One Step Forward-One Step Back. | DLLS Rangers Podcast

a Tuesday that feels like a Monday and the Rangers have an opportunity to keep their streak of winning series alive there's a chance yeah you're saying there's a chance yes there is a chance we'll tell you how as we get you set for game two against the Yankees tonight it's the DLS Rangers podcast [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] ah it's a good question one step forward for Jack lighter we got to talk about that now as we talk Rangers baseball like we do each and every day here on the DLS Rangers podcast I'm John rigan with Abby Jones and the star of our program Jeff Wilson and it was how look you're the star oh yeah you got star power we got star power coming out of your shell week I'm very proud of you well thank you very much it's been it's been a lot of fun star power written all you how about the the case of the Mondays though man I'm just like it's rainy it's Tuesday it's Tuesday I know that's what I'm saying that's the thing that's weird I was at a baseball game last night watching the Rangers play the Yankees Monday my Monday was pretty good you guys knew it was a Monday I didn't I just knew it was a day and I was hanging out and then watching Rangers baseball at night and and impressed Jeff impressed by what I saw particularly obviously in the first five innings from Jack lighter uh I just thought that these were yeah at least one step forward relative to how he's looked at the you know in his previous Major League starts yeah I think it was uh I think it was 10 or 15 steps forward I mean yeah it it wasn't it wasn't very good uh the the first three times you know the first one the first two there were some defensive plays that could have been made that have helped him out third one was awful this La this one in in Chicago was better this one was great you know you can look at a couple things one he pitched deeper into the game than he ever had uh he didn't walk anybody right I think that that tell that tells you a lot that tells you that uh he trusted the game plan he trusted his stuff he wasn't intimidated by uh that Yankees lineup Juan stto Aaron judge on Carlos Stanton he struck out judge and Stanton those were his two strikeouts so if you're going to strike out two guys pretty good he gave up a hit to his buddy Anthony vulp from high school and then vulp almost got him for a home run but um no it was good and and and pitching into the into the sixth inning I know some people have have uh moaned about that and maybe we're going to talk about it in a in a little bit but um I have no problem with him keeping going you know the team needed it and he needed it yep he needed it yeah he needs to learn yep and that's part of the process your third time through right you can't learn until you do it and and even he afterwards had no qualms with with the idea that he in fact said it was a dream scenario MH going into the six against Garrick Cole Aaron judge in the Batters box he just didn't make a pitch yep yeah and you know it's important we were talking about his execution and that's like the number one thing here to consider because you would have really enjoyed for the Rangers to win this game just for him to feel good about the start through and through but you know he went through this lineup three times which is incredibly impressive when you know you weren't even sure if he was ready for this step I feel like Jack really Rose to the occasion pressure makes diamonds maybe that's a little bit of what we're seeing two things to note on the strikeout Jeff um Stanton and judge like you said one came on a fast ball which we know that he's you know known for but another was a curveball which is something Jack is very fast ball slider heavy um his came on with judge it was the third big scenario there it was 22 and uh we kind of Jack and I talked about this after the game because it was like I feel like this is an instance where you put you know what you've been preached at into practice where Max Mike Maddox is always saying trust your stuff if you look at the numbers statistically speaking on a 2 two count judge is only hitting 133 on the curveball so for Jaheim Jack lighter to collectively agree to make that call throw that pitch something that he only throws 10% of the time and strike out the undoubtable American League MVP I mean pitch selection there was amazing execution there was amazing um used a lot of his pitches foram basketball for seam bastketball 52% of the time slider 32 uh curveball 11 change up three so he's not just a two- pitch guy um that was a big thing that thing you know that that stat that you threw out that he doesn't throw the curveball in that situation becomes a genius call by them because guess who else isn't expecting him to throw it judge right yeah Aaron judges he's like oh he never throws a curveball here I'm sitting fast ball right and so he was expecting it and I talked to lier I said you know was that a you call was that a him call he said it's funny uh we're working on that relationship because that is so important on you know who calls the game but he said he told me to throw at two pitches earlier and I wasn't ready and so uh this was the moment but huge huge one under your belt for Jack lighter and I thought that might be his pivotal moment where Cody Bradford was sharing he felt like he could trust his stuff like for me that was the moment that Jack lighter could trust his stuff as a major league pitcher I was impressed could you know he's he he also has a cutter that he'll he'll throw occasionally um you know his first spring start he I think he threw five different pitches in the first inning so he's got it he knows he can use them when he needs to but you know you Mike Maddox live with the fast ball command the fast ball then that just sets everything else up and um I just yeah I just I just I I just can't get can't say enough about it I thought it was really good I know the final line doesn't look good five runs but right um the box score Watchers will have their words I just don't pitch way better than that and you know you see there and it's actually uh five runs and five earned runs but you but he uh his ER is still over 10 right so if you're just looking at it you're like oh my God he's off to a terrible start as a big leager no he's not I mean he's making strides each and every time and and you know you mentioned that conversation we were having before we started about execution it's one of the things I love most about his postgame comments right he said this is the best execution I've had at this level up here is the way they say it at this level that's the best execution that I've had and so you know that is a Nuance that we don't necessarily see it means he was executing the game plan right and it means he was executing his pitches and that's huge and again almost better than Garrick Cole might I add at one point in the game if you look did you check the box out well I I know that uh you know just kind of kind of off the top of my head jack ligher had 18 pitches after two innings and Garrett Cole had 21 pitch you're in first so yeah you know if if he finished the first lighter finished with nine nine and each of us first two innings and really to get out of the third the way he did with getting stto and judge to after after glaber tours's RBI double um two- run double I guess but um yeah the the guy pitched and and looked looked great and everybody should be encouraged uh 19 or sorry nine swings 39 misses so you number to the 16 pitches per inning average it's like five less than he's averaged per inning at the big league level to this point it was actually more than five cuz he was like at 21.9 uh per inning and he only averaged 16 per inning I think that's huge because again pitch selection to your point and Pitch execution those two things are so important and and Jeff you talked about him going into the sixth and yes I mean in a perfect world uh maybe the Rangers have a lead there and they have a fresh Bullpen and and they can just let him go right off you know and feel 100% good about everything everything that happened but and I love that you asked Boch this question because the answer needed to be out there Jeff asked Bruce bochi in the post game what about putting him out there in the sixth inning and Bo goes I don't know if you've noticed but our our Bullpen a little depleted right now and and of course Jeff knew that was probably the answer coming sometimes you ask a question you know the answer to just because there are other people who are covering the team and in the room that need to hear it well and and the other part of the answer was we're not going to we're not going to baby this guy know this is this is this is a guy who's been around baseball his whole life yes his dad was a pitcher but so was his uncle and his cousin is in the opposite clubhouse right now pitching for the Yankees so uh it's a baseball family Boi said this guy's not going to be an awe of anything so yeah you know he didn't his confidence wasn't shattered because he left in the sixth inning and gave up gave up all those runs or was charged with those runs um you know he didn't go drink a bottle of Jack Daniels last night you know he was in a great mood he was very confident and excited after after the game I mean subdued because it's a losing Clubhouse but still he took a lot of positives from this he was not hanging his head if anything he will have more confidence when he pitches again this weekend against the angels and another thing to point out too is you know we talked about watching lighter especially in the first few Innings it's a lot of energy on the and he said he made a really conscious effort to control his emotions slow the game down a little bit and I think that played out absolutely to his Advantage if the mental side is something that he can lock down which I think he's really capable of doing um that was a great start in night and day difference of of what we've seen before so if Jack ligher Rises to the occasions fine by me wasn't it an eight pitch first inning n n n i mean under 10 pitches in the first inning he threw he threw 29 or 30 in his first inning against the White Sox and no yeah glaver TOS you know kind of a hard hard grounder through the the left side uh stto hit a hard ground ball that turned into a double play and then judge hit a rope to the wall at 111 miles hour all right so he gets out of the inning maybe he's fortunate that he did but it was still three batters n pitches next inning looked great you know mowed through him pretty quickly no hard contact so you know these these guys are these it's good stuff but these guys are are learning all pitch all pitchers get lucky and all pitchers get unlucky I mean the first hit in the sixth Torres it didn't go 90 ft no you know and and it turned into an infield hit that kind of started the unraveling but um no I I just think it's fine I was fine with him going into the sixth you know his confidence not shot if anything his confidence is probably the highest it's ever been sure and should be opposite side or end of the sort of experience Spectrum as the Rangers send Andrew Heeney to the mound against the Yankees tonight and um he's a guy Jeff we know him well enough he's a guy who loves a challenge like this yeah and you know he he's kind of uh been a little Surly uh after his starts I think he understands that uh he's pitched better than what his record indicates I mean this guy's got 13 or 14 losses in his ER is right at four right at four I mean that's last win was July 2 you would you would look at a guy with 13 losses W he must have a seven ra he doesn't he's he's been in every game the Rangers don't not every game but a lot of games the Rangers don't score any runs for him um no offensive help you know and and so you know he's going to be a free agent so you don't want to go into your Walker with that number an on you I don't think but um he be he he pitched well against the Yankees in New York last month and um yeah he you know he he's got that invisible fast ball that it's only 91 92 but it's hard to hit he gets a lot of strikeouts with it um so yeah I mean he's going to give the Rangers a chance to win I mean that's that's just what the numbers showed yeah that's what he's done every start I have two stats that I would like to bring to the attention are you guys ready because it's shocking okay Aaron judge is looking to avoid his longest matching his longest homerless streak drought in eight games thisas so that means Aaron judge has every seven games at least that's number one which is disgusting yeah but that's Andrew he's challenged now and I love that that'll that'll challenge him and then uh his his buddy stto he's one of his goals was to Homer in every single Park this season um he's almost to 30 he's two away guess which two are remaining I'm going to say Global I field number one and uh where else him they played the Yanke are head the Yankees are heading out uh to Seattle okay there mob be that I mean those are pretty impressive which I did do a little Deep dive and stto judge Stanton they have more uh home runs combined than the entire white socks yeah I saw that I saw you put that on on X last night I love I mean they're a team themselves that's hilarious but eight I mean every eight games a home run crazy crazy is crazy all 30 Parks like it's disgusting in work well it won't be all 30 Parks they don't go to Every Park but every Park they've been to oh yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah finish his list finish his list home ring yes so yeah I mean again yeah obviously you don't go to all of them but a lot of them you go to you only get three shots at right like like here sometimes too yeah sometimes too that a point yeah you got to H quick yeah I got to thank Ultra Cowboy for all the comments he's had so far I've seen him yeah I love it I like I like Rory Sak i' I'd like this offseason yeah that'd be a really nice one and that you were you were explaining the other day the post price isn't nearly as high because he's he's still in the international market right right so so that's good we'd love that and we love Ultra Cowboy we thank you hey like us will you please smash that like button and the Subscribe too and uh and join in the conversation at any point during the show uh we're going to be on noon a bunch of days this week and we are also going to be on a pregame and a postgame tomorrow for the finale of that Rangers series against the Yankees so hopefully we'll be talking uh in the pregame show about the Rangers having a chance to win another series of course they won the series by winning the final two games against Oakland they had swept the white socks so they're rolling a little bit right now they've ever since we talked about this Jeff ever since we've gone on the air they're nine and what are they nine and five since we've gone on the air that's a pretty good uh pretty good record road to 81 yeah y 81 we're working to make that a shirt should I think we know a guy yeah drive to 81 I like it all right yeah I don't know yeah we don't want that to be the goal next year the shirt doesn't have much shelf life does it yeah doesn't have enough shelf life I don't think for these shirt manufacturers but uh fantastic uh that that you know lighter did what he did last night fantastic that the Rangers now send there are two most experienced pitchers uh to conclude this series that's Andrew Heeney they most experienced on the Rost you know in the rotation right now healthy yeah yeah and healthy Andrew Heeney and of course Nathan evaldi tomorrow who is no stranger uh to these Yankees so uh th those are some of the things we'll be talking about over the course of the next couple of days we appreciate you joining us here on the DLS Rangers podcast and coming up uh we are going to talk lots more about what's happening with this team currently offensively and we'll get to that in just a moment but first we want to remind you that if you need to hire you need indeed it's it's just that simple I mean indeed is unbelievable they don't really do a search they do a match right they're not worried about searching the perfect match it's the perfect match and what they're doing is they're going out there and they're finding that qualified candidate for you to guess what take a bunch of busy work off your plate now I have not hired that many people I've fired a lot none of them have ever had to leave I see messing up at a job and I'm like you're fired you know and they're like yeah thanks anyway we'll see you later dude get out of here you grumpy old man but uh but anyway uh but uh if you need to hire you need indeed and and if you use our indeed right now uh if you go to indeed.com uh /all City you get a $75 sponsored job Credit Now what this is is this is this is a chance for the job that you are posting to have much higher 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all right beautiful did you not like my rundown I mean I felt it reinforces what Abby had to say yeah excuse me awesome yeah and it's it really is cutting edge technology so get yourself some Z biotics make your first drink a z biotic um now let's talk about some of the offense not just last night uh Jeff and there was I mean the Rangers when they score for four is like a a great milestone this year right if they get to four they're going to win and that's been the case uh for much of this year uh it wasn't the case obviously last night but um overall I love what we're seeing from some of the young guys in in a situation that is you know pitchers adjusting to them them adjusting to Pitchers pitchers readjusting to them and and we're seeing the fruits of some really hard work lack of a better word hard work yeah from the likes of Wyatt Langford and Josh Smith and young boy yeah how about that our Young Gun Josh Young and um maybe we start with Smith just because like he started the season so well right and then right after the All-Star break he had a bit of a l quite a low but that was the adjustment period that was the pitchers adjusting to him and now look what Josh is doing he's made the adjustment back that's the biggest key that's the key to staying in Major League Baseball well I was going to say I think he got snubbed on the allstar selection so do you think that played into it a little bit like cuz it's well I'm just saying his confidence like it this is the first year of his confidence I believe so just slightly yeah I you know I I think that if he's were to sit down and and under you know he understands he he wasn't uh a guy that he's not a guy at third base you know I mean he's you know when Rangers think when when people think of the Texas Rangers in third base it's not Josh Smith so maybe that affected him on the balloting but uh his numbers were uh really good among the the the AL third baseman and and really deserving of being an All-Star I don't think that affected him I just think um you know he's been dealing with he was dealing with some soreness uh that costed some games maybe in June when they're playing the the Dodgers that might have slowed them a little bit but um you know this is this is his first full season I know he's on the roster all last season but he didn't play this is the first time that he's played every day and it's hard you know and then he's never played this much baseball in his life and same goes for Wyatt Langford so getting through the grind you know you hear you hear players talk about the grind well it's a it's a legitimate thing you know playing every day is not not easy yeah you know playing the playing the the a day game after a night game is not is not easy at all and those are just things that these have to have to have to learn and um take care of their bodies and things like that and so um but hats off to Josh for making an adjustment in his swing in the offseason because he wasn't happy with with his numbers last year nor should he have been um but like a buck 50 but I'm I just really think that any major league player who gets regular at bats is going to be okay yeah yeah they might hit a they might hit a wall they might get exposed but um he he's and but he's been good enough to make an adjustment yeah and so you know hats off to him I don't know if he's I don't think he's the Team MVP he's the team unsung hero unsung hero for sure I Seager will be the Team MVP just his numbers are ridiculous well and it's one of the reasons too Jeff that uh young players aren't the best candidates to be that classic utility guy right because of you that need that you reference that need for regular abs if you don't get them if you don't get regular playing time it's very difficult to get into that Rhythm there are guys there are guys who have accomplished it but um you know that's what was so hard about Josh Smith last year for Josh Smith last year right and because it was Ezekiel Duran who got the playe time and took off but then when Duran playing time went away he started to to struggle a little bit and now he didn't get the end bats this year he had to go to Triple A to get strained down he's still not getting the end match I think you'll play more in September but um yeah that's why you want Travis Janowski on your bench because he doesn't need to play no five four days a week to to stay hot he can or to to keep his swing in a position where he can at a moment's notice go in and give a good at bat he he's a veteran he knows his role these guys are still young and and they need to see pitching and they need to they don't have the Rolodex of pitchers that that an everyday player does or even a veteran like Grossman and Janowski so um it it is a tough it is a real tough job you know they're better off getting reps honestly and and I remember jerks and profar I don't know 2016 or so 2017 he wasn't playing every day and he said I'd rather be at Triple A getting reps because it's going to make me better yeah and he was still a young major leager at the time because he'd missed the two years but you know they get it obviously they want the big league paycheck they want they want somebody carrying their bags for him and all that stuff but um it's uh it's not it's not easy what what Josh Smith and white link for have had to do this year and it wouldn't have been easier easy for Evan Carter either if he had got hurt no it wouldn't have yeah and speaking of Langford so I was having a conversation with uh Mike bassic and and uh then radio man our buddy Jared Sandler the other night uh about Wyatt Langford versus a guy we saw this weekend Lawrence Butler who's going to have a better career and and bassic they talked they had brought talked to each other about it the beginning of the year and bassic said unequivocally at that time it's going to be Langford he's going to have a better career and now he's hedging his bet a little bit but the reality is Wyatt Langford I think has way more upside although Butler really looked good this week um but Wyatt Langford is also becoming um again adjusted to not only this level but to what the pitchers are doing to him it's showing in some of the numbers he's put up lately yeah well you Butler made his MLB debut last year yeah right so came into the season with 120 or so at bats and hey that's a big deal that's a big deal it is you know 123 major league in bats he maintained his rookie status great but white Langford came into the season with zero major league in bats and and there there's a difference right there for you um there's no pressure in in Oakland uh I think that's kind of that that'll play a roll into any players performance when they don't have to go out there and be expected to carry a World Series champion right to another title uh he Butler played six seasons in the minor leagues six seasons wow 1675 minor league uh at played appearances lford didn't month White lford had 161 yeah at bats entering this year in the minor league so there is a difference you know I it used to be John you remember this guys never came up with anything less than a, or 1200 at bats in the minor leagues it's just just didn't and now young came up with 500 and something why L 161 you know it's you're putting and it's it's not just the Rangers I mean it's happening across the game you're putting a lot of a lot on these young players to come up and hit and and be expected to know how to hit so I I just don't it's a tough it's a tough road and you know even even last month when when the the Rangers played the pirates for the first time White lingford had never faced any of those pictures right you know he he's he's going in completely blind and and having to learn on the Fly and make adjustments and and if you know you only get to see a starter two or three times then you bring in a series of relievers it's hard it really is so next year he's going to be ahead of the game cuz he's going to have this built up all these all these memories and at bats and can recall what the stuff's going to do um I think it's it's a a season of survival for him I don't think he's ever looked completely lost no but he's also at times just not quite been there you know not getting the not getting enough lift on a swing you know he hit he hits the ball really really hard he has a lot of barrels this season but they don't go over the fence now they've started going over the fence um but yeah and you know he's so fast he's playing center field now I wonder if he's not dealing with a couple leg things as I thought that he should have beat out that ball last night that he hit the third base thought he should have stolen a base there was a scenario where he could have stolen a base against the A on Sunday that would have been a uh really change the inning I thought for the r in the Rangers favor um so I just wonder you know again going through their grind this is more baseball than he's ever played and um you know so he's going to be better off fourt I know I know the season didn't go the way he wanted or the fans were expecting he's not going to be the rookie of the year but he's going to be better next year and to notice too you know my brother is a heading coach at the jco level and you know Florida the program that white l for came from is not something that they have a ton of analytics and they're almost like hey if it ain't broke don't fix it you know so it's like to take into consideration all the new technology all of the new reports that he's getting it's a lot of information to get which is you know maybe why he was so hung up on the Home Run why it took so long kind of to have that initial one but yeah I mean he's getting in the swing of it but he's a and he and he has a very cereal hitting coach right which is I mean you know you've got to you've got to think way way up here and listen way up here to Donnie eer I mean it is a it's a very different approach it's worked it's worked very well Donnie said he's been a sponge too oh good oh my gosh like he's obsessed with it so yeah you're going to you're going to see a lot from White L loves the game loves talking the game and we do too we're going to talk about Josh Young yet because we didn't get to him in this segment and we're also going to talk about oh Jacob deg Grom uh but first Jeff what are we going to talk about some flooring you know uh ever ever since uh Empire came on board I can't get their jingle out of our out of my head Empire today um yeah Empire if you need floors I mean God Empires Empire's been around for years and years and years and and you know what you get you can shop at home convenience of doing that that's a big deal uh and they don't they like you know they want to make it simple you know you can go to a flooring store my wife and I did this I don't know 15 20 years ago well we weren't married 20 years ago we'll say we'll say 10 okay no we'll say 15 anyway we were like 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$350 off when they use the uh promo code DS nice fling's not cheap so if you can get 350 off that's a that's a that's a big help so restrictions apply see uh empiretoday.com dlls for details yep that's fantastic it's a great idea I'll tell you another great idea is to get your favorite fantasy team if it's not already there on sleeper cuz Sall sleeper has long been known as just a great platform for Fantasy anything fantasy football is obviously coming up NFL starts this weekend and everybody's excited about that our Cowboy Brethren here at DLS are going crazy as they get ready for the Browns everybody's got their team now but you can still join a fantasy league via sleeper but there's so much more to it because you can go in there and you can actually um make your your Wagers on things like will your favorite or least favorite player live up to what they're expectations are you know will you know uh the next time that um you know Nathan naldi takes the mound will he hit six strikeouts more or less you can make Wagers on those types of things and you will uh have an opportunity to really stay engaged in a game it's a really fun way to watch a game and a really fun way to enjoy the game so that's what we're asking you to do uh go to sleeper and you get a $100 match your first time out if up to a hundred if you use the code dlls Rangers that lets them know that you heard about it here we appreciate there that very much it's a $100 first match uh first deposit match on sleeper and use the code DLS Rangers More Money More Problems yeah cuz I would keep playing yeah I don't you it's a good point but it's free money it is free money free money less problems so I'll take it yeah free money less problems can I get your $100 yeah sure then it's really mo mo money yeah a lot of M money so yeah let's talk first let's go back to what we were talking about with the young offensive guys and and that's no pun intended there uh this is Josh Young that we're talking about and uh you know obviously Allstar last year great year at the plate it was you know the first time he came up to bat in the major leagues you know two septembers ago right around two years ago right now it's a home run in his very first at bat the offensive uh you know he had such a high offensive side uh Jeff and then gosh what was it three four games in the fourth game of the four he gets he gets hurt this year and then the the layoff just stretched interminably it just it's longer than anybody expected it to came back fully healthy but you know just didn't look the same right out of which isn't surprising yeah and it it's uh gez you know the the terrible injury luck he's had I know some people think he's injury prone uh injury prone is a guy who keeps pulling his hamstring right you know uh a guy who's not in shape this is getting hit by a pitch this is uh the shoulder thing was from wear and tear from diving for balls you know and and so I I I don't buy into that but I I'll say this you know it has been a little bit slower than he than he would have liked for sure um but these last couple games uh really the last more than that you know he he's gotten some hits he got the big home run Sunday uh just a little success goes a long way with these guys uh you know the co the hitting coaches love Josh Young he's an absolute absolute Warrior you know he's a guy who tried to do whatever he could to get back he's a guy who's done all kinds of things with his in various injuries to Fashion a swing um which you know then he'll have to work out of his bad habits in the offseason but um I I just it's it's starting to click a little bit I know was first at bat last night was kind of a weird one cuz he took three heaters down the middle and and and he felt some type of way about two three it was just it was just strange um and and but he had two hits the rest of the game you know he he rebounded made whatever adjustment he had to make um you know he he loves the game you know his dad wasn't a major league player but he was a high school coach his brother as we've talked about is a major league player now uh baseball's in his veins there's nothing he'd rather be doing so uh you you just wish for good health for him because when he's healthy even last year as a rookie uh you could see what it what 24 home runs and you missed six weeks of the season with the broken thumb comes back struggles a little bit gets healthy right in time for the playoffs bats at the bottom of lineup in the playoffs but still hit 300 during the postseason and and got some big hits including uh uh in I think it was game game three or four there of the World Series where he kind of he kind of he scored on a wild pitch and and that that got the Rangers going I think it was game four um so anyway he's going to be fine um you know in the rest of this season he needs he needs to finish strong he needs to just work on getting it right he's a good defensive player um so we're we're we're uh we're pro Josh Young he's going to be a good player for a long time if he can keep keep avoiding these injuries and I you know I think definitely he will one thing that I learned about him that I really like and respect is that he tapped into like Mamba mentality during his recovery um I was talking with rers trainer and it's like he wanted some sort of Kobe Bryant either highlights or interviews or whatever while he was uh recovering so you know this guy's going to work hard he's he's an interesting guy he's pretty philosophical he uh I think a lot of things hold a lot of weight for him uh he loves like man in the arena quote so I think those are things you know that just attest to the level um that he cares and it's more like it's more than just a game you know we've mentioned he's the hometown kid like he wants to do this for the Texas Rangers and um you know I think it also helps too like his brother now being in the league and just to have I asked him I said do you guys talk every day do you talk about baseball and he's like oh my gosh all day every day it's all that we do so it really is wake up eat sleep go to bed baseball um and I think that that plays out too you know Seager young and Langford were all two for four last night so those are you know good company to be in Langford home run nth of the season um so I am excited for Josh Young I mean I just can't imagine like a full healthy season no my gosh I hope is it weird that my thumb hurts when we talk about young I hate that it is I have I got the sympathy pains over here um but he is he's he's a joy to watch and he is he's a deep guy you remember the one year I think he was still in the minor leagues when he was rehabbing the one year and he took those uh cooking classes you know and he just be to to become basically a chef right um it just it's a very um it's a very sort of widespread Renaissance Man type of Personality that he has to your point he loves baseball he talks baseball all the time in the family but there's some depth and some some real character and of course you know Big Star Wars guy we got the Josh young Jedi bobblehead coming The Avengers loves Captain America Captain America bad dream players the weekend but to your point about the cooking thing he did that during one of his rehabs and he's he's got such a curious mind that he's got to he's got to have something occupying it or else he's going to go crazy and um when he can't play baseball uh but but you know during his foot his foot injury and in 22 um he or was I 21 I they're all running together at this point nevertheless um he would do put on a VR headset and track pitches I mean he he's just always trying to come back as ready as soon as he can and maybe he pushed it this year I don't know maybe the arm just wasn't quite ready I mean it was a complicated surgery it wasn't just a broken arm it was like broken in there it was sh it was basically shattered there were seven seven pieces of bone that the doctor had to fix and it's in such a a weird spot it's like right yeah it it if you see this if you've seen the scar it's like as close as you can get to you you think that would be messing up his his range of motion it's not but it's just different and um it's it's un fortunate you know when you mentioned Kobe Bryant when he came back from his surgery he talked to us he he had uh found the Kobe Bryant I think Instagram posts that after his his Achilles had ruptured and and Josh kind of paraphrased that and uh gathered a lot of strength from from that but again it goes to the depth of his speaking there are a lot of there are a lot of layers to peel back on Josh Young no doubt is it weird that my my wrist is hurting now all right too much rad too much okay you're just old one thing to note is Aaron drudge in a little bit I say it's so lightly and a little bit of a slump uh over the weekend one hit over 12 at bats and then last night one for five take it so I know that he is technically do but I'm just saying there's a trend yeah we want we're going to get to the the that Trio of power hitters in a minute we want to we're going to kind of look at a list of the other trios of power hitters and and see how this one ranks up against them including some great ranger Power hitters but first we have to get to the story that I I know both of you were on yesterday and that was Jacob deg Gro we're getting conf I say conflicting this isn't that much of a conflict you know Bruce Boi will say one thing the player so the other the player is always going to air on the side of I want to play and I want players who want to play and so right now Jacob deg gram right is saying well by George it's been a long time yeah I want to play I want to play for the Rangers this Saturday and Bo is kind of saying yeah we might just have you go ahead and pitch for Frisco this Saturday so we talked to deg Gro uh you know eager guy wants to all he said is I want to compete I mean through and through he is an athlete that's what he wants to do but yeah I'm with you you know he said one thing he was saying it's Jeff almost a 5050 he kind of made it that's the way he presented it like there are two options now I don't know if there was if it was ever 50/50 you think two options you know but he he he said you know two options if he pitches in the majors it would be three Innings if you were to go to Frisco would be four which one would be more beneficial he wasn't happy with both on Saturday by wasn't happy with his slider so could could he go to fris and work on that you know he needed some stressful situations which he got Sunday in Round Rock because he had to pitch from the stretch he had to pitch with runners in scoring position had to figure out how to compete again um so what what what's better for him long term I mean you know even if he goes to Frisco and throws four he's still not going to throw five in his debut they're going to keep him at four probably um I mean it's just pitching in the major leagues and I've talked to him about this he he he brought this up um early in the year when all the elbow injuries were happening uh pitching the major leagues isn't what it used to be you know the number nine hitter will swing at a three pitch you can't just lay one in there anymore or else it's going to there's going to be some damage done to it he says every pitch is stressful there's no easy pitch you're throwing you know you're up you're you're you're down in the count 31 you're not throwing a heater you're throwing a slider you know you're you're putting more torque on your arm and more wear and tear on your body and it it's a mental grind too there's no breather so um he he's very conscious of of the way the game has changed he says the hitters have all the information now I think the hitters would say the the other way but um I I wouldn't I don't think he'll be disappointed if they send him to Frisco uh I just think that Boi made it seem like that was yeah right the call um and and I think Jake could be 100% on board with that yeah and that's the that's the other consideration of course there's the player and the player's Health but there is also the team aspect of it and to Bo's point from last night you know one of the reasons that that uh they sent Jack lighter out there for the sixth inning was the fact that the bullpen is depleted so you don't want to put unnecessary pressure or stress on the bullpen so the more you know the the closer to uh pitching you know four Innings when he comes back that that Jack that Jacob deg gram is the better for the team as well as possibly the better for him and to mention you know we saw the bullpen last night uh Chase Anderson but we did talk to Jacob lattz and he did say he's going to return uh he didn't really for sure know a timeline but I like like lats in the bullpen um offers you know another reliable option for the Rangers so um that would have been a good scenario last night obviously he's not out right now um but we did talk to him progress there he does want to return so there's a little hope in the bullpen and we talked to Tyler Mali and he doesn't know if he's going to pitch again this year which isn't the isn't the end of the world I guess but uh it's not uncommon for a player coming back from Tommy John to have a shoulder injury it happened to you darish in 2016 Miss a month you know we don't there's not really a month of the Season you know there's not not going to be anywhere for him to go rehab because minor league seasons will be done uh Max Scherer did we mention this is is Saturday as well threw live batting practice yesterday and two up 40 pitches looks like he's going to Las Vegas uh to pitch for Round Rock because DG Grom is in frisco um unless of course dgram ends up starting for the Rangers then sherer's goal was to pit 50 pitches he yeah he wants to throw 50 pitches um and then he thinks he'll just pop right back into the rotation maybe he does it kind of puts the bullpen in a tight spot you know it could put it could end up putting uh uh kicking lighter to the bullpen it may it may be the end of the road for for as a starter this year for gray and Heeney you know if if you're getting Sherer and de gr back in the same week you want to keep looking at Cody Bradford and he doesn't deserve to go to the bull if you want to keep looking at Jack lighter okay and obviously Nathan Nathan's not going The Bu so there there will be some decisions some some hand ringing coming up here uh next week when when those decisions are need to be made but uh I have a feeling they've probably already been made yeah they probably have uh we're going to talk about that power hitting Trio of the Yankees coming up but um speaking of ringing hands I'm ringing my hands over which merch to buy well I made a suggestion on our season shirt yeah did you know we uh if it if it happens I think it should happen yeah you know but we're going to hold our high hopes but Jeff already said that he put some shirts in his cart I didn't just put them in the cart I bought them okay they on the way uh I don't I I I think they're they're due this month I think they're waiting for I don't know how this stuff works but I think you wait for see how large your order is going to be and how much stuff you need to make and with the launch hopefully there's a lot of hope there's a lot it's coming soon though and I can't wait to uh I can't wait to start modeling them for everybody oh that would be we aesome that would be amazing we'll have runway show with Jeff Wilson did you ever think you'd be doing that like a weekend uh yeah yeah I I really had that one on my always always thought he'd be a runway model um so we have a lot of great shirts my favorite is the Texas chew but you can go to our website store. allity network.com and check them out also we have other locations so Jeff your family's in Denver um you know we've got Chicago Phoenix Philly Dallas y yeah so a lot of great stuff there I've heard they're incredibly comfortable um I personally would really love to see somebody walking around in the street with one of these shirts on it's going to happen it'd be my best friend I'd be like can we please get a photo you're my they'll be all over the streets before you know it uh as soon as that big first big big shipment comes in so we've got uh just launched a SMU shirt so there are some college teams but tons of Mavs Cowboy Stars Rangers gear um not to mention which we you'll get into but the die hard I mean if you sign up you get a free shirt so help yourself speaking of di hard memberships uh look guys that's kind of our that's our uh if you it's it's our equivalent as John has said of being a P1 or a too yeah um become a DI hard it's it's $79.99 a month you get a free shirt when you sign up so that's like half theice you're getting a shirt and then you're basically sign up for 35 bucks uh it'll take you through the year I mean you know 12 months you very clearly um will have access not just to Rangers coverage but to all four sports right all four teams and TCU when I start getting the TCU stuff cranked out uh and more is on the way uh you get discounts to uh to what we call our our special events like a a takeover at a ballpark or a watch watch party you get discounts on your membership you get discounts on uh on merch it's such it's such a great deal you know you you can go to a a Legacy Media outlet and sign up for one year and they're going to fleece you and you're not going to get nearly the the fan benefits and advantages that you get with being a DLS die hard so look folks uh go do it get you get you a membership today at all dls.com yep that's beautiful it looks like uh the video signal may be down if you're watching on YouTube or somewhere right now but we're here we're talking and a lot of you we know are listening on the radio too so we appreciate you still hanging out we've got one more segment of the show to go and we're still talking about the Rangers and the Yankees and um if you are looking at it it goes back to our our very first topic which was one step forward question mark for Jack lighter Jeff concluded and I agree it's like 10 or 15 steps forward it was a big step let's put it that way uh one what is it one small step for a pitcher one giant step for pitcher kind or there you go or giant one small step for lighter one giant leap for Rangers there you go okay Armstrong par I have uh a little a little culture to to Enlighten you guys on so one of my favorite rappers artist is Drake right and I don't know if you guys have heard about the beef but oh yeah my son is big big time on the beef with Kendrick Lamar they've got it's a split Kendrick Lamar and future and Metro booman all these guys and then it's Drake jcole and 21 Savage so there's a big three conversation and you got to get on your side who's the big three okay um I'm going with the non I'm I'm going Kendrick Lamar here because I have some concerns about the the pedophilia Drake just saying that's inaccurate information that's um however bold however and if it's true legitimate you you did have to put you did have to pick a side on the big three have to and there's a big three in baseball oh yeah there are if you think about it and there have historically been big threes in baseball oh my gosh forever let's talk about it all right so let's let's go to the very first one Babe Ruth Lou garri and Tony lazeri from 1926 to 1934 lazeri is certainly the the the unknown of those three I don't have to say any more than Babe Ruth and L gri but lazeri had ridic in that stretch of of time he had 128 home runs he had you know uh 90 doubles in that stretch of time I mean you know there's a lot to what he brought to the plate uh power-wise you know and we're talking about trios of power hitters I'm not sure there is a better one than that and go all the way back again to babw I mean those are Tony lazer's in the Hall of Fame yeah I mean he at at that time in the game home runs weren't being hit nearly as much nearly as much I know I know bab also weren't 6780 Garrick started it um and it kind of took off from there because you'd have some big like Hack Wilson had a great a great home run season in there and then guys like that but you know for for the era it was unmatched you know and if you're going era for era it's really hard to say that anybody's yeah yeah yeah but the game evolved of course and know integration helped and and the game got better and uh you know but but then when I think of the next at least power Duo you know 1961 with with with marris and Manel uh that team had moose scin on it had Yogi Bara albe it older uh but you know I don't know if anybody ever thinks of moose scaron as being part of the big three or being a member of a big and actually on a list I saw Bara was a part of that of that Trio I mean he was their big three me Yi bar won three MVPs I mean guy the guy could play and uh so um and then and then you know you can go through the the you I I don't know if the the Braves you know they had Eddie Matthews and Hank Aon who was their who was their third yeah their third I don't know you and then you go into the 70s you got the big red ma Big Red Machine you know and you're talking about you know Jo Morgan Pete Rose and Johnny Bench George Foster George Foster could hit the ball of the ballpark uh and then and then you know honestly when we get into the I don't know if we should skip over the 80s but uh you get into the you know you could go with that Maguire's uh mry Steinbach maybe yeah in the in that in the late Dave Henderson then you get into the the the 90s when the the juice was the rage and uh you know maybe I shouldn't say that and then and then say hey look at the Rangers in the late 90s they had rapael pomero and Juan Gonzalez and Ivon Rodriguez I mean that's a that's a pretty salty right there and then you can go to the Rockies at the time they had a uh 97 they had Larry Walker and Vinnie Castilla and Andre galaraga I think they all hit more than 40 and then they had Ellis Burks who's from Everman who hit who hit 32 um and and you know Todd hton joined that that team a little bit later and you know you can say altitude whatever you want to say um so yeah there there been a lot but right now with judge and and stto and Stanton Stanton missed about a month with a hamstring injury and he's got 25 home runs um judge is being judge and and stto is so good he's going to make so much money this offseason it's just going to blow your mind away but then you know don't discount the Dodgers you know Mookie Betts and Freddy Freeman and Sh Otani you know that's brings new element to that there's no doubt the thing about Judge that's amazing because this isn't the only year that he's sort of been beset by injuries 10 10 years in a row 25 plus I mean he's going to get more than 25 now 10 years in a row to get 25 plus is a is a a monstrous accomplishment absolutely there's there's no doubt about it and I know that you know growing up John and and really I don't know probably not that long ago 500 home runs meant a lot it meant a huge amount you know it was it was a it was a automatic yep to Hall of Fame just like 3,000 hits and you know players aren't playing that long anymore um to to get the 3,000 hits you know 500 Homer sure but 3,000 hits isn't a big deal Jud will get there but um it's uh you know you there's so many different ways to evaluate players now but it's uh it's still the the a game that is built on numbers and has so much history with its numbers it's great 3,500 or and 300 wins which that may never happen again yeah and you know the uh no I don't think nor will seven no hitters by the way um if and we're referencing Nolan Ryan there just in case you didn't know but the uh and how about the trio though that was on that uh 2011 Rangers team when you're talking about you know any number of different guys Kinsler was a 3030 guy Michael Young still had some pop but basically you're looking at Adrien Beltre and Nelly Cruz and then pick from Mike Napoli oh how about Josh Hamilton you know I mean and he was he was kind of I think he was hurt a little bit in that year but still was Josh Hamilton he got hurt early in that and he had the he had the uh the big home run in game six after that that gave the Rangers a second chance Josh Hamilton 200 career home runs that's it you know you would think that that this was a guy that was well we can he he he could be a whole week yeah we might that's an offse topic see if we can get Josh in here hey he you know he he just he needs a lot of help he with with driving he apparently gets lost a lot okay so wellend but his parents live with him so if they can you know kind of help him out hey drive them on over but to your point the 11 team um Ian Kinsler that was a 303 year 32 home runs Bel Trey 32 Hamilton 25 Nelson Cruz 29 um so yeah that team could play Napoli 30 30 I thought he did yeah that year who led MLB and runs in 2011 was it the Rangers or no oh the team I don't know I don't know um but I mean they had was like Mor played had 16 uh Michael Young had 11 that year but drove in 106 yeah so so there are some guys on base David Murphy our buddy had 11 uh a lot of offense on that team um yeah but yeah that was a great that was a great team yeah big three though I mean it's a it's a a joy maybe when they're not playing the Rangers to watch them but Abby brought it up earlier there's a chance that the Rangers can keep you know two sort of Home Run Milestones if you will from happening right yeah as as Aaron judge could go tonight would be his eighth would tonight be his eighth game or his ninth gameon would match it tonight would match so tonight would be his eighth game without a home run tomorrow would be his ninth if we can keep him out of the seats and then SoDo has a home run every yeah and stto has a home run in every ballpark he's played in this year except two and that would be glob Life field and T-Mobile so well it is Tony Tuesday oh yeah we got to get to that can I get to my Tony Tuesday tweet please God said come to me who are burden and heavy laden I will give you rest Jesus when walking on the water told Peter to come I believe God is still saying to us come and through the step of Faith he will make and bring you Deliverance when your day Tony Tuesday that's great Tony is inspirational to us hopefully to you and absolutely to everybody in the Rangers organization so it's yeah really in all of baseball it's a great follow uh Tony Beasley Tony Tuesdays we try to hit one every Tuesday because he'll do them all during the off season as well so it's the Rangers against the Yankees again tonight it's game two of this three-game series The Rangers still have a chance to win the series and make it three Series in a row in which which they were winners of the series we'll be back tomorrow with the pregame edition of our podcast that'll come your way at 6:30 and then right after the game flip it on over to DLS Rangers because we are going to be breaking it down Jeff will be there Abby and I will be here and we will be looking for you to be right here too and let us know what you think like us subscribe us and we will see you [Music] tomorrow we all sitting like the mayor