- 13 hours ago
The Rangers’ new manager, Skip Schumaker, joined K&C Masterpiece LIVE from Spring Training in Arizona. Schumaker discussed the latest updates from camp, the development and progression of young players, the impact of injuries, the World Baseball Classic, and more.
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00:00Skip, I've told everybody as you walked through and we were kind of hanging out and you walked
00:04through and Lats was standing there and I was like, I feel like I need to do chest day
00:08right now.
00:09And the morning show was like, you should do a push-up or about five push-ups, have
00:13him critique your form, see how you can get the chest looking right.
00:16So do you have any thoughts on exactly what I need to do here, even though you haven't
00:19seen the form yet?
00:20Yeah, I mean, hey, listen, you might be really, really good in the weight room and I haven't
00:25seen you yet, so you're invited anytime that you want to join us.
00:28Okay, all right.
00:29I'm just swinging through.
00:30You should be careful about that.
00:31He takes those invitations very, very seriously.
00:34This is true.
00:34They're all welcome.
00:35We had the Von Ericks once in studio and they said, come on and hang out with my family in
00:41Maui.
00:41And I was like, okay, I'll be there.
00:43And Kevin was like, can he really show up?
00:45And they're like, maybe text.
00:47Maybe shoot us a text and let us know.
00:48Now, I know spring training, consistent roster moves.
00:52A couple of the names this morning that I was fascinated by is Santos and Teodo.
00:58And I was just kind of hoping that you could explain, because Teodo especially has just
01:02unbelievable stuff.
01:04But what is it that they still need to work on if they're going to be able to help the
01:08big club, whether it's this year, next year, whatever?
01:11Well, Teodo was on the fast track a couple of years ago.
01:14He just got hurt.
01:15So him coming back from injury, getting into the bullpen, getting his arm ramped up, and
01:21being able to be more consistent inside the strike zone with his fastball, and then the
01:25ability to have a secondary pitch from strike to ball.
01:29That's going to be his next step.
01:31Can he get an off-speed over for a strike early in counts as well?
01:34So he's still developing.
01:36He's got real stuff.
01:37It's just he's got to go down there and develop, get healthy, and then him being one of the
01:42options.
01:42But I want him to kick the door down.
01:45So not just to be an option, but force us to bring you up.
01:48You cannot not put him in there.
01:50Yeah, I want him to force me to get him in there.
01:53As far as Santos, about a week or 10 days ago, we were in a live, and he got a
02:00line drive
02:00back at him and broke his hand.
02:02Oh, well, there you go.
02:03So he just couldn't pitch anymore.
02:06I will tell you that he finished his live with Wyatt and Corey being the next two hitters.
02:14He wanted to finish his next 15 pitches or whatever with a broken hand.
02:17Wow.
02:18That shows you who he is.
02:19Holy cow.
02:20And you hate it for the kid because of the injury that happened.
02:25However, if I saw a different side of him, I probably wouldn't have seen if that didn't
02:31happen.
02:31So I don't know if he would have broke out of camp anyways.
02:35But what happened was is because of that, the whole staff had a new love and respect
02:40for him.
02:40Like he's got real dog, real fight in him.
02:42And I got no problem of him going onto the mound because I know what I'm going to get
02:46out of him.
02:47And so he really opened eyes just in another way.
02:50That's an odd.
02:50I love hearing a story like that.
02:52And I know it's not exactly the same, but did you get that vibe last week at all with
02:56Foscue when he was like, no, put me back.
02:58I want to go back in the game, you know, and I realize now the reasons why he couldn't
03:04go back out there because you want to make sure, like you said, it wasn't a three to four
03:07week thing.
03:08But you appreciate that they want to be back out there.
03:12You do.
03:12Yeah.
03:13I mean, you're not going to feel good every day.
03:14I mean, it's impossible.
03:16162 with all the work.
03:18I mean, you're watching BP right now.
03:19There's infield work.
03:21There's weight room at 630 in the morning.
03:23Guys are putting their bodies through a lot all year long.
03:26So you're not going to feel great every single day.
03:29So what happens when you don't feel good?
03:31Are you going to post or not?
03:32And he wanted to post.
03:34He wanted to push through.
03:35He's fighting for a job.
03:37And, you know, for our staff, it's a clean slate for him.
03:41I don't care what happened before.
03:42Like there's a new staff.
03:44We're getting he's got a new set of eyes on him.
03:46And there's a chance for him to break the Ross break with the club because his calling
03:50card is to hit lefties.
03:51He hit lefties really good last year.
03:53Yeah.
03:53In the minor leagues, we're looking for kind of that right hand and compliment to a lot
03:57of left hand bats in our lineup.
03:58And he's still on the radar.
04:00But I like how he's going about it.
04:02And then not just for Foskey, but for anybody, when you're fighting for that opportunity to
04:07break camp on the team, how important is any lost time at all?
04:12Well, later in camp, it's it's definitely challenging because then you got to ramp up.
04:16You got to get your legs underneath you.
04:18You got to get your timing back.
04:19I want to see if he can play multiple positions.
04:21So there's a lot of things that are challenging later in camp.
04:25Right now, it's March 1st, 2nd, whatever it is.
04:28He still has 20.
04:29It's kind of crazy to think about.
04:31We only have 21 more days.
04:33But but so he I think he's got another, you know, five to seven days of hopefully ramp up
04:39and get back into games, maybe 10.
04:41And then it's, you know, then you got to see what we're at.
04:45So it is challenging.
04:46Is spring training kind of broken down in your mind into the three parts, the February
04:50part and then that early March until it's like, hey, this is kind of the dress rehearsal or
04:55if not, how do you break down spring training for some guys?
04:58For some guys, it's right away.
05:00Hey, this is your World Series.
05:01Like, you got to go.
05:02Yeah.
05:02Corey Seager doesn't get a hit the first week in February.
05:06I was panicking every day.
05:07I think he's going to be OK.
05:09Right.
05:09So I think it's different for everybody.
05:11You know, as a when I was a former player, like every day meant like I had to try to
05:17make
05:17a team.
05:17And so every day it didn't matter.
05:20Like I had to post and be ready and show that like I was ready to go where there's some
05:25guys on this team that it's a progression.
05:27It's a slow progression.
05:28Are they ready for opening day in Philly is like that's the most important part.
05:32So I think it's just different for everybody.
05:34Skip over the season and hopefully over your career while we're still around.
05:38We we try to be fair with our questions, but sometimes we do have to ask some tough things.
05:42Are you comfortable with tough things as long as they're fair?
05:45That's part of the job.
05:46OK, what would you do?
05:48What would you pivoted to if he's like, not really?
05:50I got plenty of questions.
05:52All right.
05:52I got plenty of things asked.
05:53But there is one thing that like I think we're all hopeful for.
05:56We love Josh Smith, but we have noticed over the last couple of years he'll start.
06:00He'll have a really good first half.
06:02And in that second half, how do you how do you help him work that out?
06:05And what does he need to do?
06:07Chase winning.
06:08That's what you got to do as a player.
06:10I think if you're focused on trying to get to the end with the good numbers or whatever
06:14it is, your thought process, and you're like trying to math.
06:17Not that I know if he's doing this or not, but for math.
06:19OK, if I have 30 more bats, I get 10 more hits.
06:21And these are going to be the numbers and whatever it is.
06:23Because I'm guessing that his first half, all he cared about was trying to help win
06:28the game.
06:28The second half is all if you care about is to try to win the game and not get to
06:33the
06:33finish line and to try to get these concrete numbers to get money or whatever it is.
06:37And I'm not suggesting that's what he was doing.
06:39But there are players that fall into that trap because you look at the numbers and you're
06:43like trying to get to the finish line and have a really good year or have a bad year
06:46based on the last two months.
06:47And it's hard for young players sometimes to see that.
06:50Josh is a winning player.
06:52I know that for a fact.
06:54He has bounced around.
06:55It's not easy to bounce around.
06:57Left field, first base, second base, shortstop, third base.
07:00I mean, he has played everywhere.
07:01Oh, by the way, and you've got to produce.
07:03And last year he faced crochet opening day, right?
07:06So like as a left-handed hitter.
07:08So like that's how valuable he is, you know, and we know that the compete is in there because
07:14you wouldn't face crochet opening day if we did as a left-handed hitter.
07:18Not a lot of lefties face crochet.
07:20But for him, he was facing, that's where we think he is, who he is as a player.
07:24Now, how can we get more consistency for 162?
07:27Well, that's part of our job.
07:28And that's not only for him, but for everybody is how can we be more consistent and not have
07:33these peaks and valleys as a team is why, you know, we're getting paid.
07:39And if we don't do our job, then you'll see another guy here.
07:41And so we're going to do the best we can to provide that environment for our players.
07:46I watched this show called Shorzy.
07:48Kevin thinks it's ridiculous.
07:49I love it, though.
07:50And one of the things he's taught, they're playing hockey.
07:52And he's like, why are you here?
07:54You love to hit guys.
07:56You love to score goals.
07:57How fun is it to be on first base after you just ripped a hit?
08:01I mean, it's really hard to get to first base.
08:04You know, I think that is what people talk about all the time is the slug and home runs.
08:08And listen, I love home runs.
08:10I only hit like five of them my whole career.
08:12They felt really good, didn't they?
08:13Man, did they feel good.
08:15But my point is, it's hard to get to first.
08:18And so if it's walk or hit or whatever, that's like all your work is like it's justified.
08:23And like it, you know, I don't care if it's a, there's a lot of, you know, exit velocity
08:27and all this stuff right now.
08:28If it's 30 mile an hour blue pit over second base, man, I'm fist pumping.
08:33Like I just got to knock in the big leagues and that never changes.
08:35And that shouldn't change here either.
08:37So like, yeah, I celebrate wins, man.
08:40And a win is getting on first base and creating havoc.
08:42But yeah, I love, I love getting on first.
08:44Because when you have a guy like Wyatt or a guy like Evan that are staying on first,
08:48those dudes can score from there, you know?
08:50Oh yeah, no doubt.
08:52That generates in that dugout, that gets them going.
08:55You're hoping that base hit turns into a double within a couple pitches.
08:57And you just talked about causing havoc.
09:00Somebody who has done that, small sample size, I realize.
09:02Cam Colley early on.
09:04What have you seen from his approach or what's led him to be so effective to start off spring training?
09:10Well, the last couple of years we've asked him to cut down the strikeout rate and increase the walk rate.
09:16He's done that.
09:17So he's training.
09:18He's still young.
09:1822 years old in AA last year.
09:20I was 25 in AA or 24 in AA.
09:24So like he's still young.
09:25And there was a guy, Walcott, there that got a lot of notoriety, which he should.
09:28He's a stud.
09:30Cam had a good year.
09:31Look at his second half numbers last year.
09:33It was really good.
09:34And he came into camp not being protected when the 30 teams could have got him because he wasn't on
09:40the 40 man.
09:41And he came in with an edge like, I'm going to prove you wrong.
09:43And he has done that so far.
09:45He's versatile, played second, played short, played center.
09:48You'll see him at third later on in camp.
09:51So all you want to do is provide a manager or a staff with an option.
09:56And he is doing that.
09:57And he's opening up a lot of a guy's eyes here that haven't seen him before.
10:01How much does that versatility just help any player's case in terms of like breaking camp on the roster or
10:08whatever the case is?
10:09Like, it just feels natural that that versatility would give you potentially a little bit of an edge.
10:14It does.
10:14And, you know, you're looking for guys just in case, right?
10:18Those are the guys.
10:18The Jicks guys are just in case.
10:20And so if anything happens, who can you fill it with?
10:23And if he's hitting, then that obviously opens eyes.
10:27And then, oh, by the way, he can play, you know, multiple positions.
10:29But you just want to, again, be an option.
10:32And he's definitely been an option.
10:34Now, it felt like the camp breakout last year was Osuna.
10:39And this year, I know he just departed to go play for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, which is
10:44a great honor.
10:45But at the same point, I hope this makes sense.
10:49Does that hinder what he's doing here in spring training?
10:51Because it feels like he's fighting to break camp as well.
10:54Yeah.
10:55I mean, you watch the WBC just like you would watch spring training if I was in.
10:59Okay.
10:59Yeah.
11:00So if I'm, like, here and there's a B game in Mesa, I'm watching the B game in Mesa when
11:04I get back.
11:05It's the same thing with Quantrill and Garcia and Osuna.
11:09That part doesn't change.
11:11I think the tough part is if I don't know how much he's going to play.
11:15Yeah.
11:15So he would get more consistent at-bats here.
11:18Where there, I'm not, you know, I don't know.
11:20I'm not the manager there.
11:21But we'll see.
11:22I'm hoping he gets a lot of at-bats and, you know, continues in his progression, you know, going into
11:26the season.
11:27Does that discussion take place with him ahead of time at all?
11:30With the manager of Mexico?
11:31No, with Osuna himself.
11:33And you're like.
11:34No.
11:35No, no, no.
11:35I mean, like, I love the WBC.
11:37I want them to go play for the country.
11:40I played for USA.
11:42Like, it's awesome.
11:44What an experience and what an honor to put the name across your chest.
11:47But, you know, there's real competition, too, you know, on this side of it.
11:52So it's definitely an interesting subject.
11:56But it's one that, like, it's really good for Major League Baseball.
11:59It's really good for these guys.
12:00And hopefully when they come back, you know, there's still 10 days or so to, you know, make your opportunity
12:07and to help make a team.
12:09Now, when you talk about representing your country, I do believe, was it in 06 that you helped the team
12:15qualify for the 08 Olympics by defeating Cuba with armed guards on the roof at the stadium?
12:21Do I have that approximately correct?
12:23Correct.
12:24You do.
12:24Yeah, yeah.
12:25Again, you know, one of the best times was in 06, spending a couple weeks in Cuba in front of
12:31all those fans in Cuba.
12:33I mean, they're extremely passionate.
12:35And some good players that were on Cuba at that time in 2006.
12:39I got to do that.
12:40I got to play later on.
12:42I was going to coach actually here in WBC as a bench coach before I got this.
12:47My son played on Team USA in Japan this summer, 18U.
12:51Oh, that's awesome.
12:52Yeah, so I'm big USA, pro USA, pro USA in general, but USA team in WBC.
13:01And so I'll be watching closely.
13:02Do you like Paul Skeens?
13:03Sorry, Corey, do you like Paul Skeens when he's like, well, if we get to where we should, I'll make
13:07a second start?
13:09I like that confidence.
13:10For sure.
13:11And, I mean, this is a talented roster.
13:13Yeah, well, our old co-host, Mike Bassick, who does the TV broadcast now, we did get him a bronze
13:18medal because he didn't get to go, but he did help qualify.
13:21He was on the team?
13:22Yes.
13:22Yeah, 06.
13:23We had to order it from overseas.
13:25Yeah.
13:25He said, please, we'll get out to him.
13:27I'm sure.
13:30This team, I keep asking this question to everybody.
13:33The leadership, does it grow during spring training?
13:37Do you already have guys in mind that are, these are my guys that are running my clubhouse?
13:41Because it's always a lot more fun.
13:43Now, obviously, it's your team, but it's always a lot more fun when you have guys that can take care
13:48of the room for you.
13:49Well, a lot of stuff that guys don't see, it happens behind the scenes.
13:56So, like leadership, it depends on what you think leadership is.
14:02Is it jump on a table and rah-rah or flip the table over when stuff is going bad, or
14:06is it like organic conversations at a hotel bar, inside your hotel room where you guys are talking to guys,
14:13and coffee the next day, whatever it is, over a drink?
14:17So, there's a lot of different ways, I think, what leadership is and what leadership looks like.
14:22It's not always inside of a clubhouse where media or people can see, like they think what leadership is.
14:28Some guys, it's fake leadership, quite honestly, because they want to be that loud voice in front of people so
14:33they can write a story.
14:34That's not leadership either.
14:35So, I think there's more leaders in that clubhouse than maybe people think.
14:40We just didn't have the year we wanted last year.
14:43Change happened.
14:44That's what happens when you don't win.
14:46And I think there's a lot of guys that are motivated now because they didn't win, that they're showing that
14:52that was an outlier year.
14:54We had some guys that didn't have the years that they wanted, and they want to prove that that was
14:58just one of their years in their career.
15:01But this is more who they're going to be in 2026.
15:04Thank you so much for the time.
15:05We'll love to pick up this conversation, hopefully, every week this season.
15:09Sounds great.
15:10Thanks for having me on.
15:10Thank you very much.
15:11Good, sir.
15:11There you go, Skip Schumacher right here on 105.3 The Fan.
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