Astros Heat Check

Ice takes a hard look at why the Houston Astros spent most of the season looking flat, then explain why the last few weeks finally feel like real baseball again. We break down the stars carrying the load, the roster holes that still scream for help, and why we still believe another run is on the table. 

• Current record and why the AL West standings keep hope alive 
• Injuries and underperformance as the root of the slow start 
• Yordan Alvarez as an MVP-level anchor 
• Jeremy Peña and Christian Walker as key stabilizers 
• Jose Altuve and the reality of an aging core 
• Outfield production as the biggest weakness 
• Young players flashing upside but needing consistency 
• Pitching staff getting healthier and roles settling 
• Trade deadline approach and why we expect Houston to be buyers 
• Bigger MLB debate on a salary cap and competitive balance 
• What we’re watching next and how often we plan to post updates 

So download this episode. Go and find the Download "ICE IN THE CAVE" on Spotify & iTunes Podcast 

Transcript

Welcome To The Ice Cave

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Welcome to the ice case. Cold facts like the ice case. Iceman with the bliss about to open up a cold case. Talk about it over cold drinks. Iceman in the building in the top and we can talk about it. Touching how you feel, what you thought about it. Iceman, we can call it Iceman.

Midseason Reality Check

SPEAKER_01 0:24

We got a special edition of the Houston Astros in the cave.

unknown 0:27

You know I get act.

SPEAKER_01 0:28

Not the players actually in the cave. We're talking Houston Astros today. And it's a good time to talk Houston Astros. We're a little bit halfway through the season. It's not been a good season until recently. Don't look now, but the Astros are heating up. Just like that heat we're getting outside here in Texas. They are now, as of Thursday evening, 40 and 43. Three games under 500. That's the closest they've been in a long time. Thankfully, the American League West has been one of the weaker divisions this season. Because don't look now. The Astros are one and a half games out of first. Lots of baseball out. They've been a hard watch this season. Players have been injured. That's been a big part of it. Players underperforming has been a big part of it too, also. But the team is now starting to get in a little groove. I can see the the play is getting better on the field. Some players who got off to horrible, horrible starts are starting now to hit the ball.

Stars Leading The Offense

SPEAKER_01 2:02

Like the clip we just listened to. Jordan Alvarez is not one of the guys struggling. Guys actually going for a triple crown for bat average, home runs and RBIs. At this moment, he is at 318, has 25 home runs, 56 RBIs. He's doing it all. Not playing as much outfield this year, but we're not dependent on Jordan Alvarez to be our savior on left field. We'll get to that, the outfield here in a minute. But Alvarez is, it's been great to see him back healthy this year. And when he is healthy, he's one of the most dominant players in the major leagues. MVP material. Jeremy Pinha is having a good season. I think Christian Walker, our first baseman, is having a bounce back season. His average is kind of low, but he's got 18 bombs, 52 RBIs, clutch hits, great defense at first, and we knew that about him. It was tough to lose Carlos Correa. He was having a good season. Team leader on the field, team leader off the field. He was batting 279 when he when he got injured, but uh he's out for the season, so next man up. We moved Isaac Perettis back to third base. His one base percentage is good at 343, but he's only batting 245. Isaac Perettes is a better ball player than that. Only has 10 home runs. So I see him picking his game up. Baseball can be cruel sometimes to some of the best players. If you're batting 300, you're doing really well. Which means you're only successful 30% of the time as a battery and that's above average in in baseball. So we need to pick his him to pick his game up a little bit. Uh the Jose Altuve age, I think, is creeping up on him. But I I will never count him out. The great career he's had. And I think he can still contribute to this team this year. But we are in the last years of the old uh the Jose Altuve great second baseman, in my opinion, Hall of Famer. Just need him to get his game going a little bit.

Infield Questions And Aging Legends

SPEAKER_01 4:48

I think the weakness for the Astros right now is in the outfield. It's uh it's not good. Not enough punch out there. Jake Myers is having an off-year. He was decent last year. This season only batting 203. That's not gonna cut it. Cam Smith showed a lot of promise in his rookie season last season with us. Kind of tailed off towards the end. You can see that happening. He's coming right out of college baseball. They don't play as many games as they do in the major leagues, in the major leagues itself. He's only batting 221 this season. He's showing flashes of coming out of uh a season-long type slump. So the other night he got him a home run. He his defensive uh his defensive ability out in the outfield and right field has been awesome this year. Go glove material out in the outfield. Bryce Matthews, another young guy out of camp, made the squad. Think he still needs a little bit more uh time on the farm. I think he's the air apparent second baseman once Altubay finally hangs the cleats up. Bryce Matthews is gonna be really, really good for this team. But I just don't think he's ready for the big leagues just yet. He may prove me wrong here in the second half. Like I said, there's a lot of season still left for these Houston Astros. Injuries have played a part, but they're getting to be a good watch, not a bad watch. We just need some players to start performing just a little bit better. I think our pitching staff is after getting off to a shaky start, especially with injuries. Hunter Brown is back. Josh Hader is back. Javier and McCullers are on their way back for the pitching staff. Burroughs has pitched good, not great lately. Tatsui, the Japan free agent we picked up in the offseason, starting to show the stuff that we thought he would start the season off with. But, you know, I gave him an adjustment period. It's the major leagues, it's the major leagues. He's pitching much better ball. A disappointment in the bullpen. I don't think that guy's head is straight. There's been some young guys that have produced out of the ballpen that that's actually kept us, you know, so what somewhat, you know, okay. We're getting some good pitching out of Peter Lambert. Spencer Araghetti has done well with us. KW Ting, another Asian pitcher for us. He's gave us he's given us some good starts. But we're

Outfield Struggles And Young Flashes

SPEAKER_01 7:58

gonna need the entire team to kind of pick their game up, which they have, and like I said, these these last two or three weeks, they're playing better baseball. They're only three games below 500. So we just need these these uh these uh next games that we got. We got three games, I think, left with Detroit still left as of today. The hitters are starting to gel. Low scoring game today. I mean, it was two to one. Diaz is back off the injury list too. He's batting 246. He's hitting them with a little bit more pop since he's been back in the lineup. But the outfield is going to be the question mark. Definitely, we are definitely gonna be buyers at the trade market, at the trade deadline. A lot of teams have been calling around asking about Pinha, Perettis, and Walker. But watching an interview with Dana Brown the other day. He he basically said the Astros are buyers, we're not sellers. They want to win this season. So this dynasty has not closed the door just yet. But we will have to go out and make a trade for a left-handed outfielder. Someone that hits with a good average, a little pop in their bat, could use a little bit more ballpen help. So if we can find that and the players start playing up to their ability, the Astros are gonna Astros are gonna do well. I think it helps them a lot in these hot summer days that we do have the retractable roof because pretty much in July and August, that roof was closed. So it keeps them fresher throughout the season instead of playing them dog day summer, high humidity games out in the sun. So it's an advantage. I think we always do well in July and August throughout the last nine to ten years. Uh so I haven't written this team off. Not just yet. I mean, being three games under 500 after 83 games is not really good. But you play the cards that are dealt with you. The silver lining is we're only one game and a half out of first. That's the motivation right there. So we need this coaching staff to get the best out of these players. I think the coaching staff has did all right for us. I don't like some of the decisions from the starting lineups to the pitching rotations. Jury's still out on them. So hopefully we

Pitching Health And Bullpen Talk

SPEAKER_01 10:55

can get this team turned around and start playing some Houston Nationals baseball that we've been used to watching. Yeah, Lo Perfito has been doing really well. It's good to have him back in the lineup. I think he's gonna be a plus. But a lot of young guys on this team. Taylor Trammell's been, like I said, a nice surprise. Looking at some of these guys, Lo Perfito just is, I think we're gonna get some good ball out of this guy. He's batting 236 right now, but that something about that kid, uh, he I think he's gonna be an everyday left fielder for us at one uh at one day. Still lots to learn for him. But I'm excited. This is the time of year that we're you know, we're in between that NFL season starting and basketball has just ended. So lots of baseball to watch here in the month of July. I'm excited again. Think this team is blessed to be where they're at, but we got to take advantage of it. And the way you take advantage of it, you're they're doing what they're doing right now is hanging in there until all the troops get back. And it's happening. I see it. So feel confident in this team that there's a chance that we can make one more run. Let's make one more run. That's all I ask, Astros, just make one more run. And then next year I'm gonna say, let's make one more run. Because I don't see this team as a rebuild team. We got the pieces. I mean, this is Alvarez and Pinha's team now. At one time it was the Altubes, the Bregman, the Correllas. But it's a different team now. I know it's different for a lot of the fans out there who don't watch the Astros every day. There's a lot of new names out there. A lot of young guys. A lot of band-aids put on this in on these injuries throughout the season so far. But still, time to turn this around, and they have been, and I'll give them credit, they have been turning this around. And we are where we are right now. I'm excited again. That's why I wanted to jump on here and just do a quick Astros wrap. I want to get to where we're doing two or three of these a week. In August, uh, I'll kick in some Dallas Cowboys in the cave. I also would do just some regular ice in the caves. But my passion is sports. I know everyone's watching the World Cup. USA looks good. Mexico looks pretty good, too. Those are two teams that I'm pulling for. USA. But I come from a Mexican heritage on my mother's side,

Trade Deadline Plan And Targets

SPEAKER_01 14:10

so I I do have some allegiance to Mexico also. So it's good to see both of them doing well. But baseball, I think, is going to be front and center here for the next month, month and a half before football really kicks into the preseason part of it. And then get into the regular season. Baseball wraps up here, you know, towards the end of September. Then it's playoff time, which I fully expect to see the Houston Astros in the playoffs. They have the players. Good hitters, good pitchers. We just need them all to gel together. So let's not give up on the Astros just yet. I see a few trades coming here this month, right up to the deadline. And I see some of these players who have underperformed will perform. You know, it's been bad so far, but there's only one way is to go up, and they've been doing that. At one time in the AOS, they were the bottom feeders. Now, as of today, one and a half games out of first. You gotta take a positive each week. Hopefully, here the next few days, we'll be talking about the first place Astros in the American League West. Let's get to 500 before the All-Star break. And let's build on that. Get some good pitching. I mean, we have one of the top relievers in Josh Hayter. We have one of the top starting pitchers in Hunter Brown. We have MVP an MVP candidate in Jordan Alvarez. Pena is a go-glue shortstop and hitting the ball really well. Walker's having a good season. So there's a lot to be excited about because it's not a washed season. No. Not by far, not with this division. But the next step is can we compete with the Yankees, the other playoff teams that are going to be in there? Can we compete with those type teams? I mean, we'll get to the Dodgers if we get to the World Series. We don't have to worry about that big old train over there. Which they are negotiating with the Players Union about creating a salary cap.

Why A Run Still Feels Real

SPEAKER_01 16:40

So after this season, there might be a stoppage. Because they got to have a salary cap in baseball. They're the only professional sport other than, you know, basketball has one. The NFL has one. I think hockey even has one. We can't have the same four or five teams every year just overpaying to win championships. In the NFL, look at the team like Seattle Seahawks. The New England Patriots. Below 500 teams a few years ago. Both in the Super Bowl. You don't see that in baseball because too many small market teams don't have a chance to get with these big market teams spending the money. So baseball, I'm all for the owners having a stoppage until we create a salary cap. I mean, you got the Dodgers payroll that they spent over a billion dollars on contracts this last offseason. Yankees are the same type team. These big markets are buying championships. You got the smaller markets going into the season knowing that, hey, we're not going to spend money because why? We can't get people to the stadiums because before halfway through the season, we're out of it already. It makes for a bad look, a bad watch in most of these games. It's a long season anyway. It's 162 games. Baseball's a long season. Sometimes I think it's too many games. But that's the way it's set up. So there are some adjustments that the major leagues can do to fix where all teams are competitive. Like the NFL and like the NBA. Teams shouldn't be able to buy championships. Reminds me of my Dallas Cowboys back in the 90s. The reason we were winning championships, and I'll be honest, because there was no salary cap. Once the salary cap was created, it's been tough sledding for my Cowboys. But they will win the Super Bowl this year. I'm just saying they're going to win the Super Bowl this year. So just I'm a true Cowboy fan. We're arrogant. We believe every season until you tell us any different. Or we're, you know, eliminated from the playoffs. Then we finally accept that we're not going to win the Super Bowl. But I'm not with I'm I'm that way with the Astros. I'm that way with the Rockets. I truly believe each one of these teams can succeed and win championships. The Astros are proving it. The Rockets are proving it. So let's see how this second half turns out. It's some good baseball we're watching right now.

Baseball Needs A Salary Cap

SPEAKER_01 19:36

I see the tide turning more to the positive side in our batting and our pitching. We get a few other players back. Maybe a few trade pieces here. Can make for a good run towards the October playoffs. I'll be back on here doing another Astros rap after this weekend. I'm going to try to do Mondays and Fridays, going into the weekend, and then after the weekend. Trying to keep you up with what's going on. Doing some post-game shows. Got a lot of time to kill here in July until the NFL gets back. And then we'll do both. We'll do the Astros and the Cowboys. Like I said, in some other special edition, Ice in the Cave. I still got my DJ karaoke thing going on. I do want to be more consistent, consistent on the podcast. I dialed back on my social media posting-wise. And that's just a decision on myself that I made because I wanted to get my full focus on these podcasts. Not to say I won't post on social media. I am on Facebook. I am on Instagram. I'm on TikTok. I'm on X, formerly known as Twitter. Go and find me there. You can find me under Chris Cage or Iceman. I'll put my links on the next podcast. This podcast is a Friday, 10 a.m. release. Actually being recorded on a Thursday night. But it will be posted on Friday morning at 10 a.m. The first edition of the Houston Astros in the Cave. And I will reach back out to you on Monday. I appreciate you guys who are going to download the in all my podcasts. And I'll put the links on my social media, Facebook, that you can download. But I'm on Spotify, Ice in the Cave is there. I'm on iTunes, Ice in the Cave. I'm on Amazon Music, Ice in the Cave. And I'm on Buzzsprout, Ice in the Cave.

Release Schedule And Where To Follow

SPEAKER_01 21:55

When I release these, I put my links on my social media, so you can download the link there. All the support means everything to me. I enjoy talking to you. I enjoy talking sports. I enjoy talking life, things that happen. That's me. I have to share myself with all of you. It's not for everybody. But if I can make some of you feel good and entertained talking sports and other other events, it makes me makes me feel that I'm I'm I'm accomplished I'm I'm accomplishing something. So download this episode. Until then, this is Ice Decay. And I'm your boy, Iceman.

SPEAKER_00 22:45

Welcome to the Ice Cave. Cold facts like the Ice Age. Ice Man with the blizzard about to open up a cold case. Talk about it over cold drinks. Iceman in the building, any topic, we can talk about it. Any picture we can touch it. How you feel, what you thought about it. When it's gonna never out of pocket. Check a bitch like what's in your wallet. Send the world to an ice man. We can call it Iceman. One over my shoulder in case I get it active. You know I get it active. My heart on my sleeve and it beat with a passion. Ice in your capture, parent to moment, cause this ain't no caps, son. Ice with the M1. I call out the fouls and the mouth in the case, done. Ice in the case, son.