Texans Roster Cuts! | Astros Sign Jason Heyward & Hector Neris Returns!

[Music] welcome to Houston sports talk with your host Robert land thanks for checking into the best Houston sports podcast part of the believe Network check out believe in Astros with Mike Stanton believe in Texans with Cecil shortz when you get a chance and joining me is my co-host step ker 65 plus years in sports journalism between the two of us later in the show we debate the ideal Astros lineup moving forward and look at the return of two key pitchers but Stephen got to start with the Texans who Trimm down their roster their most surprising cut Noah brown right did that catch you off guard yes and no I I mean it's a I I would have liked to have seen Noah stay on the roster I mean when he was healthy he made some big plays for CJ stad last year but you know that they just there are a lot of the the younger guys that you know were pushing and and they can do special teams so I I you know I don't know Robert it's it's one of those days where do they still call him the Turk you know the the quote unquote assistant a guy that knocks on your door and says coach wants to see you in his office bring your playbook shenon is the Turk now oh shenon is okay well yeah I knew that but you know when The Turk makes his rounds there's always going to be one or two names that will jump out at you I mean every year I don't think there's ever been a year that I've gone what and Noah Brown you know you probably have to put him in that category at least a little bit this is what surprises me about the Noah Brown release there's no doubt it came down to Brown or Robert Woods of according to spot TR Brown's $4 million cheaper than Woods both of them get injured lot so that's a wash Noah was more explosive when he played last year and releasing Woods would have freed up more money are you guessing Stephen it just came down to who they thought was the healthiest because obviously it came down to the veteran guys they weren't gonna release mie and Xavier Hutch yeah no I I think that's exactly what it is Robert and I mean now we we must point out that we're recording this a little after 4:00 on cutdown day so you know how it goes Robert it seems like every time we stop a podcast something else happens so the Texans could do something else you know they they could trade Robert Woods for goodness sake right after we do this but assuming that they haven't you know that I think that's really what it is Robert Woods is a veteran but again you know a health is is a concern for him so that's just something we're gonna have to keep an eye on that you know if if Robert Woods can stay healthy he can contribute but that's really the question yeah you said it as far as this whole deal is very movable as we go in the next few days because there's going to be other guys out there we say that knowing that you guys know that you guys know we're dealing with that our lers are very smart so yeah we got a great great crowd that watches this show Ben scanic one of the receivers that they decided to release cost the Texans a six round pick or a six and a seventh pick swap I guess you would say so they basically moved back in the draft and Stephen was an odd move to trade for a receiver a crowded position on the roster unless you were sure you could make a roster spot because of scronic special teams and offensive versatility I just found it odd that they spent actual Capital to get this guy yeah that that's really what I was gonna say Robert is I I thought scronic would make the team just based on his versatility because he can play special teams and I mean he's shown some flashes at receiver but I don't think he was going to get a lot of touches of the ball except on special teams so but the fact that you know they released him and again you know this is fluid it could change but as of now yeah I'm a little bit surprised that they didn't keep him just for his versatility angle why couldn't you keep him well because you can't kill off Stephen Sims he keeps coming back like Freddy Krueger in the Texans just uh decided that you know of the Special Teams receivers he was the guy that they were going to keep and they also waved all their late first round picks including jair Jordan who was a candidate to return kicks and also Marcus Harris and Solomon bird as well not all of their late round pi we're get the one that they did keep later on but you know that it's real interesting how they've decided to keep Steph Sims and not keep scaran well Stephen Sims I mean is a guy that if if he could just get it right I know they've kind of showcased him on returns and you know he's certainly not going to be getting too many touches as far as a receiver is concerned but yeah I honestly it didn't surprise me too much that Sim stuck around cerio loves Waterberg waterbug type wide receivers from his days in New England you've got three of them now on the roster with mie tankel and Stephen Sim so that's sort of his Mo that must be it yeah that's the other issue the other big news besides Noah Brown we mentioned earlier Christian Harris goes to short-term IR so he's at least out for four games that one hurts because they're backup linebackers right now Stephen toet TOA Jake Hansen Neville huitt and somebody named delhon Phillips who I did not predict was going to make the linebacking core I I I had him going with five linebackers with Harris out it is five linebackers at the moment well and that's why you know Robert I know you talked about this you know if you traded somebody like a Robert Woods for a player at a position where there's a real need and we obviously know linebackers a real need and it just the the injury to Christian Harris I mean I was a little surprised I thought he might be ready I mean the only good news is he's on shortterm IR so he could come back after four weeks as opposed to some other guys that I know we'll get to later who are not but yeah Christian Harris being out you know even in a short-term IR situation it really hurts because the Texans are already thin at that position so you've got to figure something out and they will you know they're probably going to pick some guys up on the waiver wire or they could do some kind of a minor deal you know after we stopped recording this but you really wanted Christian Harris in there you know especially to start the season I tried not to panic too much because we weren't seeing Christian Harris and I don't even remember Stephen now like it's all a blur he didn't get hurt playing football last year it's been since then I guess right un it was something that happened at the very end of the season that we either just forgot about it wasn't made a big deal of but no I I didn't think so either Robert it just seems like the whole preseason though we haven't seen him at all yeah it's uh that's a tough tough break but you know I said it in the post game and I I'll stick by it I mean the Texans got relatively L lucky with injuries this uh training camp and preseason but Case Keenum does go on IR Tim Bole released I'm guessing maybe Bole is put on the practice squad Stephen and that's going to be where they throw the third quarterback for now well that's the only thing I can assume Robert because I'm just not one that is ever comfortable with having two quarterbacks on a roster in this day and age and as many injuries as you see to quarterbacks I I just I feel like the Texans have got to do something where they have three they they just they've got to you know case's injury certainly hurts you know you you want to have a veteran guy like case around I mean look look how much he helped CJ last year and when he did get in I mean I know he threw that interception in preseason but come on for the most part ke doesn't make many mistakes he he's going to give you at least a solid game when he is in there so the fact that and he's on long term he's going to be out for the season as far as I understand it so you're not g to have him on the team all season so I just hope the Texans will do something and I realize a lot of it just has to do with overall roster construction Robert because if you have another need that you've got to fill you know you can't fill them all necessarily and if you want to sacrifice just having two quarterbacks but I myself am just not comfortable with that scenario Dario B our backup kicker and maybe he's our third string quarterback I don't know he makes the roster Damen Pierce I know fans not super happy with Damen Pierce making the roster they don't feel like Pierce has really showed anything you know we didn't see him in the preseason Stephen so it's it's so hard to make a judgment on this but the the times that we did see him it's just you know we keep coming back to it but there there's just nothing that got you excited he was not making stuff happen and we saw other guys come in there with not the best blocking and do stuff whether it was JJ Taylor who did make the roster or jair Jordan or whoever it just seemed like other guys could make stuff out of nothing and Damen Pierce couldn't and and it's it's a concern I mean Damen Pierce right now to me if if there is something that could happen really as far as guys picking up off the scrap Heap uh other guys that are going to be cut out there it could definitely be running back in Pierce's spot I even said that I felt a change of scenery was good for Damen Pierce but I didn't get the sense from things that I read and heard that the Texans are quite where their fans are where Damen is concerned I I feel like they at least want to give him the benefit of the doubt you know at least for part of this season now if things continue to go south you know you very well might see him released in the middle of the season but I I kind of got the feeling that as much as I know a lot of fans would like to see him gone I think the Texans just want to give him a little more mileage see if if they can get any more mileage out of him and I certainly don't see him as the direct backup to Joe Mixon but he is still on the roster so anything can happen you know and they could still use him on return so there's still things he could do but it it didn't surprise me too much that he made the roster but you know we can sit here and say well he needs to change the scenery maybe it's good for him but but who are we to say really in the long in the long run yeah it's uh it's something that I feel like is very movable I mean running backs are yesterday's newspaper I mean it just they just get thrown out with the trash you usually so it's it's surprising that they're so dead set on on keeping with this guy that really hasn't looked good since about two-thirds of the way of his rookie season but we'll see their two best cornerbacks last year Desmond King and tavier Thomas Stephen they released Desmond which is putting a ton of faith in Petri I mean you you basically move on from the guys that were your two best corners did you like putting all your eggs in the Petri basket well I'm still not completely sold on him I mean he did show some good things this preseason but that's a a small sample size against you know questionable defenses so if you're banking on that Robert but you know what I I've got to trust I've got to trust Deo Ryan on this because if if anybody knows defense it's Deo and he's not perfect by any means but if he's the one that's having a big say in this I'm gonna trust that he knows what he's doing moving forward and yeah it's it's a risk with with Petri but I'm gonna trust him on this one well moving on with the quarterback CJ Henderson is out okuda survives among the two first round bus cerio took a flyer on Miles Bryant D'Angelo Ross those two beat out Mike Ford D'Angelo's Edge on everybody Stephen was special teams I'd assume that's the only thing I would say Robert because yeah CJ Henderson I thought you know that that kind of caught me a little bit by surprise too so yeah that's the only thing you can think of is the Special Teams angle is what's coming into play here on Saturday's postgame I predicted fullbacks Beck and harston were likely gone or at the very least Beck would be placed on the IR I also said Stephen that I'd like British Brooks as a fullback because of his versatility I am not a fullback fan unless they're versatile and as of now the Texans agreed with me for once they did Robert and you know what I I'm was I'm a bit intrigued by the British Brooks at fullback thing I I personally was pulling for British Brooks I know I mentioned this I think on our last podcast but you know he's quite a story you know he he could be a fan favorite if you just look at his story he was a walk-on at North Carolina in fact he got one scholarship offer for division one Robert and he turned it down because he wanted to go to North Carolina his mine was made up and he walked on despite having like something like 10 running backs in front of him so this guy's a great story you're glad to see him make the Texans but it's intriguing that I guess that they're looking at him as a fullback so I'm I'm gonna be interested to see how that pans out and he's somebody that you could use in short yardage because I mean he's a big guy Bruiser you know he's very low center of gravity he's not that tall so that's a guy that it's going to be hard to tackle in in a in a short space you know get leverage on and bring him down so that's good for him a couple of other big deals I guess as far as the cuts go Kurt hinish is on shortterm IR Brandon Hills out for the season and the Lonnie Johnson reunion tour is over he was released the rookie Jamal Hill beats out Lonnie for a spot and Stephen I also checked on the o offensive lineman room Nick broker and cam Irving did make it I didn't think they would go with 10 altogether but they did go with 10 alignment you know that's probably a good thing Robert in the sense of heaven forbid you hope that this doesn't happen of the things that happened last year with all the injuries maybe they are just trying to guard against something like that and just want to have enough when I say depth I mean depth as far as bodies go because they sure needed to dip into pretty deep last year was there any roster move that I missed that you were thinking about uh anybody that we didn't talk about yet I mean it's it's going to change obviously so oh it's it's definitely fluid you know especially at this time I mean we got two weeks until the NFL season my gosh Robert there there probably half a dozen moves that can happen between now and then I could remember did we mention Brandon Hill was also out on long term yeah Brandon Hill was was a guy that was just it's frustrating for that kid because now he's gonna miss his you know he's a rookie last year this the second year we really won't get to see Brandon Hill at all yeah it's a shame you know the guys like that you just you keep wanting them to make the team and every year something bad happens I mean how many times have we seen that year after year with the Texans Robert and you know more often than not it ends up just not going well for the player you know in the long term and I I forget how this all works but some of these guys that are put on IR for this season I think you can maybe bring a couple back designated for return Stephen if I remember correctly yeah you can you know the the rules are kind of Muddy with that but yes you can and then of course you have the long-term and the short-term Reserve where they can come back sooner or they have to be out the entire season we're about to transition to the Astros but quick reminder look for our live Texans postgame shows right after every game this year Tom shabaria and I break it all down this Thursday I've got a Rockets expert scheduled so keep an eye out for that you can support us by giving us a thumbs up commenting and subscribing for free on YouTube or your favorite podcast app Stephen uh who' have thought that splitting a four game Road Series against the O's the fourth best team in baseball would depress and anger Astros fans this weekend my how quickly we get spoiled on winning right and just remember there was it wasn't so long ago that the Orioles were the laughing stock of Major League Baseball a few years ago I think the Astros beat them like 23 to1 in one game so my how time flies just like the Orioles but yeah I mean look I'd take a split with them on the road you know they they certainly did well better against them at home in this previous series but when you're when you were rolling along like the Astros are Robert and then this happens it it just shows you the Astros still have some holes and there's no doubt about it this has been just a season where just about every hole or weakness that the Astros have that you try to hide has been exposed I'd say those holes were definitely exposed in the Oro series it's like the dam breaking and I don't know if anybody out there remembers the old cartoon it seems like it was some old cartoon I used to watch where the Dam breaks and then you know the the the guy's holding like his hand trying to block one thing and then another thing and he reaches out with the other hand and then something else breaks and he's got to reach out with his foot this is this is kind of the game that Dana Brown and Joe spata have been left with this year it's been nuts but you know there was good news Verlander looked like the ljv and his first start back which is great and last week I asked you about a potential Hector nerys return Stephen his whip dropped from 1.05 for with the Astros last year to 1523 with the Cubs but you and I know that relievers numbers can be volatile and if he's fixable he also brings all sorts of intangibles well he does and boy were we Overjoyed when we found out that Hector nerys is coming back and he got a key strikeout the other day you know sometimes right when if you especially if you come back to a team that you left or you know you're pitching against a former team and you need a crucial out at a crucial time in the game you know sometimes you come through for you but no it's it's great to have Hector naris back Robert and a lot of the reasons you mentioned not just what he does on the mound but the leadership in the bullpen is really important this time of year you know here's the thing you you were talking about how tough the job of Dana Brown and Joe es spot is you know this time of year trying to it's like you have to mix and match because you can't make trades so you either have to get guys who you know been DFA by other teams which the Astros did you know they they have been putting Ben gaml out there they got him uh DFA from the Mets just signed Jason Hayward and sign Jason Hayward let's get to that because that name sounds good if you haven't looked at his stats in recent years but he's 34 years old and three of his last four years he's terrible offensively last year's Ops was 813 so he had a bounce back but the other three seasons his Ops 627 556 and 682 this year so Stephen I guess he's an improvement over Chaz but barely but barely well I mean here's what he does give you Robert he is a veteran he does have a left-handed bat it's like they are kind of grabbing its draws because we talked about this last week the Astros Outfield their numbers across the board are very disappointing yes I know Kyle Tucker's out but come on you know they they shouldn't be this low with Kyle out especially because Chaz McCormick having such a down year I mean all the way across here and Jake Meers got off to a great start was moving along for a while but now he's cooled off so it's like mix and match there I mentioned Ben gaml you know he came in he started off hot he's kind of cooled off a bit you've had Trey cabbage up and down a bit you know you had Joey L peredo there for a while till you traded him so the Astros Outfield is another thing where yeah you thought you had a lot of depth there but just because of the the fact that Kyle's been out you know and you don't want yordon to play Left Field a lot and Chaz McCormick has struggled you're you're doing the mix and match game here one name you did mention Pedro Leon had a real opportunity the strikeouts were bad we we discussed it but I wish a spot threw him out there for a few games in a row it almost always takes rookies a while to get familiar with major league pitching and the speed and Pedro came in red hot Stephen so when a guy comes in red hot just to S him a lot of that time right when he gets up did make a whole lot of sense and he brings a lot of speed and power too yeah and I would agree with you Robert because that that's the thing that that I would say is if you're going to bring somebody up you they need to play especially with somebody that was on the trajectory that Pedro was it's a catch 22 I mean the Astros are still in the thick of a penet race you know he can't afford to to experiment that much but if you're gonna bring a guy like him up and you really think he can help you put him in for two or three games in a row at the very least and just see what he can do especially if you're going to replace put him in place of somebody like Chaz McCormick I mean what else you have to lose there at least he can't do much worse so let's see if you've got something in the inter room with Pedro Leon and give him more of a shot than he did yeah he sort of I remember have had a bonehead Outfield mistake which he did you know that that's that's an issue I mean you you can't have everything go wrong in that one position but and that's something that of course Chaz that's the sort of thing he typically doesn't make but then he did he had that play where he didn't charge a ball turned a single into a double but I was I was just wondering Stephen if every Astro is healthy who's in your ideal Playoff lineup besides the automatic seven I assume Jake Myers is part of that automatic seven Altuve bregman yordon janner pñ and Tucker in other words is Singleton at first base or is it someone else is yordon playing Left Field or DH and if so like whichever one you pick who's playing Left Field or DH uh besides yordon well I know that you know the Astros are reluctant to have yordon in left so often and you know my reason for the reason for that obviously is because you want to keep him healthy he's had knee problems in the past and you also you know having him as your DH is is a really good thing but if Chaz McCormick was having a better year I'd say as a no-brainer but right now you know like I said I I just I don't want to trust somebody like gaml or Trey cabbage or or you know and Jason Hayward I mean he's not even on the team quite yet so you can't even throw him into the mix I don't know how you not do that Robert and that's you know that's really where I think the Astros are are going to struggle is because their Outfield is just not produced I think you you've got to put him in there so if your on playing Left you want single at first base you're saying and then who do you have at DH at that point well that is the tough question I mean you you could because you have Victor kartini I mean you you could have Jer be your DH the way he's been hitting I mean that's that's not a bad thing to do uh because kartini is a veteran you know the pitchers do like catching him and karatin is not a bad here he certainly even he is an upgrade over what you've had at catching the last few years I'm not saying you would do that every game but I think for most you know for most games that's not a bad thing to do you're you're in the playoffs what are you doing are you doing that that's where I'm talking about okay that's what I'm talking about in the playoffs yeah so I'm gonna I want to get to that idea in a second but for a little bit I do want to talk about Shay witam because I've loved everything that I've seen from witam I wish the Astros had given him more time at first base and the minors if you don't know in Four Seasons he only played six games there the majority of his games a short stop were at second base and third Bas is from what I saw and the numbers on baseball reference was second and third base right look the kid knows the strike zone he's hitting lasers everywhere and he shown legit base running and it's time up so far if this is the playoffs I'd guess this is what I would guess you'd want duban in left field and Y on dhing for defensive purposes because duban is so good out there in left field and you know you don't want to take any chances in a playoff game however if you are considering you know how your onplay left field and adding some more offense then I would really potentially think about Wham at DH with yordon and left because if I'm going offense Stephen I don't want to use janner and kartini together out there because I'd worry about losing a catcher to some sort of injury and then where are you you have to go to the pitcher hitting or something like that right well that's a good point and the reason that I didn't put Shay Wickam in there well two reasons I I don't feel comfortable putting him at first base in the playoffs you know especially where defense matters so much I I'm not sure I I you know as as suspect a hitter as John Singleton or as inconsistent a hitter as John Singleton is the one thing I will say is he's at least shown he's shown me something defensively at first base that I haven't seen with anybody else now you know you talk about Shay Wickam as a DH well possibly I mean right now if you're if you're looking at his numbers as we're recording this at least the ones I have yours might be different Robert but I have him with 25 at bats he's got a 280 400 800 slash line you know that's not bad I mean you look at Zack dzos and they're much lower but I I need to see more of Shay as a hitter in the major leagues before I'm comfortable putting him in a DH position but that's not a bad scenario to have especially and your point about kartini and Gand Diaz in the lineup at the same time certainly holds true the last thing you want is to have an injury in made any position at the playoffs but certainly as a catcher but I just I had my reservations about witam being a DH just because of the sample size and being at first base because of his defense and Deon and left you know defensively yes that's great but even his numbers have tailed off offensively so it it is a struggle because you're you're going offense against defense you know which is better when you're trying to to put these positions together yeah and and my thing is I I would not have Whit playing he he hasn't played first they haven't even tried they've played eight guys at first base I think at this point and not one of them has been Shay witam so obviously they're not comfortable with him at first base so yeah you're sure not gonna put him there in the playoffs then right and that's my point is like DH would be where you would play him and I'm saying if you go offense I would sort of rather have him out there than kartini just because I'm I'm scared of the injury to the catching position because you only have couple guys on the roster to begin with however like I I would have no problem with duban out there because if you don't have somebody that you're super confident in offensively you would rather basically take yordon out of there and have somebody that's a hell of a lot better defensively and improve yourself there and and I will say this Stephen when I look at Shay Wickham and denzo both of those guys they got to go to winter league ball this offseason work on their defense at first base if they can be confident both are a major upgrade over Singleton offensively although if bregman isn't signed whittam might need to work on his defense and third base because that's where he's gonna be well that's the other thing yeah and you're talking about the playoffs but looking beyond the playoffs I I think you're looking very hard at witam taking over a third base because I am pretty confident I mean thanks weird things could happen but you know if Alex bregman demands too much money and the market doesn't doesn't want to fall for it then who knows he could work something out with the Astros but I'm not confident about that so I'm assuming that Alex bregman walks next year and Shay Wickam I think is going to get a very hard look as your third baseman but you know here's the other reasoning too Robert about why you would hesitate to put y on in left field especially in big ballparks you know like Philadelphia or some of those others and you get in the playoffs you don't want yon in a huge ballp perk trying to cover left field so that is another you know in the cap of why you put him at DH and we say ideal lineup and I threw out Kyle Tucker in there it's like now we're getting excited over Kyle Tucker can eat his he's sprinting Robert come on I just saw before we went on the air he's Kyle Tucker is sprinting that has to be good right can he eat his food right now without dropping it on his leg and hurt hurting him I don't know what's going on with him oh my goodness you know I read fairly recently there was a very nice write up in the athletic about these types of injuries and of course you know they they consulted three different doctors and none of them a have examined Kyle Tucker nor B have seen his X-ray so you know they're they're commenting on what everyone else knows like you and me Robert but what they did point out is these kinds of injuries are extremely unpredictable and obviously what Tucker has is just is one of those that just will not go away I mean it's a shim injury if youve ever had shin splints let me tell you those things are as painful as anything they usually you know go away but something like this that's hung on for months and months and months don't you know if Kyle Tucker was ready to play the Astros would have him out there three months ago or two months ago I guess haven't been quite that long so that's really the problem you know you don't know whether to pencil Kyle Tucker in your playoff roster or not I sort of glossed over it when you threw it out there Stephen but you said oh Singleton has been pretty competent offens defensively and you know he I'm comfortable with him did you did you catch the game on Saturday well I saw no I I understand that and yeah he made some and I think there was another play a little a little further back but he's also made some good plays back there but if you're comparing him to some of the other guys we talked about I mean at least you know what you've got right you know that it it's not you yie guel out there or some of the others that have been you know you you don't have a yly guel at first base you just don't so who do you who else you got it's so unreal that this team that's done such a great job at finding guys and you know getting guys to come up from the minor leagues and do stuff literally can't find a first baseman or outfield the two easiest positions that you would think to find in the in the minor leagues Stephen is those two positions well you would think um and the Astros have certainly done their share of trying but as far as you know going out and getting free agents well you know there's the money issue to consider there's somebody good out there but how much you willing to pay them and this all goes back to signing Jose AB Bru to that contract here we go again because now look what it's done it has set you back at a position I mean every position on the field is key Robert but let's be honest you know first base not only defensively but you expect your first baseman to hit and to hit with power and the Astros just haven't gotten that and the thing I see is like you see people is I've seen like sports media in Houston say stuff like well the Astros they they didn't come into the season with enough offensively and they didn't do anything offensively at the deadline playing this sort of Rel litigation game Stephen really bugs me because look the Astros came into this was their lineup coming into the season Jose Altuve Hall of Famer Alex bregman you know one of the better third baseman in in Major League Baseball All-Star yordon best hitter in baseball Kyle Tucker was an MVP candidate about two months into the season one of the best right fielders in the game janner Diaz best hitting offensive catcher right now in Major League Baseball um then Jeremy peo World Series MVP formerly um that's your that's your top six in the lineup and that's not including Jose Abu you know who they they were stuck with they were just Flatout stuck with but yeah the bottom of the lineup didn't look good with Jose Abu and Jake Myers but Chaz McCormick like you come into the season with a guy that had hit 836 Ops or something like that last year and the last two years he was really really good as a hitter and came up with big hits and big situations who how do they how do you know that that guy's gonna fall apart aru as bad as he was last year how do you know that it's going to turn into the worst hitter in baseball and then at the trade deadline Stephen what were they supposed to do it was a sellers Market they had to give up three great prospects or their three of their better prospects I don't know if they're great by Baseball America standards but three of least two of them anyway yeah three guys that you know you didn't want to give up just for Kikuchi for nine or 10 I mean that's literally all you're GNA get probably from Kikuchi and that took that and then what do you have left to trade for a hitter and and again I just if you watch the game at all for the last 150 years pitching wins in the end yeah now and listen we I know we've talked about the holes in the Astros outfield for a good 10 minutes but look the Astros offense is not the real Crux of the team's problem pitching has been you had to go out and get pitching at the deadline it was absolutely crucial and then look what dropped into your lap Hector naris for goodness sake I mean how about that I mean who would have thought that Robert you know here he is so the Astros are getting help at pitching just what they needed they had to do it at the deadline there's just no way about it you you talked about what they gave up for Kikuchi and look is the guy blowing stuff by you is he pitching seven eight Innings no but he's giving you quality starts at least through five innings and the Astros have won every start he's been in so far in his five starts so I mean it could be worse and that's just it you've got to have the pitching going into the playoffs you've just got to the offense I think is going to figure itself out look you know we talked about who would be the potential starters well look that still leaves people like Shay witam you can still have a guy like that on the roster if he's continuing to hit then yeah you you can put him in a backup roll you can have him pinch hit you can have him DH every once in a while I'm not that concerned about the Astros offense despite the holes that we've just talked about I think it's going to be okay but in the playoffs like you said pitching is what's going to do it you're gonna be facing some great pitching of your own and you've got to come through but I just think the offense is fine at least as it's going to be and I just have to remind everybody that's like every time there's a little hole in the Astros roster let's remember he did sign Victor kartini who's been incredible he did find Bargain Basement guys like Taylor Scott and Brian King like where did those guys come from and what have they brought to you I mean I know they're not perfect but oh my God that what where would the Astros be without those two pitching the way that they've pitched and don't forget about ryel Blanco which was a definite Dana Brown decision to move him as a starter you could say he didn't get him but he might as well have got him because if you don't know where this guy is going to work then you make a mistake there and he's gone and then maybe he goes and he flourishes for another team but instead the Astros got a guy that's been one of their better pitchers all this year and he's still doing it despite you know I think he's something like 16 17 Innings over what he's ever pitched in his career and he still goes out there and gives you a gutsy several it's not great anymore but it's still really solid stuff well that's right and you know what Robert over the course of 162 Game season you are going to have guys if you're going to be a good team anyway you're going to have guys who are going to come in at certain times of the year and give you something whether it's you know a month a couple weeks maybe the course of a couple of months you know I I hate to bring him up because he is is so despised by the Astros and with good reason because of the cheating scandal but remember in 2017 even though for the most part Mike fires was a bust and he was a tattletail there was one month where he came in when the Astros were really struggling had some injuries he actually came in and I believe it was the month of June and actually kept the team propped up until some of those guys could get healthy you know it's guys like that that can come in in this year those guys you just mentioned have all contributed at one time or another to what the Astros are doing especially since June when they have risen From the Ashes when they were about dead and burned to take the lead in the ALS yep no question no question about it um let's close things out with a fond farewell to EXL you blue Oiler defensive lineman Mike stenerud who passed away at 68 of a heart attack and stenerud was the oiler second round pick back in 1979 31st overall played seven years for the Oilers 95 games 46 starts he played 11 years in the NFL after earning a spot in the Iowa State Cyclone Hall of Fame and Stephen there's a couple of Texans connections his son Andy was an offensive tackle at Iowa State and roomed with former Houston Sports Talk guest and Texan JJ Moses Andy stenerud was undrafted but I must have missed this but back in 2003 the Texans signed Andy although he never made the roster but he was a Texan huh well I I must have missed it I don't remember that either I certainly remember Mike Sten Ro because you know that's that definitely in my era the love you Blue and now you know Robert when I saw the news I I was trying to think now who have we lost from the love you Blue you know Mike Sten Roode we lost Kenny burrow it seemed like there was one other you know I'm trying think curly C is Curly c yeah I knew it was yeah there was another defensive guy that I was trying to think of it seemed like it was yesterday then we had love you Blue from that era the late 70s to about the mid 80s and Mike stins Roode I mean he guess he got the the best and the worst of love you Blue because he came in 79 when the worlders were still winning of course they went through the years in the 80s where they just got completely terrible so he he lived through both sides of it but gosh really sad to hear that news yeah and every time we lose one of the love you Blue guys it's takes a piece of my heart because you know I've talked about this a bunch on the show but it's one of my alltime favorite teams and I I wish a piece of your childhood goes when when that happens yeah I wish I wish Houston Texans fans that weren't around back then could go back in a time machine and just sort of feel that atmosphere and what that's all about hopefully we'll see a little bit just a a piece of it if not more this year with the the Texans and where they are and and I just know that we've got the most beloved Houston coach since bum Phillips and demo quarter that maybe we've seen ever and even including Warren mood maybe just think you know 10 15 20 30 years from now and I guess what love you Blue has been almost 40 for us oh my gosh I don't want to talk about it 40 yeah over 40 you think about that 30 40 years from now if the Texans really are putting something special together I mean we'll be talking about guys like CJ Stout and Will Anderson Jr and tank Dell and de ni Ryan as the Beloved coach it it's fun to think about it's fun to think about obviously it's too much of a it's too small a sample size they've only had one good season so far but man you hope this is the start of something because they really do have a lot of special guys on this team Robert I know you and I are rooting for him there's a lot of Texans fans rooting that last year is only the beginning of what could happen again rest in peace Mike stenerud and don't forget to tune in to our show uh later this week we'll have a special Rockets expert you'll want to hear that as all Rockets fans out there I'm sure everybody's dying to get the season going we're just over a month away it's coming up pretty quickly where we'll start camp and preseason and all that sort of stuff so it's almost here but thanks everybody for joining us and we'll talk to you again soon you're listening to Houston Sports Talk hey don't forget to support us by subscribing and commenting on YouTube you can always listen to us on Spotify apple or your favorite podcast app tell your friends about us and share our Show links on social media spread the word everybody thanks for listening [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause]