Ken Rosenthal joins Crush City Territory + Manager Joe Espada & Closer Josh Hader join FT @Astros camp

00:00:06
Speaker 1: What's up?

00:00:06
Speaker 2: Everybody? Welcome into another edition of Crush City Territory. I'm Chandler. Room joined is always by Tyler Stafford and a very special guest, FT Senior Insider, the Athletics senior writer, and everyone's favorite bow tie wearing sideline reporter Ken Rosenthal. Ken, what is up? How are you? I know this is a busy time for you. You're actually about to come to Houston to work the WBC. You're getting a little bit of time to yourself before all the chaos starts.

00:00:32
Speaker 3: No, Chandler, but we don't need to go into that, so we.

00:00:37
Speaker 2: Wanted to add you on because this past weekend you wrote what Tyler and I have been talking about for a very long time, which is the Astros infield surplus is untenable and you know they're going to have to solve this somehow, and it's probably going to come in the form of an estoc Paradus trade. I'm gonna guess, Ken, with everything going on in baseball, you didn't wake up three days ago and decide, you know what I'm going to write about the Astros in field surplus today? What kind of prompted you to look into this and write this column.

00:01:10
Speaker 3: Well, first of all, I read Channeler Room regularly. I listened to his podcast with Tyler Stafford regularly.

00:01:15
Speaker 1: And I knew this was an issue.

00:01:17
Speaker 3: And I was at Astro's camp I believe it was Saturday, and the whole issue kind of crystallized for me while I was there talking to people, just seeing the team, seeing the guys, and sometimes when you're out of place, not just talking to people, but just kind of getting the lay of the land. It helps to visit a camp and understand the dynamics of what is going on with the team in a particular time. And when I go to a camp and SMIng training, I go to one to day generally, so to me, it's what's the most interesting story of that day. This is by far the most interesting compelling thing with the Astros right now, in my opinion.

00:01:55
Speaker 4: If I wasn't going to write a feature about Korea, this was it, and I'd like to write about compelling things that try to and again, this was the one thing that really jumped out at me.

00:02:09
Speaker 2: You know, Tyler and I have tried to explain it to people and you know, they come back with, oh, hey, they can play this many they can play Jordon Alpha, is this many games here? They can play Ustock Parade, It is this many games here. But ken you know, as well as anyone that covers a sport, veteran players and established players normally don't love not having a routine, not knowing that where they're going to play the next day, not knowing a specific number of games are going to play. If the Astros were to keep this infield configuration going into opening day, what kind of problems do you think that could create for Joe Aspada, for Dana Brown, for the guys that have to manage twenty six pretty big egos inside of a major league clubhouse.

00:02:52
Speaker 1: Candler, it does create problems.

00:02:54
Speaker 3: And I know fans don't necessarily see this the way we do because we're the ones in the clubouse talking to people, and we understand clubhouse dynamics.

00:03:04
Speaker 1: I'm not saying we're perfect and.

00:03:05
Speaker 3: We have a perfect track record of reading situations, but generally speaking, as you said, when you have this kind of surplus, and when you're saying, well, we'll get them all one hundred, two hundred and forty games, whatever the numbers, might be easier said than done. Now, the one thing they have in their favor. Here, if you want to keep all these guys is someone's probably going to get hurt, someone's going to need time off their feet, whatever the case might be. That's a heck of a thing to count on. And when you enter a season, you want things a little bit more clear cut, and right now it's hard to see how they would be clear cut. And you ask about the manager, Joe Spotty. He's the guy that's got to deal with all this.

00:03:45
Speaker 5: He's the guy that.

00:03:46
Speaker 3: Has to divvy out the playing time and manage the egos, and it is not always an easy thing to do.

00:03:52
Speaker 1: Would it rip up the team to have this continue?

00:03:55
Speaker 3: I don't know that it would rip up the team. Is it an uncomfortable form ofdynamic? Yes, it is, and everyone involved knows it. Paradis knows it, Joe Spott knows it. The other infielders know.

00:04:07
Speaker 1: It as well.

00:04:08
Speaker 6: So Ken watching one hundred and sixty two Astros games last season, I can tell you that that lineup was a lot of guys that swung at the first and second pitch. It was. It was a whole lot of just swing and see what happens. And Esto Parados was really the only real consistent kind of that veteran presence in the lineup. You know, they haven't added anybody really that you could argue is going to be able to do that. Why is he the one that is on the trading block when when he clearly provides so much value.

00:04:46
Speaker 3: Money Christian Walker is making almost twice as much over the next two years as Izak parades, and he's coming off a lesser year.

00:04:54
Speaker 1: I would expect Paradis has more value now.

00:04:58
Speaker 3: Kind of an X factor here is if teams are scouting the Astros and watching them this spring, and they believe, like the Astros do, that Christian Walker is on the verge of a revival, maybe they would be more willing to take on the money and.

00:05:12
Speaker 1: Work out an arrangement with the Astros. Maybe the Astros would chip in something. I don't know that is an option.

00:05:18
Speaker 3: I don't know that it is as attractive an option for the Astros because I don't know that they would get as much in return as they would for Paradis, who is of course less expensive and right now has greater trade value. So he is the odd man out in that sense. And he also is a guy that they talk about second base with.

00:05:37
Speaker 4: I don't know that he can really play second base and take can shaking his head.

00:05:41
Speaker 3: So it's third base where Karrea plays, or first base where Walker plays.

00:05:46
Speaker 1: And there's a.

00:05:47
Speaker 7: DH that is maybe the best DH in the game.

00:05:49
Speaker 3: Who will play left field, but he's not going to play left field one hundred and fifty games. So this is why the roster as currently constructed is ill fitting and to be addressed.

00:06:02
Speaker 6: So what teams need a good third baseman, first baseman who can take seven pitches in a bad who's out there for the Astros to be able to float him as a as a trade target tyler.

00:06:15
Speaker 1: That's the problem.

00:06:16
Speaker 3: It seems to be only one team right now that has that specific a need. Other teams could create an opening by doing other things, of course, but the Red Sox are the team they've been talking to, not lately, but they've been talking to them about this whole scenario.

00:06:30
Speaker 1: The Red Sox actually.

00:06:32
Speaker 3: Have what the Astros need, a left handed hitting outfielder.

00:06:34
Speaker 1: It would be most likely to Ran and not a bray you.

00:06:38
Speaker 3: And it's so interesting that the Red Sox have the exact opposite problem. The outfield surplus, the m field shortage, the Astros, of course, the infield surplus, the outfield shortage. It seems to me this is a pretty obvious match, but clearly that hasn't gotten to the finish line yet, if it's even in percolation right now.

00:07:00
Speaker 2: Going to bring up one quote that Dana gave you for the quote for the columns who wrote uh Ken, And you know, everyone's just kind of been they don't maybe they don't believe us when we say it's a thing. But here's what Dana said. Here's what Dana told you in camp this weekend. He said when I said we're not done yet, it was with the vision of looking for a potential left handed bat. We've also been talking about a backup catcher. And not done yet is we're still on the grind all that suffice to say, he ain't trading for an infielder like they already have too many infielders. Like Dana is telling you without telling you that he is still in you know, negotiations is probably a strong word, but isak Paradis remains available? And I think question yeah, And I think the walker thing you said is is pretty prevalent to this guy had an eight hundred ops after the All Star Break last year. Like it's not as if he's Jose a bray you and unplayable. But the money will be cumbersome. How much Jim Crane would want to pay down of the forty million dollars remaining on his salary also pretty cumbersome. But it is one of those things that again, if Christian Walker showed up in Great Fruit League play he turned one hundred and one mile an hour fastball last night, by the way, if he shows that he's revived, then maybe he becomes a target. But yes, you're right, as of right now, Esak Paratus is the pre eminent target. Before we let you go, Ken, I do want to get one thought from you on kind of the state of this franchise where they are in their competitive window that Jim Crane has said multiple times will never close while he's the owner. They have a lame duck general manager. They have a lame duck manager, which is no uh, which is not foreign for Jim Crane. But where do you kind of see the Ashers in the state of their franchise, the state of the organization right now.

00:08:38
Speaker 3: They're in a situation where Chandler they need to win now and it doesn't have to.

00:08:43
Speaker 1: Be this year.

00:08:44
Speaker 3: It could be next year.

00:08:45
Speaker 1: But their window is shrinking now.

00:08:47
Speaker 4: I know Jim Crane talks about leaving an open forever, and they've done a great job of that.

00:08:50
Speaker 3: It's ten years now of a team being really, really competitive and a World Series champion at times. But it's an aging groups.

00:09:00
Speaker 1: Altove getting older.

00:09:01
Speaker 3: It's Korea, who is not old but has different issues that flare up from time to time. It's Alvarez, who is somewhat limited in what he can do physically. It's all of this, and it's also a farm system that is not as productive as.

00:09:16
Speaker 1: Probably they would like. And maybe it's getting better.

00:09:19
Speaker 3: All teams think that the farm systems that they have are getting better, but again, it's not spewing out prospects the way the Mets, for instance, are just churning out pitching prospects. So all of that combined would lead you to believe that, yes, they need to act with some urgency with the way they construct their team, and they have for the most part. They've done some things this offseason and I kind of liked in my Burrows trade was good in my opinion, but they kind of have to keep going, and again the parade is scenario. The trade scenario fits into what we're talking about here. You got to get that left handed hitting outfielder because their outfield is so thin right now. And if you do do that, then the team looks a lot better to me, particularly if the infield thing is resolved.

00:10:06
Speaker 6: We're three weeks away, Kennon real quick, When does when does this have to happen? Do they do they need to do it in the next couple of days? Is this something that you can do the day before opening day?

00:10:18
Speaker 3: Like?

00:10:18
Speaker 6: When when do you have to make a decision on something like this?

00:10:21
Speaker 3: You can do it at anytime, And in one sense, perhaps time is on their side because someone at third base or first base in some camp somewhere is going to get hurt. It's kind of inevitable in our sport. I hate to say it, but that's the reality. You would expect that if it's not an injury, maybe it's a guy that you don't think is going to be as good as you Maybe you thought he was going to be, So there is time, I would say before opening day it's surely the better, But it doesn't have to happen until really opening day and even then you can carry this scenario into the season see how it goes. But at some point it seems to me will have to be addressed.

00:11:01
Speaker 2: Twenty two days away from opening days. So maybe in the next twenty two days we'll have a resolution here. Ken, I know you've got to get to a numerous other appearances and you've got a pack for Houston for the WBC. Thank you so much for joining us. We really appreciate it.

00:11:14
Speaker 1: Thanks, guys.

00:11:27
Speaker 7: We are delighted to have Astros manager Joe spotted with us on FT right now at Astros camp.

00:11:33
Speaker 1: Joe, how you doing? How's camp?

00:11:35
Speaker 7: And how's the fact that you've got a few guys there that you didn't expect to be there.

00:11:40
Speaker 1: If I'm being real, we'll get to pain you. But I'm even saying all two day pray, etcetera. You've got you've got your your core there.

00:11:46
Speaker 8: Yeah, yeah, Well, thank you for having me on the shows, guys, and we're doing really well.

00:11:50
Speaker 5: Camp is going well.

00:11:52
Speaker 8: Yeah, and like you mentioned, we have all the boys in camp, which is great just to build these guys, uh, not only for the season, but continue to build our focus in in getting back to the postseason. So having our core and the impact they have not only on the playing field, but also messaging inside the flap house is important. Uh yeah, you mentioned Jeremy. You know, we got the uh the news yesterday. He's gonna he's gonna be out for a little bit here. H. So we're going to reevalue him in two weeks and see, uh how the finger is healing. But right now he's going to be doing everything with us, going to be taking ground balls, gonna We're gonna keep him on the basin just to make sure that once the finger heels, we could hit the ground running and he won't won't be missing too much time.

00:12:42
Speaker 7: Joe, we get obsessed with opening day, but does this look like an injury that, even if it's not Opening Day, will not hold him back for too much after that?

00:12:51
Speaker 1: You know what I'm saying. If if somebody misses two three games in June, it's not a big deal.

00:12:56
Speaker 7: But it's like if Jeremy Pani you misses the first two games of this season and then he's back over the weekend or whatever it is. So can you give us a glimpse of the timetable and the process of not rushing just because it's opening.

00:13:10
Speaker 8: Day right, and you know what the fact that you know he we gave him. You know, he had two weeks here with us. He's took like it was fifteen at bats. He went to the dr he got some bats there. And also Jeremy comes to camp and incredible physical shape, so he is pretty well built up. Now it's all about letting the finger heal and we'll wait as long as it takes for having him back in the lineup. We do have some really good players in our roster that can hold the fort as we get our short stop back.

00:13:48
Speaker 5: But this is something that we're going to be really smart about.

00:13:51
Speaker 8: There's no there's no reason to show uh to rush this process because we want to make sure that we have Jeremy for the long haul.

00:14:00
Speaker 3: Uh.

00:14:01
Speaker 8: We this is a marathon, and we know how to run this marathon, and we want to make sure that we don't come out out of the gates rushing this in a sprint, and we get ourselves in in a position where.

00:14:13
Speaker 5: This could come back and and and you know, affect him during the season.

00:14:18
Speaker 9: Guys, I'll vouch for what just Joe said about him being in great shape. I saw him in the clubhouse this dude is jacked like he is in great shape, So yeah, I'm sure he'll be ready. Obviously, you don't want to see your starting shortstop go down and have to miss any time. But what does Carlos Korea feel about the situation, because assuming he's going to step.

00:14:38
Speaker 8: In to be the shortstop now, yeah, yeah, once you know, once we the two weeks, you know, we still don't know the status of Jeremy right full opening day, but if the case is that he will need more time, uh, Carlos Courier will step in and be our shortstop. And we all know how good of a shortstop Carlos Courrier I is. So once we we get going here, we'll get Carlos some starts at short stuff. I continue to play Nick Allen at short we have is that paradis that can well, we'll.

00:15:11
Speaker 5: Play third base? Is that the case?

00:15:14
Speaker 8: But we are you know, we do have the players in camp to be able to, uh, you know, sustain and and and and be able to move forward as we get as we wait for Jeremy.

00:15:25
Speaker 1: Hey, Joe.

00:15:26
Speaker 7: This has been one of the hottest topics even before the injury. The Astros have too many good infielders. The infields log jam that's been going on here, and how there might be one or two guys on the bench if everyone's healthy that should be playing every day. So isn't this what you and Dana Brown were referring to? Unfortunately in our game, injuries do occur, and when you can plug in a guy like Paradis, who doesn't you know who can or should play every day, Boom, there you go, he's third plase a short if opinion is not ready to go, right.

00:16:00
Speaker 8: Yeah, And that's been you know, that has been what Dana and I have been, you know, talking to not only our players, but messaging to the fans and the media that you know, injuries did happen. We learned that last year. And you know, I don't see Paratus as a plug in guy. You know, this is an all star. This guy is an everyday player that we do have, uh, you know, a plea of really good players and they all need to be in the lineup absolutely, and we'll find we'll find out bats for.

00:16:31
Speaker 5: For all these guys. You know, we we have it. You know, we will have to use the d H spot just to get some guys some of bats.

00:16:38
Speaker 8: Uh, you know, I will ask Jordan to play some left field so we could keep uh the DH spot uh open and and floid to get some of these guys in there. But this is a perfect example of how you you know, you never have enough good players on your team. You want to have, you know, a group of players that can step in and play any time. And the most important thing for me is is about messaging and communicating with these players. These players they want to know their role, they know their everyday players, they want to contribute. And my job as a managers to make sure that I'm transparent with that adult with them at all times. And I you know, and I'm always doing that with with not only them, but every player in that clubhouse.

00:17:24
Speaker 7: So, Joe, what was that communication process like with someone like Esak who was in trade rumors? And it's an easier combo for front offices to have when it's the off season and they're exploring options. How have you been able to thread the needle and even before this injury, you know, have a conversation with someone like him and say, hey, if everyone's healthy from the jump, this might not be the dream for you, but things will shake out.

00:17:49
Speaker 8: Yeah, and listen, and this conversation is that happens throughout the throughout the winner, you know, and this is a conversation that is my responsibility to communicate with the players. You know, the front office they have a job to do, which is put together the best team possible. And my job is to not only to get input and my opinion about that process, but communicate with the players about.

00:18:14
Speaker 5: What we are doing because I'm the one who's.

00:18:18
Speaker 8: Leading the charge out there and it's in charge of messaging and keeping everyone align and focusing our season. And you know, my message sho this guys is listen. You know, you cannot control the the rumors. We can control what happens in that clubhouse. Our mission is to get back in the postseason, and this is how we're going to do that. And that's where our focus, my focus is every day I'm in that clubhouse. What happens, you know, what happens in the office happens in the office. But we can control how we get on the field and our approach, our daily approach, and how we go about our business.

00:18:58
Speaker 10: I want, I want to go on a little pitching here. Tatsuya Mi talk to me a little bit about him and what you've seen so far. Should these Houston Astro fans get really excited about a guy like this?

00:19:09
Speaker 11: Yeah?

00:19:09
Speaker 8: Sorry, Todd Ami you mentioned, Yeah, they should be fired up about him. You know, Todd, not only what you're going to get on the mound performance, but you know he brings. Uh, he's got this personality that I have never seen out of a Japanese player. You and I we we were around Macereo Tanaka when he was in New York. Uh, and this is a completely different guy, right.

00:19:37
Speaker 5: Uh.

00:19:38
Speaker 8: You know, I got super competitor, he really wanted the ball, So there's those similarities. But this guy is it's you know, he will show his emotions on the mound. He's all about, you know, being super funny in the in the clubhouse. He's got personality that really I wasn't expecting when I first met him, but he fits right in.

00:20:01
Speaker 5: He's super excited to be with the Astros.

00:20:04
Speaker 8: And I think this is going to be someone that we're going to be talking a lot throughout the summer.

00:20:10
Speaker 9: Joe, there's always that transition period for when the foreign players come here, especially Japanese players. How has he been able to adjust? I know he has an interpreter here, but adjusting to the American culture in this clubhouse.

00:20:24
Speaker 8: Yeah, you know what, one thing that I noticed, he's very observing. He sits around the club out. He sees how people prepare themselves a Hona Brown does it when the thrower bullpen. He's always asking questions. So he's always watching. He's always asking questions. For me, it's more for him to understand. Okay, it's every five days, every six days, adjusting to our process, but also us adjusting with him, helping him adjust if he's in, if he needs an extra day. We want to feedback from him, you know, just making it just Baseball's right, he's using a completely different baseball. Well, that's something that we are looking into. How can we help them with that? You know, the running game here in the US, you know, he feels just there's more action on the basis, So how can we help them running you know, with the running games, pickoff moves, learning defense behind him, the fundamentals, all those things are things that he's always constantly asking questions.

00:21:23
Speaker 5: So we are we're helping him through that process.

00:21:27
Speaker 7: Joe, were you surprised when you saw the contract he ended up with. Nobody's going to cry and be like, oh, no, he only ended up with this kind of money. But the point is a lot of people thought he was going to be, you know, one hundred and fifty million dollar man something like that, and he'll have an opportunity early on on to opt out and make more money if that's the case. But are you surprised that the league didn't look at him in the way that maybe some prognosticators did And do you think that will create any type of chip on his shoulder?

00:21:57
Speaker 8: You know what, I can't speak for him on how he feels about the contractor of that. I do know this, I do get credit to our front office because he's happened really quickly.

00:22:09
Speaker 5: I remember there is in New Year's Eve. They not calls me.

00:22:12
Speaker 8: He says, Joe, what do you got on Emi? And we have early conversations in the off season about Emi. But we we've heard about, uh what he was going to take to sign him. So when we did our rankings, he was on top of our list. But obviously the money could have been a factor in us signing him. But you guys know well, our owner is always all hands in, all hands on deck. If this is a player that can help us. He's willing to make it happen and in a matter of ours em what's in Houston Astro. Something that Emi also say was like he wants to beat the teams who have those well known Japanese players, And I give him credit because that's exactly who we want in our team, someone who want wants to create an environment and impact in a club where listen, I want to step up and I want to be known as one of the best, and that's exactly what.

00:23:11
Speaker 5: We're looking for.

00:23:12
Speaker 8: And Emi made it known very that he wants to win and this is a winning environment and I'm just static to have him in our club.

00:23:21
Speaker 10: You have a new hitting coach and Victor Rodriguez. Can you talk a little bit about his approach and what you know hitters are talking about and how he is relatable to the hitters right now for the Astros moving forward.

00:23:34
Speaker 8: Yeah, you know, for me, it's about simplicity. You know, this game, I think hitting is really hard. I thought you were a really good hitter, and I remember having conversations with you about hitting and it continues to get harder and harder every year that goes by, because you know, people are throwing harder. Stuff is getting nastier. You have to make adjustment pitch to pitch, a back to a bat. But there is something about hitting where the simpler you could make it, I think, the more you can prepare to have some success. Right, This is a game of adjustments, This is a game of fundamentals. This is a game about competing at the plate. And Victory is all about making things simple. How can we simplify an approach, How can we simplify the process? You know, he's been around some really good heres in his career, and I wanted to have someone who can lead the charge. And if the messaging is listen, you guys are a really good hitter. But let's not forget about what hitting is supposed to be. Like, we are a team that we will do well. We take pitches, we drive the ball, and we passed the baton. We got away from that, and I think Victory is the right guy to get us back on track.

00:24:42
Speaker 7: While we're on the topic of hitting, let's talk about one of your best hitters in your Don Alvarez, and I've heard you talk about how to preserve him over the last couple months. So I'm going to ask the question this way, if it was up to Joe A Spada, how many games would ord On Alvarez as play in the outfields.

00:25:03
Speaker 8: I'm not going to give you the number. But what I'm gonna do is I'm not going to give you the number. One thing I learned and this job is that when you go in with a plan, there's a plan A, there's a plan B. But I was looking into Plan C, Plan V last year with so many injuries, right, And what the messaging to JR.

00:25:23
Speaker 5: Done and to our guys are, like, Jordan is going to play left field.

00:25:28
Speaker 8: You know, you know, when he's in left field, we are able to have some other guys stay in the lineup, use the dhpot to get some of those guys some of my bats and keep everyone healthy and fresh. But Jordan also loves to play left field, and when he plays left field is actually the number show that he is a very productive player offensively because he's not only thinking about he's at bats. He can go out to the outfield and clear his mind and help the team, uh, you know, in different ways and you're done.

00:26:02
Speaker 5: And enjoys playing left field.

00:26:03
Speaker 8: So I've always keep that in mind when it comes to how often you're done, it's going to play left fieldry.

00:26:09
Speaker 10: Last thing for me, how's that ankle feel? And you know, twenty sixteen was a big year. I just wanted to make sure we're still stable with the ankle excuse me seventeen Hey, yeah, you have to wear an ankle brace.

00:26:22
Speaker 5: You know, No, it's stable. Do you know?

00:26:25
Speaker 1: Do you know that?

00:26:26
Speaker 8: I I the players bring that up and I watched the video with them, you know, because it was you know, you could never you put the Yankee.

00:26:39
Speaker 5: Unit from on.

00:26:40
Speaker 8: It's like you're always on that big stage and people never forget. And you go on YouTube and there's millions of people that watched it. I'm like, man, this couldn't happen at at worst, you know, plays because they keep bringing it up.

00:26:54
Speaker 12: You know.

00:26:54
Speaker 8: Another another video that always always these guy's always playing when we go our cuts and relay. There was that relay throw from Reddick to Korea to get Garner at third base in the seventeen LCS.

00:27:09
Speaker 5: When we go over in that fundamental we go over cutching relays.

00:27:11
Speaker 8: They use that video there to show how you should post to execute relay. And I remind these guys every time you guys put these on the TV. I'm the one who's waving Garner over to come to third base. And I always you know, remember men, I was looking for a hole in the ground that day just to dig myself in there because it was such a wealth. We'll execute it relay, but good, good teaching moments. But you know, I still laugh at those moments, and it was it was fun, man, It was fun those those days that we were together there in New York.

00:27:44
Speaker 9: For sure, I can confirm that he's got some fancy shoes on with no ankle brace, so he's good to go. And one last thing, Joe, when you said that Todd is a really good hitter, our chat just went crazy with how great of a hitter was he says, all of very good, good, he was a great it.

00:28:01
Speaker 8: Was a good hit. Or you know, Todd was one of those guys back to ball skills. You know, I remember Todd that there was this swing where it was like ass out and he put the barrel there and the ball on the right field seats like toe had a way to grind up bats. He was super competitor and I always appreciate, you know, how hard he went and how how hard he played the game, so I've always had a lot of respect for the way he went about his business.

00:28:26
Speaker 9: Well, we also appreciate you very much too for joining us. Good luck to you the rest of the season, and hope see again. Yeah you got it, man, I'm so excited to actually have a picture here that matters. We've all had starting pictures or we're planning on talking to starting pictures. We got a closer here, Josh Hater, one of the best in the game. Josh, thank you for joining us. How you feeling about it? Good?

00:28:48
Speaker 12: I appreciate you having us. What's up fellas on the other side. Good to see y'all and I feel good. So just building back, recovering from a little setback, but all great news.

00:29:00
Speaker 11: Bumping up into be low. So you know, I can't complain about.

00:29:03
Speaker 13: This, brother, I said it before you came on. You're putting your earpiece on. I don't think you used the word brother on TV, but I need to hear you just use this sentence because you when you're playing in the clubhouse with Hater, he's always like, you know what, brother, when I throw a Wrigley Park, you know when I throw a Wrigley Field man, I just feel like I can throw a little bit harder. So let me hear it.

00:29:28
Speaker 11: Brother, Yeah, that's facts. Yeah, that's facts, Brothers.

00:29:34
Speaker 13: That's stricken outdoors right there. I hated to see you go down last year. I you know, you have an affinity for certain guys you played with, and I don't cheer for teams anymore. I cheer for players, and you're one of the guys I cheer for. When you went down last year, knowing you, how long were you dealing with it? Because I have a hard time believing that you were like, uh oh something hurts, Okay, I'm down. Knowing you fighting through things? How long did you fight through anything before you actually had to go on the IL.

00:30:05
Speaker 12: Man, you'd be surprised. It was literally right after it was the next day after that outing in New York. I felt some I felt something and then kind of just went through it, and uh, Sunday got hot.

00:30:17
Speaker 11: Got I think it was like the eighth It was a seventh.

00:30:20
Speaker 12: Inning and then the eighth inning, and then you know, went back Monday and I was like, yeah, some still doesn't feel right. So when you got all checked out, yeah, man, it was uh, it was a weird one for me obviously, I've never never gone through injuries, so yeah, that was a that was difficult for me, not to finish out a year.

00:30:41
Speaker 9: So Josh, obviously you'd want to be ready for opening day. But in your mind, is there a time frame like if you can get in the game anytime soon or are we just going to take it as it goes?

00:30:52
Speaker 12: Yeah, we're trying to take it, you know, day by day obviously, but you know, we kind of schedule out week by week and and see how I'm recovering, and it's it's easy to give yourself a timeline, but you also don't want any setbacks to rush to a timeline. So we're definitely progressing in a great way. And you know, that's all we can ever ask for, is uh, you know, recover well, continue to build out that velocity in the volume, and we're we're at that point, so it's all it's all great.

00:31:19
Speaker 11: News on our front.

00:31:21
Speaker 13: Who pushes harder? You or the trainers? Are they the ones that pull the rains back? Do you have to pull the rains back or is that you know, is it completely fifty to fifty?

00:31:34
Speaker 12: I think it's about the same. I mean, obviously you know how it goes. It's not how you starts, how you finish. And you know, the last thing you want to do is rush into a season, get hurt, and then be out for the rest of the season.

00:31:44
Speaker 9: You know.

00:31:44
Speaker 12: For me, I'm not a guy that really talks about surgery, not saying that's on the table. But if you push something to to its limit without being ready, you have the chance to do that. And obviously that's not in my case. But you never know what the game of baseball. Throwing too much and too quickly could could, you know, set something back. So for me, it's just trying to be smart, trying to be you know, obviously they're as quick as possible, but also to be able to have the longevity to be there at the end of the season.

00:32:14
Speaker 10: I want to talk a little about the Weeds, about the team here a little bit. In spring training, you know, it's fun times. You get to see different people, You get to see younger guys too as well. Besides the squad you got going on. Is there anybody in spring right now that you're seeing, you know, maybe pitching wise or hitting wise, that you're like, oh man, that either that sounds different or you know, the pop of the glove. There's somebody that we should be looking, you know too in the upcoming year here there might help the squad out.

00:32:40
Speaker 11: Man, you know how it is.

00:32:42
Speaker 12: You're gonna need everybody, and this year we got a lot of arms. I think that's the fun part is seeing all the guys that are coming here and throwing. Specifically, I don't have a guy that like really stands out to me. But at the end of the day, I mean, we got a lot of great arms here and it's fun to watch them, you know. One the forty really, I feel like we've got a lot of arms and they're all really good.

00:33:06
Speaker 5: You know.

00:33:06
Speaker 12: I haven't really been able to sit down and watch games, you know, I've been watching some sim games and bullpens, but uh, you know, it's it's a little bit different when you get out in the game. So I'm gonna have to, uh, you know, definitely catch a couple of games and see how these guys are going.

00:33:21
Speaker 9: So Josh, as a former closer, I'm always intrigued in talking to current closers in their prep for each game, not mental or physical prep, Like what do you do the first six or seven innings? Are you hanging out in the bullpen. Are you hanging out in the clubhouse still? What's your kind of your routine every day?

00:33:41
Speaker 5: Sure?

00:33:41
Speaker 11: Yeah, I mean for me, it's it's the same thing pregame.

00:33:46
Speaker 12: You know, once we get first pitch, I'm inside getting my stretch ready, getting my activation ready, and then go out about the fourth inning and probably give or take an inning, inning and a half, mess around with the guys. Obviously they got to lock in a little bit earlier, and then you know, around the six I'm back to more activation and getting the body prepared, and you know, hopefully by the eighth inning, I'm I'm getting ready to get warmed up.

00:34:16
Speaker 13: What about your walkout? Now you got hurt for the first time. I don't know if they had. They must have had kryptonite wherever you got hurt, because that's the only way you beat Superman. But yeah, do you have to change your walk out because you know you're now you're getting Are you getting into like Mowana like kids movie walk out?

00:34:33
Speaker 7: Stage?

00:34:34
Speaker 13: Like what's your what's the Are you gonna have the same walk out this year?

00:34:39
Speaker 11: Yeah?

00:34:39
Speaker 12: Same walkout so far. I've been thinking about changing that. I just don't have anything to top that. That's that's the tricky part.

00:34:45
Speaker 11: Like you can't go to a new song and not be better than the song you had.

00:34:49
Speaker 12: Before, because then you disappoint the fans. And uh so that's where I'm at right now. So sticking to Fireman one more year. Last year's I think I'm change it. Maria thinks I should write it all the way through. So if you guys want to do a poll, maybe, uh maybe give me some suggestions on on some some banger songs.

00:35:10
Speaker 9: Well we're just saying in our little chat, maybe you should start a poll see what the fans want you to play.

00:35:15
Speaker 11: Yeah, that's good option.

00:35:18
Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean you can.

00:35:19
Speaker 9: You can probably reach a lot of a lot of fans there in Houston to pick a song.

00:35:22
Speaker 11: I'd be excited to hear that.

00:35:24
Speaker 9: When you mentioned messing around at the bullpen for a little bit until the guys other guys have to get ready.

00:35:30
Speaker 1: Anything you can tell us that you do to.

00:35:31
Speaker 12: Mess around or we just talked shop man, you know, just whatever's going on that day. You know, we're around each other for a long time. Some inside jokes you know, pop up or just random things like that. Nothing really specific on on our front. But uh, you know, you know, it's just, uh, it can be a lot down there, especially if you're in every single pitch, every single time, every game. So you know, you got to relax a little bit for you know, a couple of innings until you have to really turn it.

00:36:00
Speaker 8: On all right.

00:36:03
Speaker 5: Got to ask this.

00:36:04
Speaker 13: I asked a lot of people this, what's your least favorite part of spring training? O, nobody's listening, nobody's listening to the organization.

00:36:17
Speaker 11: You can say whatever.

00:36:18
Speaker 5: It's a safe place, you know.

00:36:20
Speaker 12: Honestly, I don't like I don't like the night games personally at spring training. I like getting in, getting in early, getting my days done, and being home by like one o'clock, get to hang out with the family.

00:36:35
Speaker 11: That's kind of that's kind of my go to.

00:36:37
Speaker 12: I like, I like prepping early because the night games you get here at like twelve o'clock and you're here till about seven o'clock, and you're like, that's a long day.

00:36:45
Speaker 11: Days wasted.

00:36:49
Speaker 9: Can you can you tell us your favorite and least favorite bullpens.

00:36:54
Speaker 12: Oh, it depends on the time of year. I mean, if it's cold and you're in Wrigley and it's you're indoors, so you're chilling. That's I mean, in any indoor bullpen is personally my favorite.

00:37:07
Speaker 11: Philly.

00:37:08
Speaker 12: Definitely, I love Philly, you know, just because I like I like chirping with the fans. I think that's the best part, because the Philly fans, I mean, if you've ever been in Philly, especially in playoffs, I mean, their fans are ruthless.

00:37:20
Speaker 11: So for me personally, I think that's that's the fun part.

00:37:23
Speaker 12: You know, you get some people that are are kind of funny with some with some sly jokes, but the most part, I mean, it's a little bit part of the game. So I feel like when you give it back to them a little bit, they kind of calm down. But probably not after this, but it's it's just fun the least. Uh, I would have to say, well it's not around anymore, but I would say Oakland, but probably sacked now Yeah, so I would say I would say definitely sacked to this point.

00:37:54
Speaker 13: One of the things being down during the beginning of spring training is you don't get to do the lives against your teammates. Another thing I always ask, who's the one dude on the team where you're like, I kind of wanted to strike him out or like I just it's just it's nice to hold a little bit over him for the entire season.

00:38:13
Speaker 12: Oh, man, I would have I would have to say cole Man. You know, obviously he came up to the show last year. First pitch, hit hit a tank. I mean, the guy's funny. He if he haven't got to know him, Actually it's kind of it's funny. I just figured this out that he's a he's a drummer. He's uh, he gets after it with Metallica and some some rocks. So it's been fun getting to know him, and obviously I think it would be a good matchup to face him.

00:38:43
Speaker 7: Hey Josh, I don't think we've had you on since this news happened, but you know your former rep, your former agent, Jeff Berry.

00:38:51
Speaker 1: He's been on the show a couple of times. You worked with him, pretty pretty pretty opinion. He's fun.

00:38:57
Speaker 7: What do you what do you think of his little career move he moved over to work with with Posey? What do you think of that whole deal? So a player pretty fresh off the field running the giants. I know it's been about a year now and then bringing an agent on so they're doing things a little unconventional there.

00:39:10
Speaker 1: But what do you think Jef's bringing to the table?

00:39:13
Speaker 12: Man, he brings a lot. Obviously, He's he's been around the game a long time. He knows the game really well. He knows both sides, and I think for him, he has a really good player perspective and what guys uh need, what.

00:39:25
Speaker 11: Guys want, and just the human side of things.

00:39:29
Speaker 12: I think, you know, in this game, a lot of things get overlooked, uh, and especially the human side of the relationships. So obviously him and uh, him and Busser go way back. So you know, I have that group and see what they're doing. I mean, there's they're sad, They're they're sneaky team man, They're they're quietly uh, you know, adding a lot of good pieces to their puzzle. And you know, especially in that that division over there, it's it's a it's a tough one. It's definitely not easy. So you definitely need the pieces to compete over on that end.

00:39:59
Speaker 11: So, you know, I'm happy for him.

00:40:01
Speaker 12: You know, he's he's done a lot of great things for me and just to see him succeed and still stay in the game of baseball, and and have a greater impact obviously, and and you know the front office and obviously the impact a lot of players. So for what they're doing over there, it's it's great stuff.

00:40:19
Speaker 11: All right.

00:40:19
Speaker 13: Most random question of the day for you Last year the m v P race went down to a guy you saw all the time in your division, Cal Riley, and Aaron Judge from a closer who faces each of these guys, who do you feel like should have won the MVP award?

00:40:38
Speaker 12: I mean, Judge, Judge, what he did was insane, obviously, Cal the hommers he put on each and every day doing that in a catcher's position, obviously, you know, it's it's hard to you know, do do that plus perform at the at the plate, and you know, do that consistently with power for both sides. I think that's definitely definitely a hard thing. But you know, for me, you know, the just it's it's just insane to me what what Judge does on.

00:41:06
Speaker 5: It on a daily basis.

00:41:08
Speaker 9: That might have been the toughest question you've ever had to ask. Pick the MVPs, right, because it's like, there's what can you say? They're both great? Obviously? Yeah, so well, brother, We are so happy for you. Thank you for stopping by, UH quick recoveries and can't wait to see you. I'm feel appreciate it.

00:41:24
Speaker 5: Thanks Josh, good to.

00:41:25
Speaker 11: See you guys. Appreciate you guys having me on