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Hey everybody, welcome back to the Throwing Partners podcast.

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It's Kirby and Joseph here coming to you on a Monday night.

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The Braves actually have the night off, a much needed night off, and the Astros are
playing right now.

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So Joe, we haven't really talked about our teams a lot lately, so I'm going to kick it off
to you in just a second and we're going to get things rolling.

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Yeah, so to get things started off, it's been a while since we've done this regular
episodes.

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So I'm just going to go all the way back and give kind of a series by series breakdown of
what the Astros have done post All -Star break, just to refresh everybody's mind as to the

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current state of the team as it is right now.

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So that first series after the All -Star break was a pretty important series.

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It was a series against the Seattle Mariners who the Astros had been

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climbing back to reach for first place all season.

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And they would do just that in the series against the Mariners.

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They would take two out of three.

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They would take the first game, which would put them in a virtual tie for first place
against the Mariners.

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And then they would go on to win the second game, which gave them sole possession of first
place against the Mariners.

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They would end up losing the last game of that series, six to four, which would

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have them be in a virtual tie again.

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So they ended that series, both being in first place.

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And then the Astros would move on to a series against the Oakland Athletics.

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And this athletic series was difficult because before the All -Star break, the athletics
had gotten hot and stayed hot.

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The Astros would end up losing a series that a lot of people thought that

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would be an easy win.

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They would lose two out of three against the athletics and they would end up losing three
in a row from the end of that Mariner series into the last game of that Oakland series.

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And this series was special because it was the last time the Astros will play in the
Oakland Coliseum against the Oakland Athletics.

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You know, it's sad for baseball to see that a place with so much history and a city with
so much baseball history is losing their franchise because of stubbornness from ownership

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and just the city altogether.

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But mainly the ownership.

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If there's one person to blame, it's the Oakland Athletics owner.

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He never wanted to spend money on the team and it really goes to show.

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And it's just frustrating to see that he basically strong armed.

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the athletics out of Oakland because that is a city that deserves a sports team and it now
went from having three sports teams and the last 10 years to having none with the

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departure of the athletics.

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So the Astros would lose this series three games to two.

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They would pop off in the last game, which would start them on a three game winning streak
carried through the second game of the Dodger series.

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But

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They would win that last game eight to one and then move on to the series against the Los
Angeles Dodgers that Friday.

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They would win against the Dodgers who are banged up in their own ways.

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But the Astros are obviously banged up in theirs too.

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Five to nothing.

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And then on the Saturday game, the Astros would win in miraculous comeback fashion.

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Seven to six after being down five to nothing.

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For most of the game the Astros would get a late inning home run from Alex Bregman off of
Blake Trident which gave me 2017 vibes because as most people know Game five of 2017 World

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Series the last home game the Astros played in Houston for the 2017 season Alex Bregman
walked it off against the Dodgers and You know put the Astros up three games to two

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Ultimately setting them up to win the World Series in seven in LA, but that game was
special.

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I was at that game.

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I was at game five and I wasn't at the Saturday game, but it watching it on TV.

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It gave me 2017 vibes.

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It's a heated rivalry.

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is Joe Kelly.

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Once again, chirping his little ass off.

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He does not know when to shut up.

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And I don't really understand his appeal to Dodgers fans because he is quite honestly just
a little.

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I don't even like he's just a pain in the ass.

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Honestly, I mean he chirps and then they get owned.

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So honestly, if I was a Dodgers fan, I wouldn't put up with it.

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But the Astros would win that game seven to six and then they would lose the final game of
that series on Sunday, six to two.

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It was a good series ultimately because the Astros would end up winning.

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You know, it was a nice victory.

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but the Astros haven't really done much since.

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So it's kind of disappointing.

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That last game of the, or that Saturday game of the Dodger series honestly felt like the
last time the Astros had really put up some big numbers offensively and ever since then

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they've played kind of flat.

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Which brings me to the Pirate series.

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Monday was the first day of that Pirate series and it was also trade deadline Eve.

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And that is the day that we found out that the Astros would be acquiring Yusei Kikuchi for
Jake Bloss, Joey Loprofito, and Will Wagner.

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And I was at attendance on that Monday game when the news broke that the Astros would not
only be sending Jake Bloss to the Toronto Blue Jays, but they would also be sending Joey

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Loprofito and Will Wagner, which at the time and still kind of does feels like a massive
overpay.

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But I was actually at the game because I wanted to see Paul Skeen's pitch.

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Livia Dunn's boyfriend and he was electric, but the Astros were able to get to him.

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They would end up losing that game, unfortunately, because Ryan Presley doesn't know how
to hold on to a lead and Josh Hager has a home run problem.

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So that was very unfortunate.

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The Astros would end up losing five to three.

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They would go on to lose the next game of the series six to two, which was trade deadline
day.

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The Astros only made one other move for a Yankees reliever Chad Ferguson, I believe and He
has already pitched in a game and he did well his first inning against Tampa Bay debuting

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did not do so well And that's second inning of work, but that's for another series But
getting back to the trade deadline eve day that Monday game that I was

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finding out that the Astros had traded Joey Lopofito and Will Wagner along with Jake Bloss
hurt because Joey Lopofito is someone who has actually contributed to the Big League club

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so far this season and he has come up clutch in some very You know clutch situations when
the Astros have needed it.

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He's been very timely with his hits He does have a strikeout problem, but I do believe
that that is something he can work

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He is a rookie and everybody keeps dogging on him for his high strikeout percentage.

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But what people don't understand is he progressed really fast in the Astros minor league
system and he has all the tools to be a very successful MLB player.

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A lot of people are more upset about the loss of Jake Bloss because you're giving up six
years of control for a young pitcher who just like Paul Skeens was drafted just last year.

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He progressed really fast in the Astros farm system.

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But in my opinion, I am not really projecting Jake Bloss to be that much.

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I think that he'll be an innings eater like Jose Urquide or Brandon Bielak.

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But I don't think that he's got a ceiling of someone that's gonna be a superstar in this
game and blow the doors off of hitters.

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mean, he was dealing with an arm injury after his first start in the major leagues, which
that just screams red flag to me.

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I know that pitchers can obviously.

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rehab and overcome arm injuries but and all of his starts he would go three innings and in
that fourth inning he would hit a wall and lose velocity on his fastball and again I know

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he's young he still has time to build up which is exactly what the Blue Jays are gonna
giving gonna give him the chance to do when because they immediately optioned him to

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triple -a but

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For me, honestly, he's someone that wasn't really going to contribute to the big league
club this year or not positively anyways, because every start that he had, he was

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basically coming out of the game in the fourth inning and he wasn't giving the Astros any
much needed link.

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And I think you say Kikuchi will do just that for the Astros.

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So once again, the Astros would lose that pirate series, two games to three, winning the
final game of that series and then starting

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the race series with a much needed win because the Astros had been on a skid.

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And that first game of the race series was Usai Kikuchi's Astros debut.

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And boy, it did not start off well.

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He would come in, make the start and immediately give up a lead off double.

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And then on the second batter of the game, a two run home run.

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But that was all he gave up after that.

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He would end up recording 11 strikeouts in his Astros debut and he did something that I
thought before the game he would make an adjustment to.

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And it's something that I believe a lot of other people on Astros Twitter saw as well as
the Astros pitching staff and scouting department.

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I think that they went off to you say Kikuchi and gave up as much as they did because they
project him as a three starter.

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I truly believe that and Dana Brown said that and came out and said that on the Astros
home network radio show a couple of days after the trade.

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And I think that what they saw was a lack of efficiency and just stubbornness from either
him or Toronto Blue Jays pitching department because good Lord, I do not understand why he

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was using his curve ball 32 % of the time over his change up and slider.

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When his curveball is his hardest hit pitch It was very obvious to see kind of what
adjustment the Astros would attempt to make And the Astros have come out and said that

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there I mean it's not gonna he's not gonna completely scrap the curveball Which I do think
that they should just completely scrap it because the numbers on the slider and change up

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are just so good but He would leave his curveball

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over the plate, over the heart of the plate and was getting constantly hit his hardest
pitch.

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And for some reason he was still using it 32 % of the time.

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And I just, think that the Astro saw that if they cut that curve ball percentage down to
around 2 % that he has some real efficiencies with his change up, which generates the

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least amount of contact.

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But he was utilizing it the least as a Toronto Blue J and then his slider.

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which also generates a lot of soft contact as well.

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But for the change up specifically, I loved seeing him throw it a ton in his first start.

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He got a lot of strikeouts off of it.

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And I just, think that that's, it's something that the Astros have been very good at.

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When you go back and look at guys like Charlie Morton or even this year with Hunter Brown
adding his cutter or two scene fastball, they're figuring out ways to take what pitchers

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do.

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already very well and just creating efficiencies off of it, highlighting it.

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know, guys like Garrett Cole and Justin Verlander, you know what they're going to throw
before, you know, they even throw it.

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They have most MLB hitters have a scouting report.

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They have the percentage breakdown of what pitch is most likely to come in and that bat.

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And you still can't hit them.

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And a lot of people have been saying, well, maybe this UK,

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Kikuchi start was a one -hit wonder because now teams are gonna know that he's gonna be
relying heavily on his change -up and slider But I disagree.

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I mean he places both pitches very well Now I do believe that he does have a problem with
this fastball.

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He leaves his fastball middle middle And he needs to kind of place that fastball a little
bit higher in the zone for it to be Really effective along with that change -up and slider

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Ari Alexander, a reporter for KPRC2, did a comparison between his fastball heat map and
Justin Verlander's heat map.

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They have very similar fastballs.

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It's just Kikuchi consistently leaves his fastball just a little bit, a couple inches
under where Justin Verlander has been able to spot his fastball up.

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If Kikuchi can get that fastball just a little bit higher in the zone, it will play and

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Along with that change up in slider that he, could be seeing 11 strikeouts per game from
him consistently if he can do that.

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And he will be that third starter that the Astros projected him to be trading for.

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so I was really encouraged by, what I saw.

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I predicted it ahead of game time on Friday during the day.

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I was really proud to see the prediction of mine based off of the analytics actually came
to light.

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Although I know I wasn't the only one that predicted the drop in usage first curveball.

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A lot of people were able to see that, but it's just something that I saw with my own eyes
and I was able to correctly predict.

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So like I said, I was really encouraged by that start.

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Not really encouraged about anything else I saw from the Astros, however, and that Tampa
Bay series as they would go on to lose the last two games of that series.

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and get some pretty bad news over the weekend as well.

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Losing that series.

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On Tuesday of the Pirate series, both Justin Verlander and Luis Garcia pitched in
simulated games before they were supposed to progress and make a rehab start.

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Justin Verlander came out of his simulated game feeling fine.

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He's gonna throw a bullpen.

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And then after that, you know, they're going to see how he feels and then he will be
making rehab starts.

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he's going to need about two rehab starts before he's able to build up back to the big
league rotation.

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Luis Garcia, Luis Garcia, however, on the other hand, felt elbow soreness and will be shut
down.

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It still a no throw, as of this moment.

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It's kind of frustrating to see because this is the second setback we've had with Luis.

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And again, he's feeling soreness.

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He was ahead of schedule for the longest time.

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And now he's kind of back on that, that 12 month to 14 month period where guys need to
recover for Tommy John.

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But I said it when they first started giving a timeline on Luis Garcia, I thought that
they were rushing him.

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I didn't.

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I mean, I see the need for it.

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I see that the Astros need it, need him.

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But the cons were just, I mean, the cons of not having him again for another season just
outweighed the pros in my opinion.

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I mean, he's going to almost have a Lance McCullers Jr.

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type of timeline now where we also got news that Lance McCullers Jr.

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is likely to miss the rest of the season.

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The last time we saw Lance McCullers Jr.

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The last time we saw Lance McCullers Jr.

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he was giving up six home runs to the Phillies in the 2022 World Series after having a
start pushback because of champagne bottle hitting his elbow.

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Yeah, give me a break.

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I people love to love on him, but that is the biggest load of crap for someone who has
come out and said that he is pitched injured before and the 2018 postseason and then

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ultimately had to get Tommy John surgery and missed the entire 2020 2019 season.

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Only staying healthy for the 2020 season and the 2021 season up until the postseason.

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It's BS.

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I believe that he keeps pitching injured or he doesn't take his rehab serious or he's just
not.

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I don't know.

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I really don't know what it is with him.

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I don't know if his body is just efficient or defective.

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But he's come out and said that he's pitch injured before.

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So I

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Like he has no benefit of the doubt in my opinion.

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He very well could be rushing it to get back so that he can contribute and he can make
himself feel better.

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But it's the same thing like in 2021 after that White Sox series when he went down,
everybody said that he should get the surgery on his elbow so he can just get it over

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with.

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What did he do?

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He refused to do it.

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Waited until

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after the 2022 season to get the surgery missed all of 2023 and is now going to miss all
of 2024 when he could have just had a surgery after the 2021 season missed the entire 2022

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season and he could probably be pitching right now if he would have stayed if he had that
surgery it's a bunch of what ifs but he could be healthy right now and he could be making

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a contribution for the Astros but he decided that he wanted to just straight rehab it not
get the safe surgery

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This is what it's led to.

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It's led to two consecutive years without having Lance McCullers Jr.

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Basically three because he only threw seven games in the 2022 season.

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So we got that news as well.

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I have thoughts about my colors.

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Can I share?

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Yeah, go ahead.

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Okay.

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So, McCullers is actually one year younger than I am.

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So we came up basically in the same generation of baseball players.

197
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obviously not the same talent level.

198
00:19:05,190 --> 00:19:13,390
but my thought on it is Joe is like, when we were growing up, like they would just burn
kids to the core.

199
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And I'm talking about like, it didn't matter if you were 12, like you were going to go
throw six innings, seven innings.

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didn't matter.

201
00:19:20,570 --> 00:19:21,830
when you were 14, guess what?

202
00:19:21,830 --> 00:19:23,494
You were throwing a lot of innings.

203
00:19:23,514 --> 00:19:25,645
When you were in high school, you were throwing a lot of innings.

204
00:19:25,645 --> 00:19:26,665
There were no pitch counts.

205
00:19:26,665 --> 00:19:28,196
There were no pitch limits.

206
00:19:28,376 --> 00:19:30,347
And guys were spinning the ball a lot earlier.

207
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I honestly don't know if there is actually a reasonable thought or a reasonable
expectation that he should ever come back to pro ball.

208
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Because for one, that arms only got so many bullets and I'm not saying that he may have
used them all already.

209
00:19:50,125 --> 00:19:53,516
But don't be surprised if we never see him in pro ball again.

210
00:19:53,870 --> 00:20:04,557
Because honestly, I don't I don't know that I don't know that his arm is physically
capable of actually coming back and even being used again I mean we saw the same thing

211
00:20:04,557 --> 00:20:08,939
essentially with Dylan Bundy for those of you who are familiar He's also my age.

212
00:20:08,939 --> 00:20:20,154
If y didn't know I'm But Dylan Bundy was overused as a kid when he was in junior high and
high school, especially And he ended up making it to the big leagues

213
00:20:20,154 --> 00:20:25,216
But he burned out early because of all of the high stress he had when he was young.

214
00:20:25,276 --> 00:20:27,957
And I'm sure my colors went through the same thing.

215
00:20:28,118 --> 00:20:36,582
So it's just, it's one of those things, Joe, it's unfortunate that that happened to both
of them, but I don't know that he ever makes it back to the big leagues, if we're being

216
00:20:36,582 --> 00:20:37,422
honest.

217
00:20:38,922 --> 00:20:49,298
Yeah, and doesn't like I said, it doesn't help his case that he's come out and said, are
there have been reports that he has played injured before in his past?

218
00:20:49,298 --> 00:20:55,441
That is the in my opinion, that is the most selfish thing you can do, especially as a
pitcher on the baseball field.

219
00:20:55,441 --> 00:20:57,182
You control the game.

220
00:20:57,222 --> 00:21:01,505
Like if you're throwing injured, you're setting your team up for failure.

221
00:21:01,505 --> 00:21:07,648
And not only are you setting up your team for failure on the field, you're setting them up
for failure off the field,

222
00:21:07,724 --> 00:21:13,966
because the Astros have had two consecutive off seasons where they needed to address
starting pitching.

223
00:21:13,966 --> 00:21:18,897
But the GM and the medical staff said, no, Lance McCullers Jr.

224
00:21:18,897 --> 00:21:21,278
He should be ready sometime in the year.

225
00:21:21,278 --> 00:21:22,828
And guess what?

226
00:21:22,828 --> 00:21:24,349
The reinforcements never came.

227
00:21:24,349 --> 00:21:26,629
And it's the same thing this year.

228
00:21:26,829 --> 00:21:28,650
We were expecting reinforcements.

229
00:21:28,650 --> 00:21:29,730
He never came.

230
00:21:29,730 --> 00:21:31,871
It is so frustrating to me.

231
00:21:31,871 --> 00:21:33,311
Luis Garcia Jr.

232
00:21:33,311 --> 00:21:34,632
That's a different case.

233
00:21:34,632 --> 00:21:36,352
He was progressing a lot faster.

234
00:21:36,352 --> 00:21:39,054
The medical team felt like he was progressing a lot faster.

235
00:21:39,054 --> 00:21:45,797
He showed no signs up until his rehab start and then now subsequently his simulated game
and they're shutting him down.

236
00:21:45,797 --> 00:21:48,899
Now he came out and said that he is not feeling great.

237
00:21:48,899 --> 00:21:49,920
They shut him down.

238
00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:51,090
He is doing the right thing.

239
00:21:51,090 --> 00:21:53,962
He is not trying to pitch through it.

240
00:21:53,962 --> 00:21:58,945
I genuinely appreciate that after dealing with the Lance McCullers junior experience.

241
00:21:58,945 --> 00:22:02,606
Like if we're going to miss Luis Garcia, Jr.

242
00:22:02,647 --> 00:22:03,667
I keep saying junior.

243
00:22:03,667 --> 00:22:05,516
That's a different Luis Garcia.

244
00:22:05,516 --> 00:22:12,526
If we're going to miss Luis Garcia for the remainder of the season, that's fine as long as
he can come back healthy next season.

245
00:22:12,526 --> 00:22:23,376
I'm okay with that because we've got Justin Verlander still and while Verlander may be
older and he's not the same Cy Young Verlander that we saw in 2022 or 2019, he can still

246
00:22:23,376 --> 00:22:27,396
give us some good decent innings that I will feel happy with.

247
00:22:27,736 --> 00:22:32,716
So, I mean, that's basically, that's just my little rant to wrap it

248
00:22:32,716 --> 00:22:41,156
The Astros are currently tied with the Rangers in the first game of their series, 1 -1,
and the bottom of the sixth with two outs as of right now.

249
00:22:41,156 --> 00:22:42,766
So hopefully they can get the win.

250
00:22:42,766 --> 00:22:44,556
That series is tied.

251
00:22:44,596 --> 00:22:46,916
The season series is tied 5 -5.

252
00:22:46,916 --> 00:22:55,556
So the winner of this series will win the silver boot for the year the Astros have won it
seven consecutive years.

253
00:22:55,556 --> 00:22:57,886
So I'm hoping they can make that an

254
00:22:58,566 --> 00:22:59,726
Well, let's hope so, Joe.

255
00:22:59,726 --> 00:23:01,006
And let me just say this.

256
00:23:01,006 --> 00:23:06,706
It's a great day in Braves country because today they cannot physically lose to a AAA
team.

257
00:23:06,766 --> 00:23:10,126
So honestly, it's not a bad day for me.

258
00:23:10,926 --> 00:23:13,776
Joe, I've been saying this since May and nothing's changed.

259
00:23:13,776 --> 00:23:17,106
The Braves are still a 500 team since May 1st.

260
00:23:17,106 --> 00:23:19,126
They went 13 and 14 in May.

261
00:23:19,126 --> 00:23:21,086
They went 14 and 13 in June.

262
00:23:21,086 --> 00:23:23,136
They went 12 and 13 in July.

263
00:23:23,136 --> 00:23:25,066
And they're currently two and two in August.

264
00:23:25,066 --> 00:23:28,486
That is actually one game below 500, but you get the point.

265
00:23:28,486 --> 00:23:32,466
They are 7 and 9 since the All -Star break.

266
00:23:32,906 --> 00:23:34,946
It got kind of ugly there for a little bit.

267
00:23:34,946 --> 00:23:36,526
Let me just explain here.

268
00:23:36,526 --> 00:23:40,176
They came out of the break and had a series against St.

269
00:23:40,176 --> 00:23:40,726
Louis.

270
00:23:40,726 --> 00:23:50,326
They won the first game in a walk -off actually, which was kind of a cool way to start the
second half, and then, you know, consequently lost the next two games.

271
00:23:51,186 --> 00:23:57,386
Then they went, then they had a two -game set against Cincinnati at home and lost both of
those.

272
00:23:57,386 --> 00:23:58,424
That sucked.

273
00:23:58,502 --> 00:24:10,802
So that that drove their losing streak to four and then after that they had a weekend
series against the Mets and Lost the first two of that one as well Which gave them a six

274
00:24:10,802 --> 00:24:21,762
game losing streak and I believe that's the first time that's happened since 2017 before
this division run title started One of the games that they lost in New York was absolutely

275
00:24:21,762 --> 00:24:26,102
horrific one of the ugliest losses of the season

276
00:24:26,122 --> 00:24:32,245
They had a defensive blunder in the 10th that ultimately cost them the game and the game
that they should have won.

277
00:24:32,286 --> 00:24:33,726
It was horrible.

278
00:24:34,207 --> 00:24:46,674
And then Joe, the best part about it is Sal Lakota comes through again and says after the
Mets go up a half game after the second loss of the series, Sal Lakota comes through and

279
00:24:46,674 --> 00:24:50,176
says, the NL wild card race is over.

280
00:24:50,176 --> 00:24:51,517
Well, what happens after that?

281
00:24:51,517 --> 00:24:54,488
Well, the Braves, of course, won the last two games of the series.

282
00:24:54,522 --> 00:25:00,644
So they actually left New York on a high note and went to Milwaukee and won the first two.

283
00:25:00,644 --> 00:25:01,664
I'm sorry.

284
00:25:01,964 --> 00:25:03,924
Yeah.

285
00:25:04,825 --> 00:25:05,985
Let's see.

286
00:25:06,125 --> 00:25:07,886
They lost the first game there, sorry.

287
00:25:07,886 --> 00:25:09,446
And then they won the last two games.

288
00:25:09,446 --> 00:25:10,726
I think I've got that right.

289
00:25:10,726 --> 00:25:12,147
And yeah, that's right.

290
00:25:13,007 --> 00:25:20,569
So they come home on a two game win streak against Milwaukee and then they won the first
two games against the Marlins.

291
00:25:20,669 --> 00:25:24,302
They've officially activated Jorge Soler after he's been traded.

292
00:25:24,302 --> 00:25:27,343
And you you start thinking like, okay, the Braves are cooking.

293
00:25:27,343 --> 00:25:28,434
think things are looking up.

294
00:25:28,434 --> 00:25:34,686
You know, their top five is Solerre, it's Riley, it's Ozuna, it's Olsen, and it's a
catcher.

295
00:25:35,507 --> 00:25:37,947
So it sounds good on paper, right?

296
00:25:38,288 --> 00:25:39,668
Until Saturday.

297
00:25:39,688 --> 00:25:41,569
Saturday, they lose to the Marlins.

298
00:25:41,569 --> 00:25:45,110
Okay, you're gonna lose some games even to AAA teams.

299
00:25:46,071 --> 00:25:51,203
But then Sunday, they decided to also lose in an ugly game.

300
00:25:51,203 --> 00:25:52,233
It was a...

301
00:25:54,242 --> 00:25:56,123
Max Free decided to come back.

302
00:25:56,123 --> 00:25:58,384
I don't know if that was the best option for the team or not.

303
00:25:58,384 --> 00:26:01,185
Didn't matter because they got shut out anyway.

304
00:26:01,326 --> 00:26:02,677
But he did not look good.

305
00:26:02,677 --> 00:26:03,787
He looked very rusty.

306
00:26:03,787 --> 00:26:08,400
I think he had five walks, which was pitiful against the Marlins.

307
00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:11,271
I don't know how you even give up five walks to the Marlins.

308
00:26:11,571 --> 00:26:14,493
But he did and the Braves got shut out and it was ugly.

309
00:26:14,773 --> 00:26:19,335
So needless to say, today being an off day was a real blessing for them.

310
00:26:19,336 --> 00:26:22,357
They desperately needed a day away from baseball.

311
00:26:22,637 --> 00:26:23,918
I am hoping

312
00:26:24,070 --> 00:26:29,090
When they kick off this series against Milwaukee tomorrow, that thing start to look up for
them.

313
00:26:29,090 --> 00:26:38,950
They desperately need to go on a streak where they win eight out of 10, know, 12 out of
15, something like that, to kind of separate themselves a little bit.

314
00:26:39,690 --> 00:26:45,450
Now, while all of this is happening, Joe, there's been a couple of positives here.

315
00:26:47,030 --> 00:26:49,890
Orlando Arcia has decided to come alive.

316
00:26:49,890 --> 00:26:51,510
Okay, thank God.

317
00:26:51,510 --> 00:26:53,926
He's got a 1 .004

318
00:26:53,926 --> 00:27:00,846
Ops with four home runs since the all -star break that place that is outstanding That's
not Bobby wit jr.

319
00:27:00,846 --> 00:27:05,726
Levels, but we're gonna talk about that in a little bit Marcelo Zuna is doing his thing.

320
00:27:05,726 --> 00:27:17,626
He's got a 912 OPS with six homers since the break He is still on track to probably finish
on the top three of the MVP Running probably without Tony winning it And then you've got

321
00:27:17,626 --> 00:27:21,254
Austin Riley who's got an 805 OPS with three homers since the break

322
00:27:21,254 --> 00:27:23,274
So not great, but also not horrible either.

323
00:27:23,274 --> 00:27:24,754
That's pretty solid.

324
00:27:25,294 --> 00:27:30,654
Matt Olson, the OPS is not there, but he's got five homers, which I will happily take.

325
00:27:30,954 --> 00:27:38,954
And then the team actually has 29 homers since the All -Star break, which is second MLB,
or at least it was as of yesterday.

326
00:27:39,054 --> 00:27:40,934
So we will take that.

327
00:27:40,934 --> 00:27:49,314
However, most of these home runs have been solo shots, and they desperately need to get
guys on base in front of these guys that are hitting homers.

328
00:27:49,446 --> 00:27:52,046
That'll ways we can start scoring some more runs.

329
00:27:52,306 --> 00:27:57,846
So there's been some positives there, but they've still got a lot of work to do when it
comes to the lineup.

330
00:27:58,486 --> 00:28:06,406
The pitching staff, since the All -Star break, they've got 178 Ks, which leads MLB.

331
00:28:06,406 --> 00:28:08,026
Fantastic, right?

332
00:28:08,226 --> 00:28:13,066
As a team, they've got a 395 ERA, which is not great, but it's not horrible either.

333
00:28:13,066 --> 00:28:15,026
It's just about the middle of the pack.

334
00:28:15,326 --> 00:28:18,726
So the pitching staff overall is still doing a pretty decent job.

335
00:28:18,726 --> 00:28:29,546
Now granted they have lost Max Free, they have lost Renato Lopez, they have been plugging
those holes with Grant Holmes and with Bryce Elder and guys in the bullpen that may not be

336
00:28:29,546 --> 00:28:31,986
there much longer like Luke Jackson.

337
00:28:32,466 --> 00:28:39,026
So that ERA still sits at the top of league at like a 3 -4 -4 I think for the season.

338
00:28:39,026 --> 00:28:41,526
So the pitching staff, they've just been outstanding.

339
00:28:41,526 --> 00:28:44,646
I can't say enough good things about them.

340
00:28:44,646 --> 00:28:48,166
But the offense is still, that has been their problem all

341
00:28:48,166 --> 00:28:54,616
If this offense was just a top 10 offense and not a top 15 offense, this team might have
70 wins right now.

342
00:28:54,616 --> 00:28:59,566
And I'm not exaggerating that, but that's just how good the pitching staff has been.

343
00:28:59,726 --> 00:29:05,526
This is the same team that lost a one -nothing game against the White Sox.

344
00:29:05,526 --> 00:29:08,246
The White Sox have lost 20 games in a row!

345
00:29:08,246 --> 00:29:11,346
How do you lose 20 freaking games in a row?

346
00:29:11,426 --> 00:29:17,336
I don't get it, but it's just that game frustrates me because we saw a gym from Chris
Sale.

347
00:29:17,336 --> 00:29:23,629
And he took the loss in that game and we couldn't scrape across one run against the White
Sox.

348
00:29:23,629 --> 00:29:32,034
I swear to God there are teams that play in men's league Sundays in Houston that could
beat the White Sox right now if Garrett Crochet is not pitching.

349
00:29:32,034 --> 00:29:33,855
They are that bad right now.

350
00:29:34,996 --> 00:29:41,619
So needless to say, I'm getting off my tangent there, but that's just how frustrating this
offense has been this year.

351
00:29:44,101 --> 00:29:46,081
I mentioned the Phillies.

352
00:29:47,334 --> 00:29:48,814
Or did I mention the Phillies?

353
00:29:48,814 --> 00:29:50,714
No, I did not mention the Phillies.

354
00:29:50,714 --> 00:29:57,194
The Phillies are starting a series tonight against the Dodgers.

355
00:29:57,194 --> 00:29:57,894
Okay?

356
00:29:57,894 --> 00:30:04,134
I'm gonna read off some stats to you real quick, Since the All -Star break, the Phillies
are 4 -11.

357
00:30:04,314 --> 00:30:05,274
Okay?

358
00:30:05,274 --> 00:30:10,014
Not too long ago, the Braves were, I think, 10 or 10 and a half games back in that
division.

359
00:30:10,014 --> 00:30:13,074
As it sits right now, the Braves are six games back.

360
00:30:13,074 --> 00:30:14,714
Which is

361
00:30:15,238 --> 00:30:25,358
not undoable for them to catch them because technically they still have seven games left
against the Phillies and so far this year they're four and two against the Phillies.

362
00:30:25,358 --> 00:30:31,338
Surprisingly the Braves have actually played better against teams that are above 500.

363
00:30:31,338 --> 00:30:34,506
I don't get it but hey I'll take it.

364
00:30:34,506 --> 00:30:43,771
You know, that's kind of what the Astros formula has been over the last couple years where
they beat up on really good teams and they just don't give up for the bad ones.

365
00:30:43,814 --> 00:30:54,154
I don't get it at all because you've got to take care of those crappy teams that are only
gonna win 60 games on the season and Yes, it might be their World Series But you've got to

366
00:30:54,154 --> 00:31:05,114
treat it as your World Series as well and get those but what should be bona fide wins It
drives me nuts that we're dropping these games to terrible teams Anyway what I was saying

367
00:31:05,114 --> 00:31:12,838
about the Phillies, okay, they're two and eight in their last ten They've got a an
atrocious team ERA of 476 right

368
00:31:12,838 --> 00:31:14,418
That's 23rd in MLB.

369
00:31:14,418 --> 00:31:16,158
That's unacceptable.

370
00:31:16,498 --> 00:31:21,438
They've also got a team OPS of 687, which is 22nd in MLB.

371
00:31:21,438 --> 00:31:30,918
So those are bottom third in both of those categories, just as basic generic team stats,
which would explain their 4 -11 record since the All -Star break.

372
00:31:30,918 --> 00:31:40,024
That's been good news for the Braves, but I just, I have this horrible feeling, Joe, that
the Braves and the Phillies are gonna play here in a couple weeks.

373
00:31:40,024 --> 00:31:47,249
And the Phillies are just going to figure it out and the Braves are just going to get just
absolutely ram -rotted when they play that series.

374
00:31:47,249 --> 00:31:50,962
Like I just, have this horrible feeling about it, but they're going to figure it out.

375
00:31:52,343 --> 00:31:53,103
But we'll see.

376
00:31:53,103 --> 00:31:58,407
I hope that I'm wrong because I would love to see the Braves take two out of three.

377
00:31:58,467 --> 00:31:59,798
That would, that would make my day.

378
00:31:59,798 --> 00:32:05,072
That would make me feel a whole lot better about their odds to possibly win the division.

379
00:32:05,072 --> 00:32:07,960
Do I think that they're good enough to win the division?

380
00:32:07,960 --> 00:32:16,631
Yes, if the if the offense gets gone if the offense gets going that's been the thing all
year long but it hasn't so I don't know.

381
00:32:16,631 --> 00:32:20,886
We'll see joe i've got a few other things to talk about.

382
00:32:21,648 --> 00:32:23,349
do we want to talk about?

383
00:32:23,950 --> 00:32:25,252
How bad?

384
00:32:25,393 --> 00:32:26,814
The white socks have

385
00:32:30,000 --> 00:32:40,065
I don't think there's really much to say they they are on pace to I mean that I they're
just they're horrible They haven't won a game since the all -star break.

386
00:32:40,586 --> 00:32:41,877
I don't know how that's possible.

387
00:32:41,877 --> 00:32:45,049
I Just I don't get it.

388
00:32:45,049 --> 00:32:46,410
They're a really bad team.

389
00:32:46,410 --> 00:32:48,251
I don't know what ownership is doing.

390
00:32:48,251 --> 00:32:57,416
They had a horrible trade deadline While they were put in a really bad position by Garrett
crochet, I mean they still had the option to deal

391
00:32:57,760 --> 00:32:58,871
Luis Robert Jr.

392
00:32:58,871 --> 00:33:05,724
and they did not, they could have gotten a hole for him, even though he has not been
playing very well.

393
00:33:06,605 --> 00:33:12,428
But I mean, the fact that they really didn't do much at the trade deadline and they didn't
get that back that much.

394
00:33:13,309 --> 00:33:23,104
I mean, it like you had Martin Maldonado on that team and even they cut them like that's
just, I don't understand.

395
00:33:23,104 --> 00:33:27,018
like I just, I don't get

396
00:33:27,018 --> 00:33:28,990
But they're really bad.

397
00:33:28,990 --> 00:33:32,334
I had this thought the other night, Joe, and I want to run this by you.

398
00:33:32,334 --> 00:33:43,966
Okay, so we have seen so far from the White Sox this year, we have seen really good
seasons from Michael Kopek, Garrett Crochet, and Eric Fetty.

399
00:33:44,847 --> 00:33:51,894
Do you think that Martin Maldonado played a part in their three seasons being successful?

400
00:33:53,518 --> 00:33:55,679
Okay, alright, that's all I wanted to know.

401
00:33:56,961 --> 00:34:00,222
It was just something that crossed my mind the other day and I was like...

402
00:34:00,923 --> 00:34:10,630
Obviously these guys have or were top prospects at one time or, you know, like Fetty kind
of went off the beaten path and I think he played in Japan or whatever.

403
00:34:10,911 --> 00:34:20,157
But it's interesting to me that all of a sudden these three guys have good seasons and
you've got Martin Maldonado back there.

404
00:34:20,990 --> 00:34:33,181
they having such good season if they were if it was him then they wouldn't have cut him
but I don't believe that it was him so but hey the good news is the two worst teams in the

405
00:34:33,181 --> 00:34:44,806
league are currently playing against one another the Chicago White Sox and the Oakland
Athletics so one team has to win baseball doesn't end in a tie like football so one of

406
00:34:44,806 --> 00:34:51,226
about the athletics this year is they can hit homers and they can score runs.

407
00:34:51,226 --> 00:34:54,686
They have put up 17 runs in three games this year.

408
00:34:54,686 --> 00:34:57,786
No other team has done that, if that tells you anything.

409
00:34:58,946 --> 00:35:01,246
Their offense is actually pretty good.

410
00:35:01,246 --> 00:35:03,006
Their pitching staff sucks.

411
00:35:03,026 --> 00:35:11,100
they had a top 10 pitching staff, top 12, they would be a 500 team or better right now,
easily.

412
00:35:11,862 --> 00:35:18,577
Yeah, that's part of the reason why the Astros lost that series against them right after
the Mariner series.

413
00:35:18,577 --> 00:35:27,144
The Astros caught them at a really bad time and unfortunately couldn't take advantage of a
weak opponent because they got hot at the right

414
00:35:28,166 --> 00:35:33,226
Joe, speaking of hot at the right time, let's talk about the Royals for a minute.

415
00:35:33,246 --> 00:35:33,986
Okay?

416
00:35:33,986 --> 00:35:37,106
Since the All -Star break, the Royals are 11 and 5.

417
00:35:37,106 --> 00:35:37,556
Okay?

418
00:35:37,556 --> 00:35:41,126
And they are obviously led by Bobby Witt Jr.

419
00:35:41,126 --> 00:35:52,206
Now, right after we made our season prediction episode, I actually text you and I said,
Joe, I hope I don't feel like a freaking idiot not picking Bobby Witt Jr.

420
00:35:52,206 --> 00:35:53,846
to be the AL MVP.

421
00:35:53,846 --> 00:35:56,806
And right now, I am feeling as such.

422
00:35:56,806 --> 00:36:01,646
Let me read you the stat line real quick since the all -star break Bobby Witt jr.

423
00:36:01,646 --> 00:36:08,246
Has a 1295 OPS with four home runs and 16 RBI's and a 469 batting average.

424
00:36:08,246 --> 00:36:17,626
He has 30 hits in 16 games Joe these are video game numbers at the big league level Bobby
Witt jr.

425
00:36:17,626 --> 00:36:25,594
Is becoming everything that everybody thought he could be I don't know that he is the MVP
right now with the way judge is playing

426
00:36:25,594 --> 00:36:35,107
But I'm going tell you right now, if he stays on a pretty good path and Judge has a couple
of weeks where he falters, we might be talking about Bobby Witt Jr.

427
00:36:35,107 --> 00:36:39,037
winning the MVP in his third season of the big leagues.

428
00:36:41,178 --> 00:36:43,819
I can see it happening because of his speed.

429
00:36:43,819 --> 00:36:45,599
He plays good defense.

430
00:36:45,679 --> 00:36:51,761
He is the total package, He has it all going for him.

431
00:36:52,101 --> 00:36:55,588
And man, he is going to be, in my opinion,

432
00:36:55,588 --> 00:36:57,444
the next face of baseball.

433
00:36:58,011 --> 00:36:59,012
What do you

434
00:37:00,204 --> 00:37:11,704
I think that he's got a really good chance to, he's got a 7 .2 floor right now and we're
not even, I mean, we're not even done with the season yet.

435
00:37:11,904 --> 00:37:19,804
I'm excited to see if the Royals are able to make a push to the postseason because I think
he's gonna be absolutely electric when he gets there.

436
00:37:19,824 --> 00:37:25,764
I know some people aren't born for the lights, when lights are the brightest, air and
judge.

437
00:37:25,924 --> 00:37:28,464
But I think that he has the potential.

438
00:37:28,972 --> 00:37:30,132
So I mean, I don't know.

439
00:37:30,132 --> 00:37:31,272
I'm just really excited to see.

440
00:37:31,272 --> 00:37:32,172
mean, it's crazy.

441
00:37:32,172 --> 00:37:39,192
He's got a 167 OPS plus right now and that's just insane in my opinion.

442
00:37:39,252 --> 00:37:47,492
So I think he's going to be really, I mean, I think that he actually has a better shot
than judge of winning the MVP right now.

443
00:37:47,492 --> 00:37:50,532
Just because actually I take that back.

444
00:37:50,532 --> 00:37:51,442
I take that back.

445
00:37:51,442 --> 00:37:55,102
I didn't realize judge had a 219 OPS plus.

446
00:37:55,102 --> 00:37:57,252
What are we talking about?

447
00:37:57,472 --> 00:37:59,286
How is that possible?

448
00:37:59,928 --> 00:38:10,524
That's what that's the whole that's the whole issue for me Joe is is judges offensive
numbers are so good and what makes Bobby wits Overall number so good is the fact that he

449
00:38:10,524 --> 00:38:20,110
plays outstanding defense and he also has you know Elite speed like he is like one of the
three fastest guys in the league Which judge has neither of those?

450
00:38:20,110 --> 00:38:21,461
So

451
00:38:23,002 --> 00:38:25,053
For me, it's a really tough call.

452
00:38:25,053 --> 00:38:32,290
And like I said, it's going to take one of them stumbling over the next two weeks, or a
two week span between now and the end of the season.

453
00:38:32,651 --> 00:38:34,752
But I mean, if Bobby Wood Jr.

454
00:38:34,752 --> 00:38:47,293
just has a good August and a good September and Judge doesn't, which he is known to go in
slumps and suck, then I think you could easily see Bobby Wood Jr.

455
00:38:47,293 --> 00:38:48,644
winning this award.

456
00:38:49,085 --> 00:38:50,586
My guy Gunnar Newton

457
00:38:50,586 --> 00:38:53,240
falling off, but he's still not having a bad year

458
00:38:54,016 --> 00:39:00,942
Yeah, okay, so let's say neither of them stumble and they both continue to play on the
pace that they are right now.

459
00:39:01,203 --> 00:39:03,585
It's Aaron Judge as the MVP, right?

460
00:39:03,585 --> 00:39:07,288
I mean, it's gotta be, right?

461
00:39:08,270 --> 00:39:09,250
Okay,

462
00:39:09,376 --> 00:39:15,378
Yeah, which is hard to say because he's not a one dimensional player, we know that.

463
00:39:15,438 --> 00:39:22,761
But his best asset is his power and his ability to get on base.

464
00:39:22,761 --> 00:39:25,262
Which is, okay, don't get me wrong, those are great,

465
00:39:25,648 --> 00:39:28,808
these are just some of like the regular counting stats right now.

466
00:39:28,808 --> 00:39:33,428
Aaron judge, 127 hits, 41 RBIs.

467
00:39:33,428 --> 00:39:36,408
He's batting a 322.

468
00:39:36,648 --> 00:39:39,768
he's got, he's scored 87 runs.

469
00:39:39,768 --> 00:39:43,088
he has 103 RBIs, five stolen bases.

470
00:39:43,618 --> 00:39:48,998
he's got an OBP of 456, a slugging of 701.

471
00:39:48,998 --> 00:39:53,726
He's got a 1 .157 OPS.

472
00:39:54,024 --> 00:39:56,665
I mean, that is just, that's, that's unheard of.

473
00:39:56,665 --> 00:40:01,307
That's honestly unheard of that might be, I mean, that's, that's going to be up there.

474
00:40:01,307 --> 00:40:07,470
And it's like some of the best offensive single seasons and MLB history, cause that's
crazy.

475
00:40:07,470 --> 00:40:09,291
And he started off horribly.

476
00:40:09,291 --> 00:40:11,701
He started off the year horribly.

477
00:40:11,701 --> 00:40:25,962
he is he is on pace to hit 59 this year and just as we saw two years ago when It came down
the stretch in the last couple of weeks of September Joe what happened?

478
00:40:25,962 --> 00:40:36,678
Well, gee Major League Baseball decided to give the gold balls to pull holes and to judge
because pull holes ended up going on this absolute tear and so to judge and judge got

479
00:40:36,678 --> 00:40:43,478
past 61 to 62 and Albert Pujols got to 703 on his career total.

480
00:40:43,858 --> 00:40:49,938
So don't be surprised if this happens again and we see Judge hit 60 again.

481
00:40:49,938 --> 00:40:51,618
Just because.

482
00:40:51,618 --> 00:40:53,858
We know how Major League Baseball works.

483
00:40:53,858 --> 00:40:55,598
We know how the script works.

484
00:40:55,598 --> 00:41:02,818
Aaron Judge is supposed to stay healthy and he's going to hit 60 again and win another MVP
and then probably suck in the postseason.

485
00:41:03,698 --> 00:41:05,346
So, you know, I mean, he's

486
00:41:05,346 --> 00:41:06,851
they write it up every year.

487
00:41:10,220 --> 00:41:11,533
What a horrible ad

488
00:41:12,646 --> 00:41:25,036
But okay now another person that's on an absolute heater right now is Vlad E jr Since the
all -star break he has actually put up even better numbers in Bobby wood jr.

489
00:41:25,036 --> 00:41:35,566
He's hit 492 with a 557 OBP and a 1 .051 Slugging percentage that's good for a 1608 OPS.

490
00:41:35,566 --> 00:41:40,006
He's got eight home runs and 17 RBI since the break

491
00:41:40,006 --> 00:41:43,666
to go along with 28 hits in 16 games.

492
00:41:44,826 --> 00:41:47,146
If there was any...

493
00:41:47,146 --> 00:41:52,306
Joe, if there was ever a time to go get this freaking guy, I wish the Astros would have
done it.

494
00:41:52,306 --> 00:41:57,396
Because, boy, could they sure use that in like the 4 -hole right now, you know?

495
00:41:57,396 --> 00:42:03,846
Because right now, the Astros have five guys that have an OPS under 700 that are playing
tonight.

496
00:42:03,966 --> 00:42:05,826
That is unacceptable.

497
00:42:05,926 --> 00:42:08,086
So it's...

498
00:42:09,036 --> 00:42:12,989
Kakuchi was a great trade, but Vladdy Jr.

499
00:42:12,989 --> 00:42:15,305
might have actually been the right move

500
00:42:16,524 --> 00:42:20,104
Yeah, they're definitely feeling the loss of Kyle Tucker right now.

501
00:42:20,104 --> 00:42:22,544
I failed to mention that.

502
00:42:22,624 --> 00:42:23,874
And my Astros recap.

503
00:42:23,874 --> 00:42:25,794
Yeah, they're hurting right now offensively.

504
00:42:25,794 --> 00:42:31,394
Their offense has been sputtering ever since that Mariner series.

505
00:42:31,394 --> 00:42:39,244
And like I said, after that Dodger series, that Saturday game, was probably the last time
I really saw a spark from them.

506
00:42:39,244 --> 00:42:41,924
But since then, they've been flat.

507
00:42:42,284 --> 00:42:45,612
They're currently tied 1 -1 in the top of the seventh.

508
00:42:45,612 --> 00:42:55,092
They had the bases loaded with one out and Mauricio Dubon, who was an RBI machine at the
beginning of the season, just came up and struck out on a horrible slider in the dirt and

509
00:42:55,092 --> 00:42:59,752
they now have rookie Pedro Leone up with a 2 -2 count.

510
00:43:00,172 --> 00:43:02,732
And it's just, bad if they don't score a run right here.

511
00:43:02,732 --> 00:43:05,272
It's just, it's so bad.

512
00:43:06,052 --> 00:43:07,332
Their offense has been struggling.

513
00:43:07,332 --> 00:43:11,452
They haven't been able to get that big hit like they had been.

514
00:43:11,512 --> 00:43:15,252
And as I mentioned, they're really just feeling the loss of Kyle Tucker at this point.

515
00:43:15,910 --> 00:43:16,685
So, thank you.

516
00:43:16,685 --> 00:43:17,685
would have been really nice.

517
00:43:17,685 --> 00:43:22,630
Even though I came out and said before the All -Star break, I didn't think the offense
needed it.

518
00:43:22,651 --> 00:43:28,376
I'm now eating my words because since I said that they have gone on to struggle mightily.

519
00:43:28,922 --> 00:43:31,064
Joe, can I ask you a question real quick?

520
00:43:32,968 --> 00:43:34,770
Is Jose Altuve hurt?

521
00:43:35,552 --> 00:43:36,560
Because he is

522
00:43:36,560 --> 00:43:40,642
Now, I think that he's just in one of his mid -season slums.

523
00:43:40,642 --> 00:43:42,563
He always does this.

524
00:43:42,563 --> 00:43:52,008
He's a very, I don't want to say streaky hitter because he's one of the best hitters in
the league, but he does get in these lulls where he just cannot hit to save his life.

525
00:43:53,548 --> 00:43:56,448
Pedro Leone just went down on strike three off the plate.

526
00:43:56,448 --> 00:43:57,608
That's great.

527
00:43:57,608 --> 00:43:59,528
But yeah, I don't know.

528
00:43:59,708 --> 00:44:01,508
He he just gets in these fonts.

529
00:44:01,508 --> 00:44:11,168
I mean, we saw it in the 2022 postseason where he didn't get a hit until I believe it was
like the fourth game of the Yankee series.

530
00:44:11,888 --> 00:44:15,448
But yeah, is he just he's just in one of those fonts.

531
00:44:15,448 --> 00:44:18,148
Alex Bregman has been playing horribly.

532
00:44:18,148 --> 00:44:19,948
Jordan hasn't been hitting well at home.

533
00:44:19,948 --> 00:44:25,348
which really hurt on the home stand because he came up in a lot of situations where the
Astros needed him.

534
00:44:25,348 --> 00:44:32,168
Jeremy Pena just snapped an 0 -4 -11 hit list streak with a single to start off that
inning.

535
00:44:34,208 --> 00:44:38,048
Jake Myers had a very bad month of July.

536
00:44:38,048 --> 00:44:39,348
He's come back down to earth.

537
00:44:39,348 --> 00:44:47,248
The only hitter right now that I would trust in the Astros lineup is Yiner Diaz, who's
hitting over 300, or hitting 300 right now.

538
00:44:47,436 --> 00:44:52,396
And that's something because yeah, I mean he just.

539
00:44:52,836 --> 00:44:55,516
I never thought he would be at 300 hitter.

540
00:44:55,516 --> 00:45:04,596
He's he's been more of a slap a slap base hit kind of guy instead of hitting for power
like a lot of people you know saw on that first season.

541
00:45:04,716 --> 00:45:11,876
But he's probably been the most consistent part of the Astros offense so far this season
since his rough start.

542
00:45:12,056 --> 00:45:14,976
But it's it's bad right now and yeah, you're right.

543
00:45:14,976 --> 00:45:17,176
Vlad would have been a really good pickup,

544
00:45:17,512 --> 00:45:22,745
Who knows what the price was and there were reports that the Blue Jays weren't selling on
him anymore.

545
00:45:22,745 --> 00:45:34,771
So I mean, it is what it is at this point, but I really wish they would have actually
given up prospects for Yandy Diaz because he played very well against the Astros when

546
00:45:34,771 --> 00:45:36,562
Tampa Bay came into town.

547
00:45:37,103 --> 00:45:41,024
It was kind of a what could have been moment.

548
00:45:41,965 --> 00:45:47,444
You know, he let off that you say, Kikuchi game with that double in the in left center
field gap and

549
00:45:47,444 --> 00:45:49,248
I was like, man, what could have been?

550
00:45:49,311 --> 00:45:52,510
So it's just unfortunate they didn't get it bad at the deadline.

551
00:45:52,932 --> 00:45:57,149
Joe, saw Blake Snell throw a no -hitter a few days ago.

552
00:45:57,149 --> 00:45:58,371
That was pretty cool.

553
00:45:59,180 --> 00:46:11,940
Yeah, Blake Snell threw a no hitter and I've got some choice words for Reggie Jackson
because I mean, he came out at the beginning of the season after the Astros had started, I

554
00:46:11,940 --> 00:46:16,420
believe it was like four and 12, four and 10.

555
00:46:16,420 --> 00:46:22,530
And he came out on a podcast hosted by John Heyman and Joel Sherman.

556
00:46:22,530 --> 00:46:25,820
And he said this about Blake Snell.

557
00:46:25,820 --> 00:46:26,988
He said,

558
00:46:26,988 --> 00:46:29,808
He signed a two year deal, I want to say for 62 million.

559
00:46:29,808 --> 00:46:31,308
That's too much for him.

560
00:46:31,308 --> 00:46:38,908
First of all, he was the reigning Cy Young pitcher at this point in time and he had
historically pitched very well.

561
00:46:38,968 --> 00:46:44,188
He then goes on to say, he's been hurt a couple of times and I think there's incentives on
top of that.

562
00:46:44,188 --> 00:46:46,548
He's also got an option on his own.

563
00:46:46,548 --> 00:46:51,808
Between the four or five people that make decisions with the Astros, we don't play that
game.

564
00:46:52,848 --> 00:46:54,298
Man, we don't play that game.

565
00:46:54,298 --> 00:46:55,148
You don't what?

566
00:46:55,148 --> 00:46:56,052
Wanna win?

567
00:46:56,052 --> 00:46:59,814
If that's what you want to do, I mean, what are you talking about?

568
00:46:59,814 --> 00:47:08,340
And first of all, the most annoying part of that whole statement is the between the four
or five people that make decisions within the Astros.

569
00:47:08,340 --> 00:47:18,225
That pisses me off because there should only be one person making decisions who are
getting, who's getting information from other sources, but one person making the decision

570
00:47:18,225 --> 00:47:19,796
and that should be Dana Brown.

571
00:47:20,037 --> 00:47:21,807
and that's kind of where my whole,

572
00:47:23,052 --> 00:47:30,292
My whole issue with the ashes front office kind of stems from, especially since he came
out and said that I've gone hard on them.

573
00:47:30,412 --> 00:47:39,191
I was pretty upset even before that, but this whole notion that you're not going to pay
for a starting pitcher who was on a two year deal.

574
00:47:39,191 --> 00:47:39,832
Okay.

575
00:47:39,832 --> 00:47:43,532
The giants were almost looking to sell him at the deadline.

576
00:47:43,982 --> 00:47:45,782
like that's just insane to me.

577
00:47:45,782 --> 00:47:51,152
He, he's, he's getting paid $31 million a year and,

578
00:47:51,940 --> 00:47:58,062
Reports came out that Jim Crane didn't want to go over the luxury tax threshold.

579
00:47:58,202 --> 00:48:04,023
Well, she's already at now picking up Usaka Kuchi, who was a three starter as opposed to a
one starter.

580
00:48:04,023 --> 00:48:09,785
And while Blake Snell has been injured this year, he hasn't pitched his greatest up until
recently.

581
00:48:09,945 --> 00:48:19,507
He's very clearly shown you why he is worth that much money in a two year span, because he
has been pitching great for the Giants ever since.

582
00:48:19,808 --> 00:48:21,508
I think it was like mid June.

583
00:48:21,508 --> 00:48:23,856
I got some capsules to go with too.

584
00:48:24,694 --> 00:48:26,845
just goes to show after throwing a no -hitter.

585
00:48:26,845 --> 00:48:35,320
I mean, that just is the most asinine thing I've ever heard from a former Major Leaguer
and a Hall of Famer.

586
00:48:36,462 --> 00:48:38,563
Okay, you ready for these stats Joe?

587
00:48:39,984 --> 00:48:40,524
Okay.

588
00:48:40,524 --> 00:48:43,026
All right.

589
00:48:43,026 --> 00:48:51,370
So Blake Snell, historically is not a fantastic pitcher in the first half of the season.

590
00:48:51,370 --> 00:48:56,633
Blake Snell is an incredible pitcher in the second half of the season.

591
00:48:57,134 --> 00:48:59,215
My baseball reference page is moving slow right now.

592
00:48:59,215 --> 00:49:00,615
Just hold on a second.

593
00:49:00,615 --> 00:49:02,276
Let me, let me read you some of these off.

594
00:49:02,276 --> 00:49:04,378
His second half stats are unreal Joe.

595
00:49:04,378 --> 00:49:05,418
He has

596
00:49:06,718 --> 00:49:10,958
239 ERA for the second half of the season in his career.

597
00:49:10,958 --> 00:49:15,058
That tells you everything that you need to know about Blake Snow.

598
00:49:17,478 --> 00:49:23,178
Joe, this is a guy that got, was it him that got yanked in the World Series against the
Dodgers in 2020?

599
00:49:23,878 --> 00:49:25,798
He was owning that game.

600
00:49:25,798 --> 00:49:29,278
That was an incredible lineup that the Dodgers had.

601
00:49:29,278 --> 00:49:31,298
And he, he shot him down.

602
00:49:31,298 --> 00:49:34,868
We're talking about a guy who is historically very good.

603
00:49:34,868 --> 00:49:39,638
He has some control issues, but Joe, this guy is good.

604
00:49:39,638 --> 00:49:42,058
He has great stuff.

605
00:49:42,418 --> 00:49:44,118
When is a pitcher most valuable?

606
00:49:44,118 --> 00:49:47,034
The second half of the season and October.

607
00:49:47,034 --> 00:49:49,357
Blake Snell is both of those.

608
00:49:49,558 --> 00:49:55,708
And Reggie Jackson saying stuff like that is just, it's belligerent to say it.

609
00:49:55,708 --> 00:49:57,280
You know, it's stupid.

610
00:49:57,910 --> 00:50:08,243
He's like the Alex Bregman of pitchers and what do know, Alex Bregman has come on the
scene for the second half of the season and he was a big factor for the Astros making a

611
00:50:08,243 --> 00:50:13,965
push and a comeback to regain the lead in the AL West.

612
00:50:13,965 --> 00:50:23,007
And for a team that, again, the second year in a row, I mentioned this earlier, has needed
starting pitching because of Lance McCullers Jr.

613
00:50:23,007 --> 00:50:25,288
and pitching injuries, you

614
00:50:25,808 --> 00:50:27,700
Justin Verlander leaving in free agency.

615
00:50:27,700 --> 00:50:38,858
And then in the season, losing Christian Javier and Jose Urquide for the entire season,
and JP France.

616
00:50:40,019 --> 00:50:47,755
just like these pitching problems, this surplus that we had at the beginning of the season
is no longer a surplus.

617
00:50:47,755 --> 00:50:52,300
But that could have been addressed at the beginning of the season by paying Blake Snell.

618
00:50:52,300 --> 00:50:56,360
who just threw the third no -hitter of the MLB season.

619
00:50:56,880 --> 00:50:59,080
But no, we don't play that game.

620
00:50:59,920 --> 00:51:04,360
We don't pay $62 million for two years plus incentives.

621
00:51:04,360 --> 00:51:16,592
We just have pitching struggles and give up all of our prospects for mid -season
acquisitions when all it really would have cost was $31 million and not selling the farm.

622
00:51:16,664 --> 00:51:31,097
it's interesting too that you say that, Joe, because overall, you know, Blake Snell
doesn't go deep into games, but he's actually, I mean, the second half stats, who doesn't

623
00:51:31,097 --> 00:51:37,643
want a guy that has been that good in the second half?

624
00:51:37,643 --> 00:51:38,734
He is unreal.

625
00:51:38,734 --> 00:51:41,646
I mean, he is on a different level, you know?

626
00:51:45,830 --> 00:51:47,844
Do you have anything else you want to say, Joe?

627
00:51:47,844 --> 00:51:51,481
Because I think we've covered pretty much everything that we wanted to talk

628
00:51:54,076 --> 00:51:58,117
I didn't mention this when I was giving the Astros update again.

629
00:51:58,157 --> 00:51:59,648
This is take two, by the way.

630
00:51:59,648 --> 00:52:03,129
We were recording on Sunday night.

631
00:52:03,129 --> 00:52:04,739
It was going so well.

632
00:52:04,739 --> 00:52:06,410
And then we had technical difficulties.

633
00:52:06,410 --> 00:52:07,820
So this is take two.

634
00:52:07,920 --> 00:52:15,522
But yesterday in our first take, I mentioned the fact that the Astros are now in second
place a whole game behind the Mariners.

635
00:52:15,622 --> 00:52:23,044
The Mariners deadline acquisitions with Justin Turner and Randy Rosarena are paying
dividends almost immediately.

636
00:52:23,444 --> 00:52:28,147
Seattle's offense has been killing it since the deadline, which is exactly what they
needed.

637
00:52:28,187 --> 00:52:35,852
They are getting everything they could have asked for so far from both Randy Rosarena and
Justin Turner.

638
00:52:35,852 --> 00:52:38,073
Justin Turner had a big grand slam.

639
00:52:38,874 --> 00:52:44,787
They won a series against the Phillies, completely blowing the doors off of them and the
two games that they won.

640
00:52:44,787 --> 00:52:47,999
And they've just been playing well.

641
00:52:50,058 --> 00:53:00,550
You know, if the Astros can find a way to muster up, you know, the courage to win tonight
against the Rangers, then, that'd be helpful because I'm pretty sure, no Seattle had the

642
00:53:00,550 --> 00:53:03,744
day off, but they will gain half a game because Seattle has the day off.

643
00:53:03,744 --> 00:53:05,745
So it'd be nice.

644
00:53:06,246 --> 00:53:09,881
but the Astros offense refuses to produce any runs at the moment.

645
00:53:09,881 --> 00:53:11,262
So we'll see.

646
00:53:11,493 --> 00:53:25,913
Joe, I'm going to say this and I don't know how you feel about this, but there is a decent
chance that neither one of our teams make the postseason.

647
00:53:26,493 --> 00:53:38,953
And coming into this season, I would have never said that because we're talking about a
team that went to its seventh straight ALCS and a team that won 104 games.

648
00:53:39,253 --> 00:53:41,013
But right

649
00:53:41,414 --> 00:53:46,514
There is a legitimate chance that neither one of our teams make the postseason.

650
00:53:46,514 --> 00:53:52,374
I text a buddy about it the other day and I said, don't be surprised if the Braves don't
make the postseason.

651
00:53:53,094 --> 00:53:56,974
Their offense has been trash almost all year long.

652
00:53:56,974 --> 00:54:07,334
They haven't decided that they want to show up to the ballpark and put the ball in play
and take their walks and refuse to strike out 12 times a game.

653
00:54:07,974 --> 00:54:18,594
They are essentially wasting a good year from the pitching staff, which really sucks for
guys like Chris Sale, for guys like Reynaldo Lopez, for guys like a rookie in Spencer

654
00:54:18,594 --> 00:54:24,834
Schwellenbach, and even Charlie Morton has an ERA under four from a 40 -year -old.

655
00:54:25,954 --> 00:54:36,174
There is just this feeling in the back of my mind, like we may not get to enjoy October
baseball this year, like we have in the past six, seven, eight years

656
00:54:37,034 --> 00:54:39,175
Yeah, I agree.

657
00:54:39,175 --> 00:54:40,376
There's definitely that potential.

658
00:54:40,376 --> 00:54:51,793
mean, the Astros only path to the postseason really is winning the AL West because as it
stands right now, they are not really in contention for an AL wild card spot with the AL

659
00:54:51,793 --> 00:54:54,754
Central really clogging up that hole.

660
00:54:55,735 --> 00:54:58,977
And then, you know, the two juggernauts in the AL East.

661
00:54:58,977 --> 00:55:03,890
And if you want to throw a Boston in there as well, fighting for a playoff spot.

662
00:55:04,284 --> 00:55:13,160
Yeah, I think I think there's a real possibility that the Astros don't make the postseason
which is really frustrating because it has a lot to do with injuries but also you know the

663
00:55:13,160 --> 00:55:24,698
ineptitude of the Astros front office just not doing what they need to do and again they
turned what was really a promising season at the beginning of the season with a new

664
00:55:24,698 --> 00:55:33,004
manager and Joe Espada you felt like you had all the right pieces in place for him to be
successful but the front office didn't do their job and

665
00:55:33,196 --> 00:55:38,076
really address the needs for the organization for the second year in a row.

666
00:55:39,196 --> 00:55:43,896
And I'm just going to keep harping on that because that really is what it's come down to
so far.

667
00:55:43,896 --> 00:55:48,766
I we knew that there was a need at first base because Jose Abreu was not good.

668
00:55:48,766 --> 00:55:55,588
And I know that they were hoping with that big contract that Jose Abreu would kind of be
able to replicate his 2023 postseason.

669
00:55:56,130 --> 00:55:57,360
but that was wishful thinking.

670
00:55:57,360 --> 00:55:58,681
They did nothing to address that.

671
00:55:58,681 --> 00:56:02,442
They did nothing to address starting pitching when they knew they were going to be without
Justin Verlander.

672
00:56:02,442 --> 00:56:04,783
They knew they were going to be without Lance McCullers Jr.

673
00:56:04,783 --> 00:56:09,964
They knew Jose Orquide was dealing with elbow and shoulder injuries, start the season.

674
00:56:09,964 --> 00:56:14,785
Now what they couldn't have predicted was Christian Javier and JP France going down.

675
00:56:15,886 --> 00:56:19,307
but I mean, that's, that's things that you have to be ready for.

676
00:56:19,307 --> 00:56:20,647
You have to plan for.

677
00:56:20,647 --> 00:56:23,208
There was no organizational depth.

678
00:56:24,012 --> 00:56:30,412
for us to tap into because we have been buyers at every deadline since 2017.

679
00:56:30,932 --> 00:56:43,452
And, you know, we were hurt by the sign stealing scandal, which people again, fail to
recognize not having a first or second round pick in 2020 or 2021.

680
00:56:43,792 --> 00:56:48,772
That's really hurt us right now because we just don't have that organizational depth
anymore.

681
00:56:49,212 --> 00:56:51,072
just the,

682
00:56:51,072 --> 00:57:00,243
The all around failure on the front office has really put a damper on this season and it's
frustrating because we had a good thing going and Jim Crane decided that he wanted to

683
00:57:00,243 --> 00:57:01,554
throw it out the window.

684
00:57:04,507 --> 00:57:06,208
Well, I agree Joe.

685
00:57:07,369 --> 00:57:20,174
Did you know to wrap things up here today that today is the one year anniversary of Down
Goes Anderson.

686
00:57:20,674 --> 00:57:30,498
Today is that one year anniversary that essentially ended Tim Anderson's career and made
me want to buy a Jose Ramirez jersey even more than I already

687
00:57:31,334 --> 00:57:47,060
So it's it's probably in my opinion one of the top five best calls of all time and it
doesn't even relate to the game itself.

688
00:57:47,060 --> 00:57:48,361
It is a fight.

689
00:57:48,642 --> 00:57:52,643
But Down Goes Anderson is one of the best calls of all time.

690
00:57:53,584 --> 00:57:58,666
So to me, I just wanted to shed light on that because that was one of

691
00:57:59,586 --> 00:58:01,678
one of the craziest highlights from last year.

692
00:58:01,678 --> 00:58:05,670
yeah.

693
00:58:06,492 --> 00:58:09,344
Well, anyway, thanks everybody for listening to the show tonight.

694
00:58:09,344 --> 00:58:10,955
Sorry we're a day late.

695
00:58:11,115 --> 00:58:15,378
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696
00:58:15,379 --> 00:58:25,246
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697
00:58:25,747 --> 00:58:29,550
And then also too, remember we are also on Apple Podcast.

698
00:58:29,630 --> 00:58:42,603
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699
00:58:42,603 --> 00:58:45,425
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700
00:58:45,486 --> 00:58:50,210
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