Cal.E.'s Korner

Live, here on KEEP/KEEN, Cut-N-Shoot Conroe, it’s the Joe Groan show. And now, here’s your host, the one-hundred-thirty-fifth most charismatic podcaster in  the northwestern corner of Southeast Texas, the one and only (thank goodness) Joe Groan.

Oh, oh, oh, it’s the Joe Groan Show, where all, or most of, or some of, or a few of, or at least one of my predictions do come true. The Houston Astros are toast. Noe because they got swept by the Red Sox in Fenway Park, but because they were swept by the hated nomad Athletics at home, and their one-billion-dollar acquisitions are not solving the problem.

When Framber Valdez,

the staff’s ace for many years falls apart before the fifth inning, there are problems that need to be fixed. Those problems include getting Framber and The Deisel, Hunter Brown

help at the top of the rotation, something Astro’s general manager Dana Brown Failed to do before the trade deadline. These two pitchers are probably tired of pitching well and having nothing to show for it. Yes, pitching wins games and championships, and the Astros’ rotation is now Framber, Brown, and three unknowns. Dana Brown is banking on getting at least one-half of the eight starting pitchers that are on the Astros’ injury lest back by the end of the season, but it may be too late by then. And Yordon Alvarez,

maybe the most talented designated hitter in baseball, is not coming back this year.

However, if the Astros can hold on to their new acquisitions and get their pitchers back, they’ll make a run for the pennant next year and will have plenty of capital to trade for the position players they need. Carlos Correa is a nice addition, but at what price? The Astros let their best RBI machine; Kyle Tucker, go to avoid arbitration and then brought back the most expensive free agent onto the market. That,

in my (correct) opinion, was a mistake…make that tow mistakes; one for each transaction.  ... (ring).

As I’ve said before, callers, less of you and more of me is a good thing (ring) but this caller is not going to give up, so I’ll answer it and get rid of whoever it is.

“Hello!”

C.: Hi, Joe, long-time caller, first time listener… I mean, turn that around. Anyway, I agree with the gist of what you’re saying, as usual…

JG.: Who is this highly intelligent caller?

C.: Calculating Einstein Katt. The last name is spelled with a K and two Ts…

JG. Thank goodness. I thought, at first, that you were going to tell me that I was talking to a calking cat!

C.: Well, you do cover the Animal Olympics, and I’m married to one of the participants

this year. Another is a distant cousin.

JG. Okay, caller. Stop pulling my leg and say what you need to say or ask the question you must ask.

C.: Okay, to cut to the chase, I talked to you yesterday on my 119 line. You stated then that you knew what the T in T. Puppy Katt’s name stood for.

JG.: Is there a question, caller?

C.: Yes.

JG.: ….What is it?

C.: Well, a question is an interrogative statement used to derive information, but that’s not what I want to know….

JG. What information would you like to derive from me, then?

C.: What is T. Puppy Katt’s first name.

JG.: Oh, that’s easy, if you think about it. What makes the most sense?

C.: Theodore?

JG.: Why would someone name a dog Theodore?

C.: Because s/he likes the name, or maybe has a relative with that name that they want to honor, or maybe that relative held them at gunpoint and made them name the dog after him or her?

JG.: Oh, for the love of Pete! It’s The.

C.: The what?

JG.: No, the dog’s first name is The. The Puppy Katt.

C.: no, I don’t think so.

JG.: I assure you that it is.

C.: I’m going to call my best human friend, d.c. scot, who is one of the guardians of that dog, and ask him what the T stands for in his dog’s name.

JG.: So, I suppose that’s the wrap for today, then. I’m Joe Groan, and you are somebody else.