Manager Skip Schumaker and P Tyler Alexander join FT @Rangers camp + Rangers 2026 Season Preview

00:00:04
Speaker 1: Here with the Rangers manager Skip Schumacher. It's just such an easy thing to call you Skip because you're the Skipper and that's your name. When your parents named you, did they know that this was going to be your profession, so they figured to just make it easy on everyone.

00:00:18
Speaker 2: Actually, no, my dad didn't love the name, I think initially, and so there was a few Jared's on my t ball team.

00:00:27
Speaker 3: And I could do a lot of.

00:00:28
Speaker 2: Things athletically, but I couldn't Skip, And he thought it'd be funny if that happened, if you nicknamed me it.

00:00:34
Speaker 3: And here I am, so my mom calls me Jared.

00:00:36
Speaker 1: Still, any of your players call you Jared? Any of your players know that's your name?

00:00:41
Speaker 3: I bet you half of them have no idea.

00:00:44
Speaker 1: Any idea.

00:00:45
Speaker 3: So here we are.

00:00:46
Speaker 1: So we're gonna start calling you Jared. I just like Jared. But then then I'll still call you Skip, So it won't it won't make any sense. What's the transition been like you were you were obviously a manager and then you went kind of into a front office role. What was the transition like back to the field? Good?

00:01:01
Speaker 2: I mean, I mean, I was very fortunate to have, you know, the see why, gave me the opportunity to kind of learn the organization. Got to watch Bruce Bochi do his uh you know, obviously a Hall of Fame manager go about his work.

00:01:16
Speaker 3: Got to learn from him.

00:01:18
Speaker 2: But they're very like welcoming as far as the front office into the major league clubhouse, the minor league clubhouses, and I got to take a break and kind of you know, look back and see what I could do better, uh, you know, the first time around. And I feel like you're always better your second time around in anything. And so hopefully, hopefully, I you know, we'll see what happens here. But very grateful for this opportunity.

00:01:44
Speaker 4: SKIP give us the field coming into in the camp. I mean, you got a team coming off a World Series not too long ago and then kind of a down year last year. Uh you a big voice in Marcus Simeon gets traded away, but there's still a lot of really big time talent on the team. And how how's the how's the feel of the group coming into twenty twenty.

00:02:04
Speaker 3: Six clubhouses is awesome? Right now? You know, it's a it's still early.

00:02:11
Speaker 2: We have what ten gay ten days and lost their game to have lost anything it's been been a lot of fun. I think everybody has their hopes high still of not only what the season could be, but as far as a team aspect, but their individual seasons. There's a lot of motivated guys in there. You know, obviously there was a it was a tough year last year and we didn't get into the playoffs, and I think there's a lot of expectations to get into the playoffs and make a deep run in it at it so you know, with Jake Berger and JJ and Jack Peterson and a lot of guys are are ready to get this season going and and try to prove what happened last year wrong. And motivation is a dangerous quality to have in an offseason because as a manager you're trying to always find that motivation, and when they already have it, it's it's kind of nice entering a spring training because they're ready to go.

00:03:00
Speaker 5: Skip.

00:03:00
Speaker 6: You talked a lot about, you know, wanting to change what happened last year a bit. You know, the team finished right around five hundred, but what has to change in order for this team to get back into contention. We know that you have one of the most talented rotations.

00:03:14
Speaker 5: You know in baseball.

00:03:15
Speaker 6: But if you were to pinpoint one thing that needs to change to get back to where you want to be, what would it be.

00:03:22
Speaker 2: Well, I think our our offense has to to get going, and I think the we have the type of lineup for a really good offense to happen. During the season during at least one sixty two, we had some guys that were hurt or injured throughout the season that just couldn't get back on track.

00:03:41
Speaker 3: And I think that was probably the biggest, uh, you know, outlier last year.

00:03:46
Speaker 2: And I think we're hoping just to get these guys back on track to their career norms and I think there will be a lot a lot different outcome, but you know, staying healthy obviously with the pitching staff, Evo and de Grom at the top at Kenzie or what a great addition he is, you know, I had him a little bit in the San Diego days or you know, early on, and just.

00:04:06
Speaker 3: A perfect fit here.

00:04:08
Speaker 2: Great kid, hard worker and can only get better, you know, being around to Grom and Evo and then obviously Lighter had a phenomenal year last year. You know, seeing what his sophomore season is going to look like, but if our pitching and defense is what it was or similar to what it was last year, I still believe in pitching and defense. But if our offense clicks, like we know it can, you know, we should be right where we want to be.

00:04:32
Speaker 1: Well, how do you make the offense click? Because the narrative, it's been two years now. Can't hit the forcing fastball, right, I mean, it's been the thing which is usually if you don't hit that, you usually struggle offensively. So when you went up to the front office and you got to know everything that was going on, how do you bring that back down and say, man, guys, we can hit the forcing fastball. What adjustments do you make?

00:04:52
Speaker 7: Yeah?

00:04:52
Speaker 2: I think you find different ways to win. And I think we kind of we're hoping for the three run home run a lot. We kind of got exposed a little bit, and I think the you know, having Brandon here maybe at the top of the lineup, hopefully at the top top of the lineup, will provide that. On base I know he's slugged a lot the last couple of years, but when he's been in that leadoff spot, he's been kind of an on base machine. And I think He's been really good for our young guys, talking about you know, kind of the approach and not just slug but like real approach with Evan Carter and with Wyatt. Obviously, Corey's your aircraft carrier, you know. I've heard that, you know, saying before, but he is a real aircraft carrier. If we can keep him healthy for you know, one fifty plus, we'll also, I think, be really good.

00:05:41
Speaker 3: But you know, we have some ideas in that cage.

00:05:43
Speaker 2: I think everybody, every hitting coach has an idea of you know, looking back on it, reflecting and trying to, you know, see what they can do better from what happened last year with JV and Centrone here. You know, we got him from Houston. We were hoping to get back on track with hitting the fastball, especially at the top of the zone, and I think we're working hard to get there.

00:06:02
Speaker 1: Cintron, if you felt like a trader, by the way, sounds like you've been in Houston basically your whole coaching career. Now you switch sides in the riv where do you feel like a trader? And he just kind of laughed at me. So I don't know if that was a yes or no.

00:06:14
Speaker 3: Yeah, he's a beauty you're lucky to have.

00:06:20
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00:07:29
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00:07:45
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00:07:46
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00:08:13
Speaker 1: Thank you.

00:08:14
Speaker 4: See Keek Skip what's it?

00:08:16
Speaker 2: So?

00:08:16
Speaker 4: Walk me through what it's like. What is going to be like managing this team versus managing in Miami. You got a lot kind of a different dynamic with Miami. You hat a lot of young players coming up and here you got a lot of a lot of older guys that have done it and have been through it all. Is there a way that you're going to go about it differently or is it just you're going to manage how you manage?

00:08:36
Speaker 2: You know, at the end of the day, it's about relationships, and I'm trying to build them as quick as I can, as organic as I can, and not force them. You know, as you've been in the clubhouse with different clubhouses, it's all about the culture that is in that clubhouse. That can change at the direction of a club, either good or bad. And so I'm trying to do the best I can with some of our staff that was here last year and then some new guys that we brought in to create a fun work environment. And it's all about people. If we can get them on board and get our best players, you know, to be leaders, which I know they are, we can move this thing in the right direction pretty quick.

00:09:15
Speaker 3: But as far as changing.

00:09:17
Speaker 2: Man, I love being in a big league clubhouse. Grateful to be here, grateful to you know, lead that group of those group of players inside that club clubhouse, and so that the change isn't much different. I think it's just trying to build these relationships as quick as I can skip.

00:09:34
Speaker 6: You mentioned watching Boach a lot and what he did with this group last year. Obviously we all all know that you're following a future Hall of Famer, But how do you balance that by watching what he did with the previous culture and then also kind of making this team your own.

00:09:49
Speaker 2: Yeah, obviously this group had Boach for three years. One with Boach won World Series. A lot of these guys one with with Boat here, and again, I mean, is there a better guy that to learn from than Bruce Bochie? So I try to do whatever I could to take bits and pizzas from him and try to make it your own, because you want to be authentic. You know, it's a copycat league to an extent, and certain drills and you know that type of thing. But what Boach was really good at was relationships. He was good at the end game stuff. Maybe the best ever, you know, as far as you know managing a bullpen and that type of thing, and you know, talking to him postgame and wondering, you know, how his mind work and what he did with analytics, but also trusting his gut and going a different way sometimes when it worked and why he did what he did. It helped me, you know, keep sharp and try to get my brain working as well. But you know, again, I think it's about being authentic and being who you are, because you can lose a clubhouse quick if you're not you know who you say you are right, and you'll never get it back. So I'm just trying to make sure I am the same guy, but also learn from previous experiences and grateful again for for Boach.

00:11:00
Speaker 4: Make a suggestion on a nice Bouch tribute that I think you should do game one is just to grab one of his old hats and wear it in the dugout for game one.

00:11:09
Speaker 3: It would go down to my neck, Yeah.

00:11:14
Speaker 1: It would cover the you'd have to move. Do you have to take Global Life roof and open it so you could get it on your head? So position battles in camp second base probably fifth starter ish, yeah, or the main two that you guys are probably looking at right now.

00:11:29
Speaker 3: Definitely.

00:11:29
Speaker 2: I think, you know, smith has been Smithy has been great at second base so far. You know, last year he had a really good first half. His second half, you know, stumbled a little bit. And I think, you know, just talking with him, just getting back to being a baseball player, chase winning, don't chase anything else. And I think when he does that, he's a really good baseball player because he's a you know, really good fit in the clubhouse.

00:11:54
Speaker 3: He can play all over the infield.

00:11:55
Speaker 2: But I think if maybe if you put him at one spot, you know, you might see those numbers is really trend the right direction. But yeah, there's a couple guys, you know, you got Duran and Freeman, guys that are battling it out over there. Freeman just got hurt, you know, with the back injury. So we still have a couple of guys battling there. The fifth spot in the rotation is gonna it be fun to watch in spring training. You know, you have Lats and Rocker and Gomber and con and Quantrill who just you know, Cal is pretty upset about the loss in there with you know, Canada.

00:12:27
Speaker 1: So he's you know what they say, suck at Canada.

00:12:31
Speaker 3: You said it.

00:12:35
Speaker 1: Yelling at Quadrille and our pitching coach, Yeah.

00:12:38
Speaker 3: Seeks is pretty upset that Canada Jersey.

00:12:41
Speaker 1: Right off we took and now we've taken hockey from what else? What else is left?

00:12:45
Speaker 3: So so that started. That will be a battle and will also really affect how the bullpen.

00:12:51
Speaker 1: But you're one, two, three, four is obviously to Graham, Valdi Gore lighter. Yes, would be the four that are penciled in, and that's a pretty good way to start.

00:12:59
Speaker 3: It's a great way.

00:13:00
Speaker 2: You know, you enter every series hoping for a fighting chance, right and you feel really good about three guys going, which I think will have every every single series.

00:13:12
Speaker 6: Skip wanted to ask about Mackenzie Gore. You mentioned him a big, big addition for you guys this offseason. How do you see him fitting in it and what have you seen from him so far in spring training.

00:13:24
Speaker 3: McKenzie is a pro. It's the best way I can explain it. Every drill he has or he does is.

00:13:29
Speaker 2: With intent, whether it's the bullpen, the weight room, the training room, and he's sitting right next to de Gram and Evo inside that clubhouse which goes a long way. As you know, the clubhouse, the way it works, it's you know, you can have really good coaches around, but when you have superstar, potential Hall of Fame players sitting right next to you kind of in your same department, that goes a long way. I saw at firsthand, you know, when I was growing up in the Cardinal system with you know, Wayne Wright and Carpenter and kind of you know how that went. And I can see it happening right now with you know, how they're put in their arm and well they did that last year with with Lighter and and and Latsie and hopefully you know, Rocker this year. And then obviously with Mackenzie, I think is only going to go, uh, go in the right direction. But Mackenzie I had him a little bit in San Diego. He's a freak athlete, you know, obviously with the left handed starter that we really needed uh in the rotation.

00:14:24
Speaker 3: But I, I just I have no idea what it's going to be like.

00:14:27
Speaker 2: But I'm assuming it's going to be really good because he is learning from some of the best in the game.

00:14:34
Speaker 4: Skippon to ask you about an old college teammate of mine, Jordan Montgomery, who's not too far off from being absolutely nails with Texas. You know, a couple a couple of things happened in Arizona that kind of, you know, maybe set him back, But I don't feel like he's too far away from being the money that he was. But when he was in Texas and now he's back at a familiar, familiar spot, what's the what's the plan for money?

00:14:56
Speaker 2: Yeah?

00:14:57
Speaker 3: I agree with you.

00:14:57
Speaker 2: You know, we're really lucky to have him kind of a late sign in spring training or in the off season, I should say. You know, I had Monty when I was the bench coach in Saint Louis and he was absolutely dominant for us, and then we traded him to Texas and they won a World Series with him.

00:15:14
Speaker 3: So that wasn't real.

00:15:15
Speaker 2: Surprising just because of you know, who he is, strike thrower, ground ball pitcher. He's got some edge to him, and I think he's excited that he's back here a familiar place after a you know, pretty tough, uh, you know, injury.

00:15:30
Speaker 3: Riddled last couple of years.

00:15:33
Speaker 2: But he should be back in you know, June July, you know that type of one of those months and you know he's fired up, really good shape and can't wait to get out there. So yeah, we're lucky to have them. It's all about depth. You need depth starting pitching.

00:15:45
Speaker 3: Depth. And so he's he's not far away.

00:15:48
Speaker 1: He's skinny, by the way.

00:15:49
Speaker 3: He looks good, doesn't he Yeah.

00:15:51
Speaker 1: Sam good, he's he's skinny. Yeah. Before I let you go, you have a son that's a senior in high school. We've talked about it. He's committed to TCU to play baseball. How do you deal with missing your family's games? Like, I'm lucky my son's in college, so I can watch them on you know, the apps and stuff. But your son's in high school. Do they set up a special camera? Does your wife have to film every game and then send you every bat?

00:16:14
Speaker 2: Yeah, luckily they have different cameras set up at the home field, the road.

00:16:18
Speaker 3: And my you know, my wife is like one of the you know, on the fence line.

00:16:21
Speaker 1: She's one of those people. Now I want to see it, yeah, you know, I get it.

00:16:26
Speaker 2: Yeah, So you know, I'm very grateful for this year and a half to be able to watch.

00:16:30
Speaker 3: So many games of his.

00:16:32
Speaker 2: And then my daughter also plays soccer, so as you know, the toughest part of this job is is missing on those you know, special moments where there's games or proms.

00:16:40
Speaker 3: Or whatever it is.

00:16:42
Speaker 2: But I got that reset in my life and I got to see him play so many games this year and my daughter that you know, now, my cup is full, man, and I'm so grateful for it.

00:16:53
Speaker 3: But I get to see it.

00:16:54
Speaker 2: I still talk to him every day, and the most important part is you want to be present. You want them to feel like you are still a part of their lives. And so every phone call I pick up, every FaceTime call I pick up, and just to make sure that they know I'm still still there for him.

00:17:07
Speaker 3: It's hard, yeah, but I'm grateful for that.

00:17:09
Speaker 1: Does your does your wife? Is your wife a good filmer? Because mine's stunk at it and she knew she's stunk at it, right, so she would get the fence sometimes to be focused on the fence instead of the hit air.

00:17:19
Speaker 3: The opposite direction.

00:17:20
Speaker 2: Yes, sing in the back, Yes, yeah, I prefer one of my buddies to film it, but that's what I have.

00:17:26
Speaker 1: Then I'll take it and pluse whoever he gets a hit just filming. Then you want them to film instead of the other.

00:17:30
Speaker 3: Person right, exactly right.

00:17:31
Speaker 1: They punch out. You're like, no, no, you can't go.

00:17:33
Speaker 3: Any audition still is still happens in high school?

00:17:36
Speaker 1: Okay?

00:17:36
Speaker 6: Yeah, Skip Schumacher a family man first.

00:17:40
Speaker 5: We love it. Skip, Thank you so much for joining us today on Found Territory.

00:17:44
Speaker 2: Thank you.

00:17:45
Speaker 3: Congrats on your Indiana championship.

00:17:47
Speaker 1: We don't bring that up. We don't.

00:17:52
Speaker 5: Is so mad right now that you just mentioned that.

00:17:55
Speaker 3: Skip, But it makes my show. I watched the show all the time, so I knew I had an in it. There were you.

00:18:03
Speaker 5: Were you cheering.

00:18:03
Speaker 3: For I'm sorry?

00:18:12
Speaker 5: Were you cheering for Ieu? In the natty?

00:18:14
Speaker 3: I was.

00:18:17
Speaker 5: Come nager cheers for Iu over the U. We love it.

00:18:23
Speaker 3: Name see you guys, Thank you.

00:18:32
Speaker 6: All right, Let's get to our season preview of the Rangers. Let's take a look a little bit about their additions and their losses on the season. Right, we talked a lot about that with with Skip Schumacher and what they've gained as opposed to what what they kind of did away with. Guys, when you look at what they have gotten, right with Mackenzie Gore and Brandon Nimmo and Jordan Montgomery, and what they've lost, what are your thoughts on on.

00:19:02
Speaker 4: That, Well, I think I think the McKenzie Gore acquisition is huge. I mean, I he in my opinion, while he isn't quite as polished as Schooble, uh, I think he has the second best stuff of any left hander in the league, at least that I faced. I think it's Scooble one and him two. Obviously, Scooble has figured out how to put it all together for an entire season, and he's just taken off and he's light years away from anybody besides maybe, but uh, McKenzie has that raw ability in the tank. His stuff is unbelievable. And to to put that into a rotation with de Gram, I mean, it's that's huge and so hopefully hopefully he can find it in Texas and that's a I mean, that's about a good of one two threes you can find.

00:19:57
Speaker 1: Yeah, but the bullpen, the bullpen obviously is a little bit of word worrisome, just because you gotta figure it out. Skip's gonna have to figure that kind out. I know they brought in some new guys here, uh to try to help that out, but it's a little bit it's kind of been their Achilles heel and then can they hit enough? I mean, I know they they traded Simmy in for a Nemo. They need Langford to finally take that next next step a couple of years in secret needs to stay healthy. Can Higashioka and Casey Jansen or Danny Jansen Sorry, I filled the catching role void left by Jonah him who wasn't great the last couple of years. That doly S Garcia isn't here anymore. So do they have enough offense? That's kind of been the thing with the Rangers last year. If you look, they actually pitched really well, they just couldn't score any run. So can they figure out the offense? Can Skip Schumach or Alexon tro On the new some of their new hitting guys figure out this offense and help them score enough runs because in globe life, Globe life is a pitching part, but you also have to be able to score more than the other team. And if you don't do that, it's gonna be it's gonna be trouble.

00:20:57
Speaker 6: Yeah, absolutely, Aj you mentioned the offense. We talked a lot about the offense with Skip Schumacher earlier, but when you look at that projected starting lineup, We talked about Brandon Neimo stepping into that leadoff role, and and and you look at these guys and you think, okay, there's a lot of there's a lot of talent there. But that was their their weakest link last year was their offense. What what do you think of this starting lineup?

00:21:23
Speaker 7: Well, it's just about.

00:21:27
Speaker 1: Oh sorry, I think it has potential. But you need John Peterson. He had a terrible year last year, Right, got off to a terrible start. Nemo at the top is nice. Why Langford again needs to take the next step. Corey Seager needs to be healthy. Josh Young needs to be healthy. Right, there's a there's a there's some question marks here. Josh Smith, there's been an All Star. Can he do it on an everyday basis only playing second base? Like Skip Schumacher talked about, I think this offense has potential, but again, they got to prove it, and they gotta and they got to figure out how to hit the four seam fastival. That has been a thing for two years with this Texas Ranger Team White. Why can't they hit the four team fastball? That's the one pitch everybody is supposed to be able to hit.

00:22:05
Speaker 4: I will say, you know who can hit the four steamed fastball is the guy that got behind the plate, the four eyed, the four eyed Grindy, Danny Jansen that they got back there. That boy can hit a fastball. So hopefully that'll rub off on the rest of the lineup. But you're right, it's it's it's a lineup full of of what ifs. A lot of good players, but can can they stay healthy? Can they repeat what they've done in the past. Can Josh Smith continue to be a good player? And can can Young come back and and be this first round you know, third base savior that they're hoping for. He's shown flashes of it, but he hasn't. He's still fairly early in his career, but he's had some injury. But can he can he do that? Can he make that jump to become a superstar like they're hoping he can? Can secret stay on the field when secers on the field. He's the best lietended hitter maybe in the game. When he's hot. I mean, I don't know. I mean, you got Otani and Bryce and some of these guys, But when Corey Seeger is hot, there's you saw it in the postseason a couple of years ago. There's nobody that you want to face less than Corey Seeger when he's hot. So can you stay on the field? Can he? Can he do that? Can Nimmo be a good spark plug at the top of the lineup for this team? Can Jock Peterson do something? Can he? He was just awful to start the year and that's hard to come back from. It's hard to dig yourself out of that hole when you get off to a start like that. So there's just a lot of what ifs on this team, and if those what ifs turn to a positive, it could be a really good team. Because, like you said, they're pitching is pretty nails. Their bullpen is to be to be determined. But can they score some runs and give these these big time starters a little bit of cushion because if they can, I mean watch out.

00:23:49
Speaker 1: Also with I mean they're in a tough division. The Mariners are really good, right, the Astros are supposed to be good again, Sacramento A's are on the on the up right, and then the Rangers, you know, depending on where you want to put them in, the Angels or the Angels. We all know that and they the fans don't care if they win or not. They just want affordability. They just want to go to a cheap, cheap parking. So I mean, they don't really care. Apparently that's not what the fans said on Twitter yesterday. That's a whole different We don't have time to even get into that. But they're in a tough division, so they they're they're behind it. They won the World Series two years ago and have had a major, major drop off since then. So can't Chris, you can't Skip Schumacher find the right mix to make this team a contender in a tough American league.

00:24:35
Speaker 6: West Well, but you kind of touched a little bit on the starting rotation and and the bullpen. We know that that rotation is, as you said, nails and and you know, you look at it. You look at Jacob deGrom, Nathan and Valde, McKenzie, Gore, Jack Lyder, Jacob Latz, and then also you've got a guy like Rocker in there trying to take a significant step forward and trying to compete for a role. When you look at that starting rotation with I'll start with you, I mean, you you kind of alluded to it, but what.

00:25:05
Speaker 5: Do you see.

00:25:08
Speaker 4: I see it potential to be one of the best rotations out there, the top three, especially uh. And then you got guys like like you got young guys that are trying to prove themselves and become a guy in the league, especially guys that you brought in that were supposed to be like they were supposed to be the guys. I mean, I remember Kumar Rocker being talked about like a like a Steven Strasburg. Strasburg come out of college. I mean he was at Vanderbilt. He struck out everybody and it was it was it was dominant, pure dominance. And so now he gets a little bit of adversity. He's probably never had much adversity in in his pitching pitching life. I don't know a ton about his uh come come up, but watching him a Vanderbilt, I don't imagine that guy really ever got hit. And now he just to the big leagues and he probably had a e RA. He had e RA with a five that started with a five for maybe the first time in his life. So how can he how can he manage that? How can he make adjustments? Because being a good big leaders all about making adjustments. The game, it's gonna find a way to expose you, and can you adjust to find success when that happens, That'll be him and Lighters biggest, biggest hurdle. And then you got a guy like Jordan Montgomery who we talked to Skip about. I mean, Jordan was a guy. I mean he was a guy guy when he was in Texas and had his issues in Arizona with injuries and what all went down there. But now he's back at a familiar place where he's had success. He has that comfortability of I pitched well here, these people know me, this is I know Dallas. You know that there's something to say about that when you go to a stadium that you're familiar with and that you have had success there and you feel that. So can he channel that and when he gets back and healthy, can he step in and be the old money? And if so? I mean, look, that's there's a lot. There's a lot to be admired about this rotation, but it's it's all about what happens. Come come game one and can you sustain it to Game one sixty two?

00:27:13
Speaker 6: Hey, j what do you think?

00:27:16
Speaker 1: I mean? I think this rotation has a chance to be special if money comes back and healthy and if the top four or special they have depth and you know, Rocker lets Lighter and in the top three or as good as anybody. So I think I think they have a chance to be special. But like always in every team, it comes down to how healthy can you be? Can Degram stay healthy? Can of all these stay healthy? Can Gore? Do you continue to grow on what he's done? Can Lighter be healthy? It's it's there's a lot of ifs everywhere on this team. There's a lot of ifs. If they all go positive, it could be a great year, and if they all are ifs, it could be not a great year.

00:27:49
Speaker 6: Okay, Well, we also want to talk a little bit about the projected bullpen. Last year, their bullpen was quite good three point six two ERA. They were fifth, that's fifth in the majors. They rebuilt the p a bit for twenty twenty six. They're looking for a closer to emerge among that group. But when you look at this projected bullpen for the Rangers, what comes.

00:28:10
Speaker 4: To mind, it's, uh, we'll see, It's a lot of we'll see. And that's the thing about the bullpen is you got you gotta step in. I mean, you look at a guy like my boy Brad Keller last year with the Cubs, big big, we'll see steps in and is one of the best relievers.

00:28:31
Speaker 1: In the game.

00:28:31
Speaker 4: So with the bullpens, like you only got one ending to come in into your job, and so you do that, You do that job, and then you do it for a couple more times, and that confidence grows and now you're like, Okay, I can do this, and then out of nowhere, all of a sudden, you got to You got Away Davis with Kansas City in twenty thirteen, twenty fourteen, that is was a very average starting pitcher and now he's one of the best relievers of all time and it just comes out of nowhere. So you're kind of hoping with a little bit of that with with this Texas bullpen because there's not a ton of guys.

00:29:01
Speaker 1: That have a lot of.

00:29:04
Speaker 4: I guess you would say a lot of intimidation behind their names when they go out to the bullpen to get warmed up. And so yeah, it's a lot of a lot of we'll see with this group, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

00:29:21
Speaker 6: What is that.

00:29:24
Speaker 1: Street home, Alabama actually no, it's all summer long story. You can't I can hear it. You guys can't, but I can't.

00:29:32
Speaker 3: Well, you just look like you're just going like this in silence. We were like, what is he doing?

00:29:38
Speaker 6: Okay, I'm not even gonna ask you to comment on the bullpen AJ because you're in your.

00:29:43
Speaker 1: Own well said, they got a lot of ifs. It's all about ifs. So this team if if if if if this guy has a career, if this guy has a career, if this guy has a career. There's just a lot of IFFs.

00:29:54
Speaker 6: Okay, bet question you cannot avoid a j I'll start with you since wit just carried you for that part of the second.

00:30:01
Speaker 3: When you look at the Rangers, had them come on.

00:30:06
Speaker 6: Exactly exactly when you when you look at the Rangers, take a look at their win total productions for twenty twenty six from Fangrafts. But guys, I want to know, are they a playoff team? Is this team a playoff team? Can their offense take a step forward this year? Their rotation is obviously elite. Can their bullpen be as good as they were last year? Even though they're going through a little bit of a rebuild with that.

00:30:30
Speaker 3: What do you think.

00:30:32
Speaker 1: I think they're closer to the eighty three point five wins than they are the eighty or eighty one. I think are they a playoff team? The Mariners are really good. We were there yesterday. I picked them to win the AL this year, So I think the Mariners are definitely a playoff team. And then you got Blue Jays, Yankees, Orioles, Red Sox. It's probably two of those three, if not three of those four are in the playoffs. So there's four five. And then you throw in an AL Central team, which probably the Tigers. So are they a playoff team? They need all those ifs to check the box to be a playoff team. But did they have a chance. Yes, But I also feel like they need a lot to go right, So I think they're gonna come up just short, kind of like they did the last couple of years.

00:31:17
Speaker 4: Yeah, i'd agree with that.

00:31:18
Speaker 1: I don't.

00:31:20
Speaker 4: I don't foresee them. I think there's too many teams that are gonna enter the wild Card ahead of them, and I don't foresee them taking taking up for Seattle. Although I will say that I think they're closer to Seattle than than some people might realize. I mean Seattle, Seattle's gonna pitch. I mean they got some they got some arms, but I mean they lost two of their best bats last year. And uh, I know they got They got Donovan to come in and fill that Polanco void, and I think he's a really good player. But you know you got you lose out on Polanco and and and Euhenio and uh that's those are those are two big shoes to fill, especially with what they did in the playoffs last year. So I think that gap is a little closer than you think. And if like we talk, like we've been saying, if a lot of this stuff goes right, I think they're closer to Seattle than I think Seattle would like to like to admit. But standing here today, I don't. I think Texas is just out of the playoffs. I agree with you there, AJ.

00:32:20
Speaker 5: Mariners would like to admit we like that.

00:32:22
Speaker 2: We like that.

00:32:23
Speaker 6: Well, that's the Rangers season preview and we will be right back after this.

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00:32:58
Speaker 1: Here with Tyler, Exam and Tricia, let's just get to it X Ray Texas Ranger now, so let's just get the Ray love out of the way, because she once covered you when you were on the Rays. You almost threw a perfect game. She was there, so let's just get it over with now. Go ahead, you guys can have your moment and we'll go back to putting me in.

00:33:16
Speaker 6: I just like, don't understand the hate for the raise a j that you that you clearly have deep in your heart. But yes, Tyler and I were with the Rays at the same time, and yes, Tyler, you almost threw a perfect game and the guy who broke.

00:33:29
Speaker 1: It up you now play with him.

00:33:31
Speaker 7: I can't how about that. We actually went golfing the first week out here, and I and I didn't make the connection. I forgot and of course he brought it up.

00:33:41
Speaker 1: How does that come up?

00:33:43
Speaker 7: He apologized, He said, hey, man, sorry, I was like, what did you not know?

00:33:47
Speaker 1: For one? Right away?

00:33:48
Speaker 7: No, no, not because that's amazing. Yeah, and then he you know, he goes. Then then he was like the change up down in a way like, oh my god, yeah, well part of it.

00:33:58
Speaker 1: Yeah, but oh, I mean I've been I've unfortunately I've caught a perfect game, and I've been eight and two thirds and given up a perfect game, so I'd never forget it. So the fact that you forgot that kind of is mind boggling with me a little bit.

00:34:14
Speaker 7: Well, yeah, I don't know. I mean, it was one of those weird days.

00:34:19
Speaker 6: It was.

00:34:21
Speaker 7: It was like I didn't even remember it was him. I remember the pitch, I remember it being not my greatest pitch. I remember him capping it into short right field. But yeah, he brought it up almost immediately.

00:34:34
Speaker 1: Wow. I give him credit for for apologizing immediately. But you know, also also Tritian, I guess we could have a love. He was at White Song for a while too, so I guess I apology from.

00:34:43
Speaker 5: Danny as well.

00:34:44
Speaker 6: Actually, though, if you could ask for that, Tyler, I would like that apology because we all love to cover those types of things, and I was like, this is gonna be the perfect like the first perfect game ever freaking Danny.

00:34:56
Speaker 7: Yeah yeah, but yeah, White Sox we have that connection.

00:34:58
Speaker 1: Yeah, I forgot so white Buck is stronger than Rays. Would just say that, Oh, come on, like the White especially the last few years like he did, then you definitely deserve like an Emmy or something.

00:35:14
Speaker 5: That's fair. That's fair, that's fair. At the time, he didn't have to survive the Rais. The Rays were good. So yeah, I'll give you that. You get it.

00:35:20
Speaker 1: That's true. That's true. So how is it life in Texas? Well, I mean surprise actually with Texas with the Rangers.

00:35:26
Speaker 7: Awesome, awesome. I couldn't have been more excited to sign with the Rangers. I mean, I'm a Texas guy, I live but so As. You're born in Chicago, so yeah, but I lived there for like three months, okay, and then we got out. Most of my time was spent in like the DFW area, grew up going to Rangers games.

00:35:42
Speaker 1: So you know that I played for the Rangers. We also have that connection for sure. Yeah, I think you played for the Rangers. Now it was a good bad year. He lost in Game one sixty three to guess who the Rays?

00:35:54
Speaker 5: Well, yeah, and you brought them up this time than me.

00:35:59
Speaker 4: I'm me.

00:36:01
Speaker 7: But what's camp been like? Uh, it's been very relaxed. Yeah, every everybody seems I don't know, I guess chill is the right word. But this is now my fourth different spring training with different teams, so you go in expecting kind of the unexpected. You never really know new staff as well. But everyone's been good. They've they've sort of given me my own leash, which I respect and and prepare how I I guess I've I've gained experience on you know, all the different spring trainings that I've been through, but they've been great. I'm in a game today, I'm excited, So it's been fun. I don't know the third, fourth, fifth.

00:36:47
Speaker 1: They don't they don't give you the don't they give you like the life.

00:36:49
Speaker 7: Probably have I just haven't looked.

00:36:52
Speaker 1: You're watching us a win? Right? Yeah?

00:36:54
Speaker 7: Absolutely, absolutely, Tyler.

00:36:57
Speaker 6: When in Rangers camp right now, I think the biggest storyline and obviously is Skip Schumacher coming in. And he talked to us a little bit earlier just about kind of changing a little bit of like, I guess the mentality right now for some of the hitters specifically, Obviously I know you're not a hitter, But when you look at this group, how close do you think this roster is to being the team that they want to be? We know they finished around five hundred last year, but to being that team that they know they can be, because you know, when you look at the talent you guys have on the pitching staff and you look at the talent you do have.

00:37:29
Speaker 5: In the lineup, it seems like this team can be much better than they were last year.

00:37:35
Speaker 7: Yeah, obviously the talent is there, you know, big names, a lot of guys that have done in the past who are still young and healthy and hungry. But what's exciting is seeing how everybody interacts in the clubhouse, which I think is definitely the key to kind of the separator between teams that have a lot of talent and teams that are successful is the amount of fun that they have when they show up to the ballpark every day, and how we play for each other as well as you know, the city and all that. But it's it's been fun interacting with the guys it's I've been a ranger. I've been in camp for I don't know, two or three weeks, and I feel very comfortable. It's it's fun interacting with new teammates in a in a comfortable way. So I think that's the one thing that'll that'll separate us. I don't know how you know this clubhouse has been in the past. I just know how it is now, and it's it seems like it's gonna be a lot of fun.

00:38:40
Speaker 1: What skips some message to you guys first date to come in and give a raw raw Was it a raw raw speech? Was it more of a professional speech?

00:38:47
Speaker 7: It was more of I would say, more just being good teammates having fun. Talked about being an inflator versus a deflator, always showing up, being positive, never finding negative, works uses stuff that can just sort of bring down a team. I would say the overall message was play together, have fun because, like I said, we have the talent. It's just taking that next step.

00:39:15
Speaker 6: Tyler, I want to know what when you look at you know, I know, obviously spring training is long and you're just now starting games, But is there one guy that you've seen that's kind of turned in some heads.

00:39:24
Speaker 7: So far.

00:39:25
Speaker 6: We talked to Skip a little bit about that and Jake a little bit about that too. But is there one guy that you've been watching that that has caught your attention?

00:39:34
Speaker 7: Well, I don't know about one guy. I mean, just because spring training is, games are so fresh right now and the way we all are separated. I think I've had a really fun time watching the ground, watching of all the watching the lighter of those guys who I know are very good pictures. I've had a good time watching them work in their bullpens, watching them prepare their brains on certain pitch thoughts and stuff like that. And I continue I'm planning on continuing doing that watching those guys pitching games. But so far, it's just been a lot of watching bullpens, and I have been very impressed. I mean, it's it's funny how you can be so different but play the same game. You know, I throw ninety miles an hour. The ground throws one hundred.

00:40:25
Speaker 1: Right because you're left handed.

00:40:27
Speaker 7: I am left handed.

00:40:28
Speaker 1: That matters. That helps. That helps.

00:40:30
Speaker 7: If that was right handed, we'd be we'd be in some trouble. But it's fun watching those guys who I've either been on the other side of the league, or for some of them, like a Valdi, was in high school watching them work in the Big League. So it's fun watching them prepare, watching their process and also picking their brains.

00:40:54
Speaker 1: What was it like being in the Brewers last year? What was so special about the Brewers? Every year they figured out to be better than everyone expects. So what does Murph do? What does Matt Arnold do? What does the ORG do to make them just seem like they're just better than what you think they should be.

00:41:09
Speaker 7: Pat Murphy, I wouldn't say it's him, but he starts it. He creates a culture, and it's almost like college a little bit.

00:41:20
Speaker 1: It's got that by the way. I brought that up to him, and he hated that. Well, if you're almost like you're running a college at vunts, hitting and running all these little things you guys do, most peig League teams don't do that. And here you are and you have a bunch of little guys. Yeah, supposed to be underdog and they just play like a college team. He's like, I hate dad reference, so don't say that.

00:41:39
Speaker 7: Well, it's I wasn't referencing the way they play more so just the mentality of doing the little things right, hustling every second of every play of every game. And it's fun because even when I was I was there, we were scuffling a little bit around five hundred, and there was no panic. It was all fun. He knew the talent was there, he knew things were going to get turned around, and eventually it did.

00:42:04
Speaker 1: Do you have a nickname for you? Or did he know your name? Actually should maybe it is a better question. I think he knew.

00:42:10
Speaker 7: Everybody just calls me Todd. That reference. Being in college, I had long, greasy hair, clean shaven, no mustache, and I looked like Todd the painter from Wedding Crashers. Yeah, okay, yeah, I don't look like him anymore, but obviously I got no hair.

00:42:32
Speaker 6: I remember that because I got so confused. When I was with the Rays, they kept saying Todd, and I'm like, guys, who is Todd? We don't have a Todd on our team. And finally Tyler was like, I'm Todd, and I was like, what.

00:42:46
Speaker 5: In the world so rare?

00:42:48
Speaker 1: Yeah, I need to see a picture. I gotta figure out how I go see if we can find you.

00:42:52
Speaker 7: Yeah, I mean I I don't think I have any pictures in my phone anymore. But it was like high school college era of long kind of like the Beaber Swoosh era kind of thing. Probably didn't shower as much as I should, so a little mad it in my forehead kind of look. But yeah, it's it's it's the name that's followed me around everywhere.

00:43:12
Speaker 5: Okay, Tyler or Todd, I have one more question for you.

00:43:15
Speaker 6: I don't know if you remember this, but one time when I was with the Rays, I did a story on weird superstitions guys have Do you.

00:43:22
Speaker 5: Remember what you said to me?

00:43:26
Speaker 7: No, but I do remember that. I'm pretty sure I made that up. But I remember what I said.

00:43:32
Speaker 5: You said, eat spaghetti the night before every start.

00:43:36
Speaker 7: Yeah, I made that up.

00:43:40
Speaker 1: Hold up, by the way, I thought for totally fully true.

00:43:46
Speaker 7: Gave you the first thing that roll into my head.

00:43:48
Speaker 6: But he was a good sport about it because it was a day where, like, I mean, come on, sometimes you have days in baseball where you just need content. I think we were playing like the A's or something, and I was like, you know what, screw it, I'm gonna do a story on guys superstitions. So I went up to Thailand and I'm like, hey, do you have a superstition? He was like sure, And I asked you that question. You go. I eat spaghetti before every start and it kind of exploded on social media.

00:44:11
Speaker 5: It's great.

00:44:12
Speaker 7: Yeah, I mean I don't especially now that I'm I haven't really been a starter for a few a few years, but a while it impossible to eat spaghetti before every.

00:44:24
Speaker 1: So Tricia, I don't know if he does this. She might have a little fetish as far as food, because she ate Merphed pancake pockets pocket pancakes last year. Now she wants to know about your you're eating spaghetti. I'm starting to wonder about if Tricia just does base does baseball content for the food maybe? So, I don't know.

00:44:41
Speaker 5: I don't well and try different things.

00:44:45
Speaker 7: It's fine.

00:44:45
Speaker 6: I also had a quesadilla in a Pat Murphy's pocket, so I didn't stop at pancakes.

00:44:50
Speaker 7: Oh weird.

00:44:58
Speaker 1: Well I wouldn't admit that too loudly. Dere Tricia TV.

00:45:02
Speaker 5: It's all over the place.

00:45:04
Speaker 1: Trying to make that go away. We're trying to make that go away. Okay, did you at the US?

00:45:09
Speaker 4: Oh?

00:45:09
Speaker 1: Actually, I don't know. I have to ask you, I saw you in there watching. Yeah, absolutely cheer, yelling, scream like the rest of your teammates. Did I did? Sure? Did you give Quantrill and Tigue a little bit of grief?

00:45:20
Speaker 7: I haven't seen it. I think they've been hiding from us.

00:45:22
Speaker 1: Because Skip said the tea ripped off his Canada jersey.

00:45:25
Speaker 7: Yeah, well they weren't. They weren't in the clubhouse with us. I think they were secluded.

00:45:29
Speaker 1: Okay.

00:45:30
Speaker 7: I don't blame them, but I think they've been hiding from us. I haven't seen him.

00:45:33
Speaker 1: Okay, Well, Tyler, thank you, Tricia. Tricia was excited to talk to a former Ray like yourself, so we appreciate you coming out here and joining us and wish you the best this year. You can survive the White Sox last a couple years. You can survive anything, do anything.

00:45:47
Speaker 5: Thanks Tyler.