1 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: What's up? Everybody, Welcome into a special edition of Crush 2 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:14,080 Speaker 1: City Territory on Chandler Roam Flying solo today because Tyler 3 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:18,239 Speaker 1: Stafford and his wife Alisha welcome their son on Thursday. 4 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:23,599 Speaker 1: Congratulations to Tyler, Alisha, Margo, and Olivia on the new edition. 5 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 1: I'm gonna let Tyler announce name. Wait all that stuff, 6 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:31,000 Speaker 1: but for those that listen to this podcast, you will 7 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 1: very much get a chuckle out of Tyler's son's name who. 8 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 1: He swears that the family picked the name out prior 9 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 1: to beginning the podcast and prior to Tyler hopping on 10 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:49,000 Speaker 1: a certain hype train. So just wait until Tyler decides 11 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 1: that he wants to tell the world his son's name. 12 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 1: But you did see last night that Tyler did post 13 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 1: a picture from the hospital. Everybody is happy, healthy, and 14 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 1: I'm happy to report sleeping at least from now through 15 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: the night. So today I'm gonna fly solo. For those 16 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:05,760 Speaker 1: watching on YouTube, I'm so sorry you have to look 17 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:08,759 Speaker 1: at my face for twenty five thirty minutes. I wish 18 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:11,039 Speaker 1: I was better looking, but we can't. We can't all 19 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:14,479 Speaker 1: have what we want. The astros wanted a little bit 20 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 1: better offensive production. Last night against Jacob deGrom, but that 21 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:21,080 Speaker 1: was never going to happen, and in a game that 22 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 1: lived up to every billing that you thought it would be. 23 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:29,480 Speaker 1: Usually when you get a marquee pitching matchup like this, 24 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:34,240 Speaker 1: there's something goes wrong or it inevitably ends up, you know, 25 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:38,200 Speaker 1: twelve to eight with six relievers used, and it never 26 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 1: lives up to the hype. Last night, Hunter Brown and 27 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 1: Jacob deGrom both lived up to the hype. Jacob deGrom 28 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: going eight innings for the first time since twenty twenty one, 29 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 1: eight scoreless innings against the Astros and really looked in 30 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 1: peaked to Grom form a couple guys in the Astros 31 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:59,560 Speaker 1: clubhouse afterward, saying that that's that was vintage Jacob de 32 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 1: Grom and his best stuff. And we all know the 33 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 1: health issues that he has been through certainly looked last 34 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 1: night like like he has pass those. They pushed him 35 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:12,280 Speaker 1: further than he has been pushed in a very long time, 36 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 1: and the Ashers really had no recourse, you know, and 37 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 1: I will say this, the line doesn't look great. Obviously, 38 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 1: when you go eight scoreless innings, it's tough to give 39 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:26,880 Speaker 1: credit to anybody on the other side. But the Asher 40 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:29,079 Speaker 1: has put up some good at bats against Jacob de 41 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 1: Grom and Doli Scarcia made two excellent diving catches in 42 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 1: right field to steel hits. Evan Carter stole a base 43 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:40,440 Speaker 1: hit from Jake Myers to start the sixth inning. The average, 44 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:44,080 Speaker 1: the expected batting average I should say on the balls 45 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 1: that the Ashers hit off Jacob deGrom was two thirty three. 46 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 1: And contrast, Hunter Brown gave up a two to eleven 47 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:55,679 Speaker 1: expected batting average in his eight innings of one run ball. 48 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 1: And I think if you watch that game, it's hard 49 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 1: to it's hard to deny that Hunter Brown was probably 50 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 1: the more dominant pitcher. He went twelve up, twelve down 51 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:09,799 Speaker 1: on thirty eight pitches to start the game. Looked like 52 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 1: a guy with no hit stuff. He struck out four 53 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:16,520 Speaker 1: guys his first time through the Rangers lineup, three of 54 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 1: them were on three pitches. He threw twenty one of 55 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:23,800 Speaker 1: his first twenty six pitches for strikes. He rose to 56 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:27,120 Speaker 1: the occasion in every sense of the word. And I think, 57 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 1: and I wrote about this a little bit after the game, 58 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 1: I think Hunter Brown is still somewhat flying under the radar, 59 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 1: just as a guy that you know he's not. He's 60 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 1: never a guy that's gonna be a loud talker like 61 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:43,400 Speaker 1: seek the Spotlight. He's only been really doing this for 62 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 1: a calendar year. You got to remember his turnaround started 63 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 1: on May fifth of last season. That's when he added 64 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 1: the sinker to his repertoire. And he has really taken off. 65 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 1: So he really hasn't. He certainly hasn't been doing it 66 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 1: as long as Jacob deGrom hasn't been doing it as 67 00:03:57,720 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 1: long as some other guys in the league that get 68 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 1: notarized as ace level guys, as guys that you tune 69 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 1: in to watch as appointment television. I think Hunter Brown 70 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 1: helped to kind of announce himself to the baseball world 71 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 1: last night. He matched Jacob de Gram pitch for pitch, 72 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 1: inning for inning. He was the stuff. And just the 73 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 1: results you were seeing from the Rangers, the type of 74 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 1: swings they were taking, the fact that they were down 75 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 1: in so many counts so early. It's tough to watch 76 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:30,720 Speaker 1: that game and not come out of it thinking that 77 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 1: Hunter Brown was probably the more dominant pitcher. Now, they 78 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:38,280 Speaker 1: don't give results out for dominance, they give results out 79 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:41,040 Speaker 1: for production, and Hunter Brown did make the one mistake 80 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 1: between these two guys left to cutter pretty flat to 81 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:47,160 Speaker 1: Jake Berger, who hit it out for a solo home 82 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:49,240 Speaker 1: That was the first home run Hunter Brown had given 83 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:54,120 Speaker 1: up in fifty and two thirds innings. Gave up a 84 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:56,240 Speaker 1: solo homer to Jake Berger, and that ended up being 85 00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 1: the difference in the game, because when you're up against 86 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 1: a guy like Jake to Grom, when you're up against 87 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 1: that sort of that sort of pitcher, all it takes 88 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 1: sometimes is one pitch, and you knew going into that 89 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:11,719 Speaker 1: game last night it was probably going to take just 90 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:14,680 Speaker 1: one run to win it. And after three or four innings, 91 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 1: when you saw how both of those guys were pitching, 92 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 1: you kind of knew the first team to score was 93 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:20,560 Speaker 1: going to be the one to win. And so Hunter 94 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:23,400 Speaker 1: Brown was dealt a hard luck loss through the first 95 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 1: complete game of his big league career. Now, it was 96 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:28,920 Speaker 1: only eight innings because the astras because the Rangers did 97 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:32,479 Speaker 1: not bat in the bottom of the ninth, but the 98 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:36,560 Speaker 1: numbers that Hunter Brown continues to put up are pretty staggering. 99 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 1: So we talked about he's only been doing this for 100 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:41,159 Speaker 1: a short while. He's only been doing this for a 101 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:44,160 Speaker 1: calendar year. So you look back to so yesterday was 102 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:47,160 Speaker 1: May fifteenth. You look back the past three hundred and 103 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:51,800 Speaker 1: sixty five days to last May fifteenth. Across that span 104 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 1: of three hundred and sixty five days, only Paul schemes 105 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 1: as a lower era than Hunter Brown, no big league 106 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 1: pitch sure has a lower fit in that span than 107 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:06,719 Speaker 1: Hunter Brown. He is every bit of an ace. And 108 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:09,839 Speaker 1: I don't know that we needed last night against Jacob 109 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 1: Degram to to prove that, to announce that to the world, 110 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:17,160 Speaker 1: but that is what he is. He He has supplanted 111 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 1: fromer Valdez as the ace of this team. And that's 112 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:22,920 Speaker 1: no disrespect to fromber Valdez, who is pitching well and 113 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:25,159 Speaker 1: is a guy that the Astros have immense faith in 114 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:27,360 Speaker 1: when he goes to the mouth. But Hunter Brown just 115 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:29,320 Speaker 1: has a different kind of ara to him. Now, he 116 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 1: has a different aura to him. This year. You can 117 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 1: tell that he is going out there and he knows 118 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:37,279 Speaker 1: he is good, He knows that his stuff is. He 119 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:40,799 Speaker 1: is pitching with so much more confidence uh this season, 120 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 1: and he was doing that toward the end of last 121 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 1: season too, after he added the sinker and after he 122 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 1: started seeing a bunch of success. The confidence with which 123 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:52,039 Speaker 1: he is pitching is incredible. And then you know after 124 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 1: the game, he is the consummate team guy that was 125 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:59,920 Speaker 1: not interested in, you know, reflecting on you know, man, 126 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:02,400 Speaker 1: you just matched Jacob de Grom pitch for pitch, Like 127 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 1: how cool was that? And he was like, no, my 128 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:06,040 Speaker 1: team didn't win. He was like, I didn't pitch well 129 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:08,240 Speaker 1: enough to get this team a win. And that is 130 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:11,679 Speaker 1: certainly not true. Hunter Brown pitched more than well enough 131 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:13,800 Speaker 1: for the Astros to win that ballgame last night. It's 132 00:07:13,840 --> 00:07:16,160 Speaker 1: just sometimes you got to tip your cap to the other, 133 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:18,560 Speaker 1: to the other club, to the other pitcher. And Jacob 134 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:21,280 Speaker 1: de Grom was was on his stuff last night, and 135 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:24,480 Speaker 1: it's hard to I know, as fans, it's hard to 136 00:07:24,520 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 1: say that. And it's hard, especially for this Astros team 137 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:31,160 Speaker 1: that has been pretty frustrating to watch at times. Offensively, 138 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 1: it's hard for fans to just you know, give credit 139 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:38,200 Speaker 1: to other teams. They always are looking for, you know, 140 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 1: certain players, to blame certain coaches. And we'll get to that. 141 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:44,400 Speaker 1: Don't worry. I know you guys want to talk hitting coaches. 142 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:46,800 Speaker 1: You guys want to talk what's going on, and I'll 143 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 1: address that in a little bit. But you know, as 144 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 1: far as looking at last night, I'm not sure what 145 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 1: else the Astros could have done. Last night. They ran 146 00:07:54,480 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 1: up against a guy that as recently as four or 147 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:00,960 Speaker 1: five years ago was considered the best pitcher on the planet, 148 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:04,240 Speaker 1: and he reprised that role last night for eight innings. 149 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:06,640 Speaker 1: This was a guy that in Jacob deGrom, that that 150 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:10,080 Speaker 1: he hit ninety nine. You know, he averaged ninety seven 151 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 1: with the fastball. The slider was absolutely disgusting. Was going 152 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:16,520 Speaker 1: change ups to some guys who flip and some curveballs 153 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 1: in every now and then. The Astros, through no real 154 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 1: fault of the coaching staff or the manager, they sent 155 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 1: a lineup out there that it's pretty easy to pitch 156 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 1: this lineup when it's eight right handed hitters and a 157 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:31,360 Speaker 1: switch hitter. And we'll get into that as well. That, 158 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 1: you know, last night accentuated what I think we've been 159 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:36,560 Speaker 1: talking about for a while that this this is a 160 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:42,079 Speaker 1: very very very right handed Astros offense, and it becomes 161 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:45,880 Speaker 1: pretty easy for opposing pitchers, some not as good, most 162 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:48,680 Speaker 1: not as good as Jacob deGrom, to to formulate game 163 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:51,600 Speaker 1: plans to get these guys out, because, again, while every 164 00:08:51,679 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: hitter is different, when all you see for eight innings 165 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:57,960 Speaker 1: is eight guys standing in the right handed batter's box. 166 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:02,400 Speaker 1: You can formulate plans to change eye levels, to to 167 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 1: go to the outside corner, to attack different quadrits, to 168 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 1: strike zone, and they become pretty easy to pitch to. 169 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:11,719 Speaker 1: And when you have Jacob de Gram's stuff, when you 170 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:14,320 Speaker 1: have a lineup that is that easy to pitch to 171 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:16,960 Speaker 1: just because of their handedness, it makes it all the 172 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:19,920 Speaker 1: more easy. But as we said earlier, you know, the 173 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:23,680 Speaker 1: Astros took good at bats against Jacob de Gram, just 174 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:27,200 Speaker 1: didn't get rewarded with the results. So last night was 175 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 1: certainly not the way the Astros wanted to start the 176 00:09:29,679 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 1: lone Star Series. But a great game for those that 177 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:36,680 Speaker 1: are kind of neutral observers like me, like maybe the 178 00:09:36,679 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 1: rest of the baseball world. If you tuned in to 179 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 1: watch that game, you saw two of the best pitchers 180 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:43,400 Speaker 1: on the planet at the top of their craft and 181 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:46,240 Speaker 1: it was a real joy to watch. So we're gonna 182 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:48,200 Speaker 1: hear from our friends at foul Territory right now, and 183 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:50,000 Speaker 1: then we'll come back and we will get to what 184 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:51,679 Speaker 1: you guys want to get to. We'll talk about the 185 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 1: hitting coaches, we'll talk about the Astros imbalanced lineup and 186 00:09:55,640 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 1: what if anything Dana Brown can do to fix that. 187 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:02,200 Speaker 1: But first, here's a message from our friends at FT FAM. 188 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:05,760 Speaker 2: Let's talk about the HOF app. If you're into parlays 189 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 2: but sometimes you're missing the mark more than you would 190 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:12,920 Speaker 2: like to, can I introduce you to some serious analytics 191 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:16,160 Speaker 2: on an app that is easy to read and comprehend. 192 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:18,360 Speaker 2: And I'm sitting next to a man who knows how 193 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:19,800 Speaker 2: to place a parlay. 194 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, and the biggest thing is breaking down a parlay 195 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:25,360 Speaker 3: With this Hall of Fame app, there's the situations that 196 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:28,360 Speaker 3: you'll be you'll find easier to do. It's very helpful 197 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 3: and understanding. And if you like, you know, gambling, sometimes 198 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:34,439 Speaker 3: this is really good to know. So get on there, 199 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:36,280 Speaker 3: get on that Hall of Fame app and check it out. 200 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, this is info that will help you. 201 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 1: Okay. 202 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:40,960 Speaker 2: With a four point nine rating in the app Store 203 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:43,079 Speaker 2: and over six thousand and five star reviews, safe to 204 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:45,600 Speaker 2: say that HOF has already helped a lot of people 205 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:50,079 Speaker 2: that smarter. For a limited time only, FT listeners can 206 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 2: get a seven day free trial and fifty percent off 207 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:56,080 Speaker 2: their first month when they use code foul at check out. 208 00:10:56,360 --> 00:10:59,840 Speaker 2: Download the HOF app on iOS or Android and to 209 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:04,240 Speaker 2: code foul and you're all set, all right, So. 210 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:07,120 Speaker 1: Let's let's deal in some facts here real quick. I 211 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:11,720 Speaker 1: get it as fans when your team is right around 212 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:14,360 Speaker 1: five hundred, when your team can't seem to get going, 213 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:17,199 Speaker 1: when your team is uh, when your team's not getting 214 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:20,640 Speaker 1: the traction that you want, that there's constantly looking for 215 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:24,839 Speaker 1: people to blame there is. It's tough as a fan 216 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:26,760 Speaker 1: to watch it. And believe me, I understand. I am 217 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:29,720 Speaker 1: a fan of other teams outside of baseball, and I 218 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:34,360 Speaker 1: have these same urges When LSU is having a rough 219 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:38,760 Speaker 1: football season, I want Brian Kelly fired, vice versa. You know. 220 00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:44,199 Speaker 1: So I get it. I understand where where the passion is. 221 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:47,880 Speaker 1: And I wouldn't have a job if there was not 222 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:51,120 Speaker 1: passionate fans. So I appreciate the passion and I appreciate 223 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 1: the the the want for the Astros to do well. 224 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:56,840 Speaker 1: But let's deal in some facts here real quick. So 225 00:11:57,559 --> 00:12:02,480 Speaker 1: I look back and since April eighteenth, that is the 226 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 1: first game after the Astros went to Saint Louis and 227 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:09,000 Speaker 1: lost two of three and looked pretty lifeless offensively. They 228 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:11,600 Speaker 1: go up to Saint Louis lose to a team that 229 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:14,200 Speaker 1: we now know is pretty good. The Cardinals have been 230 00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:16,680 Speaker 1: one of the hottest teams in baseball as of late. 231 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 1: But so April eighteenth, that was the first game of 232 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 1: the Padres series at dyke In Park. So this is 233 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:27,720 Speaker 1: the span of twenty five games the Astros offense has 234 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:32,440 Speaker 1: a one to fifteen WRC plus league averages one hundred. 235 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:36,240 Speaker 1: So this has been an above average offense for the 236 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:40,920 Speaker 1: last twenty five games of this season. You know, there's 237 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 1: only been six teams that have a higher WRC plus 238 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:47,480 Speaker 1: than the Astros in that span. That's the Red Sox, 239 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:52,680 Speaker 1: the Mariners, the Tigers, the Yankees, the Mets, and the Dodgers, 240 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:56,640 Speaker 1: all teams that fancy themselves contenders, all teams that are 241 00:12:56,640 --> 00:12:59,280 Speaker 1: playing very well right now. So to say that the 242 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:01,920 Speaker 1: Astros offen has been an out, to say that it 243 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 1: has been a bad offense, is simply not true for 244 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:08,560 Speaker 1: the last twenty five game. You look at how they 245 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:11,120 Speaker 1: have played the last twenty five games, and you've got 246 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 1: to remember within that stretch of that we're talking about 247 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:18,400 Speaker 1: these two games, these these twenty five games, that includes 248 00:13:18,559 --> 00:13:21,000 Speaker 1: the two games that they went to Kansas City and 249 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:24,240 Speaker 1: got shut out, and back to back games so they 250 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:26,680 Speaker 1: still have a one to fifteen WRC plus in that span. 251 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 1: So let's let's stow that away. That this has been 252 00:13:30,679 --> 00:13:35,120 Speaker 1: an above a lineup that has been fifteen points above 253 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:40,559 Speaker 1: league average across the past twenty five games. In that span, however, 254 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 1: the Astros have scored one hundred and eight runs. That's 255 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:46,280 Speaker 1: four point three runs per game, which is below league average. 256 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 1: How this is the same problem that they faced last year. 257 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:55,240 Speaker 1: You looked at every all of the counting numbers looked good, 258 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:59,720 Speaker 1: the ops, the batting average, the slug it all looked 259 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 1: good last year. But when you got down a run production, 260 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:06,760 Speaker 1: they weren't producing runs at the level that was acceptable 261 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 1: and that needed to be to sustain as a contender. 262 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:12,520 Speaker 1: They're having that problem again this year, and you start 263 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:16,080 Speaker 1: to wonder why that is. Well, when you come into 264 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:18,760 Speaker 1: the season and you traded your best hitter to the 265 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:23,239 Speaker 1: Chicago Cubs, you allowed another tent pole of your franchise 266 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:26,600 Speaker 1: to sign with the Boston Red Sox, and you replace 267 00:14:26,680 --> 00:14:30,080 Speaker 1: them with Escoc Paratus and Christian Walker, two guys that 268 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:33,680 Speaker 1: certainly are not bad players by any stretch of imagination. 269 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:37,680 Speaker 1: Estick Paradis has been probably this team's most consistent offensive player. 270 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:40,840 Speaker 1: Christian Walker is a guy that, with his pedigree, you 271 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 1: thought coming in would be able to replace some of 272 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:47,320 Speaker 1: that productions, some of that slug some that Kyle Tucker 273 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:51,840 Speaker 1: and Alex Bregman left when they departed. Christian Walker has 274 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:56,280 Speaker 1: not been a good player for the first forty two 275 00:14:56,320 --> 00:14:58,200 Speaker 1: games of this season. He is hitless in his last 276 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:03,040 Speaker 1: sixteen at bats. The strikeouts that he has had are 277 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 1: coming in huge spots. You know, we've had the statam 278 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:09,480 Speaker 1: in the last pod. Thirty of his forty seven strikeouts 279 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:12,520 Speaker 1: this season have come with a runner on base. It's 280 00:15:12,520 --> 00:15:15,720 Speaker 1: simple things like not moving the baseball in situations with 281 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:19,120 Speaker 1: runners on base. You wonder how much longer he can 282 00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 1: stay in the cleanup spot. But here we run into 283 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:26,960 Speaker 1: the crux of this problem, which is this lineup is 284 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:30,000 Speaker 1: not long enough. This lineup does not have enough depth 285 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:34,640 Speaker 1: or length to overcome when a guy like Christian Walker 286 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:38,160 Speaker 1: is scuffling, when a guy like Janer Diaz is scuffling, 287 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:42,760 Speaker 1: there's not a ton of options. Joe Aspata has to, 288 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:45,800 Speaker 1: you know, shake things up to move guys down, move 289 00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 1: guys up. Zach Dezenzo took really good at bats last 290 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:53,200 Speaker 1: night against Jacob deGrom, but that's a guy that hasn't 291 00:15:53,200 --> 00:15:54,640 Speaker 1: done it much in the big leagues. Do you want 292 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:57,480 Speaker 1: him hitting in the middle of the order. Jake Myers 293 00:15:57,520 --> 00:16:00,960 Speaker 1: has been a revolution for the first you know, forty 294 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 1: five forty six games this season. We've seen this before 295 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:07,040 Speaker 1: from him, and the downturn kind of happens in the 296 00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:10,040 Speaker 1: second half sometimes. Do you move him up to the 297 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:12,320 Speaker 1: middle of the order? Do you want that guy getting 298 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 1: more at bats than someone with an established track record 299 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 1: like Christian Walker? And I think it dovetails in the 300 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:21,800 Speaker 1: what baseball kind of values. Baseball is a track record sport. 301 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:24,200 Speaker 1: I'm not going to bring out back of the baseball 302 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:26,120 Speaker 1: card here because I know that I'll send shivers down 303 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:29,080 Speaker 1: a lot of people's spines. But this is a sport 304 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:33,000 Speaker 1: that values track record. It's a sport that values longevity 305 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 1: and established guys. And inherently you give those guys time. 306 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:42,080 Speaker 1: You give those guys time to figure things out in 307 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:44,040 Speaker 1: the back of your mind, in the back of And 308 00:16:44,080 --> 00:16:46,000 Speaker 1: this is not just what the Astros. This is in 309 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:51,200 Speaker 1: every organization, across every organization, across the league. Those guys 310 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:54,440 Speaker 1: get more runway, and those guys get more benefit of 311 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:57,960 Speaker 1: the doubt in most cases that they will turn things around. 312 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:01,160 Speaker 1: So that's where the Astros are right now with Christian Walker, 313 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:04,960 Speaker 1: is that they believe that given him enough runway and 314 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:06,920 Speaker 1: giving him some time, that he will turn things around. 315 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:09,960 Speaker 1: And look he had he looked like he was turning 316 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:12,960 Speaker 1: a corner before that Royal series at dyk And Park 317 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:15,800 Speaker 1: where he went hitless, and then again last night. I'm 318 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:18,160 Speaker 1: not sure last night is the game that you want 319 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:21,560 Speaker 1: to be the one to pound the table, to fire everyone, 320 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:24,760 Speaker 1: to overhaul everything, because there's no hitting coach in the 321 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:27,119 Speaker 1: world that would have made the Astros hit Jacob de 322 00:17:27,160 --> 00:17:29,480 Speaker 1: Grom last night the way he was pitching. He's just 323 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:33,800 Speaker 1: that good. So another part of this with the hitting 324 00:17:33,840 --> 00:17:37,840 Speaker 1: coaches came out this week with a story on ESPN 325 00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:41,800 Speaker 1: dot com from Jeff Passon, the very very Good Insider, 326 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:44,960 Speaker 1: who got Alex Bregman to open up a lot about 327 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:47,920 Speaker 1: some changes he's made in the Red Sox organization since 328 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:53,359 Speaker 1: he got there. Part of the story described some changes 329 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 1: Bregman made to his swing, some changes that the Red 330 00:17:56,960 --> 00:18:00,199 Speaker 1: Sox hitting coaches brought to him when he signed there 331 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:02,920 Speaker 1: as some things he could do differently. Before we get 332 00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 1: into this, I do want to note real quick that 333 00:18:05,359 --> 00:18:07,399 Speaker 1: a couple of the hitting coaches mentioned in that story, 334 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:10,439 Speaker 1: Ben Rosenthal and Dylan Lawson are guys that were in 335 00:18:10,520 --> 00:18:14,640 Speaker 1: the Astros organization before they left for promotions. They got 336 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:17,480 Speaker 1: jobs on big league staffs, but they were minor league 337 00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:21,000 Speaker 1: and roving instructors in the Astros system. So they were 338 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:23,359 Speaker 1: born and bred in the Astros system and probably had 339 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:26,000 Speaker 1: a little bit of knowledge of Alex Bregman before he 340 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:30,760 Speaker 1: even got to Boston. So inherently people read Jeff Passon's 341 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:34,359 Speaker 1: story and were outraged of how can the Astros hitting 342 00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:37,040 Speaker 1: coaches not have identified this? You know this is a 343 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:40,480 Speaker 1: bad look. And then look, I'm not here to I'm 344 00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:43,040 Speaker 1: not here to sugarcoat it. Optically, it doesn't look great. 345 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:46,040 Speaker 1: It doesn't look great when a guy goes a guy 346 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:48,879 Speaker 1: that has been in your organization for ten years goes 347 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:53,359 Speaker 1: to another organization and is immediately extolling the virtues of 348 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:56,520 Speaker 1: everything that their hitting coaches did to unlock his swing. 349 00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:58,840 Speaker 1: But there's a little bit more nuance here that I 350 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:02,399 Speaker 1: think needs to be out there before we start making 351 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:06,840 Speaker 1: this such a simplistic conversation. First of all, Alex Bregman 352 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:11,080 Speaker 1: tweaks his swing and tweaks his mechanics, maybe more than 353 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:14,520 Speaker 1: any baseball player I have ever covered. And maybe I'm 354 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:16,919 Speaker 1: a little biased because I've covered Alex Bregman since he 355 00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:19,520 Speaker 1: was an eighteen year old freshman at LSU, and I 356 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:22,280 Speaker 1: have seen just kind of how he works and how 357 00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:25,960 Speaker 1: his mind works. This is a guy that is constantly, 358 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 1: constantly tinkering, has some new, different little thing mechanically that 359 00:19:32,920 --> 00:19:35,960 Speaker 1: he finds with his swing. If you followed him in 360 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:38,960 Speaker 1: his astro's career, if you followed his postgame comments at all, 361 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:42,080 Speaker 1: when he would have a big game and we would 362 00:19:42,119 --> 00:19:43,639 Speaker 1: go to his locker and ask him like, hey, what 363 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:45,480 Speaker 1: led to this day? Go oh? I found this in 364 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:47,840 Speaker 1: the cage before the game, and I found this with 365 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:49,960 Speaker 1: my hands. I found this with my load and we 366 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:53,239 Speaker 1: got it fixed. So two, for Alex Bregman to have 367 00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:56,520 Speaker 1: things adjusted and made to his swing is not news. 368 00:19:57,119 --> 00:20:02,159 Speaker 1: That happened here constantly, and he was as open to 369 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:05,919 Speaker 1: talk about it here as he was with Jeff Passing 370 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:09,320 Speaker 1: with the Red Sox. So that that is number one 371 00:20:09,359 --> 00:20:12,880 Speaker 1: that Alex Bregman is a He is a constant evolver. 372 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:15,520 Speaker 1: His swing is constantly evolving. This is not something that 373 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:17,679 Speaker 1: is new to him. It's not like he went to 374 00:20:17,720 --> 00:20:20,480 Speaker 1: the Red Sox and they opened his mind. That the 375 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:22,960 Speaker 1: ability to tweak his swing. That happened a lot here. 376 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:25,960 Speaker 1: Second with Alex Bregman is and we have talked about 377 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:28,479 Speaker 1: this Josh Reddick Is. We've talked about it with Josh 378 00:20:28,560 --> 00:20:31,800 Speaker 1: when Josh has been on the pod. One thing about 379 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:34,720 Speaker 1: Alex Bregman that I think some people realize is that 380 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:38,000 Speaker 1: he has a personal hitting coach and Jason Columbus, who 381 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:42,439 Speaker 1: has been with him since high school from the Albuquerque 382 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:45,920 Speaker 1: area where Bregman is from. When Bregman was with the Astros, 383 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:49,160 Speaker 1: Jason Columbus was on ninety five percent of the Astros 384 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:52,360 Speaker 1: road trips. It was on the field with Alex Bregman 385 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:56,080 Speaker 1: during VP, not around the cage, mind you, with where 386 00:20:56,119 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 1: the where the fans with VP passes get to stand. 387 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 1: That's where you know he would stay. And that is 388 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:05,760 Speaker 1: one of Alex Bregman's most trusted confidants in talking about 389 00:21:05,760 --> 00:21:09,440 Speaker 1: his swing and looking at his swing. There's a lot 390 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:12,120 Speaker 1: of back and forth there and there was some collaboration there. 391 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 1: You know, Troy Snicker, the hitting coach that worked pretty 392 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:18,440 Speaker 1: closely with Bregman, Troy Snicker would be often seen talking 393 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 1: to Jason Columbus kind of about Bregman's approach about his swing, 394 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:26,240 Speaker 1: things like that. I'm not saying that. What I'm trying 395 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:29,680 Speaker 1: to say is that there's a lot more people in 396 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:33,360 Speaker 1: some of these guys' ears than just the organizational hitting coaches. 397 00:21:33,520 --> 00:21:36,560 Speaker 1: And this is not exclusive to Bregman. There are guys 398 00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:40,119 Speaker 1: around the sport that have their own personal hitting guys 399 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:43,520 Speaker 1: away from the organization that they go to for guidance, 400 00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:45,800 Speaker 1: that they go to because they know their swings and 401 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 1: they've seen that, Like Jason Columbus has seen Bregman swing 402 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:51,000 Speaker 1: since he was sixteen years old, like no one knows 403 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:54,400 Speaker 1: his swing, probably better than him. There are guys around 404 00:21:54,440 --> 00:21:56,960 Speaker 1: the league in that same boat that have their own 405 00:21:57,000 --> 00:22:01,280 Speaker 1: personalized hitting coaches that they go to for guidance. So 406 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:07,800 Speaker 1: to distill it as something as simple as Houston's hitting 407 00:22:07,840 --> 00:22:11,800 Speaker 1: coaches missed this, Alex Bregman went to the Red Sox, 408 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:15,760 Speaker 1: they found this, and now he's some elite player. I 409 00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:20,040 Speaker 1: think that's disingenuous because there are so many people that 410 00:22:20,200 --> 00:22:23,920 Speaker 1: have a hand in molding Alex Bregman and other hitters, 411 00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:26,639 Speaker 1: and I don't want to make this a Bregman specific conversation, 412 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:29,480 Speaker 1: but again, the story kind of lends itself to it. 413 00:22:29,520 --> 00:22:33,239 Speaker 1: So that's the one we're having. But to this is 414 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:37,440 Speaker 1: not It's hard for me to blame hitting coaches, and 415 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:39,119 Speaker 1: it's hard for me to blame coaches in general in 416 00:22:39,160 --> 00:22:42,880 Speaker 1: baseball because this is this is such a sport where 417 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:48,280 Speaker 1: coaches can't impact much like you can't draw up the 418 00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:51,240 Speaker 1: go hit a home run play off of Jacob de Gram. 419 00:22:51,359 --> 00:22:54,600 Speaker 1: Like an offensive coordinator in football can draw up some 420 00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:58,680 Speaker 1: schemes and can scheme their way to success. A basketball 421 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:02,560 Speaker 1: coach can you know, diagnosed, can diagram an offense that 422 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:05,639 Speaker 1: gets a defense out of the zone or gets a 423 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:09,720 Speaker 1: defense to play man things like that, Like when when 424 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:11,840 Speaker 1: a hitter goes up to the plate, like it's kind 425 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:15,200 Speaker 1: of on them. Like, I don't know that that hitting 426 00:23:15,240 --> 00:23:17,960 Speaker 1: coaches are the reason that Christian Walker's not hitting. I 427 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:20,280 Speaker 1: think Christian Walker has come out and said that the 428 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:23,560 Speaker 1: pressures of signing a big free agent deal and stepping 429 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:26,240 Speaker 1: into the cleanup spot from day one is something that 430 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:28,520 Speaker 1: has weighed on him a little bit. I'm not sure 431 00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:30,840 Speaker 1: a hitting coach is the problem for that. I'm not 432 00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:33,680 Speaker 1: sure hitting coach is the reason that Jose Altuve has 433 00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:36,520 Speaker 1: has not been good for the last thirty games. These 434 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:39,680 Speaker 1: are the same hitting coaches that were around when Jose 435 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:43,480 Speaker 1: al Tuvey was making all when Jose the also team 436 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:45,280 Speaker 1: last year, when Jose Al Tube was one of the 437 00:23:45,359 --> 00:23:48,359 Speaker 1: best offensive players in baseball in twenty twenty, twenty twenty one, 438 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:54,359 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two. Like nothing's changed infrastructure wise. I find 439 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:58,159 Speaker 1: it's hard for me to just immediately go to the 440 00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 1: coaching staff, to go to hitting coach, which are the 441 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:04,199 Speaker 1: reason why this is happening. And as we said, it 442 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:07,040 Speaker 1: is not as if the Astros offense has been some 443 00:24:07,160 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 1: below average anemic terrible operation. Again since April eighteenth, a 444 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:16,919 Speaker 1: span of twenty five games, they are fifteen points above 445 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:21,040 Speaker 1: league average when you look at WORC plus. However, this 446 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:25,159 Speaker 1: is not a lineup that has much depth. They is 447 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:27,800 Speaker 1: not the lineup that has the length that we have 448 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:31,520 Speaker 1: seen from previous Astros line They can only the hitting 449 00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:34,720 Speaker 1: coaches can only coach the roster they're given, and at 450 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 1: some point you know it's it's tough too. It's tough 451 00:24:39,359 --> 00:24:42,320 Speaker 1: for that to happen when you know there is a 452 00:24:42,359 --> 00:24:45,520 Speaker 1: nutrition of talent and you know, you look at what 453 00:24:45,760 --> 00:24:48,959 Speaker 1: has transpired, it's been positive on this team. Jeremy Paania 454 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:53,400 Speaker 1: is off to the best start of his career, and 455 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:55,359 Speaker 1: it seems that a lot of people want to just 456 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:58,679 Speaker 1: credit Jeremy Pania for being the guy that has discovered 457 00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:00,800 Speaker 1: the way to get onto the breakout. He's got a 458 00:25:00,800 --> 00:25:03,120 Speaker 1: one thirty five OPS plus and an eight thirty three 459 00:25:03,160 --> 00:25:05,960 Speaker 1: OPS through his first one hundred and sixty through his 460 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:09,280 Speaker 1: firste hundred and eighty three plate appearances. Like, do the 461 00:25:09,359 --> 00:25:13,080 Speaker 1: hitting coaches not get credit for Jeremy Pania becoming, you know, 462 00:25:13,320 --> 00:25:16,159 Speaker 1: the player that we thought he was going to be 463 00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:18,879 Speaker 1: after twenty twenty two? Do they not get credit for 464 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:24,360 Speaker 1: Jake Myers out of nowhere now having you know, an 465 00:25:24,359 --> 00:25:28,000 Speaker 1: OPS approaching eight hundred. Do they not get credit for 466 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:30,280 Speaker 1: As we've talked about with Brendan Rodgers, I know the 467 00:25:30,359 --> 00:25:32,720 Speaker 1: results are not there for Brendan Rodgers, and I think, look, 468 00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:37,280 Speaker 1: I think Brendan Rodgers personifies kind of the delicate balance 469 00:25:37,359 --> 00:25:41,359 Speaker 1: you have to toe with evaluating hitting coach. As we 470 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:46,320 Speaker 1: have discussed everything about Brendan Rodgers, peripherals has gotten better. 471 00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:49,720 Speaker 1: The ground ball rate is cut in half, the line 472 00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:52,480 Speaker 1: drive rate is up. The hard hit rate is up, 473 00:25:52,680 --> 00:25:55,320 Speaker 1: and Brendan Rodgers has talked about hitting coach has asked 474 00:25:55,359 --> 00:25:57,919 Speaker 1: him to widen his batting stands. They asked him to, 475 00:25:58,320 --> 00:26:00,840 Speaker 1: you know, bring his hands lower order to get to 476 00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:03,080 Speaker 1: the ball quicker and get out in front to elevate 477 00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:06,800 Speaker 1: the ball. He is doing everything under the hood that 478 00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:10,639 Speaker 1: the Astros hoped he could do, and the results haven't. 479 00:26:11,320 --> 00:26:13,960 Speaker 1: The results on the field haven't translated. But you look 480 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:18,000 Speaker 1: under the hood, like everything that the Astros thought they 481 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:22,120 Speaker 1: could unlock from Brendan Rodgers metrically and underlying wise, they 482 00:26:22,119 --> 00:26:26,119 Speaker 1: have done. Still, he's got a sixty eight OPS plus 483 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:29,440 Speaker 1: and a five eighty eight OPS. That's not good enough, 484 00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:31,119 Speaker 1: Like we're not going to sit here and try to 485 00:26:31,119 --> 00:26:33,040 Speaker 1: put lipstick on a pig and say that's good enough. 486 00:26:33,080 --> 00:26:37,200 Speaker 1: It's not. But they have made the adjustments. They've got 487 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:39,960 Speaker 1: the batted ball quality up, They've got the sort of 488 00:26:40,160 --> 00:26:43,240 Speaker 1: batted ball quality they want. It's just not translating on 489 00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:46,080 Speaker 1: the field. I'm not sure how much blame you can 490 00:26:46,160 --> 00:26:48,840 Speaker 1: put on a hitting coach in that situation, because they 491 00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:51,480 Speaker 1: have prepared him, they have set him up, they have 492 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:53,880 Speaker 1: told him, this is what you need to do. They 493 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:56,720 Speaker 1: have adjusted the stance. They've they've talked to him about 494 00:26:56,760 --> 00:27:00,000 Speaker 1: pitch selection, they've talked to him about making them adjust 495 00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:04,280 Speaker 1: and they've asked him to make and it hasn't translated 496 00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:07,280 Speaker 1: on the field. That part of that is just dumb baseball. Look. 497 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:10,360 Speaker 1: Part of that is, you know, Brendan Rodgers' strikeout rate 498 00:27:10,440 --> 00:27:12,480 Speaker 1: remains pretty high. Part of that's on the player. The 499 00:27:12,520 --> 00:27:15,520 Speaker 1: player's got to you know, swing at better pitches. Like 500 00:27:15,920 --> 00:27:18,159 Speaker 1: Troy Snicker and Alex Centrom can't go up there and 501 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:22,040 Speaker 1: swing the bat for them. So I'm rambling now, and 502 00:27:22,119 --> 00:27:24,359 Speaker 1: this is, uh, you know, one of these things that 503 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:26,520 Speaker 1: it's I feel like this is going to be a 504 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:30,200 Speaker 1: discussion all season, just because this is going to be 505 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:33,080 Speaker 1: an offense that goes through ebbs and flows. And I 506 00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:35,439 Speaker 1: think we'll stop talking about the hitting coaches if and 507 00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:38,760 Speaker 1: when Christian Walker can get going, if and when Jose 508 00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:41,840 Speaker 1: al Tuove returns to the Jose al Tuove form that 509 00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:44,240 Speaker 1: we know, if and when Jordan Alvarez comes off the 510 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:48,520 Speaker 1: IL and provides the spark and provides the power that 511 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:51,120 Speaker 1: this this lineup is missing, I think the hitting coach 512 00:27:51,160 --> 00:27:54,920 Speaker 1: discussion will be rendered a little bit moot. But until 513 00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:57,119 Speaker 1: that happens, I feel like this is going to be 514 00:27:57,280 --> 00:27:59,359 Speaker 1: a social media discussion for a while. I feel like 515 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:01,280 Speaker 1: this is gonna be some and that people wring their 516 00:28:01,280 --> 00:28:04,440 Speaker 1: hands over. But I just can't get on board with 517 00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:08,119 Speaker 1: an offense that for the lat for a representative sample size, 518 00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:11,600 Speaker 1: the last twenty five games has been well above league average. 519 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:13,520 Speaker 1: To look at it and say that this is a 520 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:16,800 Speaker 1: coaching or a teaching problem, at some point, the players 521 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:19,159 Speaker 1: have to perform. The players have to produce runs, and 522 00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:22,160 Speaker 1: the guys that the Ashers pay to produce runs are 523 00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:25,119 Speaker 1: not doing that right now. And until that changes, this 524 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:28,680 Speaker 1: lineup's going to stay kind of not stuck in the 525 00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:30,560 Speaker 1: mud because, like we said, this has been an above 526 00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:33,120 Speaker 1: average lineup, but just a lineup that is not reaching 527 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:36,200 Speaker 1: the potential that they could have. Another reason this lineup 528 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:37,800 Speaker 1: has not reaching the potential it could have is a 529 00:28:37,880 --> 00:28:40,960 Speaker 1: roster construction issue, and we'll talk about that right after. 530 00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:43,320 Speaker 1: Another word from our friends at Foultair Tour. 531 00:28:43,280 --> 00:28:45,880 Speaker 2: Hey, if T fam, Hello Fresh as America's number one 532 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:48,760 Speaker 2: meal kit cam. Because we're busy and we would like 533 00:28:48,880 --> 00:28:51,479 Speaker 2: all of the ingredients to cook up something nice and 534 00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:54,280 Speaker 2: make us look like elite chefs at home. 535 00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:56,160 Speaker 1: You know what I do. 536 00:28:56,240 --> 00:28:59,000 Speaker 4: I've got kids in basketball, I've got soccer, I've got 537 00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:01,960 Speaker 4: best I've got base And when they get home, there's 538 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:04,520 Speaker 4: a fresh meal and they think, oh, Dad, he's so great. 539 00:29:04,840 --> 00:29:06,760 Speaker 1: Well, no, it's not me. It's Hello Fresh. 540 00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:10,680 Speaker 4: It's nutritious, it's packed full of good nutrients. The kids 541 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:12,600 Speaker 4: have good energy, and they look at me like I'm 542 00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:14,800 Speaker 4: the greatest dad in the world. So make sure you 543 00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:17,080 Speaker 4: go grab that Hello Fresh, because you know what is 544 00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:18,480 Speaker 4: doing my family all. 545 00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:22,920 Speaker 2: The good cookup dishes like chicken dijon and pecan crusted trout, 546 00:29:23,120 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 2: over one hundred seasonal snack sides and treats as well. 547 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:28,520 Speaker 2: Feel great with meals that fit your spring schedule and 548 00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:31,000 Speaker 2: make the season even more delicious. Go to HelloFresh dot 549 00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:34,960 Speaker 2: com slash ft ten FM now to get ten free 550 00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:37,440 Speaker 2: meals with a free item for life one per. 551 00:29:37,320 --> 00:29:38,760 Speaker 1: Box with active subscription. 552 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:42,480 Speaker 2: Free meals applied as discount on first box new subscribers only. 553 00:29:42,640 --> 00:29:47,840 Speaker 1: Varies by plant. So one thing about Jacob deGrom is 554 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:52,320 Speaker 1: Jacob de Gram is lethal against right handed hitters. Entering 555 00:29:52,400 --> 00:29:55,440 Speaker 1: last night, right handed hitters had one extra base hit 556 00:29:55,560 --> 00:29:58,200 Speaker 1: off of Jacob Degram all season, they had a four 557 00:29:58,280 --> 00:30:02,960 Speaker 1: eighty eight ops against Jake Grom. Right handed hitters exited 558 00:30:03,120 --> 00:30:06,440 Speaker 1: last night with one extra base hit off of Jacob 559 00:30:06,440 --> 00:30:10,040 Speaker 1: de Gram all season, he completely toyed with the eight 560 00:30:10,160 --> 00:30:12,600 Speaker 1: Astros right handed hitters that were in their batting order. 561 00:30:13,360 --> 00:30:15,920 Speaker 1: Two of the three hits against Jacob deGrom, two of 562 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:18,160 Speaker 1: the five hits excuse me against Jacob de Grom last 563 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:21,000 Speaker 1: night by the Astros came off of the one guy 564 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:23,080 Speaker 1: in their lineup that can hit left handed, that is 565 00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:26,800 Speaker 1: switch hitter Victor Karattini, who had a double into the 566 00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:29,080 Speaker 1: right field corner and then had a single off of 567 00:30:29,200 --> 00:30:32,680 Speaker 1: Jacob deGrom, put together unquestionably the best at bats that 568 00:30:32,760 --> 00:30:35,840 Speaker 1: the astrois. Accentuated a problem that I have written about 569 00:30:35,840 --> 00:30:38,320 Speaker 1: in The Athletic and that the Astros are going to 570 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:40,920 Speaker 1: have to address here pretty soon, and that is a 571 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:46,080 Speaker 1: lineup that is completely imbalanced, and with Jordan Alvarez on 572 00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:48,560 Speaker 1: the il, obviously it creates a lot of problems. You 573 00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:50,720 Speaker 1: know that that only complicates the matter, But this is 574 00:30:50,760 --> 00:30:54,280 Speaker 1: a problem. Even with a fully healthy Yordan Alvarez, this 575 00:30:54,360 --> 00:30:58,680 Speaker 1: team does not have enough balance and it does not 576 00:30:58,840 --> 00:31:01,560 Speaker 1: have enough diversity and its lineup to make a pitcher 577 00:31:02,040 --> 00:31:05,320 Speaker 1: have to pitch differently. You know, when you look at 578 00:31:05,320 --> 00:31:07,920 Speaker 1: maybe some of the better lineups in the sport, you 579 00:31:08,040 --> 00:31:11,480 Speaker 1: see it stacked pretty evenly of right, left, right, left, 580 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:14,920 Speaker 1: maybe a string of two righty's before lefty. Things like that, 581 00:31:15,080 --> 00:31:18,240 Speaker 1: and the Ashers just don't have that. They don't have 582 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:21,320 Speaker 1: a way to create a basic platoon advantage to the 583 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:25,400 Speaker 1: point where as we've discussed, like opposing managers are just 584 00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:27,840 Speaker 1: not going to throw left handed pitchers against them because 585 00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:31,040 Speaker 1: why would why would any manager throw a left handed 586 00:31:31,040 --> 00:31:34,680 Speaker 1: pitcher against this current iteration of the Astros, like it 587 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:38,560 Speaker 1: makes absolutely zero sense. They at the Reds on the 588 00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:40,960 Speaker 1: last homestand did the exact same thing. They had a 589 00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:45,360 Speaker 1: left hander scheduled to start the finale, Andrew Abbott, and 590 00:31:45,760 --> 00:31:48,000 Speaker 1: on Friday they decided, you know what, we're gonna bring 591 00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:50,120 Speaker 1: up this rookie named Chase Petty. He throws in his 592 00:31:50,200 --> 00:31:54,120 Speaker 1: right hand, he'll probably get. It'll probably be a rough 593 00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:56,440 Speaker 1: go for him because he's making his second big league start. 594 00:31:56,520 --> 00:31:59,840 Speaker 1: And it was the Astros I believe drew six walks 595 00:31:59,840 --> 00:32:02,520 Speaker 1: off of them that they chased him after after about 596 00:32:02,520 --> 00:32:06,800 Speaker 1: three or four innings, but just giving him the opportunity 597 00:32:06,840 --> 00:32:10,720 Speaker 1: to face nine right handed hitters. That's a better matchup 598 00:32:10,840 --> 00:32:14,160 Speaker 1: inherently than sending any left handed pitcher out there, maybe 599 00:32:14,160 --> 00:32:16,640 Speaker 1: minus you know, the guys at the elite, elite level. 600 00:32:17,400 --> 00:32:19,400 Speaker 1: That's a better matchup than sending a left handed pitcher 601 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:22,560 Speaker 1: out there to try to face. So Dana Brown did 602 00:32:22,680 --> 00:32:25,360 Speaker 1: hold court with the three beat writers here in Arlington 603 00:32:25,840 --> 00:32:28,920 Speaker 1: before yesterday's game, and I asked him if the Astros 604 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:31,920 Speaker 1: are pursuing a left handed bat. He said he's been 605 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:34,400 Speaker 1: pursuing a left handed bat since the winter, and he 606 00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:38,160 Speaker 1: hasn't stopped pursuing one, but he did temper some expectations, said, 607 00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:40,680 Speaker 1: I believe the direct quote was, it's not as if 608 00:32:40,680 --> 00:32:43,000 Speaker 1: we're pounding the table for a left handed bat, but 609 00:32:43,040 --> 00:32:46,680 Speaker 1: we have had discussions for one. To me, this is again, 610 00:32:46,720 --> 00:32:49,680 Speaker 1: this is my opinion. I think the Astros should be 611 00:32:49,720 --> 00:32:52,520 Speaker 1: pounding the table, and I don't think it needs to be. 612 00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:55,240 Speaker 1: It doesn't need to be some elite left handed bat 613 00:32:55,280 --> 00:32:56,360 Speaker 1: that's going to come in here and hit in the 614 00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:58,640 Speaker 1: middle of the order, and those aren't available on May 615 00:32:58,720 --> 00:33:01,440 Speaker 1: sixteenth anyway, aren't going to get one of those. But 616 00:33:02,040 --> 00:33:05,200 Speaker 1: they need just some semblance of balance. They need to 617 00:33:05,240 --> 00:33:08,760 Speaker 1: be able to show, just to put the thought in 618 00:33:08,800 --> 00:33:11,240 Speaker 1: the other dugout's head that hey, we've got a left 619 00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:13,080 Speaker 1: We've got a couple of left handed hitters on the bench. 620 00:33:13,440 --> 00:33:16,120 Speaker 1: This is going to make our decision in the fifth 621 00:33:16,200 --> 00:33:18,560 Speaker 1: ending of whether to keep our right handed starter in 622 00:33:19,240 --> 00:33:21,960 Speaker 1: or to go to the bullpen for the lefty fireman. 623 00:33:22,080 --> 00:33:26,720 Speaker 1: We like like it puts it makes that decision more complicated. Now, 624 00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:28,280 Speaker 1: It's like, you know what, if there's the right handed 625 00:33:28,320 --> 00:33:30,520 Speaker 1: starter in, or if we got a right handed reliever 626 00:33:30,560 --> 00:33:32,240 Speaker 1: in the bullpen, We're just going to those guys. Like 627 00:33:32,520 --> 00:33:36,360 Speaker 1: there's no real strategy needed by an opposing manager at 628 00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:39,800 Speaker 1: this point, and Joe A. Spada on the other side 629 00:33:39,920 --> 00:33:43,240 Speaker 1: has no recourse. I mean, he's got his bench at 630 00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:47,120 Speaker 1: this point is all the same. It's the same profile 631 00:33:47,240 --> 00:33:50,560 Speaker 1: of player. It is a right handed hitting outfielder that 632 00:33:51,080 --> 00:33:53,080 Speaker 1: is going to put up maybe the same quality of 633 00:33:53,120 --> 00:33:56,840 Speaker 1: it that across the board. He has to say Sarsalazar 634 00:33:56,880 --> 00:33:58,720 Speaker 1: on his bench now, who does hit left handed. But 635 00:33:59,360 --> 00:34:01,479 Speaker 1: the fact that he he hasn't played since he's been 636 00:34:01,560 --> 00:34:04,560 Speaker 1: up for Jordan Alvers. He's here only in case of emergency, 637 00:34:05,080 --> 00:34:08,160 Speaker 1: Like they're not planning to put him in big leverage 638 00:34:08,160 --> 00:34:11,239 Speaker 1: spots as they shouldn't. He is a third catcher, and 639 00:34:11,920 --> 00:34:14,840 Speaker 1: it leaves Joe a spot a pretty hamstrong as to 640 00:34:14,960 --> 00:34:17,239 Speaker 1: what he can do late in games, how he can 641 00:34:17,280 --> 00:34:20,920 Speaker 1: maneuver his lineup, how he can create platoon advantages because 642 00:34:20,920 --> 00:34:23,720 Speaker 1: they have nothing there. And I think this is all 643 00:34:23,760 --> 00:34:28,080 Speaker 1: tied to Cam Smith. And one other thing Dana discussed 644 00:34:28,200 --> 00:34:31,840 Speaker 1: yesterday with the Beat writers was how do you how 645 00:34:32,120 --> 00:34:35,680 Speaker 1: long can they keep Cam Smith on the major league 646 00:34:35,800 --> 00:34:38,600 Speaker 1: roster if he's not going to play every day, Because 647 00:34:39,120 --> 00:34:43,000 Speaker 1: as we have seen in the last few in the 648 00:34:43,040 --> 00:34:46,680 Speaker 1: last few weeks that Dezenzo has pretty clearly passed cam 649 00:34:46,760 --> 00:34:51,000 Speaker 1: Smith on the Astros outfield pecking order. You know, Dezenzo 650 00:34:51,160 --> 00:34:54,800 Speaker 1: started three Dozenzo has uh, you know, started pretty regularly 651 00:34:54,840 --> 00:34:59,160 Speaker 1: here lately, Cam Smith has not played in three consecutive games, 652 00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:03,960 Speaker 1: including yesterday against Jacob de Gram asked Dana Brown yesterday 653 00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:07,560 Speaker 1: what he believed was best for Cam Smith's development. Was 654 00:35:07,560 --> 00:35:10,040 Speaker 1: that to be up here around the big league guys 655 00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:12,319 Speaker 1: not playing every day, or was it to go down 656 00:35:12,400 --> 00:35:15,279 Speaker 1: to double A or triple A, get some regular at 657 00:35:15,280 --> 00:35:17,240 Speaker 1: bats and to work some stuff out. And Dana Brown 658 00:35:17,600 --> 00:35:19,839 Speaker 1: put a number on it. He said, you know, they 659 00:35:19,960 --> 00:35:22,400 Speaker 1: weren't going to really start making a ton of decisions 660 00:35:22,480 --> 00:35:25,840 Speaker 1: until Cam Smith got to around one hundred and fifty 661 00:35:25,840 --> 00:35:28,960 Speaker 1: at bats to the big league level he enters He 662 00:35:29,120 --> 00:35:31,600 Speaker 1: enters Friday with ninety eight at bats at the big 663 00:35:31,719 --> 00:35:35,120 Speaker 1: league level, so sounded if cam Smith is going to 664 00:35:35,120 --> 00:35:37,560 Speaker 1: get a little bit more runway here, maybe two three 665 00:35:37,600 --> 00:35:39,400 Speaker 1: weeks to where they can get him up to one 666 00:35:39,480 --> 00:35:41,760 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty at bats and then maybe make a decision. 667 00:35:42,120 --> 00:35:46,000 Speaker 1: Dana Brown sounded pretty enthusiastic about the development he has 668 00:35:46,040 --> 00:35:49,040 Speaker 1: seen from cam Smith. Joe A. Spada has long been 669 00:35:49,080 --> 00:35:51,120 Speaker 1: a guy that has said to develop, you need to 670 00:35:51,120 --> 00:35:55,040 Speaker 1: play every day. And with the emergence of Jake Myers, 671 00:35:55,080 --> 00:35:59,120 Speaker 1: with the emergence of Zach Dezenzo, with Jordan Alvarez probably 672 00:35:59,160 --> 00:36:02,439 Speaker 1: coming back here the immediate future, there is no path 673 00:36:02,560 --> 00:36:05,320 Speaker 1: for Cam Smith to play every day. And Joe Spott 674 00:36:05,440 --> 00:36:08,120 Speaker 1: is now he's in the business of winning regular season games. 675 00:36:08,160 --> 00:36:11,320 Speaker 1: This is not about doing what's best for Cam Smith 676 00:36:11,440 --> 00:36:14,439 Speaker 1: or to see, you know, hey, let's give the uber 677 00:36:14,520 --> 00:36:17,200 Speaker 1: prospect the old college try Like no, Like, this isn't 678 00:36:17,480 --> 00:36:19,759 Speaker 1: high school ball where you just run out the guy 679 00:36:19,840 --> 00:36:22,759 Speaker 1: you think is you know, deserves it or anything like that, 680 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:25,280 Speaker 1: Like they got to win ball games, and Joe Spott 681 00:36:25,320 --> 00:36:27,239 Speaker 1: is putting out the best lineup every day that he 682 00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:30,240 Speaker 1: believes can win that night's game, and it's pretty clear 683 00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:32,080 Speaker 1: that Cam Smith is not a part of it. So 684 00:36:33,080 --> 00:36:36,120 Speaker 1: it'll be interesting to see if the Astros do find 685 00:36:36,440 --> 00:36:39,880 Speaker 1: that left if hounding the table does start. If the 686 00:36:39,920 --> 00:36:42,520 Speaker 1: Ashers can find that left handed hitter, it may come 687 00:36:42,520 --> 00:36:45,160 Speaker 1: at the expense of Camp Smith. And it does call 688 00:36:45,200 --> 00:36:49,640 Speaker 1: into question now the roster construction from spring training because 689 00:36:49,719 --> 00:36:53,920 Speaker 1: the Astros had two left handed hitters in camp that 690 00:36:54,000 --> 00:36:56,160 Speaker 1: they could have carried. They could have carried either John 691 00:36:56,200 --> 00:36:59,600 Speaker 1: Singleton or Ben Gamble. Ben Gamble would have fit pretty 692 00:36:59,600 --> 00:37:02,880 Speaker 1: perfect in this scenario. Again, not a guy that's going 693 00:37:02,920 --> 00:37:04,600 Speaker 1: to tear the cover off the ball, not a guy 694 00:37:04,600 --> 00:37:07,360 Speaker 1: that you would ever consider an offensive threat. But again, 695 00:37:07,800 --> 00:37:09,560 Speaker 1: is a guy with a ton of big league time 696 00:37:09,960 --> 00:37:12,279 Speaker 1: that in Spurts, has shown that he can put up 697 00:37:12,280 --> 00:37:15,160 Speaker 1: a competitive at bat, stands at the left side, stands 698 00:37:15,160 --> 00:37:17,800 Speaker 1: in the left handed batter's box, and again just puts 699 00:37:17,880 --> 00:37:21,400 Speaker 1: in the other manager's mind that along with Victor Carrottini 700 00:37:21,480 --> 00:37:24,000 Speaker 1: on the bench, like Joe Spada, has options in these 701 00:37:24,040 --> 00:37:26,200 Speaker 1: games when they're at full strength. Right now, he doesn't. 702 00:37:26,680 --> 00:37:29,520 Speaker 1: And so it got accentuated last night with Jacob de 703 00:37:29,560 --> 00:37:32,759 Speaker 1: Gram on the mound. It'll probably get accentuated as we 704 00:37:32,880 --> 00:37:35,320 Speaker 1: keep going forward and as long as this roster construction 705 00:37:35,360 --> 00:37:38,000 Speaker 1: stays the same and to hear Dana Brown described it 706 00:37:38,080 --> 00:37:39,839 Speaker 1: last night, it sounds like it will stay the same 707 00:37:40,360 --> 00:37:44,040 Speaker 1: for a little while. So one more thing with that 708 00:37:44,160 --> 00:37:47,719 Speaker 1: left handed with that left handed kind of the discrepancy, 709 00:37:48,320 --> 00:37:50,920 Speaker 1: Dana Brown did say, you know, Jacob Melton has been 710 00:37:51,000 --> 00:37:52,920 Speaker 1: that left handed bat that they were kind of hoping 711 00:37:53,239 --> 00:37:54,960 Speaker 1: that they could be, that could be the guy they 712 00:37:54,960 --> 00:37:57,919 Speaker 1: could call on. He hasn't been healthy. Dana Brown said 713 00:37:57,960 --> 00:38:01,000 Speaker 1: last night that the back contain used to bother him. 714 00:38:01,239 --> 00:38:03,279 Speaker 1: There's been some talk that maybe there was even a 715 00:38:03,320 --> 00:38:06,040 Speaker 1: groin injury at some point. Dana couldn't really confirm that, 716 00:38:06,160 --> 00:38:09,239 Speaker 1: but did say that there was a retweak in the 717 00:38:09,280 --> 00:38:12,120 Speaker 1: back and that's you know, limited him and they're not 718 00:38:12,160 --> 00:38:13,799 Speaker 1: going to call him up if he's not healthy. Taylor 719 00:38:13,840 --> 00:38:16,239 Speaker 1: Tremill is in the same boat. I believe if Taylor 720 00:38:16,280 --> 00:38:19,400 Speaker 1: Tremill had not strained his calf pretty badly in spring training, 721 00:38:19,719 --> 00:38:21,680 Speaker 1: he could be a guy that they could talk about 722 00:38:21,719 --> 00:38:24,319 Speaker 1: at this point, to be somebody that Again, they're not 723 00:38:24,440 --> 00:38:26,640 Speaker 1: asking a left handed bat to come in here and 724 00:38:27,120 --> 00:38:30,520 Speaker 1: set the world on fire offensively, but just give options. 725 00:38:30,719 --> 00:38:34,319 Speaker 1: And if he was healthy, I think he'd be in 726 00:38:34,360 --> 00:38:36,359 Speaker 1: that discussion as a guy that could be up here 727 00:38:36,360 --> 00:38:39,920 Speaker 1: to help. But again, they don't have that, And if 728 00:38:39,920 --> 00:38:42,880 Speaker 1: they're not pounding the table to look for options, it 729 00:38:42,920 --> 00:38:46,600 Speaker 1: doesn't sound like they'll have that anytime soon. I hope 730 00:38:46,719 --> 00:38:49,520 Speaker 1: this went okay. This is my first time doing this. 731 00:38:49,600 --> 00:38:51,839 Speaker 1: I can't believe I got thirty eight minutes out of 732 00:38:51,880 --> 00:38:55,319 Speaker 1: me just rambling. I hope this We need Tyler back 733 00:38:55,360 --> 00:38:57,640 Speaker 1: pretty badly. I'm all out of sorts. I forgot my 734 00:38:57,719 --> 00:39:00,759 Speaker 1: microphone at home. I'm doing this on my airport. I 735 00:39:00,760 --> 00:39:03,480 Speaker 1: hope the audio is okay. I'm sorry everyone had to 736 00:39:03,480 --> 00:39:05,440 Speaker 1: look at me for the last thirty nine minutes. I 737 00:39:05,440 --> 00:39:09,160 Speaker 1: hope I made some semblance of sense. The good news 738 00:39:09,280 --> 00:39:13,359 Speaker 1: is I've got a couple guest co hosts lined up 739 00:39:13,360 --> 00:39:16,840 Speaker 1: for the next couple of podcast episodes, so you won't 740 00:39:16,880 --> 00:39:18,719 Speaker 1: just have to listen to me ramble. I know that 741 00:39:18,760 --> 00:39:21,760 Speaker 1: there's people that hate watch this, that don't enjoy listening 742 00:39:21,800 --> 00:39:24,200 Speaker 1: to me ramble. They do this just to despite me, 743 00:39:24,239 --> 00:39:26,840 Speaker 1: and I understand that perfectly understandable. I'm sorry that you 744 00:39:26,880 --> 00:39:29,279 Speaker 1: had to sit through this, but I appreciate you doing so. 745 00:39:29,400 --> 00:39:32,360 Speaker 1: If you want, please rate and review this on Apple. 746 00:39:32,400 --> 00:39:34,399 Speaker 1: Please give me five stars, just throw me a bone. 747 00:39:35,160 --> 00:39:38,640 Speaker 1: Please rate review on Apple. Please subscribe on YouTube at 748 00:39:38,640 --> 00:39:42,240 Speaker 1: the Krush City Territory podcast the Krushiti Territory YouTube channel 749 00:39:42,280 --> 00:39:44,640 Speaker 1: so you can know whenever we go live. We'll be 750 00:39:44,719 --> 00:39:48,520 Speaker 1: back on Sunday night to recap the Astros lone Star 751 00:39:48,640 --> 00:39:51,560 Speaker 1: series against the Rangers, and we'll be back next week 752 00:39:51,640 --> 00:39:55,960 Speaker 1: to discuss the continuation of this seventeen game stretch, whether 753 00:39:56,040 --> 00:39:59,240 Speaker 1: the offense can start to score some runs, and perhaps 754 00:39:59,280 --> 00:40:01,920 Speaker 1: whether the hitting code just can teach the offense had 755 00:40:01,920 --> 00:40:03,800 Speaker 1: a hit. This has been Chandler Row. I appreciate you 756 00:40:03,840 --> 00:40:31,600 Speaker 1: guys listen. Thanks Hm