The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Inside the Parker - Field of Dreams Game! Tatis, Jr. Position Change, Trea Turner All-Time Slide and Bip Roberts on Surging A's

Episode Date: August 12, 2021

This week on Inside the (Rob) Parker, Rob looks ahead to the "Field of Dreams" Game between the White Sox and Yankees, gives his thoughts on the Padres potentially moving Fernando Tatis, Jr. to the outfield, Dodgers Trea Turner's incredible slide for the ages from this week. Also, Pocket Protector Stat of the Week, Foul or Fair, Betting on the Bases.Guests: A's Announcer and former MLB All-Star Bip Roberts discusses the surging A's, and the uncharacteristic deadline deals that made it happen.Astros Play-by-Play Announcer Robert Ford weighs in in the Astros post All-Star break struggles, and why Houston has become numb to aggressive opposing team fan hate.Click here to subscribe and download all of the latest Inside the Parker podcasts and follow Rob on Twitter!! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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From the Berkshires to the sound. From wherever you live in MLB America, this is Inside the Parker. You give us 22 minutes and we'll give you the scoop on Major League Baseball. Now here's Baseball Hall of Fame voter number 83. Rob Parker. Welcome into the podcast. I'm your host Rob Parker. What a great show we have for you today.

Pull up a chair. Get ready. We have Bip Roberts. the former Major League All-Star infielder and outfielder. He will break down the streaking Oakland A's. Also, Robert Ford, who is the lead radio announcer for the Houston Astros, that and much more. Let's go.

Better up. To lead off, it's getting robbed. And keep them up. Rob's hot take on the three biggest stories in Major League Baseball. Number one. I don't know about you, but today is a special day on the Major League Baseball calendar because the White Sox are quote unquote hosting the Yankees for a Field of Dreams game in Iowa. Dreyersville, Iowa, at an 8,000-seat stadium with corn rows of corn backing the outfield fence?

I mean, it's in a cornfield. Are you kidding me? is like, yes, feel the dreams. This is unbelievable. They're flying these two teams in to play this game. It'll be broadcast on Fox in a small ballpark built in a cornfield. I mean, this is incredible. I just can't wait to see what this is like.

And this is a, you know, this is not easy. They got to rough it. They fly in, take a two or three hour bus trip to get into where the stadium is. And then play this game. and of course, get out. This is, Field of Dreams was that hit movie that I loved in 1989, you know, and I remember, you know, the big build it and they will come. You remember that?

Yeah, build it and they will come and they built this field in the middle of a cornfield. So there it is. This will be very, very interesting to watch baseball, a major league game that counts in Iowa in the middle of a cornfield. I just can't wait. Is it cool to have popcorn while watching this or not? Number two. Say it isn't so.

Are the Padres really going to move Fernando Tatis Jr. To center field? The All-Star Shortstop has never played in the outfield in his life, or at least I should say in the pros. But the Padres, you know, they're thinking about it. They're trying to save, you know, he's been injured, his shoulder, you know, maybe, you know, not having him play shortstop. This will help him.

Also, he has made a lot of errors of playing shortstop. Mostly throwing the ball. But this is weird. You know, you don't do that often. We do remember the time that Robin Yount with the Milwaukee Brewers. Do you remember that? Robin Yount would switch from shortstop to center field after 11 years. And yes, that was because of a shoulder.

injury as well. Ian Desmond also did it. It's been done before, but you just wonder about a guy who's the All-Star shortstop, starting shortstop, now changing positions. If this can help him and keep him healthy, at least until he gets healthy,

fully healthy again, I'm not going to be against it if that's the move. I'm not so sure I want him in center field forever, but this could help the Padres. And the Reds are on their heels for the Wild card so they need to keep winning and get him back in the lineup. Number three. I know base running is not in the analytics and people don't do it that much, but I'm sorry. Trey Turner, who's now the Dodgers second baseman, is a speedster.

And we've seen his speed, you know, since he joined the Dodgers from the Nationals in that trade with Max Scherzer. But did you see Tuesday night, the pop-up slide he had at home plate might be the coolest slide I've ever seen. He looked like he was on ice. You got to go see this. Google it. Go to YouTube.

You have to watch this slide. It is so cool. He scores a run in Philadelphia. But the way he gets in and pops right back up, it doesn't look real. It looks like he's on ice or something slick or whatever. It's an incredible slide. It might be the coolest slide in baseball history.

Check it out. Here comes the big interview. Listen and learn. Oh, it's so good. All right, now let's welcome in one of my favorite people, Bip Roberts, the former All-Star Outfielder, Infield of Man, still carrying around that lifetime, 294 batting average, and a baseball analyst for NBC. Sports Bay Area. What's happening, Bip, how are you?

Man, I'm doing great, Rob. How you been, my brother? Doing great. And I know that all-star year in 1992 very well, because you were on the Cincinnati Reds, and I covered that All-Star game with you in San Diego. You remember it, right? I do, man. We were right there at Clubhouse. We took a couple pictures together, man. And it was fun because I had you there with me. And I always felt like, you know, 50 was with me that whole time. And you had a good time. man. I really appreciate you being there for me. No doubt. That was a good time. I do remember those pictures as well.

But let's talk about the team you cover, the Oakland A's, and they are streaking. You know, the Astros have hit some speed bumps. They're scuffling a little bit, but the age are eight and two in their last 10 and going into Wednesday night. They played the Indians in a game, but they're eight and two in their last 10 coming into Wednesday. why are they playing so well? What's going on with the A's? Man, Rob, they've got some newfound life and energy. You know, it's like Billy Bean and David Force went out and got Stalin Marte,

Josh Harrison, Jan Gomes, and Shafin from the Cubs. And these guys have made it instant, instant success. They made instant things happen. And all of a sudden, this team is excited to watch. They have a way of winning now, and they can find different ways of winning other than the home run. They can now beat you with their legs, which is exciting baseball, something we have achieved, it's probably the 90s. I know.

It went out of style, right? Basically, the legs went out of style in baseball. Yeah, yeah. When the last time you've seen a pitch out? I haven't seen a pitch out in the year. That's a good thing. You know, but Stalin Marte has been. incredible.

I mean, this guy's, ever since he's been here, he's hitting about 600, but he finds ways to get on. Use the whole field. He bunts. When he gets on, he steals bases, and he scores runs. And that's to go with guys like

Matt Olson, who's been here all year, and then you bring in Jan Goams, and then you bring in Josh Harrison. And all of a sudden, you got a team that, you know, I know Houston's beat the A's, I think it's 6 to 4, something like that, that this year pretty much own the age. But right now we're looking at a formidable team

that can compete with the Astros. And how about those trades? I mean, was that unlike the age? You know, they've always done stuff on a shoestring budget and kind of, you know, doing stuff with the players they have. How surprised were you that they were very active and they went out and made moves? Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged.

It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm CJ Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defying the odds. like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed.

And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup,

he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything. he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash will get that thing. That man, hell get the flying.

He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball. Like, after you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, everyone. It's Ryder Strong and Will Ferdell from Pod Meets World.

And now the Pod Meets Twirled podcast. We're two men who were completely clueless to reality TV, who now have covered Dancing with the Stars, traitors, and we're gearing up for the season finale of Survivor. So yeah, now we're experts. I know we annoyed a lot of our listeners by our severe lack of survivor knowledge. That is the point of the show.

I'm just going to remind you. I have watched some Survivor. I obviously haven't watched enough. Did people not like it? Yeah. Yeah. We'll be recapping the big conclusion in the 50th season from the final attempts at gameplay to the desperate plea as the finalists to a bunch of, ha, ooh, ha, ooh, ha, ooh, again, we are experts.

So make sure to tune in to Pod Meets Twirled for all our Survivor 50 takes. Listen to PodMeets Twirled on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Agency, the ability to know that we're the experts in our own body. On the podcast cultivating her space, Dr. Dom and Terry Lomax create a space where black women can show up fully and be heard. I wholeheartedly think, you know, you hit 30, you shouldn't have to share room with anybody. Mm-hmm. From navigating friendships and healing to setting boundaries and prioritizing your mental health. These are real, honest conversations.

We don't always get to have out loud. Totally unreasonable with different parts of life, right? Like, oh, have all three meals and make sure you're mindful during all of them? Absolutely not. During one meal, I'm standing. I'm standing and handing my children food. Because healing, empowerment, and resilience aren't just ideas. They're practices.

And this Mental Health Awareness Month, there's no better time to pour back into yourself. Listen to cultivating her space on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. very, very, very surprised. The first trade when they got Chafin, or I think it was, yeah, I think it was Chasin, you know, he's okay, he's in the bullpen, he can help because he's a left end, he's got a nasty slider. And you're thinking, how did the Cubs give him up? But then you look up, and the Cubs gave up everybody.

So they got all the great players, and he got Chafin. Chafin has been tremendous. And then he got Scarlet Marte, and you're like, how did you get Scalette and Marte? You gave up Jesus Lazzado, who's going to be a great young pitcher. Lefty throws hard with a great slider, too. But when Marcia hit the ground, he took off running. And instantly, this team became a different team. And he's sitting in that second spot behind Mark Kana.

And he's just been a great table center. He's on base whether he's still second, he'll turn around, he'll still third. But each time he's on base, he's running. And so you're like, wow, this is exciting. And then Josh Harrison and Jan Goams come over from the Nationals. They got here a little later than Marquet. Marte had already hit the ground running. And when they hit the ground,

Yon Gong since the three-run home to help the A's win. Josh Harrison's moving from second to left field to third base, and he is just making play after play. He had his first home run another day. He had a double yesterday. He's off to a great start.

So you add these three guys who have different type of talent that we've seen with Oakland, and all of a sudden you have a nucleus that's totally different than what it was three weeks ago. And it's a team that now believes that they can compete, but now only compete, they believe they can win now.

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Go to 1,800flowers.com slash tune in. That's 1,800flowers.com slash tune in. What grows in the forest? Trees? Sure. Know what else grows in the forest? Our imagination, our sense of wonder, and our family bonds grow too. because when we disconnect from this

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What about the pitching? Do the A's have enough pitching to make a playoff front? You know, I'd say maybe four weeks ago we were doubting the bullpen. You know, these guys that got out to a great start, and then all of a sudden they got that lull in there. But then he brought Chafin in, and all of a sudden he secured the bullpen. Now, everybody's starting to pitch well.

The starting pitching has just been outstanding. Mani didn't pitch well his last outing, but he has been pitching well. He was also, I think he was a pitcher at a month, there for a minute. And then you've got these other guys who've just been great basketballs and an all-star. He's been tremendous. You know, and then you look

at, you know, Caprillion, he was a young rookie kid who's got the heart of a lion and goes out and competes every night. And he missed his last, he missed his start, but then he came back the other day, and he finished six innings, and he had a quality start.

And he just look around and go, okay, they have all the facets that if playing on the same page, they're going to be tough to be. And I just think the pitching has been strong enough to carry you guys, which it had to be because the offense at one time was just anemic. I mean, their guys were hitting 200, 220, 2.30, and so you didn't have much of an offense.

But I'll tell you, with the injection of these four guys in this trade, this is a totally different team. They believe they can win now. BIP, they won the division last year, in the short and 60 game of COVID season. But again, the problem with the age is that they had an early playoff exit, right? People keep expecting them.

You know, they've won a lot of games, regular season games over the last four or five years. They've been formidable, but it doesn't translate to the postseason. How important is it this year, you know, to A, win the division again because you don't want to get in a wild card, right, where you play one game and your season could be over? but B, make a run in the playoffs. Yeah, and you're right.

I think they had teams that were kind of one-dimensional. It was either home run or strikeout. And this year, you see now that Marte is here, Olson, Lowry, Harrison, I mean, Andrews, these guys used the entire field. Yes, they can hit home runs. Olson can still hit home runs, but he's been going the opposite way a lot.

He's changed the way guys play him. That shift used to be imminent, but now they have to play him straight up. So now when you have five guys who understand how to stay inside the ball and use the entire ballpark, you have to play them straight up, which gives them opportunities now to hit the holes like normal. And so I just think that it's a totally different team with speed. The defense has been solid all year. So we're not really worried about that side of ball.

Pitching has been great all year. We were worried about the offensive side, like I said, anemic. But all of a sudden, you got Lowry using a whole field. You got Marquis using a whole field. You got Gomes who can hit the ball out of the yard and use the entire field. And again, you got Marte and Harrison. These guys know how to play.

They stay inside the ball and they make solid contact. So it's a different team that we've seen. Earlier in the season, I would have said, yeah, you know, if they get to the wild card, they'd probably be in and out. But now that what I see, and now collectively six, seven guys in that lineup and stress that lineup out and make the pitcher work, but now have an idea and approach to where they go up there and understand what they're trying to do.

It's a different team. So I like to see how they do once they get into playoffs, but I just believe that what I'm seeing right now, that they'll be able to go a little farther than they did in the past. All right. His name is Bip Roberts. Thanks for the insight, the former major leaguer, and of course baseball analysts with NBC Sports Bay Area, my buddy, man.

Thank you for joining us, my man. We'll talk to you soon. Hey, my pleasure, man. Thanks for having me. And you be safe and take care of yourself. It's time for the Pocket Protector Central. The analytic numbers you need to know. Well, maybe.

Anthony Masterson is his name. BS Analytics is his game. What do you got for me, Anthony? With the first ever Major League baseball game to be played in the state of Iowa this week, the field of dreams game between the Yankees and White Sox at the site of the Academy Award-nominated film in Dyersville, I feel it's appropriate to give the Hawkeye State some love. Did you know that even though this would be the first regular season game, there was an exhibition there back in 1942 between the White Sox and Cubs that drew a then exhibition

record 8,000 people to the small town of Fort Dodge? Six Hall of Famers call Iowa home, including legendary Cub Cap Anson, arguably the best player's entire career spanned the 1800s, compiling over 3,400 hits and a career average of 3334. It also includes the heater from Van Meter, Bob Feller, whose fastball is still talked about in legendary ways. He led the league in wins three straight years from 1939 to 1941, spent three years serving in the armed forces in World War II, then came back and led the league and wins two of the following three seasons for his Hall of Fame career ended in 1956. Here are a few Iowin superlatives. Most homers, Hal Trosky, 228.

Most war wins above replacement. That'd be Anson, 94.3, one of the highest marks of all. time. Most stolen bases, Hall of Famer Fred Clark, 509. Most strikeouts, no surprise, Feller, 2,581. Highest pitcher war, not Feller. Hall of Famer Red Faber, 67.7. Lowest ERA, that would be Tornado Jake Weimer for the Cubs at 223 mark in the early 1900s. Now, Tony Watson and Michael Waka are the two most notable Iowans in the big leagues in 2021, but the Hawkeye State and its history will be on full display among the cornfields. It was a big week in the big leagues.

Or is it fair? And now from MLBbro.com, here's J.R. Gamble. J.R. The Mets were cruising along all season on the strength of their starting pitching, but the hitting was suspect and most people outside of New York knew that team would eventually fall out of first place in the NL East. Is it foul or is it fair to say that at two and a half games out of first place behind the Phillies and the Braves and no sign of help coming that the Mets probably won't even make the playoffs? Fair. It's a fair ball. It's been a great run for the Mets led by the unlikely lit production of Marcus Stroman and Taiwan Walker,

who have filled in like aces in the absence of Jacob de Grom. But it wouldn't matter if this team had Maddox, glavin, and smokes. The fact of the matter is they can't hit. They had an opportunity to bring in Chris Bryant and instead went for the strikeout prone, Javi Baez. Let's be honest. Michael Conforto and Dominic Smith,

they've been disappointments. And Lindor has been a disaster. he's had one of the worst first years in New York by a big time free agent that I can remember every move they make and spell disaster with this offense Philly has a chance to do the playoff dance for the first time with Bryce Harper I doubt they will relinquish that opportunity to this Mets lineup who doesn't even have anyone who can hit as consistently as old man Andrew McCutcheon Atlanta was everyone

preseason pick to win that division and even without superstars Akuna who tore his right ACL in July they have enough talent to overtake a division which in all honesty is one of the weakest in baseball the Mets need a miracle or Barry Barnes in his prime and neither is happening this ship be sinking turn money into more money Now it's time for betting on the bases with Dave Gascott. Love that money. Love that money. Rob, we're bouncing all the way around the diamond here.

Last week, a little choppy, but I promise we will rebound today. Dodgers and Mets from Queens. I'm taking L.A. Hulio Reyes 13 and 3, E.R.A. of 3.41. It seems like when L.A. goes outside the National League West, they don't have many problems. So I'm taking L.A. in that affair. San Francisco and Colorado, this is from the Bay Area. It's a nightcap. It doesn't seem like San Francisco wants to lose any time this season.

and they're the pace set of right now in the National League West. I'm taking the home team in that affair. And then from the American League set of things, I'm taking Tampa Bay at Minnesota. Rays right now in a dogfight in the American League East standings. It seems like everyone is chomping at the bit. You have the Yankees, you have the Red Sox, and the Toronto Blue Jays have caught fire as of late.

I'm taking the road team. And this one, Tampa at Minnesota. I'm taking the raise. Take out the papers into trash. It's time for Trash Talk Twitter. Your chance to trash anyone or anything in Major League Baseball. This week's trash talking winner is Ray Marcano, my buddy from Cincinnati. And he tweeted me this,

The Boston Red Sox, as he wrote, they went from playing like Mariano Rivera to Cheetah Rivera. Oh, wow. That's right, they have been struggling. the Yankees are right on their heels. They have a chance of catching the Red Sox who are in second place in the ALEs. But if you want your tweet read on inside the Parker next week, make sure you hit me up and trash anyone, anything in the world of baseball.

Hit me up at Rob Parker FS1. When Rob was a newspaper columnist, he lived by this motto. If I'm writing, I'm ripping. Let's bring in a writer or broadcaster, old or new. All right, now let's welcome into the podcast. Robert Ford, the lead radio play-by-play man for the Houston Astros. Welcome to the podcast, Robert. My pleasure.

Thanks for having me on, Rob. Yes, most definitely. And let's talk about those Astros. They have been struggling a little bit. I know they won on Wednesday, 5 to 1 over the Rockies. But four and six in the last 10. and the A's are hovering. What's going on?

I don't know the offense have been struggling somewhat. Yeah, you know, the offense had been down a little bit, and, you know, Yuleiguriel went on the injured list. That certainly didn't help. And also, you know, the starters weren't as consistent as they've been for much of the year, but played a lot better over their last three or four games, had a pretty good series against Colorado,

taking both games for that quick two-game set and got good starting pitching in both. of those games as well. So, you know, every team, obviously, over 162 games are going to have some lulls, but Astros seem like they're in pretty good shape right now. Robert, also Carlos Correa was struggling. I know he was two for five on Wednesday. What's been the deal with him and what's happened? Well, I think with Correa, you know, it really started before the All-Star break. He had an illness, and they put him on the COVID-19. It turned out he didn't have COVID-19, but they had to do all the testing and everything.

And so he came back after the break, and, you know, I think it took him a little bit to kind of get his strength back. And so, and even before he was sick, the handful of games before that, he, you know, didn't look quite as sharp as we're used to seeing Carlos Correa looking. So I think it may just be a matter of him just, you know, getting back to 100%. And I think he's pretty close to that. But that's what I really think led to the slump that he had. Let's talk about Dusty Baker, the manager. I think when he was first hired, people looked at him and thought of a stopgap measure, you know, after the cheating scandal with the Astros.

And he led them to the playoffs last year. They were in first place in the AL West this year. Talk about the job Dusty's done in Houston. Well, he was a real stabilizing force, particularly when you think about when he came aboard last year. and, you know, the firestorm around the Astros after the illegal sign-sealing scandal and really was a stabilizing force in someone who had instant credibility because of everything that he's done, the track record that he's had, the success he's had everywhere he's been with multiple teams.

So I think that really helped. I think the other thing that's been key for Dusty is, you know, he kind of realized, hey, this team has a really good thing going. They have a really good culture. No need to rock the boat or try and change a bunch of things. just kind of let these guys be. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defining the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows. Without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game.

We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson,

we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers while he got the ball, like, after you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out. real quick.

Oh, yeah. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, everyone. It's Ryder Strong and Will Ferdell from PodMeets World. And now the PodMeets Twirled podcast. We're two men who were completely clueless to reality TV, who now have covered

Dancing with the Stars, traitors, and we're gearing up for the season finale of Survivor. So, yeah, now we're experts. I know we annoyed a lot of our listeners by, um, our show. severe lack of survivor knowledge. That is the point of the show. I'm just going to remind you. I have watched some Survivor. I obviously haven't watched enough.

Did people not like it? Like what was just because we? Yeah. We'll be recapping the big conclusion of the 50th season from the final attempts at gameplay to the desperate pleas of finalists to a bunch of ha-hoo. Again, we are experts.

So make sure to tune into Pod Meets Twirled for all our Survivor 50 takes. Listen to PodMeets Tworl on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Agency, the ability to know that we're the experts in our own body. On the podcast, cultivating her space, Dr. Dom and Terry Lomax create a space where black women can show up fully and be heard. I wholeheartedly think, you know, you hit 30. You shouldn't have to share one with anybody. Mm-hmm.

From navigating friendships and healing to setting boundaries and prioritizing your mental health, These are real honest conversations. We don't always get to have out loud. Totally unreasonable with different parts of life, right? Like, oh, have all three meals and make sure you're mindful during all of them? Absolutely not. During one meal, I'm standing. I'm standing and handing my children food.

Because healing, empowerment, and resilience aren't just ideas. They're practices. And this Mental Health Awareness Month, there's no better time to pour back into yourself. Listen to cultivating her space on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. They themselves. And he's really done that. And I think that's a testament to him. Because, I mean, I think, you know, that's probably, you know, that can be, you know, getting rid of a little bit of your ego, too, to come in and say, all right, I'm not going to come in here and try and do all these things differently.

Let's just let things roll the way they've been rolling. And it's worked out well for Dusty and the ice. Astros. Our guest is Robert Ford, the lead play-by-play man for the Houston Astros, joining us here on Inside the Parker. Let's talk about you, brought up the pitching for Houston. When you lose Garrett Cole, the Free Agency and Justin Verlander to an injury, I mean, it's hard to stabilize that. Who's been the stabilizing force for the Astros? Well, I think, you know, Lance McCulloch, Junior certainly has pitched very well for the Astros. And, you know, his last outing wasn't all that great,

but for the most part, he's been pitching very, very well. I think Luis Garcia has kind of surprised a lot of people. I don't think the Astros expected him to contribute as much as he has, but he's certainly been a stabilizing force in the rotation. And, you know, the Astros also had signed Jake Go to Rizzi during spring training. And kind of took a while for him to get going because he got a late start to camp, and then he got hurt. And, you know, he's hit very well, five shutout innings the other day against Colorado.

And it seems like maybe he's getting back on track. And I think Jose Orkidie also, before he got hurt, he's, you know, they're hoping to have him back here maybe in a few weeks. He's another guy who they had an idea of what they had with Rikidi. He just hadn't, you know, been able to pitch over a full season. So I think they've been really pleased with what they've gotten from their starting pitching. And, you know, that's obviously, that's always the name of the game of the game. game and you know you want to go deep in the playoffs you're going to need that no doubt about it last thing robert obviously you know there were no fans in 2020 a lot of fans obviously mad at the astros

for the whole uh cheating scandal and they've gotten their share of booze all across the country there was the big one when they came to l a and the dodgers felt like they had the world series stolen from them is it dying down at all like fans and the hostility towards the astros and the booing as you go around MLB America? No, not really. It's about the same. I mean, obviously, certain places you know it's going to be worse, like you mentioned, L.A., New York,

when they were there to play the Yankees, another team who feel like they were robbed by the Astros of appearing in the World Series. But I think that at this point for this ball club, it's become not much of a factor because they hear it everywhere they go. I mean, again, it's more intense in certain places as opposed to others,

I think at this point it's just like just part of the crowd noise when they're on the road. And I'd imagine, you know, the Astros are about to go to Anaheim, not too far from L.A. I'm sure there are going to be some Dodgers fans there that are going to want to show the Astros how they feel about things. But yeah, I think this group is used to it by now, and I don't think it really affects them very much. All right. His name is Robert Ford, the Houston Astros lead radio broadcaster. And Robert, we're appreciated. Thanks for joining the podcast.

All right. As a As we're having me on. As for me, we're in getting to in this time in the current.

Now, we have to ensure them more the best our most the most important is, for the

treatment, the vaccine, the for the children, is actually to

contact you, my turn, to CA. G.A. You know the California Department of Public Health Take out. Look through your children's eyes to see the true magic of a forest.

It's a storybook world for them. You look and see a tree. They see the wrinkled face of a wizard with arms outstretched to the sky. They see treasure and pebbles. They see a windy path that could lead to adventure. And they see you. Their fearless guide is this fascinating world.

Find a forest near you and start exploring at Discovery Theforest.org, brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the Ad Council. What grows in the forest? Trees? Sure. Know what else grows in the forest? Our imagination, our sense of wonder, and our family bonds grow too. Because when we disconnect from this and connect with this, we reconnect with each other. The forest is closer than you think. Find a forest near you and start exploring at Discovertheforest.org. brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the Ad Council. Better up. It's Jones in for baseball.

A fan's take on the game we love. Hello, everyone. This is Jones Whitner. I hope everybody's doing well. In my opinion, we are currently in my favorite part of this season. Every game is crucial and has serious implications on who will make it into the playoffs. As I look at the standards in the AL, the White Sox raised Astro, are in the playoffs with the A's, Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Yankees fighting for the wild card.

Of the four teams I mentioned, I would say the Blue Jays have the easiest remaining schedule. Out of their remaining 18 games, they get the Tigers six times, both Nass and Orioles twice a piece. The Red Sox, who have been trending in the wrong direction, played two games versus the Orioles on Friday, Saturday. Then they head to the X to face the Yankees. That series is setting up to have monumental impact on the Wildcar. standings. I mean, it wouldn't be right any other way, you feel me? Speaking of having to come to the Bronx, the A's last series of the season is at Yankee

Stadium. I'm looking at that almost like an early playoff series, because being so close to the end, in theory, it could potentially all come down to that final result. If I'm the Yankees, I could take solace in the fact that they get to at least play the teams in front of them in the standings. Being in that position, that's all you can really ask for because at least you get to have some control over your destiny, as opposed to just hoping the teams above you lose when you win. You get to have some influence on that situation. In the National League, as it stands today,

we have the Brewers, Giants, and the NLEs is still up for grabs. But right now, the Phillies are leading that division. Dodgers in the wild card game versus the Padres. And to be honest with you, I hope it stays like that, because that's the matchup we've all been won. wanting to see since the off season. However, I would prefer an actual series.

I take what I can get. These teams have one more meeting, by the way, starting August 24th. With that being said, everybody mark your calendars, buckle up because we're in for a wild ride to the finale. Now bring in the closer. Track one, strike two, speed, right three. Here's why MLB is better than the NFL or NBA. and it isn't even close.

Reason number 1,541, why baseball is better than the NBA and the NFL. It's because, you know, we talked earlier in the podcast about Field of Dreams, one of the all-time great baseball movies. Baseball has better movies. We know they're great football movies. We know that they're great boxing movies. I don't know if there's been that many great.

or basketball movies. Yeah, maybe Hoosiers, right? Rocky, Brian Piccolo. Yeah, you know, there's some great movies out there. But baseball has a ton of them, including Field of Dreams, 42, Pride of the Yankees. I mean, there's just so many great baseball movies. Major League, a great comedy. The Bad News Bears, another comedy kids movie.

They're just so many great movies. But my all-time favorite, nobody remembers this movie from 1973. Bang the Drum slowly. Michael Moriarty and Robert De Niro, a young actor at that point. And it was about a star pitcher who had a friend who had Hodgkin's disease, was going to die. and he took Robert De Niro and made him his personal catcher

and he signed a new contract and the only way he would sign a new contract is if the team kept De Niro as his catcher the entire time, whether he went sent down to the minor leagues, whether he was traded no matter what happened. It's a heart-wrenching story.

You should check it out. 1973, bang the drum slowly. In the words of New York TV legend the late Bill Jorgensen thanking you for your time this time until next time. Rob Parker, out. He can't get it. This could be an inside of Parker. See you next week. Same bad time. Same bad station.

Thunderstruck, adjective. Shocked and amazed by the power of fun on Carnival. Riding Bolt, the world's first roller coaster at sea. Brian got thunderstruck so hard, his 93-year-old grandmother felt it 3,000 miles away in Nebraska and immediately booked a cruise. Hooray! Get funder struck starting at 289.

Carnival. Choose fun. Cruises run U.S. dollars per person double occupancy. Taxes fees, import expenses, additional restrictions, apply. Full details on carnival.com, ships, registry, Bahamas, Panama. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier.

This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day, and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends

on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman

documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam J.

And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick you here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. with our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me. Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show.

This is a place for raw, unfilled of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.