Geoff Blum Joins The Show For Astros Opening Day

0:00Tyler Reddick here from 2311 Racing. Another checkered flag for the books. Time to celebrate with Jamba. Jump in at JambaCasino.com. Let's Jamba. No purchase necessary, BTW Group. Boy, we're prohibited by law. CCNC, 21 plus sponsored by JambaCasino. Are you running for office and have a message you want every voter in your district to hear? Well, that's where radio comes in. Radio is your direct line to morning commuters, midday grinders, and late nighters. Radio puts your message right where your voters are. Plus, it's 1-10th the time and cost of video. Don't just campaign, connect with millions all over the country. Even thousands in the smallest communities with radio. Call now and be on air in just 48 hours. 844-844-i-heart. That's 844-844-i-heart. 1-32PM here on a sports talk, 790-the-astros, a street fest spectacular continues. On the Matt Thomas show with Ross, without Matt Thomas, with Adam Lexon,

1:02with Adam Clemmon, and with our special guest dress to the 9th, embarrassing us all. Is that, is it that hard? I mean, look at this man. You look at him. You look at him. Jeff Blum joining us. He's so happy, it's not June right now. Why do you kiddin' me right now? He's melting in his chair, man. All right, Jeff Blum is our guest here on the show. We appreciate you making some time for us. Jeff, we know you're very busy. Kissing babies and take care of people opening day. What is it like for you? You know, former player went through a lot of opening days. Now as a broadcaster, you still get those feelings of the, you get first kind of to me, Astro's fan fest, then spring training, pictures and catchers. And now it is finally here. You get some of those same old feelings stirred up for opening day? A hundred percent. There's nothing like putting on a big league uniform and walking out to the line and having your name announced. And it was actually just in the booth talking to Ryan Presley. He was gonna be working with us and Julia, doing her Instagram thing, turned around and goes, how many, how many opening days?

2:03And I went, holy crap, 27. It's 13 as a player, 14th as a broadcaster. But no, it never gets old. Because it's the one time of year where everybody is in contention and everybody has an idea of what they want their season to be. And it all starts with opening day. But there's nothing like putting on a good, crisp, clean uniform and running out there in front of your hometown fans and having your name and that's in here in every tier. Hope springs the title on opening day. So we got that out of the way. Yeah, it'll be, it won't be game 65 tomorrow, right? Yeah, well, I mean, I mean, that's the positives. Yep. In this situation, what's your concern level? I'm not very concerned to be honest with you. I have literally broken every finger on my right hand. So I know the pain that he's going through. But at the same time, I've played through, I mean, I've had to play through some of those injuries. He doesn't, we want him to be 100%. But I think what we saw in that exhibition game when he hit one about 400 feet up onto the train tracks. Right over our head. That is a really good sign.

3:04And it's just a matter of, how is he gonna bounce back after these games, these at bats? That's the only thing for me. But I think once he's able to bounce back play every day, that's when you want to have him in the lineup. When you say bounce back, would he just like rest time or recovery? What is that like? You said you've gone through it. Is it every day? Is it just last a couple of weeks? Could it be all season long? What do you think as far as how long he's gonna have to manage? It's right ring finger, correct? Yeah, so it's not on the baseball. He's not putting pressure on it when he throws. The only thing he might feel is impact at the plate when he hits the ball, because your top hand usually absorbs a lot of the impact. And it's the next day, is it sore? How sore is it? Can you play through it? Because I think he's kind of the point where he's not gonna injure it any further. So just go ahead and figure out what you're able to deal with. And when I would love saying it back in my day, but back in my day, they had certain... Back in my day, you got to shake your voice when you say it. Better living through chemistry. You could play through some of those things. How does this feel? I have no idea. For the next three hours, I can do whatever you're asking. But the next 15 hours, I might be in a little bit of pain.

4:05Among a pretty sizable group of newcomers to this team, starting pitchers, you got new arms in the bullpen, you have players that have returned to the club and left field today and elsewhere, a player or two, that you're kind of excited to see what 20, 26 brings for them. Well, I mean, the easy, quick question is Mike Boros. I can't wait to see him. He's got a little pole dog, a little gyrical angst. Little red ass? I like it. Yes, he is a little bit of that red ass when he's out there. And he does it with 97. He's got a great change up. I think that's a pretty unique mix. I think we're all going to be kind of surprised by the personality of Emy. I think that we really haven't seen anything like him. He's got great stuff. He's got about nine different pitches. But he's also got a little bit of flash and flare to him out on the mound. He kind of likes the spotlight, which I'm kind of anxious to see how he reacts to it. We've already seen him throw up the edges everywhere. He's already on an electric start. But keep an eye on Ryan Weiss. I think that he's going to say something this year with what he goes out and does. Being able to be that maybe extended guy out of the bullpen.

5:08But to be brutally honest, and I hate putting on guys on opening day, I might be one of the biggest cam Smith fans out there. And I kind of expect him to be a guy this year and maybe figure out that he can be a guy this year. Doesn't he look even more like a major leader and maybe even carry himself more like a major leader? Well, I think a lot of it had to do with last year. I think it was a tale of two seasons for him in one year. First half, great. Second half, kind of faded out, fatigued. A 162 game is no joke. He knows what he's getting prepared for. And I think that's why he's going to be a little bit better this year. Maybe provide a little more thump than we saw last year. Have you and Todd settled on I-45 as the nickname? Or do you have one for him? It could be. I mean, there might be something in the tank. And it could be something that just happens organically in the booth. But I-45 is a pretty good one. I mean, it fits. It fits great. So, E-My-45. We were talking about this earlier in the summer and the winter, I should say. And now that the actual calls are going to start tonight.

6:10Yep. By the way, you've got to have them ready. Yeah. The call schemes got pulled in the first inning. So Hope does really spring eternal. WBC is wonderful, isn't it? You're the second. OK, he brought that up with a belief Chandler who got shelled yesterday. Yeah. I know. So, like, what would- I think it's a correlation causation. I think it's a, it might be an end. Energy level type thing. These guys exhaust themselves in the middle of spring training, take a week off and then expect a rampant back up. So, then I'm- I'm to understand that if they were to move it to July, you would be a fan of that. See, that's what I- That's what I want to hear from you because- Well, your blipics are going to create that issue. The next CBA is going to create that issue. I'll talk about that, man. Yeah. We won't be sitting here next year. Well, we will be sitting here. I'll enjoy this. I think I was going to- All right, well, we'll talk about the season we do have coming up. Jeff Blum with us here on a sports talk, 790. I'm gonna say where I'm sitting, baby. I'm curious. You're, of course, former player perspective. What's up, low. Because there's been a lot of talk right now.

7:11It's not a worry because Jeremy Pania has missed some time and is going to miss some time. But can you take us through the psychology of- If you are- Of varying levels- Jose Altuve, Esac Paradez, Jeremy Pania, Carl's Carey, of everybody wanting to play every day, some guys want arbitration numbers. Some guys maybe have- Incentives in their contract for a gold gloves or games played or anything like that. Or you want to make an all-star team. You want to make an all-star team. And how Joe Aspotted is going to deal with that. And then from the player perspective, what is that like going to the clubhouse every day and not being exactly sure how things are going to play out? Yeah, that's- I think it's going to be a lot on Joe Aspotted. Joe Aspotted already had the conversations. And he may have had the conversations in the off season. Because, you know, it was out there pretty quick that the Astros have a lot of very good talent on the infield. And guys who are going to want to go out there and expect to play every day. So I think Joe had that conversation early. Selfishly, I'm glad Esauk is here. Because if you didn't- If you decide to trade him and you're not getting something

8:11equal or better in return, you're at a loss. Because you get ready, Esauk, your team gets worse. But I think the Astros are better for being here. And so Joe's had the conversation, but you start to go around the infield. How many games can I get him at first base? How many games can I get him at second base? How many games can I get him at third base? And then how many at D.H.? And eventually, I think if you're able to, you know, convince Christian Walker to take a couple more days off and give Esauk some time over there, you might be able to get him four or five hundred at best. Because I think that's where these guys want to be at. They want to be at least five hundred at best. Where do you find them? So Joe's going to have to be super creative on how he's able to do that. And don't, I mean, left field's going to have to come into play for either out to V, Yordon, who knows? Maybe even- Is it just as simple as it was a log jam? And that's the reason why we're even exploring and creating this guy because I feel like that's for me and I'm crazy, as you know. That's not good enough for easy. No, I'm gonna make it work. No, I'm in the crazy camp as well. We are a better ball club because of Esauk.

9:12And if Esauk isn't playing, guess what he does? He comes in the seventh, eighth or ninth and destroys your game and blows up the back into your bullpen. If you're 50 games into it and you've got out to bay on the bench, Christian Walker on the bench, all of a sudden you have all star type at bats going into the later of the game to blow up some of these games. I agree. I guarantee you the analytic department right now has got some matchups throughout the course of the season where they're saying this is gonna be our best probability of going out there and winning a ball game. And fortunately, you're in an organization, you're in a city, you're in a team where the expectation is to get to the playoffs and that's always a pretty good seller to stay on a ball club too. How are you feeling about Joey Lopezito? I'm kind of excited about it, man. He's a different guy. I know he's the same guy, but he's a different guy. The swing looks good. His spring training was phenomenal. I mean, you talk about a guy that was happy to get back in a situation that he missed by leaving. He is incredibly happy to be here. Some of the swing adjustments look great. And I think, you know, just talking to him

10:12for the brief moment that I did in spring training. His experience with the Toronto Blue Jays, going to the postseason, he got a little bit of taste of that. And I think he brings a little bit of that taste with him here. I think it's going to be interesting to see what he's able to do because that could be a nice, little one-two punch with Cam Smith, Joey Lopezito. He may not, he could be, right now he may not be that left handed bat they were looking for, but he could be. You mentioned something when you first sat down here with us and we'll see it today over on SCHN. Ryan Presley is part of the Supreme Post game team now with you guys over there. Had the pleasure of welcoming to the station your spring training to the game with him. And he's pretty fired up about the team, but having him as part of the team, what can the fans expect from Ryan Presley? Who, while he was here, I handle business, and then I'll come back to the ballpark the next day and do it again. Yeah, there's some recent experience. I think the experience, recent experience that I think is going to both well for him.

11:13He knows a lot of those guys in that clubhouse. He knows what that clubhouse was like during those years where they were absolutely annihilating the American League West. And I think he has the same expectations in the booth of these guys. Well, I think it's going to be a little bit more fun to hear his current analysis of what's going on. Being so recently removed from baseball, he's going to have the analytic side of it. He's going to have the experience of pitching it back in. He's going to know exactly what these guys are going through. But it's kind of funny to see somebody who dealt with high leverage pressure situations. All of a sudden put on a sport coat and look doughy. I hit a little bit and be like, what am I doing? So to be fun, once he gets comfortable, he's going to be great. Looking ahead to April 3rd, because obviously that's what we need to do here on opening day. No, that is the first, I think, realistic chance we're going to have with an 841 pitch in Sacramento. Less Sacramento. For Astros After Dark. Yes. I'm just making sure Sacramento adds an extra level of...

12:15It's a filthy town. It's a gnarly town. Yeah. And you would love the fact that Tick, I mean... We're going to send in this audio. It is all of AAA over there. And I mean, yeah. I feel bad going in there, because like the expectation is we're professionals, we're going to be... It's a game still big leagues, but do that place terrible. So, and that's funny, because you used to talk about the Oakland Coliseum's carpet. I would go back to Oakland in a heartbeat. Oh my God. Did you hear this? Yes. It started on the art show. Talking about that Coliseum, you won. Yeah, me. Wow. All right. The best part about Sacramento is walking back to the hotel with TK after the game. Why? Because he's talking about how much he hits it. What an experience. And your head's on a swivel, boy. Oh, yeah. There are some good things. I think that guy over there has a weapon. Why is the eyeball TK the way he is? You know why? Because TK secretly...

13:15I shouldn't even say this publicly. He looks like he might be a don. Oh, he could be. Tiss the ring. Yeah, exactly. He's got two of them. If he unleashes that second or third button down the chest, he'll attempt to over. Oh, yeah. On the golf course, he must be hell. Oh, he's great. You kid me. Yeah, good way. We're in a great way. All right. That is. Jeff Blum. Yeah. Appreciate the time. No, always appreciate the time. Have me on more often, man. Make somebody do something. You're not going to get this kind of analysis anywhere else. Thanks, fellas. You guys have a good one, man. Drew McIntyre here from WWE. Wheeled in the Claymore can be a life of chaos. When I'm not dominating in the ring, Chumba Casino is how this warrior takes a rebrate. With hundreds of online social games and new weekly releases, there's always something fresh to try. And those daily boosts, next level. Even my free time feels like foul-hound. So when life feels like a foul, kick up your feet, have some fun. And let's Chumba. No purchase necessary. VGW Group Boyd, we're prohibited by law, CTs and Cs. 21 Plus sponsored by Chumba Casino.

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