September 3, 2024 • 26 mins
On today's edition of The Crawford Boxcast, Gordy and Ross discuss Justin Veralnder's recent rough outings, and ask the question, "Will he make the Astros Postseason Rotation?" with how well all the other starting pitchers have been performing.
We also discuss the report from The Athletic that confirmed outfielder Kyle Tucker DID in face have a fractured shin and not just a bone bruise that has kept him out for three months. We also discuss Alex Bregman's elbow issue and much more as this team steamrolls down the stretch, looking for a ticket to the 2024 postseason.
We also discuss the report from The Athletic that confirmed outfielder Kyle Tucker DID in face have a fractured shin and not just a bone bruise that has kept him out for three months. We also discuss Alex Bregman's elbow issue and much more as this team steamrolls down the stretch, looking for a ticket to the 2024 postseason.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Astros fans, Cheers, Rocky Luckey, Welcome to the Crawford Box Cast,
as proud leadbord for you by Crawford Bach from Carbok Brewing.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
You're getting bear.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Oh my godness.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
The Crawford Box Cast starts now here we go. Here's
Chris Gordy and Ross Viarel.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
And it is all new edition of the Crawford Box Cast,
presented by Carbock Brewing and the Crawford Bach and uh
what also amound you guys.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Speaking of Carbock Brewing, it is now open.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
Uh Pizza, Pikes and Pizza open on site there at
Carbock Brewing next to the beer garden next to the
team or the shop they have out there, and awesome
spot Ross's broadcasts out there.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
A couple of times we got to go.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
I have got to go to the grand opening out
there last week and taste some tasty beverages of course,
the Crawford back they're on tap, and some awesome pizzas
and the Apologan Pizza and they were given to all
kinds of prizes and stuff. But air condition inside family
friendly as well, so you can bring the kiddos. So
market on calendar if you haven't been over there, Carbock
(01:23):
Brewing in a while, get over there and check out
the new pizza and pints and a great great spot
over there at Carwood Fired.
Speaker 5 (01:31):
Actual would they didn't mess around, they didn't mail it in.
They got a wood oven and there firing.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Up some pizzas.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Hey, you watch them make them. They do them right
there in front of you.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
So a really cool spot and encourage you guys to
do And of course as we continue this Astro season,
do so with a nice called Crawford Boch. In your
hands is a home run every time in Ross. Last
we chatted the Astros, you know, they go up to Baltimore,
split a four game series there, they go drop two
out of three in Philadelphia, really a chance, a chance
(02:00):
to win that series. And they come back home and
I kept saying, you know, it's a tough part of
the schedule playing some really good teams, and the Kansas
City Royals have been one of the better teams in
the American League for much of this year. But the
Astros man the pitching has just been lights out, and
they sweep a four game series against the Kansas City
Royals before having the Labor Day Monday afternoon game against
(02:23):
the Reds where Justin Verlander did not have his best
stuff and they dropped. And now a weird random Tuesday
off yes Day late this.
Speaker 5 (02:31):
Season, Tuesday off day in the middle of a three
game set where you're gonna play tomorrow and in Thursday
in the same city.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Odd.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
I'm sure all the guys are enjoying Skyline Chile today
day all Cincinnati.
Speaker 5 (02:43):
You know, I've heard bad things about that, but I think, yeah,
we're seeing. The good thing right now is I mean,
you're six games up in the American League West and
you've been having this and of course we can talk
about this later on with the Kyle Tucker stuff and
all that, but the bottom line is Tucker hasn't been
in the lineup. Alex Bregman has been in and out
of the lineup. So now you're getting to a spot
where down the stretch you're like ninety nine percent or
(03:06):
whatever it is to win the American League West.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
You're in a great spot.
Speaker 5 (03:09):
You're in a spot to where you can kind of
start setting your rotation the way that you want.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
You can give some guys some rest.
Speaker 5 (03:14):
They're gonna apparently bump down to a five man rotation
and maybe Ronelle Blanco is going to go into the bullpen.
You don't have to rush Alex Bregman back. You can
give some days off, possibly to a Josel Tov, to
a Jeremy Pania, to whoever else to wear as long
as you can keep this padding as far as the
lead that you have where Thankfully, the Mariners are just
(03:35):
sitting there at five hundred, at sixty nine and sixty nine.
You this is working out to a t the way
you would would have scripted. Of course, you would have
liked to have Kyle Tucker back earlier and all that
type of stuff, but as of this moment, nobody out
for the season. You have some guys that are ailing
that you need to get rest, and you don't have
to rush anybody back, and you can give some guys
some rest down the stretch hopefully.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
Yeah, there's a lot of things going the Astros way
in the starting pitching has been very good. But before
we get to the Kyle Tucker stuff, I do want
to start here because this was a big topic across
all of our shows on Sports Talk.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Seven ninety on Tuesday.
Speaker 4 (04:11):
Justin Verlander now three starts back since being injured and
first game was okay, I think what five innings, two runs,
it was good, But the last couple outings for earn
runs and going back and look at it and looking
at his season altogether, I mean, I want to say
six or seven times now he has given up four
earned runs or more in starts. So the question becomes
(04:33):
ross with a bit of surplus pitching, who makes the
Astros put you know, who do you go to for
postseason pitching? And I think, you know, it's an interesting
question because one frober Veldez track record has been awesome
as a starting pitcher. Now, everybody remembers last year where
he was not great, and that's what's the lasting memory
(04:56):
in our minds. But throughout this season, Frombert's been overall
very very good. Another nice season for Fromber, and so
I feel pretty good about handing him a ball in
a game one or a game too. Spencer Araghetty and
Hunter Brown have both been awesome for the last three
months of this season. But Spencer Araghedtty is a rookie.
Handing a ball to a rookie and a postseason start
(05:18):
kind of gets you a little bit nervous.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Hunter Brown also.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
To that, to that extent, you know, I think he
was what last year or the last two years kind
of you know, wasn't great. So like he didn't start
a postseason game, but he did pitch some you know, out.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Of the bullpen.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
But still that would be a big ass for Hunter
Brown say, hey, go start a big game in the postseason.
And so you know, like you intimated Ronel Blanco THETHARTI
as he would go, you know, move to the bullpen.
You say, Kakuchi has started I think just one career
postseason game in Toronto. So I pose a question, Ross,
if the postseason started today, does Justin Verlander get the
(05:55):
ball from you to start a postseason game?
Speaker 5 (05:59):
I say it depends. Of course, they could be out
in the first series of Wildcard. He's not in my
top three. And as far as I mean, you're making
some good point, Hunter Brown kind of fell apart physically
at the end of last year. He hasn't so far
this year. It looks like he's getting stronger and stronger,
which is a good thing. And we do have another
month of baseball to try to kind of evaluate things.
As of this moment. Right now on September third, when
(06:22):
we're recording this, I don't think I would, and I
understand his name is Justin Verlander. He's waltzing into the
Hall of Fame. But we're going on results. Those three
starts you mentioned, he's gone fourteen into two thirds innings pitched.
He's given up eleven earned runs. He's also walked six times,
four of them in the last start. So that's something
he's gonna have to correct. That's something he has time
(06:43):
to correct. But if we're just going like gut feelings
of how you feel when everybody's going on the mound,
I feel stronger about the other five guys in the
rotation as of this moment than Justin Verlander. But we
will have some time to evaluate. But I mean Eric Getty. Yeah,
you don't want to throw a rookie in a big
playoff game, but that guy is as cool as a
cucumber on the mountain. He doesn't get nervous. I think
(07:06):
maybe he was his first kind of couple of starts
out there, but I think he's realized I belong. He's smart,
he's cerebral, he's a he's a technical pitcher, and he
did walk four guys his last time out, but he's
still been spectacular racking up the strikeout numbers and all
that type of stuff. I feel more confident about him
going out there than I do justin verlanderd just based
off of what we've seen from this year, and same
(07:28):
thing for you, Sikakuchi. So now you're asking me what
I would do. I would not put him in there,
what the Astros would do.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
I think he's.
Speaker 5 (07:36):
Gonna get every single benefit of the doubt and probably
be still being in this playoff rotation unless he's just
a complete disaster down the stretch for the Astros, which
he he hasn't been good. But I wouldn't say, like
he's just going out there and giving you one third
of an inning and giving up ten runs and getting
shelled like that.
Speaker 4 (07:53):
Well, what have we seen out of how guys manage
the postseason?
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Now? It is with a very short lead. Absolutely it
is first sign of trouble.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
So I almost feel like Ross, it would be a
situation of, you know, Verlander starts, but first sign of
trouble Arraghetti or Hunter Brown piggybacks, you know, something like that,
you know, or rone out Blanco. That That's where I think.
But I think there is something to the track record
to what you said. Hall of Fame, and you know, look,
(08:22):
you you brought him back here and he jumped right
back into the role of Justin Verlander. I'm the ace
of the staff when you traded for him last year.
So you know, this season, obviously he started with the
injury and all that stuff. But I don't know. I
tend to think that they will defer. Joe Spotta, Dana Brown,
Jim Crane, I think would all defer to you're Justin Verlander.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Yeah, you're getting the ball in a postseason.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
I think it's very easily that we will.
Speaker 5 (08:50):
We will come to a spot mark my words, where
maybe Verlander's not the first or second starter or whatever,
and Justin Verlander will be announced as a starter, and
Joe spot it will be asked, why Justin Verlander in
this spot. He's gonna say, easy, no brainer, Hall of
Famer enough said, Justin Verlander's been through these wars and
all that type of stuff, in this airy fluffy all
this type and it holds some value. But me personally,
(09:16):
I want the best guy out there, no matter what
they've done in the past, because we're talking about twenty
twenty four and he has not been one of your
best pitchers.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
In twenty twenty four.
Speaker 5 (09:24):
But as I said, we're on, we're in September third,
we got about a month of baseball left to go.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
And let me remind everybody too on how this schedule
is gonna shape up. And this is where the Astors
currently have a six game lead on the Seattle Mariners.
This is where this comes into play ross because I
think you get to a certain point and I know
it's been fun to kind of look at the standings
and go, oh, we're just a game back on Minnesota.
You know, we're only a handful of games back at
the Guardians because.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
We fur back at the Guardians right now.
Speaker 4 (09:51):
Yeah, you know, I think we don't even have to
talk Wildcard now because you feel pretty safe and having
a six game lead here in the als. But I
think if we get to mid September, I think if
we get about a week and a half, two weeks
from now and the Astros still have about a six
game lead, I think we'll feel really good about the division.
But you know, do you start to maybe rest some guys,
(10:12):
do you start to do a skip a start for
you know, whoever, something like that, Because here's how it
plays out. The Astros last game of the regular season
is going to be on Sunday, September twenty ninth against
it's the Guardians. Yep, you finished the year four number
(10:33):
two seeds. It's a three game series up there. But
let's just say you go into that series and you're
five back then and there's not there's no catching that,
but you still have the six game lead in the
division if you're able to do that, but you're going
to be playing a Wildcard series round because you're not
going to catch them. The Wildcard series starts on Tuesday,
and it's first one to two wins. It could potentially
(10:55):
go Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. I just bring this up because
you kind of would like to know where you are
in the standings, whether you're gonna be able to catch
Cleveland or not going to the last weekend, because if
you couldn't rest some guys that series and feel safe
about it, then you can line up and go one, two,
three Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday if need be.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
It'll be a Waldcard round.
Speaker 4 (11:17):
But then you get an off day Friday, and then
Saturday immediately starts the al Ds. So it's just you know,
everybody keeps bringing up, well, oh, well, who's You're only gonna.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Have four guys you start the postseason? Not this year.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
This could be the exception if the Astros, remember we're
not used to them playing a waldcard round. If they
have to play the walk Courts series and it goes
three games and then you go right into the ASTs, you're
gonna need four or five stars. Yeah, you're not gonna
be able to turn around somebody real quick. So I
just bring that up because I think most fans aren't
thinking that way because we haven't had to worry about
the walkcard round for years.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Yeah, if you it'll be interesting.
Speaker 5 (11:53):
It feels like they're still gonna be outside looking in.
And as of this moment, it would be I think
the Kansas City Royals they would play against and in
Minute Made Park for all three games. So no matter what,
you're the division winner, you're going you're gonna host, correct,
even even if the Royals end up with more wins
than the Astros. Right, So you're going to be home
(12:14):
for a wildcard series. I think that's the way that
it's going to play out. So yeah, you could very
well need a.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Justin Verlander in a game one, two or two of
an Alds. So we'll see.
Speaker 5 (12:23):
I would like a perfect world, they don't. They somehow
win a two seed or they win the wildcard in
two games and then you can go from there. But
we don't live in a perfect world. We'll have to
see how this goes.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
And very well.
Speaker 5 (12:33):
They could lose to the Royals. I know they just
swept them over the weekend. But they're a good team.
Anything can happen. They've got some good starting pitching and
then Bobby Wood Junior. He seems to love the Crawford
boxes over there pretty well. So anything can happen. But
we'll come to all of these bridges when we cross them.
But we just talk out loud. That's what we do
on podcasts and on shows, and you know, with you
guys out at the sports bar where a car by
(12:54):
brewing or whatever, we talk about these things.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
Where would you put Verlander? And right now I have
them on the outside looking in.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
Yeah, again, to be able to all figure itself out.
If he has a handful of starts there down the
stretch of the season and he's given up four or
five runs, I think that decision is easy to make.
Speaker 5 (13:08):
I think the worst part is if he's just okay, right,
if he's just if he is five and three, If
he I think they'll give if.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
His aster boom easy hook. If he's great, boom, easy
to put him in.
Speaker 5 (13:18):
But if he's like, if he's middling, that's that's where
it gets tough.
Speaker 4 (13:22):
I think, like I said, I think that in that situation,
they say, Spencer, you've been awesome, You're gonna go behind
Verlander jv You're gonna get the start, but first out
of trouble, brother, we're coming to get you. I think
that's where everybody has to kind of say, as much
as Joe, you know, egos and all that, you kind
of have to say what's best for the team.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
And if I'm sucking, that's not what's best for the team.
Speaker 5 (13:43):
Yeah, I just I think Justin Verlander is gonna fight
hard for Justin Verlander. Sure, he's gonna be like, hey, guys,
I'm one startaway. Hey I'm really close, give me the
benefit of the doubt. I think he would fight for his.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Spot no matter. We're trying to win a world series here,
jv H.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
The other big story that came out in the last
twenty four to forty eight hours or so, it is
Taylor Rome of the athletic who has got sources everywhere
in great intel, and all that came out and we
could finally put this to bed. We found out that
Kyle Tucker did, in fact have a fractured shin. Now
few elements here ross because whenevery astros fantasy jump into
(14:22):
Oh the team lied to us, That team lies, That
team just lies to us. They said it was a
bone bruise. Kyle Tucker speaking with the media, by the way,
first time in three months we've heard from college, Kyle
came on said, Yes, the initial diagnosis was a bone bruise,
but after the swelling went down, they went back, looked
(14:42):
at it again and there was indeed a fracture.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Now here's the thing.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
When the team announces Kyle Tucker's going in the IL
with a bone bruise, I think that was true. I
think at that time he went out with a bone bruce.
But I think in the coming days, when the swelling
went down, they found it was a fracture. They just
didn't feel a need to come out and announced the world, Hey,
it turns out misdiagnosis. It is a fracture. So that's
where I think the miscommunity communication comes in like they
(15:08):
don't see the need to, hey, clarify this because from
a few bl I've ridge and they're protecting their player
that you know this guy, this guy's gonna be in
a contract year soon. And it's like you kind of
wanna whatever, but I don't know. The funny thing is
though the team as of this recording has still not
said anything.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
No, the team still.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Hasn't not know.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
Kyle Tucker has said it's a fraction.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
And I think as of a week ago, Dana Brown
was still standing on it's a bone bruise. So and
I get it, there's certain things you want to be
protecting players about. But you know this happened to me
RFL sometimes too, you have a misdiagnosis. You think it
was a it was a bruise, and it turns out
to be a fracture.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
Just come on say it.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
I don't understand why. And we were not all stupid.
We could read between the lines. No bone bruise takes
three months to heal.
Speaker 5 (15:54):
It didn't seem like it. But you did have Chandler
like a month ago he was like you literally going
to orthopedists and finding doc.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
That's because that's what made it worse.
Speaker 5 (16:03):
If they would have just come out because they were
asked about it. It's not like they even had to
make an announcement. Dana Brown is on Astros Radio Network
every Sunday. He is on the Seawan Salisbury Show every Wednesday.
Joe Aspata speaks to the media before every single game.
He's on with us on the Matt Thomas Show on Tuesday,
and we asked him about Kyle Tucker basically every week,
and you would think at one of those times it
would have been ten percent of the story it was
(16:27):
if they would have just said, you know what, yeah,
we did some extra imaging and it turns out that
he had a bone bruise because we were told by
Joe Aspatta they did extra imaging, and they keep doing
imaging and it still says bone Bruce that there isn't
a fracture. So somebody was lying, somebody miss was misled.
It was it was mishandled for god knows what reason.
And it just makes me, unfortunately, and maybe they don't care,
(16:51):
and probably they don't care. It makes me think less
of trusting the Astros, less of trusting Dana Brown, less
of trusting Joe Aspota, because we were just lied to
it and it didn't matter at the end of the day,
right because he was gone. Whether it was a bone bruise,
whether it's a fracture, whether he had gangreen, he was
he's been off the field for three months.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
That's the bottom line.
Speaker 4 (17:10):
But you don't think for the first forty eight seventy
two ninety six hours that maybe everybody did think it
was a boneber and that's what they initially put him
on that.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Yeah, that's what they did. That's what Kyle Tucker said.
Speaker 5 (17:20):
Now he was asked specific times and he was like, oh,
he was very vague about that, like, oh, I don't know.
The days all blend together, so he didn't have a date.
Was it a week, was it two weeks, was it
a month? I don't know how long did it take
for the swelling to go down enough to where they said, okay,
there there was a fracture. I just don't get continuing
to lie about it, and like I said to me,
that made it a bigger story than it even needed
(17:42):
to be.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
I don't think it's lying. I think they just like
being secretive. I think they liked not giving out full information.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
I think there was a little bit of a bleep
you stubbornness.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
Yeah, I just think it's a little bit of you know,
there's there's college football coaches that hate having the media
few their practices. They just they want everything secretive. They
don't want you to know what they're and I think
I think the astros right wrong or indifferent see it
as maybe a competitive advantage that they don't give out
full Hey, it's a shoulder discomfort. Was when it could
be a dislodged bone in the shoulder, they just say
(18:12):
and shoulder discomfort.
Speaker 5 (18:13):
Yeah, but what was gained? I mean what costs? I mean,
I guess yeah, if you don't care about the media
story and the media furor, and it really it's been
a lot of the fans, a lot of the fans
have been upset. You've had people, you know, I went
and searched at k Tuck thirty or whatever his Twitter
account is the other day and you got people like, hey, man,
stop being so soft, Hey, what why why are you
not getting back in the field. And it's like your
(18:35):
Kyle Tucker is having to suffer something. Now maybe he
doesn't go on his Twitter and it doesn't matter, but
you tough, toughness like.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
We've had bone bruises, doesn't keep you out three months.
Speaker 5 (18:46):
Yeah, so if you just come out there and say
it's a fracture, then we all move on and we
don't even care.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
No, you're right, I you know, and the football comparison.
At least in football, you can be loosted as a
game time decision, and suddenly the player comes out and plays,
you're like, oh, we didn't know if he's going to
play or not. In baseball, you're on the il. You
can't just surprise and come back from that tomorrow. So
you're to know you're gonna miss ten days. So yeah,
it's to your point. I don't know what the competitive
(19:11):
advantages other than we'd just like to be secretive.
Speaker 5 (19:13):
We're all breaking down videos of him running, like like
Brian McTaggart is like five hundred feet away right phone video,
We're like zooming in on our trail line. All right,
is he going sixty percent or is he going seventy
five percent?
Speaker 3 (19:24):
What percent are we looking at here?
Speaker 4 (19:26):
Do you think it has anything to do with like arbitration?
There were people speculating.
Speaker 5 (19:31):
That maybe the Astros if they had announced that he
had a fracture, perhaps at the deadline they would have
looked more desperate to make a move, and then then
teams would have maybe up the cost of some position players.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
I could see.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
That kind of makes sense to me.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
I've read another thing said they were trying to that
the Astros protect their players at all costs, that they're
protecting the player because they know he's going to be
up for a contract and they don't want it to
be oh, you know, he's got this bone or this fracture.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
And yeah, So I don't know. I don't know either.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
You we just wish it was more clarity, But for
whatever reason it is.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
At this point, we just kind of have to accept
they're going to be secretive about injuries. But I guess
I do think I don't know if they initially lied.
I think initially it was a bone bruise and later
was found to be a fracture. They just didn't feel
the need to come out and say, hey, guys, just
to let y'all know this was misdiagnosed and it is
a fracture. You know what team wants to do that
they don't want to come out and say witness this.
Speaker 5 (20:23):
Yeah, but they could explain it the way that Kyle
Tucker did. Hey, there was some swelling, it went down
and there was indeed a fracture. As he's going to
be out six to eight more weeks and then boom.
We wouldn't ask Joe about it every week, we wouldn't
ask Dana about it every week. You know, it just
wouldn't have been as big of a story.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
But it is what it is. He's gone, He's coming
back soon.
Speaker 5 (20:40):
Sounds like they were talking about possibly Cincinnati maybe home
for Arizona, Kyle Tucker back in the lineup, get him
some plate appearances, maybe even get him in just like
five days a week so he can manage it and
all that type of stuff with this pad that you
have in the American League West.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
Speaking of being limited and playings a few games a week,
we've not seen Alex pregnant and going on a week now.
He last played last Thursday against the Kansas City Royals.
In that game he went out for two We know
it was just about two weeks ago we found out
about the you know, the shoulder and it's not you
(21:14):
know elbow.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
I mean there's some things.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
Yeah, so I got the grimlin.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
Elbow and then we see him put on a first
base glove and takes taking ground balls at first base,
and then he comes out there and still plays third base.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
For a couple of games, and we're going, wait a minute,
what's going on here?
Speaker 4 (21:31):
Yeah, and then there was some talk maybe they'll d
h him and all this, but now you know he
missed the last handful of games now, and so you
kind of wonder, in your opinion, is this more of
a Masters are still winning games without.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
Him, so they don't really need him and part of
it and October.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
Bragman is more valuable than anything else right now, So
let's just let him get as much rest. And in
other words, some of those things like if there was
a playoff game tonight, I.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
Think Bregman would be starting at third.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
But the fact that there's not a still winning games,
I think they're kind of looking us. Look, let's just
have the rest as much as possible. Yeah, we'll get
them when we really you really need them.
Speaker 5 (22:06):
It's pretty crazy, you get you've got this found money
to wear. Oh, Kyle Tucker's out, sure, whatever, we're still winning.
Oh you know, Alex Bregman is out, Okay, whatever, Who
cares we're still winning. Oh, we're starting Ben Gammel and
Jason Hayward and Shay whitcamb and like Jake Myers has
been struggling, and then Chas McCormick's in there, and they
still just keep winning games. They just keep winning games.
(22:26):
The Seattle Maritters keep losing. The pitching has been spectacular
and that has really afforded this them, this cushion to
what we're talking about, to where they can slow play
these things. And it's amazing that we are even here.
I think about, like we go listen to the podcasts
of like in May they were just losing free thing.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
Well if great, yeah, if we could go back in
time and tell ourselves, you know, April, I don't know
twenty eighth. Hey, guys, the Astros are going to have
this resurgence at the end of the summer. They're gonna
have Kyle Tucker out for three months. Yeah, Bregman's got
a bum elbow.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
He's playing through.
Speaker 4 (23:00):
Oh, by the way, you're gonna lose Christian Javier for
the season. For Tommy John Jose arkeit is never gonna
come back.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
Verlanders, multiple aisle Stons.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
Lewis Garcia Is not coming back.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
But Color's not coming We're still talking about because.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
You will not see him at all in uniform this year.
Speaker 4 (23:17):
And oh, by the way, you know those two guys
who are sucking ass right now, Sprincer Aarragany, Hunter Brown,
they're gonna become two of the best pitchers in the
American League.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
You'd be like, what in the world do you smoke?
Speaker 4 (23:26):
Oh, and they're gonna be leaning on Zach Dezenzo, Shaye
Whitcomb and something called gambling. Hey, you know, Jason Hayward's
on his last leg with the Dodgers. He's gonna come
in and have some good at bats. For god, what
are you smoking? Story, It's a reality.
Speaker 5 (23:42):
And and if you just get you get Kyle Tucker back,
you get Alex Bregman to some level of health, and
you're just you're ready for another run. You're talking about
it one, two, three, four, you're talking about al Tuve, Tucker, Alvarez, Bregman,
Diez Pain. You're going one through six pretty well in
the lineup, and then dominant pitching again.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Yeah, it's it's wild. And then the bullpen awesome.
Speaker 4 (24:07):
You know Josh Hater, I know you know he gave
up the game in Philly. But prior to that, how
many was it twenty eight? He just won of the month?
Speaker 3 (24:16):
Back off the guy of the month.
Speaker 4 (24:18):
You know, Ryan Presley will see what he is down
the stretch of the season. Briana brayhw He's had one
or two hiccups, but overall he's been He's gotten better
in recent weeks. So you know, you just kind of
look at this team up and down and go it's
crazy to think this ross, But I was looking at
the betting odds. I was just in Las Vegas, and
I was looking at betting odds. As you're still a
bet MGM as of yesterday, still had the fourth best
(24:40):
odds to win the World Series. My wife goes, let's.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
Take a let's take a fly of the ASW I'm like,
dads aren't even good.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
They're nine to one. That's not great.
Speaker 4 (24:48):
Yeah, I'm like the Cleveland Guardians at least you're getting
some some juice on them. But like, you can't even
get good juice on the Astros because people are expecting
this thing has come around and they're gonna not only
win this division, but make a damn run and possibly
what would it be an eighth straight alcs.
Speaker 5 (25:04):
Yeah, insane, insane, and I do I am scared of
some National League teams. Dodgers, Phillies, Bruce have really been
coming on. But the good thing is you only have
to face one of those guys, and it's possible you
don't have to face both the Yankees and the Orioles
as well. Those are the two teams scaring me the
most in the American League.
Speaker 4 (25:21):
Should bring up two. It was nice to see two
call ups, saysar Salos. Are getting another opportunity with this team.
And how about Forrest Whitley comings into the game of Monday.
I know it is a loss, but pitches in a
game where he gives up a single and a walk,
but strikes out the side and gets three strikes out.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
Of pay the Forest Whitley experience.
Speaker 4 (25:38):
That is also one if you told me last you know,
last year, Hey, Force, Whitley's gonna come and join this
team as a reliever and really have some nice outings.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
Again what it calls you crazy? So it's great, man.
Speaker 4 (25:50):
I don't know how this You know, this doesn't happen
to any other team in all of baseball, but the
Astros somehow keep making it worth with with one of
the either dead to last or second to last farm
systems and all of baseball, yet they keep finding ways
to sustain the success, even with the disaster of Josea
Bray You even with you know, Rafael Montero, you know
them having to release him and all that kind of stuff.
(26:12):
It's just it's crazy that they are where they are.
But hey, look, while you enjoy watching the Astros down
the stretch of the season as we are now into September,
make sure you do so with a nice cold Crawford
Boch from our friends at Carbock Brewing is a home
run every time, and a reminder still get out there
to pizza and pints if you haven't been there. They're
close on Mondays, but open Tuesday and open for lunch
(26:33):
or for the evening.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
You bring your kids.
Speaker 4 (26:36):
By and check out all they have over there, and
they're serving the Crawford Bock on tap. But for Ross Virial,
I'm Chris Cordy. This has been all new edition of
the Crawford Box Cast, presented by Carbo Brewing and the
Crawford Bock
Astros fans, Cheers, Rocky Luckey, Welcome to the Crawford Box Cast,
as proud leadbord for you by Crawford Bach from Carbok Brewing.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
You're getting bear.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Oh my godness.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
The Crawford Box Cast starts now here we go. Here's
Chris Gordy and Ross Viarel.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
And it is all new edition of the Crawford Box Cast,
presented by Carbock Brewing and the Crawford Bach and uh
what also amound you guys.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Speaking of Carbock Brewing, it is now open.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
Uh Pizza, Pikes and Pizza open on site there at
Carbock Brewing next to the beer garden next to the
team or the shop they have out there, and awesome
spot Ross's broadcasts out there.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
A couple of times we got to go.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
I have got to go to the grand opening out
there last week and taste some tasty beverages of course,
the Crawford back they're on tap, and some awesome pizzas
and the Apologan Pizza and they were given to all
kinds of prizes and stuff. But air condition inside family
friendly as well, so you can bring the kiddos. So
market on calendar if you haven't been over there, Carbock
(01:23):
Brewing in a while, get over there and check out
the new pizza and pints and a great great spot
over there at Carwood Fired.
Speaker 5 (01:31):
Actual would they didn't mess around, they didn't mail it in.
They got a wood oven and there firing.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Up some pizzas.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Hey, you watch them make them. They do them right
there in front of you.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
So a really cool spot and encourage you guys to
do And of course as we continue this Astro season,
do so with a nice called Crawford Boch. In your
hands is a home run every time in Ross. Last
we chatted the Astros, you know, they go up to Baltimore,
split a four game series there, they go drop two
out of three in Philadelphia, really a chance, a chance
(02:00):
to win that series. And they come back home and
I kept saying, you know, it's a tough part of
the schedule playing some really good teams, and the Kansas
City Royals have been one of the better teams in
the American League for much of this year. But the
Astros man the pitching has just been lights out, and
they sweep a four game series against the Kansas City
Royals before having the Labor Day Monday afternoon game against
(02:23):
the Reds where Justin Verlander did not have his best
stuff and they dropped. And now a weird random Tuesday
off yes Day late this.
Speaker 5 (02:31):
Season, Tuesday off day in the middle of a three
game set where you're gonna play tomorrow and in Thursday
in the same city.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Odd.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
I'm sure all the guys are enjoying Skyline Chile today
day all Cincinnati.
Speaker 5 (02:43):
You know, I've heard bad things about that, but I think, yeah,
we're seeing. The good thing right now is I mean,
you're six games up in the American League West and
you've been having this and of course we can talk
about this later on with the Kyle Tucker stuff and
all that, but the bottom line is Tucker hasn't been
in the lineup. Alex Bregman has been in and out
of the lineup. So now you're getting to a spot
where down the stretch you're like ninety nine percent or
(03:06):
whatever it is to win the American League West.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
You're in a great spot.
Speaker 5 (03:09):
You're in a spot to where you can kind of
start setting your rotation the way that you want.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
You can give some guys some rest.
Speaker 5 (03:14):
They're gonna apparently bump down to a five man rotation
and maybe Ronelle Blanco is going to go into the bullpen.
You don't have to rush Alex Bregman back. You can
give some days off, possibly to a Josel Tov, to
a Jeremy Pania, to whoever else to wear as long
as you can keep this padding as far as the
lead that you have where Thankfully, the Mariners are just
(03:35):
sitting there at five hundred, at sixty nine and sixty nine.
You this is working out to a t the way
you would would have scripted. Of course, you would have
liked to have Kyle Tucker back earlier and all that
type of stuff, but as of this moment, nobody out
for the season. You have some guys that are ailing
that you need to get rest, and you don't have
to rush anybody back, and you can give some guys
some rest down the stretch hopefully.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
Yeah, there's a lot of things going the Astros way
in the starting pitching has been very good. But before
we get to the Kyle Tucker stuff, I do want
to start here because this was a big topic across
all of our shows on Sports Talk.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Seven ninety on Tuesday.
Speaker 4 (04:11):
Justin Verlander now three starts back since being injured and
first game was okay, I think what five innings, two runs,
it was good, But the last couple outings for earn
runs and going back and look at it and looking
at his season altogether, I mean, I want to say
six or seven times now he has given up four
earned runs or more in starts. So the question becomes
(04:33):
ross with a bit of surplus pitching, who makes the
Astros put you know, who do you go to for
postseason pitching? And I think, you know, it's an interesting
question because one frober Veldez track record has been awesome
as a starting pitcher. Now, everybody remembers last year where
he was not great, and that's what's the lasting memory
(04:56):
in our minds. But throughout this season, Frombert's been overall
very very good. Another nice season for Fromber, and so
I feel pretty good about handing him a ball in
a game one or a game too. Spencer Araghetty and
Hunter Brown have both been awesome for the last three
months of this season. But Spencer Araghedtty is a rookie.
Handing a ball to a rookie and a postseason start
(05:18):
kind of gets you a little bit nervous.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Hunter Brown also.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
To that, to that extent, you know, I think he
was what last year or the last two years kind
of you know, wasn't great. So like he didn't start
a postseason game, but he did pitch some you know, out.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Of the bullpen.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
But still that would be a big ass for Hunter
Brown say, hey, go start a big game in the postseason.
And so you know, like you intimated Ronel Blanco THETHARTI
as he would go, you know, move to the bullpen.
You say, Kakuchi has started I think just one career
postseason game in Toronto. So I pose a question, Ross,
if the postseason started today, does Justin Verlander get the
(05:55):
ball from you to start a postseason game?
Speaker 5 (05:59):
I say it depends. Of course, they could be out
in the first series of Wildcard. He's not in my
top three. And as far as I mean, you're making
some good point, Hunter Brown kind of fell apart physically
at the end of last year. He hasn't so far
this year. It looks like he's getting stronger and stronger,
which is a good thing. And we do have another
month of baseball to try to kind of evaluate things.
As of this moment. Right now on September third, when
(06:22):
we're recording this, I don't think I would, and I
understand his name is Justin Verlander. He's waltzing into the
Hall of Fame. But we're going on results. Those three
starts you mentioned, he's gone fourteen into two thirds innings pitched.
He's given up eleven earned runs. He's also walked six times,
four of them in the last start. So that's something
he's gonna have to correct. That's something he has time
(06:43):
to correct. But if we're just going like gut feelings
of how you feel when everybody's going on the mound,
I feel stronger about the other five guys in the
rotation as of this moment than Justin Verlander. But we
will have some time to evaluate. But I mean Eric Getty. Yeah,
you don't want to throw a rookie in a big
playoff game, but that guy is as cool as a
cucumber on the mountain. He doesn't get nervous. I think
(07:06):
maybe he was his first kind of couple of starts
out there, but I think he's realized I belong. He's smart,
he's cerebral, he's a he's a technical pitcher, and he
did walk four guys his last time out, but he's
still been spectacular racking up the strikeout numbers and all
that type of stuff. I feel more confident about him
going out there than I do justin verlanderd just based
off of what we've seen from this year, and same
(07:28):
thing for you, Sikakuchi. So now you're asking me what
I would do. I would not put him in there,
what the Astros would do.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
I think he's.
Speaker 5 (07:36):
Gonna get every single benefit of the doubt and probably
be still being in this playoff rotation unless he's just
a complete disaster down the stretch for the Astros, which
he he hasn't been good. But I wouldn't say, like
he's just going out there and giving you one third
of an inning and giving up ten runs and getting
shelled like that.
Speaker 4 (07:53):
Well, what have we seen out of how guys manage
the postseason?
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Now? It is with a very short lead. Absolutely it
is first sign of trouble.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
So I almost feel like Ross, it would be a
situation of, you know, Verlander starts, but first sign of
trouble Arraghetti or Hunter Brown piggybacks, you know, something like that,
you know, or rone out Blanco. That That's where I think.
But I think there is something to the track record
to what you said. Hall of Fame, and you know, look,
(08:22):
you you brought him back here and he jumped right
back into the role of Justin Verlander. I'm the ace
of the staff when you traded for him last year.
So you know, this season, obviously he started with the
injury and all that stuff. But I don't know. I
tend to think that they will defer. Joe Spotta, Dana Brown,
Jim Crane, I think would all defer to you're Justin Verlander.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Yeah, you're getting the ball in a postseason.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
I think it's very easily that we will.
Speaker 5 (08:50):
We will come to a spot mark my words, where
maybe Verlander's not the first or second starter or whatever,
and Justin Verlander will be announced as a starter, and
Joe spot it will be asked, why Justin Verlander in
this spot. He's gonna say, easy, no brainer, Hall of
Famer enough said, Justin Verlander's been through these wars and
all that type of stuff, in this airy fluffy all
this type and it holds some value. But me personally,
(09:16):
I want the best guy out there, no matter what
they've done in the past, because we're talking about twenty
twenty four and he has not been one of your
best pitchers.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
In twenty twenty four.
Speaker 5 (09:24):
But as I said, we're on, we're in September third,
we got about a month of baseball left to go.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
And let me remind everybody too on how this schedule
is gonna shape up. And this is where the Astors
currently have a six game lead on the Seattle Mariners.
This is where this comes into play ross because I
think you get to a certain point and I know
it's been fun to kind of look at the standings
and go, oh, we're just a game back on Minnesota.
You know, we're only a handful of games back at
the Guardians because.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
We fur back at the Guardians right now.
Speaker 4 (09:51):
Yeah, you know, I think we don't even have to
talk Wildcard now because you feel pretty safe and having
a six game lead here in the als. But I
think if we get to mid September, I think if
we get about a week and a half, two weeks
from now and the Astros still have about a six
game lead, I think we'll feel really good about the division.
But you know, do you start to maybe rest some guys,
(10:12):
do you start to do a skip a start for
you know, whoever, something like that, Because here's how it
plays out. The Astros last game of the regular season
is going to be on Sunday, September twenty ninth against
it's the Guardians. Yep, you finished the year four number
(10:33):
two seeds. It's a three game series up there. But
let's just say you go into that series and you're
five back then and there's not there's no catching that,
but you still have the six game lead in the
division if you're able to do that, but you're going
to be playing a Wildcard series round because you're not
going to catch them. The Wildcard series starts on Tuesday,
and it's first one to two wins. It could potentially
(10:55):
go Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. I just bring this up because
you kind of would like to know where you are
in the standings, whether you're gonna be able to catch
Cleveland or not going to the last weekend, because if
you couldn't rest some guys that series and feel safe
about it, then you can line up and go one, two,
three Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday if need be.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
It'll be a Waldcard round.
Speaker 4 (11:17):
But then you get an off day Friday, and then
Saturday immediately starts the al Ds. So it's just you know,
everybody keeps bringing up, well, oh, well, who's You're only gonna.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Have four guys you start the postseason? Not this year.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
This could be the exception if the Astros, remember we're
not used to them playing a waldcard round. If they
have to play the walk Courts series and it goes
three games and then you go right into the ASTs, you're
gonna need four or five stars. Yeah, you're not gonna
be able to turn around somebody real quick. So I
just bring that up because I think most fans aren't
thinking that way because we haven't had to worry about
the walkcard round for years.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Yeah, if you it'll be interesting.
Speaker 5 (11:53):
It feels like they're still gonna be outside looking in.
And as of this moment, it would be I think
the Kansas City Royals they would play against and in
Minute Made Park for all three games. So no matter what,
you're the division winner, you're going you're gonna host, correct,
even even if the Royals end up with more wins
than the Astros. Right, So you're going to be home
(12:14):
for a wildcard series. I think that's the way that
it's going to play out. So yeah, you could very
well need a.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Justin Verlander in a game one, two or two of
an Alds. So we'll see.
Speaker 5 (12:23):
I would like a perfect world, they don't. They somehow
win a two seed or they win the wildcard in
two games and then you can go from there. But
we don't live in a perfect world. We'll have to
see how this goes.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
And very well.
Speaker 5 (12:33):
They could lose to the Royals. I know they just
swept them over the weekend. But they're a good team.
Anything can happen. They've got some good starting pitching and
then Bobby Wood Junior. He seems to love the Crawford
boxes over there pretty well. So anything can happen. But
we'll come to all of these bridges when we cross them.
But we just talk out loud. That's what we do
on podcasts and on shows, and you know, with you
guys out at the sports bar where a car by
(12:54):
brewing or whatever, we talk about these things.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
Where would you put Verlander? And right now I have
them on the outside looking in.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
Yeah, again, to be able to all figure itself out.
If he has a handful of starts there down the
stretch of the season and he's given up four or
five runs, I think that decision is easy to make.
Speaker 5 (13:08):
I think the worst part is if he's just okay, right,
if he's just if he is five and three, If
he I think they'll give if.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
His aster boom easy hook. If he's great, boom, easy
to put him in.
Speaker 5 (13:18):
But if he's like, if he's middling, that's that's where
it gets tough.
Speaker 4 (13:22):
I think, like I said, I think that in that situation,
they say, Spencer, you've been awesome, You're gonna go behind
Verlander jv You're gonna get the start, but first out
of trouble, brother, we're coming to get you. I think
that's where everybody has to kind of say, as much
as Joe, you know, egos and all that, you kind
of have to say what's best for the team.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
And if I'm sucking, that's not what's best for the team.
Speaker 5 (13:43):
Yeah, I just I think Justin Verlander is gonna fight
hard for Justin Verlander. Sure, he's gonna be like, hey, guys,
I'm one startaway. Hey I'm really close, give me the
benefit of the doubt. I think he would fight for his.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Spot no matter. We're trying to win a world series here,
jv H.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
The other big story that came out in the last
twenty four to forty eight hours or so, it is
Taylor Rome of the athletic who has got sources everywhere
in great intel, and all that came out and we
could finally put this to bed. We found out that
Kyle Tucker did, in fact have a fractured shin. Now
few elements here ross because whenevery astros fantasy jump into
(14:22):
Oh the team lied to us, That team lies, That
team just lies to us. They said it was a
bone bruise. Kyle Tucker speaking with the media, by the way,
first time in three months we've heard from college, Kyle
came on said, Yes, the initial diagnosis was a bone bruise,
but after the swelling went down, they went back, looked
(14:42):
at it again and there was indeed a fracture.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Now here's the thing.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
When the team announces Kyle Tucker's going in the IL
with a bone bruise, I think that was true. I
think at that time he went out with a bone bruce.
But I think in the coming days, when the swelling
went down, they found it was a fracture. They just
didn't feel a need to come out and announced the world, Hey,
it turns out misdiagnosis. It is a fracture. So that's
where I think the miscommunity communication comes in like they
(15:08):
don't see the need to, hey, clarify this because from
a few bl I've ridge and they're protecting their player
that you know this guy, this guy's gonna be in
a contract year soon. And it's like you kind of
wanna whatever, but I don't know. The funny thing is
though the team as of this recording has still not
said anything.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
No, the team still.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Hasn't not know.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
Kyle Tucker has said it's a fraction.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
And I think as of a week ago, Dana Brown
was still standing on it's a bone bruise. So and
I get it, there's certain things you want to be
protecting players about. But you know this happened to me
RFL sometimes too, you have a misdiagnosis. You think it
was a it was a bruise, and it turns out
to be a fracture.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
Just come on say it.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
I don't understand why. And we were not all stupid.
We could read between the lines. No bone bruise takes
three months to heal.
Speaker 5 (15:54):
It didn't seem like it. But you did have Chandler
like a month ago he was like you literally going
to orthopedists and finding doc.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
That's because that's what made it worse.
Speaker 5 (16:03):
If they would have just come out because they were
asked about it. It's not like they even had to
make an announcement. Dana Brown is on Astros Radio Network
every Sunday. He is on the Seawan Salisbury Show every Wednesday.
Joe Aspata speaks to the media before every single game.
He's on with us on the Matt Thomas Show on Tuesday,
and we asked him about Kyle Tucker basically every week,
and you would think at one of those times it
would have been ten percent of the story it was
(16:27):
if they would have just said, you know what, yeah,
we did some extra imaging and it turns out that
he had a bone bruise because we were told by
Joe Aspatta they did extra imaging, and they keep doing
imaging and it still says bone Bruce that there isn't
a fracture. So somebody was lying, somebody miss was misled.
It was it was mishandled for god knows what reason.
And it just makes me, unfortunately, and maybe they don't care,
(16:51):
and probably they don't care. It makes me think less
of trusting the Astros, less of trusting Dana Brown, less
of trusting Joe Aspota, because we were just lied to
it and it didn't matter at the end of the day,
right because he was gone. Whether it was a bone bruise,
whether it's a fracture, whether he had gangreen, he was
he's been off the field for three months.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
That's the bottom line.
Speaker 4 (17:10):
But you don't think for the first forty eight seventy
two ninety six hours that maybe everybody did think it
was a boneber and that's what they initially put him
on that.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Yeah, that's what they did. That's what Kyle Tucker said.
Speaker 5 (17:20):
Now he was asked specific times and he was like, oh,
he was very vague about that, like, oh, I don't know.
The days all blend together, so he didn't have a date.
Was it a week, was it two weeks, was it
a month? I don't know how long did it take
for the swelling to go down enough to where they said, okay,
there there was a fracture. I just don't get continuing
to lie about it, and like I said to me,
that made it a bigger story than it even needed
(17:42):
to be.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
I don't think it's lying. I think they just like
being secretive. I think they liked not giving out full information.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
I think there was a little bit of a bleep
you stubbornness.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
Yeah, I just think it's a little bit of you know,
there's there's college football coaches that hate having the media
few their practices. They just they want everything secretive. They
don't want you to know what they're and I think
I think the astros right wrong or indifferent see it
as maybe a competitive advantage that they don't give out
full Hey, it's a shoulder discomfort. Was when it could
be a dislodged bone in the shoulder, they just say
(18:12):
and shoulder discomfort.
Speaker 5 (18:13):
Yeah, but what was gained? I mean what costs? I mean,
I guess yeah, if you don't care about the media
story and the media furor, and it really it's been
a lot of the fans, a lot of the fans
have been upset. You've had people, you know, I went
and searched at k Tuck thirty or whatever his Twitter
account is the other day and you got people like, hey, man,
stop being so soft, Hey, what why why are you
not getting back in the field. And it's like your
(18:35):
Kyle Tucker is having to suffer something. Now maybe he
doesn't go on his Twitter and it doesn't matter, but
you tough, toughness like.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
We've had bone bruises, doesn't keep you out three months.
Speaker 5 (18:46):
Yeah, so if you just come out there and say
it's a fracture, then we all move on and we
don't even care.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
No, you're right, I you know, and the football comparison.
At least in football, you can be loosted as a
game time decision, and suddenly the player comes out and plays,
you're like, oh, we didn't know if he's going to
play or not. In baseball, you're on the il. You
can't just surprise and come back from that tomorrow. So
you're to know you're gonna miss ten days. So yeah,
it's to your point. I don't know what the competitive
(19:11):
advantages other than we'd just like to be secretive.
Speaker 5 (19:13):
We're all breaking down videos of him running, like like
Brian McTaggart is like five hundred feet away right phone video,
We're like zooming in on our trail line. All right,
is he going sixty percent or is he going seventy
five percent?
Speaker 3 (19:24):
What percent are we looking at here?
Speaker 4 (19:26):
Do you think it has anything to do with like arbitration?
There were people speculating.
Speaker 5 (19:31):
That maybe the Astros if they had announced that he
had a fracture, perhaps at the deadline they would have
looked more desperate to make a move, and then then
teams would have maybe up the cost of some position players.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
I could see.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
That kind of makes sense to me.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
I've read another thing said they were trying to that
the Astros protect their players at all costs, that they're
protecting the player because they know he's going to be
up for a contract and they don't want it to
be oh, you know, he's got this bone or this fracture.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
And yeah, So I don't know. I don't know either.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
You we just wish it was more clarity, But for
whatever reason it is.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
At this point, we just kind of have to accept
they're going to be secretive about injuries. But I guess
I do think I don't know if they initially lied.
I think initially it was a bone bruise and later
was found to be a fracture. They just didn't feel
the need to come out and say, hey, guys, just
to let y'all know this was misdiagnosed and it is
a fracture. You know what team wants to do that
they don't want to come out and say witness this.
Speaker 5 (20:23):
Yeah, but they could explain it the way that Kyle
Tucker did. Hey, there was some swelling, it went down
and there was indeed a fracture. As he's going to
be out six to eight more weeks and then boom.
We wouldn't ask Joe about it every week, we wouldn't
ask Dana about it every week. You know, it just
wouldn't have been as big of a story.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
But it is what it is. He's gone, He's coming
back soon.
Speaker 5 (20:40):
Sounds like they were talking about possibly Cincinnati maybe home
for Arizona, Kyle Tucker back in the lineup, get him
some plate appearances, maybe even get him in just like
five days a week so he can manage it and
all that type of stuff with this pad that you
have in the American League West.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
Speaking of being limited and playings a few games a week,
we've not seen Alex pregnant and going on a week now.
He last played last Thursday against the Kansas City Royals.
In that game he went out for two We know
it was just about two weeks ago we found out
about the you know, the shoulder and it's not you
(21:14):
know elbow.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
I mean there's some things.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
Yeah, so I got the grimlin.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
Elbow and then we see him put on a first
base glove and takes taking ground balls at first base,
and then he comes out there and still plays third base.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
For a couple of games, and we're going, wait a minute,
what's going on here?
Speaker 4 (21:31):
Yeah, and then there was some talk maybe they'll d
h him and all this, but now you know he
missed the last handful of games now, and so you
kind of wonder, in your opinion, is this more of
a Masters are still winning games without.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
Him, so they don't really need him and part of
it and October.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
Bragman is more valuable than anything else right now, So
let's just let him get as much rest. And in
other words, some of those things like if there was
a playoff game tonight, I.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
Think Bregman would be starting at third.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
But the fact that there's not a still winning games,
I think they're kind of looking us. Look, let's just
have the rest as much as possible. Yeah, we'll get
them when we really you really need them.
Speaker 5 (22:06):
It's pretty crazy, you get you've got this found money
to wear. Oh, Kyle Tucker's out, sure, whatever, we're still winning.
Oh you know, Alex Bregman is out, Okay, whatever, Who
cares we're still winning. Oh, we're starting Ben Gammel and
Jason Hayward and Shay whitcamb and like Jake Myers has
been struggling, and then Chas McCormick's in there, and they
still just keep winning games. They just keep winning games.
(22:26):
The Seattle Maritters keep losing. The pitching has been spectacular
and that has really afforded this them, this cushion to
what we're talking about, to where they can slow play
these things. And it's amazing that we are even here.
I think about, like we go listen to the podcasts
of like in May they were just losing free thing.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
Well if great, yeah, if we could go back in
time and tell ourselves, you know, April, I don't know
twenty eighth. Hey, guys, the Astros are going to have
this resurgence at the end of the summer. They're gonna
have Kyle Tucker out for three months. Yeah, Bregman's got
a bum elbow.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
He's playing through.
Speaker 4 (23:00):
Oh, by the way, you're gonna lose Christian Javier for
the season. For Tommy John Jose arkeit is never gonna
come back.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
Verlanders, multiple aisle Stons.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
Lewis Garcia Is not coming back.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
But Color's not coming We're still talking about because.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
You will not see him at all in uniform this year.
Speaker 4 (23:17):
And oh, by the way, you know those two guys
who are sucking ass right now, Sprincer Aarragany, Hunter Brown,
they're gonna become two of the best pitchers in the
American League.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
You'd be like, what in the world do you smoke?
Speaker 4 (23:26):
Oh, and they're gonna be leaning on Zach Dezenzo, Shaye
Whitcomb and something called gambling. Hey, you know, Jason Hayward's
on his last leg with the Dodgers. He's gonna come
in and have some good at bats. For god, what
are you smoking? Story, It's a reality.
Speaker 5 (23:42):
And and if you just get you get Kyle Tucker back,
you get Alex Bregman to some level of health, and
you're just you're ready for another run. You're talking about
it one, two, three, four, you're talking about al Tuve, Tucker, Alvarez, Bregman,
Diez Pain. You're going one through six pretty well in
the lineup, and then dominant pitching again.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Yeah, it's it's wild. And then the bullpen awesome.
Speaker 4 (24:07):
You know Josh Hater, I know you know he gave
up the game in Philly. But prior to that, how
many was it twenty eight? He just won of the month?
Speaker 3 (24:16):
Back off the guy of the month.
Speaker 4 (24:18):
You know, Ryan Presley will see what he is down
the stretch of the season. Briana brayhw He's had one
or two hiccups, but overall he's been He's gotten better
in recent weeks. So you know, you just kind of
look at this team up and down and go it's
crazy to think this ross, But I was looking at
the betting odds. I was just in Las Vegas, and
I was looking at betting odds. As you're still a
bet MGM as of yesterday, still had the fourth best
(24:40):
odds to win the World Series. My wife goes, let's.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
Take a let's take a fly of the ASW I'm like,
dads aren't even good.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
They're nine to one. That's not great.
Speaker 4 (24:48):
Yeah, I'm like the Cleveland Guardians at least you're getting
some some juice on them. But like, you can't even
get good juice on the Astros because people are expecting
this thing has come around and they're gonna not only
win this division, but make a damn run and possibly
what would it be an eighth straight alcs.
Speaker 5 (25:04):
Yeah, insane, insane, and I do I am scared of
some National League teams. Dodgers, Phillies, Bruce have really been
coming on. But the good thing is you only have
to face one of those guys, and it's possible you
don't have to face both the Yankees and the Orioles
as well. Those are the two teams scaring me the
most in the American League.
Speaker 4 (25:21):
Should bring up two. It was nice to see two
call ups, saysar Salos. Are getting another opportunity with this team.
And how about Forrest Whitley comings into the game of Monday.
I know it is a loss, but pitches in a
game where he gives up a single and a walk,
but strikes out the side and gets three strikes out.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
Of pay the Forest Whitley experience.
Speaker 4 (25:38):
That is also one if you told me last you know,
last year, Hey, Force, Whitley's gonna come and join this
team as a reliever and really have some nice outings.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
Again what it calls you crazy? So it's great, man.
Speaker 4 (25:50):
I don't know how this You know, this doesn't happen
to any other team in all of baseball, but the
Astros somehow keep making it worth with with one of
the either dead to last or second to last farm
systems and all of baseball, yet they keep finding ways
to sustain the success, even with the disaster of Josea
Bray You even with you know, Rafael Montero, you know
them having to release him and all that kind of stuff.
(26:12):
It's just it's crazy that they are where they are.
But hey, look, while you enjoy watching the Astros down
the stretch of the season as we are now into September,
make sure you do so with a nice cold Crawford
Boch from our friends at Carbock Brewing is a home
run every time, and a reminder still get out there
to pizza and pints if you haven't been there. They're
close on Mondays, but open Tuesday and open for lunch
(26:33):
or for the evening.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
You bring your kids.
Speaker 4 (26:36):
By and check out all they have over there, and
they're serving the Crawford Bock on tap. But for Ross Virial,
I'm Chris Cordy. This has been all new edition of
the Crawford Box Cast, presented by Carbo Brewing and the
Crawford Bock
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