The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Dusty Baker On Guys Struggling Through The Early Season & Injury Updates

Episode Date: August 12, 2020

Dusty Baker On Guys Struggling Through The Early Season & Injury Updates

The Houston Astros. The Astros. This exclusive Astros segment on Sports Talk 790 is brought to you by Expedity, The Future of Awesome. That's awesome. Time is 1232. It is the Matt Thomas show. We are visiting right now with the manager of your Houston Astros, Dusty Baker.

Skip, good afternoon. When I was teaching my children about baseball and base running, we were always told the first or third out at third base would be the first. most maddening. I'm assuming that feels the same way at the major league level for all the games you have managed. Well, it's the same way in any level. I mean, my son told me that last night, you know what I mean, and he's in college. And so that's what I've told him. You know, some of the guys are trying a little bit too hard, trying to make things happen versus just, you know, letting it happen. And, you know, that's what kind of happens when things

aren't going well. You get burnt for it. You know, these aren't very pleasant times. I really need some sleep. And I think my coaching staff needs to sleep because it wakes you up in the middle of the night, you know, just wondering what changes you have to make and you make notes and about, you know, who you're going to talk to. So, you know, we've got a lot of work to do, but, you know, we'll get it done. You have mixed a lineup up a little bit. You're going to give, I guess, Jose a day off. And let's get to Al Tuvae for just a little bit because this is not the Jose Altoouet we've ever seen before in our life. The bat is just not the same way it was. There's been some defensive issues here and there. What have you said in terms of,

you know what, take, what do you want him to do in these next two days as he gets himself, hopefully, out of this slump? Well, I'm invited to sit with me like a couple managers did some with me when I was playing and just sort of notice, you know, who's hot, who's cold on their side, outside, start with their feet and see how slow their feet are or if they're real jumpy and they're probably not, not hitting very well. And, you know, it's a matter of, of concentration and focus, you can sort of tell. So, you know, it's as good every once in a while to just back off and then you can watch other people and then you get a true, you can make a true assessment of yourself, you know,

because when you're going poorly, man, it looks like there's, you know, a Springer said about 10 days ago it looked like there's 22 people on the field. They don't look like there's a hole anywhere and every time you look up your own too. And so it's a matter of, uh, of, uh, of, of, of, of, of, of, of, of, of, of, of, of, of, of, of, of, of concentration and, you know, on desire and relaxation, but it's tough to, you know, relax when you're old for the world seems like. So, you know, he'll get it together. And, you know, one thing I remember is that, and, I mean, even though it's a season in your mind, it's still kind of at the end of spring training in your body. because, like, I mean, these guys have 50 RBIs.

I'm sorry, 50 at bat. And this is what you probably shoot for between 30 and 50 at the end of spring training, except that they, you know, they count. So, you know, we've got to stay close until we got all our big boys back or figure out this bullpen situation. And, you know, it's really, you know, a tough thing when you're so close to, you know, getting a guy out. We gave up like three or four, one, two hits last night.

We gave up some in Oakland. You know, we just got to figure out a way how to put these guys, you know, away. So I'm having a meeting today with Stromney and Miller and our bullpen catcher just try to figure this out. Dusty Baker here on the Matt Thomas show and Dusty, as you mentioned, it has to be that much more frustrating

because of all of the close losses that you've had lately. but does that give you some hope to make you feel like you're close to getting over the hump? Oh, yeah, I mean, big time. I mean, you know, we're one hit away, you know, one strike away, one play away. You know, the ball last night gets through. I mean, that's a ground ball with a guy who can't run in rough. It's the same thing happened in Oakland, you know. No, not in Oakland in Arizona.

I mean, that's a double play ball that was just out of reach. So, you know, we just got to keep fighting, you know, you know, concentrated. you know, a little harder, you know, make sure we get the signs because, you know, we've been missing some signs and, you know, we haven't played well in all departments and, you know, including us as coaches, you know, we got to concentrate a little more and do even more teaching now, I think, at the big league level than you, you know, we've ever had. So it's a, it's a different ballgame now. And, you know, a lot of these kids are rushed up here before, before they're really big league wise.

You know, mentally, physically, you know, games played. So, you know, we're trying to win games while we're teaching at the same time to make it easier on everybody in the future. It's safe to assume, Desty, over your managerial career, you've had a lot of great closers. You've probably had some really good setup guys over the years as well. Obviously, with Osunuk being done, probably for the season, that puts you in a different spot. With so many young men just getting their feet wet to major league baseball, I'm assuming you've not defined their roles. And I guess the bigger question is because of that,

does that make your job more difficult to kind of try to catch the hot hand? Because obviously, Ryan, the last couple times you've been put him in that closure spot, has not been able to come through for you. Well, yeah. And then, you know, last night, Taylor's been, you know, lights out. And, you know, like he throws a fastball right by pants and then hangs a break ball, you know, he's positive in the right field. So, you know, from night to night, it's kind of jumped.

around. It's kind of like a disease, you know, it jumps around from, you know, as soon as you got one guy well, boom, it jumps around to somebody else. But, you know, a lot of these guys were in our bullpen were former starters, you know, like, you know, they've never pitched back to back. That's why we rarely, you know, very rarely, you know, pitch our guys back to back. A lot of them don't, are still learning how to warm up, you know, because as a starter, you know, they go long toss and then they come in shorter and they take like 20 or 30 minutes. heck, man, you know, they have like probably two minutes to get loose or three minutes. So we're still teaching them how to get loose, how to take care of themselves,

how not to get overly warm in case we've got to sit them down to say that for the next time they, you know, get up. So, you know, we're in the process of, like I said, of teaching as much as we are trying to win ball games. Because it's tough, I would assume, Skip, because if Ryan can't handle that responsibility, I don't really honestly know who plan B would be at this point. I mean, you mad to do it by committee. Hey, man, that's why we're having a meeting today. The thing about it is I've learned, you know, closing by committee doesn't work. Yeah.

You know, because it doesn't work because you don't want the phone to ring down there and then eight people jump up and get nervous. You know, I mean, you would rather have, okay, the phone rings in the fourth or fifth there's a certain amount of guys that this could possibly be the phone rings of the six and seven, the eighth or ninth, you know, you know, guys like to know. where they're going to be used. And, you know, anything about committee, you know, if you go with the guy with the hot hand and then you overuse him, then you've got to go back to the guy that you've been staying away from

for a while and hope he does it. And then after a while, nobody does it. So, you know, we'll figure out. I'm really definitely figured out. All right. Don't worry. Yeah, all right. We won't worry then.

Couple last questions. It's good to see George out there, a little pinch running. You're assuming Friday may be an opportunity for him to get back on the field and play? Well, you know, George might be in there today as D.H. Good. I just don't tell him yet. I haven't talked to him yet. Let me tell you.

Hey, Dust, he's not on Twitter, so I won't tell him he'll be our little secret if that's fair with you. Yeah, well, I've got to convince Michael because Michael's got kind of a bad leg that he's nursing. And so, like, you know, and George has a bad hand. So if we could put George's legs on Michael. and vice versa, then, you know, we'd have a complete, you know, heck of a player. But so probably D.H. Michael today, and I'm sorry, D.H. George today, give Michael the day off. We hate to have Michael and Al-Tuvia off at the same time. But, hey, man, you've got to sacrifice one game, possibly for 10 to 15 to 20 games, you know, if they go down and get hurt.

So, you know, we'll make it work today. And police time you're getting more encouraging news about Yardon Albor. and hopefully his return soon. Yeah, yes, we are. I mean, I'm looking at the injury report right now, and we're on, is playing in a game today, you know, trying to get three or four at that. You know, we're trying to, trying to speed him up,

but not rushing, you know, because, you know, he does have bad needs, and so he's got to come to take care of his knees while you're trying to get him at best. You know, Diaz appears better. I mean, he's a guy that we really miss. He's our, you know, our super utility guy. And, you know, her key is going off the mound today. And so, you know, 20 to 25 pitches, you know, Roberto Asuna is still doing rehab, you know, Verlanders from rehab.

So, you know, don't like these guys off yet. I mean, you know, they're going to probably exhaust every avenue they can to try to come back and help us win without hurting themselves. I feel like I'm talking to the team physician. Skip, thank you very much for the time. Keep the faith. We'll talk again next week. Thanks for the visit. Take care of yourself.

That's Dusty Baker. He just gave us a rundown right there. And how about the encouraging news that George Springer will probably de age tonight? That's great. That is great news. Because here's the thing before he got hurt, the bat was fantastic. He was turning it around. Yeah, you'd start off slow.

He's turning it around. Bregman's turning it around bit. Hopefully day off, Al-Tuvie will be good. Yeah. Because they're going to need, you can tell. They're going to need to score about eight runs a night. How about that Brantley ankle when Joe Kelly stepped on it? He just hasn't never been 100% since then.

So hopefully a day off would do them right. All right, good conversation with Dusty. If you want to chime in on that, you are more than welcome to do so. At 713212-570, 7190, 7-13-212-5-790. College football, still a hot mess. We'll discuss that. Anything you want to discuss what Dusty had to say? We'll do that next here on the Matt.

Thomas Show with a message here for Improve Myerection.com. Dr. Rorick has a sexual wellness institute over on Westheimer, not too far from the Sam Houston tollway. go by and see him get a consultation if you are having any issues with erectile dysfunction or overall sexual wellness. 281, 496, 3355. Many of the prescription med commercials who hear will work for a little while before they stop working entirely. This actually happened to Dr. Rourke himself. You call 281, 4963355.

Get that consultation with Dr. Rorick and his team, and they're going to find a long-term solution for you. 281, 496-3355 to get intimacy back in your home. 281-4963355 and online and improve my erection.com.