Episode #26 Dustin Harris

Jeff and John welcome Texas Rangers outfielder Dustin Harris. They also discuss the upcoming Dodgers series and Angels sweep.They also do the first "Bus Leagues" of the season. 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the d LS Rangers Weekly Podcast, now part
of the All City That Get the subscribe but for
YouTube and also become a d l LS guy hard
at www dot l d l LS dot com. Now
Here's Jeffans were Welcome to the d LS Rangers Weekly Podcast.
This is episode number twenty six and today Texas Rangers

(00:21):
outfielder Dustin Harris is gonna join us in just a
little bit. But first we're gonna talk about big league stuff.
And don't forget this is sponsored by the Round Rock Express,
the Triple amphillity of the Texas Rangers who take care
of us. Is there anything U bongus going on down
there right now or you know.

Speaker 2 (00:37):
They're on the road and we'll get to that in.

Speaker 1 (00:40):
The Triple A, I mean in the bus leads.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
Yeah. But again, you know this is their twenty fifth specials,
so you know, go to MLB dot com, Slash, Round,
Knipe and Rock. They're gonna have some pretty cool giveaways
this this year. They I mean they had Roger Clements
throw out of first pitch last year. I saw that, Dan,
So they've got they've got some pretty cool stuff going on,
and of course I imagine there'll be some appearances at

(01:05):
some point by Nolan Ryan. There always seemed to be
so just yeah, yeah, and again they're just good people.

Speaker 1 (01:11):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:12):
They they have no control over their roster. You know,
they try to control if they win or lose. But
you know, sometimes it's strict pitch counts or you know,
strict that bat counts while guys are working their way back,
and you know, that's just kind of kind of the
way it goes. But they put on a fun show
and it's a real nice ballpark.

Speaker 1 (01:31):
Oh it's fantastic. I went there for the first time
last year. They were so hospitable. What they did for
us hooked us up last year and we did the
show down. They're going to try to get back there
again this year. Guys, hit that subscribe button down below.
We're up over twenty nine hundred followers. Now we want
to get up to five thousand. And you know what,
after you do that, go over to the DLLs sports page.
They're up over twenty thousand. Now we want to get

(01:53):
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it's free, hit the subscribe button, hit the light buttons
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know that helps us out, it helps d L sports out.
We really want that. But we're here to talk about
the Texas Rangers weekly podcasts. You and John do the
daily one.

Speaker 2 (02:10):
That's right.

Speaker 1 (02:11):
It was a fun night last night. We were both
out there last night. The Rangers swept the Angels. They've
taken two games over first place. Now they're up by
two games over Seattle, who's climbed up in the second place. Now,
big series this weekend.

Speaker 2 (02:25):
Oh yeah, I heard the Dodgers are coming to Is that.

Speaker 1 (02:27):
Who to us? Yeah? I heard something about that, and we'll,
you know, and when we get dusted on here, we'll
talk about We got some fun stuff talking to him about.
You know, you just said something about round Rock though,
and how they cannot control innings and all that. I
was talking to Jacob Latz, who got moved up yesterday,
and he was talking about strict its strict pitch counts,
and he was like, you know, I got I went

(02:48):
one to two thirds. I wanted to get that third out,
but I was at forty four pitches and they said,
now we're going to pull you. And he's like, can't
you at least let me get one more guy to
say but no, I said. You know what, though, when
you're valuable, that's they don't care you're at forty four,
you're done, get out because they see you helping the
big league team. He goes, Yeah, it's frustrating, but it's
also it does make it feel good because he knows

(03:11):
why they're doing that. Yeah. Absolutely, this is gonna be
a fun series.

Speaker 2 (03:17):
It has a chance to be. You know, this is
the best team ever assembled, you know, apparently, and and uh,
you know, get to see Yamamoto tonight, Roki Sasaki tomorrow.
It hasn't been great. It's pitching on Sunday for them.

Speaker 1 (03:36):
No, no, last now, Glass now Tyler.

Speaker 2 (03:39):
I think the last time the Rangers face they beat him,
and he was pitching for Tampa Bay. They beat him
at second first game of the postseason in twenty three. Yep,
he's always hurt, but when he's when he's on, he's good.

Speaker 1 (03:53):
He's good.

Speaker 3 (03:54):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (03:54):
Anyway, so that'll be a good series. De gram Vivaldi
and Mally who like the best pitcher in baseball for
for the Rangers. So it should be a good series.
And they you know, if you believe the momentum they
have some you know, they they just swept the Angels
who were playing okay coming in, you know, better than
they expected. Offense is still still working on it. I

(04:17):
thought I thought last night was better. You know, had
nine or ten hits in there. Yeah, strung some stuff together.
So it feels like some guys are getting hot. Jack Berger,
for instance, I think, is getting hot. Corey Seeker, we know,
is getting hot. And the bottom of the lineup is
still producing. And that's that's key because when these big

(04:40):
bats get going at the top, if they're on base,
the Rangers are going to score some runs. The problem
is they got to get Jock Peterson go.

Speaker 1 (04:47):
Yeah, that's the one. And you know what, Look, I
I the Ranger fandom is so bipolar that it is crazy.
Had had if you don't bring up Jock Peters and
maybe they need to send him everyone that's out there,
and fandom thinks they out of DFA and send him
sending packing no matter what. I mentioned a couple of

(05:08):
days ago, and it got a ton of activity on it. Basically, look,
they're not gonna get rid of Jock Peterson. They're not
going and they shouldn't. But is it time to maybe
sitting down a couple of days and boy, the people
that blew up over that and were just how dare
you even say that? I'm like, look, sometimes your head's
just got to get right, you know what I mean.

(05:30):
It's nothing personal to get Jock Peterson. And you know what,
the last two games, especially the first at bats of
the last two games, he put together some good bats
and he had a couple of last night that he
h had won off the bat. I think it was
one O six that got ended up grinding hit one
that should have been a single as lasted that what
a great play by Renhifo there and ended up getting

(05:51):
up and making the throw and barely getting him at first.
And on that one, I was like, man, he just
can't buy it right now.

Speaker 2 (05:56):
Yeah, it's tough. And you know I've said this on
the Weekly Show. If you've seen it, it reminds me
of what's happening. Reminds me of Ian Desmond. In twenty sixteen,
Ian Desmond signed a deal, you know, and now it
wasn't a deal he wanted, but it was after spring
training and started and he opened up. He was batting

(06:17):
forty six at one point and Jeff Banister did give
him two days off. Then he comes back. In his
first at bat, he hits one about thirty feet for
an infield single, and next thing, you know, he's at
the All Star Game batting three twenty. So it's gonna
turn around. But but yeah, he does seem out of

(06:37):
sorts on some things. I don't know if he I
don't know enough about his hitting past. You know, he's
a guy who guesses a lot or or what. But
there are opportunities for him to drive in runs. Last
night didn't didn't happen fortunately, you know, the first thing
in the dol Scarcia followed up with the sacrifice fly.
But you know, Bruce Bokes, he said he's gonna with him.

(07:00):
They're going to ride it out. And he doesn't play
against left handers, so it's not like he's an an
every day player, but he is going to play all weekend.
I would assume, you know, he maybe do for a
day off. You never know, you know, if Josh Smith
is healthy, if Wyatt Langford comes back, and then you've
got you've got our next our guest, Dustin Harris, who

(07:23):
is smoking hot at the plate right now, So.

Speaker 1 (07:25):
It's hard to ignore what he's not not just Ash you.

Speaker 2 (07:28):
Know, if you need, if you need, if you believe
in writing the hot hand, and you know he does,
maybe maybe you find a way to get Dustin Harris
on the field. But it'll be hard because again, you
know Langford it appears will be back uh Saturday, first
day he's eligible. And then you know, Josh Smith's thumb

(07:49):
apparently is good to go after he basically hit a
ground ball off his thumb in Seattle. And it's been
been kind of a weird deal because Tuesday was out
of lineup and she's like, it just needs another day.
Wednesday was in the lineup because oh oh no, no
needs another day. Then Yesterday is like, yeah, you know,
he needs another day.

Speaker 1 (08:07):
So so you start to wonder, is this an il
situation point?

Speaker 2 (08:11):
You know ten days you can backdate it. I think three,
you know, with a with an off day, you know,
you you could get him back for the Giant Series
next weekend. So I don't I don't know what what
what will happen there, but yeah, there are good bats
that are about to be added back to the lineup,

(08:31):
and so that you know that's gonna white language is
gonna bath third, So Jack Paterson may drop in the
order a little bit. Maybe that helps him out, not sure,
but it does. It does stand out, and it you
know it, it's taken a little bit of the attention
away from Simeon, who's who's had more productive at bats lately.

(08:53):
Still still looking forward there at the leadoff seegers has
found it.

Speaker 1 (08:59):
It don't to worry up over three hundred now in.

Speaker 2 (09:01):
The Garcia is doing. Garcia had a had a slump
there that you know, again, maybe he was overshadowed by
all the concerns about the leadoff hitter in Peterson. But
uh and Burger for that matter, But now Burger is kind.

Speaker 3 (09:15):
Of heating up.

Speaker 2 (09:15):
Yep, they're starting to find it. And and I know
we said this last year, Oh this team is gonna hit,
don't worry about it. Uh. I still believe that. Bruce
Bochi believes that, Chris Young believes that. And if they
don't believe it, if they start to see something going sideways,
then they'll make a change. That's just what they do.

Speaker 1 (09:32):
Chris Young is big on that. Look, this is and
Boch has said it multiple times, this is a this
is a production sport. You have to you have to produce.
This is a results oriented. Uh, this is a results
oriented business. That that that that we live in. So
you know, and and with you know, the thing about

(09:54):
this lineup, if you look at the lineup, all them,
i mean we're talking Jake Berger and Josh Young are
down in the bottom of this lineup right now, with
Young that a little higher in the lineup the last
couple of nights, but at one point he was hitting
like six or seventh. And Burger's been down in the
seventh row down at the bottom too, and Higgy's been
down there, and then Tavers of course, who is playing

(10:15):
more than because of injuries down there too. This lineup
can be dangerous even if they're not hitting. I mean
you can't eventually if you think, well, I'm just going
to challenge Jock Peterson, I'm just gonna keep challenging because
he can't hit. Eventually, he's gonna hit it if you're
going to bring it over the plate and make a mistake. Eventually,
when he finds his groove, that's a dangerous guy. He

(10:37):
can hit the ball a long way.

Speaker 3 (10:39):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (10:39):
And you know it's just all you know on the
combination they wanted in spring training, and you know, Jock
had a good spring.

Speaker 1 (10:50):
They did have a good stream home.

Speaker 2 (10:51):
Runs and he didn't get a lot of other hits,
so maybe that was that was a telling thing. But
he did show the power a little bit there. But yeah,
you just think, like like Bruce Bochie says, you look
at the track record the back of the baseball card
and you believe that it's gonna happen. And I feel,
what a big addition. You know, the Rangers wanted to

(11:13):
upgrade their offense and one of the guys who get
hit fastballs, guys who are going to get right handed hitters,
and Jock Peterson did those things, has done those things
throughout his career. He's just not doing it right now.

Speaker 1 (11:24):
You know what, I get credit where credit's due. It's
so easy if you're in a slump like this to
be a downer or whatever. He seems to have still
a good attitude in the clubhouse. You've seen with the guys.
More of a and what I take from that isn't
a guy that doesn't care, more of a guy that
just knows. Hey, you know what, when you're on a funk,
you're on a funk. I'm gonna come out of this.

(11:44):
I'm not worried about it. You know what I'm saying.
That's kind of the attitude. You see, he's not he's
not he'll talk to anybody, he's not afraid. He doesn't
duck anyone, you know, because I I've been in a
bad mood and not want to talk to my wife
or whoever when things aren't going well. So I tell you,
at least see that I want to see Jock Peterson. Look,
this lineup's better with Jock Peterson being Jock Peterson that

(12:07):
we know back in there. But but it's hard to
ignore our guest who's going to come on a little
bit and what he's done since being here. Now he's here,
he's been a week, he's hot, he's going but hey,
this isn't just h We brought up Dustin to fill
a spot and we're going to ride him because he's
a hot hand. He had a good spring he did.
And well he's running good too.

Speaker 2 (12:29):
Well, he's he's always run well. It's the most surprising
thing about him. It's kind of like it's kind of
like I'm not comparing Dustin Harris to show here with Tawny.
But I remember when o' tony was first coming up.
I was stunned by how fast he was.

Speaker 1 (12:42):
Very fast.

Speaker 2 (12:42):
Dustin Harris is not as fast as a tiny but
he's damn fast and it'll surprise you. He'll steal bases.
You go look at his his minor league stats talking
twenty thirty stolen bases a season. I mean, this guy
can can move. He knows how to run. That's why
they moved in the outfield from first base. He's so
afflet that, you know, they feel like you're kind of

(13:03):
wasting an athlete at first base. But that's another way
you can stay if you can play first base. You know,
you know, and that's and that's you know, you're you're
you're looking at a decision on Saturday, which is tomorrow,
and you know why at Langford is going to come
off the injured list. Who do you send down? Well,
if Josh Smith is okay and it's okay, and I

(13:27):
think you send down to Rant. If it's not okay
and you need somebody who can who can be a
backup infielder, well then then you you probably have to
send Harris down as uh that may not be. You
gotta you gotta have protection at the short stop. If

(13:48):
one of your guys Josh Smith that you rely on
to play everywhere can't play at all.

Speaker 1 (13:53):
So you know, and believe it or not, or Neilis
probably comes back.

Speaker 2 (13:57):
No, I just think that they they go ahead and
write it out.

Speaker 1 (14:01):
With Dan Duran could play shortstop.

Speaker 2 (14:03):
Yeah, well, anyway, there are a lot of a lot
of things.

Speaker 1 (14:06):
I'm talking about. A Smith had to go on, if Smith.

Speaker 2 (14:08):
Had to go on the injured listen, Duran.

Speaker 1 (14:10):
Would stay because he can play short.

Speaker 2 (14:12):
And then you could just swap out and.

Speaker 1 (14:14):
He's not going to start at shortstop. He's your backup
short stop.

Speaker 2 (14:16):
Right, I mean he's going to be on the field somewhere, right,
probably prevents him from being the d H in case
you do need your shortstop, right say, or your second
basement or your third basement, uh in the third inning,
you know. But we'll see how it goes, you know.
And you know, Jake Berger can play third base if
something happens. Dustin Harris can play first base if something happens,

(14:40):
you know, and people forget about this and they don't
the Rangers don't want him to do this. But Marcus
Simi can play shortstop, that's true, you know. So there
are some ways sat around it. But you know, if
the Smith thing is a concern, then I think Harris
is going to be the guy that gets sent down
despite his performance here, just because they got to, you know,
gotta have a insurance and ca in the infield in

(15:01):
case something were to happen.

Speaker 1 (15:02):
Well, and you know, Tuesday night, when Kakuchi was pitching,
Duran came up. I couldn't look at Dura. Yesterday I
felt bad. Duran came up. He was over by the
dugout where I was sitting at and he was just
right here talking to somebody and he said hey, he said, Hannah.
I kind of adapt him. I said, I'm rubbing three
hits on you right here, and he goes, yes, and
if I do, I'm coming to find you every time.
And he goes, oh for four. And so I just

(15:24):
avoided his eyes when I got there. I didn't want
to think you cursed me or something like that. But
uh oh, he laughed it off. I know they don't
believe in that crap, but I mean he would have
if he had gone three for three with a home run,
he probably found me and said hey, hey, hey, you know,
but uh yeah, he does seem that if Josh Smith

(15:45):
is healthy and doesn't it doesn't go on the il.
Duran certainly seems like the guy that Harris's on the
right to be here.

Speaker 2 (15:51):
Yeah, I you know, again it's a performance based industry, yep.
And what have you done for me lately? Well? But
but also in Duran's case, what's best for him long term?

Speaker 1 (16:02):
Yeah? He gets every day at bats, He gets every
day head at bats.

Speaker 2 (16:05):
You know when when that's happened, he's got hot, he's
been good. Twenty twenty three, he played every day and
by golly, he was pretty good there.

Speaker 1 (16:14):
He got hot for Yeah, yeah, he got hot, and
he helped his team along during that stretch when Corey
was out during the World Series years. There's no doubt
about it. And that's a guy that goes down there
and gets hot and he's got he's on the forty man.
He can come up well if somehow they could get
you know, when Berger got hit last night, you know,
and your boy, that sounded horrible the noise it made,

(16:36):
and uh, the first thing I thought, And he's not
And the problem being again is that he's not on
the forty man. But I'm like, is this is this
an opportunity for Krim? Yeah, is this something where he
cracked something there? Thank goodness it wasn't. In fact, he
ended up if there's some kind of a.

Speaker 2 (16:52):
It hit a bracelet on his wrist. He had been
wearing him bracelet. He did a podcast with a gallon
Chicago who down Syndrome for right, and so he was
on the show with her, and you know, talking about
his daughter Penelope and his mom. The gal's mom makes
these bracelets. Well she gave one to Jake and he's

(17:15):
been wearing it and that's awesome.

Speaker 1 (17:16):
And they got hit and.

Speaker 2 (17:17):
It got hit. He says, well, maybe that's what saved
me from being hurt.

Speaker 1 (17:20):
So absolutely he's going to try.

Speaker 2 (17:22):
To get another one rushed to him in the mail.
And uh, you know, be a good luck charm. But
crazy things happened, you know, and it's it's pretty funny.

Speaker 1 (17:32):
But and I just I'm a big fan of I'm
not a fan of the affliction itself, but down syndrome though.
They're just the most loving, fun people. And I saw
Peterson's brother Champ is here, Champs here and they got
him work, they have him working. He was he was
running around.

Speaker 2 (17:49):
A good looking go tea.

Speaker 1 (17:50):
Yeah, he does think I've ever grown one like that.

Speaker 2 (17:52):
But the story yesterday was Rocker.

Speaker 1 (17:55):
Yeah, oh my god.

Speaker 2 (17:57):
You know, it was a big start for him, and
you know, because Corbin is pitching well and Lighters about
to come back, and so you're gonna have six starters
for five spots. And I really think another Rocky one
would have would have led to comar. I didn't mean
to say Rocky and Rocker, but would have led to
the Rangers sending them to Triple A. I really do
you know? He he's had four starts, all right, too good,

(18:21):
too bad, but and really the good one it was
one run in five inniinges against the Rays, but he
didn't strike anybody out. Also, you don't walk anybody, but
you know, his stuff still wasn't there. Uh, the slider
was really really good. I thought the fastball command could
have been better, but I think it got better as
the game went along. Ended up with eight strikeouts, didn't

(18:44):
walk anybody, seventy eight pitches at seven Indians. That's that's
awfully good.

Speaker 1 (18:48):
That's managing yourself there.

Speaker 2 (18:50):
Yeah, that's that's pretty good. And then really the Angels
scored twice in the fifth, right, or maybe it was
the fifth and Josh Young, you know, arguably could have
made two plays that ended up going for hits. Well
one went for a hit one the other was an
official initially ruled a hit, but it was a fielder's
choice and with his his throat was late to second good,

(19:13):
good hustle by Tim Anderson to beat it out.

Speaker 1 (19:17):
Well, Rocker made the pitch. That's more important.

Speaker 2 (19:19):
Yeah, So he's made some pitches. And you know, again,
the thing that was always said about him when when
coming out of Vanderbilt was, Oh, he's a big game guy.
He's a competitor. When the lights go on, he's a
different guy. And I know it was only April seventeenth,
but it was a big start for him, and he

(19:40):
came out and performed.

Speaker 1 (19:41):
So he looked like what they drafted. He looked like
this top of the.

Speaker 2 (19:45):
Yeah, he looked good. And it can it can be better,
you know, That's that's just it. So I think I
think he's going to stay in the rotation.

Speaker 1 (19:53):
So Burns, you think Corbyn, not Burns, Patrick Patrick Corbyn, Yeah,
Patrick Corben. You think he ends up one of the bullpen,
then I do.

Speaker 2 (20:01):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (20:02):
He has been on an under the radar signing that
he has been fantastic.

Speaker 2 (20:05):
Well, you really have to. You still have to preserve
your starting pitching depth, right, and he can't go to
the Miners. Now. I know he came from the Miners,
but he had to agree to go there, and it
made sense because he needed to work on.

Speaker 1 (20:18):
Some That was easy for him to agree to that.

Speaker 2 (20:21):
Yeah, but now he's such a veteran that if they
they have to get his permission and he I don't
think he would take it, not now, because he's pitching
well and I'm sure another team would sign him. The
Rangers know that, right, and so they have to find
a way to preserve their rotational depth. That you could
send down Rocker a lighter. I don't think that's gonna happen, right,
So you put corbyin in the bullpen, maybe Lats gets

(20:44):
the option, Lats, try to keep Caleb Bosley in there
and try to keep him stretch out because he can
start games for you if it gets that bad team.
This team has some depth, and you know Gray and
Bradford are trending the right way. They're still a couple
of months away, though, so you gotta you can't just
you know, say Patrick, thanks for coming.

Speaker 1 (21:03):
Yeah, No, no, you're not. You're not there yet. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (21:05):
Yeah, he needs to stay on this club and be
able to help out. And so I think that's what's
going to happen. You know, I think Rocker he's so enticing,
you know, it's like, oh man, that's that's the good stuff.
And I get it. But you know, the key now
is can he do it again? You know, you can't
have the one up, one down. It needs to be

(21:28):
two or three in a row good and then maybe
a stinker. You know, he needs to be a little
more a lot more consistent, not a little more consistent,
He needs to be a lot more consistent. And again,
you know, he came into spring training like behind, you know,
and and by behind because it started to come out
later in camp because Chris Young and Bruce Bochi said,

(21:49):
oh yeah, he's yeah, he came to camp behind. Well
what was wrong with him? Was he hurt? You know?
Was he sick? Did he spend the off season partying?
So it turns out that he was working on a
conditioning program more so than working on his mechanics, and
so when he got to spring training, and the thought
was he was three weeks behind where he needed to

(22:10):
be so when he you know, he finished the spring
pretty good. You had that decent start against the Rockies,
not that the Rockies are the twenty seven Yankees, right,
and then he faced the Royals minor leaguers that that
last exhibition game and was good because he was just
overwhelming them. Yeah, and but it wasn't like a clean outing.

(22:34):
You know, he had some walks in there. So he's
still he's still working on it. I think I think
he found the shape for a slider. So that's that's
what he said last night. It's huge. Now it's just
doing it again. And you know again, his next start
would probably be on Wednesday, I would guess at Sacramento

(22:58):
because Lighter, if he does make a rehab start, would
pitch Tuesday there. I mean Corbyn could pitch Tuesday, sure,
and then they make a liar go out to Frisco
and throw a few innings or whoever is at home.
I guess round Rock would be at home. Yeah. Anyway,
whatever it is, something is going to have to give

(23:19):
up here in the next week.

Speaker 1 (23:21):
Well they have to because Lighter is going back to
the big leagues period. He's coming one way or the other.
He will be back in this rotation and deservedly so,
which is gonna be wild with that fifth spot? And
uh it just man, it's I mean, look, the one
thing that's kept this that's held this team together right
now is the pitching. I mean in the bullpen, give
me a break, guys. I mean, everybody talked about we

(23:43):
should have signed this closer and why didn't they go
and get and uh Robertson still sitting out there and
nobody signed him yet, and they're like, you know, why
haven't we gotten you know what? And then look what
they're doing right now.

Speaker 2 (23:55):
Yeah, it's been fantastic. I can't argue with it. You know,
it's got to last, of course, and there's no real
indication that I won't. These are veteran guys who are
doing things. You know. The Chris Chris Martin pitched last night,
which is big because huge he had been dealing with
fate hip hip slashed back. He coach called it back

(24:19):
or hip. But I talked to Chris afterwards. He said
it's more of a back being that he's dealt with
a thousand times before. So you know, he's old, and
you know he he admits that it's it's not easy
getting old, but he knows how to deal with it.
And he was great. He went out there and was great.

Speaker 1 (24:34):
And then Robert.

Speaker 2 (24:35):
Garcia a first career save. Yeah, and and you know it's.

Speaker 1 (24:39):
And he looked good. He threw shocks last night time.

Speaker 2 (24:41):
Yeah, it's and it's interesting. You know they went with
they went with Martin there in the eighth He's he's
the guy. You know that that he's going to be
like Robertson was last year. And you know, I know
the Kirby Gates had thirty three saves and the fabulous
era and all that stuff, but David roberts And did
a lot of dirty work to help Yates. Looks like

(25:03):
that's going to be the guy.

Speaker 1 (25:05):
And that's what Chris Martin and that's there's.

Speaker 2 (25:07):
Nothing wrong with that. And he doesn't. He just wants
to go out there and get out.

Speaker 1 (25:12):
Well, you know, you you bought up something interesting yesterday
and before we get out of here, we're gonna we don't
need to get vested in here in just a second.
But and you were, you were getting up to go
get something, and we're sitting there was before the game,
We're sitting there watching the MLB Network and all of
a sudden, Jeff's tweet comes up on MLB network. I
did not realize that Patrick Corbyn got bit by a spider.

Speaker 2 (25:34):
Yeah, that was so weird.

Speaker 1 (25:36):
It was like it was fifty to fifty that he
even was going to start Tuesday night.

Speaker 2 (25:40):
Yeah, yeah, you know, so it was. It turned out
it was Monday. Brew's both you just we're just talking
in the media session. He goes, oh, you hear about
the bite. What are you talking about the bite? Yeah? Yeah,
you guys don't know, Like no, he said, apparently Patrick
Corbyn was bitten by a spider and came into the
came to the field Wednesday hobbling, and they were like, man,

(26:01):
he may not start. Its like a fifty to fifty proposition.
I talked to Corbin afterward. He had his boys with.

Speaker 1 (26:08):
From I saw him. He came back. He didn't really
have a chance.

Speaker 2 (26:10):
To talk on the record or you know, in an
extended interview, but he said, yeah, he had the family.
You know, his wife had that baby in late March
and so the whole family was there joined him in
Texas for the first day on the off day and
he's out cooking in the backyard, got bit, you know,
and and he felt it, of course at the time,

(26:33):
and but was okay Tuesday and then something the venom
or something something, and it it grabbed all of him.
His his it was his it was his right foot.
It was taped last night, and but he's kind of
laughing about it. Now. Turns out he's living in Max
Scherzer's house because they were teammates with the Nationals and

(26:55):
know each other. So sure, maybe hasn't paid the exterminator
here lately, but not a very good landlord. If this
turns into a career ender, I'm sillingland law. Yeah, but anyway,
pretty interesting side note and funny side note.

Speaker 1 (27:12):
All right, well, let's get Dustin in here. We'll get
Dustin in here, guys. Dustin Hers, who is two for
four last night. I'm so glad he had a good
night last night. He had agreed to come on. And
you don't want to bring the guy on that goes
oh for four with three strackouts or something like that. Yeah,
that would never be fun. But boy, he hit the
ball good last night and it was good to see
him do that. Guys. Right after this, Texas Rangers out

(27:34):
fielder Dustin Harris, all right, guys, are joining us right
now is Texas Rangers out fielder Dustin Harris. Big night
last night went two for four. We know you guys
have a busy scheduled, Dustin, and you stopping down to
come on. We really appreciate it. You've been a frequent guest,
but now you're a big leaguer. Congrats man, and thanks
for joining us.

Speaker 3 (27:54):
Thank you.

Speaker 4 (27:55):
I appreciate it. I appreciate you. Appreciate you guys having
me on. It's always a pleasure talking to you.

Speaker 2 (28:00):
I thought you should have been three for four. So
that Mike Trout ran that ball down. I thought that
that was pretty good play by him, considering he's never
played the position. But you're hitting the ball hard. And
I talked to you about it in spring training and
after Donnieker mentioned that, oh yeah, he's just added four
miles per hours, so it was to his swing. Can

(28:20):
you can you talk about how you did it? You
said you used weighted bats. How how did you a
stumble upon this plan and b make it work?

Speaker 3 (28:34):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (28:34):
So, uh no, Kodiyakinson and I got to talking and
put together this uh kind of overload underload bat.

Speaker 3 (28:43):
Training like plan.

Speaker 4 (28:46):
And it was a few week long plan and started with, uh,
the bats range from drop forward to plus four so
minus four ounces thirty three and a half minus four
to all the way overload plus four and we just
different shapes off the machines and just kind of treated

(29:06):
it out, treated it like a workout session rather than
other than like VP, and just uh, just really did
that and just it seems due seems to have worked.
I mean, the numbers in spring training they said, I
don't really know, but they said my swing was harder
whatever pastor and balls were coming off harder. So me,

(29:27):
I just try to focus on barrel in the ball
and just yeah, physical stuff will take over.

Speaker 2 (29:33):
What is it exhausting to swing out a bat that's
four ounces heavier? I mean, do you do you like, God, dang,
this thing's heavy. Do you notice it?

Speaker 3 (29:42):
Yeah? Absolutely?

Speaker 4 (29:43):
But also with the heavier bats, I feel like it
cleans up path and stuff. You can't you get exposed
if you have too too long a moves or something.
You just got to be direct to the ball and
just uh, I think that cleans up the swing in itself.

Speaker 2 (29:58):
That's interesting.

Speaker 3 (29:58):
Yeah, that's good.

Speaker 2 (30:00):
No, With the twelve year old son, I'm now learning
about the drops drop. He's got to drop ten, but
he switched to a drop eight because at thirteen you
got to go to a drop eight.

Speaker 1 (30:10):
Yeah, they keep they keep lowering it the higher you get.

Speaker 2 (30:12):
That's right. So what is your normal bat size? Length?
And weight?

Speaker 4 (30:17):
My normal bat size is a thirty three and a
half thirty one and a half.

Speaker 2 (30:22):
Okay, So which one was the weight?

Speaker 3 (30:25):
Thirty one and a half thirty one and a half ounces? Yes?

Speaker 2 (30:28):
Yeah, all right, all right? So that's is that average?
Do you know? Do you know what the other guys
are swinging?

Speaker 3 (30:35):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (30:35):
I think it ranges from anywhere. Some guys go like
drop one. I think the most you can do is
minus three ounces. So thirty biggest? What's the biggest bat
you're aware of?

Speaker 3 (30:51):
Just like I guess even like a thirty three thirty
three or.

Speaker 2 (30:54):
Something, Okay, all right, I don't know. I always always
heard that Josh Hamilton used a giant bad but I
don't know. That might be part of the Josh Hamilton
folk folk story. You know, he's like this Paul Bunyan,
weird giant guy who had all the things going on.
But apparently he was strong as Paul Bunyon and just Anyway, anyway,

(31:17):
there's a there's a pretty good story about him that
a couple of people backed up, and Ian Kinsler tells it.
They were in spring training Josh's first spring. So this
is two thousand and nine and you were very young,
and so Michael and Ian are in the old weight
room and spring training and bench pressing two hundred and

(31:40):
forty five pounds, which you know is not light, and
uh they're just trying to do it twice though, So
they get it up and Josh kind of stumbles in
and like flip flops and looks like he just woke up.
And they're like, hey, Josh, you want to work in
and he oh, yeah, okay, fine. So he goes over
and just crushes twelve like it's like it's forty. It's

(32:01):
like it's a combine, and then walks and then puts
racks of the weight and says, all right, walks out.
There's just these crazy stories about Hamilton.

Speaker 3 (32:09):
Yeah that's a freakish.

Speaker 2 (32:11):
Yeah it is. It was freakish. So, uh So, anyway,
obviously you're pleased with them with how things are going
with this this new swing and that some of the
muscle you put on, how good do you feel at
the plate?

Speaker 4 (32:24):
I mean, I feel feel real good. I feel kind
of like myself. I mean when I'm going good. I'd
like to think that way. I mean, not necessarily feeling good,
but feel more so like like me.

Speaker 3 (32:35):
And uh yeah, no, I feel good.

Speaker 4 (32:38):
I feel like I'm seeing the ball well, feel comfortable,
and just trying to get my swing off.

Speaker 2 (32:43):
How much should it help that you debuted last year?
You came up, you got your person found out of
the way, you got your first home run out of
the way. Uh did that make it easier when you
got called up last week?

Speaker 3 (32:56):
Yeah? I definitely, I definitely think that as a rule.

Speaker 4 (32:58):
I think, uh, just like getting some of the first
out of the way last year and just those emotions
and stuff, and now this year it's more able to
just show up to the field and just play ball,
having good time.

Speaker 1 (33:10):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (33:10):
Yeah, it's like no big deal. It's a big deal.

Speaker 1 (33:14):
It's huge.

Speaker 2 (33:15):
So you've been playing left field, but we saw you
in center last year when we went down to Round Rock,
and then I saw you yesterday playing first base. Is
it like riding a bike just you know your old position,
or there are some new things that you got to learn?
Just I guess to stay ready in case you're needed.

Speaker 3 (33:37):
Yeah, So in the endfield, I mean in the off season.

Speaker 4 (33:40):
Honestly, that's where I do a lot of my defensive work,
just because my brother is an infielder with the Cardinals organization,
so we go out there. I take ground balls with
him all the time. So just kind of try to
stay sharp that way. But uh no, I feel feel
good in the dirt, feel good out in the outfield.

Speaker 3 (33:57):
Everything feel good.

Speaker 2 (33:59):
Yeah, I mean I I've always kind of I've always
kept that in my back pocket. I'm sure you keep
in your back pocket too. But you know, because I'm
trying to find a way to get you to stay
in the major leagues here, Dustin, and I'm like, he
should be the back He should at least play some
first base. I think if you know, you did it
a lot in the minors and we're decent at it.

(34:20):
You're just so athletic that they feel like it's a
waste to put you at first base. But just the
more versatility, Boach said, they're not going to try you
a third though. He said, no, he's played some third,
but we're not going to try him over there. But
how important is it for you to be versatile like.

Speaker 4 (34:40):
That, extremely especially in this in this lineup. I mean
it's deep as all get out, So the more the
more opportunity to have just cracking the line up, just
playing anywhere in the field. I feel like it's just
good for me, you know, just being able to be versatile.

Speaker 2 (35:01):
Like you said, yeah, how do you look at it?
I mean, you're a young guy, and like you just
said that, and you know, you know, organization's pretty pretty deep,
pretty stacked with guys and All Stars and such, and
how do you view your where you're at in your
career right now, isn't waiting for any opportunity. How do

(35:22):
you look at it?

Speaker 4 (35:24):
Yeah, I mean I'm just trying to stay grounded and
stare my feet or and just kind of take it
day by day. I mean, well, I'm up here, just
try to learn from the guys who are around me,
the All Stars, the guys who have been doing it
for a long time, and just yeah, try not to
think too much into the future and just try to

(35:45):
win every day.

Speaker 2 (35:46):
So, as a left handed hitter, who is it who?
Who who do you talk to the most about about hitting?
On the on the Rangers roster.

Speaker 4 (35:58):
I think for me, it's more so just visually like
watching them. I don't really I don't like to get
too mechanical and talk too much about hitting.

Speaker 3 (36:06):
It's hard enough. Everybody has their own thing.

Speaker 4 (36:09):
But uh no, just watching like see your heap, just
how he goes about his business and just his moves
and stuff, and just yeah, I just try to take
what I want from that and just make stuff my own.

Speaker 1 (36:23):
Sorry, guys, we had a technical difficulty there for one second.
We're right back at.

Speaker 2 (36:26):
It going, Yeah, So the what you were talking about,
how you you don't talk a lot about hitting, You
just watch and observe. So who have you watched? You said, Corey?
But who who? Like? Throughout every step of the way
have you tried to emulate? Did you have a favorite
player growing up or somebody on the somebody on your

(36:47):
teams in the past that you're like, hey, I like
the way he moves or does things.

Speaker 4 (36:52):
Yeah, so now, growing up it was just, uh, I
don't think I ever really tried to mimic someone or anything.
I've watched a lot of I'd watch David Ortiz, he
was my favorite hitters, and then each hero Sazuki so too,
like two completely different types of hitters, but I just
I thought they were both.

Speaker 3 (37:11):
They both stood out and I liked to watching them
a lot.

Speaker 2 (37:14):
Well, as you told us, when you were in high school,
you never hit a home run, so you know, you
probably had to slap it around a little bit like
each or up.

Speaker 3 (37:22):
I don't know how you why you remember that. You
don't have to remember that.

Speaker 2 (37:25):
Because it's amazing, because you're like, this is this is
giant man. Now, Like you said, you weighed like one
hundred and fifty pounds in high school.

Speaker 1 (37:34):
Yeah, well that's him and I both weigh about one
hundred and fifty pounds in high school. Now we weigh
what do you weigh about two twenty somewhere in there
right now?

Speaker 3 (37:44):
Five?

Speaker 1 (37:45):
Yeah, see we're rout the same hack now, but we're
just wearing a different.

Speaker 2 (37:50):
That's a side by side twenty five and we're gonna
have to do that one. Yeah. Okay, well we're we're uh.

Speaker 3 (38:00):
You know.

Speaker 2 (38:00):
John always asked some lighter, lighter questions about you. We've
been through everything, you know, and I remember this stuff.
I remember you're not getting home runs, so.

Speaker 1 (38:08):
Well it's funny when I so when he got called up,
I went over and Jeff and I talk about this
all the time. It's kind of the closest until maybe
Henry one day hopefully, But until then, it's kind of
closest we've come to see like a Sun or somebody
make the big leagues, because we've been talking to you
for years now, since you've come up in the minor league.
So we're all excited for you. My question is now

(38:28):
that you're this big league you've been up here hanging
with these guys, and you know, people forget we've talked
about this in spring training. You did not get sent
down to the very end. I mean that that was
very noticeable that you stayed in spring training big league
camp when everyone else got moved out, you stayed. So
I think you had you had a chance to make

(38:48):
this team coming out of spring because you had a
great spring training. So tell me you've gotten to know
these guys now, your teammates. You're learning more and more
about them. Who have you really have you bonded with anybody?
They're kind of a kind of good buddies with somebody
here at the big league level.

Speaker 4 (39:04):
Yeah, I mean a few of the guys just coming
up like already buddies with like lighter and Wyatt or
next to each other in the locker room.

Speaker 3 (39:11):
But other than that, like the older guys like.

Speaker 4 (39:15):
Simeon, he's he's Marcus has talked to me a lot.
He's been a good good uh kind of like a
mentor while I've been here. He's shown me the ropes
and then uh, Kevin Pillar, we've been just working the
outfield a little bit. Just he's been showing me a
few things out there. That's a great resource. I feel
like he's one of the best to do it out there.

(39:36):
So as much as I can say take from him,
I'm gonna try to soak it in.

Speaker 2 (39:41):
Yeah, I mean he he was old Glover. Yeah the
other night, you know, just left Don Like he's like
he's been out there his whole his whole life. Uh,
he's he's an interesting guy. You know. We we watched
him from Afar earlier in his career because he was
with the Blue Jays and he was You should look

(40:02):
up the rugnett O' door Jose Battisa, Yeah, Jose Batista fight.
Look it up on YouTube and watch it and with
you and try to zero in on Kevin Pollar. He's
not hard to miss.

Speaker 3 (40:13):
Boy, he was fired up.

Speaker 1 (40:15):
He was the first guy to fly over to rugnet
o'dor after they got separated. Here comes Polar over the top.
He was going after Odor.

Speaker 3 (40:24):
But I'm gonna have to check that out.

Speaker 2 (40:26):
What he's been, he's always been like a fiery kind
of guy. But getting to know him here a little bit,
he's down.

Speaker 1 (40:32):
To earth, such a nice guy.

Speaker 2 (40:34):
Take your ear off and talk about the Lamas that
he owns and all this stuff. So that's pretty cool.
That's good to hear that that the veterans are taking
care of the young guy. That's the way it's supposed
to be. That's the way it's supposed to be.

Speaker 1 (40:47):
Now, does Marcus and then like our Corey have have
they ever like worked with you on hitting at all?
Are they give you any tips while you're hitting or
anything that are they That's not their deal. They don't
say anything or uh.

Speaker 3 (40:59):
No, not necessarily.

Speaker 4 (41:00):
We just so far, I've just kind of worked with
the hitting coaches and just kind of gone about.

Speaker 3 (41:05):
It that way.

Speaker 1 (41:07):
So let me ask about this now, is there anybody
who you since they were at the big league level
and established big leaguer that's become now that you've gotten
to know him. Wow, that guy's funny. That's that one's
pretty funny guy. That's one of the funniest guys. And
you didn't really know him well because you didn't hang
with him as long. Now as a big league you're
seeing that guy's got a good sense of humor.

Speaker 3 (41:28):
I think Higgy.

Speaker 4 (41:30):
Higgy's got some some good just some stuff he says
in jokes.

Speaker 3 (41:35):
He's he's real funny character.

Speaker 2 (41:38):
He's a good guy. Yeah, he can.

Speaker 3 (41:41):
He kills it on the guitar too. Have you heard
that yet?

Speaker 2 (41:44):
I've heard about it. I haven't heard him play, so.

Speaker 3 (41:48):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (41:49):
Well, you know, speaking of that, is there some hidden
talent that you have that we don't know about? Hicky
plays guitar. Do you do you karaoke or sing some
fun karaoke songs?

Speaker 4 (41:58):
Or he will not see me on the mic? I
will I will not get up there. I don't think
I have any great I mean, I can juggle.

Speaker 3 (42:08):
But other than that, I don't have any.

Speaker 2 (42:11):
How many can you juggle at a time? What's the
most you've done?

Speaker 3 (42:14):
Four?

Speaker 1 (42:15):
Four? You do four?

Speaker 2 (42:16):
I can't do I can do two and three before
I'm just screwed.

Speaker 1 (42:20):
I'm telling you, you do it.

Speaker 2 (42:22):
In both hands at the same time, or is there
a technique I throw?

Speaker 3 (42:26):
I just use two.

Speaker 4 (42:27):
Balls in each hand and throw, juggle two and one
hand and two and the other.

Speaker 1 (42:31):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's really the only way to do it.
And see I can juggle too, and I used to
be a lot better at it. So see we started
out at one fifty. Now we're about to round and
we both juggle. I mean, where are the same I
hit a ball four hundred inches twenty feet So do

(42:54):
what now?

Speaker 3 (42:55):
Keep talking?

Speaker 1 (42:56):
Hey, you got any hobbies or anything that you do
outside of here? We talked about this before, but like, uh,
I mean we you know, we talked about your gaming
or anything like that. But uh, you know you're off days.
What are you What is the things that you're doing now?
At the big league level? It might be different.

Speaker 3 (43:13):
Now.

Speaker 4 (43:13):
I like to try and golf whenever I can, and
games not great and I have fun out there.

Speaker 1 (43:19):
Does that mess with your swing at all? Playing golf?
Do you play left handed?

Speaker 3 (43:22):
I play right handed? No kidding, I do everything else
right handed that you well, you.

Speaker 1 (43:28):
Throw right handed and catch. That's amazing. I didn't even
think about that.

Speaker 2 (43:31):
Golf right handed? Okay, heard people who do that though. Yeah,
like Phil Micholson does everything right handed.

Speaker 1 (43:39):
Yeah, I've heard I've heard about that too. Okay, Now
here's one so that this is this is what I
want to know. We see you guys. You go back
at the big league level. These guys will disappear and
they come back eating some kind of food or doing whatever.
Tell us about the food set up there? Now, is
there there's like a full kitchen. You go back, You
just tell them what you want? Or is it like

(44:00):
a buffet? What do you guys have? We have a
buffet up in the It's not a very good not
a good one either, But you guys, is there something
like a chef? You tell them what you This is
big league stuff. Now, we're not in the minor leagues
where you you know, there's just a spread here. You
kind of go back. Do you tell them what you need? Uh?

Speaker 4 (44:17):
Yeah, I mean there's a there's a kitchen staff that
cooks are phenomenal. But they they have a little buffet
out there every day and then you can you can
get something. You can tell them there's a menu, you
can tell them what you want. But I don't do
I just take whatever's on the buffet that stuff. It's good.
Whatever's out there.

Speaker 2 (44:36):
What what what's a typical pregame meal at a Uh,
there's like Tripotle that's that's a big one.

Speaker 3 (44:46):
That's probably twice a week.

Speaker 4 (44:48):
And then just yeah kind of like rice chicken anything
that just mixed up different kind of ways.

Speaker 2 (44:55):
Okay, so they it's not PBJ, no, No, it's still
and stuff. Yeah, so what did you have for what
did you have? Okay? So when do you eat? Do
you eat when you get there and then before the
game and after the game.

Speaker 4 (45:10):
Yeah, so I eat like around one thirty and then uh,
I'll eat a little pregame before it's like an hour
hour and twenty before the game.

Speaker 3 (45:19):
I urned thirty before the game.

Speaker 2 (45:23):
So what what?

Speaker 3 (45:23):
What?

Speaker 2 (45:24):
For instance, did you have yesterday for lunch? At one thirty.

Speaker 4 (45:28):
When I got to the field yesterday, I had rice
chicken and there was a there was like some sliders,
and I was like, I'm gonna try one of these.

Speaker 3 (45:38):
Put one of those on plate.

Speaker 2 (45:40):
So did you try another? Was it good? Was it
worth seconds?

Speaker 3 (45:44):
It was very worth seconds?

Speaker 4 (45:47):
But I didn't have the nerve to go back in line.

Speaker 1 (45:50):
Yeah, well you guys, look these guys, you guys eat
a lot more calories than I am allowed to eat, honestly,
because you guys are working out and you burn a
lot of calories too. So you said you eat right
before do you eat after the game?

Speaker 3 (46:04):
Yeah? After the game too.

Speaker 2 (46:06):
Yeahay, you guys are machines and you just put away
so much.

Speaker 1 (46:09):
I wish my metabolism was like that too.

Speaker 2 (46:11):
But I mean, you know, you guys have to work
to maintain your weight. It sound like you're gaining weight
during the season.

Speaker 1 (46:17):
And it's not all indoors at the seventy two degree globe,
black Field. You're gonna be on the road in some
hot places coming up.

Speaker 3 (46:25):
Yeah, no, absolutely, all.

Speaker 1 (46:27):
Right, Well that what you got anything else for?

Speaker 2 (46:30):
No, we're just we're just pleased you're doing so well
and excited.

Speaker 1 (46:34):
We're both gonna be out there to not so we'll
see you here in a few hours.

Speaker 2 (46:37):
Actually, yeah, I don't consider you. You're like a little brother.
You're very glad for your success, like John said, And
I mean, your brother sounds like he's doing good too.

Speaker 1 (46:47):
So now is he older or younger?

Speaker 4 (46:49):
I have a younger brother who is still playing, and
I have two older brothers.

Speaker 1 (46:54):
Okay, and the younger brothers with the Cardinals. How where
is he at? What level?

Speaker 4 (46:57):
He's he's in Springfield kind of he's having a good start.

Speaker 2 (47:02):
Oh probably, Yeah, so you know things working out? You
should go there and see him.

Speaker 4 (47:08):
Yeah, that'd be that'd be all. I haven't seen him
play and lie or in person and so long. It'd
be be sweet.

Speaker 1 (47:13):
Absolutely, if they're in town and you got an off,
dare you?

Speaker 2 (47:16):
I meant to look this up? What is your parents
athletic background?

Speaker 3 (47:21):
My dad? My dad was stud pitcher.

Speaker 4 (47:25):
He a a few time All American in college and
then uh played a couple of years in pro bawl,
but he didn't through about eighty eight miles per hour.

Speaker 3 (47:34):
But it's changed. He still throws me his change up
in the cage, and.

Speaker 4 (47:39):
I want to throw my bad at him every tight
he throws it because I swing right through it and
just get you all upset.

Speaker 2 (47:44):
But that makes him feel good athlete.

Speaker 3 (47:48):
Uh no, okay.

Speaker 1 (47:53):
Dad just landed the hot girl because he was sorry.

Speaker 2 (47:56):
Sorry, Dad's responsible.

Speaker 1 (48:00):
He's got though. Have they been here since you've no?

Speaker 3 (48:04):
My older brother came. He came.

Speaker 4 (48:06):
He was here actually yesterday yesterday did before he left
this morning.

Speaker 2 (48:11):
Okay, all right, Well that's awesome. Uh yeah, so I
guess we'll see in a little bit dude.

Speaker 1 (48:17):
Yeah, he Dustin, thanks so much for joining us. I mean,
it's so fun. We're so excited for you. Keep doing
what you're doing, and we will see you in a
couple of couple hours.

Speaker 3 (48:28):
Yeah, I mean, great talking to you guys, like always.

Speaker 1 (48:31):
All right, hey, guys, we're gonna go down in the
bus leagues right after this. All right, guys, it's time
to go down in the bus league. Since all the
teams in the minor leagues are now playing. Now, we're
just gonna touch on. I know you've been doing the
daily recap. When Jeff's here and we do our weekly show,
there is gonna be no daily recap. We're just gonna

(48:52):
we're just gonna kind of recap it together. Here. We're
gonna start at Triple A level and bring it down
all the way to Hickory, which is the Low A
division until DSL the Dominican team starts playing and the
ACL starts playing their games, which we got a little
to go that. Let's start out at Triple A round Rock.
They beat Reno last night seven to two. They're nine
and nine and their record is they're in second place

(49:15):
in the Pacific Coast League. Some notes on that he's
not the offensive player of the game, but Blaine Kram
hit his fourth home run last night. He's still hitting
three fifty seven with a one point zero five to
nine OPS. The offensive player of the game last night
was Tucker Barnhardt, who went three for four with a
home run and a double. He came around a minor
league deal, right, Yeah.

Speaker 2 (49:35):
I mean, the guy's won two Gold Gloves. He's just
never been able to really hit, and it's kind of
shown the last couple of years. But I mean, if
something happens to a Rangers catcher, they they've got a
pretty good option because Tucker Barnhart can play.

Speaker 1 (49:49):
Yeah. Absolutely. Picture of the game was Gain Dunning, a
name we haven't really discussed in a while, but he
went five and one third innings. He gave it two
earned runs and struck out five Danes. Still got a
pretty high ra down there, but I you know.

Speaker 2 (50:02):
Really, you know, he's only throwing what fourteen fifty that
the longer he pitches, and Reno's a hell of a
tough place to pitch. It's one of the toughest places
to pitch on the planet. Just you know, the elevation
there is probably around three to four thousand feet, so
the ball goes a little bit further. You see a
lot of high squaring runs there games there rather so

(50:24):
good for good for Dane. I think the Rangers still
have hope that he can do something at some point.

Speaker 1 (50:30):
Yeah, sure, the expressor at Reno tonight they play at
eight oh five again and there are beados on the
mound that didn't go well last time, so it didn't
go well last day night.

Speaker 2 (50:40):
He gave up with a bunch of runs in his
first guess would have been his first appearance down there
is era is thirteen fifty right now.

Speaker 1 (50:47):
Okay, well it's one start, so you did okay At
the big league level, though.

Speaker 2 (50:52):
He served a purpose.

Speaker 1 (50:53):
Yes, and let me this is a guy that wasn't
even in affiliated baseball in the in America a couple
of years ago. He was playing Mexico. Wasn't here or something.

Speaker 2 (51:01):
Plaining though they found him in Chiley in the Pan
am Games.

Speaker 3 (51:04):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (51:05):
Yeah, in twenty three while they're going off and winning
the World Series, they were also scouting. Somebody had sent
video or something like that, and the Rangers checked it out.

Speaker 1 (51:16):
You know what, he always seemed like a guy that
when they were done with him at the big league level,
they were going to DFA and they did not. That's
somebody that it's it's a miracle they're keeping him as depth.
They see something kind of the way they did pictures
of somebody. Yep, that's absolutely double A. Frisco. We going
down to Frisco now. They beat Amarilla last night five
to three, nine and three record for Double A with

(51:37):
Carlos down there once again, their first in the Texas League.
A note last night, Texas Ranger left fielder Wyatt Langford
had a rehab. He d h last night. He went
one for three in his first at bat. He just
decided to show everybody why's big leaguer.

Speaker 2 (51:53):
Yeah, hit a little home run there to the left,
And you know, I don't I think they send these
guys out on, especially these younger guys, just to you know,
make sure they knock the rust off. If was Corey
Seager wouldn't have gone.

Speaker 1 (52:06):
On a reas no, not for not for missing a week.

Speaker 2 (52:08):
So I think, you know he's gonna play the outfield
to night and then he'll be he'll be in the
Rangers lineup Saturday.

Speaker 1 (52:14):
Yeah, that's right. Offensive player of the game, our own
Sebastian Walcott. Now I didn't have a huge knob, but
he went one for two. But what he really did
he walked another time, he had a double. He's hitting
two fifty six as a nineteen year old in double
a uh seven eighty four. Oh ps, it's good to
see him. He is not like, you know, he kind
of had a slow start last year, but he's he's

(52:36):
holding his own right now.

Speaker 2 (52:36):
It really started slowly last year. Yeah, I think encouraging
thing about him is the seven walks yep in eleven games.
I mean he's going to strike out a lot still,
but he's you know, he's average about one k a game.
So that's encouraging. Cam Cowley, who didn't have a great
year last year. It's really exactly to a pretty nice
start one player.

Speaker 1 (52:55):
Of the week. Didn't he or he was up for
it or I'm not sure maybe within organization have that answer,
but let's go to the pitfat.

Speaker 2 (53:04):
The fact is that that he's doing well. In Nosuna,
who started off pretty slowly, is he's.

Speaker 1 (53:09):
Starting to come up. He had a good night last
night too. Osina had a couple of hits, but I
went with Sebastian just because a walk with one and
two one for two at the play. That's somebody that's
seeing the ball. Good there. Pitcher of the game was
Josh Steven, our own just Steven. He would pitched five innings.
He had one earned run in three k's. He has
not fared as well all season, but last night only

(53:30):
give up one earned run. That was good for him.
He's definitely highly regarded in the organization.

Speaker 2 (53:35):
Yeah, he is, and and there are a lot of
He drew a lot of attention in spring training because
he was he was throwing all of his pitches for
strikes and really kind of overwhelming the minor league hitters.
But uh, you know it's spring training, right, you know,
that's why they always say given a minute.

Speaker 1 (53:53):
Yep. Hey, the Frisco host Amarilla tonight at seven o five.
Ben Anderson is going to be on the mound for
Frisco rough Riders. But now let's go down to Hub City.
There's a couple of different things happening down there. First
of all, hub City Spartanburgers. This is their first week
and they opened their new stadium. Yeah, the other night
they lost, by the way, they lost a bowling green

(54:15):
first loss last night, six to five. They're seven and five,
their first place in South Atlantic League and their division.
So they've started out well. But if you're gonna do
some notes there, you got to talk for the first
of all, it was their first loss in their new stadium.
You gotta talk about Michael.

Speaker 2 (54:30):
Yeah, that's a bummer. He broke his finger on a
foul tip and he's probably gonna miss you know, the
It doesn't look like he's gonna have surgery immediately, and
that's the initial fought four to six weeks to heal
it and probably another couple two to four weeks to
get him back. So you know, he'll be back in
if I'm doing the math, at some point in June

(54:52):
or July, missing some at bats, but but he'll probably
go to the Fall League, would be my guest, to
make up for the long Yeah, and he had looked
really good, you know, the the opening night there at
the at the at the ballpark. Chris Young was there
fifth fifth third Park. I think fifth Third's a bank.

Speaker 1 (55:13):
It's a bank, Yeah, So that I looked at it,
I was like, what in the world, But there is
a fifth Third Bank in Spartansburg, and I have to
associate that.

Speaker 2 (55:22):
Chris Chris Young was there. He said that the ball
flies out to left field and that it's a graveyard.
Flies out to right field and there's a graveyard to left.
So he said, don't look for the right handed hitters
to have a ton of luck getting the ball out
of the ballpark. Don't don't worry about it if they don't.
If they don't, okay, kind of, there's a photo on
their website and if you I'm looking at it right now,
if you look at the the dimensions, left field looks

(55:45):
a little funky, Okay, So anyway, but yeah, so that's
that sucks. But you know, there will be opportunity for
other guys to step in there. And Malcolm had, you know,
impressed his boss with a long home run. So at
least he hits the injured list with a favorable impression.

Speaker 1 (56:04):
And yeah, Dylan dry Dryling's done pretty well there that.

Speaker 2 (56:08):
He also homered in that game.

Speaker 1 (56:09):
Yeah he did. Spartanburger's host bowling Green to Night again. Again.
How these minor leaders play. They stayed with the team
from Tuesday till Sunday. Then they travel on Monday, so
they're they're hosting all week long. And David devil Leo
is on the mound tonight. Who's done.

Speaker 2 (56:24):
Well, Yeah, I guess he's there. He's their ace. He
he was their opening day starter. And you know, had
a real nice year last year between Hickory and when
Hickory was Low A and then ramstar Wood and Hickory
was high and the low A team was down East
and he spent most of the season at down East
but came up at the end. Our guy, Paul Benzani
from last week's show had a little bit of a

(56:46):
hiccup last night. But that's fine, you know. So, uh again,
it's still early. These guys are still not working. A
ton of Indians finding their finding their way. Everything's gonna
work itself out.

Speaker 1 (56:58):
Yeah. Well, the offensive player the game, there wasn't much offense,
but I went with Keith Jones. He was one for
three last night. He did have a home run and
two RBIs.

Speaker 2 (57:06):
Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (57:07):
And then William bore me from the Dominican Republic. He's
a young twenty year old. Uh. He pitched three and
one thirds, inning, zero runs, two k's and as of
eight innings right now, he's got a one point or
so out of the You know, obviously Paul didn't have
a great game, so he wouldn't pitcher of the game
last night. But young bore me, I guess that's how

(57:29):
you say that, came in and did well.

Speaker 2 (57:31):
Yeah, and he pitched. He pitched all the last season
at down East and was kind of plagued by play
a lack of control at times. But that's not surprising
for a young young kid. Yep.

Speaker 1 (57:44):
Absolutely low a Hickory. This is the lowest of them.
They play in the Carolina League. They lost to Charleston
last night six to one. Not any offense hardly there.
They're seven and five, they're tied for first. Not really
a lot of news or notes to go with it.
I'll go with the offensive player of the game was
Hector Osorio. He's a twenty year old Venezuelan who was

(58:05):
two for three with a double and an RBI the
only RB.

Speaker 2 (58:08):
I okay, good for Hector.

Speaker 1 (58:10):
And Dalton Pitts. Dalton Pitts eleventh rounder out of North
Carolina last year. I believe, Yeah, he's pitched three innings.
He had zero arm runs and he struck out four.

Speaker 2 (58:20):
You know, those eleventh round those eleventh rounders are always
are always kind of a big pick, and they can
be tough signs because you know, after the second day
of the draft, everybody has a chance to gather their
thoughts and their scanning reports and who's left, and you know,
really target somebody, and you know they usually get a
bigger bonus, like Max and Martin right on that team

(58:43):
a couple of years ago as eleventh rounder and they
weren't sure they're going to sign him, and he ended
up signing. And I never heard about any problems with
last year, with last year's fourth rounder. But you know,
that's that's some pretty good pitchers there. There's a note
I wanted to pass along about brock Order, who's been
working kind of shorter outings. The Rangers are not making

(59:03):
him a reliever. It's they're getting him back to be
able to have a feel for the mound. And they
gave him the option you can start and you can pitch,
you know, every sixth day or seventh day, whatever it is,
or you can work as a reliever, get into the
games and start to get the feelback. And he chose
the ladder. Good for him make it's kind of a

(59:24):
mature decision, you know, with the velocity has been better,
the control has been better.

Speaker 1 (59:28):
He's done well.

Speaker 2 (59:29):
He has done well. So and you know, he was
such a big deal when they did sign him because
it was the Rocker Porter draft exactly, and so that's
that's kind of a positive some positive news for a
guy that was basically didn't pitch competitively last year, you know.

Speaker 1 (59:46):
Right, and wasn't necessarily and he wasn't hurt, and he
wasn't hurt. He was in a fult.

Speaker 2 (59:51):
There's mechanics and just stuff.

Speaker 1 (59:53):
I mean, for a while he just went to Arizona
and like lived in the lab right just as they.

Speaker 2 (59:58):
He spent a lot. He's basically spent the season in Arizona.
But I think he got engaged in the off season again.
So things are trending the right way for him personally.
So maybe, you know, good for him always having another
mouth to something else to worry about.

Speaker 1 (01:00:12):
Absolutely, and you know what for brock Porter, do your
innings now. I think the goal is hopefully at some
point end up in hub City at the end of
the year. Don't be thinking about double A, triple A
you go up one division, you know, one level, keep going,
that's an improvement. Keep doing what you're doing. But I
didn't realize that that's what they did with him. I
saw he was coming out of the bullpen. Yeah, but

(01:00:34):
he made the choice so he could get more more
into games. Yeah, absolutely, I mean sitting all week as
a starter, and especially in the minor leagues, it's not
like a normal five day rest of most they go
the oh, I mean the way they do it. So
that's good, good for Brock. Hickley is in Charleston again tonight.
Mason Molina gets the start. For those that don't remember,

(01:00:55):
he was part of the Grat Anderson trade. Came over
from the Brewers, right.

Speaker 2 (01:00:59):
Yeah, left hander pitched.

Speaker 1 (01:01:03):
Is that making that up?

Speaker 3 (01:01:04):
He pitched.

Speaker 2 (01:01:05):
He pitched at a at A Arkansas. He pitched at
a noteworthy college and and so he's he's probably a
little more advanced at low A.

Speaker 1 (01:01:16):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:01:16):
Yeah, and let's let's i'm it. Yeah, it was uh,
it was Arkansas.

Speaker 1 (01:01:22):
Yes, hey, guys, that's gonna wind it down for us
big thanks to uh Dustin Harris, big league outfielder Dustin
Harris that joined us today. It was fun talking to him.
We're gonna be out there tonight. A reminder, it is
Jacob de grom not and he's playing. He's pitching against
Yama Moto tonight.

Speaker 2 (01:01:42):
Should be a good, good one. The pitching. Uh. The
series lines up real nicely as we talked about earlier.
So it's gonna be fun. Yeah. I don't know. I
don't know if you're gonna be able to get tickets,
but if you can grab them and get out there,
and and.

Speaker 1 (01:01:54):
I heard I heard Rich Rash talking about it last night.
I think our press box is gonna be pretty full too.

Speaker 2 (01:01:59):
Yeah, it is gonna be those those those three Japanese
players will we'll we'll pack the press box. That's great,
that's great. I know you from most of them from from.

Speaker 1 (01:02:12):
From the days of and they're great. Hey, guys, we're
gonna be out there tonight too, so you know, message
us d MS do whatever. I'll try to get out
if I can and come say hi. Jeff will be
NonStop at what we're doing though. But thanks for everyone
for that one. Thanks to Dustin Harris for Jeff Wilson.
I'm John Moore and guys, until next time, We'll see
at the yard.