Can the Arizona Diamondbacks exact their revenge on the Texas Rangers? | DLLS Rangers Podcast

the future is now for the Texas Rangers although they do have an eye on the past as they head to Arizona there is so much to talk about the future and the past as we celebrate a time with the Rangers right now and with you on the DLS Rangers podcast [Applause] [Music] hey hey hey hey hey it's time to talk college teammates at Vanderbilt they're not quite reunited at the big league level yet but they will be John rigan with Abby Jones and Jeff Wilson and there is so much to talk about with the Rangers today it starts with the big news that broke yesterday uh Jeff and and you had a chance to talk to the general manager Chris Young about this and they've decided to call up Kumar rocker something we really didn't see coming then we thought maybe we did see coming and now it's happening yeah you know it it there it seems like there's two camps on this if you look at public reactions like oh why are they doing this don't start his clock he doesn't need to be here doesn't matter and then there's the excited group and then well I guess a third group is the baseball group and and the baseball Ops guys are want to see Kumar rocker they want to get him comfortable I really think that he's in the rotation for 2025 I think they've already decided you know just it you know at at minimum they're going to have one spot to fill um but I I just think that they're getting them ready giveing him a taste letting them see the Mariners letting them see the angels two division opponents who in theory he could see I don't know eight times combined next season depending on how the rotation were to fall um get him used to the travel yeah just all sorts of things to get used to and uh but he's also earned it I mean it's not like he's a this is going to be number five starter who's going to get shelled for eight runs in two innings Kumar rocker looks like he's going to go out there and and Pitch five really really good Innings and keep the Rangers in the game so um this is all done with an eye toward 2025 Chris Young said so uh when I talked him yesterday he was getting off the plane in Arizona so he'll be there to to greet Kumar and um yeah take the next step toward toward the future I guess we did ask the fans we sent a poll out on Twitter uh is Kumar rocker ready for the show and 81% said yes 18% said still needs time well and to to those people and to the ones that Jeff referenced about you know this is wrong they shouldn't do it they're starting his clock he's not ready here's the thing and and and if it does seem like the Rangers have been a little bit indecisive on this right it's a moving Target and the and the development of a pitcher is not really any player but especially a pitcher it's not linear it's not scientific and and despite what the analytic people would have you believe it's not mathematical and if there's anybody looking at those intangibles that are a part of the art of developing a pitcher in Major League Baseball in any front office across the league give me Chris Young cuz he's been there he's done that in 2004 he was where Kumar rocker is right now which is to say he was called up in September and then once 2005 started he stayed for the rest of his career yeah and Jee I kind of have a question cuz you know we were at the park this weekend and we heard Bruce bochi pretty adamantly say I like where Kumar is at right now I like I think this is a good time good decision for his development that was 48 hours ago maybe a little bit more so what do you think changed well I think he had a conversation with Chris Young but uh you know he BR Bruce Bo for as much input as he has on the daily lineup doesn't really make out the roster ultimately and uh I'm sure that Chris Young would welcome his feedback as a guy who um in San Francisco had three great homegrown starting pitchers that that that helped the Giants win three World Series um but you know I I just I just think that the one of the main factors here is the TV deal and the Rangers really don't know what they're going to have to work with this offseason as far in terms of a payroll so you need to develop your own starting pitching it looks like you have one and he you know you need that affordable option instead of going out into into free agency and getting a guy who probably won't do any better than Kamar rocker so get him up give him a taste and and just pencil him into the into the rotation you know just pencil them in and and uh get them ready and I think maybe I don't know the conversation was like but uh from from Saturday to Sunday the tone of it had changed and then um obviously they they called him up yesterday so um maybe maybe Bruce and and Chris hadn't quite quite connected on that one yet but um it it really doesn't do the Rangers any harm to have him up here he's been rocker has been healthy he's been dominant um he's a cool character yeah likes to get out there and compete so I don't think he's goingon to be overwhelmed by the moment you know or anything like that so uh get him out there and and and again this is getting getting him jump started for for next season yeah and to assuage those people who might be concerned about the numbers all you need to do is consider Paul sk's numbers right this guy is going to be the Rookie of the Year in the National League Most Likely and there are his numbers and it's the exact number of starts seven starts at the minor league level for SK and yeah those are really really good numbers a sub one ER 45 strikeouts eight walks in 27 and 2/3 of an inning now let's take a look at the numbers of Kumar rocker and you will see they're better across the board the ER slightly lower three walks 47 strikeouts and just a couple of more Innings 29 and a third so and look so and Paul skines had no difficulty once he got up here there's a certain Talent level I believe that that just Di dictates you know you're talented enough to do this and and people weren't um you know boing at bringing schemes up they were celebrating it now granted that was Pittsburgh but they were celebrating that and I I see no reason to B this Kumar rocker's numbers indicate um that he's ready and and Chris Young feels like he's ready and and that's probably even more important no doubt and I think also there goes something with seeing a teammate and a close friend succeed at the major league level with your exact same organization to see Jack lighter do what he's done you know rocker and VY rocker and lighter in Vandy rocker had a 28 ER lighter had 26 uh or 23 excuse me um and you know just to go through the process of Kumar rocker you feel for him for this moment I mean everyone knows about 2019 when he had the 19 strikeout no hitter with Vanderbilt in the NCA Super Regional um you know he's been drafted three times three times uh two injuries in that process so he's had his ups and downs his battles um I think for him to just to see a teammate like I said and a friend you know go to this next level and compete I mean to have one of your boys be there with you in the clubhouse you know Chuck it up on the bus on the way to the field stuff like that like you I imagine that Kumar rocker stuff is going to easily transl to the big league level but I think that it really helps to have a friend in that same situation sure uh they compete against each other there's there's just no question they were pitching on the same day for a while there here just a couple weeks ago and it and and they each knew what the other was doing and um so there's definitely that there's a you know and look in in 2021 Kumar rocker entered the draft I don't know season if you will the top prospect he was dealing with some injuries Jack ended up getting drafted tire and then Kumar kind of got I don't know he probably thinks he got screwed over by the Mets but um that's ancient history now but it's been a it's been a tough go for him and for him to get here it's kind of a reward to of all the things that he's he's uh had to overcome with not getting drafted and getting drafted then getting hurt so um good for him a couple of uh viewers Kyle Kyle asked if this was a in any way related to the Rangers moving ever so closely to the postseason contention uh uh maybe you know I thought I thought my my my thinking on rocker promotion was if the Rangers got to a certain point that they would that they would pull the trigger and bring him up because he'd be one of their their 14 best pitchers well I don't know if seven and a half in the west and six in the Wild Card counts but um it's definitely not the obstacle it once was there are fewer games and then U Dennis he's all for the move I agree with everything that you wrote Dennis I mean he's he's um he's he's just Built For This I think I really think Kumar rocker is built for these big opportunities and uh you know Major League debut you only get one of them you know and it's going to be it's going to be crowded in Seattle they've drawn well the Mariners have even though they've kind of um crapped the bed so to speak but um it it's going to be a different atmosphere for him three three levels bunch of fans Major League hitters so uh I'm curious to see how he handles all that stuff the pitching is going to be fine yeah and Dennis Loki by the way is a friend and a former colleague of mine and knows baseball so Dennis shout out to you thanks for watching and you're right you know your your comments spot on as usual he's also very funny so check him out on Twitter but uh so let's talk about the the potential problems with this though Jeff we've both mentioned you mentioned first the the starting of the clock right I mean they don't have to start it until well into next year in which case that buys them even more time but they're starting it now well there there are still ways to manipulate it you know I mean in 2011 Mike Trout was called up dur during the the angel season for a couple weeks he he actually played here uh was sent back down the Angels waited until the you know the very first day they could call him up the next April to make sure that he it didn't give him a year of service time which you know clubs are notorious had been notorious for doing the Chris Bryant was very egregious a few years later um so um I don't think the Rangers are are are like that I think having a player as a general manager is helpful uh I'm sure Chris Young would have been really pissed if that it happened to him when he was when he was a young player so um I just again you know if if you want to when you take the field on April on March 26th or 27th 28th whatever it is next year you want your 26 best players you want the guys that are going to give you a chance to win a win in April counts as much much as a win in September and if Kamar rocker can win you games and if your intention is to play in October which of course it will be start out with the best you got and and so I I just can't get over um the importance that this has that this move has for next year yeah and I think too you know we've heard so much about the work ethic of Kumar rocker I mean that's like one thing Bruce bochi and Chris Young keep reiterating but one cool thing I was watching a documentary from his time with Vandy and he told Tim Corbin uh which is Vanderbilt's you know manager at the time and he said I will be one of the best teammates that you'll ever coach and that I think just goes to show his character you know he grew up with an athletic dad his dad's in the College Football Hall of Fame War Eagle um and you know now he's a defensive line lineman coach for the Tennessee Titans so I think that he is the definition of a hard worker he's faced already so much adversity and you know it seems like just in a way that he was made for these big moments you don't want to say he's made for trials and tribulations but if there's anybody that's been able to handle the adversity and the struggles that he has I think he's one of the most mentally stable and um emotionally mature guys able to kind of you know take these setbacks and really turn it into something I'm very excited to see and we talked about you know him and Grom rehabbing together too I think that is going to have immense payoff in his career in the long run just can you imagine sitting down at a Grom and talking baseball yeah and and maybe even more importantly getting here and sitting down with Nathan naldi not that the grum's not the best we've talked about that but Nathan evaldi has that ability to just sort of teach it to relate to other pitchers and to notice things he's like a a pitching coach who's still playing and you there's a chance and we all hope that Nathan nal's around next year but this may be the only exposure uh that Kumar rocker has to a guy like Nathan naldi so let's get him that the other thing you could be concerned about Jeff and and this is some of the things that Abby was just talking about and and I think we're clear of this but the other thing you'd be concerned about is to get up here and get overwhelmed by the level and have some sort of a mental if not physical setback yeah I don't I don't think the Rangers think that will happen first of all I mean anything could happen but I think they know the guy and uh I think that they know that Kumar rocker is is supremely confident and uh even if he does get knocked around he'll make whatever adjustments he needs to make and be ready to go next year good yeah that's what we want I mean it's it's going to be fun especially especially if he has the opportunity right to do the things that he was doing at at both minor league levels I mean if he gets up there I mean it's not black and white that you know what you did in minor leagues is going to happen in the major leagues but we we've seen stranger things happen very excited think he'd have near the success in triaa right I mean BR Boi said he was shocked himself he said this is the best recovery that I have seen it surprised me I think it's incredibly hard to surprise Bruce Boi yeah it is right because Bo has seen everything and it was it was an amazing uh transition that he made that Kumar made uh when he went from daa where he was absolutely dominant to triaa where he was absolutely dominant so um really didn't miss a Beat in that in that stretch there so that's just awesome we've got a lot more to talk about and of course uh we'll talk lots more about Kumar rocker as he gets ready to make that start on Thursday the Rangers had an opening in their schedule for Thursday in their in their pitching rotation and he slides right in there so uh we'll talk more about that tomorrow and obviously we'll talk more about it on Thursday coming up next we want talk heading out there Jeff's going Jeff's going behind the scenes yeah we don't mess around no Jeff's going to be out there so yeah we'll be we'll be all over this but first we want to tell you about sleeper and you see we've got sleeper swag right here on the table in front of us we also have some beautiful new uh Rangers swag that Jeff brought in from the ballpark so love those Cory Seager ones the Silver Slugger and the world series one but sleeper please people people people it's time it's time time to stop sleeping and wake up wake up because man fantasy football is is nigh upon us it's underway and and you know you have got to be a part of sleeper and a part of that league but the thing is even if you've already got your team you know even if you don't make sure you get one with sleeper there are so many other things you can do with sleeper you can bet on individuals certainly in a game you can bet on this week will Zeke Elliott have as many yards as he had last week over under right you can bet on Rico dle same thing or go ahead and bet on how many strikeouts Kumar rocker will have in his first outing at the major league level so many things you can do on sleeper and we want you to have some free money that's just the way we are you know we like giving people free money so all you have to do is go to sleeper and then use the ranger the code the pass code is DLS Rangers and you get a $100 up to a $100 first deposit match go to sleeper make that deposit get free money and start winning now the number by the way uh as far as Rangers fans are concerned is Nathan avaldi plus or minus four and a half strikeouts I'm going plus right now going all right all right there you go yeah thank you you're welcome that's an easy one for me simple well you know what I really love about this studio the floors yes I don't know did you notice I like to sit on the floor and watch games I don't maybe it's cuz I'm 27 but I I think I think the floor is comfier sometimes but my friends at Empire today they would love that and I I would want to pick out my floor with Empire because it is comfy um but they are the number one stop in shop for flooring they don't do other stuff so they're specialized in flooring they're going to give you the best options because it's 247 they're committed to flooring so with Empire Today you get to shop at home convenience the right products for your needs um OneStop flop Shoring OneStop flooring shop tongue twister of the day professional and efficient service it's the most affordable we also have a discount code that I'll get to but you get quality service and speed get the right price and get it done the right way cuz you know there's imposters I don't have a house but does anybody try to scam you out of new floors uh no but we definitely need new floors and it's a process because we got floors in our old house and it it I mean it's it's not it's not easy not cheap for sure but we do have a $350 off code which is pretty good mhm I mean I'm I'm going there for the discount alone when you use the code dlls restrictions May apply but if you go to empiretoday.com dlls you can check it out and they have a cool virtual floor plan so you can take your little phone MH hold it up and you can kind of see what it's going to look like in the room yeah take a picture of the room and they will show you what that room looks like with this flooring or that flooring or another so it's pretty cool it is did you guys know 3 weeks away from MLB playoffs today yeah it's great it's exciting I knew that because I saw your uh your tweet my TW thanks keep an eye on ABS on that Twitter machine man she's all over it and uh and keep an eye on on this game tonight too it's a rematch of game actually game one and game five of the World Series but game game five is the one the one that matters we we like to focus on game one was pretty good it was it really was the starting pitching wasn't as great but yeah but the game was pretty exciting yeah it sure was 314 days since that exact day is that right 314 did you tweet that no I'm I'm I'm gonna run I'm gonna I got to save my juice for the show and then I'll pump it out but I I would be really interested to know I know one of my friends the DJ of the Rangers has a World Series trophy I'd be interested to see how many people got Rangers World Series trophies tatto Rings or rings I was going to say I thought you you said trophy I'm like he like do they make a replica trophy well he repli likey got down here yeah I no so uh I'd be I think there's a lot of people that got World Series tats and I love the dedication yeah I do too they can't take that away from from stats DJ stats uh and he was a part of it man I mean he played music to fire those guys up every time they walked to the plate every time they walked in from uh you know in from the bull and we'll have him on in the offseason chat about some stuff yeah but yeah um and I want to point out that Chase Field is a very special place for Nathan naldi because he obviously won his World Series there one of them um he has two but he made his MLB debut there and he got his first MLB win and that was August 6th in 2011 five innings four hits seven strikeouts two walks two earn runs that's not bad the more you know no yeah good debut but yeah so Nathan balague against Zach Gallen game five of the World Series uh Zach gallon it looked like was going to throw a no hitter it did you know and and it looked like Nathan avaldi was just going to give up a pile of runs all the base runners that Arizona had I mean he walked the leadoff guy Corbin Carroll uh which was us usually a recipe for disaster for Dbacks opponents last year because they could run like crazy uh but he he managed six scoreless Innings Rangers get to gallon a little bit I they get to him one run that's what was getting to him was so they get to him uh one run and uh it turns out that's all they needed but they went ahead and added four in the ninth anyway to to put the game Out Of Reach but yeah this was uh I said it the other day it's it's probably the gutti pitching effort I've seen from in a long time maybe ever you know in my 17 years on the beat just a ballsy performance to to get out of all that traffic right make pitches pitch around guys find find your outs and and to keep the team in in the game that you know again game five teams have come back from down 3-1 the 85 Cardinals are an example the Royals rather example the Cardinals blew it um you know you saw the in the ALCS of course the Red Sox came from three three down three Z down you never know what can happen in in baseball and uh um I mean shoot I think the the the Dbacks had to win two games in Philadelphia just to just to get the series just to get to the World Series so um it was just huge performance and um you know they're never going to forget if they're going to walk into this ballpark today and just get hit with all kinds of memories yeah and and emotions and going to that clubhouse that you know the floor was just soaked with beer and champagne and it smelled like cigar smoke and you know some people might have lesser people might have vomited it was so bad and pungent and um smell a Champions it is and so they're going to go back in there and uh just yeah just get overwhelmed and and Bruce Boi the other day said hopefully it reminds them of who they are and how good they can play but the Raiders haven't been very good on the road 29 and 40 Marcus Simeon pointed that out Sunday afternoon so if they're going to continue this if maybe they're going to get closer to 500 and and second place or even the even the postseason um they got to play better on the road and so the these are going to be tough two games cuz Merl Kelly is a pretty good pitcher is the one who beat the Rangers in game two of the World Series so um yeah but but this is going to be this is going to be I'll I'll be really interested to see how how they react I mean you hope that they look at the World Series ring where they flip it up and it spells out Road did y'all see that with all the yeah yeah so undefeated on the road then I mean yeah feel like we can turn a new wave in September sure why not it is pretty amazing when you think this team that you know has been struggling beneath 500 for a while now languishing there um is seven games over 500 now at home and 11 under on the road and maybe they're going to turn that around um in this stretch of good play too because as good as the Arizona Diamondbacks have been playing right now the Rangers are playing as well as anybody in Baseball Jeff uh you know I saw tweet just under the Tigers yeah yeah I saw a tweet from Bob Nightingale uh USA Today who said that since August 18th only three American League teams have winning records the Rangers at 14 and six the Tigers at 13- s and then the Astros at 11- 10 so uh the Rangers have been playing very well um the the rest of the league it sounds like there's 12 other teams haven't been doing much but uh I think you know the Diamondbacks are good they really are yeah uh you know while the the kind of two two World Series teams went different directions this year uh the Diamondbacks really put together some good platoon uh they went ahead and made some investments in pitching with Ed Rod Rodriguez and then Jordan Montgomery who's now in their Bullpen hasn't pitched very well uh but um you know hey hats off to them they went through the same exact thing as the Rangers just without the trophy at the end and uh they' they've bounced back pretty well yeah and uh Nathan avaldi in his career against Arizona he's 4-0 with a 28 ER eight career starts against Arizona and the boys had an off day yesterday guess what a few of them did at least that I saw I didn't see they went golfing oh which I mean you're in Phoenix like you have to go golfing yeah you do but man it's been hot they've had they've had over a 100 straight days of 100 plus degrees they've had 55 straight days or not 55 straight but 55 days this summer over 110 I mean even for Phoenix this is an extremely hot summer now obviously it doesn't affect them when they play the game but I'm pretty sure they weren't playing golf indoors yesterday where they ABS no not to my but uh I saw a funny tweet and it was like I'm tired of everything being 100° and $100 and I agree it's a heck of a point yeah it's it's 100 100 100 Evo looking for him to be pretty gross on the mound per usual his deception you know his Arsenal command vo um it's it's interesting that he throws a 96 mph heater but he uses at 37% of the time yeah I mean his his splitter so good yeah you know that it like nobody does that anymore yeah it's um it's just such a such a good pitch and I mean it might be the best the Rangers might have the two best Splitters in baseball because Kirby Yates splitter is pretty darn good you know for a guy who only throws 93 and for him to have 29 saves out of 30 tries um you know that that splitter is big and uh you know but Nate Nathan has like 900 pitches you know he yeah you he he throws he throws them all he can change change speeds with his fast ball there's just so much he he does and that's what comes with a veteran nine innings nine innings shy of the magical 300 number whereas player option will become worth 20 million I still think he'll opt for free agency because he could probably do better than 20 million uh per season as a free agent or or get two two years at I know 18 a piece but just uh capitalize turn turn turn 20 million into 40 or what whatever it is hopefully it's the Rangers that give it to them you know I I again this TV deal is a big deal but I know that Chris Young and and Bruce their number one free agent Target is going to be Nathan and should be because he's he's way more than a pitcher right right Nathan avaldi is a leader he's a teacher um he leads you know and this isn't um this is doesn't happen on every team he leads as a pitcher even some of the position players they all kind of you know he's like the mother duckling and they all kind of follow him you know well and he he watches I I mean he's a pitcher so he wants to see how other teams are hitting yeah what their approach is at the plate and I mean he can tell you the differences that the Rangers hitters compared to the rest of the league I mean it's it's just amazing what he sees in in a game doesn't miss anything um you know and and really I think last year you when uh game two or one one of the games of the ALCS when l2v me missed second base everybody in the Rangers Dugout and on the field side that's how dialed in these guys are during games they see everything that happens and they all knew that he did not touch second base on his way back to first um but but Nate takes it to another level I mean he's watching how other guys hit he's going to have to face him eventually but he even watches how his own guys hit yeah yeah sounds like you and him kind of share the same brain well I I don't see the same things though that's amazing yeah now and In fairness I guess I can see how they all saw that because you're watching Evan Carter you know what he's done and then watching him throw it in but still I to you're right to have then focused on second as you watch that ball go you know back to first base pretty pretty amazing yeah I I might watch like World Series highlights just to feel something before the game tonight it's a good idea yeah I mean they minute they're fun they're fun to watch you know I I uh um my son watches him still you know he he he's on YouTube and baseball videos pop up and you hear you you've heard him so many times you you you hear the voices and you hear the calls and you know the plays and um you know I I I obviously the Cory Seager home run in in game one best photo of all time was was terrific um but his home run in game seven of the LCS was was terrific too just you know the going into the second deck and the way he reacted and you kind of you kind of knew that um the Astros were in trouble yeah at that point and before we get off the topic here um and we will in just a moment but uh Coupe asks you know what are the chances of getting evaldi signed up for two or maybe even three more years and again I think Jeff you agree with this unfortunately it is is largely dependent on the kind of money the Rangers get from a TV deal and and look that's just so PE I know fans are tired of hearing it believe me as a guy who was a part you know on the other side of that TV deal thing I mean we were tired of hearing that you know oh it's just uncertain it's just uncertain it's just uncertain unfortunately it's still uncertain um and there's still a chance they can get a boatload of money but there's also still a chance that they won't get much at all and that decision just needs to be made before the off season officially begins yeah um to answer Ryan's question no we did not get World Series rings those went to Club employees only yeah um unfortunately could have bought one for like a thousand man there's another one out there for like 14 I I don't need one I was there that's good enough for me um yeah the TV deal is huge you know and you know evaldi is gonna come out or not evaldi uh well yeah evaldi technically comes off the book so that's 16 sherzer 22 Heeney 13 so you add that up and that's 55 million I think so there's some money there but if you don't have if you're facing a A shortfall in the TV deal from what was a a shorter smaller contract even this year you know that's you just you know it's like a job downsizing you just don't replace those jobs or you replace them with cheaper options or you know a robot or something so we we'll see what happens so that's no that's the umpires there you go there you go that's the umpires more to talk about so much more we want to talk about this Rangers run in September and we also want to talk about a special Ranger award that's been given to uh Marcus Simeon but first we want Abby to tell us about how how exactly our employer is going to find employees ABS well if you need to hire you need indeed they are driven by research for the better when it comes to hiring the best way to search for a candidate is not to search at all RADS okay contrary to popular belief they match you ah they match you so in the day and age of perfect match and love is blind and all these things they're going to do the same um if you need hire you need indeed indeed is your matching and hiring platform with over 300 50 million Global monthly visitors according to Indie data and it's a matching engine that helps you find the best quality the best candidates the fastest ditch the busy work uh use indeed for scheduling screening messaging so you can connect with candidates faster I've never hired anybody have you no my wife does though and she I've I've seen her pour over resumés and it's not an easy process yeah you bring that to the dinner table that's not fun no it's not so she needs indeed um and in the minute that we've been talking about it 23 hires were made wow so we are the gift that keeps on giving we are going to give you a $75 job credit so all you have to do is go to indeed.com allity right now support your show um by entering the code and it's going to get your jobs more visibility it's fantastic that's what you need you need the best candidates you have a visibility height yeah you need indeed yeah so John I don't know if you know this Abby uh fix fall baseball is underway for the kiddos and we have tournament number one this weekend wow and so we're we're we're looking at a good minimum of 6 hours at the Ballpark over two day or Fields whatever it is the complexes and uh I can already see it now I'm going to be lugging my my purple cooler hoisting it into the car dad's strength P pulling it out using the rickety handle to drag it along where I could have a rugged Road cooler now rugged road if you don't know it's dedicated to creating uh Innovative durable outdoor gear for adventurers who demand the best um high quality materials in craftsmanship ensuring that these uh these uh products uh perform in in all kinds of conditions whether it's land or water these things float uh rugged gear is for you floatability is a big deal it's light and so you know when you're when you're getting up there in the years and you've had back surgery you don't want to be lifting anything heavy so I like the lightweight design uh durable because these things get beat to Hell going up and down the steps at these little Fields so look here's the deal so Gear Up for your next adventure with rugged Road coolers reliable durable built to be used rugged road is your ultimate outdoor companion head to rugged Road rugged Road outdoors.com and use the code dlls for 10% off woo and then a big load off your back there you go it's fantastic are you on those fields over there off of Broad Street are they still is that still the complex that's not the one that's that's those are Mansfield Fields so no we're going to be in either Irving or waxah hatchee we could stop by for a little come I can make a poster I'm G to call John and say hey John uh these bathrooms are come over and use yours hello I'm going to be involved too fellas okay all right Abby I'll get you the schedule yeah we we're we're Team I miss I may miss Saturday cuz I'm flying back from Seattle but there be there will be Sunday opportunities I'm Auntie of the year my little godson he started t-ball and he's like the best hitter he's going to go pro I can't wait yeah teaching him all the so it's your dad's well uh my best friend married somebody with my last name so it's actually no like biological but you know we call it the same same same I'm always curious to see the genetic right if it was your dad's brother right he's got you know he's got even if he didn't make the big leagues he's still got the baseball Jean right that's so funny you know my brother never even tried pitching didn't he M he played though yeah he played he was like a yeah he's third base and played in college did he or I know coaches he's coaching but it was I think he tried it in t-ball and somebody was like hey why can't he pitch like Todd and my mom was like he's five you know um leave him alone yeah but no I have a little godson that I like to cheer on our Little League field it's fun except when you do those 68 hour days I remember them well yeah the 8 a.m. game is the worst and I it seems like we always get the 8 a.m. game so at least you get the rest of the day or the ones early like you know it starts in like march sometimes I think even February if I remember sure you're out there freezing I'd rather be out there hot you know last year we came home from spring training I came home from spring training on I think it was a Friday uh or maybe a SAT whatever it was a day and uh Henry had a game the next day and we went to the ballpark wind was howling you know North Wind it was freezing I was in a blanket and everyone was like how Jeff how are glad are you to be home I was like I'd rather be in Arizona right now no kidding give me Arizona right now enjoy my enjoy my son's game but yeah hold on a minute here yeah so uh let's talk about this team in September and we we do want to remind you that we started in late August August 26th and since we started is it 10 and 3 since we started 10 and three since we started so math is mathing we feel like we are responsible well I think that we are uh frankly I you know you just it's just hard it's not a coincidence right we'll just leave it at that Cowboys won game one yeah Mavericks haven't started yet Stars haven't started yet but we're on we're on good Pace as a as a collective group here at DLS no no doubt no doubt and and look the reality is the Rangers um as Bob Nightingale pointed out have have the best record since August what was his date the 16th 17th 18th yeah right they they did start turning it around I will I will point out we started doing practice shows on the 19th so give us credit for the practice shows too if you would but but we'll still we'll stay from when we hit the air or the stream as it were yeah no long I was reminded by our CEO not on the air anymore oh sorry we're on the stream we're on the stream yeah but anyway uh it's beautiful uh to watch what they have been doing it's something Jeff that we thought they would do all year right we we knew some stretch like this was going to come there's too much talent here uh for it to have gone the way it was going all year long yeah I mean we we've talked about all the all the things that that went wrong and I was on the uh our sister uh Network in Phoenix yesterday and kind of breaking down the series and answering what went wrong and you know the Rangers had injuries and they had underperformance you can have one but you can't have the other and the Rangers had that basically until now and and you know it sound like they're hitting four 450 right now I mean they're they're they're struggling to score runs at times they're getting timely hits that's the thing that was that's been missing all year you know you get a guy in scoring position you got to get him home two out hits or back Breakers Travis shankowsky had one the other day Nate Low's home run in the first inning was with two outs so those little things are devastating to to opponents and the Rangers just hadn't been doing it so you know it's not it it's good to see some some more production from Adas Garcia but he's still not adus Garcia uh Jaheim is struggling Nathaniel low Jaheim is struggling he is struggling has has Nath Nathaniel L's picked it up a little bit looks like Josh Young's pied picked it up why langford's picked it up so there are a lot of lot of good things happening there but it's just it's it's too little too late and as good as the pitching staff was it was that three-week stretch really from August from from the end of July until uh the middle of August that nothing went right for this team and so uh that that's kind of why they're in their predicament that they're in but um yeah it's uh it is good to see winning baseball though you know winning baseball's fun you know players are in a good mood the clubhouse the music aftering to talk and make jokes and um and I think maybe them being out of it has allowed them to do this they don't have the worry the burden of being the the reigning Champs and you know don't have to wonder about why this is happening it's happened there's nothing they can do about it now so just go out and finish finish on a strong note play loose uh if you never know what happens I was talking to Ian Kinsler the other day and I was like Ian you need to come on our show he said okay I said we can talk about what happened with the team he goes don't count them out yet there's still time left it's happened before so Ian Ian was a club employee and in their Hall of Fame he's he's optimistic and again you know it's it's not impossible it's just not likely not probable you know what it sounds like the Rangers need to do tell us play hard have fun yeah well and it's a great point that you bring up and that's your papa my papa is saying yeah saying and I love it it's just so profound in it if you just it's great and and that's all year last year we were talking about how much fun this team had together how much fun they had playing together and people wondered wow how did that chemistry happen how does that happen you know how it happens you win it's like this not a vicious it's like this Pleasant cycle right and it's elusive Jeff and right now I've heard a couple of the players saying man we're having the most fun we've had all year well guess why you've won 10 out of 13 games the the last time they won 10 out of 13 was last August August of 23 yeah uh that was basically right when Josh Young got hurt they played really really well for whatever reason and then it caught up to them and then they didn't play well and that's when even making the playoffs became precarious um and then but really young came back those last two weeks the Rangers played pretty well you know forget I know I know the the Seattle series at the end did not go well but they played pretty well um so you know they just they it it's just it could it could happen again I don't I don't know that that it would uh did kinler belr and Michael Young get rings I don't think belr did but I'm pretty sure Kinsler and young did as uh assistance to the general manager um assistant to the regional manager and it's one of the reasons they don't pass them around uh to people like media types even for those who are there every day and so forth and and people you know I last year was blessed really but traveled with the team but I was not an employee of the now in 11 I was an employee of the team and I got the American League Championship Series ring because I was employed by the team but then last year my role seemed about the same but I wasn't an employee of the team so that I didn't get Emily got a ring this year but Leslie didn't right exactly so it's a deal thing but uh you did point out Jonah Heim I want to point out stat that I found specifically against gallon tonight um he's Hit List in 12 career bats against gallon Jaheim hitless in his last 21 at bats so I don't think we're going to do the biggest Deep dive on Jaheim but you know you were talking about what's not working I think it would have been a shorter conversation to say what was working for the Rangers this year um but yeah Jonah Heim he's been struggling definitely lately I'm gonna you know I'm G to say it's probably not happening today you know what they have to they've got to find a happy medium with Jonah uh he can't catch that much right he just can't no catcher really can in this day and age um and so they need to have which they just didn't at the at the beginning of the year they didn't have a capable backup at least not one that could you know satisfy at the plate um even if he was good behind and and then it's caught it's caught up with Jonah no doubt about that and unfortunately I I you know the defensive metrics aren't as good this year as they were last year either it's it's been sort of across the board Jeff it's been it was it was asked of Bruce Boi the other day and and and and he mentioned that the Rangers made some changes behind the plate with his POS positioning because younger pitchers they wanted him he they wanted to Target more over the plate than last year so if the ball's over the plate if Jonah is over the plate and he has to reach um umpires will follow the glove I don't care what anybody says the umpires I really think call a lot of strikes based on where it's hot not where it crosses the plate um so I think that's that's hurt a little bit but he's also uh if if you look at defensive metrics like I'm doing right now I'm kind of cheating here uh his framing is way down uh his pop time is is slower you know it's time to second base um his blocking has gone really downhill you know I I I think that uh the there there was a situation in the game uh well with with u chaing the other night a wild pitch that went near near The Dugout but you know guy scored from second base on it and and there are balls that that look like they should be blocked and and they aren't now I I'm I'm not it's got to this has to be the hardest err to catch ever as hard as guys are throwing and with the mount stuff moves but still just seemed like last year those were things that are being made and to your point the playing time he basically caught the last 17 games of the of the year last year there was an off day in between then he caught every postseason game and I know there are off days in the postseason never nevertheless it it takes a toll it's a cumulative Factor then they didn't have an extra month to recover the Rangers didn't didn't put he needed surgery or something too he had a wrist injury that ended up not needing surgery um he uh didn't catch until March I think in a in a spring game so they really tried to slow him down but then they leaned on him so heavily to start the year because Andrew kizner just wasn't producing at all so uh and it just it's just a bad scenario so may maybe with a another month this year to recover maybe Jonah Heim comes to Camp more prepared physically ready uh Bruce Boi does not buy into the notion that that fatigue is a factor he didn't think it should be but uh I wouldn't be surprised if it is uh you know ultimately when in hindsight maybe maybe Jonah will talk about it when he retires probably doesn't want to talk about it right now maybe you can reflect and say man I was not very fresh That season whatever it is um get you a catcher that can catch 70 75 games you know let Jonah catch 80 to 90 you know not not not over a 100 even though he wants to you know it's just kind of let him catch up see see if not being as exposed at the plate helps him uh maybe 100 fewer at bats he he does a little bit more I don't know so anyway um yeah it's been a tough year for him and that's that's one of the that's one of the leading factors he drove in near nearly 100 runs last year to put his offense in perspective he has on base percentage of 265 which ranks 170th out of 172 hitters with at least 400 plate appearances yeah that's not very good no uh Ryan's question why aren't rosters 40 anymore in September uh Pace a play that's why that's why it was done um I I would like to see it go up a couple more especially if the pitch clock in play but I remember U Mike Sosha yeah used to just they they'd have like 36 active players 20 pitchers you know 15 for he would be burning a burning wearing out the grass going from The Dugout to the mound uh and those games would take forever so I think that's the primary thing plus you know rules really shouldn't be one way for five months of the season and then for the last month which matters the most the rules completely changed so I I I I would like to see a few more I think teams that are in a position like the rang or the A's or or you know out of it and are evaluating for the future need the opportunity to be able to do that a little more easily but not not 40 40 not 40 not 40 uh more to talk about some feel-good stories with regard to the Rangers the Marcus Simeon Story the Tony Tuesday and Tony Tuesday the playoff watch H wild card maybe we talk about all that next but first I want to tell you about our merch yeah the dlls merch today the Stars group Our dlls Stars group you know somebody asked a question what's your favorite Victory green and they and they sent out a tweet uh or an X or whatever we call them now um with the the DLS version of Victory green and it's spectacular it's gorgeous and we have that same thing in for every team we have awesome merch for every single team within our dlls our All Sport you know deal so we want you to go to store. allity network.com and check all this stuff out and in Phoenix in Philly in Chicago and here so Denver I was about to say you can uh Santa's Got a Brand New Bag when he goes back home that's right some family that's right that's right I'm going to use our employee discount and just yeah stuff stuff the stuff the rallies they're not Wilsons anymore rallies my wife got married to a r and so all the rallies are getting DN VR gear absolutely but it's a good gear you're going to be the favorite it's a good gear that's a great deal it's great gear and it's um it's uh cool it's like the the the hip thing it's in so you need to get it it's simple store. allity network.com and get your favorite merchandise that uh also helps represent us we appreciate you doing that and and you know if if you become a Die Hard member which is like our valued our our valued member you get access to all content uh you know what you get you a free shirt so you can go to store. allity network.com pick you out a shirt get it for free it's like getting uh I don't know almost half off of your of your your $79.99 membership you're basically getting it for 35 45 bucks because you're getting a a dang free shirt every year right every year every year also as a Die Hard you get first access to our special events that we're going to be having uh Stadium takeovers watch parties hopefully some trips that are that are that will be uh coming up to big events spring training in my mind is the most important part of the year for media so hopefully we can all go to all go to surprise sometime I can show you around I've been going there I've lived I've lived in Surprise more than more than one year in my life I've added up the days it's more than a year probably more than a year at our favorite Watering Hole we can take you to uh Andy at at at at duties he'll treat you right and give you a nice discount there but the DLS membership gets you 20% off of merchand any additional merchandise you want to BU you know first crack at these events and then again all the all the paywalled access to uh access all the payal uh stories and content you could possibly want so uh check out Al dls.com and figure out how to be a diard you will not regret it I can assure you that yeah and uh spring TR training story like one from my childhood I always love spring training well I was always really sad the day the pictures reported because it was February 14th that is so traumatic as a child my dad left every year February 14 on Valentine's on Valentine's Day so I would go to school sobbing and kids would be like why are you crying you know um but it was always fun because spring training is when we uh kind of did the home school thing and so we would get you know we'd go with my mom to like pick out our rental and we would kind of look for the pool or you know Alex I'm taking this room and then my dad every single year would like tradition like he'd put like kind of like an Easter basket almost but just like a little like candy little treats yeah just like hey you had Lakeland Florida where else did Tigers were still are in Lakeland yeah I we've lived in Jupiter Florida Fort Lauderdale um I mean my mom has like a running list but we've spent a ton of time in Florida in Florida always always the teams he was with were always Florida though uh we had we had one year I think with Arizona yeah but we were Florida the Colorado year would have been tucon yeah my my daughter's birthday is the 13th okay of February so there were many years and I never only one year did I ever go for the whole time like Jeff does every year but uh yeah most years I go with the group I've been with when pitchers and catchers report and stay for a week so it was same thing my poor daughter's like happy birthday my dad's gone yeah and um and also the World Series our good buddy Daman easily he's the hdden coach of the Diamondbacks so that was fun cuz you know I grew up with all the kids and we still keep up on social media so yeah always love seeing the Dbacks and Mr Easley to answer Ryan's question aby's dad did play in the major leagues he's closer Todd Jones an Allstar similarly looking to Andrew Chaffin yeah y there you go and uh you know help the Tigers to the World Series in ' 06 with who as his catcher Pudge Rodriguez P every time Pudge sees me he goes your dad still had the fu man I'm like yeah yeah still got it yeah so we want to talk about some of the fun things that are happening regarding the Rangers right now including the Roberto Clemente award yesterday the finalists were announced each team has one finalist it's a national award the Roberto Clemente award and there's a representative from each team and then ultimately one person wins the national Roberto Clemente award there is no better person that they could honor honor that is with a philanthropic Award with an award that honor you know that Praises players for what they do off the field as well as on the field Roberto Clemente was a fantastic player but you know tragically died when he was on a plane to go help uh people who had been through an earthquake in Honduras so uh just in amazing man and an amazing story and and it is an honor for each and every one of these guys that get nominated as their repes the team's representative for the Roberto Clemente award and for the Rangers it's Marcus Simeon and that's that's not uh a surprise look but they're plenty of candidates right there's a lot of them that give back so I'm sure that Marcus seeing what everybody else does this means something yeah and you know he they do it quietly you know so so does Cory Seager so does Nathaniel low um John Gray fantastic at it uh but they do it quietly they they they understand the good fortune that they've fallen into uh they probably before they became Major Leaguers KN new people who are in in tough situations and uh you know Marcus is really big about nutrition for making sure the kids eat right and and get their get their Foods get you know thanksgiving's a big one for them so um he donated more than 200 thanks giving dinners to local families um since 2022 yeah and and really you know it it's it's combination of onfield play and and uh philanthropic uh Endeavors and uh Marcus is a great candidate uh always thought Cole Hamill should have won the award because Cole and was really good about it um but yeah it it wouldn't surprise me at all if Marcus wanted you know it takes one thing that these players end up with uh guys like Marcus Michael Young respect from their peers and and the their peers know it too uh the fans may not know it but their peers know it that's why you Michael Young was was twice the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Y which is voted on by the player association that's a huge deal it that's a huge deal it I don't know if Marcus has won that but it would not surprise me in the least for him to do that at some point especially with the way he represents the team or represents the players in in the union um but yeah great choice Marcus Simon he's I think also the heart and hustle uh nominee uh so that just tells you how much he means to his teammates yeah and he's like I don't know he's just the ultimate dad like I thought he was so much older just because he carries himself that way but he's never changed his walkup song um since joining the Rangers cuz his kids picked it and it's a kind of like a worship song If you will so yeah congrats to Marcus I love that did all this ever change his or was that he did change it baby baby shark it's got to be the worst song I've ever heard in well was for Elvis amilio his oldest son now but his first son and he loved the song So El wanted to have a good time and I think it lasted about a month or six weeks and then he changed it probably to something Bruno Mars because that's that's Elvis's guy right there but um yeah you know that's that's pretty cool stuff yeah it really is all right Tony Tuesdays come on man it's Tuesday we do this every Tuesday Tuesday let me get it pulled up he's just great Tony Beasley what a guy all right today I just can hear him saying it today I pray for each of you that you would be you would find comfort and that knowing God will protect deliver and keep you his love is unconditional never ending he desires you to trust his plan and purpose for your life whenn your day Tony tues day that's fantastic love Tony and he's a guy they don't have that award for coaches but I don't know that there's a better uh a more giving guy right not just to uh his own team and to his you know the guys a play for but to just pretty much anybody out there yeah yeah our uh uh our second D for dir event in 2015 was the the first year of that coaching staff and Tony was was on the staff for the first time and um it was 80s theme night or you know back to the 80s whatever it was and uh Tony came dressed as Michael Jackson wow andan and saying but I mean he he was Michael Jackson and yeah he's saying you know we's saying We Are the World at the end that's the big closing act you watch that documentary I did not it's really good um and Tony you know Michael Jackson had a big part in that and the whole whe of the world thing and a major role in the singing and Tony was singing the heck out of it so uh that's our that's that was probably our first my first real interaction with Tony it was in June of that year and uh ever since then Tony's been my guy yeah understandably great guy uh yeah check him out you know he's on X with the the Tony Tuesdays and lots of inspirational messages Mees each and every Tuesday we didn't get to the talk of the playoffs and the Wild Card stuff but we'll have a chance we got shows tomorrow we mentioned it Jeff is headed to Seattle he will be there for Kumar rocker first Major League start the Deb of what might be the future what the Rangers hope what we all hope is the future Ace of this staff I believe in and what a what a um onew punch it could easily prove to be with he and Jack lighter well and Jacob deg Grom is pitching Friday night making his season debut that's a Rangers got three more years of that so um yeah I mean Envision either next year even or 2026 de Grom rocker lighter that could be pretty that could be pretty salty guys yeah that'd be awesome so uh we thank you as always for joining us here today we've got more uh tomorrow we're here pretty much every day this week at 2:00 tomorrow it will be a pregame show for the getaway day already yeah just at 2 game series in Arizona getaway day is tomorrow a pregame show comes your way at 2:00 the game will follow at 2:30 and we come on right after the game don't forget about that we've got a postgame show after each and every getaway Day game uh we want you to continue to like us continue to subscribe to us and when you're on with us as so many have done today we ask you to chat along we love having you we love being here thanks for joining us and we'll see you again tomorrow on the DLS Rangers podcast [Music] [Applause] we all sitting like the May