Episode #88 Dane Dunning

Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Jeff Wilson started covering the Texas Rangersin two thousand dates, though he'll never
forget two twenty one. Elm ison. He decided it was time to
do a podcast, but his wheelswere spinning until a nerd came along.
There's no going back now. Welcometo the Texas Rangers Baseball Podcast. Here's
your host, Jeff Wilson, andthere were Kleiner Nerd himself John Moore.

(00:22):
Hey, everybody, welcome to theRangers Today Baseball Podcast. This is episode
number eighty eight. Today Dane Dunningis gonna join us. Big thanks to
the dub Network for putting this out. This is great, man, We're
gonna Hey, we're about halfway throughthe season. All star predictions have gone
out. By the way, wegot to go down. We got to
do the big leagues first. Yeah, but yeah, no, this is
this is a third This is Friday, the thirtieth of June. Of June,

(00:47):
yesterday was game eighty one, sothat's halfway. That's half of one
sixty two. Actually saw our predictionsthat we did at the beginning of the
Okay, good and I went backand it's funny that you brought that up.
Because I went back, you hadthem finishing third or fourth, but
you did think they would get justover five hundred. That's what you thought.
I thought third or fourth, twoand I thought maybe mid eighties,

(01:11):
okay, you know, eighty five, eighty six. I thought they would
finish over five hundred easy and dothat. I in no way foresaw right
now they're on pace for what ninetyeight went. I did not see that.
Yeah, it's um well, Imean even even Chris Young said he
didn't see it. And the Qand A I wrote with him for the
Sunday read a couple of weeks agoat Rangers Today dot Com month thirty five

(01:37):
for six sixty for a year.U. So, yeah, it's surprising,
but there's talent on the team,yes, And the talent has come
has been brought together by the managerand by the pitching coach. And you
know, we can't lose track ofthe hitting coaches who last year produced the
fifth best offense in terms of runsAmerican League, and now they're leading baseball

(02:00):
and runs scored, even even withwhat looks like a swoon. UM So,
this team is has the second bestrecord in the American League as of
today. UM third over third inbaseball behind the Rays and the Braves.
Uh, it's a good it's agood team. And and and you know
the Frisco rough Riders are going tobring us a great guest that has been

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a big part of that in DaneDunning. And I mean that that is
Dane Dunning. You talk about theunsung hero maybe on this team after the
grim injury and what he did.This this is good. Yeah, you
know the we'll get into the sentiment. But they have four All Star starters
by Sunday when by the time thishits the airwaves four But by the time

(02:46):
that hits the airwaves, they couldhave I mean, honestly, they could
have seven All Stars. Um demandon how the player vote shakes out.
But um, but it's not justthose guys. I mean you have a
ze heel Ran and Leoty t Variusat the bottom of the order right who
are both hitting around best number ninehitter in baseball. I mean Tavarius has

(03:06):
slipped under three hundred, Duran ishitting like three twenty. They varius is
ops is above eight hundred, Duran'sis above nine hundred. So it's it's
just a it's a deep line upthe bottom is producing to set up the
guys. I mean a leadoff hitterMarcus Simmon has fifty five RBIs. Yeah,
I mean that's that. That's youknow, he's on pace for one
hundred and ten RBIs and and that'sthat's crazy. What um? And then

(03:30):
but to your point our guests,Dane Dunning, Um, he's his his
contributions have been terrific. And umwhen two point three six r or something
like that, it's too to eightsomething, well, whatever it is,
it is very good. And umhe uh has filled in for for Jacob

(03:53):
mcgraham quite admirably. You know,Oh, I know you you and I
where I was at the game whenhe went eight and two thirds, which
he almost got a complete game,and he was almost under one hundred pitches,
which you saw. The only othertime that has ever happened, right,
wasn't They said, Greg Maddox isthe only one that's had a complete
Well no, no, no,like it's called a Maddox. There's been

(04:15):
a lot of complete games under onehundred pitches, but he did it so
regularly that they called it the nickname. And it's such a rare thing,
that's what it was. Okay,so it wasn't the second time the Maddox.
Yeah, and like I think DomingoHermon, who threw the perfect game
for the Yankees, I think hewas under one hundred pitches, but it
was it would It was still agreat outing. I mean, you know,
Andy Abania has beat out that infield hit. He was safe by

(04:39):
about a millisecond, oh man,and one little extra stretch by maybe low
and hey, it was it wasdone right, look it was. It
was just a hats off to Andy. He hustled. Yeah, yeah,
and then he, by the way, gave me a hug when he saw
me on the field before. He'sa really good guy. And then then
you know, the next pitch wasor not the next pitch, but three
pitches later ended up into two runhomer and that was it. Um and

(05:00):
the and and Boti was right togood get Yeah, anybody's saying, why
didn't he just finish the game?You know what? At that point you
got like when when you Darvish losthis perfect game in twenty thirteen, getting
he was done and he was alsopitching with a blister, it turns out,
but yeah, yeah, you know, good for uh, good for
Dane it's it's been good for theRangers. Josh Spores has been very good.

(05:21):
So you get you know, evenTravis chan Kowski's played well. So
you get these unexpected performances that thatyou're gonna need, um to be a
contending team. So, um,they just got to keep it up now,
you know, that's that's a youknow, you talk about, Okay,
everybody wants to stay healthy. Yes, um, that's important, but
you're looking at contributors, key contributorsright now, Josh Young, Duran and

(05:46):
uh Tavaris who've never played a fullmajor league season. So and and in
Josh Young's case, what's the mostgames he's ever played in the minors eighty
you know, so he's got there'sa grind to head that he's gonna he's
gonna have to figure out and allthese ads are happen. He's gonna hit
a law at some time for alittle bit. He's just gonna well,
yeah, he was kind of inone. Um, yeah, the strikeout,

(06:08):
the trip and then the first gameof the series against the Tigers,
those out and hits tea. Soyou know that's something that that's real and
that these guys are gonna to figureout Jonahim went through it last year.
Yep, I had to figure itout this year. Um so anyway,
but let's get into All Stars.This is huge. This is huge news.

(06:30):
Look, there's more to talk abouton the big league level, but
I'm excited about that. It twothy twelve was the last time they had
an All Star starter. Yeah,and now they've got four. Right,
this is huge. Sure, Imean that's that is huge. And you
know it's a little different now,right, is it just recently in the
last few years they started the twotop guys go back and go at it
again or yeah, that's not tooold and um so it may not have

(06:53):
happened that way had it been theold way, because they were right,
they were just doing the top twogoing into it well, and they were
trailing U the state of or thecountry of Canada, right, you know,
Simeon would have been a starter,but the going into phase two kind
of reset things and it's kind ofinteresting. This point was brought up by
John Blake yesterday. Um, youknow, you can only vote one time

(07:16):
in Phase two, one time eachday, as opposed to five. So
maybe the maybe the fervent Canadian fans, maybe that limited them. That's you
know, maybe that is what hurtthe Blue Jays there. Maybe in the
end out y'all draft coming up,the going on to NHL Draft on Thursday
night, so that might have oron Wednesday night, so that might have

(07:38):
their focus was that swear they hadother things going on, so that anyway,
the fact of the matter is theRangers fans did a great job.
And really, you know, whenyou look at third base, Josh Young
deserves it, deserves it more thanthan Matt Chapman did. Um at shortstop.
Shortstop was close, Bobi shots havinga great year. Yeah, it's

(07:58):
fabulous year. Second wasn't even close. In healthy all year two with Maryfield
should not have been second and heshould not have been a finalist. No,
So hats off to try to BlueJay's fans. Jonah Heim, you
know Adelie Rushman, he's had agood year too. Yeah, they sit
on that. The president of theUnveiling Show yesterday, the host was like,

(08:22):
maybe a little bit surprised here,and then Jeff Passon said, is
it a surprise because jonah Heim's numbersare better than than Adelie Rushman's and um
in fewer played appearances. By theway, so, um, the fans
did a pretty good job. Yea. Now they blewed in the outfield.
They blewed in the outfield. Um, you know, selecting Aaron Judge even

(08:43):
though he's injured and will and willplaying. And then your Don Alvarez finished
fourth, so a Doulas Garcia finishedfifth. Um. Unfortunately for Adolis,
the vote is the vote and forfor him to it's gonna be a starter.
He has to make the team viathe player ballot and then there'll be
a ranking of who the players think. So it could be Louis Robert from

(09:09):
from the White Sox, who Ithink has twenty three home runs. He
was having a really good year fora Krummy team. I'm assuming that he's
going to be their only all Starbecause they didn't have a starter, right,
so it's um, he may endup starting the game. But um,
yeah, four all star starters.Hamilton was the last one. That
twenty and twelve game was in KansasCity, I believe, and they had

(09:33):
several all stars and they had playeda late game night game the night before
or giant rain delay, they didn'tget into town. They went there.
Matt Harrison made the team as apitcher. He ended up being the losing
pitcher in that game. And um, but Kindler was on the team.
I believe Michael Young was on theteam. Napoli was on the tilt.

(09:56):
Um, I don't remember. Um, probably, but I don't recall anyway.
Um, so that that was thelast of the great Rangers representation at
the All Star Game. And um, of course Hamilton at that time,
you know, he had started everyor been voted as a starter every year
since two thousand and eight. Right, and when he put on that show

(10:16):
at the All Star Game in thehome run derby, yeah, um,
but yeah this is good. Andthen and yeah, you know, it
shows that Rangers fans are are intoit. The vote shows that the Rangers
stands are into But also the Rangersare getting some attention nationally now and and
and people are realizing that, yeah, this is a pretty good team.
Yeah. Absolutely. And let's lookat others that could make this team.

(10:37):
In the pitching side, You've gotVivaldi, You've got Gray who could make
a case for being on it.Even Dane Dunning can make a case for
being on the All Star team,but he's not gonna go above Gray or
Vivaldi. Oh yeah, I wouldthink that Valdi's a lock at this point.
Um, and Gray's numbers are veryvery good. Um, I think
he has a chance, you know. Um, but but again this is

(11:00):
up to the players now and andand yeah, um, Dusty Baker,
we'll be able to make a couplepicks. You know, every team still
has to be represented. So youknow, the A's are going to have
somebody. Uh yeah, they're probablygoing to be the d h R.
What's his name? Yeah, Ithought he cooled off, but um,
you know the Royals will have somebody. Yeah, so you know, and
it could be shoot at him.I don't know who would be for for

(11:24):
the Royals. Bobby WIT's not hittingwell, but he's having an okay year.
The same thing with Salvador Perez.Um, they have those two relievers,
which might might work to their advantageof one of those two. Chapman
or Barlow got got picked because youknow, a little free advertising to get
to or to get at the tradedeadline. But uh so every crappy team

(11:46):
will have a have an all star. Um so that that always is an
issue for fringing guys on on goodteams, but it's um, I would
I would suspect that they get atleast six, and Gray might be a
seventh. So I would say thefour starters plus Garcia plus Valdi, So
I think there's gonna be a prettybig contingent in Seattle for the Rangers.

(12:09):
That and it's look at where itwas two years ago and even last year.
Sure, I mean sixty eight winslast year is at what they ended
eight sixty the year before. Theyactually had three All Stars on that that
or wasn't just two the head andthey head Gallo and now they had three
and twenty they had Garcia and Galloand Kyle Gibson, right or not twenty

(12:31):
twenty one because twenty of the gamegot wiped out, So that that lousy,
awful sixty one season. The Rangershad three All Stars. Last year
it was Perez and Seeger. Twentynineteen it was a minor Pence and Gallo.
Pence was voted as the starting designatedhitter, but he was hurt so
he did not play. So um, yeah, I mean the talented team,

(12:56):
I mean money and money, alot of its money, but a
doulas Garcia was a very heady waiverclaim a right pro scouting department ye Josh
Young is is a tip to playerdevelopment. Jonah him acquired in a trade
at it as a rookie is anotherpro scouting department. And thank you to

(13:16):
Chris Davis because they ate some ofthe contract of Chris Davis to include him
in that deal. Yeah, Chriswith the K, Chris with the ky
not not former Rangers, great ChrisDavis. Uh So it's um, it's
a it's really a nice a nicea nice collection of a tip of the
cap to the department. You know, free agents going to get them,

(13:39):
but also trades and player development andplayer development, and we've got it.
In fact, we'll go down inthe bus leagues. We've got some pictures
that are finally starting to emerge andlook pretty good. And we'll talk about
that later. But this team,I mean heading into halfway and now that
it's over with God, if you'rea Ranger fan and you aren't excited,
and man, they get spoiled.You see how they react. They lose

(14:01):
two games in a row and theteam acts like that, you know,
should Boatie be fired? What washe thinking? It's like, you've got
it, just I've said this thiswhole time. They're great. I mean,
they are so much more talented thanthey were, it's so obvious.
But I've also said they have alot of things falling their way. There's
been a lot of things that usathat usually don't fall your way that are

(14:22):
falling their way. So realistically,yes, they're this good, but they're
you know, when you're this good, a lot of things do fall your
way. But there are a lotof times when you know, there are
times that a ball off the pitcher'sglove that goes right to Simon for an
out and stuff like that that usedto not fallow the Rangers way, and
that stuff is happening too. Sothere's there is some luck that's involved with

(14:43):
being this good. Yeah, Okay, So they're forty nine and thirty two
at the after eighty one games,the bullpen has sixteen losses. Yep.
So the Rangers have have done thisin spite of the bullpen difficulty. And
you know, um, and andthere are games where the starter gets hit

(15:03):
with a loss in a close gamethat the bullpen turns into a less close
game, right, you know,and and so yes, they need bullpen
help, but they've done this despiteof the bullpen. So and Josh Young
said this yesterday, he said,we all feel like we've left some wins

(15:24):
on the table, and they definitelyhave. So if the bullpen gets fixed
at the trade deadline, in theory, the Rangers could could have a better
second eighty one game. So there'sa lot But like you said on the
brakes, you know yesterday, theyend up losing the game eight to five.
The last down as a line drivingIndia Bania's by a Dulus Garcia that
was hit one hundred and eleven milesper hour. Yes, right at somebody.

(15:46):
Yeah, there are a lot ofThere are just times. I mean,
that's going to happen. And themanager knows it. Anybody who's been
around baseball knows it. It's theebbs and flow of a season. No
team is immune to them. Um, so just hang on. It's a
long ride, guys. It's beenfun though. It has been fun,
But to cover them has been fun. Sure, Sure, winning to cover

(16:07):
and a winning team is fun.It is so much fun as a fan
for me. Obviously, you guysknow where I is. Jeff, and
you're you. You're You're very objectivewhen in your coverage and it's shows and
everything you do. It's fantastic.But you know as well as I do.
You're pulling for these guys. Yea, you know these guys, so
you're pulling for him. Yeah,you get to know the guys. You
want them to do well. Uh, it's it's easier to write stories when

(16:29):
every d was happy and more willingto talk. Um. It should increase
subscriptions to Rangers today for five ninetynine a month, thirty five for six,
or sixty for a year. SoI definitely want the Rangers to win
games, right, there's no doubtabout it. I'm not gonna I don't
chare in the press box. Infact, if you chare in the press
box, you should get thrown out. But uh, it's it's uh,

(16:52):
it's it's a good time to tocover the Rangers. It's a good time
to be a Ranger fan. Yeah, yeah, this is. You know
you used to there would be thatlull in the summer before Cowboys started,
and you were because you were dealingwith dad at a baseball This should take
you right up to Cowboys and beyon. I mean honestly getting into the
start of the season because this teamright here, I think they're gonna be

(17:14):
playing you know, you did saythis in your prediction, okay, and
which I said too, but Iwas kind of the homer of the deal.
But you did say they will playmeaningful baseball in September. You said
that, and you're right, AndI mean I thought that too, but
no one cares what I thought,because I'm a homer and I'm a minted
homer. But you objectively said,Look, I think they're gonna be playing
meaningful baseball in September. And there'swithout a doubt, unless this thing collapses

(17:37):
for some reason, they will beplaying. Knock on wood, they will
be playing meaningful baseball. Well,I look at it this way. If
the Rangers play five hundred baseball inthe second half, they're gonna have eighty
nine wins, okay, And thatthat may not get you into the postseason.
You know, it may not winyour division, and you know what
happens with the Astros and the Angels. To assure yourself a spot in the

(18:03):
postseason, you want to win thedivision. And the East has a lot
of good teams and everyone's going tobe making moves at the deadline for wildcard
teams, so you know, butif the Rangers play five games above five
hundred in the second half, whichdoesn't seem like a huge request. I
mean, that's that's a playoff tyep, that's almost that's almost a club

(18:26):
record and wins. So the clubrecord is ninety six by the way,
um in twenty sixteen, when youknow they were in the one seed in
the playoffs and then Hamils and Darvishspit the bid in the in the first
two games of the past season andthe Rangers went out went out quick.
But um, yeah again, justI think the overriding point is good team

(18:48):
at the halfway point, better thananybody, including the general manager expected,
and the Rangers have the have themeans to get better. Hey, you
know, the Rangers have the ball. That's what it's. You know,
they're they're in the lead right now. Everyone's chasing them, and it's better
to be chased at this point thanto be the chaser. Wash said,

(19:11):
he just he washed his phrases.He said it on the show a couple
of weeks ago. Asses and elbows, that's that's all. That's all you
want the people behind you and beable to see is your your ass and
your elbows. So um, hey, well, let's get Dane on here.
Yeah, let's do that. Hey, Frisco Rough Riders bringing you Dane
Dunning right after this, guys,Dane Dunning. All right, the guest

(19:33):
segment of the Rangers Today Baseball Podcastis brought to you, as always by
the Frisco Rough Riders, the doubleaffiliate of the Texas Rangers, and they
are coming home for next week,starting on July fourth. They're gonna play
the Middle and RockHounds six times thatweek. The fourth. They've got a

(19:56):
heck of a promotion going, guys, and you all need to hear it,
all right, double fireworks and apregame concert. That's pretty good.
That's that's like really really good.So um pregame happy hour in the Herman
Marshall Whiskey Saloon, half price beer. Kyleie, I don't think the Wilson's

(20:19):
have plans for the fourth of July, John, but we we might now
double fireworks our kids and go nutson that one. So anyway, go
out to Frisco. As you know, they have just just a great set
of promotions all weekend long. Theyhave Thursty Thursdays every Thursday. On July

(20:40):
seventh, it's Marvel Defenders of theDiamond where they're gonna have a character appearance
by ant Man, and I'm notgonna lie. Aunt Man is my favorite
Marvel's hero and then four but antMan is number one because I think it's
funny. So anyway, get yourselfout to Ryder's Field. Get tickets at

(21:00):
MLB dot com slash Frisco. Allright, guys in joining us right now
from blow Black Field. It's TexasRangers right handed. Picture Dane Dunning,
who had an outstanding outing just acouple of months ago. Dane, what's
going on? But hey, broughtto you by the Frisco rough Riders.
By the way, thats right,we gotta plug our advertising. That's right,
Dane. What's up? Bud?Uh? Not much? Um,

(21:21):
just got to the field hanging outa little bit, uh, you know,
preparing for this Houston series. Soit's uh to show people how the
sausage has made. It's twelve fortyfive on Friday of the Astros series.
Game's until seven. Is this usualfor you? Are you? Usually?
Oh? Well, first game ofevery series is usually like this. So

(21:41):
it's because we'll have meetings where wehave to go over each hitter. Um,
we'll have to go over you knowpicture for like the hitters aspects,
so uh, you have, it'sjust a longer day. One of the
great things about what Boat has beendoing this year is he's been kind of
having us, like on the restof the series later days to come in,

(22:03):
like get us off our feet andjust get us rested. And I
think that's, you know, beenreally big help for us, just because
I mean, like you know,last year and the year before, we
were out twelve forty five. Everysingle day at the field, you're shag
and BP like you're running around,you're doing so much. You get to
the game and you're exhausted already,Like then you got to do that one
hundred and sixty two times. Likethat's but no, I think like Boach

(22:27):
has a really good way of handlingum, you know, times to come
in just to be able to youknow, get us off our feet and
just be able to recover better orI know, before we get into more
baseball stuff. I approached. Doyou want you to come on? Because
it's kind of my my belief Ihave I help with the charity. Jared

(22:49):
Sandler helps with the charity. Anybodywho helps with the charity is free to
come on. This podcast and plugit and help promote it. And and
you have one coming up called Swingingfor Impact to help the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
UM, Sunday the sixteenth at sixpm, can you uh give us
a plug? What's going to giveus a UM? So, I mean

(23:12):
you kind of hit it on thehead right there, so it Swing It
for Impact. UM, We're gonnabe going to Top Golf just having fun
interacting with fans. It will bemyself and other teammates. Uh, and
we'll be able to release out whatother teammates are coming as the time gets
a little bit closer. UM.You know, just everyone with families is
kind of hard to be able tobe like, you know, months out

(23:33):
in advance, I'm going, Uh, but no, it's it Ultimately,
it's to benefit the National Multiple ScorrosisSociety. UM. You know, one
of the big things that I tryto do with my platform is to spread
awareness of multiple sclerosis and to helpcreate funds to hopefully find a cure for
multiple sclerosis. Uh. There's nearlya million people that in the United States

(23:56):
that live with multiple scorrosis, andUM, you know, it's devastating what
they go through and me personally Idon't feel like it gets enough to tension.
Um, and so I try touse my platform for that aspect.
And so yeah, we're gonna goto Top Golf on July sixteenth at six
pm to to play some uh youknow, have fun, play some golf,

(24:17):
interact with fans, have fun.It's gonna be some some auction items.
I already be there, some signmemorabilia for myself and the team.
Um, there's some really cool thingsall Star Catcher signed, Jonah him Um,
you know Catcher's gear, all StarShortstop Corps, Seeger signed cleats,

(24:37):
things like that. Um. Alsoknow it's it's gonna be you know,
it's gonna be a fun time.It's gonna be a fun atmosphere, but
most importantly, it's gonna be benefitinga great cause. Yeah. The website
is uh big League Impact dot orgslash top Golf, um big League Impact.
I'm guessing came came to your attentionby Kyle Gibson and the Adam Wainewright

(25:02):
Foundation that they're so heavily involved in. Um. Awesome, And this isn't
your first event. You've done differentthings. Yeah. So last year we
did a fantasy football league, whichwas. I mean it was that was
a lot of fun. I didnot win, I think actually, um,
I never win. Yeah, itwas. It was a tough league

(25:23):
for me throughout last year. Um, a lot of you know, I
kind of with I had multiple teamsand usually with my teams, I kind
of picked the same people and uhyeah, a lot of people got injured
last year, so it was stilla little tough. But m no,
I mean it was a fun thing, and so this year I just wanted
to try to create more of likean in person be able to like,

(25:48):
you know, be able to talkto people, interact with fans and things
like that, just to make itmore personable because, um, I mean
it was cool that we're playing youknow, fantasy football together, but at
the same time, it's it's througha own. I mean, you have
the type messages through a thing,so it's it's it's just not the same.
So um that was really the wholepurpose of this you know, top
golf event was just so I canget out and embrace you know, our

(26:11):
our audience, our fans, anduh be able to interact with them one
on one. All right, Wellgood, that's yeah. I love these
events and love that people get backto the community, and you're right,
you have a huge platform and whateveryou can do. And and then well,
your your wife works for the MSSociety correct or had in the past.

(26:33):
Yeah, so she worked for theNational Multiple Scros Society for three years.
So maybe a little bit more thanthat, maybe a little bit less,
um, but I mean she wasshe would still be working. Obviously,
we had our first child, soit's right, Um, she's got
a full time job and just youknow, taking care of him and uh,

(26:55):
um, she just got yes shedoes. And she didn't people like
because like one of the biggest thingswith what she did is she organized this
big like essentially bike race, cyclingrace that happened in like the Charlotte area.
Um, and she would have togo like I mean from like five
am to pretty much like eleven o'clockat night on a couple of days for

(27:19):
those and she just didn't feel likeit was right because, um, I
mean taking care of the kid,like not being able to do that and
then like either have the ditric kidor like bringing him to an event where
he's gonna be suited. So she, uh, she thought it would be
better if she was able to liketake leave and um, you know,

(27:41):
have find help find someone to replaceher for the time being, hopefully.
Um, you know, they welcomeher back and she gets to you know,
do that again. But as ofright now, she's just full time
mom in it and she's killing it. Awesome. Yes, and I'm gonna
tell you right now, full timemoment. It is like digging ditches sometimes.
I'm telling you, that is ajob. And uh, congratulations.

(28:04):
By the way, we were talkingto you while she was getting ready to
go. What's your son's name isMack mac yep, yep, mac so
mac Anthony Dunning. Um, it'sfunny. We had the middle name was
not supposed to be Anthony, andall of a sudden we changed the middle
name and then the first name.We had no idea what we wanted to

(28:26):
go with, and um we keptriding it on a little dry erase board
at the at the hospital, andyou know, it came out to mac
Anthony. All right, all right, that's awesome. Wait or see him
around. Did you did you consideranything else? Uh? Yeah, So
we had multiple we had multiple names. Uh so we had Nolan was one
of our top runners. So itwas Mack Nolan Brady and Reese okay.

(28:52):
And when we got to the hospitalsbetween Mack and Nolan and the middle name
was supposed to be Jude okay,So we were supposed to it was supposed
to be like Mac Dude or NolanJude um. And that was like setting
stones since day one, because mywife loves the name Jude. We didn't
feel like it was mainly personally me. I didn't feel like first name.

(29:17):
I was like, we can allwe can do middle name. So that
was like since day one, UMlike the middle name. And then when
we started writing it out right raiseboard, We're like, ah, we
don't know if it fits. Andthen um, we after talking for a
little bit, my middle name isAnthony. Our brother's middle name is Anthony,

(29:37):
and they have a family like theirfamily middle name is Anthony, and
so we're like it all right,well, let's let's do Anthony as a
middle name, like you know,it goes along with me, it goes
along with your family. And thenum, and so then we wrote out
like Nolan Anthony or Mac Anthony.And then we we were writing out mac
and mc or m ac k stufflike that, and just until we figured

(29:59):
it out. The the one wewanted, but it's an ordeal. Yeah,
naming a kid. Yeah, yeah, he was nameless for two days.
He was a baby boy, Dunningis what he was. Yes,
And I remember we drove. Idon't know, there's a long drive.
That's all we did for about twohours. Was well, what do you
think about this? Yeah, that'swhat you do. But we Yeah,

(30:22):
and you're right. We stuck witha family name for the middle name on
both of our kids. What didn'twe Yeah? So yeah, yeah,
yeah, it was so right afterhe was born, and um, it
was like the next day, UM, my wife was recovering and I was
like, listen, UM, Ihave no saying what this kid's name is.

(30:44):
After witnessing what I witnessed, Um, I have and I'll sign off
on anything. And he fortunately,fortunately she was, you know, nice
enough to still include me. Andthen yeah, yeah, yeah it was
something else. I'll tell you.We've we've all been there. Yeah,

(31:06):
and like one of the big things, like people talk about it, like
you think you can get like anidea based off it, but until you're
there and you experience the emotions andlike everything that goes on, like yeah,
you have no idea, Like yeah, now you realize how how come
your parents were kind of nuts sometimesbecause you're like, this is why you
loved me that much? Oh,my goodness, because your child is something

(31:29):
else. When your child gets there, it's a whole different kind of feeling
you got going over there. Definitely, Yeah, I was when mar Son
was born. I was wearing likea calorie monitor thing, a heart rate
just because I did it every day. And in the hour it took to
deliver Henry, who was almost tenpounds, my wife was just working so

(31:51):
hard and I was holding her backworking, sweating, and it was in
the middle of the summer, andwe had arrogonnizer. But I've burned so
many calories in that hour. Itwas like a workout. But anyway,
it was. It was great.It was a great congratulation. That's so
exciting, So that that's fantastic.Welcome, Welcome to the world, Mac
for sure. All right, baseball, you had you had a decent start

(32:14):
the other night. Yes, unfortunateending, but uh no, it was
a great start all in all.Yeah. Um, for for those who
might have missed eight and two thirdstwo runs or hits the last two which
uh the last two batters you face. You were so close to getting it.
I mean you're like a half noteven a half a step yep.

(32:37):
I mean it's a game of inches. It is. It was a game
of inches indeed. Um. ButI don't know how you feel about it.
Do you think it's the best startof your career or not? But
um, how would how would yourate it? Um? I mean it's
definitely up there. I think Ithink if I would have finished that last

(32:57):
out, it would have been probablythe best start of my career. So
are um No, Like it was. It was a really good feeling,
just like throughout the entire game,Like, I had a lot of rhythm,
had a lot of momentum Um.I mean, our offense did a
great job of just putting up runsfrom the get go, so that kind
of just to help relieve a lotof that pressure. Um. But no,

(33:19):
it was just it was one ofthose days where when I missed a
spot, it kind of didn't gethit until the very last hitter. Um.
But but then for the most part, I was locating pretty well.
I mean I think I threw likeseventy something strikes, seventy five strikes or
something like that. Um, AndI only threw one hundred, one hundred

(33:40):
pitches. I felt like I wasvery like efficient like through each edit inning
as well. And um, yeahthat the ten strikeouts surprised me, to
be honest. Uh. I meanyeah, I I obviously, like every
pitcher wants to get as many strikeoutsas they can, Like it's really cool.
But it's like, you know,strike gut kind of eluded me this

(34:01):
year. So it's like when Iheard ten, I was like, what,
like that was funny. I waslike expecting five, five, maybe
six, but no, not ten. Um, But yeah, no,
that was that was really cool tohear. Yeah. Can can you put
into words the difference between this yearand last and how much better you feel

(34:24):
with your hip? I don't wantto. I don't want to say last
year was all hip related in yoursuccess this year is all hip related,
but it seems like there's at leasta relation. Uh yeah, definitely.
Um. Last year, going intothe season, I knew my hip was
already torn. Um, And oneof the things that I try to do

(34:47):
because like by the time I foundout got them rin and figured out everything
that I was torn, it wasalready too late to have surgery because I
would have missed a substantial amount oftime of the season, so I was
like, you know what, likeI'm gonna try to just strengthen my hip
up to them as best as Ican and see see where I can go
from there. And I mean Iwas still able to go twenty nine starts,

(35:10):
but I mean it was like oneday it felt great, I felt
good, I was able to youknow, being in control command to throw,
and then like literally like the nextstart, it feels like had a
knife going through my side. Butum no, I mean the training staff
did a great job last year withme just being able to keep me,

(35:31):
keep me going from starting to start. And I think that like last year
with me getting surgery would have beena little bit different scenario if it was
if we're more or less having aseason like this year versus how we had
like a season that we kind ofhad last year. Last year, I
mean, our starting pitching was Imean, we didn't have a lot of

(35:52):
depth, so it's thought was gone. There wasn't really people that we could
have had to fill in. Buteven then it's like I'm the competitor as
well, so it's like I didn'twant to, you know, have surgery
and do that. I wanted toyou know, compete that season, but
uh, at the end of theyear kind of had that conversation, you

(36:14):
know. Um. One of thetwo biggest people that kind of pushed me
towards getting that surgery was actually Coreyand Brad They both had they both had
the surgery as well, so itwas kind of like, um, they're
telling me, like, hey,like you need to get it done because
it's I mean like they're like it'slife changing. Like I've had it and
it's horrible, and like one ofthe biggest things like for me, like

(36:37):
you know, as a pitcher,you you know, you run a lot,
right, and so one of thehardest things for me was like I
couldn't run really ten minutes on thetreadmolle because like that impact on my hip
would just hurt so bad that butmy lower back, I mean gives out.
Like I feel like I just threwmy back out. My lower back,

(36:58):
Like, um, I was strugglingto like put on shorts, like
to bend over on some days justbecause like how much pain I would have.
But no, I mean it gotthe hip turgery. Um, everything
went well from the off season.The hips been feeling strong. Um vlos
kind of ticked up a little bit. I'm able to drive down the mound,

(37:19):
which is what I've been trying toachieve for the past two years.
Um but it's I'm just able tostay connected longer and I'm able to just
and it's helped my command, it'shelp my stuff, my v lo.
Everything's a little bit later. It'sa little bit sharper um and just a
simple fix of just being able tolike stay loaded on my back side,
just you know, from not beingable to do that to do that now,

(37:44):
it's I mean it's changed completely.Sure. Well you know, I
think probably not novice baseball fans,but casual baseball fans, you know,
don't understand how much a picture actuallydoes. Tween starts. Man, you
know, the day after you goin and you're lifting and then we're covering.

(38:07):
Then you throw a bullpen right away, the next the second day or
maybe you're a third day guy,but a second day you're just constantly throwing
and your your arm is always working, which means your your body always has
to be worked. Yeah. Yeah, So I mean, like you said,
like I'm a day two bullpen guy. So um so for example,
yesterday was my Day one. Iran for about thirty minutes. I then

(38:31):
did a total body lift, playedcatch, sat for the game. Today's
Day two. I will stretch,do all my stretches, I'll throw a
bullpen, I'll go in, I'lldo like a cardio circuit type deal.
So it's a mixture of just bodymovements, cardio, something cardio with a

(38:52):
little bit of core or stuff likethat. And usually it's like multiple rounds
of that. Day three would beusually long tossed me another total body lift,
more running on the treadmill, um, and then hang out for the
game. Day four is my lightestday, which is stretch obviously for just

(39:12):
stretch round um, some sprints outsideand then some light catch and then Day
five starts. So um. Andthat's you know, from the first day
of the season all the way tothe last day of the season. Yeah.
Yeah, I mean it's not thatgo out play golf, Yeah,
watch a game. Those are offdays, yeah exactly. Yeah. So

(39:37):
you guys are eighty one games yesterday, So you guys are forty nine and
thirty two. Um, you knowyou're replacing Jacob de Graham, you guys,
you guys relatively stayed relatively history healthy. Um, you guys gotta feel
pretty good. Um. Yeah,I mean it's so far, like it's
been, it's been a lot offun this season. Um, I mean

(39:59):
we we are feeling really good.Um, but I mean there's no like
there's no stopping like until until weclinch, like until we you know,
get to the World Series or stufflike that. Like there's no like that's
everyone's mindset. Like we are havingfun, we are you know, doing
things, but like after we winor lose, like obviously, like if

(40:22):
we win, it's great for lose, like it sucks, but at the
same time, it's like, youknow that game is behind us. We
got to get to the next andit's like, you know, we can't
take for granted that you know,we're in first place or things like that,
Like we have a big series righthere against Houston that could you know,
sway a big outcome of like ourdivision. So it's um it really,

(40:42):
I mean, like the guys forthe most part, I've been very
focused throughout this entire season and it'sbeen I mean it's been really fun to
be a part of. Yeah.Um, the last question for me before
John gets gets rolling, Uh,Mike, Mike Maddox, how how is
he? I mean, you talkedabout Bruce Bochi early on that was Mike

(41:05):
maatics made a difference for you personallyand also for the pitching staff. Um.
He's he's very thoughtful with everything hedoes. So like for me,
like going on my bullpens, oneof the main things like I'm a sinker
ball, I gotta get the balldown. So like we have like we

(41:25):
will literally have essentially target practice,like when I'm throwing my bullpens, like
You'll put a bag out there andlike it's like hit the bag, and
so like that's one of our sayingsnow. It's like anytime I throw a
change up, like get it outthere, hit the bag. Um.
But everything he does is thoughtful,from you know, putting in certain people
in the bullpit, like like puttingpeople in the game, bullpins, stuff

(41:46):
like that. Um, everything hasthought out. Everything is very UM wouldn't
say analytical, but it's very smart. I mean he's got a very old
school way of teaching, and Ithink he just relate to me, you
know, very like just really easily. UM. I really enjoy working with

(42:07):
him. I think he's extremely smart. I think he's Um, you know,
I think he's a you know,great pitching coach. Like I said,
I talk with him easy. Soit's just it makes a relationship very
very simple, I said, Iwas that was the last question, But
I wanted to talk to you becauseyou were so You're always very effusive in

(42:28):
your praise of him. But Jonah, him who you mentioned, is now
an All Star. Um, whatwhat's I mean? It's not just you
he has to have a relationship withit's it's twelve other guys. Yep.
Um. But how has he involvedbecause you were with him there from his
first season with him yep Um.No, Jonah has been like he's been
fantastic. Uh. You can reallysee, like I felt like last year

(42:53):
for the you know, first half, he did you know, really for
the whole season. Last year hedid great behind the plate. His numbers
were unbelievable. Um. I thinklast year was kind of like his his
I mean it's his first full seasonas you know, a starting catcher,
so it's its first full year ofcatching you know, one hundred and twenty

(43:15):
games or something like that of youknow, and so I think last year
was like like kind of his steppingstone into like this year like he's been.
He's been so good throughout this year. And I felt like last year
he kind of at the end,like you know, most players got a
little tired, um, And likethat's including me obviously I was injured.

(43:37):
Um, But like this year,I felt like seeing him work this offseason,
seeing him do the things you do, and then now like coming out
like swinging the bat, well justbehind the plate, just being so just
very smart behind the plate, pitchcheek was seeing his pitch calling, knowing
the situations us a defensive beast backthere, and then still swinging it,

(44:02):
and like it's been It's been alot of fun to watch. It's been
a lot of fun to be apart of. Like he takes control.
Um, Like you feel really comfortableup on the mound with him. Um.
I mean for the most part,we're on the same page. Ninety
nine percent of times. I thinkI shook him off like maybe twice this
year. Um. Wow, Likeit's like everything like we like we've been

(44:28):
just hand in hand with everything.And I know, um, like obviously
he's worked with EVO, but Ifelt like him and Evo has clicked very
quickly. Like obviously he had Martinlast year and they kind of have their
thing. Um, but no,like Jonah has been. I mean I
can praise him all day every day, Like he's been absolutely amazing. Um.

(44:50):
I think he's been like really bighelp for at least like my career
this year. Um, just makingyou feel confident, comfortable on the mound
and and um, I mean forthe rest, like when a catcher makes
you feel confident, makes you feelcomfortable up on that mount. It just
everything comes so smooth and easy.Got all right, Um, the hard

(45:12):
hitting stuff is over real hard.John here kind of dives into the personal
side. Yeah, we're gonna we'regonna get into that. Just have a
little fun with it. But bythe way, I talked to Jonah after
your start and then man, hethat he praised you too. He just
it just Jonah is is good.But like you said, yeah, he
was praising you too. He's gota great staff to work with. Okay.

(45:34):
You are from Green Cove Springs,Florida. Is that right, Yes,
Fleming Island. Um, it liketen minutes away from each other.
Okay, but you went to ClayHigh School. Did you play any other
sports besides baseball? Um? WhenI was at. When I was at

(45:55):
I mean I played volleyball. Um, not like a part of any sanctioned
It just kind of messed around,maybe a little bit of travel ball with
that, and then um yeah,just baseball for the most part. Okay,
Now, now you ended up goingto the University of Florida, did
you. I mean, look,you were drafted out of high school.

(46:15):
We're gonna get to that in justa second. But did you have any
other offers besides Florida or any anybodyelse you were considering? I mean,
growing up, unfortunately, I wasan FSU fan. I wanted to go
there. I thought, you know, I thought Florida State was so cool,
the atmosphere was awesome, and theyoffered me. It was just it

(46:36):
wasn't near what Florida offered me.And like when I took that visit to
Florida, like it kind of justfelt like home, Like it felt good.
It was a very blue collar environment. One of the biggest things for
me, Like when I was takingmy college tours was like I took,
you know, to some smaller schools, like I took JU like UCF un
FUM, Like when I went totheir schools, they were like Oh,

(46:59):
you're gonna be or a guy likeyou're gonna be this, you're gonna be
that. Like when I went toFlorida with Kevin Ussulliman, he literally was
like, well, you could comehere, like we're gonna offer you this,
but there's no guarantee you're gonna play, like you're gonna have to work
to get to your spot, likeI can't. I'm gonna play the best
nine that like that, I thinkthat's there and like if you're not a

(47:20):
part of it, like it's unfortunate, but like that's how it's gonna be.
And that's like one of the biggestthings that kind of pulled me there
was just it wasn't like a yeahexactly, It's like, you know,
like you're gonna have to work forwhat you get and um so yeah,
so I went there. I wentto Florida and sucked my freshman year,
then kind of halfway sucked my sophomoreyear, and figured it out my junior

(47:45):
year. So yeah, but youwere you were no slots. I mean
coming out of high school. Let'stalk about this. This is one of
my fun questions to ask. You'vebeen drafted twice, so out of high
school you were drafted in the thirtyfourth round by Toronto. That's twenty thirteen.
I always like to ask where youwere and how you found out you
were drafted, But you were draftedin the first round too. Tell me
about that Toronto draft. Where wereyou? How'd you find out you've been

(48:06):
drafted? Um? So yeah,it was UM, I got I got
an offer for earlier pick. Ithink it was like second or third round,
but it was like very low money. Um, and like it was
like way way under slot. Andit was one of those like out of
high school like I kept My brotherwas in pro ball at the time,

(48:28):
and I kept telling them like I'mgonna get drafted and beach to the big
leagues like and we kind of hadthat competition and um, but no,
like UM, I end up gettinga phone call like two days later from
a scout from Toronto and it waslike, hey, like, you know,
we just drafted you in the thirtyfourth round. I know you're not
signing. UM, We're just gonnasend you a card for you to you

(48:50):
know, fill out that way wecan draft you and hopefully a couple of
years and and so be it.And it was just um, it was
one of those was like when Iwas going through the recruiting process, like
I kind of had like a numberthat I wanted, um, because it
like if I didn't get that number, I was like, I'm going to
go to college. And at thetime, it's like I was committed to
University of Florida. Who's been verygood at least when at that time in

(49:15):
recent years and even now at producingpictures and just being able to like be
you know, a top level,top level contender for just baseball. Yeah.
Yeah, and leab askit this.So you drafted in the first round
in twenty sixteen. Were you inNew York? Where were you at?
I mean, no, I was. I was in Gainesville. We had

(49:36):
a little party at my my apartmentjust because we had it was Super Regionals.
I don't know, it was rightbefore Super so it was like a
couple of days before Superregionals. Wehad a little party, had a couple
of teammates over and family and friends, and because I was rumored to go
in the first or second round,and fortunately enough I was able to go

(49:58):
in the first. Cool. Yeah, the uh, it's a big difference
now, um, with the draftbeing in July at least for at least
for college players. Yep. Imean it's it seems like it's a lot
less distracting. I agree. Um, I think that's kind of one of
our Like that that was one ofour downfalls, um like our junior year,
Like we were so talented, butlike once everyone got drafted, it

(50:21):
was kind of like, you know, like you know, if we don't
win this, oh well, we'rejust gonna go play for whoever. Like,
like, I think that aspect ofhaving the draft after the College World
Series is a like, is agood thing because like when players go through
the college wal Series, like Imean, this is like like in that

(50:42):
moment, that's the biggest moment they'regonna get. Like I mean obviously like
everybody wants, you know, getdrafted, go play, get to the
big leagues, go to the WorldSeries. But in that moment, it's
like when in the college Woral Seriesthe biggest thing that they can do.
So it's like instead of you know, we're some of us. Is like
when we lost the first game,I felt like half of like half of
us cashed out because we're like allright whatever, like yeah, instead of

(51:07):
like us being like all right,no, we need to go. We
need to like go now. SoI think that's a big thing with them
making the draft. After speaking speakingof the Calls World Series, did you
get any grief from Josh Smith?A little bit? Yeah, he watched
The Locker Room Just Goes Loser,But um, but no, it was

(51:29):
I mean, I thought it wasa well fought battle. I mean,
yeah, elo, see, bothboth those teams were extremely talented. Yeh.
One of the biggest things that Iwanted to say is like, usually
I feel like me personally, Ifeel like when you put up twenty four
runs in a game, it's kindof hard to recreate that the next day.
But either way, I thought Floridahad an unbelievable season. I thought

(51:52):
they did a really good job.I think they need to keep their you
know, their chins up. Ithought I thought they played a great game.
Obviously the album didn't go the waythey wanted to, but I mean,
you got you lost a nail bidingeleventh inning game the first day,
and it was like, you're youhit some rockets that just happened to people
make good plays. It's like that'sbaseball, you know. Um. But

(52:15):
ultimately I thought they had a greatseason. All right, two more and
we're gonna get you out of here. Now. This one's a fun one.
And this this is one you've beennow. People don't know this.
You were drafted actually by the Nationalsbefore the White Sox. You came over
to Texas from the White Sox.You've been traded twice. You've got traded
from the Nationals to the White Sox. You also got traded from the White
Sox to the Rangers. Where wereyou at? How'd you find out you've

(52:37):
been traded? Um? That's actuallythat was that Like both of those were
actually good. So Um. Thefirst time, I was in San Augustine,
Florida, Me and my brother arerenting a beach house for the off
season, and I'm you know,on PlayStation with some of my friends and

(52:57):
uh, it was this was theday before and this is when they're rumored
to like trade Kurt Sale and soI guess Sale like got rumored somehow to
like go to the Nationals. AndI was a part of that trade.
And so all my buddies were likemess with me, like, yeah,
I saw on Twitter that you justgot traded me, like congrats, blah
blah blah, and I'm like,what are you talking about. No,
I did not get traded, like, and I'm sitting there like I'm like

(53:21):
looking stuff up, like to makesure I didn't get traded. So then
the next day, like once again, I'm just on video games with some
like the same friends, and mybrother comes Barnjick in my room and he's
like, dude, you just gottraded, Like you need to call your
agent. And I'm like, Jake, like we had one thinking that he
overheard the conversation with me and mybuddies, and I'm like that's a good

(53:44):
one, dude. Like he's like, no, seriously, call your agent,
like you got traded, and sohe like had me confused for a
while, and I was like,um, all right, So then I
just called me agent. My agentwas like, yeah, I was just
about to call you, like yougot traded, You're going to the White
Sox, and um I was.I mean I was a bit surprised on

(54:05):
that one. Uh but obviously itturned out great. But then the next
time was h yeah, yeah,December of twenty twenty. It was the
same day actually that I got tradedthe first time. Uh yeah, the
same day. Uh, so meand my wife, Like, I went
to work out in the morning withyou know, one of my buddies.
I was in Fort Lauderdale this time, working out down there. Um,

(54:29):
me and my wife went and playedpickaball that afternoon with one of my best
friends, and uh, I gota phone call there from my agent saying
like, hey, like, um, they did you know well, like
they're like he was like, youknow in because it was this was twenty
twenty, so you had the COVIDuh squad And they were like, roughly

(54:50):
how many ennis did you throw ontaxi squad? And I was like,
you know, forty fifty something likethat, maybe a little bit more.
Um. And then during season Ithrew about like thirty or forty or I'm
like that. So I probably gotlike eighty to ninety innings that year.
And and they're like, well,what's your workout like workouts you're doing right
now? Like can you give uslike kind of like a description, So

(55:12):
like I told them, And thenI get home and me and my wife
were watching uh, we're just watchingTV. And then next you know,
like Twitter is blowing up, Myphone's getting blown up from friends just saying
that I got traded, and Iwas like, oh, all right,
cool. Then my agent calls me. I got traded. Talk to them
the next morning, see why callsme, like everyone calls me. And

(55:35):
then I get a phone call alittle bit later from Rick On with the
White Socks just saying that I gottraded again. So um yeah, No,
it was just it was one ofthose like experiences where I was just
like all my like, we're allmy phone. And then next you know,
like I had like ten buddies ofmine, like, dude, you
just get traded. And I waslike, oh, so what was the
Nationals deal? And we went allthe Nationals was up? Yeah, you

(56:00):
know, Ronaldo Lopez and me forAdam Eaton. Yeah, okay, um
yeah, so all three of uswent to the White Sox and then and
Lopez and Jeelta were more big Leagueready, obviously, I was, yeah,
like, first, I haven't evenplayed a full year of pro ball
yet, so uh yeah yeah.And then obviously from the White Sox to

(56:22):
Heares for Lanceland Me and Avery Weems. Right yep, And that's a fun
I got one last question for you, but that's a fun one. And
I actually get some little pad onthe back. I went on a podcast
in Chicago. They were looking fora trade. It was before you got
traded, and they were it wascalled Socks in the Basement podcast and they
were Chicago White Sox podcast and theywanted to work out a trade for Lanceland

(56:44):
and we were gonna play GMS andI blew them away when I first walked
in, I said, I willgive you Lanceland, and I want Dane
Dunning. That's it, that's all. I wants Dane Dunning. And they
turned me down. Oh yeah,they said no, And I was like
really, I said, I'll comeon and then so and then when they
end up making that deal, Iwas like, ha ha. I knew
who I wanted all the time.I knew that was just the last question.

(57:05):
It's a fun one. We askeverybody. It's gotten some great answers.
It's what's something that nobody knows aboutDane Dunning? Some of the great
answers, or you know we gotwe got your pitching coach is afraid of
heights. Uh, Jack Lytter hatespeanut butter. We none of us can
figure that out. We gotta giveus a crap. What is something that
nobody knows about Dane Dunning? Um? I mean, that's a good question.

(57:29):
I mean I feel like I'm prettymuch an open book. Uh.
I mean if I had to golike food ways wise, like I hate
coconut a baby, I don't likeit. I can't stand coconut. I
am a pineapple and pizza guy,but he's never coming back on. Okay,

(57:52):
I can take it. But likeI I could eat pizza without pineapple.
I can eat pizza with pineapple.It's like like it has to be
on it. Like if it's likeI'm I'm gonna crush it, You're okay,
you could still you can still takeit out. Yeah. Um let's
see what what do fans don't knowabout me? Um? I mean that's

(58:12):
that's tough. Like obviously they knowI'm a big gamer, so like yeah,
actually, fun fact, I guessI'm technically not a big gamer anymore.
I haven't played a video game andprobably two and a half months now,
three months, I haven't in awhile. Yeah, yeah, you
get busy, that's why. Um, you know, actually I got a

(58:35):
good one. Um. I ama big coffee connoisseur. Um, you
and uh do you get together withwhat's a grossman? Grossman's a big coffee
guy. So I mean, likeI always have coffee on me. Um.
I tried fine places to go Idon't. I usually try not to
go to Starbucks, UM good.I try to go to like local coffee

(58:57):
shops like every city that we goto. I have my spot here in
Texas that I go to a packsand Beneficio. Um. I think they
do a really good job where it'sin Las Colinas, okay, okay um
and then um, like at homein Charlotte, like I every morning I
brow and make my own coffee,and I try to go to like local

(59:17):
coffee shops to get beans and stufflike that. So yeah, that's awesome.
Well, listen, Dan, wecan't tell you how much we appreciate
you coming on. We obviously talkto you a lot when we're around the
ballfield there. Uh big congratulations.Tell your wife obviously how happy we are
for both of you guys. ForMatt. Can't wait to see Mac around

(59:37):
there when he gets a little older. But hey, stopping down and talking.
You've been with us a long timeto talk and we really appreciate that.
No, thank you guys for havingme. All right, Well,
we'll actually see you here shortly,you will. I won't. I'm I'm
having a head out of town formy in laws. You don't know what
you know what that's about. I'llsee you right. It's Dan Dunning,
guys, right hand picture for theTexas Rangers. Dane, thanks a lot,

(59:58):
good luck on your next dart andwe'll see they're appreciate you, guys
down in the bus Leagues is broughtto you by the round Rock Express,
the Triple A affiliate of the TexasRangers. Right now, round Rock is
in Las Vegas. I've always wonderedhow that would go, to be a
visiting ballplayer for a week in LasVegas. I know, I know pitchers
don't like it, but you knowthey'll have a lot of money, so

(01:00:21):
I don't. I don't know howmuch they gamble. But anyway, Round
Rocks coming home. Also like Frisco, They're coming home. They'll be home
on July the fourth, which isTuesday, against the Sugarland Space Cowboys.
I think I like Sugarland better whenthey're the Skeeters. But anyway, July
fourth, big fireworks show. They'rea Dell Diamond and Round Rock the fifth

(01:00:43):
Dollar hot Dogs. The sixth BrewReview. Listen to this fans twenty one
and up can enjoy a complimentary beerand salter sampling throughout the ballpark. Wild
Supplies last the Better beat Me andthen and then Sunday. This is a
this is a big giveaway. I'mnot on Sunday. On Friday the seventh,
it's the Nolan Ryan head bobblehead seriesgiveaway. They did, they did

(01:01:06):
The Angels on the Last are theAngels on the last homestand this is the
Astro's years, so it'll be NolanRyan in an Astro's uniform. On July
the eighth, which is Saturday,it's Yellowstone Night and a Spasmatics postgame concert.
I don't know if you've ever seenthe Spasmatics, but they're pretty good.
But a Yellowstone Jersey giveaway to thefirst fifteen hundred people who show up

(01:01:27):
for that. And then on Sundayit's leg Lego Ninjago making Take at Night.
The kids. Well one kid usedto love Ninjago, so it's pretty
legit. It's kids day out thereon Sunday too, So go out to
h Del Diamond. If you wantsome information, go to MLB dot com.
Big thanks to Dane Dunning for comingon with us. And now we're

(01:01:49):
gonna go to the round Rock Expressdown in the bus League. The round
Rock Express sponsor this big thanks tothem for doing that. Let's go down
in the bust leagues, talk aboutit all things minor league and think you're
looking better as the second half startsto kick off. Yeah, yeah,
one team stayed hot. Yeah,you know down East made the playoffs.
They won the first half of theirdivision and the Carolina League. And let

(01:02:13):
me tell you where they are now. They're four and one in the second
half. They've won two. Yeah, they're starting out good on the stand.
They're they're winning with pitching. There'sthere's no doubt about it. You
know, they lost Jose Cornell toHickory. Um, but you know they
have Brock Porter, Aidan Curry haspitched. Well. They just have a
bunch of bunch of good arms downthere and the piggyback systems working out.

(01:02:34):
So um, they're they're winning gameslike two to one and four to two
and um, and and that's fine. You know that the hitters are still
a little bit stuck. Um.Well, the seventeen year old Nott there
Yeah, well yeah, yeah,I don't think maybe at the end of
the year. But Anthony Goodier's hasreturned. Um, you're starting to see

(01:02:58):
a glider Figurero hit better. IanMuller hit a home run Thursday night.
He's had a great year. Hehasn't had a good year, so hopefully
that's the start of something good.Um Curry Aiden Curry, the picture had
a nice start. So there's justsome um. Again, that's what you
get when you get these young guys. You get you're gonna get guys that

(01:03:20):
that are cold and eventually figured out. You're gonna have pictures who are in
that league, who are um,you know, twenty two facing seventeen and
eighteen year olds and and doing whatthey should to him. But um,
it's a it's a good sign withwhat the pitching's doing. You know.
Brock Porter is still doing very good, very tight pitch count. That's fine.

(01:03:42):
But he cracked the top one hundredor the top one hundred list MLB
pipeline. So um, getting alot of attention and good for him,
you know. And and again hedidn't pitch after June last year. He
pitched in a league in high schoolwhere the count was won one on one
when he started. So he's he'sthis is a pretty big adjustment for him.

(01:04:05):
So well he get to hit.He has done well. You don't
think he'll gotta hit cred. Ithink he's going to stand down east.
I think pitching, he's still whatnineteen, he's I think he's twenty.
I think he just turned twenty.But but it'll do him well to um
pitching the postseason, yep. Andjust don't have to worry about going anywhere

(01:04:25):
or trying to impress anybody. Justdo his job. And Al's kicked off
and do it. Yeah, ACLand then Vinican Summer League kicked off that.
The news from the ACL is thatSebastian Walcott is there. He's hit
two buns. He only batted uhone sixty one in the DSL. But

(01:04:45):
um, you know he's he's fromthe Bahamas. Um English is his first
language. Right. He does notspeak Spanish either at all or well enough
to to where it was a goodfit for him down there in the Dominican
and the Rangers noticed this, andso they proactively moved him to Arizona to

(01:05:06):
get their hands on him. Uhsome a place where he is familiar because
he was there in spring training.UM and and he's apparently he looks very
comfortable there because he's off to amuch better start and doing well. The
one thing he did d well andthen the DSL was was patience at the
plate. So that's a pretty goodfoundation for every young hitter to have.

(01:05:29):
But they're they're struggling though, they'rethey're they're not off to a great start
at the Complex League team. ButWalcott's there and that's definitely a definitely one
to watch. He's got two bombsalready and this is a seventeen year old.
Yeah, I mean playing with thesekids that I mean, let's be
honest, a lot of the kidsthat will play there after the drafts,
some kids will be moved into there, and they'll be kids that are out
of high school or out of college. Yeah, that he's going to be

(01:05:51):
playing against. He's already gonna bethe youngest guy, one of one of
the youngest in the league, rightbecause a lot of your young Dominican or
our Latin kids, or your youngkids from another country end up staying in
DSL. I'm playing at sixteen andseventeen years old before they bring him over
here. But it's good for him. I mean, this is you know,
my son graduated high school's seventeen yearsold, so you know that's the

(01:06:14):
way some of this works. ButI'm glad to see him here. He
obviously took spees deep when you andI were there at spring training. Right.
Um, he's a good kid andhe's just so good to talk to
and easy tattoo and good lord,he's got room to grow. He does,
he does. This is his dadand his dad. He's six five
or six six, and he's Smash'salready six four. So it's gonna be
interesting to watch that one. Well, one thing they do in the minor

(01:06:35):
leagues they do split these up inthe Hickory, who did not have a
great uh first half of the season, has started out six and oh yeah,
the second half they've won six.Um, they're a different team now,
so they're they're they're a second halfteam. I thought that. I
think they won their last three ortwo or three of the first half team

(01:06:55):
so the nine games they're on avery long winging streak. They had a
terribly long losing streak in the firsthalf, which kind of torpedoed them.
But kind of like Hickory, they'rekind of built on our like Downeast.
Their Hickory is built on pitching.Um our last guests with Josh Stephen,
he's done well. He had fiveperfect innings in his last start. Dane

(01:07:15):
Acker is is very good. Itwould be very surprising for those guys to
be in uh in Hickory at theend of July. I would I would
suspect that by the middle of Julythat they're both there, and it might
be sooner. Um. So that'llput a dent into the Hickory plans.

(01:07:38):
But um ay Ortiz at a littleolder. He had a year of at
least one year of junior college ballin the United States and uh seventeen or
eighteen home runs total. Yeah,he's he's done well. Um um.
Josie Gallan is up there now andhe's doing well. Um Yeason Morabell is

(01:08:03):
hurt. I just saw that heowns Yeah, okay, oh yeah,
he's in down East. But Ijust saw that today he hadn't been playing
and I was wondering, and Iguess he's out for the year. He's
strained a lab do you remember you? And I noticed this though, and
I'm sorry we went back to downEast. I didn't mean all over the
place. We're all over the place. But he was bigger, a lot

(01:08:24):
bigger, and sometimes you wonder aboutlifting too many weights what that can do.
But anyway, okay, but butyeah, so down east or Galan
Hi, Hickory, Galan, Mexicosais still doing very well. So they're
getting a little more offense than theywere in the first half. And I
gotta be honest with you, andhow many of these kids are still gonna

(01:08:45):
be here after the trade deadline becausethere's some depth down there that could be
moved in some sort of deal.Frisco they are doing a second half deal
there. One in one going inthe second half. They lost their last
game. Carter's back, yeah andtearing it up. Yeah, already hit
a home. He was three forfour and two games in a row.
I think, Um, you knowthe guy that's the unsung hero there,
the star there is so jac Yeah, my gosh. Yeah, he's the

(01:09:09):
reigning Texas League Player of the Week. He at five ninety one in six
games against Springfield, homer, sevenrbi, seven runs. He's um,
he's just he's just kind of likean OL. Rangers call him a throwback
hit her and he finds he findsa way to put the bat on the
ball, put the barrel on theball. He's struck out a little more

(01:09:31):
than you'd think. But um,that's that's good. That's that's a good
player right there. And you know, I have I'll never forget when they
drafted s Jac and I'm the nerdthat goes and does the deep dive into
these guys. Couldn't find anything onCarter, didn't really know anything about him,
man. So Jac really opened myeyes looking at what his numbers were.
Now he was in that COVID year. He only played like six games

(01:09:55):
his senior year, but he alreadyhad like four home runs or whatever.
But his junior year he hit likefive to ninety and he had like fourteen
home runs or eleven home runs inthirty games. I mean, it was
weird. And he was like faraway. He was going to Pepperdine,
right, he had committed to Pepperdine. I saw an interview online where he
had done a podcast with the Pepperdineand did that, and so he was
intriguing him. He's the one Iwanted to watch and I'm glad we've had

(01:10:18):
him on the show. He's justwe're gonna have to get him on again.
Yeah, we got. He madea great comment his things he does
in his offseason or in his downtime. He doves to just grind and play
baseball. He's like, John,that's Josh Young. Sure. I mean
that's what Josh Young does. Whata good guy now, I mean,
I'm telling you he is. That'ssome of her. That guy's gonna play
in the big leagues. Yeah,I hope it's here, but you know

(01:10:38):
he's kind of blocked right now.Yeah. Also have noted at first Goo
is that Jack Lyyer was moved tothe development list just to rest, just
for rest, you know. Andthat's that's something that the teams can do.
It's you know, rock Porter isn'tgonna get some time on the development
list. Don't freak out. There'sjust sometimes they're like, you know what,

(01:10:59):
you're not gonna face anybody right now, just come come out here and
let's yeah. And then and thenback to Carter, Yes, he was
he'd had the risk soreness and itwas bothering him. But also he created
some swinging, some some bad swinghabits, and um, that sometimes happens
when happens when you're commensating. Soagain I'm all straightened now and he comes
back and just it's like Terry,he's he's I think baseball Baseball America has

(01:11:21):
him eleventh, and I think himwill be popularly had him eighth overall all
of baseball. That's right, Sonumber one. And by the way,
there's a new list gonna come outfrom me. I figured halfway in the
thing, i'll update. Um,you know, you know how I do
mine. You can't so ohen Whitegraduated, he was my number two prospect.
He graduated. Um, you know, we always wondered number one.
Every year I've done it, thenumber one prospect has has graduated. I

(01:11:45):
don't think that our number one thisyear is gonna graduate because I don't.
I don't see now there's no place. When we thought for a while he
might be, and that was Carter, but I don't see. I guess
there's a possibility the end of theyear, but I think we might have
a if he keeps doing what he'sdoing a two year. But at the
halfway point, there's some new namesgonna jump in. There are some names
that go on the aisle, andI'll usually slide them out because I'm gonna
do with active players that are playing, and I'll have something in the next

(01:12:08):
week or two to go out onthat. Well, yeah, next Friday
it'd be good. Okay'll let youknow. I know you're going on vacation,
but next Friday it would be notvacation. I would love to say
it's vacation. I'm going to seemy in laws because I like a happy
wife, is a happy life,That's right. And so um, we
guys, we may be doing anotherone of these live things that we did
last week, which by the way, was fun. We had a good
time doing it. I love tocome in here in studio and do that,

(01:12:30):
but we're during the summer with vacations. It happens, and I'm I
am stuck. I'm trying to getthem to come back Thursday, but we
may not. Yeah. Uh.And then the speaking he mentioned Olan White
he's going to the futures game.He's the only Rangers represent If you wrote
that when I said it, well, actually I said it after you had
already written it, which is notgood. Um, it doesn't make a

(01:12:53):
lot of sense. Um now,I don't know, because you don't.
They split it by American players andit's American League, National League. I
don't I don't know how it everythingwent down, you know, but I
know at one point MLB had askedthe Rangers about the availability of six or
seven players. Um, I'm assumingCarter would have been one of them,
but he was injured at the time. He was doing the risk thing.

(01:13:15):
Yeah, they didn't playing it lastyear, but Carter I don't remember.
I think he did playing it lastyear. All right, Well why wasn't
he playing it this year anyway?Um, But there's a lot of kids
that could have been. Yeah,there there there are a lot of candidates.
I mean, a Kunio would havebeen a very good pick, and
so it kind of befuddles me,you know, and I think it I

(01:13:40):
think it kind of the Rangers are. You know, the Rangers are very
confident in what they have they do, Like they say they don't care about
the rankings, but I think theycare about it a little bit. Um
they I think they just want someconsistency. But you know, there are
a bunch of different entities who doit. MLB pipeline has been very,
very bullish on the Rangers, andCallis when we had him on last last

(01:14:00):
year, was high on him.Then he still he still does him.
He's still high on him now,So we'll try to get him back on
after the draft and all that stuff. But um, yeah, and speaking
of the draft, unless something comingup, yeah, less something stupid happens,
the Rangers are going to add anotherprobably to the top one hundred.
Yeah yeah, unless something. Imean, the guys that are being talked

(01:14:21):
about there are going to come intothis league probably top one hundred prospects.
Yeah. Um, you know thetop three guys are college players. They
were they were featured prominently here lastweekend in the Calls World Series, and
the expectation is that they'll be goneand the Rangers who pick forth will have
the choice between two high school highschool outfielders, both left handed hitters,

(01:14:45):
Jenkins and Clark. Uh. Interestingly, they're from northern areas where you usually
don't um see a lot of hugeprospects, but like Trout's from the north
and then look at Mike Trout.Um, so we we can. We'll
get into that at Rangers today.Kip fag gonna get him, and Kip
will definitely come on. I'll talkto him today. We'll get and we'll

(01:15:06):
get him on and Yeah, they'redoing a press today about the draft and
do a recap on that. Sothere you go. Um, but you
gotta go round, yeah, roundrock on White. Uh made a second
start there Thursday night in Las Vegas, which is not a good place to
pitch. He gave up I thinkfive or six runs and two anions and
that was it for him. Butum, he didn't punch anything and that

(01:15:28):
was good, that's right. Yeah. Yeah. He's a guy that will
go punch a wall or something whenhe's ticked off. And I think he
learned his lesson, I hope.So speed's got moved up there, and
boy, he did it unbelievable atdouble A. He really came on.
That's a great story and you wrotea great story about that, and I'm
just we gotta get him on too. Yeah. Yeah, and you know
he you know, there's high schoolball last year did Yeah, there's something.

(01:15:51):
There's something to be said about beingin the right place mentally, and
he appears that that was in thecase and that he is now and has
a much better outlook on things andon his career, and the results are
there, and it'll be interesting tosee how he fares at triple a.
Um, and to see if ifhe or Mark Church or Chase Lee become

(01:16:15):
candidates for the major league bullpen,depending what happens at the trade deadline.
Right. Um, there are twoguys down there right now. Jonathan Hernandez,
who obviously started the earth with theRangers and didn't perform, got sent
down. I would expect that heis up pretty soon. Um. And
then and then Glenn Otto is pitchingreally really well and he's being stretched out

(01:16:39):
as a starter, which is interesting. You know they did that with Dane
Dunning and Cole Reagan's a spring trainingright. Um, maybe Glen Oudo can
can be a bullpen piece. Um. You know, I we love Cody
Bradford, but but Cody Bradford uhprobably needs to still be a triple A
if they're not going to pitch him. You know, he can't and go

(01:17:00):
two weeks without pitching like basically hedid. He did a good job yesterday,
Yeah he did. He It wasthree to two when he left,
They tied the game up, andhe gave he gave the Rangers a chance
to win. And that's the that'swhat you need. All you expect from
your your starting absolutely, especially ona spot start like that, he moved
back. The best four pitchers arenow going against the Astros for the weekend,
and he filled in perfectly and heleft his team in in the condition

(01:17:25):
to win the game. Yeah,and that's what they were doing. And
you can't ask anymore and that.Yeah, but he you know, he's
not gonna be able to pitch fora couple of days, so I he's
gonna get He's probably gonna get sentby the time, by the time those
Airs expect him to be in theminor leagues and um, Jonathan her name,
and he'll be back up sometime thisyear. Pitched one inning the other
night, so he might be ableto come back the um. You know,
the Rangers have an open spot onthis on this on the forty man

(01:17:48):
four auto who has to be comeoff the sixty day. So that's what
there's There'll probably be some moves.I don't I'm not seeing Glenn Otto is
gonna come up, but uh,it wouldn't surprise you, It wouldn't surprise
me. But I think I thinkif you're just looking for I think Jonathan
Nanette is probably the next guy.Hey when picture of the week, that's

(01:18:08):
right, that's right. And that'sthat's that's interesting only because he did it
as a reliever. He had twooutings where he tossed three scoreless iniings apiece.
He's relieving temporarily while they get cold. Reagan stretched out when has been
piggybacking after Reagans because they're on thesame start days. That'll get broken up
at some point. But the importantthing here is that in his last two

(01:18:32):
starts, he's really cut down onour last two outings, he's really cut
down on the walks. Um hedidn't walk anybody in his last outing,
and that for him is like aunicorn sighting because because he'd come back from
Arizona and I think he'd walked sixteenand eleven innas or something terrible, and
then these last six innings it's likeone or two walks. So that's encouraging.

(01:18:57):
That's very, very encouraging for aguy who who needs to figure something
out. And maybe maybe maybe himnot starting right has helped get his mind
straight. I don't know, butit'll be interesting when he is back starting
games and see what happens on theoffensive side. Winzel still doing good.
J P. Martinez, He's yeadluck on him. He's playing so well
right now, and he got hurtat that one point, but I really

(01:19:20):
think he might have been the guythat got the call. Yeah, I
think he would be productive if hegot called up to the major leagues on
it all aspects. He's good defensively, he's hitting the ball when he's got
a little bit of power. Herun, he runs good runs like in
the Dickens, and um, Iwould not be surprised to see him in
the second half at some point yep. Um, yeah, like you said,

(01:19:43):
when Zel's doing still doing well.He's been playing second while justin Foscus
him getting over some wrist soreness.M Elliot, Hernandez is hitting streak ended.
I think it got to twenty six. It's another name lord, it's
pretty good. And then um uhreally the you know that that lineup just
hits. You know, they're they'reyou're getting a lot of production from guys.

(01:20:03):
So uh, they're they're in.The Rangers are in a very good
position right now. If they needsomebody, they probably have somebody down in
the farm system who would come upand would not be overwhelmed. Who who
wouldn't who wouldn't be a major Dentonline up. Ye, So well,
I think that's about it. Yeah, I mean we could keep going about

(01:20:24):
the draft, but we'll have todo something, do our own draft,
done special on the draft or whereWe're definitely gonna try to wrap it up
with Kip and um yeah, puthim put a bow on. He won't
come on till afterwards. Right now, they're in the midst of all of
their stuff right now, and thenthey're probably a long days and evaluating stuff,
and they're probably still talking to someplayers, you know, the the
guys who were in the College WorldSeries who didn't get to go to the

(01:20:46):
draft combine. Right, those conversationsare taking place. He at least want
to talk to him and see them. So um. Anyway, Yeah,
it's a busy time right now.It's a real busy time. You got
the halfway point, the All StarGame, you got the draft, and
you have the trade deadline. Thisis easily the busiest time of the year
in season. But we go yearround, man. Um, yeah,

(01:21:06):
that's right, We're busy all thetime. But um so, couple couple
of reminders six h subscribe to Rangerstoday five nine month thirty five or six
months uh sixty dollars for twelve months. It'll get you on Texas Rangers from

(01:21:27):
time to bottom of this organization.It's the only place that does that.
Yeah, um and and and andis only devoted to that. That's right,
um and and that's it's great becausethat coverage is not there. The
Athletic is not covering the Rangers anymore. Um. This, this is it
that's just fully devoted to the TexasRangers. And it's an actual beat riders,
not somebody that's just doing it.You're a beat rider. I've seen

(01:21:47):
Jeff's pool pretty impressive. Um,I just kind of follow his coat tails
and get to me. But man, I'll just bring up somebody and you'll
go, Okay, it's gonna beon next week. And I'm like,
yeah, well I've earned I don'tI don't want there. I don't as
I'm entitled to it because I hateentitlement. But I've been there a while
and they they can trust me.But uh um, Also, we need

(01:22:10):
to subscribe to the YouTube channel.Absolutely. We keep climbing that thing.
That's been great and on that upthat's very good, and with the dub
Network's help, we're going to begetting even even bigger. And then also
let's not forget Dane Dunnan's charity event. Um, yeah, he's the top
golf on Sunday the sixteenth out outthere and uh I think the Colony it's

(01:22:33):
where Sandler had his thing. It'spretty neat place out there. Yeah,
but it helps multiple Clurosis society somethingthat cause it's near to Dane's heart.
And you know one thing when whenwe started this, you know, I'm
close to do it for dirt andI want anybody who had a charity who
wanted to promote something. It's it'simportant to do that. And we'll get

(01:22:56):
Jarrett. We had Jared Sandler onpromoting his his charity line Fall, So
um, we'll do it for allglad and glad to have Dane on and
and and hopefully the hope his eventgoes well and raises a ton of money.
Absolutely well, guys, that's it. We're gonna get out of here.
Big thanks to the dub Network,Big thanks to the Frisco rough Riders
the round Rock Express. Until nexttime, guys, will see at the Art

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