Cal.E.'s Korner

C.: (Maybe I should call d.c. and see if he has our script ready for today….no, I just got a text from him.. Let me see what it says.)

“Cal.E., I won’t be able to write today’s script because I’m on a roll deleting unnecessary emails. I’ve already made a one percent improvement in my email’s memory since yesterday at this time. I want to keep doing this while I have time.”

Well, then, I suppose it’s up to me to bring y’all today’s Cal.E.’s Korner. To start, I’ll answer y’all’s emails.

Okay…sometimes., always, never, when I feel like, whenever the mood strikes me…on, here’s one I should read to y’all. It says, “Cal.E., is Joe Groan a real, live person, or is he a fake character. The reason I ask is because I’ve tried to find his show on the radio, but I can’t find either KEEP?KEEN Conroe Cut-Shoot or the Joe Groan Show on  any of the radio stations  on my dial. Signed Confused.

Well, Confused, I can assure you that Joe Groan is as alive and real as I am. You just don’t have the right kind of radio to find his podcast. You’ll need special equipment to listen to The Joe Groan Show. I’ll let d.c. explain what you need to have to listen to TJGS.

Okay, here’s another one.

Cal.E., the Astros are going to be winners of their last two games against the hapless Anaheim Angels, but they are going to miss the playoffs for the first time in ten years. Is this the end of the so-called Golden Era for the Astros? If so, should they start throwing games next year, like they did for three years in the 2010s to earn higher draft picks? Signed, Skeptical.

Ok Spectacle, let’s get one thing straight. The Astros never “threw” any games. Just because they let their young players and the players who would usually be in the minor leagues play for the major league organization for three years doesn’t qualify as “throwing games.”

Yes, they got the overall number one draft pick, Carlos Correa  by doing this, and he turned out to be one of the cornerstones of the franchise’s team that went to their second World Series. He was an excellent defensive shortstop- now third baseman (a platinum glove winner-- indicating he was the best fielder in the league) with a .50 caliber for a right arm and hit with power to all fields. He also turned out to be a clubhouse leader…and, well, it was a good draft pick. But the Astros had to wait until the third round to draft Kyle Tucker in the same draft, who turned out to be everything his brother claimed he would be when he played here. “Bam Bam” Tucker was all hit and no filed, though, so he didn’t have a position to play. That was before the Astros switched to the American League.

Yes, it does look a little suspicious, but the Astros also got starting pitcher J.P. France (from d.c.’s alma mater) in the lower rounds and are now developing Hunter Brown into an ace. He was picked in the twentieth or twenty-first round. The Astros developed Luis Garcia, whom they picked up in the International draft, along with Jose Altuve,

co pitching ace Framber Valdez, and future pitching ace. Christian Javier. They also got the best young power hitter in the major leagues, Yordon Alvarez, from the hated L.A. Dodgers for $50,000 and a washed-up relief pitcher. The list of players the Astros have signed from the international pool also includes Youi Gurriel, a gold-glove first basemen on their first  world championship team. Others include the incredibly talented centerfielder Cesar Cedeno, pitcher Johan Santana, outfielder Richard Hildalgo, shortstop Carlos Guillen, and pitcher Freddy Garcia.

So, to you, Spectacle, baseball commissioner Rob (he is NOT a) Man, Fred, and the New York Yankees and L.A. Dodgers who say the Astros got where they are by cheating, look at the facts. The Astros are simply better at evaluating talent than any other team in the Major Leagues. So, you can all---

d.: That’s all the time we have for today, folks, so that’s the end of this cat ta(i)le. Please join us next time for another episode of Cal.E.’s Korner.