The Killer B's: Joel Blank & Jeremy Branham
09/06 Hour 2- Todd Kalas and DJ-Bien Aime Give Their Takes on Astros and Texans
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TK, you probably already filled out your box score here, but first time that you're putting Kyle Tucker in it since June 3rd, what do you expect Kyle Tucker to do now that he's back? How long do you think that he'll take him to get back and form? I think it'll take him the next week or two to try and get back into form. He's not going to be running 100%. I just hope he can hit the ball out of the ballpark maybe once or hit a double one. He's not going to be running at 100%. He's not going to be in the field, obviously he's the HU tonight, so you're not going to play in left field. I just want to see Todd get in there and get his swings. I'm not expecting it to be like the Kyle Tucker we saw before the injury, but hopefully he's 90% of Kyle Tucker is better than an option they would have had otherwise in the lineup. I just curious your thoughts on the roller coaster. It just seems like a microcosm of the season itself. You come off the home sweep of the royals, everybody's feeling good, everyone nationally talking about this being the team to beat, then they lay the big egg over the three game series against Cincinnati and now the sky is falling again. We know that this is a good team. We know the roster and with getting a guy like Kyle Tucker back if he contributes could make this a great team, but give the fans that are listening a little bit of a kind of a chance to catch their breath and realize, hey, this isn't a bad team. These things happen. Yeah, we talk about a lot and how this is the best reality TV show there is is the majorly baseball season. There's so many ups and downs. There's so many plots with you never know what's going to happen. There's no way you could have predicted coming off that series week of the royals and they were going to go into Cincinnati and play it poorly if they did not look like a playoff team in Cincinnati, but they look great before that. When the last game in Philly and they swept the royals, they looked like they were going to just cruise on to the AO West title, but here they are having lost a couple of games in the standings the last couple of days. Now they're playing a very good Arizona team, but they knew the Astros didn't do well. They didn't really hit well. They didn't play great defense the first day or so they need to be sharp on defense against Arizona. Arizona is going to put pressure on you. They're going to make sure that you respect every 90 feet on the base pass. So if you're not hustling after a ball, they're going to take an extra 90 on you. So the defense really has to be better today than we've seen or better this weekend than we've seen maybe in the last three or four weeks, who the Astros have not played their best defensive baseball over the last month or so. So yeah, there's still what three and a half weeks ago, it's going to be a fight. It looked a little better before Cincinnati than it did after Cincinnati, but maybe they can get it turned around here against a very, very good Diamondbacks team. Todd callus on the HR and P guests line and you can't have it all if you're an Astro fan, TK, you can you can have Kyle Tucker back, but you can't have Alex Bregman. It seems it's still dealing with that still dealing with the elbow is it still the same for Bregman kind of, you know, playing it day by day, seeing if there's Gremlins there that day. If there's not Gremlins there that day, yeah, it's kind of tough because Joe Spada put rear two or three lineups out every day before you get the ballpark based on Alex's status and he's got one with Alex playing. He's got one with Alex. He's got one with him a third base obviously and one with him out of lineups. So, yeah, it's not, it's not easy and you're right that the Astro fans have not seen Tucker and Bregman and Alvarez and out to Vay and Yiner all in the same lineup since before June 3rd. So it's going to get there, there's going to be a day when that happens. Hopefully that's going to be also going to play off too, but right now they keep kind of piecing it together and trying to get to the finish line with a less than 100% healthy roster. Well, let's, let's turn the page to the pitching staff a little bit, TK, and look at Eric Getty. Let's look at the fact that for as great as he was in August, we come to September. Some people were, you know, whispering, was he tipping pitches? What was going on? He completely melts down in that first inning against Cincinnati. And again, I call it the Janet Jackson philosophy, but what have you done for me lately? Forget what you've done in August. Suddenly, everybody hyper panicked about Spencer Eric Getty. What did you see? What do you think and how much concern should there be? Well, first of all, he beat Philadelphia Baltimore back-to-back start on two hits and three hits. So Spencer Eric Getty is not going to do that every time. And so you can anticipate that what he did in the previous road trip was going to carry over as well in Cincinnati. At the same time, obviously, what he did in Cincinnati is not what we expect from him to the future. So somewhere in between, probably closer to the Baltimore and Philly starts, he's a very, very good pitcher who is figuring it out as he goes along. That Cincinnati start got away from him. His command wasn't great. His defense behind him wasn't great. He could have gotten out of that first inning with three runs of Jeremy Taney made a play on a very hard hit ground ball, but it was one of those games that spiraled and he just wasn't able to get it turned around. So I fully anticipate, well, he pitches against Oakland, even though Oakland hit him pretty well in that first start coming out of the All-Star break, I fully anticipate to see Spencer Eric Getty that we saw in August as opposed to his first start in September at his next outing. Fromber tonight, who's been unbelievable for the last handful of starts, probably even a couple of handfuls of starts. It seems like the curveball, he's being added back to his arsenal, he's getting the swing and miss like he used to, has been phenomenal. What do you think the Astros with Murphy and Miller and the analytic department, what do you think that they've added to Fromber's repertoire? I just think they've encouraged him to throw the curveball more because it's such a big weapon. It's one of the best pitches of any pitcher's arsenal in all baseball, maybe top five. Like, it's that good. So I just think they've encouraged him to throw it more often. He kind of got away from it last year, a little bit when he started to fall a little bit of cutter, but the curveball plays, it plays behind an account, it plays to get ahead of the count, and it plays especially when he needs a strikeout. So you're right, Fromber has been a hundred Brown and Fromber, Spencer with that one start but look at those three guys, you say in August was very good as well, it's been fun to watch. I expect, you know, Fromber to go out there, he needs to stay locked in. Oh, we talked about a lot with Prober, this is a Diamondbacks team that will try to get you off your game with the way they, they run the bases and try and take the extra base and need to steal an occasional bag. So he just needs to stay locked in and not let anything get him off his game because when he is focused, I'll take him about over almost anybody in the game. Okay, JB, we heard Joe Spada talk about the fact that he talked about the fact this is basically like spring training for him. He's trying to knock off the rust, he's trying to fine tune some things and obviously not pitching the way he'd like to pitch. But as you look at this between now and the end of the regular season, how critical is this for him and for this team so that you know that going into the playoffs, not that you're going to get the old Justin Verlander back ever again, maybe like he was previously, but you get a really good Justin Verlander for your rotation for the playoffs. Yeah, I think it's significant. I think in JB's career, he's never had to worry even back to his early days with the Tigers. He's never had to worry about feeling good going into the postseason because he's always been the ace of his team and this year he has not been one of the top pitchers for his team the last month or so. So over the next three and a half weeks, I think you're going to see just can have to get a little better. I don't think you're going to speech us to automatically get handed the ball and gave one of the wildcard series if he's got a five ERA in September. But I think he will. I think he will get it turned around. I think he was the guy that tons of pride. He's 41 years old. He knows what he needs to do to get himself ready. You can look at it as a spring train, but he needs to get better here in the next three or four starts or else then there is a concern for Joe and the pitching coaches to try and get Justin right. So I think he's going to be fine. I believe in Dustin Berliner. I will always believe in him in the postseason start and just hopefully he has a little bit better start here lately that we've seen previous two or three diamondbacks have been red hot. It'll be a good test for the Astros this weekend as some of their better pitchers on the mound. TK. Have a great call. We'll be watching. Yeah. It's now me tonight. I'm off the broadcast this weekend, but that will be filling in tonight. Julia tomorrow and that's on Sunday, but I'll be back in the rest of this week. Yeah. I'll be back every weekend. Have a great weekend. Thank you. I appreciate it, guys. All right. Todd Callis joining us on the HR and P guests line our conversation presented by Texas start grill shop and Gulf Coast Chevy Buick GMC in Angleton. Start shopping for your new vehicle at Lance Z cars dot com. Lancey cars dot com. I didn't realize he had the width. Nice of hell to join us whenever he's vacation. Can you believe? What a guy. What a guy. Todd Callis. Remember, he stayed the extra day when they left Philly because he had family there and friends or something like that. And I thought, well, that was going to be the series. He was going to be off, but I mean, yeah, I missed decay on the broadcast. That's a nice job, but I love those two guys together. Is it time for Yordon to go back to the three hole with Alex Bregman? No, he's not available today, but assuming if Alex Bregman was available and now a tucker back, does it make more sense for Yordon to go back to the three hole as opposed to the two spot that he's been hitting seven, one, three, seven, eight, zero, three, seven, seven, six. It's the bees on ESPN 97 five and ESPN 92 five a week from tomorrow. It's the buy you bucket and it's time to celebrate Houston at the buy you bucket Houston. It's time to come together as we celebrate the city. We call home, whether Houston cougar, whether you're a rice out, you call Houston home. And on September 14th, a week from tomorrow, your Houston cougars clash with the rice outs for the buy you bucket more than just a game, as we know, it's a celebration of everything that makes Houston great. It's about pride for both teams. It's about bragging rights for the cougars and the owls and it's more importantly celebrating the great city that we love the city of Houston. Gather your friends where you're read and show your cougar pride. Get your buy you bucket ticket special at uh cougars.com/promo that's uh cougars.com/promo. All you have to do is enter promo code rice24 to get tickets for just $10 in the 200 level at TD ECU Stadium. So uh cougars.com/promo enter that promo code rice24 and you can get those tickets. Primarily be loud and wear red. You found the killer bees live from the Veritex Community Bank Studios. Here's Joel Blanken, Jeremy Branham. It's time to move your non-blankers, uh, contactors back, they don't have the luxury of, uh, a fragment. Like, you know, you don't have the luxury of pregnant tonight. Use your RTK say a spot is filling out a line up card for pregnant at third, pregnant at DH, pregnant not playing, pregnant, whatever. Every single line up card that is possible, a spot is filling out, coming to the ballpark. What do you think it's a, what do you think you should do with this lineup when it's hopefully everybody's at full health? I think when everybody said full health, I would feel comfortable putting a fragment at the two if that's what he wanted to do. But honestly, to me, a spot of putting a fragment, you can move a fragment up in the lineup. But to me, I like it where it's at with Altuve at one, Jordan at two, I would hit, yeah, it's a tough one for me, because I would actually put a fragment in between, uh, Jordan and Yiner and then Tucker at the five until Tucker shows that he's ready to get back and move back up. Ideally, if everybody's healthy and a hundred percent, then that would probably fluctuate again and Yiner would move down. But for right now, until we know what Tucker can be until we get fully healthy, I just, I like the top of the lineup being Altuve and Yordon. And then it just becomes, do you like Yiner behind Yordon more than you like, Bragman? I would trust Bragman and then, and then I would go Yiner. Yeah, full, full health. I think you got to go with the Yiner in the five spot, like you're top four guys. I think currently you're out to a Bragman, Tucker, Yordon, uh, in whatever order, I'm not a huge batting order guy. Like I believe in getting your best hitter is the more played appearances possible. I'm also more of a believer in the importance of the cleanup spot than a spot is a spot is kind of devalued that cleanup spot. He, he, he, he, he, he thinks the lead off spot, the two hole and three hole are more important in the cleanup spot. I, I personally don't agree with that. I think Bragman's a, is a good lead off because he sees a lot of pitches. He draws walks, he's, he's, he's the prototypical lead off man minus the lack of speed. Altuve is not your prototypical lead off man because he doesn't see a lot of pitches. He doesn't draw a lot of walks, but they're never going to move out of that lead off spot. So I would probably, I'll probably go out to Bay, Yordon, Bragman, Tucker, yonder. I just, probably what I would do. Yeah. That's, that's where I'm at. And then it gets interesting, but at least stronger bottom of the lineup based on some of the options you found in Gammel and with Peña, um, you know, and then whatever you want to do in centerfield. Yeah. I mean, centerfield's going to be Myers when he's back. Yeah. For sure. I mean, I say that for sure, but, you know, Jake's also got a little something to prove offensively. He's fine. Um, it's interesting to me because of the fact that what they're going to do at left field and I know that again, they talk about resting guys too and moving Dubon around a little bit, but, uh, when it comes down to the playoffs, I'm interesting. I'm really interested if they're just going to go with the best offensive lineup and put Yordon in left and put yiner at first and put carotini behind the plate. Yeah. I think they'll do that against especially against these. I don't know if you'll see that a whole lot against righties, like I still think they're going to give single-tenant bats, uh, and I think they like to give single-tenant bats against right-handed pitching. And plus, I mean, this is something we, we don't really talk about when we have these lineup conversations, uh, I was pretty regular when it comes to who's catching certain pitchers. Um, he, he likes to have the personal catchers and that's not really a modern day manager's viewpoint. More of the, you know, old school dusty baker type of manager and yiners had Hunter Brown. You know, yiners had, uh, Fromber Valdez and those guys have been pitching good. So like, I don't think that yiner is going to play first base on days that those guys are pitching. You know, maybe it's just carotini, um, but I'm curious who, I'm curious what they do at first base against left-handed pitching when yiners catching because that had been DeZinzo, uh, they can't be anymore because they sent DeZinzo down, is that going to be the heck with the whole lefty on lefty thing? We're just going to put single-ten there. Is it going to be, well, Victor Caratini can play there, even though he's not right-handed hitter left-handed hitter. Is it Marisio DuBois? Is it going to be Brightman? Is it going to be Brightman plays a little more space to cover? He was taking ground balls there and we thought that he was a day shy of playing first base and then all of a sudden he was playing third base. So I'm very curious to see what they do at first base when a lefty starts and yiner catches. Yeah, because of the fact that one way or another, if Brightman's at first, then you would assume what DuBois's at third, uh, and then vice versa. If Brightman's okay to play third base, then, then, then I would think that DuBois's one of your options at first base now, um, and you see what, again, are they going to go for the defensive aspect of things, assuming Brightman's healthy, you would have him at third base, but then offensively, you're, you make a great point about the fact that, you know, the fact that yiners had success with the two guys at the top of your rotation that if you don't want to mess with that and that's what you want to do, then you just flip them and then I would assume that Caratini is an option for you, uh, to play first base. Yeah, it's going to be interesting to see how they handle all this. The bad news is that no one's been right. Uh, it feels like you haven't had all four of these guys, really you haven't had, especially five, if you want to go to yiner, like you haven't had all five clicking, like you've had all five in the lineup, but early in the year, Yordon wasn't Yordon. It took yiner a little while to get going. You haven't had, it took Brightman three and a half months to get going. You haven't had Kyle Tucker since June 3rd, like you haven't had these five guys, like in their, you know, full totality of who they are. Yeah, no, you're right. Uh, and that's again, that's, that's when you look at this and say that's why it's fair to point out the fact that we haven't seen the best of this team yet and that there's still so much hope with this team because if you could get all hands on deck and it's a lot to, to, to wish for or to hope for when we don't know what you're going to get from Kyle Tucker and you're hoping that by the playoffs, at least something's been figured out so that Brightman can play third base, but those, those two guys in a nutshell already are so hyper important to this team's overall success, but it would be nice to see just at the end of the season if they could all get to their full potential of health and then see what this team could really be because I think that we, we would really see a lineup that's very complete and very dangerous. Uh, Astro girl, uh, Yordon is rushed batting second behind out too, they put him in third also more opportunity for Yordon to get more RBIs. Um, yeah, I mean, that was kind of a narrative early in the year, but I mean, Yordon had some huge games recently batting second behind out to Bay. So I, I think we put too much weight in batting order. I think we put too much weight, little things like that. Um, I believe in Yordon Alvarez getting more at bats like it was one of the games in Cincinnati actually, uh, where if Yordon got to the plate, he represented the tying run that wouldn't have been possible if he was batting third. So it goes both ways. Um, you know, we probably spend too much time arguing batting order, whatever, I don't think it's that significant. Uh, now, now if you're batting like, Yordon ninth, then let's have a conversation. Uh, but it's how, how much different is him batting second versus batting third? I don't think it's a great difference. I think it's very marginal. I know when we've talked about it in the past, you mentioned seven, one, three. I was going to say you mentioned the fact that the biggest drawback is if you're batting third, you, there's a chance for you to, you know, to come up with two outs and nobody on, especially in the first inning, a nine zero, one, two, I wish they would have kept his inzo and dropped Chaz. I am surprised that's not the move, but then the lineup came out tonight and Chaz was in center field and not, uh, Myers. So it makes me think that Myers is, yes, he's activated because they had to activate him after three days. Makes me think that Myers isn't with the team yet, uh, five, six, four, three, a caller on Dell show this morning was crushing Tucker, calling him a bomb saying he's holding out and it won't be back this season. He said he would come down to the station, eat crow if Tucker played a game this season. Five hours later. Here we are. Yeah. Let's see if that guy goes to the route of that Florida state dude. Yeah. He was going to eat dog poo. Geez. Yeah. I bet you that guy doesn't come to the station. And he crowed. That's sure. Now, will he delete? Yeah, we don't know. We don't know what his social media accounts look like. Yeah. It's a little different when you call 60 30. The lineup did seem best when pregnant with second. You were on was three. I think it does play a role. Okay. You were on had like a three Homer game batting second like they've they've both had good games batting in different spots in the lineup. And then, you know, I guess, Tucker in this scenario, bad fourth, are you all not happy with singleton at first base? I'm okay with singleton at first base against righties. He's been terrible against lefties, although he did homework the other day against lefty and his defense leaves much to be desired. That's where I stand on singleton. That's the biggest thing. The fact that if he could just be steady defensively, you know what he can do against right handed pitchers enough that he's been doing it all year where he's picking up knocks and the occasional home run where I would feel good. His defense was was better in this last series. I just yeah, I would think that it's going to be a platoon system, but I'm not disappointed like I was at the start of the year with John Singleton. Let's go out to the HRMP listener line, Phillip from the Woodland during the hive with the bees. It's up Phillip. Hey guys, I like I was going to mention if Tucker is healthy enough to do some running, I like him in the two hole and here's why. If I'll to they doesn't get on, but Tucker does, which you know, is a decent shot. You always figure, you know, 40% chance they get on base, right? Then let's say I'll to they didn't get on, but Tucker does. He is a threat to feel second. Then you're inviting them to pitch around the ironer and then you either have, I'm sorry, pitch around a yord on and then you either have your on hitting with a guy in scoring position or they pitch around him and you have first and second one out for pregnant and yiner, which either way you win in that scenario, I think the other thing I wanted to say too, was a Singleton in the ninth spot I like in the sense that, I mean, his on base compared to most nine hitters around the league is not that bad and you can always pinch run for him then. So if it's late in the game and you're trying to get a run across, you know, he gets a walk enough that he gets a walk with nobody on it in the top of lineup coming up. You can pinch run for him and then you got some speed in front of those guys. And that's always good. Thanks. Appreciate the call. Thanks for listening. I just, I don't think he's ever going to bat Singleton in the nine hole. I just think that, you know, he's going to look for a guy that can, you know, do the things that he's been doing. Like Philip said about getting on base and having a decent eye, but I think he looks to try to, if there was ways with the kind of way they've been struggling with the bottom three spots in the lineup, if there's ways that there was one guy that's been a little bit more reliable. He could put like seven. I think that's where Singleton normally belongs. Yeah, I'm not a big believer in Singleton in the ninth spot against righties and the whole pinch running thing like just pinch run for him anyways. Like who cares where he's at in the batting order. I mean, you're going to want to play, you're probably going to replace him defensively anyways and Singleton does get on base a good amount, especially against righties. I don't hate his idea about the top four. Now the counterpoint to that would be a lot of managers like to keep their runners at speedy runners at first base with lefties up. You know, if you have Jordan or Tucker up without two day at first base, do you want to run out to a potential to run into it out? Secondly, you move the first baseman, you know, you have a bigger hole on the right side when the first baseman is holding versus not holding a runner. Let's go back out to the HRMP listener line, Rob. You're in the hive with the beat. It's up Rob. Hey guys, appreciate you taking my call. Jordan, hitting third behind, Bregman only works in those three weeks of the year when Bregman taught. I think right now as his elbow, with his elbow bothering, I was thinking he was getting under the ball again, popping up everything left and right. I would either put Jordan or Tucker back in the two hole and then whichever one in the fin, the three spot with, he has hit and fourth and Bregman hit and fifth and now Bregman turns it around and gets hot again, then I bump him back into the two hole, no problem. Like you said, with your own power and Tucker's power, I'd like to get them as we get back possible. Appreciate the call, Rob. Yeah, look, a little braggy catching straights there. I just, yeah, I don't see them. I don't think they're going to tinker too much with Bregman at this point in the season. So, yeah, I mean, I prefer Al Tuvay and Jordan up on top and Bregman, you know, you want to sprinkle them in three, four, that's, I think that's where they're going to end up settling in with the wind tuckers, you know, as good as he's going to be. That's a, I was point though, why not play the hot hand? Like why be married to one thing, like Bregman gets it rolling, okay, like, okay, Bregman, you're rolling, you're getting on base a ton, let's, let's give you some at bats in front of your don. Okay, Bregman, you're struggling back down, you know, behind these guys, I think that's the one thing that we kind of lose in analytics is like, oh, this guy does this versus left these. Oh, this guy does this versus righties. Oh, this guy hits it with this situations. I think a lot of times we're like, well, what has he done in the last 30 days? Is he in good form? Is he in bad form? I think some oftentimes we lose sight of that. All right, seven one three seven eight zero three seven seven six. Let's get to DJ B anime covers the Houston Texans for ESPN ESPN dot com. He'll be an indie to see the Texans and the Colts will get his viewpoint on things when we return. It's the bees on ESPN 97 five and ESPN 92 five direct TV and direct TV stream customers. You have lost ESPN, including college football, Monday night football, ESPN Sunday night, baseball, sports center and more. Take action now call eight four four, keep my ESPN or visit, keep my ESPN dot com. You listening to the killer bees with Joel Blanken, Jeremy Branham on ESPN 97 five and 92 five broadcasting live from the very tech community bank studios. Let's go straight out to the HR and P guests line be joined by DJ P anime covers the Texans for ESPN ESPN dot com. He'll be an indie to see the Texans take on the Colts. How do you see this game playing out? This game has so many fascinating storylines. They've kind of, you know, bickered at each other a little bit. We've talked like how severe is this rivalry? Anthony Richardson played two series against the Texans and early last year, but he scored on both of the possessions Texans have added to their roster. Like there is a lot of intrigue here. What are some of your favorite storylines? My favorite one is how to step on Dave look with this new offense, how you look to see the strap because again, one of the reason why people think this team can be a suitable contender is because they got the meal because they got these because they got the mixing, right? Because they got mixed to protect her and take them over the top. So like we would amazing, I'm paying attention to how we feel and how prolific can be to kind of take this offense to the next level, right? Because again, I think they don't get big, I don't think we were talking about them as the two balls team that could possibly take down the Chiefs because if they only added the meal and the eat and Joe Nixon, we basically would have been, you know, kind of, today they would have upgraded obviously from Bernard, but slightly and slightly upgraded obviously to be a patient needs, he plays like a casting movie, that's a upgrade obviously, but those I don't think it would have been to upgrade them alone with that many people think that between the two balls team. So for me, it's big, I want to see how you look, I want to see how you look, I want to see how the offense is small because the teams only know what, as far as the offense takes them. DJ, watching what we've seen in the past of Richardson and knowing what we know about a healthy Jonathan Taylor, we know that they are going to be very run heavy. And you know that the Texans are going to have to stop the run. We haven't really seen settle, we know that Foley's in the middle. What's the concern level for you in terms of a team that basically came out at the end of the year with DeMico and everybody else and said, we are going to upgrade our ability to stop the run. Well, front and center, game one, you are going to have to stop the run. How do you feel about that and what they can do? I feel solid, obviously, you know, I can't say I feel great about the ability to stop the run. I feel solid, I feel like they are going to moments where they are able to like slow down, drive the turn. They are going to be moments where Jonathan Taylor here are kind of do their same because they are just both guys dynamic, it's kind of hard to envision that they are going to shut them down. But I feel solid. I think it's for me it's more about can they limit the, you know, the frequency where their running attack is able to get them in secondary management or secondary management. So, thinking only with that, then they will be fine, right? As long as they don't get too many explosives and they don't get too many runs that have been infected and manageable in 30 minutes, what could happen if it's been drives, right? Because I was going to have some drives where, you know, JT kind of goes, you know, high goals, you know, you are going to have a long run or two. It's going to happen and they are their dynamic runners, so it is what it is you can't. They are not going to be completely shut down, but how frequent do they have those runs that make it effective and manageable in 30 minutes, because that is going to be able to keep them on the field because it is drastically good now that the game looks a lot different to the shortening game and, you know, technically they are also from the sideline. But if they can limit the amount of time that they have, you know, those types of words that make it second and manageable, third and manageable, then, you know, you put the coast in 30 long, and I think you put the coast in 30 long, you will be in a great position. Who do you think is more dangerous, Anthony Richardson or Jonathan Taylor? Oh, I mean, Anthony Richardson, yeah, Anthony Richardson, I mean, man, because he has a quarter-hour position, so if he is dangerous and he is making plays with his legs, then that means that that should open up some of the paddock for him, right, and he is going to have a little bit of either of them going to get those 3D, because, you know, Shane is going to have, please, stayed up to use the certificate that the technique hasn't seen that can, you know, create some explosives in the paddock game, right, so if he is getting runny plays that are effective in his family and making plays that are nothing, that is only going to save those plays that the Nico hasn't seen that they can use to also get an extra of explosives, right, but if you limit that, now they use some of those plays that they probably have that we haven't seen, they are probably going to, you know, have some success and be effective, if you can limit the amount of runs or a lot of amount of dangerous, dynamic plays that they have with him on the ground, that definitely, you know, you know, I'm not going to limit the passing of plays, but what I'm saying is, you know, when they finally go to those plays that we haven't seen, let's say like if they do like on the 20 and they get to like the 40, all right, cool, but if you, they say that he has a couple of dynamic runs and now they are on the 40 of the Texans and then they use one of those plays, now they are on the 20, maybe the 15, now they are on 5 score you know what I'm saying, so to me this will make some more dangerous is the plays that we haven't seen yet, so if he's rolling, then that's only going to make them more dynamic for a multi-passive position where it through the air and through the ground. DJ, just similarly to the Texans have to stop the run, it would seem to me the biggest advantage the Texans have is, they are receivers against a probably less than Colts secondary, how do you see that playing out? Yeah, I mean again, like I was googling it today, Judy Brents and Janet Jones, you know, they obviously played a lot last year, obviously they have Kenny Moore in the slot, very respectable Michael, but the other two, right, last year they both combined, I think they gave it a pass rate of 100, I used to buy them together, I used like 100, I was using that 102 and Janet Jones was about 97, or reverse, but either way like 97, 102, that's still hot, that's still a lot, and it will be a multi-passive position, a lot of systems and obviously yards. So for me, it's a massive mismatch for the Colts, and a massive advantage to the Texans because they have time to block, two guys have time to block, could be a little bit of ball and use to go, and it should lead to a lot of explosives, it should lead to a lot of points. On the side, I just don't see a scenario right where the Colts can't get pressured how they going to guard these guys, right, because we know they're going to be, they're going to be a lot of cover three, they're going to go cover one, cool, I mean good luck trying to have your three guys guard the Texas three guys, they want to cover zero, really good luck because you're going to have Juju and Janet Johnson or Baker, you're going to have them one-on-one with no safety help in the medical, once they get vertical, it's basically on the island. So I just don't know how they're going to be the cover these guys a lot of pressure. So it's a massive advantage to the Texans, like I want to be shocked to make it up for me this week. Wow. DJ, what's your prediction in this division, how many games do you have the Texans winning? I think they probably win at 10-11, I've kind of backed off some of my Colts stuff mainly because there's a report coming out of camp, it doesn't seem like, I've written a lot of solid, when it comes to the end of the division, from a passing standpoint, and solid isn't on one of the missions, right? You're going to need to be a good pastor, right? So the banals report, well, you know, the banals report, but when they're doing practices report, come on, that, or you have banals, they're saying that all these guys do is run, but that's super good fun, you know? So I kind of move up that thing between Texans and Jaguars, but the Jaguars were just scheduled, I think this thing is pretty daunting too, so I think Texas probably won 10 games, maybe 11 win division for that in season, and started to conduct them with Jaguars, and, you know, I think Texas probably win the division, and you don't know it was a 12 game, but we'll see what goes from there, because I think the bottom of the AFC is going to be pretty lethal, because, let's say, there's a chance you could have, I don't know, Baltimore, Cincinnati or the Jets or Miami or Buffalo coming into your building in the playoffs, you know what I'm saying? Like, that could be, you know, very, very tough out, because I think, you know, the banals and whatever even one of the things, both of you will make the playoffs, but they both can't win the division, but one is going to be on the road, and then I think the Jets could be really good, if Aaron and Tocqueville are really good, that's going to be a tough matchup, you know, and I think I'll make the playoffs, so I think, I think, actually, I think we probably have three team to make the playoffs, and I think, out of the Jack at Texas win the division, Bob's going to pick him and win it, and Jack finally missed. So, I think, you know, it's going to be tough, right, he's going to have those three teams with those three quarterbacks with those three weapons coming into your building, and we'll see where it goes from there, but, at that point, when she's getting, you got a shot. DJ, I'm curious if you watched the game last night, and if you did, we saw the bet, what looks like a much even improved offense with the Chiefs, and we saw a Ravens team that's still plenty talented, how would you say before they even play a game, you see him more than we do, how does the Texans team stack up against those two teams after what you saw last night? The game last night, I had no idea, and I'm playing, uh, I think that, uh, the Texas actually, I mean, they might have bettered with the Ravens now because of the last year, because I think they're adding, I mean, they're the tackle situation isn't ideal, right? And I think with the meal and will, that could be something, because they, like, they're even pole offensive line that's completely, like, brand new outside of, like, the center and the tackle, where everybody else is, is new, right? They're locking off the right guard, they're not off the left guard, and they're right tackle, the trainer, they're right tackle, one of the moves the city could adjust. So, I keep thinking of watching last night, if the Ravens don't get their offensive line situated, it could get really funky, and, honestly, I think, you know, watching some more of it, right, like, the Texas obviously got to figure out what they're going to do and what the Andrews means, they're likely going to cram it, or their receivers do not scare me at all, now with the Chiefs, I think, uh, that's going to be, uh, a fall for their life, mainly because, again, like, you know, my homes, Andy, they're, therefore, it will feed them better, um, I like their secondary, like, the Chiefs, from what I think, I can name out the, the welders of Texans, and the Texans, and that's really well done with the Ravens. But I don't think the Texans must imagine that well, with the Texans, I don't think the Texans must imagine that well, with the Chiefs right now, but it's early, you know anyway, listening to a December, but I think that, you know, the Ravens, because that's quote unquote, their, I mean, kryptonite, um, it looks like when it comes to the churches, the Texans might be able to explore, they're often, they're often the line, now, the defensive line, the defensive front, obviously they still have to be clear, like, I can't even put too much stock into, you know, some of the plays the Chiefs scored on, because some of it was just either a gadget, you know, two touchdowns, one was a gadget, and one was a broken Congress, right, like, it's week one, like, I can't even put too much stock into that right away, maybe a word of the, but I do think that the, the Chiefs' speed could cause some problems for the Texans, the defensive line could cause some problems for the Texans, because Chris Jones, they don't got nobody on the interior, it's gonna be a handful of Chris Jones, right, and Chris Jones, when he does, he opens up a lot of one I want for everybody else. So that's gonna be, you know, some of the last four, and obviously the Texans, the Chiefs enter off of the line to be a strength against the Texans, directly, the Texans enter a defensive line, it's kind of shaky, right, we'll see the look of them that we could get, the new glad you get back though, but I think, you know, it's gonna be interesting chess match, but I think what this, even though I think the Texans might have actually made some more, made us, you know, shouldn't have grown up in a while all that night. DJ, thanks for coming on, we always appreciate the time to save travels, and we'll catch up next week. That's DJB enemy, covers the Texans for ESPN and ESPN.com. Who said it? Who said it this week? It's the bees on ESPN 97 5 and ESPN 92 5, hey betters, it's Branham here to tell you about my favorite sports book and casino, and that's bet us dot com, football is back, so it's time to get in on the action. I endorse one sports book and casino, and that's bet us. If you want a game plan to win this season, then check out bet us, bet us went large for you this season with a huge offer, 125% sign up bonus in your first three deposits. That's right, 125% bonus on your first three deposits, bet us offers value. Other sports books simply do not gamblers insurance, crypto bonuses, casino bonuses, plus they have all the products you need competitive odds parlays, live betting, odds boost and prop betting. It's all for very, very fun. When you're ready to lay down your bed, give your bed an edge. On a combine your sign up bonus with knowledge, get that knowledge with expert analysis, picks and predictions on all major sports on their very own bet us TV. Get started today at bet us dot com, bet us dot com, or give him a call at 1 800 my bet us, that's 1 800 my bet us, bet us where the game begins. It's now time for super producer Brian McDonald, AKA Tremach. I am rude to do his best to stump Joel and Jeremy. Well, I'm stumped. It's everyone's favorite segments. Because everyone loves it. Yeah, everyone loves it. Right. Exactly. Yeah. Who said it? He said it. He said it. With the killer bees. All right, who said let's get right into it. Brian's gonna read to us five quotes that were said by ESPN 975 hosts and then we guess who said it. Brian, quote number one. Quote number one. Uh, honestly, the NFL should be embarrassed to be associated with Applebee's. Sorry, it's all the fine workers out of Applebee's. I am, I'm so loyal to Chili's. There's there's no way in hell you'd ever get me to go to Applebee's. I mean, it's the reaction is Joe George. I don't know. I wouldn't put out. I wouldn't put Applebee's best Joe. I don't think, I don't think Granato or Paul would eat at a Chili's or an Applebee's. Granato? No. Lance. Probably not. But he's got it. I disagree. Lance eats very low, bro. Oh, I don't at all. He hates all these chefs in town and and he's always like going to the chef's restaurants for their special dishes and all that. Yeah, you can do both. Okay. Well, who would you initially? Who'd you think? I thought I initially thought Lance. Oh, okay. Yeah. I did. Is Dell in the equation? I don't know if Jeff, if Dell would eat at a Chili's or an Apple. Dell doesn't want to take it. He doesn't like to be seen a lot. Yeah. I don't know if he would do that. So Joe or Lance? I think that's when it's come down. Yeah. I mean, just an initial, but yeah, you're right. I see what you're saying in the fact that depending on where the deal's at, I don't think Joe's turning it down. Yes. Yeah. Joe, but Joe, Joe's words don't always equal his action. Okay. We've learned that the hard way. Yes. Yeah. Oh, you call it. See how hot you are. He check. No, I don't feel really strongly. I just feel like that my initial reaction when Brian read it. Brian, one more time, please quickly. Honestly, the NFL should be embarrassed to be associated with Applebee. Sorry to all the fine workers out of Applebee's. I'm so loyal to Chili's. There's no way in hell you'd ever get me to go to Applebee's. Yeah. I heard it the second time I'm still here, Joe. Well, let's try it. All right, we'll try Joe George. Honestly, the NFL should be embarrassed to be associated with Applebee. Wow. Sure. All the fine workers out at Applebee's. It's not your fault. I'm so loyal to Chili's. There's no way in hell. Joe's actually a big fan of Applebee's. I found out in that segment. Oh, really? Yeah. I think Joe's probably a big fan of Chili's too, though, right? Probably. But his love for Applebee's came out in that segment. Really? How do you have a love for either? I don't know. Paul is a big-time Chili's. He tells a whole story about being disappointed when his dad wouldn't take him there. Apparently, he's a big Chili's guy. That's what that stuns me. Yeah. All right, quote number two, "I'm going to say something about Spencer Aragetty. I hope that he doesn't take it personal because I think we all agree he has had a really fun season. He's got a lot of potential. I'm not giving him playoff rotation spot. He's officially out. He's the first asho starting pitcher. I'm officially ruling out of that rotation." Huh. Man, you see John saying that? I don't. Yeah, I can see him saying. I think it's more Lance. Yeah, I can see Lance saying it. I could see both of the Gs saying it, and I could-- I can see Del saying it. I don't think it's Del. Okay. Any reason why? I think it's Joe. Yeah, it was kind of buttoned up for baseball talk. All right. See, you made me say why, and then Bryant uses that against us in the future. Yeah, there was a key, yeah, to the last one that I had to bite my tongue on because I was looking-- I was going to make a cadence comment. You mean the one that you got wrong? Yeah, shut up. I could see Lance saying it. Let's do it. Let's go in Lance. All right. I'm going to say something about Spencer Aragetty. I hope that he doesn't take it personal because I think that we all agree. It's really back-to-back fall. The baseball mission out of it. He knows ball. He knows ball. Thanks. All right, quote number three. I mean, at some point, I have to let go of this, but when I faked back to his freshman year when he won a national championship at Clemson, and just like how good he was, and yeah, he was like the prince that was promised basically to the NFL, and it just-- it hasn't worked out that way. I can make Trevor Lawrence. I thought to Sean at first. See, he could either be really, really, really bemackish, and he could just go Paul again. Otherwise, I could-- I hear Joe. No, I hear Lancer Dale. I could see Dale as well. You're here again, Brian? I mean, at some point, I have to let go of this, but when I faked back to his freshman year when he won a national championship at Clemson, and just like how good he was, and yeah, he was like the prince that was promised basically to the NFL, and it just-- it hasn't worked out that way. I hear Dale Moore. I think he's either Dale or Lance. Okay. How strong do you feel about Lance? Do you think that Dale would say the prince comment? Kind of do. Okay. That was my one hangover. Yeah, that's the catch I was-- that I said I could see Dale using-- you want to use Dale? There's a lot of likes in there, though, which is kind of a Lance thing. Yeah. Okay. So I called wrong. You called. Let's go, Dale. I mean, at some point, I have to let go of this. Oh. I talked to you out of it. I think back to his freshman year when he won a national championship. Oh, he's cackling in there. I hate this. He's like how good he was. D-Mac is really having fun now. That's part of the zone. Yeah, shut your mouth. We can go for the 0-5. All right. Here we go. Quote number four. Lee. John. All right. Lock it in. All right. Quote number four. Lee never seen the banner raised. Is he going to get processed while this is all happening? Probably. Right? I mean, if you get sentenced today, I would imagine it's eight to ten hours before you're officially in a cell. Are they going to send you to federal penitentiary? That doesn't even have direct-- direct TV? And then if I'll send a ticket, I mean, what? What is this? Rachie Rice. No, it's talking about Cheesaholic. Oh. What have you been talking about, Rachie Rice? Who's talking Cheesaholic? Paul and Joe? Yeah. Could have been the use of the Wii or two, though. Although, I think that news broke later in the day. It was on the front page at ESPN, and I'm trying to-- I think it was mid-morning. Yeah, I don't know. I don't either. You call it. What is that? We're not going to win. Man. I'll go-- I'll go Del. Let's do it. Let him see the panel raise. This is going to get processed all the time happening. You use it, Joe. Probably. Right? I mean, if you get sentenced today, I would imagine it's eight. Can we get the over five or one away? Use it, Joe. From a perfect game. All right. Quote number five. I think it's crazy to buy coffee from a coffee shop. Take it yourself. It's so much cheaper. It's like $5 for Starbucks coffees and saying to me. If Starbucks coffee was really tasty, fine, but H.E.B., Texas pecan, all the H.E.B. coffees are amazing. All of them. I can't believe people just do the regular stuff. This is either Paul or Del. It's not-- it's not blankers. It's not me. It's not Joe. It's not Lance. It's not John. John has to set up so that he can double-park his car at the Starbucks here, and he dials that he eat pre-orders. Lance is always leaving his nasty funky cups in here with his name on him from Starbucks. Does he? Oh, yeah. Yeah. The big venties. Oh, yeah. I think this is either Del or Paul. And we know-- I don't think Del's going to know the H.E.B. coffees, though. I think Paul definitely is. And that would make four out of five, which would be very B-mackish, of using four palms. I don't think he's going to go for. I kind of think he does. See, my initial thought was Lance. Oh, Lance is Starbucks-aholic. I didn't know that. Yeah, he does the iced coffees every morning. Huh. And he's the big NFL network. I don't think he's worried about the five bucks. Maybe-- maybe Del does know the H.E.B. branded coffees. Those are the-- I think it's between the two and-- This is not a coffee drinker, in my opinion. I don't think it's a coffee drinker, because I think if you're a coffee drinker, you don't need flavor. Like, you find good flavor in just regular coffees, you know? You want to find a good brew, but you don't need like the pecan and the San Antonio vanilla cream. Like, it's kind of soft, really. I don't know. I mean-- So it might be Paul. Paul's always looking for the free coffee in the kitchen, too. But I think that Paul's always looking with the money situation, talking about Walmart and all those things that he would be aware of the pricing. Hey, Joe. No, Joe, but-- well, the only time that I know that Joe used a bot from Starbucks, whenever he used my gift card to buy himself a coffee, I do remember that well, but I still think it might be Joe. All right. Well, I'm giving you who I think it is you-- All right. Paul go on. Paul go on. I think it's crazy to buy coffee. Good job. Good job. At least we didn't get scum. Damn. I was the one way for the perfect game. I was the one way for the perfect game. It's Starbucks coffee was really tasty, but I'm an H.E.B. in Texas, too. I can't believe what he bought his Texas pecan. I can't believe he used four Paul's. Actually, I can't believe it. I actually can't believe it. I can't believe it, but I can't believe it at the same time, but that makes any sense. Does that make any sense? No. OK. All right. [LAUGHS] Which Houston team do you want to win a championship next? 713-780-3776, it's the B's on ESPN 97-5 and ESPN 92-5. This is ESPN 97-5, brought to you by Zadda Jules. KFNC-989-HD2, Montville, Houston, a gal media station. American Giant makes great clothing, t-shirts, jeans, and more right here in the U.S., creating jobs in towns and cities across the country. Support America's workers and get 20% off your first order at american-giant.com with code STAPLE-20.