The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Dusty Baker On Justin Verlander Throwing Vs Hitters: He Looked Pretty Good

Episode Date: September 16, 2020

Dusty Baker On Justin Verlander Throwing Vs Hitters: He Looked Pretty Good

Time is 1232. Dusty Baker will be joining us in just a matter of seconds here on the Matt Thomas show. Still ahead, Joel Cladham Fox Sports. He'll be on the call of the Houston versus Baylor game this Saturday in Waco. Game you'll hear on 950 KPRC. That's our Cougar Update, presented to you by the Joint Chiropractor, the official chiropractor of Houston Cougar Athletics, Cougars, and Baylor have not played each other in 25 years.

Brutal. The old SWC teams don't get to play each other very often. Thank you, Ann Richards. Yeah. All right, let's get to it. We get 10 quality minutes with our favorite manager of your Houston Astros, the one and only Dusty Banker here on the Matt Thomas show. Dusty, thanks for the time.

Give it to us straight. We can take it. Okay, Skip? How did JV look today? Well, you know, he looked pretty good. I mean, he's been great, too. You know, you can tell he's been taking care of himself. and, you know, he threw about 75 pitches total, including four in a simulatic game.

The rest of him, he threw in the bullpen. And for the first time out, you know, facing hitters, you know, he looked pretty good. And, you know, we'll see how he, you know, how he feels tomorrow. That's got to be the key, right, how he wakes up and how he feels. I mean, I'm sure the adrenaline was pumping today because he's facing live hitting, but it's about tomorrow, isn't it? Yes, I'm probably for sure. It's about tomorrow and even the next day. And so, you know, there's nothing else to report until we see how he feels tomorrow and the next day.

All right. And, you know, I mean, the fact that he was on the mound, you know, it was a great sign for us and for him. And I'll tell you, it sure was nice to see him coming in the ballpark. I'm sure it was. Primarily fastballs, or did he change up his speeds over the variety of pitches that he threw? No, no, no, he was throwing everything. You know, he threw some sliders, change shots, fast. balls and some curve balls. And so, you know, he mixed it up. And, you know, he was, he was, he was, he was, you know, in a, you know, in a real game.

That's fantastic. Let me ask you in previous conversations with him, not about necessarily today, but do you, you've been around a lot of amazing baseball players over your playing and managerial career. Did you have to have the heart to heart with him to say, look, I appreciate you wanting to come back, but let's not set this thing back further. Did you have that, or was, he along the way of, you know what, my plan from day one was to make sure that I took this nice and slowly, but if I can come back and help you, I'm going to do that. Well, you know, I mean, you know, JV. And, you know, like if he can come back to help it, he will. You know what I mean? But, you know, the thing about it is I haven't had a heart to heart, you know, with him yet. First, you've got to have a heart to heart with yourself, you know.

And so, you know, he's a pretty honest guy. and he's straightforward. He doesn't beat around the bush or, you know, or anything, you know, like that, because JV is JV. And I'm coming to like being around a guy and really, really respect him and how he works. I mean, this guy's kind of one of the hardest workers that I've been around. I've been around some hard workers. But, you know, like I said, you know, I hate to beat a dead horse.

But, you know, there's nothing more to report other than we just have to wait. for tomorrow the next day. Last question about him, and then we've got some other things to get to. When he returns, I'm assuming you want to see him in the regular season, just at least get a test run of things.

Well, we'd like to. Yeah, could you envision him coming out of the bullpen, especially if it's best served that he throws a limited number of pitches every time he throws? Well, you know, I mean, we're not there yet. Okay. So, like, I mean, you know, I don't want to

speculate, you know, that idea, we're not there yet. So, you know, he has some improvement to, you know, to make and, you know, some decisions to make for us and for him. And so we just have to wait and see, I can't say anymore

than, you know, we just have to wait a couple days and see how he feels. All right, let's get to Carlos. How is, did he wake up this morning, hopefully feeling better than he did when he left the field last night? Yeah, well, I talked to, I talked to a. I talked to a minor trainer. And, you know, actually, he was feeling pretty good

and he left the field last night. And so we're waiting for him to come in at 1 o'clock, get some treatment and see how he's feeling. You know, either way, you know, we think we guys to build, you know, everything was negative. I'm sure he'll probably be sore. It depends on how sore. So, you know, again, I mean, almost daily, you know, waiting to see, you know, the health of certain guys. And, you know, we have to, you know, not only think about Carlos, we have to think about, you know,

Dio's quad. we have to, you know, think about and be aware of Reggie's hamstring. So, you know, we're trying to do what we can to win as many games as we can, but also, you know, be concerned about the help of those that are ailing or the fact that they're getting better, you don't want them to go backwards. And how did it feel to fill out the lineup card just like you typically normally would for once? And then this happens with Correa, though. Well, it was great.

I mean, I was just sitting there, you know, mulling over the lineup yesterday, you know, when I made it up. And I was like, man, it sure feels good. They had Gregi back in the fourth spot and Michael in the second spot, I mean, the third spot. And I had two way back. I mean, it was a great feeling for a manager and a great feeling for the team. I think it's a tremendous boost for us.

But, you know, hopefully we'll get Carlos back today. Speaking of boosting, everything on plan, I'm assuming for Lance to start. tonight? Well, I mean, we're waiting to see Lance as well. I mean, this is a, it's like a broken record, but I mean, it's just kind of how it is. And we're waiting at Lance to come in, and hopefully, you know, he'll come in, say he's feeling great. I mean, I anticipate he will, no matter if he's feeling great or not, but we'll just have to lay eyes on him, you know, have the trainer work on him, and then we'll see, you know, if we'll be ready for game time. Look, over 162 games you deal with injuries, but it feels like in your first year with us,

and obviously only being 60 games, I think you probably spent more time answering questions about health than you never have any of the point in your managerial career. Would that be fair to say? Well, I mean, at least for 50 games worth. You know what I mean? I mean, like, every day, it's getting better. I mean, there was a time there when I hated to see Jeremiah, our trainer,

call me on the phone and come in my office because there was like another guy, you know, bites the dust. And I was like, oh, no, there might come in there with some good news. And so, you know, we're getting some good news now. And, you know, I think it's going to be right on time, you know, for us to finish strong here, you know, add some distance between us and whoever's trying to catch us. And then close the distance between us and Oakland because that's not over yet either because, you know, they have some, you know, some pretty key injuries and they got some tough run. coach is coming up.

So, you know, like I venture back to think about the time, I think in 1980, I think, was it 80? I think 80 or 82, one of the two, where the Astros had three-game lead on us, the three to go. And then we caught up and forced a one-game playoff. So, like, you never, you know, you never, never, never, never until you're mathematical eliminated, you know, you're never out of this, out of the race.

I mean, who knows what can happen in this race? I mean, one team gets hot and another team gets cold, and then next thing, you know, boom, you know, we can overtake them. So, like, I'm not discounting that, but right now we just got to win ball games for that to happen. Skip, I was nine years old and teared up, so thanks for bringing it up. I appreciate that very much.

Last question. The last question. Jose Arkiti, he's going to make your life difficult if he pitches the way that he did in terms of where to put him. And so what a blessing for a young who just wasn't with you very long to come out there and throw those seven frames for you last night. Well, hey, man, I invite making my life difficult because I'll tell you, the more, the more than merrier. I mean, this guy can pitch.

First time I had seen he pitch was last year in the World Series. And, you know, he throws strikes, he changes speed. He seems like he's ungraddled on the mound out there. And, I mean, I love watching a pitch. And, you know, it's like making a trade. just late in the season. I mean, you get a guy of his quality, and you know he's going to get better,

and his endurance is getting better every time out. So, you know, he can pitch. That's all I can say. I mean, I enjoy watching he pitch and enjoy watching Maldi navigating through the ballgame. Skip, keep making that lineup card easier, hopefully, non-aboarding injuries and making it more difficult for you. Thank you for the visit is always.

We'll talk to you later on. All right, man. You got to take care. You got it. That's Dusty Baker, manager of your Astros.