,

519
00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:07,040
Speaker 2: there's there's two guys that look ready to play and

520
00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:12,800
Speaker 2: he doesn't. And you know, the nature of baseball is

521
00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:16,440
Speaker 2: you gotta make room, and it's it's getting real close

522
00:29:16,480 --> 00:29:18,280
Speaker 2: to a time where you got to start thinking about

523
00:29:18,760 --> 00:29:20,400
Speaker 2: what do you do with with Chazz.

524
00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:24,680
Speaker 1: All right, let's let's unpack a couple things right there.

525
00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:28,480
Speaker 1: Chas McCormick was excellent in twenty twenty three, Like no

526
00:29:28,560 --> 00:29:31,760
Speaker 1: disputing that was was was probably one of the two

527
00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:33,560
Speaker 1: or three best hitters on the team. He had a

528
00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:36,760
Speaker 1: one thirty ops plus, Like I mean, he was thirty

529
00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:41,800
Speaker 1: points better than the average major league gidder before that season.

530
00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:45,440
Speaker 1: In twenty twenty one and twenty twenty two combined, McCormick

531
00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:48,240
Speaker 1: had taken seven hundred and twenty seven major league played appearances,

532
00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:52,520
Speaker 1: which is that's a representative sample size. He hit twoin fifty,

533
00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:54,760
Speaker 1: slugged four to twenty five, and had a one h

534
00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:57,760
Speaker 1: nine ops plus, which is nine points above league average.

535
00:29:58,400 --> 00:30:01,200
Speaker 1: This was not a guy that they found off the

536
00:30:01,240 --> 00:30:03,640
Speaker 1: scrap heap and just had a one hit wonder sort

537
00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:06,000
Speaker 1: of thing in twenty twenty three, like he was a

538
00:30:06,160 --> 00:30:09,480
Speaker 1: good player, Like was he elite? Elite? No, But I

539
00:30:09,480 --> 00:30:12,520
Speaker 1: mean you take a one o nine ops plus hitting

540
00:30:12,560 --> 00:30:15,440
Speaker 1: six or seventh every day of the week, and that's

541
00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:18,720
Speaker 1: what he was before twenty twenty three. Obviously we saw

542
00:30:18,800 --> 00:30:21,320
Speaker 1: last year was was miserable. Like he was. He was

543
00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:24,040
Speaker 1: not good, and there is no way you can explain

544
00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:28,520
Speaker 1: last year as good in any iteration. But it does

545
00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:31,080
Speaker 1: leave me to believe like he's got enough of a

546
00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:34,680
Speaker 1: track record for you to think it's in there like it,

547
00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:39,040
Speaker 1: and it's why I think, you know, giving him four

548
00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:42,840
Speaker 1: to six weeks and I don't know what the timeline is, like,

549
00:30:43,480 --> 00:30:45,480
Speaker 1: it's why I think maybe giving him four to six

550
00:30:45,520 --> 00:30:47,400
Speaker 1: weeks at the big league level and maybe he's not

551
00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:50,240
Speaker 1: playing every day, maybe they decide to carry Zac Dezenzo

552
00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:52,960
Speaker 1: and they're like, Zach, you're the everyday right fielder, and

553
00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:55,760
Speaker 1: Chaz will be the fourth outfielder. We'll get in when

554
00:30:55,840 --> 00:30:59,600
Speaker 1: when we're facing certain lefties, when we're facing guys like that,

555
00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:03,800
Speaker 1: like we can we can play McCormick. But I think

556
00:31:03,880 --> 00:31:06,680
Speaker 1: that the sample size is too strong for them to

557
00:31:06,840 --> 00:31:09,480
Speaker 1: just jettison him. Like he does have minor league options left.

558
00:31:09,560 --> 00:31:12,280
Speaker 1: They could if they decide they want Zach Desenzo or

559
00:31:12,320 --> 00:31:14,120
Speaker 1: Cam Smith to be their everyday right field or they

560
00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:17,680
Speaker 1: can option Chas McCormick to Triple A. He can get

561
00:31:17,960 --> 00:31:20,200
Speaker 1: a bunch of at bats there. I'm not sure what

562
00:31:20,240 --> 00:31:23,200
Speaker 1: that would help, what that would solve, because he's pretty

563
00:31:23,240 --> 00:31:26,760
Speaker 1: clearly like mastered the minor leagues. He's not a Triple

564
00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:31,600
Speaker 1: A player. But Tyler, they're going to have to carry

565
00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:34,479
Speaker 1: him on. And I wrote this today like they're probably

566
00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:36,800
Speaker 1: gonna have to carry him on the opening day roster

567
00:31:36,880 --> 00:31:40,120
Speaker 1: no matter what. And here's why, Jake Myers is gonna

568
00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:43,680
Speaker 1: play centerfield predominantly. He's gonna be the predominantly everyday center fielder.

569
00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:46,320
Speaker 1: Mauricio Dubond is gonna get a ton of time at

570
00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:48,240
Speaker 1: second base. Not sure he's gonna be the primary guy,

571
00:31:48,280 --> 00:31:50,200
Speaker 1: but he's gonna play a lot with Brendan Rodgers or

572
00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:54,280
Speaker 1: Lewiski or may whoever they decide. That is the extent

573
00:31:54,360 --> 00:31:58,360
Speaker 1: of their center field depth. Now we saw how Joe A.

574
00:31:58,400 --> 00:32:00,800
Speaker 1: Spot Him managed this team last year year. He gave

575
00:32:00,840 --> 00:32:03,320
Speaker 1: one hundred and he gave one hundred and nine pinch

576
00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:06,320
Speaker 1: hit played appearances last year. That's the most taken by

577
00:32:06,320 --> 00:32:10,360
Speaker 1: an Astros team since twenty sixteen. Joe Spotty uses his bench,

578
00:32:10,360 --> 00:32:12,800
Speaker 1: He uses his whole bench. He likes to pinch hit,

579
00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:17,040
Speaker 1: likes to set up platoon matchups late in games. Tyler,

580
00:32:17,080 --> 00:32:19,280
Speaker 1: who do you think he's going to? Who are the

581
00:32:19,440 --> 00:32:22,680
Speaker 1: ideal candidates for him to pinch hit for Layton games?

582
00:32:22,680 --> 00:32:27,520
Speaker 1: When you look at this everyday lineup, m.

583
00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:33,200
Speaker 2: I mean, I guess you're whoever's playing second base and

584
00:32:33,240 --> 00:32:39,120
Speaker 2: whoever's playing center field catcher. Maybe if Yiner's not in there.

585
00:32:39,280 --> 00:32:42,400
Speaker 2: If you need a defensive replacement, maybe maybe that turns

586
00:32:42,440 --> 00:32:45,720
Speaker 2: into something. But yeah, I mean there's there's not a

587
00:32:45,760 --> 00:32:51,440
Speaker 2: lot of opportunities for pinch hitting. And I mean, depending

588
00:32:51,440 --> 00:32:54,240
Speaker 2: on what the roster is, like John Singleton is is

589
00:32:54,320 --> 00:32:58,720
Speaker 2: my pinch hitter. That's that's who I want taking a

590
00:32:58,760 --> 00:32:59,200
Speaker 2: pinch hit.

591
00:32:59,200 --> 00:32:59,440
Speaker 1: It bad.

592
00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:03,000
Speaker 2: He always comes in and looks it looks like he's

593
00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:04,760
Speaker 2: been in the game for three before at bats no

594
00:33:04,760 --> 00:33:07,760
Speaker 2: matter what, which is an art for him, you know,

595
00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:11,120
Speaker 2: I mean, it's it's hard to do. Uh And so yeah,

596
00:33:11,160 --> 00:33:14,280
Speaker 2: there's there's not a lot of room. But as you said,

597
00:33:15,160 --> 00:33:20,280
Speaker 2: but Jake Myers could you know, strain a calf day

598
00:33:20,320 --> 00:33:23,680
Speaker 2: two of the season, and there's no one on the

599
00:33:23,720 --> 00:33:26,720
Speaker 2: team that can play center field, and so you're right,

600
00:33:26,800 --> 00:33:29,600
Speaker 2: I think they I think they have to carry you know,

601
00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:34,120
Speaker 2: Chazz for a little bit until they give Cam Smith

602
00:33:34,240 --> 00:33:37,640
Speaker 2: enough time to figure out center field, uh and and

603
00:33:37,760 --> 00:33:40,200
Speaker 2: become become the stud out there.

604
00:33:40,960 --> 00:33:45,080
Speaker 1: They are not putting him in cield. But suffice to say,

605
00:33:45,360 --> 00:33:47,840
Speaker 1: Mauricio Dubon and Jake Myers are going to be the

606
00:33:47,920 --> 00:33:52,240
Speaker 1: two most common guys that Joe Aespotta would probably pinch

607
00:33:52,280 --> 00:33:54,840
Speaker 1: hit for late in the game. If he has to

608
00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:58,320
Speaker 1: do that, he is out of center fielders and never

609
00:33:58,480 --> 00:34:02,880
Speaker 1: has center field been more more important than now with

610
00:34:02,960 --> 00:34:07,320
Speaker 1: jose L Tuvan left and potentially Cam Smith or Zach

611
00:34:07,360 --> 00:34:10,040
Speaker 1: Dezenzo and right, two of two players that do not

612
00:34:10,080 --> 00:34:12,719
Speaker 1: have a ton of experience out there, like you need

613
00:34:12,840 --> 00:34:16,239
Speaker 1: someone good in center and Chas McCormick's defensive ratings in

614
00:34:16,280 --> 00:34:18,439
Speaker 1: centerfield are very good. They're not as good as Jake

615
00:34:18,480 --> 00:34:21,080
Speaker 1: Myers is, but no one's as good as Jake Myers

616
00:34:21,120 --> 00:34:24,160
Speaker 1: in centerfield. So I think for them to have like

617
00:34:24,360 --> 00:34:27,080
Speaker 1: competent center field depth and for them to be able

618
00:34:27,120 --> 00:34:30,239
Speaker 1: to run an outfield out there, that's you know, not

619
00:34:30,520 --> 00:34:33,279
Speaker 1: a total defensive liability. I think they have to carry

620
00:34:33,360 --> 00:34:36,240
Speaker 1: Chas McCormick on the roster, so I think his spot

621
00:34:36,280 --> 00:34:38,799
Speaker 1: is secure no matter what we're talking about how bad

622
00:34:38,840 --> 00:34:41,040
Speaker 1: he's been in spring. But I think Tyler, you have

623
00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:43,040
Speaker 1: to really look at the reality that he may not

624
00:34:43,160 --> 00:34:45,400
Speaker 1: be an everyday player when they break camp.

625
00:34:46,239 --> 00:34:49,719
Speaker 2: So this is kind of to my point of too

626
00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:56,120
Speaker 2: high expectations for who Chas was and is. There is

627
00:34:56,160 --> 00:34:59,840
Speaker 2: another ASTROSK player who, over the course of eight hundred

628
00:34:59,920 --> 00:35:05,080
Speaker 2: or so at bats, carried a one hundred ops plus

629
00:35:05,120 --> 00:35:09,080
Speaker 2: and then had a huge breakout year and then immediately

630
00:35:09,120 --> 00:35:12,839
Speaker 2: returned to being the hitter that he was before, if

631
00:35:12,880 --> 00:35:18,839
Speaker 2: not significantly worse. And that's Marwin Gonzales. So marlwn Gonzalez was,

632
00:35:19,280 --> 00:35:23,600
Speaker 2: you know, a ninety five ninety six ops plus guy

633
00:35:24,239 --> 00:35:27,360
Speaker 2: for a couple of years, had a one forty seven

634
00:35:28,400 --> 00:35:33,240
Speaker 2: ops plus in twenty seventeen and then one.

635
00:35:34,840 --> 00:35:38,240
Speaker 1: Yeah, well seventeen they won the World Series.

636
00:35:38,280 --> 00:35:43,240
Speaker 2: I don't know if you remember who cares. The point

637
00:35:43,360 --> 00:35:48,560
Speaker 2: is is that, you know, I don't think anyone would

638
00:35:48,560 --> 00:35:54,359
Speaker 2: have been yelling at Marwin to you know, hit that way.

639
00:35:54,600 --> 00:35:57,600
Speaker 2: I think everyone understood, like, oh, this is a crazy year.

640
00:35:57,719 --> 00:36:00,759
Speaker 2: You know, this isn't something that you expect. And if

641
00:36:00,760 --> 00:36:03,640
Speaker 2: you give Chaz the same benefit of the doubt of like, look,

642
00:36:03,640 --> 00:36:08,120
Speaker 2: if this guy can just be average at hitting, he's

643
00:36:08,160 --> 00:36:13,759
Speaker 2: serving his purpose because he's not needed to be a

644
00:36:13,800 --> 00:36:17,279
Speaker 2: super you know, he's not expected to be that. He's

645
00:36:17,320 --> 00:36:20,200
Speaker 2: expected to just be a guy that can take up space,

646
00:36:20,239 --> 00:36:25,399
Speaker 2: play defense, play a couple of positions and run into

647
00:36:25,440 --> 00:36:27,320
Speaker 2: one every once in a while, which is what Marlin

648
00:36:27,560 --> 00:36:31,480
Speaker 2: was until he really fell off a cliff after that,

649
00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:33,680
Speaker 2: and so you hope that Chaz has not hit that

650
00:36:33,760 --> 00:36:39,680
Speaker 2: cliff already, and so you give him enough time to see.

651
00:36:39,800 --> 00:36:46,160
Speaker 2: But I think everyone needs to lower expectations of just

652
00:36:46,200 --> 00:36:49,279
Speaker 2: what he is capable of, ceiling wise, Like, I think

653
00:36:49,320 --> 00:36:51,160
Speaker 2: at this point it's safe to say, like, oh, that

654
00:36:51,400 --> 00:36:55,120
Speaker 2: was an outlier that was not indicative of what he

655
00:36:55,160 --> 00:36:57,200
Speaker 2: could do on a consistent basis. I think he had

656
00:36:57,200 --> 00:37:00,680
Speaker 2: a really good couple months stretch. Hope that he can

657
00:37:00,719 --> 00:37:04,759
Speaker 2: do it again. But if he can, just look, if

658
00:37:04,800 --> 00:37:08,879
Speaker 2: he can just hit like an average major leaguer, he's

659
00:37:08,920 --> 00:37:12,720
Speaker 2: gonna serve an important part of this team.

660
00:37:13,640 --> 00:37:15,560
Speaker 1: Let me let me before we get out here, let

661
00:37:15,600 --> 00:37:19,840
Speaker 1: me let me Devil's advocate to that. Twenty twenty three. Sure,

662
00:37:19,960 --> 00:37:22,239
Speaker 1: you can call it an outlet by the same token.

663
00:37:22,280 --> 00:37:24,520
Speaker 1: Couldn't you call it twenty twenty four an outlier? Is

664
00:37:24,520 --> 00:37:25,720
Speaker 1: he somewhere in the middle.

665
00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:29,040
Speaker 2: Yeah, That's what I'm saying, is like average, that's all

666
00:37:29,040 --> 00:37:29,640
Speaker 2: he's gotta be.

667
00:37:30,120 --> 00:37:32,399
Speaker 1: He is not a sixty He had a sixty six

668
00:37:32,440 --> 00:37:34,480
Speaker 1: ops plus in twenty twenty four. He is not a

669
00:37:34,600 --> 00:37:38,000
Speaker 1: sixty six ops plus hitter. He's also probably not a

670
00:37:38,040 --> 00:37:43,000
Speaker 1: one thirty ops plus hitter. He's probably ninety five to

671
00:37:43,120 --> 00:37:46,160
Speaker 1: one hundred, which is fine. I think if they can

672
00:37:46,200 --> 00:37:48,680
Speaker 1: get a ninety five to one hundred OPS plus out

673
00:37:48,680 --> 00:37:52,560
Speaker 1: of Chas McCormick, no matter how like in whatever sample size,

674
00:37:52,600 --> 00:37:54,960
Speaker 1: whether he's the fourth outfielder, whether he plays every day,

675
00:37:55,000 --> 00:38:01,400
Speaker 1: like that's okay. There's fundamental like thought among Astros fans

676
00:38:01,480 --> 00:38:04,960
Speaker 1: that every single hitter in the in the lineup has

677
00:38:05,040 --> 00:38:06,800
Speaker 1: to have has to have be like an eight hundred

678
00:38:06,800 --> 00:38:10,560
Speaker 1: OPS hitter, Like there is no lineup in baseball, maybe

679
00:38:10,560 --> 00:38:14,440
Speaker 1: outside of the Dodgers that that runs nine guys out

680
00:38:14,440 --> 00:38:16,840
Speaker 1: there with one hundred, one hundred and ten OPS plus,

681
00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:20,600
Speaker 1: Like you're gonna have places in your lineup that I mean,

682
00:38:20,719 --> 00:38:23,239
Speaker 1: Jake Myers is gonna play every day, Mauricio Dubon is

683
00:38:23,239 --> 00:38:25,640
Speaker 1: probably gonna play most of the time out there because

684
00:38:25,640 --> 00:38:29,000
Speaker 1: they're really good defenders up the middle in positions where

685
00:38:29,000 --> 00:38:31,880
Speaker 1: you have to be good defensively, you need guys like

686
00:38:31,960 --> 00:38:34,840
Speaker 1: Christian Walker and jose L Tuvey and jord On Alvarez

687
00:38:34,840 --> 00:38:37,920
Speaker 1: and Jiner Diez like they need to carry this offense.

688
00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:41,240
Speaker 1: Like if you're looking at Chas McCormick or Jake Myers

689
00:38:41,400 --> 00:38:44,080
Speaker 1: or hell even Cam Smith or Zach Dezenzo to carry

690
00:38:44,080 --> 00:38:47,200
Speaker 1: this offense like you're in a world hurt because like

691
00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:50,040
Speaker 1: that's not what they're here to do. Like those other

692
00:38:50,080 --> 00:38:52,320
Speaker 1: guys I just mentioned are paid to carry the offense,

693
00:38:52,400 --> 00:38:56,040
Speaker 1: not not these guys. So again, like, I think there's

694
00:38:56,080 --> 00:38:58,520
Speaker 1: a spot at for Chas McCormick on this team. I

695
00:38:58,560 --> 00:39:01,040
Speaker 1: think he can bring value. I don't think he's as

696
00:39:01,080 --> 00:39:02,799
Speaker 1: bad as he was last year. I don't think he's

697
00:39:02,840 --> 00:39:04,719
Speaker 1: as good as he was in twenty twenty three. They

698
00:39:04,719 --> 00:39:06,680
Speaker 1: can find a place in the middle. I think that

699
00:39:06,719 --> 00:39:08,279
Speaker 1: would be a really nice spot for them to be.

700
00:39:09,960 --> 00:39:13,160
Speaker 2: Absolutely, that's yeah, let's let's figure that out. Just a

701
00:39:13,440 --> 00:39:16,160
Speaker 2: just a simple one hundred ops plus. That's all we're

702
00:39:16,200 --> 00:39:16,799
Speaker 2: asking for.

703
00:39:17,600 --> 00:39:19,319
Speaker 1: Real quick before we get out of here. Which you

704
00:39:19,320 --> 00:39:20,640
Speaker 1: think of the City Connects.

705
00:39:21,160 --> 00:39:24,040
Speaker 2: I thought they were cool. I like the I like

706
00:39:24,120 --> 00:39:30,920
Speaker 2: the Stros. People get real fussy about HTx for some reason.

707
00:39:31,480 --> 00:39:34,160
Speaker 2: I don't particularly care one way or the other.

708
00:39:34,280 --> 00:39:34,759
Speaker 1: I get the.

709
00:39:34,880 --> 00:39:38,879
Speaker 2: Hou, but no, I thought I thought they looked good.

710
00:39:38,920 --> 00:39:41,080
Speaker 2: What about you? What are the what are the players think?

711
00:39:41,719 --> 00:39:43,279
Speaker 1: I mean, I think the players kind of have to

712
00:39:43,280 --> 00:39:46,759
Speaker 1: say they like them, like, I mean, they're cool. I

713
00:39:47,200 --> 00:39:49,000
Speaker 1: will say I like that they're white. I like that

714
00:39:49,040 --> 00:39:51,480
Speaker 1: the uniforms are white because with the other ones with

715
00:39:51,520 --> 00:39:54,200
Speaker 1: the first iteration of them. I liked the jerseys, I

716
00:39:54,280 --> 00:39:57,040
Speaker 1: really did. I just hated the blue on blue, like

717
00:39:57,080 --> 00:40:00,640
Speaker 1: it looked like they were pajamas. Like someone even said

718
00:40:01,080 --> 00:40:03,120
Speaker 1: that it looked like they were softball uniforms, like they

719
00:40:03,160 --> 00:40:06,640
Speaker 1: were playing Beer League Softball. Like I did like these

720
00:40:06,680 --> 00:40:09,160
Speaker 1: Space City jerseys, I just did not like the blue

721
00:40:09,160 --> 00:40:11,160
Speaker 1: on blue. I think these are a lot cleaner. I

722
00:40:11,200 --> 00:40:14,200
Speaker 1: think these I'm not gonna lie to you. I have

723
00:40:14,320 --> 00:40:17,600
Speaker 1: not read all of their fifty million graphics about whatevery

724
00:40:17,760 --> 00:40:21,080
Speaker 1: like line on the uniforms mean, but I mean it

725
00:40:21,600 --> 00:40:23,879
Speaker 1: seems like it's a it's an ode to a lot

726
00:40:23,880 --> 00:40:25,920
Speaker 1: of different things. I think there's a JFK quote on

727
00:40:25,960 --> 00:40:28,960
Speaker 1: there somewhere about walking on the moon. I don't know, though.

728
00:40:29,000 --> 00:40:31,799
Speaker 1: I'm not a rapper that makes smash burgers, and I'm

729
00:40:31,800 --> 00:40:33,880
Speaker 1: not an influencer on social media, so I did not

730
00:40:33,920 --> 00:40:37,799
Speaker 1: get sent an advanced copy of these things that tell

731
00:40:37,880 --> 00:40:41,120
Speaker 1: me what it all is. So maybe I need to

732
00:40:41,200 --> 00:40:43,600
Speaker 1: open up a Trillburger somewhere and they'll send me all

733
00:40:43,600 --> 00:40:45,240
Speaker 1: the all the merch I want.

734
00:40:45,440 --> 00:40:48,399
Speaker 2: Did you see the five hundred dollars helmet you could buy?

735
00:40:49,040 --> 00:40:49,759
Speaker 1: I'm out on that.

736
00:40:51,239 --> 00:40:53,160
Speaker 2: I don't know. I feel like as a podcast, maybe

737
00:40:53,160 --> 00:40:55,040
Speaker 2: we should go in on one and one of us

738
00:40:55,040 --> 00:40:57,000
Speaker 2: wear the sweet helmet every time.

739
00:40:57,360 --> 00:40:59,799
Speaker 1: I don't think they'll even take my money. I think

740
00:40:59,840 --> 00:41:02,760
Speaker 1: I show up there, they would literally, like Jim Crane,

741
00:41:02,760 --> 00:41:05,640
Speaker 1: would probably turn my money away. I'll be completely honest

742
00:41:05,680 --> 00:41:05,880
Speaker 1: with you.

743
00:41:06,640 --> 00:41:08,520
Speaker 2: That was That was the best part about when I

744
00:41:08,560 --> 00:41:10,920
Speaker 2: worked for the Hooks is that since they're owned by

745
00:41:10,920 --> 00:41:15,320
Speaker 2: the Astros, technically I was a full time Astros employee

746
00:41:15,320 --> 00:41:18,200
Speaker 2: when I worked for them, and I got like fifty

747
00:41:18,239 --> 00:41:21,480
Speaker 2: percent off everything in the Team Store, And so all

748
00:41:21,520 --> 00:41:25,799
Speaker 2: of my friends just got loaded up on twenty fifteen

749
00:41:26,000 --> 00:41:29,480
Speaker 2: era merch. Every time I came to Houston, we all

750
00:41:29,719 --> 00:41:32,400
Speaker 2: would all just go to the Team Store and go crazy.

751
00:41:32,440 --> 00:41:34,680
Speaker 2: So we could have had this helmet for two hundred

752
00:41:34,680 --> 00:41:37,319
Speaker 2: and fifty dollars. You probably got it ten years ago.

753
00:41:37,520 --> 00:41:40,120
Speaker 1: You probably got so much discount of like Tony Sip gear,

754
00:41:40,320 --> 00:41:42,879
Speaker 1: maybe a check, maybe a Chad Qualls jersey.

755
00:41:43,000 --> 00:41:46,759
Speaker 2: M that twenty was he there in twenty fifteen? I

756
00:41:46,800 --> 00:41:50,440
Speaker 2: remember Tony Okay, Tony sip was fun. They traded in

757
00:41:50,520 --> 00:41:53,160
Speaker 2: for cash. I was very upset about that at the time.

758
00:41:55,000 --> 00:41:57,239
Speaker 1: The Jed Lowry jersey, you'd have probably want it more

759
00:41:57,280 --> 00:41:58,200
Speaker 1: than Jed Lowry did.

760
00:41:58,440 --> 00:42:00,799
Speaker 2: Which which one he played for the Astros and A's

761
00:42:00,880 --> 00:42:02,960
Speaker 2: like eight times in a row. They just kept flipping

762
00:42:03,000 --> 00:42:04,319
Speaker 2: him back and forth.

763
00:42:04,120 --> 00:42:07,839
Speaker 1: And he kept like starting fights like fight like.

764
00:42:09,200 --> 00:42:13,120
Speaker 2: That was fun. We should have more manager fights. Let's

765
00:42:13,200 --> 00:42:15,440
Speaker 2: let's that should have been one of our New Year's

766
00:42:15,480 --> 00:42:17,600
Speaker 2: resolutions for the team this year. I want to see

767
00:42:17,600 --> 00:42:21,800
Speaker 2: one fist fight at one point during this year.

768
00:42:21,880 --> 00:42:24,279
Speaker 1: A spot of a spot of would hold his own.

769
00:42:24,320 --> 00:42:26,160
Speaker 1: He could, he could beat someone's ass, So I'm not

770
00:42:26,200 --> 00:42:28,799
Speaker 1: gonna I don't think he'll do it. He's a he's

771
00:42:28,840 --> 00:42:31,960
Speaker 1: a peaceful, serene man, but he would hold his own

772
00:42:31,960 --> 00:42:34,040
Speaker 1: among among many managers, he would hold his own.

773
00:42:34,360 --> 00:42:39,040
Speaker 2: I need a spot of Ron Washington like screaming match

774
00:42:39,200 --> 00:42:43,920
Speaker 2: at one point in just like a meaningless September Angels

775
00:42:43,960 --> 00:42:46,359
Speaker 2: Astros game, They're just yelling at each other.

776
00:42:46,680 --> 00:42:52,320
Speaker 1: Did you see wash bands cell phones from the Angels clubhouse? Cool? Uh?

777
00:42:52,520 --> 00:42:52,839
Speaker 1: Do they?

778
00:42:53,280 --> 00:42:57,400
Speaker 2: I think cell phones should be banned everywhere, but that

779
00:42:57,560 --> 00:42:59,680
Speaker 2: is that is an old man thing to do.

780
00:43:00,080 --> 00:43:01,879
Speaker 1: My follow up is like, do they get to go

781
00:43:01,920 --> 00:43:04,040
Speaker 1: off campus for lunch at fifth period or do they

782
00:43:04,040 --> 00:43:05,200
Speaker 1: have study hall as well?

783
00:43:06,000 --> 00:43:08,239
Speaker 2: Then they yeah, they need a they need a haul

784
00:43:08,320 --> 00:43:11,560
Speaker 2: pass to get out. I mean, what are they gonna do?

785
00:43:11,600 --> 00:43:15,200
Speaker 2: They play for the Angels, there's I mean, there's a

786
00:43:15,239 --> 00:43:18,600
Speaker 2: reason you're playing there. Okay, you can't complain too much.

787
00:43:19,080 --> 00:43:21,320
Speaker 2: Poor Mike Trout, Poor Mike Trout.

788
00:43:22,880 --> 00:43:25,120
Speaker 1: But he's got four hundred and thirty five million dollars,

789
00:43:25,160 --> 00:43:28,000
Speaker 1: so good for him. The Astros will see a seven

790
00:43:28,040 --> 00:43:32,160
Speaker 1: hundred million dollar player very soon in wan Soto. We

791
00:43:32,200 --> 00:43:34,960
Speaker 1: will be there. We will be ready to tell you

792
00:43:35,040 --> 00:43:38,400
Speaker 1: everything he does, everything the Astros do. The regular season

793
00:43:38,480 --> 00:43:41,560
Speaker 1: starts next week, guys, which means we're gonna be up

794
00:43:41,600 --> 00:43:45,239
Speaker 1: to three episodes a week. We've got some interesting fun

795
00:43:45,280 --> 00:43:47,640
Speaker 1: stuff planned. We are not going to do game by

796
00:43:47,680 --> 00:43:50,520
Speaker 1: game recaps of this team because that is just not

797
00:43:50,880 --> 00:43:54,360
Speaker 1: instructive for anyone. But we will try to get to you,

798
00:43:54,400 --> 00:43:58,279
Speaker 1: guys after most series, you know, recap series, see some

799
00:43:58,400 --> 00:44:01,879
Speaker 1: long trends, some some long. We'll get guests that cover

800
00:44:01,960 --> 00:44:04,000
Speaker 1: other teams to come in and get us a little

801
00:44:04,040 --> 00:44:05,440
Speaker 1: bit of insight as to what's going on. We've got

802
00:44:05,480 --> 00:44:07,479
Speaker 1: a lot of great stuff planned, So if you guys

803
00:44:07,480 --> 00:44:09,759
Speaker 1: could rate and review us on Apple, if you guys

804
00:44:09,760 --> 00:44:12,080
Speaker 1: could subscribe on YouTube, that would help us a ton.

805
00:44:12,239 --> 00:44:14,759
Speaker 1: Leave us a review, let us know whether you like this,

806
00:44:14,920 --> 00:44:18,360
Speaker 1: dislike it, whatever, but please give us five stars. Please

807
00:44:18,600 --> 00:44:20,719
Speaker 1: subscribe on YouTube so you can get notified whenever we

808
00:44:20,760 --> 00:44:23,319
Speaker 1: go live again, which will be next week, which will

809
00:44:23,360 --> 00:44:27,000
Speaker 1: be Game week. Finally, our long national nightmare of spring

810
00:44:27,040 --> 00:44:29,560
Speaker 1: training is going to end, so we'll talk to you soon. Guys,

811
00:44:29,560 --> 00:44:30,240
Speaker 1: Thanks for listening.

812
00:44:30,600 --> 00:44:55,200
Speaker 2: Bye,