00:00And Albert Pujols, where are you at on that one?
00:05How comfortable are you with that one?
00:08Albert Pujols, potentially the next manager of the Houston Astros.
00:17And we heard it from our guy, Brandon Kiley, who joined us yesterday
00:22from ESPN 101 in St. Louis,
00:28as he covered Randy Flores.
00:30And he said Brad Osmus would be a name that makes sense around baseball circles.
00:35But he also brought up the name Albert Pujols
00:37and said there was an 8 out of 10 chance that Randy would absolutely
00:42bring him in at least for an interview,
00:44at least bring him in as an option to be the next manager.
00:48And mentioned some other names.
00:50But John Paul Marossi of MLB Network and Fox Sports,
00:54we'll hear from him in just a bit.
00:55But he also expressed later on yesterday that Albert Pujols
01:01and Brad Osmus are among the candidates to be the next manager
01:06of the Houston Astros.
01:08Now, we know Brad Osmus, he's been the Yankees bench coach.
01:12He's been a manager in the past.
01:14He's worked in the front office in baseball in the past.
01:17So there is some history there.
01:18To look at what's happened with Albert Pujols,
01:21who since 2022, when he retired, kind of transitioned into coaching
01:26and leadership.
01:28He was a part of winning the Caribbean Series championship
01:34as a manager in the Dominican Winter League.
01:37His first year managing, he managed the Dominican Republic
01:41in the Sorry Tyler World Baseball Classic, the WBC.
01:46Meaningless tournament.
01:48Don't say that to those people from Venezuela.
01:51I don't even count that as manager reps for him.
01:54Okay.
01:54Damn.
01:56He was a manager there.
01:58Also, in the front office, he was president of baseball operations
02:03for that team that he managed in the Dominican League.
02:07Don't ask for that job here.
02:08No.
02:09Hell no.
02:11Still don't know who has that one.
02:12And he also served as a special assistant for the LA Angels as well.
02:17So he's had interviews with the Angels and the San Diego Padres,
02:22but hasn't been hired yet.
02:25So 713-572-4610.
02:28I think the Brad Osmus thing is kind of understandable.
02:31It seems like the Albert Pujols one may be more difficult for people
02:38for a couple of reasons.
02:39One, because how did you describe the home run he hit, Tyler?
02:45It felt like that Albert Pujols neutered me as an Astros fan
02:50with a baseball bat.
02:53You said it was the most infamous home run?
02:56Most infamous home run in Astros history, I would say.
02:59Without a doubt.
02:59Along with you being neutered.
03:02Yeah, yeah.
03:02Sorry, I jumped you on that.
03:03Pretty significant moment in time.
03:05Yeah.
03:05Still see Brad Lidge in that catcher stance.
03:08Never forget it.
03:08On the mound.
03:10I really don't know how he was able to throw pitches after.
03:13His head was completely gone.
03:15Anyway.
03:16That ball's still soaring over the railroad tracks, man.
03:18No, that wall stopped it.
03:20But you all, where are you at on that?
03:22What's your thought process if that is the way they go
03:28and he becomes the next manager of the Astros?
03:32Oh, I'm here for it.
03:33I mean, look, neither one of these guys, you know, scare me.
03:36I mean, I'd be here for a former player that's been in systems
03:40and kind of been working his way up.
03:42I'm not so much here for just the random former player,
03:45but the guy that's got some experience, whether it be coaching, managing,
03:49or in the front office, I'm game with either one of these guys.
03:52I like the former player approach.
03:54I'm not afraid of the guy that's never managed
03:57at the Major League Baseball level either.
04:00And I personally am not a fan that when I see Albert Pujols,
04:04the first thing I think of is Tyler getting neutered by a bat.
04:08I mean, obviously I'm aware of that,
04:10and it was a dark moment for us, obviously,
04:14but it's not the first thing I think of when I see Albert Pujols.
04:19So I would not be opposed to any of these guys.
04:22I think it would be fascinating to see kind of the response to Pujols.
04:27Let's just rip it off, Tyler.
04:28You got the Pujols homer?
04:30Oh, yes.
04:31Let's just rip this off.
04:32Let's just get this over with.
04:33This is my nightmare.
04:34This is the last time.
04:35He'll apologize if he gets the job for his greatness.
04:39Let's just rip this off.
04:40Let's just get this over with.
04:42Oh, on to Pujols.
04:44In the air left field, and Pujols has given St. Louis the lead.
04:49A dramatic towering three-run home run.
04:53Stunned in disbelief here in Houston.
04:56A single by Eckstein, a walk to Edmonds,
04:59and how about Albert Pujols?
05:02Eckstein was on base.
05:03I hated that little punk.
05:04I forgot we lost Tom Brenneman, too,
05:06when he caught a hot mic and said that slur that took him off of TV and radio
05:14for the rest of his life, who had the call there for Fox.
05:18Yeah, just rip it off.
05:19All right, man, that happened a long time ago.
05:21That's painful.
05:21I know it's painful.
05:22That was the end of Lights Out Lidge.
05:24But you've won championships.
05:26The end.
05:26And he played for the Angels and robbed them blind and was terrible
05:31for long stretches over there.
05:33Hmm.
05:33All right, just rip it off.
05:36It's over.
05:37It doesn't feel over.
05:38It should be.
05:39Just rip it off.
05:40That's one of those moments in Houston fandom,
05:44no matter the sport, that the pain never goes away.
05:47It never does.
05:49Somebody just said,
05:50why don't we make T.Y. Hilton the wide receivers coach?
05:52Should I do that?
05:53That's good.
05:54He'd be better than Ben.
05:56Sorry, Ben.
05:59No, I'm sorry.
06:00I'd rather T.Y. Hilton work with J.Y.
06:03T.Y. wouldn't take that job.
06:05No.
06:06J.Y.
06:07You don't strike me as no yes, man.
06:09And Tate Dale.
06:10I'd rather them work with them to Ben.
06:12Maybe they might have some people run routes.
06:14I believe T.Y. would have stood up
06:16when that New York Giants game plan got first introduced.
06:19Said I'm walking out of this.
06:20Nah, boys, that ain't.
06:21You going to pull who off the field for 71?
06:25Someone texted in,
06:28grew up in St. Louis.
06:30Pujols was a great dude.
06:32Brad Lidge was Pujols' itch, Bill said.
06:36I know I've already said it today,
06:37but that's my one time that I get to say it today.
06:41Someone texted in, that's a no for me.
06:42He's already screwed over the Astros enough in his career.
06:46Pujols means a complete rebuild and sell-off.
06:49I don't believe that is the case.
06:51I don't believe Pujols.
06:52I'm going to tell you why I would like the Pujols thing.
06:55The reason why I would like the Pujols thing is
06:58I do believe there needs to be an element of change,
07:01and I do believe there are too many cooks in the kitchen
07:04for the Astros.
07:06And I do think if he is brought in as the manager,
07:10then I think there is a belief that that changes.
07:13I think there is a belief of, like, all right,
07:17there's not just, like, one or two people
07:19making major decisions.
07:21There are four or five making major decisions.
07:25I think that would mean that.
07:28If Brad Ausmus is the manager, look out, Randy.
07:31Yeah, I mean, if this is an abbreviated process
07:34and Brad has just anointed the guy.
07:36At least he's not the enemy.
07:38Well, look, I'm not opposed to Brad being the guy.
07:40I'm just telling you, I think it's a better sign
07:42for all of us Astros fans if the general manager
07:45that was just hired, if they at least take
07:47his top candidate seriously.
07:49I mean, I get it.
07:51If Crane can't go there, I mean, I imagine most
07:54of Astros' nation would appreciate that.
07:55But we at least got to entertain the thought, right?
07:58Anytime I want to entertain the thought
07:59that this thing is changing, then I hear things like this.
08:02Here's John Paul Morosi discussing the manager situation,
08:07and he does let us know about these two people.
08:12He does.
08:13Randy Flores is getting right to work hiring a new manager,
08:17and I can confirm that two names currently
08:20under consideration, Brad Ausmus and Albert Pujols.
08:24And I always love it, Lauren, when we can join the president
08:28with a little bit of baseball history.
08:29Oh, my God.
08:30Those two players were right there.
08:32And, Harold, I love it, too.
08:33Those two players are in the frame when you talk about
08:37one of the most famous home runs in the history
08:39of the city of Houston.
08:41There's Ausmus behind the plate, and there is Albert Pujols
08:45delivering that amazing moment in Houston that prolonged
08:51the National League Championship Series back in 2005.
08:55Albert has been training for a managerial role for a long time.
08:58He managed the Dominican Republic at the World Baseball Classic.
09:01He thinks the game so well.
09:03So, again, two of the candidates now for the Astros managerial spot,
09:08Albert Pujols and former Astros catcher and current Yankees bench coach,
09:13Brad Ausmus.
09:14You know what he also said?
09:17He also said they had interviewed about eight or nine guys
09:20for the managerial role before Randy Flores took the job.
09:26Yeah, it's – when I heard Crane say the eight or nine, I was like,
09:30man, we're hiring a general manager for a major league baseball organization.
09:35You don't remember having – was it eight or nine?
09:37He interviewed coaches, though, for the managerial position already
09:42before Randy got the job.
09:44He'll have full authority.
09:47Please call me Flo.
09:48Before he got the job.
09:50All right, we'll see, man.
09:51I'm all right with Al.
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