GBag Nation
Texas Rangers TV Voice Dave Raymond joins the Nation to recap the Rangers Season
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Usually we do crusties corner right here. That's gonna happen at 440 this afternoon. We get Brian's Cowboys Monday thoughts here coming up in one hour as our friend Dave Raymond from Rangers TV joins us now here on your home of the Rangers 1053, the fan. Good afternoon, Dave. How the heck are ya? - I'm great. It's a day off and we get incredible baseball. I know you guys have been busy with some football stuff and the weekly press conference and all of it. We just wrapped up one incredible game. - Oh no, we were watching it Dave. We're watching it. - We're watching it. - Oh, that was incredible. - If your Mets and Braves did you have a handshake deal going into game one and now as the Mets you're thinking we're gonna let the Braves win? Is that a thing? - I, we talked about this yesterday after our game when we were on the bus making our way back home. It makes sense, right? Absolutely you'd wanna do that. Hey, let's just make sure we split this thing and we're both in and no hard feelings but that's just it. They hate each other. They have hard feelings. Those two teams, there's no way. Those two teams would enter an agreement like that. That'd be like the Rangers and the Astros doing that and the Rangers would have an interest in winning and getting to the postseason and that would be a strong interest of theirs but they might have a stronger interest in just keeping use and out. I mean, you know what I mean? It's like sometimes those relationships are built that way and I kind of feel like these two teams are there. - What if they had a deal in the Mets they're about to crawfish on it, wouldn't that be sound? (laughing) - I'm here for a. - For the all the drama. - Baseball or ball? - Yeah. - This is awesome, Deb. This is a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to the Rangers getting back into the postseason run next year. I mean, this year obviously did not go the way that any of us wanted to. You had a front row seat for most of this. It felt just snake bitten with all the injuries but as you reflect back on the 2024 Rangers, what are some of the things that stand out and then provides you optimism going into 2025? - Well, I think you're right, Zach. I mean, it just it never got off the ground and I don't, it's hard to figure why. And as Boats just said the other day, he held out hope all the way till the day they were eliminated that they might just get hot. That lineup might just take off and it could happen. We've no doubt seen those types of things in the past and baseball. So you're never really out of it and tell the math says you are. But yeah, this year injury is obviously a big part of it. I think the things that give you hope and you try not to get too far into the weeds in September and try to read too much into what you see in September because it is just like spring training and not just like but you have to be very careful with it. At the same time, man, what we saw from White Langford from start to finish, just the progression from day one till the end of the season was pretty amazing offensively because it was a rough start and that could bury a young player but he stayed with it and it really seems like he figured a lot of things out. It's nothing else the process of going through that is gonna have great value for him over the rest of his career 'cause he faced some baseball demons there this summer. That was pretty ugly for a while and he found his way out of it. So I think that's huge. I think the way Nathaniel Lowe finished the year gives you a lot of optimism because there were some pretty solid questions there for a minute as to what would the Rangers do about first base next year. And he helped alleviate that. I think you have to feel comfortable that Lowe is gonna be okay. Again, when you look back at last year and the injuries that spring training caused him a late start which got him behind the eight ball and he started to do things that weren't helpful to a game and next thing you know, he's midway through the season struggling. Well, he figured it out and he got it back on track. So I think things like that give you optimism and this is a weird one for me but Adoli Scarcea pulling up Lane the other day at first base with the knee bothering him not playing the final game of the season and a weird way for me gives me optimism because I could not figure out what was going on with him all year. It was the only way I can explain it is it was breaking my heart because he wasn't going after balls the way he used to. He wasn't firing back into the infield like he used to and I thought well, it's like the light just went out. What happened? And the reality is he was hurt. He was playing on a bum knee all year. The knee that caused him to miss the last couple of games of the World Series last year. And so now we all know it. It's hurt just a little bit more. He told me yesterday after the game he's getting it scanned today and my hope is that there's a little something they can do clean it out, maybe you'll feel better 'cause if you can get Garcia back to old Adoli Scarcea levels and then like we're talking about with low and Langford and some others, you can see this offense getting back in gear and I think the pitching has all kinds of upside to it based on what we saw at the end of the season. - What were some of the pros and cons you're one working with Basky? - Man, it's all pros. All pros, that guy. The only con is that he relies on me sometimes for things like what time does the bus leave? Little simple decisions that quite frankly I rely on everybody else for that. I don't know, I don't know when the bus leaves and I messed up so many of his days this summer where I know it's a three o'clock bus, Mike. I know, I'll see you down there. And then the two of us ding dongs will be sitting on an empty bus for 30 minutes. Oh, I guess it was a 330 bus, Mike, my bad. And so that's the only con is normally I've got somebody holding my hand and leading me around but Mike's not going to be that guy and I'm not a good one to do that for Mike. - Dave, I'm going to guarantee you that he didn't pay for one meal that you guys have. (laughing) - I'm just going to, I'm just going to say you're going to be nice about this. I'm guaranteed he didn't pay for one meal. - Oh no, no, no, no. (laughing) - All right, Mike, yeah, okay. - Hey, well, how about this? - He brought in his same as carrot cake. - Yeah. - A little bit after Easter. He brought in, he told me, he taught me all about the concept of a dump cake. I'd never heard of that, but he made one and brought in. - You could go on YouTube and get all that, Dave. You know what I'm saying? - Well, you're, yeah, I suppose you're right, but that's his love language, man. - It is, yeah, it is. - And treats for guys, but you know what, man, he's just fun. He's just fun, he's enthusiastic. He's like a big puppy dog and he's, you know, he's got a keen eye and a clever way of looking at things and it was a really fresh perspective. I thoroughly enjoyed every night I spent with him there at the ballpark. - Dave, Dave, I'll give you a serious baseball question. I think with all the injuries that, you know, that they had to deal with, but then we saw some of the pitchers, the Grom and others come back, rocker, that had to give you a little bit of hope of what's going on with that staff though this year, right? Or next year? - Yeah, yeah, for sure. You know, much like the Wyatt Langford situation, I think Jack Leiter, you know, it's not like Jack got to be up here from the start of the year 'til the end and the way Langford did, but we got a taste of him really early in Detroit and then he got some other opportunities and each time we saw, he learned stuff, he and I talked about it several times, little things that he was learning along the way. And it's really valuable. His stuff clearly is as good as anybody. I mean, you're talking about a guy who can throw a hundred and he's got a good breaking ball. And so it's there. It's just a matter of him figuring out how to use it. And so that's something that's going to come. And even next year, there might be some bumps now and again, but I think we're going to see a lot of him and I think he's going to be really good. And Lord knows what we saw from rocker, when that is, when he's got his primary two pitches working, that hard curve ball and the fastball. Once, and again, he's coming off Tommy John trying to get some of the feel back for some of these things. But my expectation would be that that will be back next year in full bloom. He's elite. I mean, that stuff is crazy good. And with his poise and just his personality there, I think he brings a lot. I mean, I was really struck at how unusual he seemed to be. He just, he's so calm and he walks in a room and he commands a room. I'm like, what is the young guy on the team? Even some of the veterans said at one point, they're like, "Hey, why are we all so intimidated by him?" And so then they started to tease him a little bit and come up with some names and this sort of stuff. But even the veterans held him in a certain esteem when he'd walk in a room. I think that's, I just think that's brilliant. You're talking about a guy who's a real alpha male out there on the mound. So that's exciting. I think they're going to work really hard to get of all the back and he'll be huge. Obviously DeGrom's going to be a big deal. And the sleeper and all this, the guy who continues to slide under everybody's radar and maybe the best of all of them is Cody Bradford. - Absolutely. - And that guy is smooth. I really love watching him fit. So there's, I think there's a ton of optimism on that rotation. - Yeah, the last thing I wanted to ask you about, Dave, since you have a unique perspective on it, but that last series in Oakland. And as you've now had some time to reflect your thoughts on how that all went down. - Yeah, it's still a source of some sadness and frustration. You know, 9,000 games in Oakland A's history and that's gone. It will remain in record books and will remain in a lot of memories in that Bay Area. But I don't think people appreciated how important a franchise that the Oakland A's are. And they've had so much great history given us so many colorful characters and been a part of post seasons and that run they had in the 70s and none of us were, you know, really cogent baseball fans at that time, 72, 73, 74. I was just a wheat little fell on diapers. But, you know, that's one of the great dynasties of all time. Only the Yankees can claim to have won at least three straight world series. No other teams ever done that. - Yeah. - Anyway, it's just, and to me the sadness is that it's, you're talking about a trust, right? You're talking about, it's not a business that just, it happens to be in a city. It's a thing that's a part of a city. It's a place where people go to share and experience things together. And it just seems so wrong to take that out of the city like that unnecessarily. There are times when you have to do stuff like that. This was unnecessary in my mind. There are a lot of people at fault in this, but at the end of the day, it did not have to happen. That's just the fact of the matter. It didn't have to happen like this. And it's heartbreaking. It's just another way the European model of relegation and promotion is better. 'Cause if your team goes bad, you just get demoted, you know? You don't have to leave, you know, I'm talking about. - Listen, Gavin, I'm with you on that. And there was a guy from, I don't know if he was from London or where he was from. He was riding for the New York Times. But he came out and he was baffled by this. So here is from the New York Times going on, these clubhouse is asking these questions like, this doesn't happen where I'm from. - I don't understand what's wrong with your culture that you'll let a billionaire take these things from cities. It's just not right. - It is. - It isn't. - Appreciate you so much, Dave. Have a great winter and we'll catch you up with you real soon. Talk to some Rangers baseball. - Right on, thanks guys. - The seasons may be changing, but the deals at the sharpest rides are unbeatable as ever. Hey, what's going on, it's your girl, Tasha McKia. And I need you to join the sharpest rides for their fall into savings events, where they're offering incredible prices on their massive inventory. That's right, everything is on sale now. Shot from sleek sedans to rugged SUVs and sporty convertibles. The sharpest rides has the perfect ride to match your fall adventures. Plus with their exclusive financing options, getting behind the wheel of your dream car has never been easier. Log on and shop online at thesharpestrides.com, right from the palm of your hands. Or check other massive inventory in person at the sharpest rides. Located 2,250 South Sea home street in Inglewood. Either way, you will fall into savings. Don't miss out, head on over to the sharpestrides.com today and explore the deals that make every season better. And tell 'em that your girl, Tasha McKia sent you, the sharpest ride, affordable, sexy, sharp. ♪ You spent a long year ♪ - After investing billions to light up our network, T-Mobile is America's largest 5G network. Plus, right now, you can switch, keep your phone, and we'll pay it off up to $800. See how you can save on every plan versus Verizon and AT&T at T-Mobile.com/KeepAndSwitch. (upbeat music) - Up to four lines via virtual prepaid card. A left 15 days, qualifying unlocked device credit, service ported, 90-plus days with device ineligible carrier and timely redemption required. Card has no cash access and expires in six months. Post-season baseball is here and it is the absolute best time of the year. I'm Rod Bradford of Baseball's and Boring. 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