- 17 hours ago
Jared Sandler joined Shan and RJ from Philadelphia to break down the Texas Rangers’ season opener. He discussed how the rotation and bullpen could shape up, lineup changes and this season's potential breakout players. Sandler shared insights on Skip Schumacher’s new approach, its impact on the clubhouse and more.
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00:00And joining us now live on the Fan Cam, Twitch, and YouTube, it is the annual tradition of our boy
00:05Jared Sandler on opening day here on DFW Sports Station.
00:09Good morning. What time did you wake up and how many different tasks do you have on your list before
00:15we get going, Jared?
00:18All right. Task number one is going to be to get our broadcast and audio.
00:23So, Aiden or Jacob, let them know that we are good to go as he's looking at me here on
00:29the Fan Cam, Twitch, and YouTube.
00:31You got me? Can you hear me?
00:32I can hear you. Can you hear me?
00:33Yeah, we're good to go.
00:34Are you just doing your game notes?
00:37You're so entrenched.
00:39Getting ready.
00:39What time did you wake up?
00:43Like 5.30, I think.
00:45I think I woke up at like 2.30, but then I went back to sleep for a little bit.
00:48Is it the same giddiness every year?
00:51Yeah, it's pretty cool.
00:52And I'm pretty fired up to do this in Philadelphia.
00:55I always think it's fun.
00:56It's great opening the season at home.
00:58The Rangers have typically done that.
01:00I don't know the last time we had a week-long road trip to start the season.
01:03But when you open the season on the road, you get to experience at least two opening days.
01:07And to get to do it in Philadelphia, I mean, I know this is going to upset some people,
01:11but Philadelphia is one of the great sports cities in America from like a passion standpoint.
01:17And Philly's games are about as lively and vibrant as there are in Major League Baseball.
01:22So I'm pretty fired up for today.
01:23It should be a lot of fun.
01:24All right.
01:24Give me the no-games-played, optimistic Texas Ranger sell job before we get this thing really going against a
01:33really good team.
01:34You know, the things that we've been covering all offseason that could come to fruition, maybe a surprise.
01:39Give me the optimistic start to the Rangers season.
01:42Well, they return most of their rotation.
01:46And I think with Jacob deGrom, his second full year removed from Tommy John, this is supposed to be, you
01:53know, a step up from last year, which was already a great year.
01:57You know, I feel like you know what you're going to get from Nathan Valdi over the course of his
02:01season.
02:01Jack Leiter trending in the right direction.
02:03Mackenzie Gore trending in the right direction and was already an all-star last year.
02:07You've got really good depth in your rotation, so you're somewhat protected there.
02:12Rocker, Lax, and then eventually Bradford in a couple months, and then Jordan Montgomery, and then some guys in the
02:17minors who can come up and fill roles.
02:20There's obviously a question with the bullpen, but, you know, that's the easiest unit to fix throughout the course of
02:25a season.
02:25And then with the lineup, you know, I just can't, I don't, I don't believe that some of the guys
02:32who really struggled last year, who had, you know, close to career worst years, are going to match that.
02:37Whether it's someone like Jake Berger, who was playing through a wrist injury that really made things hard for him
02:42to hit last year, or Jock Peterson, who was just really bad.
02:46And I can't imagine he is going to be as poor this year.
02:49Plus, you know, one of the biggest issues for the Rangers the last two years has been their lack of
02:54plate discipline and approach.
02:55Every guy that they added this offseason from a position player standpoint is on the major league roster addresses that.
03:01Andrew McCutcheon, Brandon Nimmo, Danny Jansen, all major upgrades from the guys they're replacing, like significant upgrades, and also guys
03:09who helped change the identity of this lineup.
03:11So, and it's also still a really good defensive team.
03:14And I think whenever you're the new manager, it's new energy, a lot of excitement, and so I really think
03:20that this is a team.
03:20They were 81-81 last year, despite grossly underperforming offensively.
03:25So, you know, I don't foresee, unless just, you know, terrible injury luck, the Rangers finishing below .500, and I
03:33think that they're going to be right there in the mix for the division in a playoff spot.
03:37Jared, I saw a stat the other day, and we talked about this yesterday, about...
03:41Hang on, hang on, hang on.
03:41Yeah.
03:44Was that the optimism, Sal, that you see them right there for the division in a playoff spot?
03:48Or is that your thought?
03:49Because you said 98%.
03:51There's no amount of money in Vegas that's being put on more of a division lock than the Mariners.
03:57Yeah, I don't...
03:58The Rangers aren't the favorite to win the division.
04:00I just think that if you're going to be in the mix for the playoffs, I don't see the Mariners
04:04running away with the division.
04:05I don't see them as a 100-win team.
04:08You know, I think the Rangers the last couple years have had, you know, really bad injury luck.
04:12The Mariners have been on the other side of that.
04:14You know, their rotation has largely stayed healthy.
04:16The Rangers hasn't.
04:18And yet they've still been able to find success on the mound.
04:21I think the Mariners are really good, right?
04:23If you told me, hey, life on the line, who's going to win the division?
04:27You know, the Mariners are the smart money play there.
04:29I just think, unless you're a 100-win team, I don't see, you know, the Mariners running away with this.
04:36So I think that the Rangers are going to be right there in the mix.
04:38I do think it's a four-team division, right?
04:41The Angels are lost.
04:42They're clueless.
04:42No clue what they're doing.
04:43I don't know if they have any clue what they're doing.
04:46But the Athletics, I think, are going to take another step forward.
04:49That's a scary lineup.
04:50They're kind of 90s Rangers-esque.
04:52And, you know, they might lose games 15-13.
04:56But, you know, then the Astros, again, I don't think the arrow's pointing up for them.
05:01They missed the playoffs last year.
05:03I don't think they're back in the playoffs this year.
05:05But you can't just ignore them.
05:06And then the Mariners and the Rangers.
05:08I just think that when you've got the pitching the Rangers have, it's tough to rule them out.
05:13And they also have flexibility of the deadline financially this year that maybe they didn't really have at their disposal
05:19last year.
05:19Jared Sandler joining us here at 105 Through the Fan.
05:21Man, the Rangers' run differential last year was that of more of a 90-win team than an 81-win
05:27team.
05:28I went and looked, and it was like they scored about 500 runs in their wins and about 200 runs
05:33in their losses, which is insane.
05:36Seems very, very – that's a big disparity.
05:39Were they a little unlucky offensively?
05:44Well, yeah, I mean, you know, they had some games where they really, like, poured it on, right?
05:48So I don't know.
05:49You know, I do like the Pythagorean win stuff.
05:51I do think over large samples that probably rings true.
05:55And, listen, 162 games is a large sample.
05:58But they did have some explosion-type games, which simply means that their offense has the capacity to do more
06:03than what they did.
06:04So, yeah, I do think that they were a little bit unlucky.
06:06Again, you know, health-wise, you got Corey Seager missing the last month of the year because an appendectomy, you
06:14know,
06:14didn't recover as well as, you know, what they would have liked.
06:17White Langford dealt with multiple oblique injuries on both sides.
06:21You had a first base in playing really without a wrist that was intact, trying to hit when you're relying
06:26on him to, you know, do damage.
06:28And then you had guys like Marcus Simeon and Adolis Garcia who just couldn't quite put it together offensively.
06:33So, yeah, I do think they were a little bit unlucky.
06:35I'm not going to sit here and say it was just bad luck because I do think good approaches to
06:39the plate help create luck.
06:40And I don't think the Rangers really demonstrated that the last two years.
06:43I think they were very undisciplined.
06:45And I don't think that they did what the game told them to do in terms of situational hitting.
06:50I'm not talking about laying down bunts and stuff like that, but just taking advantage of opportunities, playing to the
06:55count, playing to the situation.
06:57And so I think to that degree, maybe they didn't create their luck.
07:00But, yeah, there's a little bit of bad luck with that nine-win differential, no doubt about it.
07:05You know, I don't think it's a big deal for DeGrom or Valdi, but, like, for the rest of the
07:09staff, how big of a loss is Mike Maddox?
07:14Yeah, I mean, I think a lot of guys would tell you that Jordan Teagues was, you know, incredibly instrumental.
07:20You know, I think Mike Maddox and Jordan Teagues together formed a great team.
07:25Now, who's going to step up in Mike Maddox's role?
07:28You know, I'm not totally positive.
07:31Why wouldn't it be Teagues?
07:33Well, no, I'm saying it's Maddox and Teagues.
07:37I'm saying, and you still have Jordan Teagues.
07:39They, like, different skill sets.
07:41We talked about this last year when the Rangers fired Donnie Ecker.
07:43You don't just have a hitting coach and a pitching coach anymore.
07:45You have a hitting department and a pitching department.
07:48And I think it's important to have complementary skill sets.
07:51Listen, Mike Maddox is a really decorated and accomplished pitching coach.
07:55I think Jordan Teagues deserves a lot of credit for the success that a lot of these guys have had.
08:00If you listen, if you read between the lines, listen to guys last year, right?
08:04I'm not talking about now that Mike Maddox is gone.
08:07You listen to guys last year talk about growth and influence.
08:10Jordan Teagues, his name, is mentioned a ton.
08:12Mike Maddox is great.
08:13But I don't think that the Rangers are without a lot of talent in the coaching side of the pitching
08:19department.
08:20Jared Sandler, Rangers insider and broadcaster here on 105.3 The Fan.
08:24We have him in the expressway for a reason.
08:26I asked Tolos for a bunch of different questions so we can kind of quick hit this
08:30so we can get through as many as possible for those that came in for you, Jared, in Philadelphia.
08:35From Nicky, player on the roster who Jared thinks could exceed expectations.
08:42Well, I mean, it seems like listening and hearing from fans, the Jock Peterson bar is incredibly low.
08:49So I would hope that he exceeds it.
08:51But a guy who I really think can take a step forward this year and, you know, really be a
08:58catalyst is Wyatt Langford.
09:00I just don't know.
09:02Jack Leiter on the pitching side is getting a lot of like the breakout type of label.
09:06And I think that's great.
09:08And I don't I don't disagree with that.
09:10We know how I feel about Jack Leiter.
09:12That's been chronicled on this radio station for the last couple of years.
09:15But I just think, you know, Wyatt Langford is a 2020 guy last year, and I really think he could
09:21be a 30-30 guy this year.
09:22It's not that I think that fans don't think he's going to be good or do good things.
09:25I just don't know.
09:26Like, this guy's like a legitimate MVP type talent.
09:30Now, he's got to put it together.
09:32The guy who I would also put in there, just because it was his first year with the Rangers,
09:36so you don't have that same level of excitement, is Jake Berger.
09:40Jake Berger didn't have a good year last year.
09:42And I think that, you know, that's a lot of Rangers fans' first exposure to Jake Berger.
09:46But, you know, he's not a guy who's going to draw a lot of walks or get on base at
09:50a high rate.
09:50But he's a guy who can slug 30 home runs.
09:52And I think that the Rangers really need him from the right side to be a force,
09:56especially against left-handed pitching.
09:57And the Rangers are facing arguably the second-best lefty in Major League Baseball today
10:01behind Tarek Skubel and Christopher Sanchez.
10:04But they're going to face two lefties this series.
10:06And how the Rangers do against lefty starters or lefty relievers,
10:09I think is going to go a long way in determining what their ceiling is this season.
10:13You mentioned the Miners before.
10:14Jordan asks, who is a batting pitcher in the Miners that will come up and make a difference?
10:20Yeah, so, you know, the Rangers don't have a guy from, like, a star standpoint
10:24in the Miners from a position player level right now, right?
10:29Like, Cam Cawley excited a lot of people.
10:32Cam Cawley's not going to come up and be a star right now.
10:35Could he be eventually? Maybe.
10:36I do think that Cam Cawley's a guy who can come up and make a difference, though.
10:41You know, he's not exactly like Delano DeShields at all.
10:44But if you guys remember in 2015, now, Delano started the year because he was a Rule 5 pick.
10:48But they were just trying to stash him as much as they could.
10:50He eventually was a catalyst in that lineup.
10:53I think in a Delano DeShields spark plug type way.
10:56Kind of like the Little Rascals last year, just being a spark.
10:59I think Cam Cawley's one of those guys.
11:00And then, you know, a guy who I really like, there are a couple of relievers.
11:05Gavin Collier and Leandro Lopez, I think, are a couple of guys who can come up.
11:08You know, if Winston Santos and Jorge Porniel can stay healthy on the pitching side,
11:12those guys can make a difference.
11:13Same with a David Davaleo type.
11:15So, I don't know if those guys are going to come up and be starters or relievers.
11:19I think those guys, except for Leandro Lopez, all right now are still on a starting pitching track.
11:24But that can change within the course of a competitive Major League season when you need help or arms in
11:29the bullpen.
11:30And I think at least one of those guys needs to come up and make an impact in the bullpen
11:35this year at some point.
11:37So, those are some names to think about.
11:39MJ and Jack, will McCutcheon become the everyday DH?
11:43And a lot of questions about leashes on here.
11:46How long is Rocker's leash on the five spot?
11:49And how long of a leash will Jock have?
11:52Yeah, I think with Rocker, you've got to give him four or five starts.
11:57I think with Jock, you've got to give him 80 to 100 at-bats.
12:00Played appearances, played appearances.
12:02So, I think with Jock, the difference this year compared to last year is that this year he doesn't have
12:08a second guaranteed year upcoming, right?
12:10If you part ways with Jock in the middle of last year, you're now paying him to go play elsewhere
12:15for a year and a half.
12:16And that's tough to swallow.
12:18If it's just a few months, it's different.
12:20So, I think with Jock, the Rangers really need Jock to be the guy, like 80% of the guy
12:26he was in 2024.
12:28But if we're talking on May 1st, May 15th, and it just doesn't look good at all, it looks just
12:33like a continuation of last year, yeah, there will be a change.
12:36As far as McCutcheon being the everyday DH, you know, he hasn't really been good against righties for a couple
12:41years.
12:42Last year, he was a sub-700 OPS guy against righties.
12:46You know, if you look at 2024, again, it skews towards, you know, his success against lefties.
12:52But, you know, ultimately, if Andrew McCutcheon's hitting, Andrew McCutcheon will find his way in the lineup.
12:58Hunter Pence in 2019, when the Rangers got him, was supposed to fill a specific role.
13:03And he just was hitting, and he ended up being an all-star, and he ended up being an everyday
13:06player for the Rangers.
13:07So, I'm not ruling it out for McCutcheon, but I think to start the year, his role is going to
13:11be very specific.
13:12And then, you know, with Rocker, again, I said five starts.
13:15Jacob Latz is there.
13:17You know, he's someone who could assume that role.
13:19But I think if you're committing to Kamar Rocker right now, you owe it to him to give him a
13:23month, which is about five starts, to see how he can develop and get going.
13:27Jared Sandler, Rangers insider from Philly here on 105.3 The Fan.
13:31From Alex, who will be the closer by the all-star break?
13:36That's a good question.
13:37You know, it's been since Joe Nathan that the Rangers have had a closer go wire to wire for a
13:42season after which he ended the year as the team's closer.
13:46It has just been a revolving door for the Rangers for more than a decade.
13:50I think, you know, Robert Garcia is going to get the opportunity to start the year.
13:54If one of those minor league guys comes up and pops and it just, you know, has that, you know,
14:00nasty swing and miss type stuff,
14:02maybe one of those guys could take it over if Robert Garcia struggles.
14:06A lot of people, I'll give you a dark horse named Colwyn.
14:09Colwyn, you know, really impressed a lot of people with his repertoire last year.
14:13I think he's probably got to, you know, strike out some guys, some more guys to do it.
14:18Last year, 35 strikeouts in 41 and two-thirds innings.
14:21I think he's got to become at least a strikeout printing guy.
14:24But if he can take that step, he's another name.
14:26But the Rangers have a lot of really good seventh and eighth inning options.
14:30It's going to be on Robert.
14:32They really need Robert Garcia to be the correct answer to that question unless one of these minor league guys
14:37really pops.
14:38Or another dark horse name, a guy like Nelson, a great guy who could be a quick mover if he,
14:42you know,
14:43really has things come together for him starting the year, likely in double A.
14:47Jared, because of the impending lockout that might happen, if they get to the deadline or if they get to
14:56the middle of June
14:56and they're in good position, does that make them less likely to buy because there may not be a season
15:01next year?
15:01Or if they're 10 games under, does that make them more likely to sell off somebody like a Jake or
15:07a Corey that, you know,
15:08they could just, without knowing if there's going to be a season next year, they can get out of that
15:13deal?
15:14Does that change anything they do?
15:16That's a great question.
15:18There have been so few examples of this when the Rangers have gone into the year unsure of, you know,
15:26like what direction they might go.
15:29I shouldn't say that.
15:30The Rangers right now, it's all full steam ahead.
15:33We know that if things don't go well, then that could change the conversation.
15:37So to have that, that, you know, potential plus the, the lockout, you know, threat, I'm not sure.
15:45Or Jay, you know, I, I, I don't know, you know,
15:48the last time there was a threat of a lockout was prior to 2022 and the Rangers were incredibly aggressive
15:54in free agency that off season coming off a 100 loss year.
15:58Where it's not apples to apples.
16:00You're asking in season, obviously that's, it's, it's a great question.
16:04I really don't know the answer.
16:05This is a very veteran laden team.
16:08Uh, and if things are not going well, uh, you know, would ownership step in and say, Hey, we think
16:13what's best is to reset.
16:15It's obviously not Chris Young's mentality.
16:16He is super aggressive.
16:18So I think, I think it's all possible.
16:20Uh, I just, I could try sound smart and tell you, I know exactly what that playbook would look like.
16:25I really don't know the answer to that question.
16:27I, I assume Kevin Pillar wants to know how the clubhouse is.
16:33Hey, you know, Kevin Pillar, uh, he's a good guy.
16:36And in the Metroplex, uh, clubhouse is great.
16:40Uh, listen, can you get a feel for that this early?
16:44Like with them in Arizona?
16:45Yeah.
16:46Just based on conversations had this year compared to last year, you know, last year, I think, uh, it was
16:53one of those things where in hindsight, maybe there were signs, maybe you should have heard words coming out of
16:58people's mouths a little, you know, a little more, uh, clearly, uh, you could feel it last year.
17:05Maybe you didn't want to feel it.
17:07Didn't want to play psychiatrist.
17:09Uh, I think, I think the Marcus Simeon, Corey Seager stuff was overblown, right?
17:15Marcus Simeon was not traded because of his relationship with Corey Seager.
17:19Marcus Simeon was traded because he had not performed well offensively and they needed more production there.
17:25Marcus Simeon is not going to be Corey Seager's best man.
17:28If you know, they got married again and vice versa.
17:30I think that whenever you have that cloud, it's, it's a lot of times, not about the two individuals involved.
17:38It's just about the eggshells that it might create, whether it's fair or unfair.
17:42And it's just a, it's a much different feel.
17:46I think Skip Schumacher has brought a new energy.
17:48You've got new coaches, right?
17:50It's not just Skip Schumacher.
17:51You have some holdovers, but you got some new blood, right?
17:53So as players, you got to prove something to those guys, right?
17:56Especially if you're not a, you know, a guaranteed lock everyday player.
18:00Uh, and then I think you, you brought in some personalities that help loosen things up.
18:05It might sound silly guys, but the whole ping pong tournament during spring training, getting
18:09everyone in a room every single day to razz people, to, to cheer people.
18:14I mean, they would play nonstop and then they would have like their tournament where it was
18:17like a stadium feel where everyone's watching, right?
18:20It was like a mandatory event and it just seemed to, to, to help bring people together.
18:25Uh, does that guarantee wins?
18:27No, it doesn't guarantee wins, but I do think the vibe and the feel is just totally different
18:32than this year than it was last year.
18:34You mentioned Skip, give us some traits that you think will be identifiable to us as the
18:39year goes along, either play style or personality, uh, of, of, of Skip Schumacher's team compared
18:46to Bochy or just in general, uh, a Schumacher team.
18:50Yeah, well, I'll tell you, so Skip is a really good guy.
18:53He loves Jordan 11s.
18:55He loves surfing, but you're going to see him in a baseball uniform and he is locked
18:59in, right?
19:00This is a, he is very dialed in.
19:02Uh, but I do think that, you know, a few things, one he's talked about, and this was his role
19:08as a player, right?
19:09He was an everyday guy for small stretches, but he was a utility guy and off the bench
19:13guy.
19:13And he's talked a lot about, you know, using your bench.
19:16You can't expect a guy to come in in the seventh inning and get you a big pinch hit at
19:21bat
19:21when he's been sitting on his ass for a week, right?
19:24So, you know, I think he is going to use his team.
19:26He's going to use his depth.
19:27I think you're going to see more.
19:29I talked to, I think I talked to you guys about this a couple of weeks.
19:31I think that eventually you're going to see more accountability.
19:33We have questions about leashes.
19:35I think you're going to see a different approach to that sort of thing, uh, because I think
19:38there are going to be some non-negotiables.
19:40Uh, and I think that, uh, you know, if, if those things aren't executed, you're going
19:44to see guys, uh, you know, have roles change, you know, it's tough to, to know how the style
19:49of play will translate from Miami to Texas, because with Miami, he didn't have the resources.
19:54He didn't have the talent that he has on the roster here.
19:57You know, they were a, a forced platoon, almost up and down the lineup type team.
20:02That's not exactly where the Rangers are.
20:05Uh, but you know, skip talks about joy and while, you know, you might not see him smile
20:10a ton while he's in uniform.
20:11Think of what he did the other day with Carter bombler.
20:13You know, that, that was not a small thing, right?
20:17There were a lot of people.
20:18It's not just, you know, and the good, the today show and good morning America, that
20:22move meant a lot and said a lot to people in the clubhouse.
20:25Cause remember skip can, can deliver this great message.
20:28And he apparently had this awesome opening to spring training speech that had people ready
20:32to go, but he is still new to this organization and to a lot of these people.
20:36And the, the move he made there, I think, you know, I, I don't think he did it strategically
20:42for this reason, a curry favor, but there were a lot of people talking to, you know, internally
20:45what, what a cool move.
20:47Like what, what an awesome way to celebrate a player and to put a player first and to,
20:52to really demonstrate what he's preached, which is playing the game with joy, having
20:56fun, not having to stick up your ass.
20:58And Oh my God, it's a mountain visit and a meaningless exhibition game.
21:01I gotta be serious.
21:02But to tell a guy in that moment, Hey, you've made the team, I think that's exactly the type
21:06of thing that the message he wanted to convey.
21:08I think it was a purposeful move.
21:11And I think that's the sort of thing you're going to see.
21:13Jared Sandler from Philly here on one Oh five through the fan.
21:15I got to take a quick 20 second time out to highlight something that Jared is doing.
21:20If you're watching on the fan cam Twitch and YouTube, and I love this so much because
21:25one of my pet peeves here at the station is people not checking their phones.
21:28And if y'all could see that Jared is somehow texting both of us while like no stops downs,
21:36no hesitations.
21:37So this is an amazing skill.
21:38I don't know how you're doing it.
21:40I consider myself pretty good at it, but this is seamless for you.
21:43You're checking something and writing it while delivering the answers.
21:46So it's just a pet peeve of mine.
21:49You know, when, when I, when I send, when I'm off and I'm listening to you guys and I
21:52text something, it drives me crazy.
21:54Especially Bobby with his three stupid whole phones, uh, that he's not sitting there looking
21:59at it and reacting until 15, 20 minutes later.
22:02For whatever reason, if it doesn't come on my, uh, you're writing texts on your computer
22:06all the time.
22:06How does it not, does it not pop up?
22:08Sometimes, sometimes I get notifications.
22:11Sometimes I don't.
22:11I don't know why.
22:12Yeah.
22:12And it annoys me because I'll be like sitting here and people say like Sarah will text me
22:16and like two hours later, I haven't responded.
22:18Yeah.
22:18And I'm like, well, it didn't pop up.
22:19What do you want me to do?
22:20How are you doing it?
22:20What's your tip?
22:22I, it's really sad guys.
22:23I think it's really a poor reflection of how much time I spent on my phone that I
22:27can text without looking.
22:28Um, I don't think it's a skill that I'm really proud of to be honest with you, but, uh, I
22:32guess it just comes with a lot of experience.
22:35Sandler.
22:35Um, how did the players react to the ABS system?
22:39How aggressive are they going to be with it early in the game?
22:42You don't, we only get, you know, if you don't use them, you lose them.
22:44Uh, and then that, that, I thought Bastic on the pregame on a, one of the preseason games
22:50or whatever they had it, um, where there was a play, a three, two pitch, a strike them
22:54out, throw them out at second base.
22:56If they challenge it, is that runner out?
22:58Is that runner to the dead ball?
22:59Once the challenge happens, how, how has this played out?
23:03Yeah, I think that, first of all, I'm fascinated by this.
23:06I just think it's a really cool layer of strategy.
23:08It probably won't be as present as some people think just cause you only got two misses.
23:12And I think you're going to start to see teams conserve these challenges, uh, until later
23:19in the game, unless you've got high leverage moments early, right?
23:23Third inning bases loaded in a, you know, close ball game.
23:26That's a high leverage moment, right?
23:28You know, short of that, like, you know, I think teams want to make sure, um, I think
23:32catchers who have a great understanding of each hitter's strike zone will be very valuable.
23:36And I think the hitters who don't just go, you know, whine and scream at clouds, but truly
23:41understand the strike zone, it's going to be a weapon.
23:43The thing that I'm curious about RJ strategically is how teams deploy this, right?
23:48Like hitters can't, you know, we saw early in spring training before it was outlawed.
23:52The brewers had signs like in college football, you know, where you have those, uh, the, the,
23:56the boards that you see some teams, the brewers basically had a red light and a green light
24:00that they would show before every pitch, telling the hitter, this is, you know, you're not
24:04challenged no matter what, this is not a leverage situation.
24:06You're not challenging, uh, or you are challenging.
24:10I think it's too much for hitters to think about, you know, this guy throwing three different
24:15fastballs plus a wipeout slider.
24:17And then shoot, what happens on this pitch?
24:19Do I challenge?
24:19Do I not whatever?
24:20And so I think the communication from dugout to hitter each pitch or a hitter's wherewithal
24:26is going to be huge.
24:27And then also what are teams philosophies here?
24:29Like, you know, I've heard some people talk about, Hey, if I'm winning, I'm not going to
24:33challenge offensively.
24:34I'm going to save those for run prevention.
24:36If I'm losing, I'm going to save those for run creation, run production at the end of
24:41the day.
24:41I don't know.
24:42Like, is that the right thing to do?
24:43Or is it just all about the plus minus anyway?
24:46So you got to use it in the right situations.
24:49Um, and then it's going to be fun as the season unfolds, which hitters are good at this, which
24:53hitters aren't, which catchers are good at this, which aren't and how that evolves
24:56strategically.
24:57Because if I'm Skip Schumacher and I got a guy who's like a 12% successor, I don't know,
25:02some ungodly low number, am I telling him like in June, Hey, you're done.
25:07Like no more challenges this year, unless it's in like the eighth or ninth, how each
25:11team handles this, I think is going to be really interesting.
25:13You know, you mentioned something earlier.
25:15I think I remember you saying, you think they would have more flexibility at the deadline
25:20than last year.
25:21If that's the case, why would they have more?
25:23And Tolo Kent is asking about that flexibility.
25:27Would they have it to add at the deadline if needed?
25:30So why, why would they have more this year than last?
25:33Well, they've got more wiggle room underneath the luxury tax.
25:36And I do think it will be easier to, uh, sell to the parties that be, uh, to, to go
25:42upward
25:43when you're still short of the luxury tax.
25:46Now the Rangers ended up over the luxury tax last year.
25:48That's a different conversation.
25:50They were obviously trying to end up under, and it just didn't, didn't happen.
25:53Uh, but you know, I think that, uh, if the Rangers are in a competitive situation, it,
25:59it, you got human beings involved, right?
26:02You got emotions, you got, you know, you, you've got excitement, you've got momentum.
26:06Uh, and I think it'd be a pretty easy sell if there was the right fit, uh, you know, to
26:11take on more money because where they are now versus the luxury tax is a much wider gap.
26:16Last year, they were like threading the needle all year long.
26:19And unfortunately they ended up on the wrong side of that.
26:20I still think they're committed to staying under the luxury tax this year, but because,
26:25you know, they, they only got up to a certain point this off season, which I think in part
26:30was done to make sure they had more in season flexibility because you don't want to be caught
26:34with your pants down, uh, you know, in July, when you've got an opportunity, you see the
26:39Mariners, you see the Astros, you see this team and that team that you're fighting with
26:43go and make these moves and you're not able to do the same thing.
26:47I don't think they, they want to be in that position.
26:49And I think that's kind of a part of what their off season, uh, strategy was in a, in
26:54a sense, if they're in a buying spot, I think they've got more flexibility to do it.
26:59Now, what will the market look like?
27:01How, you know, how competitive will it be?
27:02You know, what will the prices be from a resources and a financial standpoint?
27:06Tough to know, but I do think that they're prepared to be players this year in July, more
27:10so than they were last year.
27:11Let's talk about the television presentation because last year, and we have a pretty open
27:16and free, honest relationship with, in terms of asking for self-critique, uh, you guys actually
27:21tried to change things and you did change things up where it wasn't the generic stereotypical
27:26pregame and postgame that we're used to on local broadcasts.
27:29So Robert is asking, what are the TV broadcasts going to look like?
27:33Uh, what will be the best way to watch the Rangers this year?
27:36What do you guys have planned?
27:37Well, I do think, so the website, I think is rangers.com slash tune in.
27:42If like at any point you're somewhere else in the country, you want to know if I'm in
27:45this spot, where, how can I watch the Rangers or, you know, what are my options, uh, you
27:50know, in terms of, you know, being at home.
27:52So I think, and I, I had a voice of commercial, so I hope I don't get this wrong, but
27:56direct
27:57TV, direct TV stream, Uber, spectrum, victory plus, uh, juice.
28:04I think it's how it's pronounced when it's spelled like G E U S vibe, astound Fubo.
28:10They all cover the Rangers, uh, MLB.com.
28:13Uh, if you're out of market streaming, uh, so you, you got all those options.
28:17I think, you know, we'll have a lot of Elvis.
28:19We'll have a lot of Brad Miller, Brad Miller's here with us in Philadelphia as a former Philadelphia
28:23Philly, Nick Hundley.
28:24And then we're just going to try build off what we did last year with games and in different
28:28fun and creative ways to, to tell the story, you know, not games for the sake of games
28:33or games with a purpose, uh, baseball needs to be fun.
28:36Right.
28:36And, uh, you know, we said this last year, I'll say it again, it's not our job to just
28:40go up there and tell you our three keys to the game or score more runs, give up fewer
28:44runs and play good defense.
28:45Anyone can figure that out.
28:46Right.
28:47We want to, want to help people learn.
28:48We want to help people smile and have a good time.
28:50Um, you know, and that's our goal.
28:52I think every, everything we do, is it informative?
28:55Is it entertaining?
28:56Uh, it's got to check at least one of those boxes.
28:58Uh, a lot of conversations, a lot of, uh, you know, a lot of, uh, uh, uh, just a lot
29:04of creativity, hopefully, and, and doing things that, you know, push the, push the, the limit
29:09a little bit, you know, like being a ball boy in the middle of the game or the dot race.
29:12I know we're trying to do some more in-game interviews with players and managers, uh,
29:16throughout the season.
29:17So, you know, I, I think I'll give, uh, Angie Swint who who's, you know, running this ship
29:22a lot of credit.
29:23Uh, she basically said the approach, no, no, the answer to any question is not going
29:28to be a no off the bat.
29:29It's why not, you know, why can't we do it?
29:31All right, well, let's find out.
29:32And there's certain things that maybe legally or compliance wise, we can't do, but we're
29:37certainly going to try and find out.
29:38And so hopefully people feel that.
29:39And then Dave and Mike Bassett do such a great job, uh, on TV and David Murphy when he fills
29:45in.
29:45And then obviously, you know, Eric and Matt, uh, they're about as good as it gets on the radio
29:49side on the fans.
29:50So, uh, you know, I think from a broadcast standpoint, we're, uh, we're in such great
29:53shape as an organization.
29:55I'm just, I'm, I'm happy to be a part of it.
29:57It's, uh, it's been really cool to, uh, be able to ride the coattails with some really
30:00great broadcasters.
30:01Well, man, we're all short here.
30:03I'm not, I'm not picking.
30:04Um, it's a pit paving mind when, when Kirk Jen's on the broadcast, can we not get y'all
30:09chairs?
30:10I mean, the gap here between you and Brad Miller or Kirk Jen.
30:15And when he's on with a hundred pences on, I mean, can we just get a chat, a group of
30:20chairs out there?
30:21It's just a pet peeve.
30:22My, I feel bad because we're, you know, we're all like this.
30:24We're all of us standing next professional athletes.
30:26We look like twerps.
30:28Well, let me tell you something guys, when I was at USC and I was a manager for the baseball
30:32team, we had Jordan Hershiser, uh, who's oral son, who is six nine.
30:37And then a guy named Chris Mesger, who is six 11.
30:40And whenever we would win games, we would go on the field and do, you know, you do the
30:44hand high five line and it was their goal every time to try and sandwich me.
30:49So they went six, nine, five, six, six, 11.
30:52Uh, listen, I I've been short my whole life.
30:54It doesn't bother me.
30:56Uh, one of the reasons why we didn't use chairs is we wanted to be authentic.
30:59We didn't want it to feel like, you know, staged Hollywood stuff.
31:03I know that there's some people who, uh, it bothers them.
31:06Some people, there's a bucket of people who are like, they feel badly for me.
31:09And I will tell those people, I don't give a crap.
31:11I'm married.
31:12I love my wife.
31:13She's beautiful.
31:14I got a baby daughter.
31:15I'm living my dream.
31:16I don't give a crap that I look small compared to Kamar rocker.
31:20I know that I'm not tall, but I do know that aesthetically there are people like you, come
31:25on, uh, RJ, who they don't like it.
31:28Uh, and, and all I would say is, um, I get it.
31:31I don't think that's going to change this year.
31:33Uh, but you know, I think a part of it is we just want to be real and authentic.
31:36And that's a small part of that, I guess.
31:39Uh, Spencer is asking for kind of your around baseball thoughts, uh, for the love of God,
31:43can anyone stop the Dodgers?
31:45Uh, just other hot Jared Sandler predictions, breakouts, awards, take us around the rest
31:52of the sport with your thoughts.
31:54Yeah.
31:54Well, I'll say, you know, first of all, the AL East is an unreal division.
31:59And I think every team in the AL East has made the playoffs in the last like three years,
32:04maybe.
32:05Uh, and so that, that's going to be a lot of fun.
32:08The Tarek Scooble storyline is going to be fascinating.
32:11Uh, you know, what the Tigers do with him, because I don't think he's signing back with
32:16Detroit.
32:16I just don't think that they, they have not shown that they are the type of team to give
32:20that sort of a bag.
32:22Uh, and so if they're competitive, what do they do?
32:24What if they're like a fringe type team?
32:27Uh, obviously if they're leading the division, they're not trading him.
32:30Uh, you know, unfortunately the lockout possibility is going to be a cloud over the entire season
32:35until that gets resolved.
32:36Right.
32:36I, I, uh, I think that it's sad, but it's a reality.
32:40Uh, Tony Vitello, you know, a college to major league jump managerially RJ, your, your Tennessee
32:45volunteer, you know, what's that going to look like?
32:47I think that's interesting.
32:49Uh, and then, yeah, I, I think you've got a lot of young stars in this game.
32:53Uh, and I think that's a lot of fun guys like Pete Crow Armstrong, uh, you know, who's
32:58got personality and ability, uh, you know, Wyatt Langford, again, someone who's got the
33:03ability to, to just vault himself into that conversation.
33:07Uh, Paul skeins and show Heyo tiny.
33:09I mean, there's just, there's so much there.
33:11I think the Dodgers conversations and interesting one, I don't see anyone dethroning them in
33:15the regular season.
33:16Um, they might play with their food a little bit in the regular season.
33:19And then, you know, I, a team like the pie, I mentioned Paul skeins, the pirates had a
33:23more aggressive off season than they've had in a long, long time.
33:26And maybe it's because they know that their Paul skeins window is not forever.
33:30Maybe they play it on extending him.
33:32I don't know, uh, but will a team like the pirates be relevant?
33:36And I think baseball would so badly love that because you want Paul skeins to be relevant,
33:42right?
33:42It sucked when show Heyo tiny and Mike trout were irrelevant in Anaheim, right?
33:46That's not fun, but Paul skeins, you know, is another guy who, and he's on the East coast,
33:51right?
33:51I think it sucks.
33:52Sometimes my only issue with the Dodgers is not that there's a team that's compiled all
33:56this talent.
33:57It said they're on the West coast because unfortunately West coast sports get buried a lot of the time.
34:02Uh, I wish those guys were central or East so that, you know, they're more prominently
34:06featured, but Paul skeins is an East coast, you know, East coast player, right?
34:09I think, you know, putting him in that spotlight is, is huge.
34:12Um, you know, in the, the American league West, I told you, I, I, I don't think, I think you're
34:17going to see another year of the Astros underwhelm.
34:20I called it last year, right?
34:21I know you can say Homer ism.
34:23I, I have been on the Astros bandwagon even while hating them, but I am off it right now.
34:28I don't think Joe, a spot is a great manager.
34:30I don't know that Dana Brown really has a good pulse on things on the front office.
34:34Uh, and so I think you're going to see the A's kind of replace the athlete or the, the,
34:39um, the Astros as that third team in the AL West.
34:43And then, uh, again, on the national league side, uh, you know, I think the, the AL, the NL
34:48East is interesting and with the Phillies, you know, the Rangers might be facing the,
34:52the best team in the national league other than the Dodgers to start the season.
34:56And then just in general, from a Rangers standpoint to tie it back, their first, first
35:0040 games are really tough.
35:02Uh, Rangers have a very tough schedule to start the year.
35:05Uh, and so they can stay afloat.
35:07Then I think you're going to look at a team that's going to be a really big threat in
35:10the American league or maybe even the AL West.
35:11Thank you so much for all the time, man, and all the knowledge.
35:15Congratulations.
35:15Keep killing it.
35:16The Sandler arrow pointing up.
35:17Congrats on baby television, all of it.
35:20And we'll hear you today.
35:23Hey, thanks.
35:23Love you guys.
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