Rangers, MLB trade deadline, and the SEC | Free4All+

Happy Thursday, welcoming the free-for-all plus Jeff Kolb, Ethan Herrera, and Evan Grant The man who does all things Rangers for the Dallas Morning News. Before we talk baseball I was just mentioning this before the show started. It's hot. I've been in Texas since 2019 and every time this time of year comes around here in July, it's like Why why is this so insufferable? Back in the day when we had we had a budget We used to celebrate like Sports Day winning lots of awards at the national at the APSE Contest and we had a dinner one night and I remember it was a hundred and thirteen degrees outside The hottest I'd ever been. I'd been in Dallas like a year, right? I had been in Dallas like a year and I'm like This is I can't handle this and yesterday walking into the ballpark. I had flashbacks. It was bad Well, it's nice that we have a roof now. Well, see this is the times of days there are types of Types of days and time of the year where I really miss the old ballpark ballpark at Arlington And that's only because it's just there's something about going to the ballpark. You're sitting in the in the third base side It's just Sun beating down on you at 105 degrees. That's baseball You watch your you watch Ian Kinzler or Michael Young go back-to-back singles up the middle. That's that was baseball I don't know. That's torture Do you have any memory of? Either like almost passing out in the heat at Globe Life Park or like somebody almost like losing it Not not media, but I mean look there were regularly people who had heat exhaustion issues and they were there were times when they took extreme measures to try and provide water and misters and things like that for people and Look, that's why we have a roof now Yeah, the roof is nice and comfortable But there's a lot of times when the weather is actually nice where we look up and we say boy We'd love to see the sky too. Yeah, Rangers fans might be sweating this weekend, but not because of the heat We'll have the AC. This is a big one. We have the Mariners for four We have a first-place team I mean like like it doesn't feel like we have a first-place team But we do you get this four game series if you take three of four You can clinch the head-to-head with the Mariners, right? How big is this as we look 11 days down the road at the trade deadline look? I mean these ten days I think are Important not just in the course of this season. I think they're important for the direction of this franchise To your point Jeff, right? I just posted a column this afternoon on the website that said the Rangers are in first place They're hardly playing like a first-place team. And if you go back to June 9th of 2024 Two plus years now. This is a 177 in 177 team they are 500. It is hard to argue that they are just going through a phase But once they get to October, I mean, oh, they're hot off the charts, right? I mean now gotta get to see that's the whole point They're in first place now Everyone knows that they haven't played like they like a first-place team and we even think that they haven't played to the top of their potential but you say that we've been saying that now for about a season and a half and Maybe this team is just an Mediocre average team not mediocre. They're in first place an average team, but maybe that's just what it is Yeah, I think that's the case is look that's why these ten days are really important if you can put together a hot streak there are decisions that have to be made and At the end of that ten day period if you can put together a seven and three run You can create some separation between you and Seattle You can create some separation between you and the Astros and now you are in first place in with I want to say a commanding lead but with much more than The situation that they had earlier this week where they lost the first game to Chicago They not only tumbled out of first place, but they tumbled out of the playoff picture entirely next night. They win 10-nothing They're back in first place. So This team needs to demonstrate something to Chris Young and to Ray Davis, I think Chris Young wants to win I think that the club has got to play well has got to play good baseball and Not just go 500 not split with the Mariners. They need to be win the series against Seattle They need to go out and play good baseball to push Chris Young to have the conversation with Ray Davis to say I Need to know how much money I can add to this payroll at this deadline Because I don't have the capital to go out and trade for four players, right? So you mentioned Chris Young and I'm just Fascinated if you can put your Chris Young cap on and we'd all have to grow like a foot foot and a half Whatever it is But like what is he doing right now ahead of this Mariner series like, you know Might he be making some like preliminary perspective calls to feel about like what might be out there say we sweep this series And does he talk with Ray Davis about this? Oh, I think he's doing all the due diligence that you would do at the trade deadline But again, you know It is a wide spectrum because we're not just talking about do you buy for this year or do you sell a piece or two off? I think there's gonna be no half measures this year. Either you go as all-in as you possibly can Or you do nothing or on the other hand if you're selling I think you're gonna be selling big and that's the Grom Evaldi Seager Burger Josh Young perhaps Perhaps Mackenzie Gore certainly the the relievers who were on Veteran deals so it could really Open the latch to a full-scale rebuild So if they do sell if he I mean sorry if he do buy if Chris Young Convinces Ray Davis that this is going to be a championship run year that we can make this run I mean, they've got Higashiyoki Higgies on the in the aisle now Danny Jansen So they need a catcher, but like you said, they're kind of thin in sort of the assets department. Yeah What what Gore trade right exactly got rid of a lot of guys. What is the beside behind the dish? What are you looking at? Who are the targets? What what are names that pop up there because I want names if I was a Rangers fan I want a name to give me some hope over the next 10 days Well, I mean and the thing about it is that if you're looking at what this team's Needs have been for a while. It is Right-handed relief help in the bullpen ahead of Jacob last who's been absolutely outstanding. He's great But now you're talking about guys who aren't gonna necessarily necessarily be needle moving names a week or two weeks ago I would have said that Garrett Whitlock of your Red Sox Is at the top of the list, but then the Red Sox roll off 15 games. They're a playoff team now So it's not if they're off the table Luke Weaver with the Mets might be another target He's gonna be a guy who is gonna be coveted And he's a guy who comes with a year with a year more of control at 11 million dollars so that's got to be a Question that's answered beyond that it becomes much more dicey the flip side of all this isn't is like I think in all in in all likelihood Sebastian Walcott and And cadence Fargo the top two prospects in the thin system are off the table But to your point about catching there are a potential there is a potential needle moving catcher out there Who's under control for multiple years and that might be Shea Langley ears of Keller, right? and so if you're willing to give if you can get in if you can get a catcher who's An all-star and who plays like an MVP when he's in this ballpark Yeah Affordable in terms of salary and you have multiple years of control would that be the kind of guy that you'd be willing to loosen up the The purse strings on a on one of your top prospects. I don't know I think it's a I think it is a really interesting time in Rangers history. Well, so a couple things I also think you know What if perhaps you take three or four or you sweep this series, but in your mind? You really just don't believe that this team has it that you know Maybe the smart play is to not sell and then if you or to not buy I should say, but if you do sell Seager obviously, you know the injury situation right now that he's hitting below 200. I don't know You're probably not getting the value you'd want back for that plus with the contract That's still looming who has the most value when you look at like the gram of all these Seager these guys young Who has the most value well the grommet of all we have value, I mean they're playoff caliber starters, so they're gonna have legitimate value Especially the Dodgers have history with Nathan of all D. They just lost Shohei Ohtani for who knows how long? That's a that that would be a guy that a team that has championship aspirations might like to add to their rotation the grom has a has a Full no trade protection. So you're you're immediately limiting your field to where he might go But Atlanta and Tampa Bay are both close to his home, so I think there's markets for those guys I Think the most valuable guy right now in the organization and this is where it gets really tricky is Jacob lacks and I Wouldn't want to move him but at the same point in time you're talking about a reliever and if you're going into a full-scale rebuild either he has to go to the rotation to have more value or Then you move him because you don't really need a closer We're gonna do this we don't need so to give One other scenario out there, and I'm gonna write about this this week, but Oh scoop What if the Rangers move is to quote-unquote buy and sell and it's an incredibly narrow by animals to navigate and when I say buy and sell the idea would be What if you say? We've got to move the Seager contract because after this year he's got the ability to veto any contract in any deal We need to move that especially if Ray is telling Chris young and I don't know exactly what he's done But if he's telling him your payroll is gonna come back down to Where it was five years ago You can't have the number of guys that they have making 30 25 to 30 million dollars on your on your on your payroll So do you consider could you consider moving Seager getting some financial relief that allows you to more easily re allocate money and Go go that way, you know add in some other places like Micah Parsons baseball You know version here. It is spread out the money it is and I and it's you know Part of it is self-defeating because who wouldn't want a healthy productive Corey Seager as your trade deadline acquisition The Rangers included but I think that's a scenario. The Rangers have to at least play out is Has the Corey Seager window moved past? Has it moved has it closed here? Yeah, I don't think anyone likes the way the next five years of that contract Look, no, I don't think it's gonna you're gonna find very few teams I think that are going to even want to take on that contract but before Rangers fans get all you know up in arms about getting rid of Seager and of all the indigram Give us two guys I'm gonna give you two guys and you tell me if these guys are Untouchable at the trade deadline and I think they are they're pretty obvious names Wyatt Langford and Josh Young Wyatt Langford is untouchable. I think that if you decide that you're gonna rebuild you have to still identify a core You can't just rebuild from scratch Wyatt Langford I think would be as untouchable as anybody that there is Josh Young. I think the Rangers would move There's an injury history there that he has avoided for the most part this year He's productive this year third base is a valuable position Josh is also into arbitration now So I think there is there would be some value to moving, you know, we call the winner of the hot so Offseason, I feel like there we need a a hot terminology The winner is the hole if we can real before Winners the hot stuff just to keep everything going a little bit. Oh, yeah. So what are the Rangers need most? Do you agree Evan? It's a miracle It looks like my Twitter feed Parkway, I I don't think they need a miracle. I do think and listen the responses there are I Think their biggest need is bullpen help I think if they get a decent bullpen that helps them in terms of potentially Making the playoffs here a baseball miracle That's not gonna have a really could use a miracle scan QR code vote Listen to Evan bullpen help have this was great. We'll see. We'll see what happens. You're gonna be a busy man. I Hate this time of year We will be right back Back here on free-for-all plus let's switch gears to college football. Okay, I see media days wrapping up today and I mean This is big, I think it's big because it just it just means more it just means more in the essence means more I've never liked that thing. I like it. I like the SEC You know what? I like the conference kind of Propaganda that each one has and they're good at one thing and they don't care about the other conferences Don't tell me what what it means to me or Joe down the street or Evan Grant who hates this time of year Well college football people love this time of year best as you see media days Down in Tampa this year and Today was UT UT Capping off the day arch Manning, you know, probably his last year projected to be the number one overall pick in the draft I Still think a lot of that's like kind of name-based. I think he has a lot to prove I think he still does have a lot but this is it for him pretty confident to say that barring a major injury or Something needs to come back The Longhorns have a pretty tricky schedule They host Ohio State in week two team that's beaten them each of the last two years to two seasons ago It was here in the semifinal in the Cotton Bowl. That was the end of Quinn ewers Today Sark asked about I don't even say about the most captain obvious Possible question about this Buckeye showdown. Take a listen Is there an emphasis on getting a win in that game? Well, yeah What else you I mean, of course, right I mean they're they're a really good team You've got to get yourself ready to play in games like that And you need to be at your best when your best is needed and we've had moments in both those games When we could have seized opportunities that could have changed the complexion of the game and we didn't do it Yeah, we have a great relationship. I think he has a good relationship with our whole team And we all trust him and we're excited to play for him He gets us to play hard for him and I'm excited for a year two with him We're just trying to take it day by day and win some games this year. I'm not really worried about my legacy Sure, take it day by day. Is there an emphasis on having a good show and making money here? I don't think so. I don't I don't think so. It's a course of course That's that is a I think Sark took it easy on that. I think so, too I think depending on the guy who it was, maybe it was a college student or somebody like that, but he's I don't know You know, so the the reporter they're kind of put themselves on a hot seat potentially at SEC media days But but I guess the bigger question is is Sark on the hot seat This is a guy, you know led UT into the SEC led the program to their first college football playoff appearances ever But it's like dude They're talking about 40 million dollars a year in NIL money You've got Arch Manning who's supposed to be like the next coming of Peyton Manning Like could you see Sark losing the gig if they don't get back to the playoffs for the second straight year? No, no, I know. No only they finish what like eight and okay. Well, yeah, whatever it is I mean if they if they finish, you know unranked I could see it or if they finish in the top You know if they finish in the top 15 No, I don't think so. I think that he's Yeah, I think so, I mean I just all this talent I I agree it is if that's a stretch I think this is the shortest leash. He's ever been on as a head coach that he's gonna have and it's not even that short I think if it happens, you know the same way last year happened this coming season then the following year might be The hot seat form especially without Arch Manning and a bunch of these other talented, you know defensive guys that he has going I just I just don't see them You know cutting ties with him for not making the playoff I mean, it's gonna be a conversation, but I don't see it ultimately but the thing again is consider the town in the fact that You know, like there's not another Arch Manning. I don't know. I don't know the depth chart at quarterback super Well, I'll just be the first to admit that down in Austin right now But like we knew when it was Quinn you were is like, he's got Arch Manning waiting in the wings I should Arch Manning start right now I mean if you go through Quinn ewers who came out of here Southlake Carroll and was the number one rated player in his High school recruiting class and in the same thing with Arch and you can't capitalize on those two quarterbacks with all the other talent You've brought in Like I think he should be gone. No, I think he should be gone. Well, you put it that way Yeah, but like if I just think that I think that should be like the energy of Texas I think that there's not a thought in their mind about losing anything. So that's not in their head of oh you better win I think they think they're going to win. I don't think that's you would happen in the back of the baby I don't think that's yeah, we take a are, Ohio State. I don't know I don't know if that's gonna be a Emphasis win for them switching gears to the team that you love Infinitely more than Texas infinitely is a stretch. But yes, I would actually know an Aggies guy So just take that as you will. No, I'm with you. I'm saying but Texas a and I'm seriously Mike Elko He spoke yesterday down there in Tampa. I like I like Mike Elko. I like listening to my go He said he was asked, you know, like what do you learn from the playoff loss? And how do you motivate your guys and he's like I show him the trophy case It's empty. So if that doesn't motivate you No, Elko is great does a and M deserve to be considered a natty contender, I think with the amount of offensive line talent that they have I think with some of the skills plays they have and With Marcel Reed, I'm listening that also know here. Yes. Yes Marcel Reed is he was a Heisman contender at one point last year and he's got a cannon for an arm He's a smart kid. He can run he can do it all Behind the center, but It's gonna be tough for sure. Obviously, I mean top of the SEC is is no joke but I think they can be a contender for for a Final four I put a final four in the playoff because they've got a lot of a contender They've got a talent a lot of talent in that on that offensive side defensively You need to tighten some things up especially in the secondary But I think that they are going to be a slight surprise to a lot of the SEC Fans out there. I haven't looked as close closely at their schedule I'm gonna hope and assume it's tougher than last year because they were undefeated like most of that season and then boom Yeah, that's the way it goes. You know out ten to seven in the first round of Miami So, I don't know. I just don't think the Aggies have proven anything Oh, I also won't be surprised with Marcel Reed if he takes some huge step He's the Heisman and they win the whole thing. I wouldn't be surprised Talk about NIL or as one reporter asked that during the Sark presser nil no I thought I don't know if that was Sark or Elko one of them. I think I thought I think it was Elko I thought you were talking soccer. Yeah, it was Elko. I thought you were talking soccer there for a minute Well, I don't I don't know about those reporters that go out there I'm not gonna you know, I don't know if I would do any better But I mean, it's got to come up real quick before we get to break There you go. We have the verdict is in Is this the year we get to Texas teams facing off in the 12 team playoff? Oh, that would be awesome I mean, you know don't sleep on SMU don't sleep on Kevin Jennings behind there. He's the end coach Rhett Lashley That's a they can win the ACC they have the talent and they have the they have a great schedule To put them in that position I think I think a SMU and a maybe a UT college football playoff would do some numbers Well, they were both in it in 2024 So we've had two Lone Star State teams each of the last two years which are the two years We've had the 12 team playoff, but you look at UT Tech A&M SMU Houston maybe right who knows we could have some teams in I don't fire me up dude college football is around the corner I'm a great time of year best time of year. We will be a grant right back here on plus after this What do the Rangers need most the poll question for tonight? We got a couple of more bullpen help is in there bigger bats I think you're right though. Baseball miracle is where it's at. Do you think Evan voted? Is that why bullpen help, you know what someone probably heard Evan and then then did it but I can imagine he voted I believe he scanned the code. He scanned it. You shouldn't always rely on him Um, guess what plus, you know, this is always great and we're on TV now, baby But yeah, this is big a Fox 4 plus but we have another one coming up 1030 the old faithful free-for-all We're gonna talk some Cowboys. We've got some soccer news. I know you guys are in withdrawal We haven't talked about soccer in a long time. You want to do it with me? Yeah, let's do it Oh, yeah, that's it. Yeah, this is good. Bye