The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Andre Scrubb On His Early Experiences With The Astors

Episode Date: August 14, 2020

Andre Scrubb On His Early Experiences With The Astors

Final half hour, the Matt Thomas show here on Sports Talk 790. Ross, Veer, we are with you. Matt Thomas remains out. He's road-tripping, taking his son up to Texas Tech. But in the meantime, I am pleased to be joined by the man who came over to the Houston Astros and the Tyler White trade. Andre Scrub has yet to give up a run this evening, this season, pitching very well for the Stroza.

Andre, this is Ross. Appreciate you making the time. How are you? I'm good. And yourself? I'm pretty good, man. So let's go ahead and get it started. Let's start from mentioning the trade there.

What was it like when you heard that you were going to get traded and become into the Astros organization? What were your first thoughts? What was going through your mind when you heard that, when you got that phone call? Oh, I heard I was getting traded. And the assistant GM, Brandon GOM, so I was getting trades to Astros. And I thought to myself, but I went from one of the best teams in baseball to the best team in baseball. So obviously I'm doing something okay to get that kind of attention. Yeah, do you feel like what is that kind of two-edged sword there?

You say, well, one team is giving me up, but another team seems to have seen promise in me. What was, did you have any of those types of feelings as well? Absolutely. I feel like every player that gets traded kind of thinks, you know, especially when you're in a minor league or like, maybe they didn't value me as much. But obviously, once you get to the Astros and how well they treat you, you know, they really wanted you. Yeah. And what was that?

What have you heard about the, so we talked to a lot of pitchers on the show throughout the years, of course. And a lot of guys talk about being wowed by the analytics and the different approaches. First of all, what had you heard about what they do here differently for the Astros? And what have you experienced as far as a pitching approaches and all those types of things and working with Brent Strom as well? So when you're not in Astros, you think they're doing something over there that's legendary because you see all. all the spin range, you see all the numbers of the guys that put up in the minor leagues, you know, like, oh my goodness. And it's like, you get over here, and it's really, they just trust their analytics.

They trust their guys. They trust what they're seeing. And they take what you do, and they don't, they don't like, you know, prey on the negative things you're doing. They really build you up, you know, in the positive way. And everything you're doing well, they just continue to build it and make it even better. So that's the main difference for me. Andre Scrub here on the Matt Thomas show on Sports Talk 790.

And I mentioned Brent Strom. Just what did you, same thing, same question basically. What did you heard about him before and what's it like working with him now with you in the organization? You know, growing up, you see, you know, a bunch of coaches. You know, obviously Strom's a big name in the game. The thing that, you know, I can say about Stromy is, I mean, he came up and spoke to me my first day. He worked with me in my first day. I don't even know if I ever met the big.

league pitching coach, you know, over there in L.A. So, I mean, this is before I got called up. So, I mean, just having that experience and that, you know, enthusiasm he had as me as a player and a person was just awesome, you know, how personal of a guy he is. Yeah. So what was it like getting that call? Joe B. Eugenie went down with the injury. You got called up.

But also, it's one of those weird situations, right? We're in the midst of a pandemic. There's all these different protocols and all this type of stuff going on. quite a year to make your first appearance in the major league level. Yeah, it's definitely a little different. You know, I catch myself looking at the stands, looking for my family, my wife sometimes, you know, just out of habit.

But obviously those cutouts aren't in the seats yet. But, you know, it's definitely a little weird, but it's the same game. It really is the same game. And it makes it easier when you're playing against some of the guys you grew up watching. So, you know, it's definitely still the same thing. feeling the same blessing you could imagine. What do you mean that makes it easier for the guys you grew up watching?

You're just more comfortable or what? No, no. Like I'm saying like it makes it that more like surreal. Oh, okay. So out there, the fans aren't there. And it's like, oh, well, you know, I just saw I have a full host in the box, you know. I just, you know, I'm facing guys. I grew up when I was a kid watching.

So, I mean, it's honestly an amazing experience. Yeah. How do you deal with those types of feel? I mean, did you just kind of put it in the back of your mind? Do you embrace that type of feeling or mentally what is your approach when you do see? Like, oh, my goodness, I'm pitching against Albert Pooleholes. Like you just try to keep calm or what do you do? Luckily, I'm not going to say luckily.

I think I could have gotten out, but the game plan was intentionally walking. But, you know, when you see guys like that, you kind of get up a tick or more on your, you know, velocity or stuff. And which is it credit to those guys. That's what every guy does pretty much. you know, you take it up just a little bit for them, and they still, you know, do what they do in their career. So it's pretty impressive. Andre Scrub, right-handed reliever for the Astros pitching very well this season with us on the Matt Thomas show. And Andre, speaking of just this is the feeling and the whirlwind and all that type of stuff,

what is your feeling as far as the lack of fans? Does it make you calm? We had Blake Taylor on last week, and he said, you know what? I could just tell myself, this is like the Florida League that I've pitched in. Would you rather have the fans and the energy? Is that something that juices you up, or does it make you a little bit easier to be calm for you without the fans in the stands? Honestly, it's not like a calm or not calm. I think it's a hit or miss for me, you know, due to my last name, I don't have people yelling at me.

You know, yelling funny things about scrub, but, you know, it doesn't, you know, obviously we miss the fans. You know, the main reason why we do is for the fans. But, you know, I obviously prefer to have them there, but I don't think it makes much of the fans. of a difference performance-wise. Who do you think has heard more jokes about their last name? You or Seth Beer, who was in the Astros minor league system and got traded to Arizona? Funny jokes? Probably Seth Beer, you know, some of those more aggressive jokes, I probably got them.

Yeah, you can't go out there and have a bad outing, Andre, because you already know what's coming. If you give up a couple of runs, you know what you're going to hear. Oh, yeah, you know, I go into the game, listen to no scrubs, and I know if I don't hear it walking off, I had a pretty good day. that's that's funny but it is that it's got to be something you've taken stride at this point you've probably heard them all right absolutely absolutely i mean you know i mean if i i get called i don't know most people most people don't call me andre so i'm so used to just hearing scrub but you know you know the jokes the scrubbing bubbles you know all right it's it goes it's a long list all right

that's funny uh speaking of just being into the astro's organization another thing that they have is Well, Justin Verlender's out now, but you're talking about the veteran guys like the Zach Grinkies and Strom. Who are some of the guys that you've gravitated to, some of the veteran guys in the bullpen or just in the starting lineup? Anybody that you've kind of picked their brain about pitching and stuff like that? I mean, they're all pretty much an open book, which is honestly the coolest thing I could say about, you know, teammates, especially veterans. Presley, Josh James. I mean, Roberto Assume. I mean, you're talking huge names, Sites Mead.

we're talking guys that are doing it, and they're all just so helpful and so nice. And, you know, you hear horror stories on other teams where guys are just, you know, in their own zone, and they really don't want to be bothered. But this entire team is such an open book, and there's so much knowledge that they give out. It's honestly, you know, a blessing. Yeah, and you know, Andre, you mentioned that, and I think there's a lot of the – we've talked to hitters who say the same thing. These guys, the Jose Altuvés, the Alex Bregman, even Michael Brantley, when he first came in, he hit the ground running.

And it just seems like, is that where a winning culture can come from? Is where everybody is open book and everyone is trying to help each other? Is that what you feel like when you got here? Absolutely. I didn't know a team could be like that. You know, I had my first day in spring training. And, I mean, Justin Verland, I came with to introduce himself. Like, I have a legitimate first ballot Hall of Famer come up to me and introduce himself.

He didn't have to do that. You know, these guys just make you feel at home. You feel like a family. And a lot of people say that. but it really truly is a thing here. So, I mean, I can definitely see that playing into a winning culture for sure. Do you have any good grinky stories yet? I don't have any.

No, I try to let him do his thing. Obviously, he's a mastermind on the mound. Regardless if people know what's coming or not for him, I don't know if you saw the science. Yeah, yeah, of course. Are you going to start doing that, Andre? No, no, I don't know if I'd have as much success. I can't do the things he does on the mound. Yeah, all right.

Well, Andre, we appreciate you, man. I wish you much success, and you're doing a great job holding down the bullpen with all the things going down and the injuries, man, and I hope you keep it up. All right, thank you so much. All right, appreciate the time. Andre Scrub, there, of the Houston Astros.