MLB.com's Brian McTaggart Joins 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. Get that MX Gold Card ready. I'm way too tired to cook tonight. You read my mind. With the Gold Card, we can get up to $120 a year in statement credits. Are you feeling the cheesecake factory? Five guys? Either of those, I'm good? Yes. Which one? Both. Pay with the Gold Card to receive up to $10 a month in statement credits of participating partners. Uncover more ways to reward yourself at AmericanExpress.com slash Explore-Gold. Enrollment required, turn supply. This is the Mac Tommy Show with Ross. Woo! 1 o'clock straight up here on SportsTalk790. Hey, hello and welcome into our number four

1:01of the Astros Street Fest Spectacular. It is the Mac Tommy Show with Ross, without Matt Thomas, with Adam Wexler, with Adam Planton. And now with Brian McTaggart. I'm not trying to age you, McTaggart, but do you know what number opening day this is for you? 20-something, 23-4. OK. So that's pretty good. You kind of know your stuff. I hope so. We'll see. All right, so a number of different directions to go. We'll go ahead and start with the somewhat news of the day. Jeremy Payne, you're not in the lineup. You tweeted out with that that their Astros are expected to sort of bring him along slowly. How do you expect that to play out? We know that he got some live action in Sugarland today. Yeah, I think within like a week, he's probably going to be in the lineup every day. It was either half in start three or four games here the first week or not having it all available through the first seven, eight games however long the I.L. Stint would end. So they just decided he was close enough to will carry him and hey, they have an extra infield or so why not?

2:03They have an extra infield or another long running off-season storyline. Carlos Carramp, like shortstop today, obviously. Did you feel like he was able to do all the things as a leader when he arrived here last year versus the things we kind of expected to now do, being here through the off-season all through spring training, et cetera? Yeah, I think so. I mean, they had a massive void in leadership. I think after some guys left like Maldonado and Braggman. I mean, I'll two days really not interested in being that type of leader. I mean, obviously, his leading is on the field, but they needed that voice to come back and he stepped in right away and he got them to change some things in the spring about how they go about their workouts to try to keep the guys fresh. He taught with some of the players about nutrition, watching what they eat. He eats really clean, really healthy. He wants the other guys to do the same. So back at shortstop, but he looked really good at third base two in the spring. So it's a good thing for the Astros to be able to put him in short. I feel like this is overly simplistic,

3:04but I don't care because I went through last season like you did. If the Astros are healthy, isn't that good enough for like X amount of wins? Yeah. Yeah, I think people, I see the Astros as a middle of the pack, people raking in middle of the pack or lower. I mean, last year they had a devastating amount of injuries. And missed the playoffs by one game. I mean, if your down Alburez is healthy the entire season, I think they win the division. They still led the division for more than 90 days last year despite their injuries. That's the number one thing. I think this roster is a playoff roster if they can stay healthy. They need your down to play 130, 140 games. They need paying it to be on the field every day. And they need guys like Cam Smith and Zach Cole to the young guys to take a step forward a little bit and Joey Loper-Fito as well. And if that health is there, I mean, two of the big off-season storylines were Jake Meyers possibly getting traded. And then of course, the infield log jam in trades there. What, I mean, where do we stand on that? Is that just everything that's completely cooled or off the table or just on hold?

4:05What's the situation, dude? Yeah, I think everything's on hold for now. I mean, I think teams have the roster set and maybe as we get closer to the trade deadline, I think the issue with Peretta, I mean, they tried to trade him, but the Astros had such a specific need that they wanted back. They wanted a left-hand hitting outfielder. And now you needed to match with another team that needed a third baseman, a right-handing third baseman. There just was never a match there. And Meyers too. I mean, I think the Astros asking price on Meyers is pretty high as it should be. So, and they're content to go with what they have. It'll be interesting once they're back healthy and pain is back, how they work Peretta's in. Joe Aspada says, he's gonna play pretty much every day. They can play him in all the infield spots except shortstop NBA. So, there's gonna be a bad screen. What do you think about the outlook for some of their younger guys? Two of them are in the corners today, Joey Loper-Fito getting a start field, returns to the Astros, left-handed bat. And obviously, Cam Smith, he was the opening day right-fielder a year ago, he is again. A, do you feel like he won the job in spring training?

5:06And what do you think the outlook is for those two young players this season? Yeah, I think Cam won the job. I mean, we all know if Dana Brown said in November that he's gonna have to come to camp and prove himself. But when he did that, he made some changes with his swing, trying to keep things simpler. Looked like he was pulling the ball more, looked a lot more comfortable. He just seems a lot more comfortable in his own skin, which is natural the second year. So, I think he definitely came in and won that job. Loper-Fito looks like a different hitter than he was the first time here. I mean, he's not striking out as much. He's hitting the ball hard. It'll be interesting to see if he can keep this left-field job or if he struggles, if they'll start doing a platoon with Bryce Matthews or Zach Cole comes back up, but they had to get younger, more athletic in the outfield. And they certainly did that with Cam Smith and Loper-Fito and his question comes now. Are they gonna hit enough to stay in this lineup? Cam Smith hitting six tonight, so they're showing a lot of confidence on him. Talking to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, I think it's probably the surest sign of confidence in a guy that nobody's even talking about Hunter Brown.

6:09He's going today, he's gonna be awesome. He's gonna be a Saiyung Award candidate right there near the top, because of course he is, right? Yeah, I think it was the second third start of the spring in Florida. It was probably March 10th or 11th. He pitched like four innings. No one could touch him and I was like, man, you look like you're ready to go and he's like, I am, it was just a matter of now, just getting the reps the rest of the spring. He looked really, really good. They're starting pitching, look really good in spring. And you can get fooled by that. I mean, a lot of the guys are facing double A guys or guys weren't going to play in the big leagues, but Mike Burles looks like a dude. I mean, he's a guy that will compete and works fast. Emi has some crazy stuff. I'm anxious to see what he can do later in this series, but they went out to try to beef up the depth that they're starting pitching. And they did, look at who's in AAA now. You got Eric Getty, Colton Gordon, Jason Alexander, who won like nine starts in a roll for him. Even a guy like JP Fran, so if there's injuries, they're positioned now with some guys.

7:10We have some little bit of a track record to move into the rotation. You've been basically a West Palm Beach resident for better than a month for the past several years. This year was a season at spring training off of no playoffs. Last year was the spring training off of not winning in the playoffs. And then all the ones before that were off of having great post seasons. Is there any vibe difference that you felt maybe this year with this group? Not so much the players. I mean, I think Spada has talked about how he didn't sit well with them for the playoffs last year, not to be in the playoffs. And I think bringing back a guy like Karea, who was in an organization that didn't win and started tearing down. He's like, I want no part of this. I want to win in some of how he's back. And I think he's bringing that mentality as well. And you have guys that have been here, and all they've known is when he McCullers out to a bay. And they want to get back there. And I think that's going to be something with Carlos at the head of it. I think that's going to help drive this team a little bit. They're not used to not playing in October.

8:10Since you brought his name up, you're the guy that kind of shine a little bit more light on that story with Carlos Karea. Just talk about how that story got told to you how that came to light, because as you wrote in the article, he had already told that story, but you're the one that kind of put it out there. And a lot of people are like, whoa, I didn't know that happened. Yeah, I had heard over the winter that he did a sermon, if you will, at a retirement home, which I was like, wow. And also, they talked in this sermon that he almost drowned. And so I kept it, I said, I need to ask Carlos about this. And I was next thing we know about spring training, next thing we know are halfway through spring training. And so finally I asked Carlos, I mean, did you give this sermon? He's like, yeah, I'd love to talk to you about it. He's like, sure, you know, it took a little while, and then one day I'm in the clubhouse. He's like, let's talk. So he brings me over, sit down in the clubhouse, which you're not supposed to do, but if Carlos Corrante tells you to sit down and sit down. And so I started asking about the sermon, and the way he's sort of found religion, and then I asked him if there was a point

9:11to where something happened, and he went into detail about this incredible story in the water that he told at the retirement home a few months earlier, and just an incredible story. And it ended up being sort of a life-changing event from him where he thought he might be done, and he said a little prayer, and now he wants to give more sermons. He's gotten really involved in his church, and you know, good for him. It was a pretty scary deal, and a thing that changed his life off the field. Did he bless the elbows of the Astros pitching? I don't know if he has that kind of power, okay. Well, I guess maybe it'll take time, but speaking of Carlos Corrante and his season outlook, and I also want to talk about Jose Altuve. We're kind of just setting in for getting those guys in the line of every day, but these are also guys that are into the 30s. Carlos has had some injury history. Altuve has been declining for a couple of years, but two guys who are the heart and soul obviously have this Astros Renaissance. What do you think the realistic season outlook is for those two? Yeah, I mean, I think it's going to be interesting because they've revamped their hitting,

10:12two new hitting coaches, actually three new hitting coaches, and we hear good things in the spring. Again, you don't know how it's going to translate at three o'clock today, but we'll see. But I think Altuve being back at second base, and second base only is probably going to give him a little bit of peace of mind. I don't think he was too wild about playing left field, but he did it because he was a team guy, but you're right. He's a guy who's declined now for several years. He's going to be 36. Can he find a little bit of an extra gear? I know that he's super motivated. Not only to win, he wants to get to the 3,000 hits, of course. He's going to have to start stacking up 150 hit seasons here. So if he can do that, I think he'll be in good shape. Corea says he took more swings this off season than he ever has in his life. And again, really enjoyed working with the new hitting coaches. So I think he's going to be rejuvenated being back here for a full season. But man, you never know until they get out there and start playing. What are your thoughts without definite knowledge of both of their lefties that start the year on the IEL? And it's Suza's situation and where Josh Hayder is at? Suza sounds like it's going to be like a six week thing.

11:14I don't think he's going to be close at all. But Hayder is throwing a bullpen tomorrow. And Dana Brown said today he's going to face hitters in mid-April. So we're like two or three weeks away from him. Maybe pitching a live BP. Then you start that whole progression, simulated gain, go to Sugar Land. So I think we're looking at it probably early May. And if that is, that's fine. I mean, you want Josh Hayder for later in the season. They didn't have him last year. And that was a big blow and not having him. So if he comes back in early May and can pitch the final five months, I think he'll take that at this point. All right, we'll wrap up with obligatory crystal ball time, Ryan, ALS, and Astro, specifically. It feels like wide range of outcomes, but how do you see this plan? Yeah, everyone's picking the Mariners. I mean, for good reason. Their rotation is great. They have some really good players. But I go back to let Astro stay healthy last year. They win the division. And I think if they stay healthy, that they can win this division, I like their offense. I healthy Astro's offense better than Mariners.

12:14But I think it's going to be between those two teams. Don't plan out the A's. They're not going to win the division. That team can hit. And that team is going to be a team you're going to have to worry about a little bit. They beat up on the Astros a little bit last year. So it's going to be a fun division. But I think Astro's a Mariners going to be right there at the end. MLB.com's Brian McTagger going to be our weekly guest in the Mad Thomas show with Ross. 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 wee break. 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 howling. So when life feels like a battle, 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.