May 8, 2025 • 16 mins
Astros Go 2-4 on Road Trip, No Yordan, McCullers Returns
On this edition of the Crawford Boxcast, Chris Gordy and Ross Villarreal talk about the Astros road trip where they went 2-4 up in Chicago and Milwaukee, as the pitching started to show some warts, while the lineup lost Yordan Alvarez as he went on the IL. And we saw the return of Lance McCullers Jr with an encouraging outing as he works his way back up to full speed.
On this edition of the Crawford Boxcast, Chris Gordy and Ross Villarreal talk about the Astros road trip where they went 2-4 up in Chicago and Milwaukee, as the pitching started to show some warts, while the lineup lost Yordan Alvarez as he went on the IL. And we saw the return of Lance McCullers Jr with an encouraging outing as he works his way back up to full speed.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Astros fans, Cheersucky, Lucky, Welcome to the Crawford Box Cast,
Houston Astros crowd leadbord for you by Crawford Bach from
Carbak Brewy. You're getting da bear.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Oh my godness.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
The Crawford Bucks Cast starts now Here we go.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Here's Chris Gordy and Ross Viareel.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
And there's an all new addition to the Crawford box Cast,
presented by Carbach Brewing and the craw Bach Chris Gordy
here with Ross Veriel as we are recapping your Astros,
who just finished a six game homestand that did not
go their way as they went two and four on
the road trip, lost two out of three up in
(00:56):
Chicago against the lowly White Sox, and then dropped two
out of three in Milwaukee where they finished on Thursday
or Wednesday rather winning nine to one. And Ross as
we jump into it. Obviously, it was nice being back
at the ballpark for a quick series against Detroit where
the Astros took two out of three, had a chance
(01:17):
to sweep a week ago, and by the way, enjoyed
plenty of Crawford back out there. I was also out
last Friday at Constellation Field, enjoying some Crawford bock there.
It was good to see that they have some out
there space Cowboys as well as the Dyke in park.
Hopefully you guys grab some ice cold Crawford back when
you're watching the Astros. But overall thoughts on the road
(01:37):
trip that man could have went a lot better.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yeah, definitely would have liked it to gone a little
bit better.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Nice to get the when at the end today an
easy one, even though you know, if you don't look
at anything but Brad, you hater Frommer. What was the
close game?
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Now?
Speaker 1 (01:54):
I was nine to one, but they needed to get
the guys some more, especially Josh Hater. He hadn't pitched
this month, and they have the day off tomorrow as well.
But yeah, it was nice to at least get the
win today. Didn't go the way that you wanted to
basically all weekend, and not only were you losing games,
you lost jord On Alvarez and Joe Spotta mentioned earlier
(02:14):
today on the MRI looks pretty good, just a muscle
strain on his right hand, so hopefully he will be
back swinging a bat this weekend against the Cincinnati Reds.
That's what he said. As far as like preparing for
swinging about not being in the lineup, but hopefully he
can come back very shortly because even though he has
been struggling, Astros desperately need him in the lineup.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Yeah, that's the that's the big one is he is
one of your big bats. And you know in years
past you had a Kyle Tucker or an Alex Spergman
that can help pick up the lineup. But with those
guys gone, man, you're really looking around that room and saying,
all right, well, no Jordon, who's gonna help carry this team?
And you know, Gary Pina, Well, that's the thing is,
(02:57):
I don't want to be blinded by what happened on
ours on Wednesday's game, because that was you know what,
they had eight hits and it scored nine runs.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
So that was good.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
But you know the five games prior to that, or
six games prior to that, where the offense was, you know,
not great. But really the other part of it ross
was the pitching was you know, the first first stretch
this season where the pitching startled a little bit, where
you got some bad starts.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
From from Fromber.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
And Renold Blanco and Hayden was Neski. Fromber was awesome
on Wednesday, so he did bounce back. But you know,
just looking back in the last week, starting pitching kind
of started to let him down a little bit, and
then with the offense being not great, it led to
five losses in six games.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Yeah, that's what's gonna happen if you are giving up
some runs. Unfortunately, this isn't an offense that is just
gonna be like, all right, guys, no problem, we're scoring
nine to ten tonight. I mean, is it still have
they still only scored ten runs once all season long?
I think that game against the Angels, like very early
on in the season, I think that's that's where they are. So, yeah,
(04:07):
the it's interesting to watch this pitching and see how
it's going to continue. Yeah, Frommer has been a little
bit up and down, but he was great in his
last start with the seven innings of one run ball
wes Nesky. You know, missing a couple of days to
get his velocity back up and then giving up some runs.
That's interesting for now. Blanco, It's not crazy to say
he's going to continue to kind of be in a
(04:29):
bit of a regression, especially where he was last year.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
So you need.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
You know, Ryan Gusto is good, but you're not gonna
expect him to go out there and throw, you know,
seven ings a shutout ball all the time. So it'll
be interesting to see how this continues to develop. What
Lance mccullors Junior is going to continue to give you
as he should have gotten those four innings of shutout
ball but didn't get the call on the last batter
in a full countenant and walk the guy. But uh yeah,
(04:58):
something that we thought was extremely i know, in tipping
towards a strength, a big strength for the Astros looking
at least a little bit shaky last run of the rotation.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Yeah, and that's I wanted to squeeze in a quick
mention for Lance mccollors because I did the pre and
posts on that game on Sunday, and you know, they
had the rain delay and then they ended up just
calling the game and it was unfortunate because it was
a game where the Astros were leading forward to nothing.
You know, to your point, mccullors almost got through four
complete but you know, his control was a little bit off.
(05:30):
It was kind of to be expected. He missed on
some spots, but then miss he landed some spots and
it looked like vintage Lance mccolors. I think he had
four strikeouts in the game, and you know, there was
some good, some some ups and some downs, but it
was a good starting point for him to go out
and pitch three and two thirds scoreless innings. The three
walks a little high, so it wants to cut back
(05:51):
on that, but yeah, it was an encouraging first start
for mccolors in three years. And now he's laid to
go this Saturday against Incinnati, and you know, you look
at how the pitching staff sets up. It's it's Hunner Brown,
Lance mccolors and run Out Blanco, and so you know,
the hope is that you know that that that some
of these guys bounce back, particularly run Out Blanco.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
He's had more misses than hits this year.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
But but no, it's encouraging that Lance looked good and
you hope, you know, maybe stretched out a little bit
more this next start, maybe gets into four five innings
and you know, you continue on through there.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
But you know, the the good news too.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
I also heard that I think we're about three or
four weeks away from Spencer Raghetti to start throwing again
and maybe, uh, you know, maybe he's back here sooner
rather than later. So that's a good sign, and you
know that that'll be a good problem to have if
you have too much good pitching.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Yeah, I'm really interested to see. I mean, like you mentioned,
a little bit wild, but I mean also very Lance
mccullor's junior. He's getting walks, he's striking guys out, and
at the end of the day he didn't give up
a run. But if that can continue to happen in
eighty seven pitches and there's nothing to sneeze at, you know,
they're they're gonna try to keep it at seventy five.
Eighty ran him up to eighty seven. Sounds like reports are,
(07:07):
he's healthy, he's good, and we just continue to just
keep checking boxes. And it was rehabbing, and it was
you know, throwing and and then going to bullpens and
up downs and rehab and now he's made a start.
Now he's going to make another one, and then the
biggest question that is going to remain is can he
get out at the major league level after not pitching
(07:30):
for so long and so far one start in the answer.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Is yes, yeah, And so again it was encouraging.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
You know, I couldn't believe I talked about it last
week how many people on our social media was like,
oh well I even count on him, and all this
sudden I.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Hate those people. You know what, I'm going to stop
you right here.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Well, you people a stfu.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Oh he's gonna get hurt. Gonna to shut up?
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Well, it happens, It happens. It can't control it. If
you if you watch sports long enough, like you have, Gordy,
there are guys who get injured for years and years
and years and get the injury prone label and they
come back and they're okay. Michael Brantley was supposed to
be injury prone when he first came here to the
Houston Astros. Charlie Morton was supposed to be injury prone.
And he's like forty one years old now and still
tearing it up.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
So we don't know.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
We can't predict the future. So this defeatist. Oh no,
Lance mccullor junior, the other shooting drop. I get why
it hangs over people's heads, but get over it. He's
out there on the mound wearing an Astro's uniform. He
needed to like, what is the what was that Seinfeld stuff,
you're sorry's in a sack and just root for the guy, like.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Come on, yeah, no, it's you're right, it's it was
getting a little ridiculous. So all he can do is
go out there and prove he's healthy now and that
he's ready to contribute.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
And with the money he makes, you need him.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
To contribute, cause you know you can't just get a
refund on mccullors. But a couple more here on the offense,
real quick cross and obviously it was a good day
on Thursday, or I keep saying Thursday Wednesday to to
put it.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
All out there.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
Jeremy Payne, this resurgent year he's having now it's to
me it's not a fluke anymore. I mean we're a
month over a month into the season and he's batting
two seventy nine, had a couple more hits on Wednesday,
had a home run I think what his fifth of
the season. And I'm starting to see some averages start
to tick up. Christian Walker. I mean, he's still just
over two hundred and that one really needs to come up.
(09:22):
But Janner Diaz has starting to hit, has started to
hit here the last week so that's a good sign.
And how about Jake Myers, Man, I mean, he had
the game of his career last Saturday, but that was
out but another hit, another hit on Wednesday. Man, he
is batting two ninety seven and that is much needed. Look,
he's not going to sustain that all year, but you'll
(09:42):
you'll take it with what you're getting from.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Him right now.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
On the top of it. Zach Dezenzo is giving a
little something as well.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Yeah, I'll start with what you started with with Jeremy Panne.
He had the big home run and then he got
four runs, batted in a couple of hits. His average
is looking good. And I think we talked about this
on this podcast, is that earlier in the season, the
barrel percentages were up, the hard hit rates were up,
the XBA was up, and that you weren't seeing the
results yet. But he's always had good power. It's just
(10:10):
about him elevating and line driving that power rather than
grounding into the dirt and and praying for inside praying
for infield singles, which he gets still a lot at
a pretty high clip. But yeah, it's it's starting to
look quite legitimate from him to where he is continuing
to the to have a high hard hit rate. He
(10:30):
is continuing to elevate the ball as well with that
power that we know that he has with the you know,
the strength in the fast hands. So continuing to see it.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
It is baseball.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Of course, we could see a dive bomb the second
we hit post on this podcast, but right now it
looks encouraging. Everywhere you turn, the on the field, results,
the peripheral numbers, everything is looking good for a potential
Jeremy Pania breakout season at the plate.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
No doubt.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
And just a couple more here before we before it
start to wrap things up. Two extra base hits for
Jeremy Pangnon on Wednesday. That's great to see. I didn't
realize this from ber Valdez, who was outstanding on Wednesday
and got his second win of the year. It's a
shame as good as Fromber has has pitched mostly this year,
He's got a record of two and four, and a
(11:21):
couple of those were instances where he just got no
run support. Do you know Rossters, one team Fromber has
never pitched against in his MLB career outside of the Astros.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
It's yes, yeah, I do, because I saw the game notes.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
Yeah, it's Cincinnati, who the Astors ironically played this weekend,
but because Robert pitched Wednesday, he's not going to pitch
in this series. But I didn't realize the Cincinnati Reds
are nineteen and nineteen. They are right in the thick
of that Central hunt, only three games back of the Cubs,
and you know, they're actually they have the same exact
record as the Brewers, who just took three against you,
(11:56):
and the Saint Louis Cardinals and the Paul Skeins led
Pittsburgh Pirates are actually coming up the rear in that
division at twelve and twenty six. So this Reds team
is a little bit more improved than the lowly Reds
teams you've seen in recent years where the Astors have played.
So I just mentioned that to say this is a
this is another you know, team that is going to
give you their best shot. But I guess it didn't
(12:18):
even matter because I thought they were going to go
take care of business against the White Sox last week
and they didn't. So I guess whatever the team is
doing on the other side, it doesn't really matter at
this point for the Astros team.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Well, usually if it's a good team. I mean, they
won the series against Detroit, like you mentioned, they swept Toronto,
who I don't know where they are now, but coming
into that series, Toronto had a winning record. They beat
San Diego of course, so it's been this up and
down type of you know, how how long there was
a thirteen fourteen games there were alternating wins and losses.
So they can disappoint you against the Chicago White Sox
(12:50):
like you said, and then they can surprise you and
take care of business against the San Diego Padres and
the Detroit Tigers.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
Yeah, the Reds of nineteen and nineteen, the Astros at
eighteen and eighteen, and man, he.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Just played the nineteen and nineteen the Brewers.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
Right crazy, we'll out a mid The interesting part too,
is last time we talked the you know, there was
this big log jam in the division, and now the
Mariners are kind of starting to pull away a little bit.
They want to eight or the last ten, and they're
four games ahead of the Astros.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Now in the division, the.
Speaker 3 (13:21):
A's are actually in second place. They're three games back, Astros,
four games back. Rangers now half a game behind the Astros.
They've lost seven of their last ten and the Angels
are at the bottom.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
There are seven games back in the Mariners.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
But I just mentioned that the Mariners are getting really
good pitching, which is not a surprise, but they're actually
getting some good offense as it late that is getting
them wins, and so yeah, I mean it's it's not
what you wanted, but I mean we said it's if
there was any dangerous team in this division, it's Seattle,
and they've got a little bit of a lead here.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
I think I even we talked about it, like the preseason,
I was not super worried about the Rangers. I mean,
we'll see how it goes. It's still early on in
the season, but yeah, if the Mariner is going to hit,
I mean, cal Rally is like this, dude's like trying
to win the MVP. He's got, especially because he's a catcher.
He's gotta slow down at some point, you would figure.
And they got who else. Jorge Polanco's got a bunch
(14:18):
of home runs too. Julio Rigaez still isn't doing much,
but the offense has been crazy. They've been hitting a
ton of home runs. I gotta maybe I'm just hoping
that they are going to slow down from that standpoint,
but as you mentioned, the pitching, the pitching is going
to be good all year long, so we'll see how
that goes well.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
As we start to wrap up here, Ross, we do
want to mention of of course, this is the Crawford
Box Guests presented by Carback Brewing and the Crawford Bach
and Carbock Burwing has another Astros watch party coming up.
We were both out there at the last one, had
a lot of fun. This one is going to be
coming up in two Sundays. This will be Sunday, May eighteenth.
The Astros are playing the Rangers on the Road and
(14:58):
it's a game Ross that was originally supposed to be
like one five or one ten. Well Roku picked it up,
so it's now going to be a noon pitch, so
it's a little bit of an early one on a Sunday,
and Whi'll be out there doing the Uh I think
I'm gonna be out there doing the pregame show and
get everybody set up. But uh yeah, it'll be a
noon to six Sunday, May eighteenth, out there Carbock Brewing
(15:21):
and all the same stuff they did last time. It
will be five dollars beer specials, vendors, giveaways, special appearances
from astras folks. I think Astro's alum Chris Sampson will
be in the house free to ten, family friendly, and
of course there'll be the Astros on all the big
screens and TVs out there at the beer garden Carbock Brewing.
(15:42):
So come on out and see us and hang out
with the family and watch the Astros at car back
and enjoying ice called Crawford Bock five dollars beer specials
that day. So should be a lot of fun. So
what are you doing on the eighteenth? You want to
come hang out?
Speaker 2 (15:56):
Uh? Yeah, I'll have a dude.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
That Crawford Palel was excellent, by the way.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
Yeah yeah, it's a limited edition, still available for a
limited time. But uh, I love the original Crawford Bock.
But the Crawford Pale Hill just as good as well. Different,
different lighter tastes, and uh tastes a lot better when
you sit out there in the beer garden in the
hot sun. But either way, I could get down with
either one, and hopefully you get down with either one
as you cheer on the Astros and you enjoy an
(16:20):
ice call Crawford Bock from our friends at car Bock Brewing.
That's gonna do it for this addition of the Crawford
box Cast for us. If you're real, I'm Chris Gordy.
We'll talk to you guys next week.
Astros fans, Cheersucky, Lucky, Welcome to the Crawford Box Cast,
Houston Astros crowd leadbord for you by Crawford Bach from
Carbak Brewy. You're getting da bear.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Oh my godness.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
The Crawford Bucks Cast starts now Here we go.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Here's Chris Gordy and Ross Viareel.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
And there's an all new addition to the Crawford box Cast,
presented by Carbach Brewing and the craw Bach Chris Gordy
here with Ross Veriel as we are recapping your Astros,
who just finished a six game homestand that did not
go their way as they went two and four on
the road trip, lost two out of three up in
(00:56):
Chicago against the lowly White Sox, and then dropped two
out of three in Milwaukee where they finished on Thursday
or Wednesday rather winning nine to one. And Ross as
we jump into it. Obviously, it was nice being back
at the ballpark for a quick series against Detroit where
the Astros took two out of three, had a chance
(01:17):
to sweep a week ago, and by the way, enjoyed
plenty of Crawford back out there. I was also out
last Friday at Constellation Field, enjoying some Crawford bock there.
It was good to see that they have some out
there space Cowboys as well as the Dyke in park.
Hopefully you guys grab some ice cold Crawford back when
you're watching the Astros. But overall thoughts on the road
(01:37):
trip that man could have went a lot better.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yeah, definitely would have liked it to gone a little
bit better.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Nice to get the when at the end today an
easy one, even though you know, if you don't look
at anything but Brad, you hater Frommer. What was the
close game?
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Now?
Speaker 1 (01:54):
I was nine to one, but they needed to get
the guys some more, especially Josh Hater. He hadn't pitched
this month, and they have the day off tomorrow as well.
But yeah, it was nice to at least get the
win today. Didn't go the way that you wanted to
basically all weekend, and not only were you losing games,
you lost jord On Alvarez and Joe Spotta mentioned earlier
(02:14):
today on the MRI looks pretty good, just a muscle
strain on his right hand, so hopefully he will be
back swinging a bat this weekend against the Cincinnati Reds.
That's what he said. As far as like preparing for
swinging about not being in the lineup, but hopefully he
can come back very shortly because even though he has
been struggling, Astros desperately need him in the lineup.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Yeah, that's the that's the big one is he is
one of your big bats. And you know in years
past you had a Kyle Tucker or an Alex Spergman
that can help pick up the lineup. But with those
guys gone, man, you're really looking around that room and saying,
all right, well, no Jordon, who's gonna help carry this team?
And you know, Gary Pina, Well, that's the thing is,
(02:57):
I don't want to be blinded by what happened on
ours on Wednesday's game, because that was you know what,
they had eight hits and it scored nine runs.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
So that was good.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
But you know the five games prior to that, or
six games prior to that, where the offense was, you know,
not great. But really the other part of it ross
was the pitching was you know, the first first stretch
this season where the pitching startled a little bit, where
you got some bad starts.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
From from Fromber.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
And Renold Blanco and Hayden was Neski. Fromber was awesome
on Wednesday, so he did bounce back. But you know,
just looking back in the last week, starting pitching kind
of started to let him down a little bit, and
then with the offense being not great, it led to
five losses in six games.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Yeah, that's what's gonna happen if you are giving up
some runs. Unfortunately, this isn't an offense that is just
gonna be like, all right, guys, no problem, we're scoring
nine to ten tonight. I mean, is it still have
they still only scored ten runs once all season long?
I think that game against the Angels, like very early
on in the season, I think that's that's where they are. So, yeah,
(04:07):
the it's interesting to watch this pitching and see how
it's going to continue. Yeah, Frommer has been a little
bit up and down, but he was great in his
last start with the seven innings of one run ball
wes Nesky. You know, missing a couple of days to
get his velocity back up and then giving up some runs.
That's interesting for now. Blanco, It's not crazy to say
he's going to continue to kind of be in a
(04:29):
bit of a regression, especially where he was last year.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
So you need.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
You know, Ryan Gusto is good, but you're not gonna
expect him to go out there and throw, you know,
seven ings a shutout ball all the time. So it'll
be interesting to see how this continues to develop. What
Lance mccullors Junior is going to continue to give you
as he should have gotten those four innings of shutout
ball but didn't get the call on the last batter
in a full countenant and walk the guy. But uh yeah,
(04:58):
something that we thought was extremely i know, in tipping
towards a strength, a big strength for the Astros looking
at least a little bit shaky last run of the rotation.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Yeah, and that's I wanted to squeeze in a quick
mention for Lance mccollors because I did the pre and
posts on that game on Sunday, and you know, they
had the rain delay and then they ended up just
calling the game and it was unfortunate because it was
a game where the Astros were leading forward to nothing.
You know, to your point, mccullors almost got through four
complete but you know, his control was a little bit off.
(05:30):
It was kind of to be expected. He missed on
some spots, but then miss he landed some spots and
it looked like vintage Lance mccolors. I think he had
four strikeouts in the game, and you know, there was
some good, some some ups and some downs, but it
was a good starting point for him to go out
and pitch three and two thirds scoreless innings. The three
walks a little high, so it wants to cut back
(05:51):
on that, but yeah, it was an encouraging first start
for mccolors in three years. And now he's laid to
go this Saturday against Incinnati, and you know, you look
at how the pitching staff sets up. It's it's Hunner Brown,
Lance mccolors and run Out Blanco, and so you know,
the hope is that you know that that that some
of these guys bounce back, particularly run Out Blanco.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
He's had more misses than hits this year.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
But but no, it's encouraging that Lance looked good and
you hope, you know, maybe stretched out a little bit
more this next start, maybe gets into four five innings
and you know, you continue on through there.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
But you know, the the good news too.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
I also heard that I think we're about three or
four weeks away from Spencer Raghetti to start throwing again
and maybe, uh, you know, maybe he's back here sooner
rather than later. So that's a good sign, and you
know that that'll be a good problem to have if
you have too much good pitching.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Yeah, I'm really interested to see. I mean, like you mentioned,
a little bit wild, but I mean also very Lance
mccullor's junior. He's getting walks, he's striking guys out, and
at the end of the day he didn't give up
a run. But if that can continue to happen in
eighty seven pitches and there's nothing to sneeze at, you know,
they're they're gonna try to keep it at seventy five.
Eighty ran him up to eighty seven. Sounds like reports are,
(07:07):
he's healthy, he's good, and we just continue to just
keep checking boxes. And it was rehabbing, and it was
you know, throwing and and then going to bullpens and
up downs and rehab and now he's made a start.
Now he's going to make another one, and then the
biggest question that is going to remain is can he
get out at the major league level after not pitching
(07:30):
for so long and so far one start in the answer.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Is yes, yeah, And so again it was encouraging.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
You know, I couldn't believe I talked about it last
week how many people on our social media was like,
oh well I even count on him, and all this
sudden I.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Hate those people. You know what, I'm going to stop
you right here.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Well, you people a stfu.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Oh he's gonna get hurt. Gonna to shut up?
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Well, it happens, It happens. It can't control it. If
you if you watch sports long enough, like you have, Gordy,
there are guys who get injured for years and years
and years and get the injury prone label and they
come back and they're okay. Michael Brantley was supposed to
be injury prone when he first came here to the
Houston Astros. Charlie Morton was supposed to be injury prone.
And he's like forty one years old now and still
tearing it up.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
So we don't know.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
We can't predict the future. So this defeatist. Oh no,
Lance mccullor junior, the other shooting drop. I get why
it hangs over people's heads, but get over it. He's
out there on the mound wearing an Astro's uniform. He
needed to like, what is the what was that Seinfeld stuff,
you're sorry's in a sack and just root for the guy, like.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Come on, yeah, no, it's you're right, it's it was
getting a little ridiculous. So all he can do is
go out there and prove he's healthy now and that
he's ready to contribute.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
And with the money he makes, you need him.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
To contribute, cause you know you can't just get a
refund on mccullors. But a couple more here on the offense,
real quick cross and obviously it was a good day
on Thursday, or I keep saying Thursday Wednesday to to
put it.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
All out there.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
Jeremy Payne, this resurgent year he's having now it's to
me it's not a fluke anymore. I mean we're a
month over a month into the season and he's batting
two seventy nine, had a couple more hits on Wednesday,
had a home run I think what his fifth of
the season. And I'm starting to see some averages start
to tick up. Christian Walker. I mean, he's still just
over two hundred and that one really needs to come up.
(09:22):
But Janner Diaz has starting to hit, has started to
hit here the last week so that's a good sign.
And how about Jake Myers, Man, I mean, he had
the game of his career last Saturday, but that was
out but another hit, another hit on Wednesday. Man, he
is batting two ninety seven and that is much needed. Look,
he's not going to sustain that all year, but you'll
(09:42):
you'll take it with what you're getting from.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Him right now.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
On the top of it. Zach Dezenzo is giving a
little something as well.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Yeah, I'll start with what you started with with Jeremy Panne.
He had the big home run and then he got
four runs, batted in a couple of hits. His average
is looking good. And I think we talked about this
on this podcast, is that earlier in the season, the
barrel percentages were up, the hard hit rates were up,
the XBA was up, and that you weren't seeing the
results yet. But he's always had good power. It's just
(10:10):
about him elevating and line driving that power rather than
grounding into the dirt and and praying for inside praying
for infield singles, which he gets still a lot at
a pretty high clip. But yeah, it's it's starting to
look quite legitimate from him to where he is continuing
to the to have a high hard hit rate. He
(10:30):
is continuing to elevate the ball as well with that
power that we know that he has with the you know,
the strength in the fast hands. So continuing to see it.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
It is baseball.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Of course, we could see a dive bomb the second
we hit post on this podcast, but right now it
looks encouraging. Everywhere you turn, the on the field, results,
the peripheral numbers, everything is looking good for a potential
Jeremy Pania breakout season at the plate.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
No doubt.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
And just a couple more here before we before it
start to wrap things up. Two extra base hits for
Jeremy Pangnon on Wednesday. That's great to see. I didn't
realize this from ber Valdez, who was outstanding on Wednesday
and got his second win of the year. It's a
shame as good as Fromber has has pitched mostly this year,
He's got a record of two and four, and a
(11:21):
couple of those were instances where he just got no
run support. Do you know Rossters, one team Fromber has
never pitched against in his MLB career outside of the Astros.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
It's yes, yeah, I do, because I saw the game notes.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
Yeah, it's Cincinnati, who the Astors ironically played this weekend,
but because Robert pitched Wednesday, he's not going to pitch
in this series. But I didn't realize the Cincinnati Reds
are nineteen and nineteen. They are right in the thick
of that Central hunt, only three games back of the Cubs,
and you know, they're actually they have the same exact
record as the Brewers, who just took three against you,
(11:56):
and the Saint Louis Cardinals and the Paul Skeins led
Pittsburgh Pirates are actually coming up the rear in that
division at twelve and twenty six. So this Reds team
is a little bit more improved than the lowly Reds
teams you've seen in recent years where the Astors have played.
So I just mentioned that to say this is a
this is another you know, team that is going to
give you their best shot. But I guess it didn't
(12:18):
even matter because I thought they were going to go
take care of business against the White Sox last week
and they didn't. So I guess whatever the team is
doing on the other side, it doesn't really matter at
this point for the Astros team.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Well, usually if it's a good team. I mean, they
won the series against Detroit, like you mentioned, they swept Toronto,
who I don't know where they are now, but coming
into that series, Toronto had a winning record. They beat
San Diego of course, so it's been this up and
down type of you know, how how long there was
a thirteen fourteen games there were alternating wins and losses.
So they can disappoint you against the Chicago White Sox
(12:50):
like you said, and then they can surprise you and
take care of business against the San Diego Padres and
the Detroit Tigers.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
Yeah, the Reds of nineteen and nineteen, the Astros at
eighteen and eighteen, and man, he.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Just played the nineteen and nineteen the Brewers.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
Right crazy, we'll out a mid The interesting part too,
is last time we talked the you know, there was
this big log jam in the division, and now the
Mariners are kind of starting to pull away a little bit.
They want to eight or the last ten, and they're
four games ahead of the Astros.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Now in the division, the.
Speaker 3 (13:21):
A's are actually in second place. They're three games back, Astros,
four games back. Rangers now half a game behind the Astros.
They've lost seven of their last ten and the Angels
are at the bottom.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
There are seven games back in the Mariners.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
But I just mentioned that the Mariners are getting really
good pitching, which is not a surprise, but they're actually
getting some good offense as it late that is getting
them wins, and so yeah, I mean it's it's not
what you wanted, but I mean we said it's if
there was any dangerous team in this division, it's Seattle,
and they've got a little bit of a lead here.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
I think I even we talked about it, like the preseason,
I was not super worried about the Rangers. I mean,
we'll see how it goes. It's still early on in
the season, but yeah, if the Mariner is going to hit,
I mean, cal Rally is like this, dude's like trying
to win the MVP. He's got, especially because he's a catcher.
He's gotta slow down at some point, you would figure.
And they got who else. Jorge Polanco's got a bunch
(14:18):
of home runs too. Julio Rigaez still isn't doing much,
but the offense has been crazy. They've been hitting a
ton of home runs. I gotta maybe I'm just hoping
that they are going to slow down from that standpoint,
but as you mentioned, the pitching, the pitching is going
to be good all year long, so we'll see how
that goes well.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
As we start to wrap up here, Ross, we do
want to mention of of course, this is the Crawford
Box Guests presented by Carback Brewing and the Crawford Bach
and Carbock Burwing has another Astros watch party coming up.
We were both out there at the last one, had
a lot of fun. This one is going to be
coming up in two Sundays. This will be Sunday, May eighteenth.
The Astros are playing the Rangers on the Road and
(14:58):
it's a game Ross that was originally supposed to be
like one five or one ten. Well Roku picked it up,
so it's now going to be a noon pitch, so
it's a little bit of an early one on a Sunday,
and Whi'll be out there doing the Uh I think
I'm gonna be out there doing the pregame show and
get everybody set up. But uh yeah, it'll be a
noon to six Sunday, May eighteenth, out there Carbock Brewing
(15:21):
and all the same stuff they did last time. It
will be five dollars beer specials, vendors, giveaways, special appearances
from astras folks. I think Astro's alum Chris Sampson will
be in the house free to ten, family friendly, and
of course there'll be the Astros on all the big
screens and TVs out there at the beer garden Carbock Brewing.
(15:42):
So come on out and see us and hang out
with the family and watch the Astros at car back
and enjoying ice called Crawford Bock five dollars beer specials
that day. So should be a lot of fun. So
what are you doing on the eighteenth? You want to
come hang out?
Speaker 2 (15:56):
Uh? Yeah, I'll have a dude.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
That Crawford Palel was excellent, by the way.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
Yeah yeah, it's a limited edition, still available for a
limited time. But uh, I love the original Crawford Bock.
But the Crawford Pale Hill just as good as well. Different,
different lighter tastes, and uh tastes a lot better when
you sit out there in the beer garden in the
hot sun. But either way, I could get down with
either one, and hopefully you get down with either one
as you cheer on the Astros and you enjoy an
(16:20):
ice call Crawford Bock from our friends at car Bock Brewing.
That's gonna do it for this addition of the Crawford
box Cast for us. If you're real, I'm Chris Gordy.
We'll talk to you guys next week.
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