March 26, 2025 • 49 mins
It's an Opening Day edition of the Crawford Boxcast presented by Karbach Brewing and the Crawford Bock! Chris Gordy and Ross Villarreal break down every position on the Astros roster as they open the 2025 MLB season - pitching rotation, bullpen, position players and the exciting call up of top prospect Cam Smith!
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
Astros fans, cheers, lucky, Welcome to the Crawford Box Casts, proud.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Lead for you by Crawford Bach from Carmack Brewy.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
You're getting that there, Oh my godness.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
The Crawford Box Cast starts now here, we go.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Here, and it is an all new edition of the
Crawford Box Cast, presented by Carbox Brewing and the Crawford Bach.
And of course, uh, if you guys haven't seen it yet,
the Crawford Pale Ale out now. We'll get to that
in a little bit, but welcome in as we are
(00:52):
getting you guys. Set is an Astro's Opening Day edition,
getting you set for Opening Day happening this Thursday. And
we always kind of do a little bit of a
season preview, getting you guys ready for the start of
the season, so figured well do that here for you.
Still some questions about who will make the roster and
all that kind of stuff, but we do have some
a little bit more clarity on that front. I'm Chris Gordy,
(01:15):
joined alongside by Ross Veril here on the Crawford Box Cast. Ross,
it is Opening Day, fever. Have you caught it yet? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (01:23):
I think I am catching it. I think I've caught it,
and I don't need a prescription. The only prescription I
guess is more Astros baseball. At this point, we kind
of hit the hot stove stuff after the season and
then fan Fast really gets the ball rolling spring training.
Now it's here ready for some opening day baseball against
the New York Mets.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Yeah, and I should mention you know, I was out
at the ballpark on Monday. It was good to be
at dyke In Park and see all the signage up everywhere.
I did not see any remnants of minute made, so
I think they're all gone now. I think it's all
dyke In. What was interesting ross was seen all the
new signage up around the building. Built for this, hashtag
built for this is everywhere.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
That's what they're going on. That's fine they are.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
I mean, look they're built for this. They've they've built
a good foundation. But the other interesting part was seeing
all the new faces spotted around. There's no Kyle Tucker,
there's no Alex Bregman, there's no Justin Verlander. The interesting
part was seeing jan are Diez's face. Yes, East Soak
Paratees was on a billboard. How about Spencer Araghetti's face
(02:28):
on a couple of walls. And I was in the
clubhouse on Monday and I mentioned it to Spencer. I said,
I said, dude, what a difference a year makes. Last year,
you're like, oh, I might get called up. We'll see
what happens. Like I think I'm gonna make the roster,
And a year later his face is around Minute May Park,
a place he grew up going to baseball games as
a kid. So kind of a cool dynamic for Spencer.
(02:49):
And you know, look, he had kind of an up
and down spring. The walks like to cut down on
that a little bit, but nonetheless pretty good, pretty good
position here. I like the pitching. Let's start there, Okay,
Frober Valdez, it was announced it's going to get the
ball an opening day. It sounds like it will be
hunnerd Brown behind him. Spencer Eraghetti, Ronel Blanco. Hayden was newsky, Yes,
(03:16):
pretty solid one through five.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Yeah, I think it's a solid one through five right now.
But of course, now Ryan Gusto making the roster for
the Astros. He's going to be the first guy off
the bench if there is some sort of injury or
you might need him. Even the week one you don't
have guys going you know, seven eight innings or anything
like that, so you might need him in long relief.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Right now, the one.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Through five is good, it's solid, but that is if
it stays. The one through five depth is where I
really start to have some questions about the starting pitching
to where when you do have somebody with some you know,
shoulder discomfort, elbow stiffness before blister, whatever, that's going to
crop up with the starting pitching after that. I do
(03:55):
have confidence in those guys. We'll see if they all
have I want to call it follow up years to
their breakout years, which were now Blanco had, which Hunter
Brown had in the second half of the season. Same
thing for Spencer Arraghetti. You're not expecting all of them
to be locked down guys, but I could see a
world where they're to a certain level of where they
(04:17):
were last year to where this is one of the
better rotations in baseball.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Yeah, and so that that's going to be your starting
rotation at least as as we see it for now.
And then kind of after that, you know, you wonder
what the rest of the bullpen is going to look like.
And it was announced that the Astros have informed Rafael
Montero that he has made this roster. We brought this
up before he was DFAD last year for them, cleared
(04:43):
waivers and then came back and they assigned him with
sugar Land. He is making eleven and a half million dollars.
Some of the asters this year like, no matter what, Yeah,
you brought him back. He's playing for free basically, but
like you know, you're you're having to pay that money.
But I had some people say like, oh, well, suit,
you're paying him, you might as well bring him back
to me. It doesn't matter like that money's already lost money.
(05:05):
If you thought he pits well enough in the spring
to make the team, then okay, I'm not gonna argue
with it, but I understand there's gonna be that stigma
there that fans hated what they saw from him. Yes,
and if he gets the ball in a close game,
fans are gonna freak.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
The hell out, Well, he shouldn't get the ball in
a close game. Hopefully it'll be, of course, mean a
brayw hater, whether or not it'll be Taylor Scott, that's something,
of course. Else we can discuss is how the bullpen
of pecking order is going to shake out. Yeah, I
get it, Montero. You're paying them, you're saving a little
bit of money, you are coming up against the tax,
and you don't Every dollar saved is a dollar earned
(05:40):
for Jim Crane and the Houston Astros. Clearly they tried
to do that this offseason, and I guess we'll see
what he has. It was a career year for him
when he was really great for the Astros in twenty
twenty two.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
And his nails in those playoffs, but he just.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Hasn't been getting gone good since and now he's getting
further and further into his thirties.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Yeah. So the Astros they had announced the seven bullpen spots,
Josh Hater, your closer, Briana Bray, your setup man, Taylor Scott.
You know, I think they're still gonna use Like in
a perfect world, maybe he's that seventh inning guy, but
I still think they're going to use the ass the
multi inning guy where needed. Steven Okert a fun, you
(06:21):
know story of a guy that I talked with at
spring training when I got there, and you know, a
guy who two years ago had a really nice season
and then you know it didn't go so well. For
him last year and he's on a little bit of
a redemption arc, and he was fantastic this spring. I think,
you know, it was among the leaders and strikeouts for
this team. And so, yeah, you go back two seasons
(06:44):
ago in Miami or three seasons ago Miami twenty twenty two.
You finished that year with a two ninety eight ERA
and things went well, and then that next year in
Miami the ERA got up a little higher at four
forty five, and then last year in Minnesota it was
over five. It was not good. And one of the
things I asked, though I think it was a first
day pitchers and catchers reported, he said, yeah, there was
(07:05):
some things off with my mechanics that I fixed that
was maybe not in the best mental space. But I'm
in a better spot and this spring Ochrets looked great.
And so he is now a part of this bullpen. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Well, I mean we talked about in the off season
and about like it just feels like people or somebody
is going to emerge, maybe Steven Okert being one of those,
because it just seems like this organization has been able
to work their magic with Taylor Scott coming on last year,
Brian King as well, and you get him in the fold,
and we'll see how long Forced Whitley's going to be
missing time because he's going to start the season on
(07:36):
the il. But I think the middle relief is going
to be good enough, and then you're going to have
the hammers at the end of the bullpen. We're also
going to need there to do their part, right, Brian
A Bray, you struggled start of the season, Josh Hater.
We know the struggles that he had, especially giving up
home runs pitching as much as he did since twenty
nineteen or has since twenty nineteen. So we'll see how
he goes in a follow up year to that. But
(07:58):
you're expecting them to carry the load there at the
back end of a bullpen, and this is a team
that I think the way that their offense is and
the way that their pitching is going to be, it's
gonna be a lot like last year where you were
in close games so many times that Brian bra you
already have like seventy eight appearances or whatever it was.
Last year, you needed to use him in like half
the games, So you are going to have to lean
(08:20):
on those guys again.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
I think this.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Year, Yeah, and the other arms that are making this team.
You mentioned Forest Whitley will start the year on the IL.
Caleb or you know, coming back from injury, he'll start
in the AL, but we expect him to be back
at some point. I hadn't heard an update on Sean Dubitt.
Did they give any update on him? I know he
had been banged down, he.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Wasn't supposed I think he was supposed to start the
season on the IL too.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
But anyway, your roster, your bullpen spots, Josh Hader, Brian O,
Brody Taylor, Scott, Steven Okert, Brian King, who I really like.
He's kind of become my go to guy when I
need a clubhouse interview for pregame shows at all. He's
a great guy. McNee dude, lefty, but no, he he
was really good for them last year. Raphael Montero and
then kind of the underrated here Luis Contreras. Kind of
(09:07):
a forgotten guy, uh, you know from Venezuela, got called
up last year with the Astros. Pitched at five games
last year. I do not remember those games at all. Ross,
do you remember the name?
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Vaguely familiar?
Speaker 3 (09:20):
So the funny thing is he came into. It was
a game you were playing the Twins in Minnesota. The
Astros were crushing the Twins and he came in. It
was just kind of like, hey, he gives up a
seventh spot in the ninth and then they got to
go to Hater. It's only a same situation. The Astros
get the thirteen to twelve win, but it was not
(09:41):
a great It was not a great outing for Louis Controlls.
But his four previous outings ross he put up his
goose eggs.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
That's good.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
He put up zero.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
So it's just funny.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
Yeah, his era from last year is like nine, but
it's all from one bad outing that he had and
it was a game that you were blowing him out.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
Anyway, already can be very cruel to relievers, and it's
not necessarily something that is like a go to metric
for them.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
But anyway, that's just a name to keep an eye on.
And then he got some other guys. Uh, Nick Hernandez
is gonna start. I'm just saying like, these are guys
that you're probably gonna see.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
The guys who are just guys though, but.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
You're probably gonna see them at some point throughout the
season because they're going to have to rely on some
arms as injuries happened. But yeah, we did get an update.
Christian Javier and JP France are likely to be moved
to the sixty day. I l I think Chandler Roumas
tweeted that out a couple of times. Christian CHRISTI Javier,
JP France, Luis Garcia was working his way back and
(10:37):
had a minor set back.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
So again I min down.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
Still, I know, I put him on the shelf and
I go, we'll revisit that down the road. Yeah. Uh,
And the other Atlance for Colors is coming along. He pitched, Yes,
he pitched in a spring training game a week ago.
He's pitched in a was it a simulated game practice?
Speaker 1 (10:56):
Yeah, he was still at the foida Clompe and Complex League.
Was an inning in two thirds thirty three pitches yesterday.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
And he is expected to get a start for the
Sugar Line Space Cowboys this weekend. Yes, so I think Saturdays.
Don't hold me to that, but that's what it sounds like.
And so I love that Lance is gonna and he'll
probably be there a month basically like he's gonna have
to work his way up he can't do more than that.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
You get thirty days when you're on a rehab start.
Major League determines you get thirty days. So once they
start that clock, it's gonna be thirty days. So we
can keep talking about all Obviously he's not gonna be
ready till June or whatever. If they start him down
there with a with rehab starts, that's thirty days that's
gonna be ready.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
For the me. I was surprised the spring training game
he got into. They're like, he's just gonna pitch an inning,
and I'm like, I get slow playing this, but like
he looks good and he looks ready, I'm like, maybe
squeeze a second inning on it. Like so I'll be
curious to see how it goes in sugar Land.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
I think maybe they just they just wanted to tell like,
you're just putting wins in the bank with Lance Piccolo.
Anytime he goes out there and then he's good and
he's healthy, you just put that into the bank and
you go on to the next step. And that's what
I think they were doing. So they wanted to play
it slow. If Flansbo Colors Junior, I totally understand it.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
So I'm with you.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
I would have liked to see in a second inning,
but I understand why they're playing it the way they are.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
Yeah, he looked good and you know, hit hit my guy,
Dylan Cruz lsu guy with the ball. But other than that,
got some ground ball outs and vintage Lance mccollors. All right,
Coming up next, we're going to switch gears, talk a
little bit on the hitters, and then the defense and
who will be out there right field. More to come
here on the Crawford Box Cast presented by Carbock Brewing.
(12:30):
Continue on here the Crawford Box Cast presented by Carbock Brewing,
Chris Gordy and Ross Via Reale, and hopefully you guys
will be out at dyk In Park this week this
weekend enjoying an ice cold Crawford Bach. Those tequila Sunrise stripes.
You know him when you see him on the can.
Love it, love drinking it pairs perfectly with Astros baseball
at ross as we watch this Astros team. We talked
(12:52):
about the pitching side of things, Let's talk about the hitters. Okay,
let's start with the catchers. We know Janar Diez kind
of took the league by storm. Very good hitting catcher.
He's he's already top five in terms of best hitting
catchers in baseball currently. Yes, the defense needs to continue
to improve working with the pitching staff and all that,
but I thought that was great that he was able
(13:13):
to do that last year and get on the same
page with a lot of these pitchers. But Victor Kartini,
I think Ranks is one of the better backup catchers
in all baseball. He can hit. So the vibe I
got from spring training of what Joe Spotty says, it
sounds like they want to get jan Ar Diaz a
little bit more off his feet this year in terms
of not just oh, he's not catching today, so he's
(13:33):
going to Dho's gonna play first. They want him just
not playing period that day. So they almost envision I
don't know if I go as far as say fifty
to fifty, but we're gonna see a lot more Keratini
behind the plane, I feel like this year, and it'll
be maybe like a fifty five forty five yon ardaz Carotin.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
It'll be interesting to see that close because you don't
want to take young Ar Diez's bat out of the
lineup that much. But it's it's a question of then
where does it go because last year you were dhing him,
but this year you say you want to d h
jord On Alvarez some more. I think it was eleven
games or something like that. Janardaz played at first Well,
Christian Walker is supposed to be locking that down. You
used Victor Karrattini a lot. You needed his bat because
(14:12):
you weren't getting production at first base with it with
Jose Abray at the time, and then John Singleton and
whatever Miss mash you were putting out there. But it's like,
where do those bats come from? Where do those starts
come from? So that is kind of what I'm wondering
when it comes to Janardez, who was better when he
was fresher with some days rest to where he started
the season hot last year.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
Then he started to wear.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Down, he got I think he was then he get
hit in the hand or something like that. He got
off his feet for like a week. He came back,
he was setting light in the world on fire, hitting everything.
So that is very intriguing to me. If Joe Spot
is wanting to get him off his feet, Yeah, the
only place to go is to the bench because you're
not putting him in the outfield. You're lockdown on first base,
(14:55):
and you want jord On at the DH spot more
days than not.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
I think the plus is Victor Karatin. He had his best,
one of his best statistical hitting seasons last year. He
batted two sixty nine, which was a career high in
batting adage for him in one season. It's on base
percentage of three thirty six. His OPS was seven forty four.
Those were some of the best numbers of his career.
He had eight home runs, he drove in thirty RBIs.
(15:18):
That's that's solid for a backup catcher.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
And he's better defensively than yeah, so that's.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
I think they're looking at all that. And he's thirty
one yon airs twenty six, so yeah, he's a little
bit more more up there in age. But I just
think they're kind of looking at that saying, we know
what we have in Diaz. We just want to preserve
that and we want him when he plays to be
at his best. We don't want to wear him down
like we did last year because it was his first
full season as a as a catcher and doing all
(15:44):
that as an everyday guy. So we'll see how it
goes again. That's the plan. They could get out there
and Yonard he has catches six of the first seven games.
We'll see.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Yeah, you need his bat in the lineup this this
especially the way this Astros team is with I mean, yeah,
al Tuove declined last year. That's just a fact. Well,
hopefully he can bounce back somewhat from that. But Jordan
and Walker and then after that you got a lot
of question marks. He said, Paratus did hit that home
run to the Crawford boxes yesterday.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
It looks good. But you need Janard is one of
your best four hitters.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
You should be basically in the top four or five
of this lineup every single day if we're talking about
purely with the bat, so every time you take him out. Yeah,
Victor Carrottini was good offensively last year, but he doesn't
have the potential day to day to do the same
amount of damage that Janar Diez does.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Yeah, the so that's catcher. Salazar will be at sugar
line Space Cowboys. He's a good option to have if
you need a third catcher.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
For creat emergency plan.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
Yeah, so you feel good about that spot. Let's talk
first space, Christian Walker is he's been banged up, it's
gonna be good to go. But it sounds like he's
gonna be good to go, and sounds like he will
be in the opening day lineup come Thursday. At least
that's what Joe Spatta and Dana Brown have said. We
will see. They also think he's the type of guy
like he didn't need to jump into a bunch of
(17:05):
spring training games. At the end. They just were like,
you get that obleaque healthy and we'll just put you
back out there. We think you're a pros pro. There
was some news ross on Tuesday about John Singleton. He
was he was told a couple of days ago that
he would not make the opening day roster. The Astros
officially John Singleton cleared waivers on Tuesday and was officially
(17:27):
released by the Astros. As jailor own reporter, There's still
a chance he could re sign with the Astros, but
Singleton will explore his options. I mentioned this the other day.
His wife tweeted out something like the cowboy r rides
off into the sunset or something like. I think they
kind of sent the message, look, we appreciate the Astros
giving him a second chance. All this but I think
they want to go find another opportunity elsewhere.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
Yeah, I would imagine that. Do you mean, like out
of baseball, because her tweet kind of seemed like he's
going to stop playing baseball.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
Oh, I don't know. To me, it sounded like they
were going to look for another team.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Yeah, okay, well yeah, I would imagine they would look elsewhere.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
But the the interesting part about this is, and you know,
with Christian Walker being banged up.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
Yeah, this is where the Cowboy rides away, is what
she tweeted. Yeah, that sounds to me like he's leaving baseball.
I thought it, Okay, I thought she means he rides away.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
Yeah, but when the Cowboy rides away, that's the end
of the movie. He goes in the he goes into
the sunset.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
He's done, Cowboy in and he's made he's made good.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
The Cowboy rides away to Milwaukee.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
He's done. He's done a good job of earning some money.
But you know, the interesting part here will be you know,
with Walker banged up, that's what I thought maybe like
maybe he could stick around. But I think the Astros
looking at him like, dude, you're still not hidden. We
can't put a one sixty nine batter out there, like
it just doesn't It doesn't help us. You're not helping
us all this kind of stuff.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
It also means Walker's healthy.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
I mean it means he's healthy. But also Zach Dezenzo
had a really nice spring training and again I don't
know if he's gonna make this opening day roster where
you know, we're very close to opening day here, but
to me, I just like what we saw out of
what he did throughout throughout spring training this year with
playing eighteen games, batted three ninety one UH two on runs,
(19:11):
seven RBIs, four walks, it's five doubles. Zach Decenzo eighteen
hits throughout spring training. He is comfortable at to plate
and as bad as swinging. I would put Zach Dezenzo
on this opening day roster as a backup, first baseman,
back up whatever you know, he could play, and I'll
feel it. I think you can put it.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
On multiple spots.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
Clear, it seems like he's been working on rather than
just swinging for the fences every time, a little more contact.
He played in the UH in the Puerto Rican Winter League,
he hit like three. He didn't have a home run,
but he hit like three sixty something in the in
the Winter League as well, so he's been working on
his swing. He's also it's translated into two results in spring,
which it doesn't always do. But that's good for him
(19:53):
as a guy who can play a lot of places.
For you, Young has some pop in the bat. I'm
alm intrigue bent exactis Inzo for sure?
Speaker 3 (20:02):
We uh I should mention I'm looking at the ESPN
listed their depth chart of infield. Yes, they still have
jose L Twovey listed as a second basement. We will
get to outfield in a little bit, but.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
And we'll be talking about TV there.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
But Estoc Paratus I think is pretty much a lock
for third base, and as you mentioned, liked what we
saw to his look selling in a dik In park
already you could see why this is the guy. The
asker was one of the at the trade deadline last year.
They've been intrigued by him for some time and they've
got him in their organization. He's twenty six, he's the
same age as Janar Diaz. Like Estoc Paratus I think
(20:35):
is just scratching the surface on the type of player
he can be.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
You're hoping.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
So it was a bit of a disappointment for him
last year. He took a year back the year before
what he had like thirty one home runs. I think
it was just sixteen last year. Now you're coming into
the you're coming into the craw For boxes, so hopefully things.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
Can be well.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
Sixteen with Tampa and the three with the Okay, so
nineteen total. Sorry, so I'm intrigued. He already got a
home run into the Crawford boxes. Depending on what you know.
Projection websites are just one data point. They got him
around like twenty four to twenty five home runs, around
seven fifty seven eighty ops.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
And the athletes is great, but that's in twenty twenty five.
No average doesn't.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
Mean he's gonna get some power. He's gonna and he's
gonna get on base a little bit. He can draw
some walks. We've seen that throughout his history that that
he can do that, especially when he was with Tampa Bay.
So if that translates here, we're all good. You're not
asking him. Look, it's not like Alex Bregman's production was
huge last year. But what he hit twenty five twenty
six home runs ops. I think it was like seven
(21:39):
sixty eight and fifty eight somewhere around there.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
It's not like he was you know, all the world.
I had somebody tell me that. They said, he here's
the quiet part. Nobody maybe wants to talk about, what
if he sucked? Praise's numbers at the end of the
year are just slightly, just like a hair behind Bregman's.
Will that be a headline anywhere? Will anybody write a
story about, Hey, there wasn't a whole ton of drop
off there Bregman.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
Okay, look last year, Yeah, it was a seven sixty
eight ops, twenty six home runs.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Said Paradis could do that.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
He could? Yeah, absolutely take that in a heartbeat from
your third baseman. Now, look, will he be as good defensively? No?
Probably not. I mean, Bregman, some of those falling away
throws he made from the third baseline, I mean, he
was just incredible. He's one of the all time greats
to play for the Astros defensively, so you know, you
lose a little bit there, but you.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Gain first you gain first base production and first base
offensively and defensively.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
You're trying to make it up an aggregate the old money.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
That way we should have mentioned a shortstop. Jeremy Panna
has had a very nice spring. Yes, that would be
to me. That's one of the bigger storylines of this year.
If Jeremy Penya can get back to being he doesn't
have to be World Series MVP Jeremy Penya, but just
in that vein a leader on this team, bring back
some of that power because the home runs have just
(22:56):
they've been very few and far between.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Yahny something twenty two or whatever, it was his rookie year.
Speaker 3 (23:00):
If he could just be that consistent leader and I'll
take base hits man, just single move the train, move
the line.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
You know, if he could elevate the ball a little
bit more. He's got power, he's got fast hands. We
know he's strong. So yeah, if you could translate that
into some more line drives, which would translate into some
more home runs for him last, then then we're talking
about big production.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
That'd be huge.
Speaker 1 (23:25):
Now, twenty seven year old breakout season in your fourth year,
it's not super common, but it is possible.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
Yeah, I just again just want to see a little
bit more pop out of him, because you're the biggest
thing you're losing with bregnant and Tucker is power. You're
losing those home run totals again. Paride's is gonna do
what he can do. Christian Walker's gonna do what he
can do. But if Panya could up that home run
total a little bit. He hit twenty two as a rookie, yeah,
ten and twenty twenty three fifteen last year. If he
(23:51):
could get that number close to just this rookie year,
twenty two to twenty three home runs, sign me up.
I think that's that's a great year from Jeremy Pania
and so Second Bay, it sounds like it is. They're
gonna start with Mariso Dubon there. I think Brendan Rodgers
will be a platoon option. I do think Brendan Rodgers
will make this roster. What happened he's been hitting, and
(24:11):
then occasionally occasionally, I think you'll see L two A
play some games at second. But yeah, for the most part,
I think they like second base. When I was down
at spring training, Joe Spotder told me first week of
spring training, I say, who's your best defensive second base?
He goes, think it's Dubon, It's and everything they're doing
speaks to that. With the L two Vey moved to
the outfield. If they think Mauricio Dubon is their best
(24:34):
defensive second base man, can you argue with two years
ago when L two they got hurt? No, you want
to go got No? He was great.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Absolutely, that's another question for another day. But at least
it's a more premium defensive position, and you're gonna get
more help there with Dubon there than AL two.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
It's just a fact.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
Unfortunately, at this point in this stage of L two
V's career, when he's about to turn thirty five years old.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
Yeah, what I say earlier about somebody being a singles hitter,
I will take Dubon just be a singles hitter man.
Just need you to hit the ball, you know, find
space and get on base.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
You can only have so many leaders, yeah, minus hitters
in your lineup.
Speaker 3 (25:09):
But he is ten whole months two years ago. I
mean maybe you.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
Know that was insane. That's never happening again.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
He had four last year.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
Absolutely, Yeah, one.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
Hundred and thirty seven games. But now keep in mind,
these last two seeds have been the most games he's
ever played, you know, in his career. Really, I mean,
he's he's a he's a basically a full time starter
here with the Astros. Albeit he's been in that platoon role,
but he's been playing almost every day. He's in the
outfield one days, on the infield this days.
Speaker 1 (25:34):
And DT one hundred and thirty seven and one hundred
and thirty two games. That's more than a utility man.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
Yeah. I mean they even had him playing first base
a couple times last year and they were moving them
all over the place. But the hope is he gives
you plus defense on the infield, and then again anything
gives you with the bat is great. That is the infield.
We now have to go to the outfield or us.
Coming up next here on the Crawford Box Cast, we
will explore the outfield.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Where the three gold Gloves get came on out there.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
Hitting may not be a premium subspots and defense may
not be a premium subspots. We'll talk about that next
year of the Crawford Box Casts. Right along here the
Crawford Box Cast presented by Carbox Brewing and the Crawford
Bock and we'll be back at Dike And Park this
weekend and enjoying an ice cool Crawford Box from our
friends at Carbock brewing with Kilo sunrise stripes on the cans.
(26:23):
You know it when you see it pairs perfectly with peanuts, popcorn,
a seventh inning stretch all over the concourse, on every
deck of Dike in parking can get yourself a Crawford
bock and new in stores now, the Crawford pale Ale.
If you haven't tried it yet. It's a light blue can.
A little bit of a lighter taste on the Crawford bock.
You know how it's usually dark when you pour that
(26:44):
into your glass. It's gonna be a little bit lighter
at the pale Ale. But I like the taste. I
love the Crawford box. The pale Ale's pretty darn good
as well. A little bit of a different lighter taste.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
I love a paleol.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
You haven't tried it yet, I know you gave us some,
and I will be cracking those this weekend.
Speaker 3 (26:57):
All right, there we go, put it in the fridge.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
It get it ice, think it nice? And I got
a beer, I got a beer fridge. I'm ready to go.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
All right. Speaking of beer fridge, we have a bit
of a beer fridge of a center of an outfield.
When we talk about this Astros outfield in right field
projected opening day starter. I'm gonna put Chas McCormick in
there for right now. Okay, it's centerfield. We got Jake
Myers in left field. We've got Josel Twovey and knocking
(27:23):
on the door. Will he make the opening day roster?
As of this recording, we don't know if Cam Smith
is going to make the roster. But where do you
want to start ross with any of those four dames.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
Let's start with Josel Twovey.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
Astro's legend. I mean, we've seen this before. We thankfully
here in Houston, have the parallel of Craig Bigio moving,
but that was also because Jeff Kent was coming, and
Jeff Kent was a Gold Glove caliber, All Star level
second baseman and Bigio was hitting towards the twilight of
his career. So now it's happening here. There's no big
(27:59):
time can't second basement, But I think it's the right move.
We've talked about the defensive run saved, the outs, above
average anything you look at. Hose Al Twovey quite frankly
has been one of the worst second basement in baseball.
So I know, there are still some fans hanging on
to the fact that he was a Gold Glover like
ten years ago. He's just not there anymore. So you
want his bat in the lineup. You don't want him
hurting you at second base, and you want to kind
(28:21):
of give him. You know, it feels like this has
rejuvenated him. You talked to Joe Spotty, you talked to
Jose himself, Dana Brown, like this is fun for him.
It's given him something to do. It's a new challenge
you're talking about. You know, we talked about how nice
Altuve is, how great this dude is. A competitive is hell.
He didn't get to the way the where he is
with his stature without not being a dog with a
(28:44):
competitor and somebody with the fire in his belly. And
he's taking in this challenge on in left field with
all those characteristics that he's shown before previously in his career.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
Yeah, still a career three hundred hitter, finished just bowled
that last year two ninety five. But you know, is
the power.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
Dipping and had the big power dip last year.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
Yeah, I mean still hit twenty home runs and you
know it felt like they came in strings. It felt
like in like one week he at three or four.
But okay, well the slugging was way down. Where did
I guess he didn't have a lot of doubles. I
didn't realize it was, Yeah, thirty one doubles last year,
no triples. Did had forty seven walks. He had forty
(29:24):
seven walks last year, forty four the year before. He
was in the sixties and twenty one and twenty two
sixty six walks in both those years. So you know,
I just need I need my leadoff man to get
on nothing. Yeah. What frustrated me most last year, Ross
was how many times the game would start and I
was literally turning the game on and the askers already
had one out, and I look at the score log
and it goes, you know, first pitch swinging out, two
(29:47):
Vay flies out or pops out.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
It's like, dude, can we please run?
Speaker 3 (29:51):
And so many these pitchers would be like an eight
pitch first hitting from this starter. It was like God, like,
can we see some pitches please? But nonetheless, still one
of your best hitters, still going to believe be your
lead off man. And I think the biggest question Ross
is how does he do in left field. Defensively, it's
not going to be the best. But the reality is
(30:14):
they don't want your island left because they want to
preserve him. They want him full time at the AH.
They don't like al two vas defense at second anymore.
So you gotta put him somewhere. Where do you put him?
Throw him in left field where you got the big
Crawford box wall behind you, and all you gotta do
is just go get the ball and get it in. Yeah,
if you can't make the catch.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
And he is going to make some gas out there,
he is going to miss them throws. And we haven't
seen a whole lot of him. It's not like he
has got a rocket arm out there or anything like that.
So there are gonna be some missteps for sure. But
you got to stick him somewhere. He's on the roster,
he's making a lot of money, He's a legendary Astros player,
and this is the right move. And you know, ten
years we're going to talk about this. Yeah, Remember, Wow,
(30:52):
I was crazy a'l two A winning left field. He
did pretty good out there, and you know, he showed
himself well and he aged gracefully as well as he
could have out there.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
And I'm I'm thinking he will at.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
Least be adequate out there in left field, because he
is that much of an athlete still and he cares
that much about the game. And this is a guy
whose whole life is baseball. You're gonna tell me he's
going to put it out of left field and the
nuances are really just gonna, you know, ruin him mentally
or anything.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
I just don't see it. I don't see it. He's
going to be good out there, or at least average
and solid.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
I just know it's going to be magnified. The first
time he has an error in yeah, I mean it
happened in spring training. I don't think enough people are
paying attention. But when we get into regular season games
and he has an error too, it's going to be magnified.
People are going to be saying, is this the right move?
The counter that that is, where the hell do you
want to put him? Because you need his bat in
(31:44):
the lineup, And I just don't know what the alternative
is if people want to put your on the left field.
Do you know how many games you are on his
mits the last few years because he can't stay healthy.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
Yeah, they're trying to keep him.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
Joe Spotta made it very clear they're trying to keep
him as the DH as one of the best five
hitters in baseball. Keep him out there and don't have
him out there running in and hitting his leg or
sliding around or do yeah, running into walls.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
You don't need that.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
And I still think l TV will play some games
at second base, but I put the over under maybe
at like twelve, Like, I don't think it's going to
be a ton.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
Uh for L two V at second twelve yeah two yeah,
who knows twenty five under, but it's probably not gonna
be very many.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
Yeah, let's move to center field. As Jake Myers, who
has played in three hundred and sixty one career games
with the Houston Astros and as a career batting average
of two twenty eight. It's look, I mean, he's got
thirty career home runs, he's got one hundred and thirty
seven career RBIs. It's just Jake Myers, I think is
(32:49):
going to give you great defense at center field, and
anything he can give you with the bat is a plus.
I put him in that D Bond category of I
don't have high expectations where you're coming to the play.
You know.
Speaker 1 (33:00):
It's crazy, is that he had that May where he
was like opsing a thousand or whatever it was in May,
and he still had worse offensive numbers than he did
the year before. I mean his June, July, August, September
was horrible. Yea horrib like unspeakably horrible. So you just
wanted a little bit more even of a performance to
(33:22):
where if he can catch some of that lightning in
the bottle and he can give you like fifteen home
runs and ops around seven hundred and b average, that's
gonna be huge. But his career ops around six sixty
ish or whatever. So if you can get him to
basically league average and then providing what he is, you're
talking about a very valuable player, because even with the
bat as a minus that it is, he's still a
(33:43):
plus player. He was still like one of the top
ten ASTROS players and wins above replacement last year because
of his center field defense is so good. So if
he can be a little bit more consistent to where
he's not necessarily catching fire like he did for just
one month, and that's that, it's gonna it's gonna be
a huge boon to the Astros to have him in
(34:06):
that ninth spot. Turning off, the turning up, the turning
over the lineup a little bit more. He's talked about
in spring training drawing a few more walks, just get
on base, just get on bas a.
Speaker 3 (34:15):
Well, look, Jake, he started off slow in spring and
turned it on. He ended up batting three zero six
this spring with a nine to thirty five.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
Oh baller, all right, I mean if he if he
hits a nineps, he's Mike Trout.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
Yeah, I mean, I just if he can carry some
of this into the regular season, you're gonna feel really
good about him. All right, right field. Like I said,
I'm putting Chas McCormick there right now. Chaz has got
to pick it up. He has not had a good spring.
He bet a one to seventy six in spring training
last year. In the regular season he beat at two eleven.
That's down from the two seventy three he had in
(34:49):
twenty twenty three. Even bout two forty five and twenty
twenty two that was halfway decent, But two eleven last
year was not getting it done. He did miss an
extended part of the season with an injury. But this
almost feels like it's put up or shut up time
for Chess McCord.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
Yeah, he's I mean, he's turning thirty years old. We're
not talking about a spring chicken here at this point.
This is a guy who's who's been up here a while.
It's felt like he's a fourth outfielder. He felt like
he was a lot more than that. Remember, I mean,
it's crazy. We're talking about a guy. Two years ago
everybody wanted Dusty Baker fired because he wasn't putting Jas
McCormick in the lineup every single day, and now everybody
wants him.
Speaker 2 (35:22):
Off the team.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
So he's probably somewhere in between. He's gonna get some looks.
He's obviously very good against left handed pitching, has can't
do much against right handed pitching. So is he just
a platoon guy. He's got some value out there with
the defense and can you're not asking for a big
breakout Season's asking for something closer to his twenty three production.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
Your other outfielders, Taylor Tremill's been banged up, piger Leone
was banged up.
Speaker 2 (35:50):
Got about Taylor Tremmell, but all.
Speaker 3 (35:52):
Signs now Ross and all This whole podcast has led
up to the conversation of Cam Smith making the Astros
Opening day roster. This thing has been up in the air,
you know, ever since this kid got traded. Mean, let's
go back. This kid gets traded from the Chicago Cubs
as part of the Kyle Tucker trade, and I think
(36:12):
most expectations ross war this kid is gonna wait for
you know. I think that the MLB prospect rankys came
out and they said projected call up twenty twenty six.
I think we all just kind of thought with only
thirty games in the minor leagues, I think it was
five A double A like this, he's gonna be in
spring training or I'm sorry, in the minors this year,
(36:33):
probably at you know, maybe he starts in Corpus, maybe
starts with Sugar Line, whatever, and maybe he gets called
up at some point this year if the bat stays
r at hot. But the Astros like what they saw
from him in spring training, and Dana Brown gushed over
him and the twenty two year old phenom who batted
three forty two throughout spring training. He's exceeded every expectation
(36:55):
from this. Uh you know, this this organization had on him,
and thus he will be your own opening day starter
in right field over chest McCormick.
Speaker 1 (37:04):
Yeah, we know he's going to be in the roster.
I guess what the way to see the day of
for the lineup. I imagine it's going, okay, so he's
gon already gonna be in the starting lineup. That's that's
It's just kind of crazy to me on its face. Now,
maybe Cam Smith, obviously it's a special case. Obviously the
astros feel like this is the right move. Obviously they
(37:26):
feel like they've seen enough. But just on its face that.
Speaker 2 (37:30):
He was at Florida State nine months.
Speaker 1 (37:32):
Ago, yep, and we talked about the very very small
resume completely leaving leaping above Triple A.
Speaker 2 (37:42):
It's it's it kind of mind blowing.
Speaker 1 (37:44):
Even though, as you mentioned, you had Dana Brown gushing
over him, everybody talking about it, the momentum seemed to
build about around him making the opening day roster. I
still kind of in my heart of hearts. On the
Matt Thomas Show on Tuesdays, we do gut feelings. My
gut feeling it wasn't gonna happen, just because it's like
he needs a little work at work.
Speaker 2 (38:04):
In right field.
Speaker 1 (38:04):
He doesn't have enough work at the plate either, and
he's going to be on the opening day roster starting
with just twenty plated appearances above double A.
Speaker 2 (38:14):
It's incredible. Well, look, it's quite the leap for him.
Speaker 3 (38:18):
Wyatt Langford, who you know, played for the game the
Florida Gators, uh huh, was drafted by the Texas Rangers
in the summer of twenty twenty three. July eighteenth, twenty
twenty three, he was drafted by the Rangers, played in
twenty something games in whatever it was in the miners,
and made the Rangers open and gay roster.
Speaker 1 (38:36):
He was also a top five prospect. Camp Smith's not
a top five prospect. He's the Astros tops prospect. But
if you look at the Baseball America he's in the fifties.
Speaker 3 (38:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (38:46):
MLB dot Com has him in the fifties. And this
isn't an all b all. I'm just saying Baseball Perspectives
was higher on them than everybody else.
Speaker 1 (38:52):
They had him at number twenty, So I'm just saying,
while there is precedent for this, there also is precedent
for top prospects who are more much more credentialed than
Cam Smith having issues at the major league level. I mean,
we know the issues that Bregman went through when he
first came up. Last year, you had Jackson holiday was
the top prospect in baseball. He had to be optioned
(39:13):
down to get a little bit more seasoning and come back.
And maybe that's what the Ashos are saying. They're saying,
we have very little little lose if he's gonna sink
or swim at the major league level, if he.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Struggles a little bit. Who's to say that Chas McCormick
wouldn't have those same struggles.
Speaker 1 (39:27):
So they're gonna put him in there looking for some
juice in the lineup, or they just said, this guy
is God's gift to baseball and he's gonna waltz right
in there and he's gonna produce.
Speaker 2 (39:38):
It'll be interesting.
Speaker 1 (39:39):
This is what I love about sports because you're talking
about this and I am on a podcast right now.
We're talking about our shows on Sports Talk seven ninety.
We're talking about on Twitter and social media. He's gonna
go out there. We're gonna see what Cam Smith does
and I really can't wait to see it. I'm really
excited for opening dated.
Speaker 3 (39:56):
Did you hear about some of the quotes Chandler had
in his piece and encourage you guys to read at
the Athletic Jeremy Payne, you said, cancer is a guy
that you just have to keep testing him and see
how far he can push him. He's gonna fight back.
He's the one. He's the one that's gonna push back.
He's just got to show you what he's got. And
Maisio Dubond said, when he has an idea of what
they're gonna do with him in the bigs, I think
(40:16):
he's gonna be the next sixty home run guy. What again?
Speaker 2 (40:20):
So that's what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
Maybe he's God's gifted baseball and the prospect lists are
all wrong.
Speaker 3 (40:26):
I mean, interviewing him, he is the real deal, like
full package. Do you know what he said the other
day when they were when we were asking him about
you know, how does he feel making the oping gay roster?
He goes, look, man, it's in God's hands and I
know whatever happened, whatever happens, that's the right decision for
the for this time. Well he also said yeah, yes,
sure response other kids will be like, yeah, man, I
(40:47):
hope I'm making it. You know, like meathead guy, he's
not a meadhead. This kid's the jock with the brains
and like gets it and the whole package.
Speaker 1 (40:56):
Yeah, so, I mean, we'll see baseball's Hitting a baseball
is the hardest thing to do in the world, and
he's gonna be out there.
Speaker 2 (41:04):
He's been doing a really good job of it in spring.
And like I.
Speaker 1 (41:08):
Said, it's not like you're like, Okay, do I want
to take a chas mccormer's gonna go out there and
be okay, or you say, hey, you give this phenom
let him hit the ground running, sink or swim. Dana
Brown's been very aggressive in his history with guys like
Zach Dezenzo himself climber coming up the ranks. We saw
with Joey lo Berfito and others as well, and the
track record continues now with Cam Smith just coming over
(41:32):
into the organization. Really, at this point a couple of
months ago, we weren't even talking about Cam Smith or
even knowing that he existed. Now, the dude is the
opening day right field for your Houston Astros.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
Crazy.
Speaker 3 (41:44):
Yeah, it's it's quite a journey, quite a turnaround, and man,
it's again it's it's gonna be a lot of fun
just to see what he does with his bat. And
you know, these barks talked about this earlier in the
week Ross when he was all with Sean Salisbury. But
they do go to some early season cold climates there.
You know, their first road trip is up in Minnesota
(42:05):
against the Twins. This can be cold up there.
Speaker 2 (42:06):
They got a day off too, right.
Speaker 3 (42:08):
Then they go to s Yeah, a couple of years ageah,
they do. And then they go to Seattle for three
you know, it's typically chilly this time of year there.
Then they come back home for a quick three game
against Angels. Then they're on the road back to Saint Louis.
Then they're in Kansas City, then they're in Chicago. I
mean this is all in the month of April into
the first few days of May. Just saying that, like,
this is a kid who was born and raised in
(42:28):
the state of Florida, played at Florida State, and now
you know, and now this is his first time in Houston.
He's never played baseball. You know, probably I would venture
to say in tempts lower than the sixties, you know,
playing in this whole time Florida.
Speaker 2 (42:41):
What better time than now, says Dan.
Speaker 3 (42:43):
I guess I take that back Florida State. I guess
probably played on the road in the ACC in some
cool environments. But but nonetheless, you know, conference play happens
once she gets out of winter. So anyway, it was
just something to consider, and again just kind of quick
primer for this weekend. Clay Holmes is scheduled to start
for the Mets on Thursday. This is a guy who
(43:05):
has a lifetime three seventy one e RA, but he
was three fourteen last year at two eighty six, two
fifty four and one on the previous years. Uh in
New York. Yeah, he's probably gonna be what an opener,
I guess is the whole idea?
Speaker 2 (43:20):
What's happening?
Speaker 3 (43:21):
And then Tyler McGill is expected to get the ball
in Game two, and then Griffin Canning and Game three,
those two guys have much higher ERA. So anyway, just
kind of putting that out there, what kind of test
the Asters are going to see pitching wise from the Mets.
And then there's that whole Wan Sodo guy. What happens
when he crushes one to left or right field. We
now had two very inexperienced left and right fielders out
(43:43):
there having to go run down balls.
Speaker 1 (43:45):
Yeah, that's like I said when I just added it
all up. I didn't think they would do this uncertainty
defensively in both corner outfield spots. But clearly they're just
ready to They're done with the Chas McCormick experience, ready
for something new. I think it's a mixture of things.
I don't think it's a mixture of A. They're being
the spot available, B. Cam Smith showing himself as well
(44:09):
as he did in spring training, and just daring. This
is just daring to be great. This is a big leap.
This could very well blow up in the astros face.
I don't think it's going to but this is risky
business by the Astros and I like it. I like
rolling the dice, and Dana Brown clearly likes rolling the
dice as well now that he's going to be on
(44:29):
the opening day roster and.
Speaker 3 (44:31):
Joe Spotted Dick confirmed both Zach Decenzo and Cam Smith
made the opening day roster. So we kind of talked
about Zach Decenzo and the possibility of him being on
the roster, liked what we sawt of him, and then
Cam Smith. Look, the youth movement is alive with the Astros.
Will this work out? Look, these guys have to live
up to the hype. They have to live up to expectations,
(44:51):
because there are high expectations here in Houston. But this
has kind of been the Jim Crane model. We turn
the page, we sustain, we keep this train moving, Astro's
keep going on. We lose George Springer, we lose Carlos Korea,
we lose Garrett Cole, we lose and now you know
your three big losses in one season, Alex Bergman, Kyle
Tucker and Justin Verlander. And I get Verlander wasn't what
he had once was this past year, but those are
(45:14):
just three monster names from this era now gone. How
do these guys respond? Does Cam Smith, you know, rise
to the occasion and be the guy? Christian Walker and
Estak Paratus? What do they bring? Those are your two
big offseason acquisitions? Zach Dezenzo? Does he play? I mean,
it's it's an exciting time as Astros fan, it's also
(45:34):
a little bit nervous. Yeah, it's a little bit nerve
racking because you know what you've had the last five, six,
seven years we don't know what lies ahead, and so Russ,
we asked for your prediction. Give me your prediction to
the Astros win the Al West.
Speaker 1 (45:47):
I I'm gonna go with it, especially with the recent
Rangers pitching injuries. I mean, of all these thirty five
to Grom's gonna be thirty seven this year, I'm gonna
have some question marks. Maybe Kumar Rockers to be the
real deal, but he was struggling in spring training. I'm
gonna go with the Astros to win the Al West.
I think their biggest threat is going to be the
Mariners with that's a rotation, but i still think they're
(46:09):
not going to hit enough, so it'll be interesting to
be sure. But uh, and now you've got Cam Smith,
who's gonna future Hall of Famer Cam Smith in for
one hundred and sixty two games. Let's go Astros.
Speaker 3 (46:21):
I'm gonna say eighty joking with that, but like it
almost feels like a few years ago if he would
have been like, ah, future Hall of Famer Mike Trout. Yeah,
this guy getting called up with.
Speaker 2 (46:30):
Mike Trout was also one of the best baseball I know.
Speaker 1 (46:32):
I'm just I'm trying to think you're.
Speaker 3 (46:37):
But this guy might be. He might remember we talk
about that.
Speaker 2 (46:42):
You know what, Joey Loperfido could induct him into the
Hall of Fame.
Speaker 3 (46:45):
Better than low Perfedo.
Speaker 2 (46:46):
No, he's better than low Perfedo. But man, so you've.
Speaker 3 (46:50):
Got that, You've got thats winning the Aos.
Speaker 1 (46:51):
I got him winning the Aos especially. No, like I said,
Cam Smith, baby.
Speaker 3 (46:55):
I'm gonna go Rangers just for the I don't want
the bad juju. Okay, if it's a clean sweep and
we both take reverse jinks, yeah, so I'm gonna say
Rangers winning. But the Astros get the Wildcart spot and
you know, hopefully and can get out of the Wildcart
round this year, I'd like to get to an ALCS
and potentially or Alds and potentially Alcs. Again, Look, there's
(47:16):
also the outside possibility that this pitching staff does what
they need to do. Harner Brown gets better, Error Giddy
gets better, mccolors gets back and contributes in some way.
The bullpen's lights out and all these guys start crushing
Christian Walker has one of his best seasons. I'm just saying,
like optimism abound, it could happen.
Speaker 1 (47:33):
Yeah, but you also could suffer multiple injuries in the
starting rotation and then you have nobody as backups. The
middle bullpen could be an issue. Camp Smith could fall
flat on his face. I'll two make a continue to
decline like we can spin it.
Speaker 3 (47:45):
Down over here.
Speaker 1 (47:46):
Now that's the beauty of spring training and before opening
day you can spin.
Speaker 2 (47:51):
It how you want.
Speaker 1 (47:52):
But I hey, don't take me, Debbie Downer.
Speaker 2 (47:54):
I picked them to win a division you didn't.
Speaker 3 (47:56):
And we do know our starters for the weekend now
as well. Frommerville we'll go Opening Day on Thursday against
the Mets, Hunter Brown will go Game two on Friday
against the Mets, and Spencer Arraghetti we'll get to start
in Game three against the Mets on Saturday. So that
means going into that San Francisco series will likely be
Renel Blanco, Hayden was Neski and then probably come back
(48:20):
around to Frombor on that Wednesday because a couple of
days off or you get the Sunday off in between.
So it's fun. Astro season is upon us Ross and
make sure if you're listening out there, you grab yourself
plenty of Crawford Bach from Carbock Brewing and load up
when you're at the ballpark. Dyk in Park joining an
ice cold Crawford Boch. You see him around all around
the concourse on all levels at the Tequila Sunrise stripes
(48:41):
on the can pairs perfectly with Astros baseball, whether it's
a seventh inning stretch, you're eating hot dogs, peanuts, whatever
it is, just goes perfectly with that ice called Crawford Bach.
And now new outIn stores and around town is the
Crawford pale Ale limited Edition out. It's the blue on
the cans. It's a little bit lighter version of the
Crawford same great taste as the Crawford Bock, but a
(49:02):
little bit lighter beer if you're looking for something a
little bit lighter. Still five point five percent alcohol by volume.
Drink responsibly, but it's a home run every time with
the Crawford Bok. Make sure you guys load up. We'll
talk to you guys next week for Ross Veril. I
am Chris Gordy. This has been an all edition of
the Crawford Box Cast presented by Carbock Brewing
Astros fans, cheers, lucky, Welcome to the Crawford Box Casts, proud.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Lead for you by Crawford Bach from Carmack Brewy.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
You're getting that there, Oh my godness.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
The Crawford Box Cast starts now here, we go.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Here, and it is an all new edition of the
Crawford Box Cast, presented by Carbox Brewing and the Crawford Bach.
And of course, uh, if you guys haven't seen it yet,
the Crawford Pale Ale out now. We'll get to that
in a little bit, but welcome in as we are
(00:52):
getting you guys. Set is an Astro's Opening Day edition,
getting you set for Opening Day happening this Thursday. And
we always kind of do a little bit of a
season preview, getting you guys ready for the start of
the season, so figured well do that here for you.
Still some questions about who will make the roster and
all that kind of stuff, but we do have some
a little bit more clarity on that front. I'm Chris Gordy,
(01:15):
joined alongside by Ross Veril here on the Crawford Box Cast. Ross,
it is Opening Day, fever. Have you caught it yet? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (01:23):
I think I am catching it. I think I've caught it,
and I don't need a prescription. The only prescription I
guess is more Astros baseball. At this point, we kind
of hit the hot stove stuff after the season and
then fan Fast really gets the ball rolling spring training.
Now it's here ready for some opening day baseball against
the New York Mets.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Yeah, and I should mention you know, I was out
at the ballpark on Monday. It was good to be
at dyke In Park and see all the signage up everywhere.
I did not see any remnants of minute made, so
I think they're all gone now. I think it's all
dyke In. What was interesting ross was seen all the
new signage up around the building. Built for this, hashtag
built for this is everywhere.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
That's what they're going on. That's fine they are.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
I mean, look they're built for this. They've they've built
a good foundation. But the other interesting part was seeing
all the new faces spotted around. There's no Kyle Tucker,
there's no Alex Bregman, there's no Justin Verlander. The interesting
part was seeing jan are Diez's face. Yes, East Soak
Paratees was on a billboard. How about Spencer Araghetti's face
(02:28):
on a couple of walls. And I was in the
clubhouse on Monday and I mentioned it to Spencer. I said,
I said, dude, what a difference a year makes. Last year,
you're like, oh, I might get called up. We'll see
what happens. Like I think I'm gonna make the roster,
And a year later his face is around Minute May Park,
a place he grew up going to baseball games as
a kid. So kind of a cool dynamic for Spencer.
(02:49):
And you know, look, he had kind of an up
and down spring. The walks like to cut down on
that a little bit, but nonetheless pretty good, pretty good
position here. I like the pitching. Let's start there, Okay,
Frober Valdez, it was announced it's going to get the
ball an opening day. It sounds like it will be
hunnerd Brown behind him. Spencer Eraghetti, Ronel Blanco. Hayden was newsky, Yes,
(03:16):
pretty solid one through five.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Yeah, I think it's a solid one through five right now.
But of course, now Ryan Gusto making the roster for
the Astros. He's going to be the first guy off
the bench if there is some sort of injury or
you might need him. Even the week one you don't
have guys going you know, seven eight innings or anything
like that, so you might need him in long relief.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Right now, the one.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Through five is good, it's solid, but that is if
it stays. The one through five depth is where I
really start to have some questions about the starting pitching
to where when you do have somebody with some you know,
shoulder discomfort, elbow stiffness before blister, whatever, that's going to
crop up with the starting pitching after that. I do
(03:55):
have confidence in those guys. We'll see if they all
have I want to call it follow up years to
their breakout years, which were now Blanco had, which Hunter
Brown had in the second half of the season. Same
thing for Spencer Arraghetti. You're not expecting all of them
to be locked down guys, but I could see a
world where they're to a certain level of where they
(04:17):
were last year to where this is one of the
better rotations in baseball.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Yeah, and so that that's going to be your starting
rotation at least as as we see it for now.
And then kind of after that, you know, you wonder
what the rest of the bullpen is going to look like.
And it was announced that the Astros have informed Rafael
Montero that he has made this roster. We brought this
up before he was DFAD last year for them, cleared
(04:43):
waivers and then came back and they assigned him with
sugar Land. He is making eleven and a half million dollars.
Some of the asters this year like, no matter what, Yeah,
you brought him back. He's playing for free basically, but
like you know, you're you're having to pay that money.
But I had some people say like, oh, well, suit,
you're paying him, you might as well bring him back
to me. It doesn't matter like that money's already lost money.
(05:05):
If you thought he pits well enough in the spring
to make the team, then okay, I'm not gonna argue
with it, but I understand there's gonna be that stigma
there that fans hated what they saw from him. Yes,
and if he gets the ball in a close game,
fans are gonna freak.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
The hell out, Well, he shouldn't get the ball in
a close game. Hopefully it'll be, of course, mean a
brayw hater, whether or not it'll be Taylor Scott, that's something,
of course. Else we can discuss is how the bullpen
of pecking order is going to shake out. Yeah, I
get it, Montero. You're paying them, you're saving a little
bit of money, you are coming up against the tax,
and you don't Every dollar saved is a dollar earned
(05:40):
for Jim Crane and the Houston Astros. Clearly they tried
to do that this offseason, and I guess we'll see
what he has. It was a career year for him
when he was really great for the Astros in twenty
twenty two.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
And his nails in those playoffs, but he just.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Hasn't been getting gone good since and now he's getting
further and further into his thirties.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Yeah. So the Astros they had announced the seven bullpen spots,
Josh Hater, your closer, Briana Bray, your setup man, Taylor Scott.
You know, I think they're still gonna use Like in
a perfect world, maybe he's that seventh inning guy, but
I still think they're going to use the ass the
multi inning guy where needed. Steven Okert a fun, you
(06:21):
know story of a guy that I talked with at
spring training when I got there, and you know, a
guy who two years ago had a really nice season
and then you know it didn't go so well. For
him last year and he's on a little bit of
a redemption arc, and he was fantastic this spring. I think,
you know, it was among the leaders and strikeouts for
this team. And so, yeah, you go back two seasons
(06:44):
ago in Miami or three seasons ago Miami twenty twenty two.
You finished that year with a two ninety eight ERA
and things went well, and then that next year in
Miami the ERA got up a little higher at four
forty five, and then last year in Minnesota it was
over five. It was not good. And one of the
things I asked, though I think it was a first
day pitchers and catchers reported, he said, yeah, there was
(07:05):
some things off with my mechanics that I fixed that
was maybe not in the best mental space. But I'm
in a better spot and this spring Ochrets looked great.
And so he is now a part of this bullpen. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Well, I mean we talked about in the off season
and about like it just feels like people or somebody
is going to emerge, maybe Steven Okert being one of those,
because it just seems like this organization has been able
to work their magic with Taylor Scott coming on last year,
Brian King as well, and you get him in the fold,
and we'll see how long Forced Whitley's going to be
missing time because he's going to start the season on
(07:36):
the il. But I think the middle relief is going
to be good enough, and then you're going to have
the hammers at the end of the bullpen. We're also
going to need there to do their part, right, Brian
A Bray, you struggled start of the season, Josh Hater.
We know the struggles that he had, especially giving up
home runs pitching as much as he did since twenty
nineteen or has since twenty nineteen. So we'll see how
he goes in a follow up year to that. But
(07:58):
you're expecting them to carry the load there at the
back end of a bullpen, and this is a team
that I think the way that their offense is and
the way that their pitching is going to be, it's
gonna be a lot like last year where you were
in close games so many times that Brian bra you
already have like seventy eight appearances or whatever it was.
Last year, you needed to use him in like half
the games, So you are going to have to lean
(08:20):
on those guys again.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
I think this.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Year, Yeah, and the other arms that are making this team.
You mentioned Forest Whitley will start the year on the IL.
Caleb or you know, coming back from injury, he'll start
in the AL, but we expect him to be back
at some point. I hadn't heard an update on Sean Dubitt.
Did they give any update on him? I know he
had been banged down, he.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Wasn't supposed I think he was supposed to start the
season on the IL too.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
But anyway, your roster, your bullpen spots, Josh Hader, Brian O,
Brody Taylor, Scott, Steven Okert, Brian King, who I really like.
He's kind of become my go to guy when I
need a clubhouse interview for pregame shows at all. He's
a great guy. McNee dude, lefty, but no, he he
was really good for them last year. Raphael Montero and
then kind of the underrated here Luis Contreras. Kind of
(09:07):
a forgotten guy, uh, you know from Venezuela, got called
up last year with the Astros. Pitched at five games
last year. I do not remember those games at all. Ross,
do you remember the name?
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Vaguely familiar?
Speaker 3 (09:20):
So the funny thing is he came into. It was
a game you were playing the Twins in Minnesota. The
Astros were crushing the Twins and he came in. It
was just kind of like, hey, he gives up a
seventh spot in the ninth and then they got to
go to Hater. It's only a same situation. The Astros
get the thirteen to twelve win, but it was not
(09:41):
a great It was not a great outing for Louis Controlls.
But his four previous outings ross he put up his
goose eggs.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
That's good.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
He put up zero.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
So it's just funny.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
Yeah, his era from last year is like nine, but
it's all from one bad outing that he had and
it was a game that you were blowing him out.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
Anyway, already can be very cruel to relievers, and it's
not necessarily something that is like a go to metric
for them.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
But anyway, that's just a name to keep an eye on.
And then he got some other guys. Uh, Nick Hernandez
is gonna start. I'm just saying like, these are guys
that you're probably gonna see.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
The guys who are just guys though, but.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
You're probably gonna see them at some point throughout the
season because they're going to have to rely on some
arms as injuries happened. But yeah, we did get an update.
Christian Javier and JP France are likely to be moved
to the sixty day. I l I think Chandler Roumas
tweeted that out a couple of times. Christian CHRISTI Javier,
JP France, Luis Garcia was working his way back and
(10:37):
had a minor set back.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
So again I min down.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
Still, I know, I put him on the shelf and
I go, we'll revisit that down the road. Yeah. Uh,
And the other Atlance for Colors is coming along. He pitched, Yes,
he pitched in a spring training game a week ago.
He's pitched in a was it a simulated game practice?
Speaker 1 (10:56):
Yeah, he was still at the foida Clompe and Complex League.
Was an inning in two thirds thirty three pitches yesterday.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
And he is expected to get a start for the
Sugar Line Space Cowboys this weekend. Yes, so I think Saturdays.
Don't hold me to that, but that's what it sounds like.
And so I love that Lance is gonna and he'll
probably be there a month basically like he's gonna have
to work his way up he can't do more than that.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
You get thirty days when you're on a rehab start.
Major League determines you get thirty days. So once they
start that clock, it's gonna be thirty days. So we
can keep talking about all Obviously he's not gonna be
ready till June or whatever. If they start him down
there with a with rehab starts, that's thirty days that's
gonna be ready.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
For the me. I was surprised the spring training game
he got into. They're like, he's just gonna pitch an inning,
and I'm like, I get slow playing this, but like
he looks good and he looks ready, I'm like, maybe
squeeze a second inning on it. Like so I'll be
curious to see how it goes in sugar Land.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
I think maybe they just they just wanted to tell like,
you're just putting wins in the bank with Lance Piccolo.
Anytime he goes out there and then he's good and
he's healthy, you just put that into the bank and
you go on to the next step. And that's what
I think they were doing. So they wanted to play
it slow. If Flansbo Colors Junior, I totally understand it.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
So I'm with you.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
I would have liked to see in a second inning,
but I understand why they're playing it the way they are.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
Yeah, he looked good and you know, hit hit my guy,
Dylan Cruz lsu guy with the ball. But other than that,
got some ground ball outs and vintage Lance mccollors. All right,
Coming up next, we're going to switch gears, talk a
little bit on the hitters, and then the defense and
who will be out there right field. More to come
here on the Crawford Box Cast presented by Carbock Brewing.
(12:30):
Continue on here the Crawford Box Cast presented by Carbock Brewing,
Chris Gordy and Ross Via Reale, and hopefully you guys
will be out at dyk In Park this week this
weekend enjoying an ice cold Crawford Bach. Those tequila Sunrise stripes.
You know him when you see him on the can.
Love it, love drinking it pairs perfectly with Astros baseball
at ross as we watch this Astros team. We talked
(12:52):
about the pitching side of things, Let's talk about the hitters. Okay,
let's start with the catchers. We know Janar Diez kind
of took the league by storm. Very good hitting catcher.
He's he's already top five in terms of best hitting
catchers in baseball currently. Yes, the defense needs to continue
to improve working with the pitching staff and all that,
but I thought that was great that he was able
(13:13):
to do that last year and get on the same
page with a lot of these pitchers. But Victor Kartini,
I think Ranks is one of the better backup catchers
in all baseball. He can hit. So the vibe I
got from spring training of what Joe Spotty says, it
sounds like they want to get jan Ar Diaz a
little bit more off his feet this year in terms
of not just oh, he's not catching today, so he's
(13:33):
going to Dho's gonna play first. They want him just
not playing period that day. So they almost envision I
don't know if I go as far as say fifty
to fifty, but we're gonna see a lot more Keratini
behind the plane, I feel like this year, and it'll
be maybe like a fifty five forty five yon ardaz Carotin.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
It'll be interesting to see that close because you don't
want to take young Ar Diez's bat out of the
lineup that much. But it's it's a question of then
where does it go because last year you were dhing him,
but this year you say you want to d h
jord On Alvarez some more. I think it was eleven
games or something like that. Janardaz played at first Well,
Christian Walker is supposed to be locking that down. You
used Victor Karrattini a lot. You needed his bat because
(14:12):
you weren't getting production at first base with it with
Jose Abray at the time, and then John Singleton and
whatever Miss mash you were putting out there. But it's like,
where do those bats come from? Where do those starts
come from? So that is kind of what I'm wondering
when it comes to Janardez, who was better when he
was fresher with some days rest to where he started
the season hot last year.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
Then he started to wear.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Down, he got I think he was then he get
hit in the hand or something like that. He got
off his feet for like a week. He came back,
he was setting light in the world on fire, hitting everything.
So that is very intriguing to me. If Joe Spot
is wanting to get him off his feet, Yeah, the
only place to go is to the bench because you're
not putting him in the outfield. You're lockdown on first base,
(14:55):
and you want jord On at the DH spot more
days than not.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
I think the plus is Victor Karatin. He had his best,
one of his best statistical hitting seasons last year. He
batted two sixty nine, which was a career high in
batting adage for him in one season. It's on base
percentage of three thirty six. His OPS was seven forty four.
Those were some of the best numbers of his career.
He had eight home runs, he drove in thirty RBIs.
(15:18):
That's that's solid for a backup catcher.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
And he's better defensively than yeah, so that's.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
I think they're looking at all that. And he's thirty
one yon airs twenty six, so yeah, he's a little
bit more more up there in age. But I just
think they're kind of looking at that saying, we know
what we have in Diaz. We just want to preserve
that and we want him when he plays to be
at his best. We don't want to wear him down
like we did last year because it was his first
full season as a as a catcher and doing all
(15:44):
that as an everyday guy. So we'll see how it
goes again. That's the plan. They could get out there
and Yonard he has catches six of the first seven games.
We'll see.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Yeah, you need his bat in the lineup this this
especially the way this Astros team is with I mean, yeah,
al Tuove declined last year. That's just a fact. Well,
hopefully he can bounce back somewhat from that. But Jordan
and Walker and then after that you got a lot
of question marks. He said, Paratus did hit that home
run to the Crawford boxes yesterday.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
It looks good. But you need Janard is one of
your best four hitters.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
You should be basically in the top four or five
of this lineup every single day if we're talking about
purely with the bat, so every time you take him out. Yeah,
Victor Carrottini was good offensively last year, but he doesn't
have the potential day to day to do the same
amount of damage that Janar Diez does.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Yeah, the so that's catcher. Salazar will be at sugar
line Space Cowboys. He's a good option to have if
you need a third catcher.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
For creat emergency plan.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
Yeah, so you feel good about that spot. Let's talk
first space, Christian Walker is he's been banged up, it's
gonna be good to go. But it sounds like he's
gonna be good to go, and sounds like he will
be in the opening day lineup come Thursday. At least
that's what Joe Spatta and Dana Brown have said. We
will see. They also think he's the type of guy
like he didn't need to jump into a bunch of
(17:05):
spring training games. At the end. They just were like,
you get that obleaque healthy and we'll just put you
back out there. We think you're a pros pro. There
was some news ross on Tuesday about John Singleton. He
was he was told a couple of days ago that
he would not make the opening day roster. The Astros
officially John Singleton cleared waivers on Tuesday and was officially
(17:27):
released by the Astros. As jailor own reporter, There's still
a chance he could re sign with the Astros, but
Singleton will explore his options. I mentioned this the other day.
His wife tweeted out something like the cowboy r rides
off into the sunset or something like. I think they
kind of sent the message, look, we appreciate the Astros
giving him a second chance. All this but I think
they want to go find another opportunity elsewhere.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
Yeah, I would imagine that. Do you mean, like out
of baseball, because her tweet kind of seemed like he's
going to stop playing baseball.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
Oh, I don't know. To me, it sounded like they
were going to look for another team.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Yeah, okay, well yeah, I would imagine they would look elsewhere.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
But the the interesting part about this is, and you know,
with Christian Walker being banged up.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
Yeah, this is where the Cowboy rides away, is what
she tweeted. Yeah, that sounds to me like he's leaving baseball.
I thought it, Okay, I thought she means he rides away.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
Yeah, but when the Cowboy rides away, that's the end
of the movie. He goes in the he goes into
the sunset.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
He's done, Cowboy in and he's made he's made good.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
The Cowboy rides away to Milwaukee.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
He's done. He's done a good job of earning some money.
But you know, the interesting part here will be you know,
with Walker banged up, that's what I thought maybe like
maybe he could stick around. But I think the Astros
looking at him like, dude, you're still not hidden. We
can't put a one sixty nine batter out there, like
it just doesn't It doesn't help us. You're not helping
us all this kind of stuff.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
It also means Walker's healthy.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
I mean it means he's healthy. But also Zach Dezenzo
had a really nice spring training and again I don't
know if he's gonna make this opening day roster where
you know, we're very close to opening day here, but
to me, I just like what we saw out of
what he did throughout throughout spring training this year with
playing eighteen games, batted three ninety one UH two on runs,
(19:11):
seven RBIs, four walks, it's five doubles. Zach Decenzo eighteen
hits throughout spring training. He is comfortable at to plate
and as bad as swinging. I would put Zach Dezenzo
on this opening day roster as a backup, first baseman,
back up whatever you know, he could play, and I'll
feel it. I think you can put it.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
On multiple spots.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
Clear, it seems like he's been working on rather than
just swinging for the fences every time, a little more contact.
He played in the UH in the Puerto Rican Winter League,
he hit like three. He didn't have a home run,
but he hit like three sixty something in the in
the Winter League as well, so he's been working on
his swing. He's also it's translated into two results in spring,
which it doesn't always do. But that's good for him
(19:53):
as a guy who can play a lot of places.
For you, Young has some pop in the bat. I'm
alm intrigue bent exactis Inzo for sure?
Speaker 3 (20:02):
We uh I should mention I'm looking at the ESPN
listed their depth chart of infield. Yes, they still have
jose L Twovey listed as a second basement. We will
get to outfield in a little bit, but.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
And we'll be talking about TV there.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
But Estoc Paratus I think is pretty much a lock
for third base, and as you mentioned, liked what we
saw to his look selling in a dik In park
already you could see why this is the guy. The
asker was one of the at the trade deadline last year.
They've been intrigued by him for some time and they've
got him in their organization. He's twenty six, he's the
same age as Janar Diaz. Like Estoc Paratus I think
(20:35):
is just scratching the surface on the type of player
he can be.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
You're hoping.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
So it was a bit of a disappointment for him
last year. He took a year back the year before
what he had like thirty one home runs. I think
it was just sixteen last year. Now you're coming into
the you're coming into the craw For boxes, so hopefully things.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
Can be well.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
Sixteen with Tampa and the three with the Okay, so
nineteen total. Sorry, so I'm intrigued. He already got a
home run into the Crawford boxes. Depending on what you know.
Projection websites are just one data point. They got him
around like twenty four to twenty five home runs, around
seven fifty seven eighty ops.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
And the athletes is great, but that's in twenty twenty five.
No average doesn't.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
Mean he's gonna get some power. He's gonna and he's
gonna get on base a little bit. He can draw
some walks. We've seen that throughout his history that that
he can do that, especially when he was with Tampa Bay.
So if that translates here, we're all good. You're not
asking him. Look, it's not like Alex Bregman's production was
huge last year. But what he hit twenty five twenty
six home runs ops. I think it was like seven
(21:39):
sixty eight and fifty eight somewhere around there.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
It's not like he was you know, all the world.
I had somebody tell me that. They said, he here's
the quiet part. Nobody maybe wants to talk about, what
if he sucked? Praise's numbers at the end of the
year are just slightly, just like a hair behind Bregman's.
Will that be a headline anywhere? Will anybody write a
story about, Hey, there wasn't a whole ton of drop
off there Bregman.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
Okay, look last year, Yeah, it was a seven sixty
eight ops, twenty six home runs.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Said Paradis could do that.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
He could? Yeah, absolutely take that in a heartbeat from
your third baseman. Now, look, will he be as good defensively? No?
Probably not. I mean, Bregman, some of those falling away
throws he made from the third baseline, I mean, he
was just incredible. He's one of the all time greats
to play for the Astros defensively, so you know, you
lose a little bit there, but you.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Gain first you gain first base production and first base
offensively and defensively.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
You're trying to make it up an aggregate the old money.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
That way we should have mentioned a shortstop. Jeremy Panna
has had a very nice spring. Yes, that would be
to me. That's one of the bigger storylines of this year.
If Jeremy Penya can get back to being he doesn't
have to be World Series MVP Jeremy Penya, but just
in that vein a leader on this team, bring back
some of that power because the home runs have just
(22:56):
they've been very few and far between.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Yahny something twenty two or whatever, it was his rookie year.
Speaker 3 (23:00):
If he could just be that consistent leader and I'll
take base hits man, just single move the train, move
the line.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
You know, if he could elevate the ball a little
bit more. He's got power, he's got fast hands. We
know he's strong. So yeah, if you could translate that
into some more line drives, which would translate into some
more home runs for him last, then then we're talking
about big production.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
That'd be huge.
Speaker 1 (23:25):
Now, twenty seven year old breakout season in your fourth year,
it's not super common, but it is possible.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
Yeah, I just again just want to see a little
bit more pop out of him, because you're the biggest
thing you're losing with bregnant and Tucker is power. You're
losing those home run totals again. Paride's is gonna do
what he can do. Christian Walker's gonna do what he
can do. But if Panya could up that home run
total a little bit. He hit twenty two as a rookie, yeah,
ten and twenty twenty three fifteen last year. If he
(23:51):
could get that number close to just this rookie year,
twenty two to twenty three home runs, sign me up.
I think that's that's a great year from Jeremy Pania
and so Second Bay, it sounds like it is. They're
gonna start with Mariso Dubon there. I think Brendan Rodgers
will be a platoon option. I do think Brendan Rodgers
will make this roster. What happened he's been hitting, and
(24:11):
then occasionally occasionally, I think you'll see L two A
play some games at second. But yeah, for the most part,
I think they like second base. When I was down
at spring training, Joe Spotder told me first week of
spring training, I say, who's your best defensive second base?
He goes, think it's Dubon, It's and everything they're doing
speaks to that. With the L two Vey moved to
the outfield. If they think Mauricio Dubon is their best
(24:34):
defensive second base man, can you argue with two years
ago when L two they got hurt? No, you want
to go got No? He was great.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Absolutely, that's another question for another day. But at least
it's a more premium defensive position, and you're gonna get
more help there with Dubon there than AL two.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
It's just a fact.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
Unfortunately, at this point in this stage of L two
V's career, when he's about to turn thirty five years old.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
Yeah, what I say earlier about somebody being a singles hitter,
I will take Dubon just be a singles hitter man.
Just need you to hit the ball, you know, find
space and get on base.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
You can only have so many leaders, yeah, minus hitters
in your lineup.
Speaker 3 (25:09):
But he is ten whole months two years ago. I
mean maybe you.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
Know that was insane. That's never happening again.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
He had four last year.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
Absolutely, Yeah, one.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
Hundred and thirty seven games. But now keep in mind,
these last two seeds have been the most games he's
ever played, you know, in his career. Really, I mean,
he's he's a he's a basically a full time starter
here with the Astros. Albeit he's been in that platoon role,
but he's been playing almost every day. He's in the
outfield one days, on the infield this days.
Speaker 1 (25:34):
And DT one hundred and thirty seven and one hundred
and thirty two games. That's more than a utility man.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
Yeah. I mean they even had him playing first base
a couple times last year and they were moving them
all over the place. But the hope is he gives
you plus defense on the infield, and then again anything
gives you with the bat is great. That is the infield.
We now have to go to the outfield or us.
Coming up next here on the Crawford Box Cast, we
will explore the outfield.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Where the three gold Gloves get came on out there.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
Hitting may not be a premium subspots and defense may
not be a premium subspots. We'll talk about that next
year of the Crawford Box Casts. Right along here the
Crawford Box Cast presented by Carbox Brewing and the Crawford
Bock and we'll be back at Dike And Park this
weekend and enjoying an ice cool Crawford Box from our
friends at Carbock brewing with Kilo sunrise stripes on the cans.
(26:23):
You know it when you see it pairs perfectly with peanuts, popcorn,
a seventh inning stretch all over the concourse, on every
deck of Dike in parking can get yourself a Crawford
bock and new in stores now, the Crawford pale Ale.
If you haven't tried it yet. It's a light blue can.
A little bit of a lighter taste on the Crawford bock.
You know how it's usually dark when you pour that
(26:44):
into your glass. It's gonna be a little bit lighter
at the pale Ale. But I like the taste. I
love the Crawford box. The pale Ale's pretty darn good
as well. A little bit of a different lighter taste.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
I love a paleol.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
You haven't tried it yet, I know you gave us some,
and I will be cracking those this weekend.
Speaker 3 (26:57):
All right, there we go, put it in the fridge.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
It get it ice, think it nice? And I got
a beer, I got a beer fridge. I'm ready to go.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
All right. Speaking of beer fridge, we have a bit
of a beer fridge of a center of an outfield.
When we talk about this Astros outfield in right field
projected opening day starter. I'm gonna put Chas McCormick in
there for right now. Okay, it's centerfield. We got Jake
Myers in left field. We've got Josel Twovey and knocking
(27:23):
on the door. Will he make the opening day roster?
As of this recording, we don't know if Cam Smith
is going to make the roster. But where do you
want to start ross with any of those four dames.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
Let's start with Josel Twovey.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
Astro's legend. I mean, we've seen this before. We thankfully
here in Houston, have the parallel of Craig Bigio moving,
but that was also because Jeff Kent was coming, and
Jeff Kent was a Gold Glove caliber, All Star level
second baseman and Bigio was hitting towards the twilight of
his career. So now it's happening here. There's no big
(27:59):
time can't second basement, But I think it's the right move.
We've talked about the defensive run saved, the outs, above
average anything you look at. Hose Al Twovey quite frankly
has been one of the worst second basement in baseball.
So I know, there are still some fans hanging on
to the fact that he was a Gold Glover like
ten years ago. He's just not there anymore. So you
want his bat in the lineup. You don't want him
hurting you at second base, and you want to kind
(28:21):
of give him. You know, it feels like this has
rejuvenated him. You talked to Joe Spotty, you talked to
Jose himself, Dana Brown, like this is fun for him.
It's given him something to do. It's a new challenge
you're talking about. You know, we talked about how nice
Altuve is, how great this dude is. A competitive is hell.
He didn't get to the way the where he is
with his stature without not being a dog with a
(28:44):
competitor and somebody with the fire in his belly. And
he's taking in this challenge on in left field with
all those characteristics that he's shown before previously in his career.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
Yeah, still a career three hundred hitter, finished just bowled
that last year two ninety five. But you know, is
the power.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
Dipping and had the big power dip last year.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
Yeah, I mean still hit twenty home runs and you
know it felt like they came in strings. It felt
like in like one week he at three or four.
But okay, well the slugging was way down. Where did
I guess he didn't have a lot of doubles. I
didn't realize it was, Yeah, thirty one doubles last year,
no triples. Did had forty seven walks. He had forty
(29:24):
seven walks last year, forty four the year before. He
was in the sixties and twenty one and twenty two
sixty six walks in both those years. So you know,
I just need I need my leadoff man to get
on nothing. Yeah. What frustrated me most last year, Ross
was how many times the game would start and I
was literally turning the game on and the askers already
had one out, and I look at the score log
and it goes, you know, first pitch swinging out, two
(29:47):
Vay flies out or pops out.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
It's like, dude, can we please run?
Speaker 3 (29:51):
And so many these pitchers would be like an eight
pitch first hitting from this starter. It was like God, like,
can we see some pitches please? But nonetheless, still one
of your best hitters, still going to believe be your
lead off man. And I think the biggest question Ross
is how does he do in left field. Defensively, it's
not going to be the best. But the reality is
(30:14):
they don't want your island left because they want to
preserve him. They want him full time at the AH.
They don't like al two vas defense at second anymore.
So you gotta put him somewhere. Where do you put him?
Throw him in left field where you got the big
Crawford box wall behind you, and all you gotta do
is just go get the ball and get it in. Yeah,
if you can't make the catch.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
And he is going to make some gas out there,
he is going to miss them throws. And we haven't
seen a whole lot of him. It's not like he
has got a rocket arm out there or anything like that.
So there are gonna be some missteps for sure. But
you got to stick him somewhere. He's on the roster,
he's making a lot of money, He's a legendary Astros player,
and this is the right move. And you know, ten
years we're going to talk about this. Yeah, Remember, Wow,
(30:52):
I was crazy a'l two A winning left field. He
did pretty good out there, and you know, he showed
himself well and he aged gracefully as well as he
could have out there.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
And I'm I'm thinking he will at.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
Least be adequate out there in left field, because he
is that much of an athlete still and he cares
that much about the game. And this is a guy
whose whole life is baseball. You're gonna tell me he's
going to put it out of left field and the
nuances are really just gonna, you know, ruin him mentally
or anything.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
I just don't see it. I don't see it. He's
going to be good out there, or at least average
and solid.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
I just know it's going to be magnified. The first
time he has an error in yeah, I mean it
happened in spring training. I don't think enough people are
paying attention. But when we get into regular season games
and he has an error too, it's going to be magnified.
People are going to be saying, is this the right move?
The counter that that is, where the hell do you
want to put him? Because you need his bat in
(31:44):
the lineup, And I just don't know what the alternative
is if people want to put your on the left field.
Do you know how many games you are on his
mits the last few years because he can't stay healthy.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
Yeah, they're trying to keep him.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
Joe Spotta made it very clear they're trying to keep
him as the DH as one of the best five
hitters in baseball. Keep him out there and don't have
him out there running in and hitting his leg or
sliding around or do yeah, running into walls.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
You don't need that.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
And I still think l TV will play some games
at second base, but I put the over under maybe
at like twelve, Like, I don't think it's going to
be a ton.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
Uh for L two V at second twelve yeah two yeah,
who knows twenty five under, but it's probably not gonna
be very many.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
Yeah, let's move to center field. As Jake Myers, who
has played in three hundred and sixty one career games
with the Houston Astros and as a career batting average
of two twenty eight. It's look, I mean, he's got
thirty career home runs, he's got one hundred and thirty
seven career RBIs. It's just Jake Myers, I think is
(32:49):
going to give you great defense at center field, and
anything he can give you with the bat is a plus.
I put him in that D Bond category of I
don't have high expectations where you're coming to the play.
You know.
Speaker 1 (33:00):
It's crazy, is that he had that May where he
was like opsing a thousand or whatever it was in May,
and he still had worse offensive numbers than he did
the year before. I mean his June, July, August, September
was horrible. Yea horrib like unspeakably horrible. So you just
wanted a little bit more even of a performance to
(33:22):
where if he can catch some of that lightning in
the bottle and he can give you like fifteen home
runs and ops around seven hundred and b average, that's
gonna be huge. But his career ops around six sixty
ish or whatever. So if you can get him to
basically league average and then providing what he is, you're
talking about a very valuable player, because even with the
bat as a minus that it is, he's still a
(33:43):
plus player. He was still like one of the top
ten ASTROS players and wins above replacement last year because
of his center field defense is so good. So if
he can be a little bit more consistent to where
he's not necessarily catching fire like he did for just
one month, and that's that, it's gonna it's gonna be
a huge boon to the Astros to have him in
(34:06):
that ninth spot. Turning off, the turning up, the turning
over the lineup a little bit more. He's talked about
in spring training drawing a few more walks, just get
on base, just get on bas a.
Speaker 3 (34:15):
Well, look, Jake, he started off slow in spring and
turned it on. He ended up batting three zero six
this spring with a nine to thirty five.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
Oh baller, all right, I mean if he if he
hits a nineps, he's Mike Trout.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
Yeah, I mean, I just if he can carry some
of this into the regular season, you're gonna feel really
good about him. All right, right field. Like I said,
I'm putting Chas McCormick there right now. Chaz has got
to pick it up. He has not had a good spring.
He bet a one to seventy six in spring training
last year. In the regular season he beat at two eleven.
That's down from the two seventy three he had in
(34:49):
twenty twenty three. Even bout two forty five and twenty
twenty two that was halfway decent, But two eleven last
year was not getting it done. He did miss an
extended part of the season with an injury. But this
almost feels like it's put up or shut up time
for Chess McCord.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
Yeah, he's I mean, he's turning thirty years old. We're
not talking about a spring chicken here at this point.
This is a guy who's who's been up here a while.
It's felt like he's a fourth outfielder. He felt like
he was a lot more than that. Remember, I mean,
it's crazy. We're talking about a guy. Two years ago
everybody wanted Dusty Baker fired because he wasn't putting Jas
McCormick in the lineup every single day, and now everybody
wants him.
Speaker 2 (35:22):
Off the team.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
So he's probably somewhere in between. He's gonna get some looks.
He's obviously very good against left handed pitching, has can't
do much against right handed pitching. So is he just
a platoon guy. He's got some value out there with
the defense and can you're not asking for a big
breakout Season's asking for something closer to his twenty three production.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
Your other outfielders, Taylor Tremill's been banged up, piger Leone
was banged up.
Speaker 2 (35:50):
Got about Taylor Tremmell, but all.
Speaker 3 (35:52):
Signs now Ross and all This whole podcast has led
up to the conversation of Cam Smith making the Astros
Opening day roster. This thing has been up in the air,
you know, ever since this kid got traded. Mean, let's
go back. This kid gets traded from the Chicago Cubs
as part of the Kyle Tucker trade, and I think
(36:12):
most expectations ross war this kid is gonna wait for
you know. I think that the MLB prospect rankys came
out and they said projected call up twenty twenty six.
I think we all just kind of thought with only
thirty games in the minor leagues, I think it was
five A double A like this, he's gonna be in
spring training or I'm sorry, in the minors this year,
(36:33):
probably at you know, maybe he starts in Corpus, maybe
starts with Sugar Line, whatever, and maybe he gets called
up at some point this year if the bat stays
r at hot. But the Astros like what they saw
from him in spring training, and Dana Brown gushed over
him and the twenty two year old phenom who batted
three forty two throughout spring training. He's exceeded every expectation
(36:55):
from this. Uh you know, this this organization had on him,
and thus he will be your own opening day starter
in right field over chest McCormick.
Speaker 1 (37:04):
Yeah, we know he's going to be in the roster.
I guess what the way to see the day of
for the lineup. I imagine it's going, okay, so he's
gon already gonna be in the starting lineup. That's that's
It's just kind of crazy to me on its face. Now,
maybe Cam Smith, obviously it's a special case. Obviously the
astros feel like this is the right move. Obviously they
(37:26):
feel like they've seen enough. But just on its face that.
Speaker 2 (37:30):
He was at Florida State nine months.
Speaker 1 (37:32):
Ago, yep, and we talked about the very very small
resume completely leaving leaping above Triple A.
Speaker 2 (37:42):
It's it's it kind of mind blowing.
Speaker 1 (37:44):
Even though, as you mentioned, you had Dana Brown gushing
over him, everybody talking about it, the momentum seemed to
build about around him making the opening day roster. I
still kind of in my heart of hearts. On the
Matt Thomas Show on Tuesdays, we do gut feelings. My
gut feeling it wasn't gonna happen, just because it's like
he needs a little work at work.
Speaker 2 (38:04):
In right field.
Speaker 1 (38:04):
He doesn't have enough work at the plate either, and
he's going to be on the opening day roster starting
with just twenty plated appearances above double A.
Speaker 2 (38:14):
It's incredible. Well, look, it's quite the leap for him.
Speaker 3 (38:18):
Wyatt Langford, who you know, played for the game the
Florida Gators, uh huh, was drafted by the Texas Rangers
in the summer of twenty twenty three. July eighteenth, twenty
twenty three, he was drafted by the Rangers, played in
twenty something games in whatever it was in the miners,
and made the Rangers open and gay roster.
Speaker 1 (38:36):
He was also a top five prospect. Camp Smith's not
a top five prospect. He's the Astros tops prospect. But
if you look at the Baseball America he's in the fifties.
Speaker 3 (38:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (38:46):
MLB dot Com has him in the fifties. And this
isn't an all b all. I'm just saying Baseball Perspectives
was higher on them than everybody else.
Speaker 1 (38:52):
They had him at number twenty, So I'm just saying,
while there is precedent for this, there also is precedent
for top prospects who are more much more credentialed than
Cam Smith having issues at the major league level. I mean,
we know the issues that Bregman went through when he
first came up. Last year, you had Jackson holiday was
the top prospect in baseball. He had to be optioned
(39:13):
down to get a little bit more seasoning and come back.
And maybe that's what the Ashos are saying. They're saying,
we have very little little lose if he's gonna sink
or swim at the major league level, if he.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Struggles a little bit. Who's to say that Chas McCormick
wouldn't have those same struggles.
Speaker 1 (39:27):
So they're gonna put him in there looking for some
juice in the lineup, or they just said, this guy
is God's gift to baseball and he's gonna waltz right
in there and he's gonna produce.
Speaker 2 (39:38):
It'll be interesting.
Speaker 1 (39:39):
This is what I love about sports because you're talking
about this and I am on a podcast right now.
We're talking about our shows on Sports Talk seven ninety.
We're talking about on Twitter and social media. He's gonna
go out there. We're gonna see what Cam Smith does
and I really can't wait to see it. I'm really
excited for opening dated.
Speaker 3 (39:56):
Did you hear about some of the quotes Chandler had
in his piece and encourage you guys to read at
the Athletic Jeremy Payne, you said, cancer is a guy
that you just have to keep testing him and see
how far he can push him. He's gonna fight back.
He's the one. He's the one that's gonna push back.
He's just got to show you what he's got. And
Maisio Dubond said, when he has an idea of what
they're gonna do with him in the bigs, I think
(40:16):
he's gonna be the next sixty home run guy. What again?
Speaker 2 (40:20):
So that's what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
Maybe he's God's gifted baseball and the prospect lists are
all wrong.
Speaker 3 (40:26):
I mean, interviewing him, he is the real deal, like
full package. Do you know what he said the other
day when they were when we were asking him about
you know, how does he feel making the oping gay roster?
He goes, look, man, it's in God's hands and I
know whatever happened, whatever happens, that's the right decision for
the for this time. Well he also said yeah, yes,
sure response other kids will be like, yeah, man, I
(40:47):
hope I'm making it. You know, like meathead guy, he's
not a meadhead. This kid's the jock with the brains
and like gets it and the whole package.
Speaker 1 (40:56):
Yeah, so, I mean, we'll see baseball's Hitting a baseball
is the hardest thing to do in the world, and
he's gonna be out there.
Speaker 2 (41:04):
He's been doing a really good job of it in spring.
And like I.
Speaker 1 (41:08):
Said, it's not like you're like, Okay, do I want
to take a chas mccormer's gonna go out there and
be okay, or you say, hey, you give this phenom
let him hit the ground running, sink or swim. Dana
Brown's been very aggressive in his history with guys like
Zach Dezenzo himself climber coming up the ranks. We saw
with Joey lo Berfito and others as well, and the
track record continues now with Cam Smith just coming over
(41:32):
into the organization. Really, at this point a couple of
months ago, we weren't even talking about Cam Smith or
even knowing that he existed. Now, the dude is the
opening day right field for your Houston Astros.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
Crazy.
Speaker 3 (41:44):
Yeah, it's it's quite a journey, quite a turnaround, and man,
it's again it's it's gonna be a lot of fun
just to see what he does with his bat. And
you know, these barks talked about this earlier in the
week Ross when he was all with Sean Salisbury. But
they do go to some early season cold climates there.
You know, their first road trip is up in Minnesota
(42:05):
against the Twins. This can be cold up there.
Speaker 2 (42:06):
They got a day off too, right.
Speaker 3 (42:08):
Then they go to s Yeah, a couple of years ageah,
they do. And then they go to Seattle for three
you know, it's typically chilly this time of year there.
Then they come back home for a quick three game
against Angels. Then they're on the road back to Saint Louis.
Then they're in Kansas City, then they're in Chicago. I
mean this is all in the month of April into
the first few days of May. Just saying that, like,
this is a kid who was born and raised in
(42:28):
the state of Florida, played at Florida State, and now
you know, and now this is his first time in Houston.
He's never played baseball. You know, probably I would venture
to say in tempts lower than the sixties, you know,
playing in this whole time Florida.
Speaker 2 (42:41):
What better time than now, says Dan.
Speaker 3 (42:43):
I guess I take that back Florida State. I guess
probably played on the road in the ACC in some
cool environments. But but nonetheless, you know, conference play happens
once she gets out of winter. So anyway, it was
just something to consider, and again just kind of quick
primer for this weekend. Clay Holmes is scheduled to start
for the Mets on Thursday. This is a guy who
(43:05):
has a lifetime three seventy one e RA, but he
was three fourteen last year at two eighty six, two
fifty four and one on the previous years. Uh in
New York. Yeah, he's probably gonna be what an opener,
I guess is the whole idea?
Speaker 2 (43:20):
What's happening?
Speaker 3 (43:21):
And then Tyler McGill is expected to get the ball
in Game two, and then Griffin Canning and Game three,
those two guys have much higher ERA. So anyway, just
kind of putting that out there, what kind of test
the Asters are going to see pitching wise from the Mets.
And then there's that whole Wan Sodo guy. What happens
when he crushes one to left or right field. We
now had two very inexperienced left and right fielders out
(43:43):
there having to go run down balls.
Speaker 1 (43:45):
Yeah, that's like I said when I just added it
all up. I didn't think they would do this uncertainty
defensively in both corner outfield spots. But clearly they're just
ready to They're done with the Chas McCormick experience, ready
for something new. I think it's a mixture of things.
I don't think it's a mixture of A. They're being
the spot available, B. Cam Smith showing himself as well
(44:09):
as he did in spring training, and just daring. This
is just daring to be great. This is a big leap.
This could very well blow up in the astros face.
I don't think it's going to but this is risky
business by the Astros and I like it. I like
rolling the dice, and Dana Brown clearly likes rolling the
dice as well now that he's going to be on
(44:29):
the opening day roster and.
Speaker 3 (44:31):
Joe Spotted Dick confirmed both Zach Decenzo and Cam Smith
made the opening day roster. So we kind of talked
about Zach Decenzo and the possibility of him being on
the roster, liked what we sawt of him, and then
Cam Smith. Look, the youth movement is alive with the Astros.
Will this work out? Look, these guys have to live
up to the hype. They have to live up to expectations,
(44:51):
because there are high expectations here in Houston. But this
has kind of been the Jim Crane model. We turn
the page, we sustain, we keep this train moving, Astro's
keep going on. We lose George Springer, we lose Carlos Korea,
we lose Garrett Cole, we lose and now you know
your three big losses in one season, Alex Bergman, Kyle
Tucker and Justin Verlander. And I get Verlander wasn't what
he had once was this past year, but those are
(45:14):
just three monster names from this era now gone. How
do these guys respond? Does Cam Smith, you know, rise
to the occasion and be the guy? Christian Walker and
Estak Paratus? What do they bring? Those are your two
big offseason acquisitions? Zach Dezenzo? Does he play? I mean,
it's it's an exciting time as Astros fan, it's also
(45:34):
a little bit nervous. Yeah, it's a little bit nerve
racking because you know what you've had the last five, six,
seven years we don't know what lies ahead, and so Russ,
we asked for your prediction. Give me your prediction to
the Astros win the Al West.
Speaker 1 (45:47):
I I'm gonna go with it, especially with the recent
Rangers pitching injuries. I mean, of all these thirty five
to Grom's gonna be thirty seven this year, I'm gonna
have some question marks. Maybe Kumar Rockers to be the
real deal, but he was struggling in spring training. I'm
gonna go with the Astros to win the Al West.
I think their biggest threat is going to be the
Mariners with that's a rotation, but i still think they're
(46:09):
not going to hit enough, so it'll be interesting to
be sure. But uh, and now you've got Cam Smith,
who's gonna future Hall of Famer Cam Smith in for
one hundred and sixty two games. Let's go Astros.
Speaker 3 (46:21):
I'm gonna say eighty joking with that, but like it
almost feels like a few years ago if he would
have been like, ah, future Hall of Famer Mike Trout. Yeah,
this guy getting called up with.
Speaker 2 (46:30):
Mike Trout was also one of the best baseball I know.
Speaker 1 (46:32):
I'm just I'm trying to think you're.
Speaker 3 (46:37):
But this guy might be. He might remember we talk
about that.
Speaker 2 (46:42):
You know what, Joey Loperfido could induct him into the
Hall of Fame.
Speaker 3 (46:45):
Better than low Perfedo.
Speaker 2 (46:46):
No, he's better than low Perfedo. But man, so you've.
Speaker 3 (46:50):
Got that, You've got thats winning the Aos.
Speaker 1 (46:51):
I got him winning the Aos especially. No, like I said,
Cam Smith, baby.
Speaker 3 (46:55):
I'm gonna go Rangers just for the I don't want
the bad juju. Okay, if it's a clean sweep and
we both take reverse jinks, yeah, so I'm gonna say
Rangers winning. But the Astros get the Wildcart spot and
you know, hopefully and can get out of the Wildcart
round this year, I'd like to get to an ALCS
and potentially or Alds and potentially Alcs. Again, Look, there's
(47:16):
also the outside possibility that this pitching staff does what
they need to do. Harner Brown gets better, Error Giddy
gets better, mccolors gets back and contributes in some way.
The bullpen's lights out and all these guys start crushing
Christian Walker has one of his best seasons. I'm just saying,
like optimism abound, it could happen.
Speaker 1 (47:33):
Yeah, but you also could suffer multiple injuries in the
starting rotation and then you have nobody as backups. The
middle bullpen could be an issue. Camp Smith could fall
flat on his face. I'll two make a continue to
decline like we can spin it.
Speaker 3 (47:45):
Down over here.
Speaker 1 (47:46):
Now that's the beauty of spring training and before opening
day you can spin.
Speaker 2 (47:51):
It how you want.
Speaker 1 (47:52):
But I hey, don't take me, Debbie Downer.
Speaker 2 (47:54):
I picked them to win a division you didn't.
Speaker 3 (47:56):
And we do know our starters for the weekend now
as well. Frommerville we'll go Opening Day on Thursday against
the Mets, Hunter Brown will go Game two on Friday
against the Mets, and Spencer Arraghetti we'll get to start
in Game three against the Mets on Saturday. So that
means going into that San Francisco series will likely be
Renel Blanco, Hayden was Neski and then probably come back
(48:20):
around to Frombor on that Wednesday because a couple of
days off or you get the Sunday off in between.
So it's fun. Astro season is upon us Ross and
make sure if you're listening out there, you grab yourself
plenty of Crawford Bach from Carbock Brewing and load up
when you're at the ballpark. Dyk in Park joining an
ice cold Crawford Boch. You see him around all around
the concourse on all levels at the Tequila Sunrise stripes
(48:41):
on the can pairs perfectly with Astros baseball, whether it's
a seventh inning stretch, you're eating hot dogs, peanuts, whatever
it is, just goes perfectly with that ice called Crawford Bach.
And now new outIn stores and around town is the
Crawford pale Ale limited Edition out. It's the blue on
the cans. It's a little bit lighter version of the
Crawford same great taste as the Crawford Bock, but a
(49:02):
little bit lighter beer if you're looking for something a
little bit lighter. Still five point five percent alcohol by volume.
Drink responsibly, but it's a home run every time with
the Crawford Bok. Make sure you guys load up. We'll
talk to you guys next week for Ross Veril. I
am Chris Gordy. This has been an all edition of
the Crawford Box Cast presented by Carbock Brewing
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