Larry Dierker to be guest on Astroline tomorrow

HOUSTON, TX - Former Astros pitcher, manager, broadcaster and current special assistant to the president Larry Dierker will be the guest on Astroline tomorrow, Tuesday, Jan. 6, at 7 p.m. CT at Pluckers Wing Bar for the fifth installment of the offseason radio program. Astros radio play-by-play commentator Robert Ford will serve as the host.

Tomorrow's Astroline, which is presented by Karbach Brewing Co., will air on KBME SportsTalk 790 AM and will stream online at Astros.com/Astroline. All shows are scheduled to broadcast on KMBE SportsTalk 790, but are subject to change due to scheduling conflicts. Astroline broadcasts live, weekly from 7-8 p.m. CT during the offseason.  

For the second consecutive season, Astroline airs from Pluckers Wing Bar, which is located at 1400 Shepherd Dr., Houston, Texas, 77007. Pluckers Wing Bar is entering its second year of business in Houston after officially opening to the public in November 2013. Astroline runs through March (16 segments) with the next eight at Pluckers, which will be open to all Astros fans with no admission charge.

Fans can submit questions to the show via Twitter using the hashtag #Astroline, before and during the show. Fans may also post questions on the Astros Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Astros. As always, fans will also have the option to call the show with questions at 713-212-5790. 

With more than 50 years of service to the Astros organization, Dierker has served as a player, manager, front office executive and broadcaster. He won 137 games over 13 seasons on the mound with Houston from 1964-1976, which is third-best in team history. A two-time All-Star, Dierker also pitched the fifth no-hitter in franchise history on July 9, 1976. Following 18 seasons as an Astros broadcaster, he became only the sixth manager in Major League history to win a division title in his first season and went on to lead the Astros to four division titles during his five seasons as manager (1997-2001). On May 19, 2002, the Astros retired the franchise icon's No. 49 jersey at Minute Maid Park. In his current role with Houston, Dierker serves in an advisory role to President Reid Ryan.

Ford enters his third season as the Astros radio play-by-play commentator after being named to the post on Feb. 13, 2013. Prior to joining the Astros radio broadcast team, Ford spent four seasons as the pre-and postgame host for the Kansas City Royals radio broadcasts on 610 AM KCSP, the Royals flagship station. The 2001 graduate of Syracuse University spent seven years broadcasting minor league baseball, calling more than 800 games during his stints with the Binghamton Mets, Kalamazoo Kings and Yakima Bears. Ford was twice named Frontier League Broadcaster of the Year (2003 and 2004).

*Media Note- Media wishing to interview Larry Dierker are asked to arrive by 6:45 p.m.

Astroline preliminary schedule (subject to change).

Day   Date   Station
Tue.    Jan. 6     KBME
Tue.    Jan. 13     KBME
Thu.    Jan. 22    KBME
Thu.    Jan. 29    KBME
Thu.   Feb. 5     KBME
Thu.   Feb. 12     KBME
Thu.    Feb. 19     KBME
Thu.    Feb. 26     KBME
Thu.   Mar. 5    KBME
Tues.   Mar. 10    KBME
Wed.   Mar. 18     KBME
Thu.   Mar. 26     KBME