The Dumb Zone FREE - DZ 6-24-25 | Dan reports on the mall and Jared Sandler on American League baseball

Episode Date: June 24, 2025

Hear the entire episode by subscribing at DumbZone.com or Patreon.com/TheDumbZoneTexas Rangers broadcaster, Jared Sandler, joins us to explain why baseball's blind spot for Cal Raleigh is frustrating, why he only follows the American League, and a special show announcement! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Hey now! What you are about to hear is a free preview of one of this week's premium episodes of The Dumb Zone. If you would like to hear this program in full, along with the full archive... Ah, shit. If you would like to hear this program in full, with the archive of all of our past episodes, you can subscribe at DumbZone.com. Oh, but I thought it was interesting listening to JJ Spawn afterward because for the most part, you think of sideline interviews or post-game interviews as, oh, these are just fodder for quotes,

but it is interesting the psychology because as he was talking and he said, I honestly never thought I would be standing here right now. That's a different thing, right? Cause some guys get up there like Michael Block finishes 16th and he's like, I knew I was Tiger. I knew all along. Or even if you're not making fun of a douchebag thing like that,

there are athletes who will say to you, I knew this was going to happen. I knew I would be standing here today. And he just got up there and was like, dude, I was at like a Muni goat track like six months ago. I was going to lose my PGA Tour card this time last year. And that's what I mean when I say Tiger's accomplishments are all the more.

Well, yeah. Because it can be just a spare. Like in baseball or whatever other sports, you know who the good teams are, and there's no way that just one. Well, it's like that Leicester City thing. Yeah, you have any giving Sunday type thing, but you never will have the worst team in the NFL

playing for the championship. That just can't happen. But yes, for one day, this guy. That's cool though. Who can all of a sudden be the champion, and like Mike says, they'll never take it away from him, he'll always have that. His name means something now. Now it might just fade back into obscurity, probably will, right?

Yeah. Probably. His only other victory was like a San Antonio golf tournament. Yeah, it was this year and he's 34, which is kind of late to break through. Like no, I don't expect the rise of JJ Spawn right now, but he's playing good this year and sometimes you get in a window and you win two, three, four. I mean, usually they're not a major, but he's in a good spot right now. We'll see. who you got this weekend

What are the travelers? the KPMG I Was gonna get to the KPMG when we started talking about the main reason I'm here. Yes I don't know if you were saving that for Thursday night. I haven't heard last night's show yet I'm a next day listener usually that's fine. We thoroughly cover the KPMG. I'm excited. I was out there last week for their intro press. What's the KPMG? The women's PGA championship. It's in Frisco this week. I mean it's a major. Yep. It is literally, Mikey, the fifth major. Because did you guys know this? There are five majors in women's golf.

For real? For real. Huh. Of course I knew it. Do they have a ladies masters? Is this kind of like the WNBA, all the drafts they have? Is there a ladies masters? There can't be a ladies masters.

There is the Augusta National Women's Amateur, which is not for the pros, not for Nellie Corbin. OK. But yes,ellie Corbin. OK. But yes, they have five majors. And you'll love this, Dan. If a women's golfer wins four of those five majors in their career, they are still considered a Grand Slam winner. OK.

Even if they don't win all five. Well, that's a super Grand Slam winner. I'm going to tell you what that is. If they win all five. Well that's, they're a super grand slam winner. I'm gonna tell you what that is. That is girl math for you. Okay. Yeah. Grand slam means four for sure. That's what the whole bit but girls will make it for five or for four with five, whatever. They're adding opportunities to the game, Dan. You want to hear some, here's the end of the tournament but I just thought so Dan Hicks, yep that's the NBC guy, yep. This meeting is being recorded. Oh, what's that? That's the Zoom lady. That's uh Dan Hicks, I

feel like he's trying to be Nance and this is a problem I have with Who did I say in the NFL is now trying to bro down? Like Kevin Brohard, I mean yeah, okay like I like but yeah, but but he sees who's on top I should do what they're doing and so who's on top I should do what they're doing and so and Kevin Harlan did it with Marv Albert if you go back and listen to Prime Marv Albert's Kevin Harlan has a lot of his affect and I just feel like oh okay Jim Nance is on top so Dan Hicks has to act like Jim Nance because you're listening to this

and it kind of sounds Jim Nance-ish anyway, here it is. but he remarked after that he said a few years ago after shooting sixty six i probably would have expected to play poorly this is a kind of psychological turnaround that jj spawn has made so that's that then uh... we're gonna have golf humor you love that

coming up great and you have that support system as his wife Melody. He's got his two girls here, Emerson and Violet. Grade the names? Emerson. I like Violet. I like Violet a lot. Emerson is a bit showy,

but it's not like, you know, there's no Y or Zs or Xs, so I think I have to give it a pass. They also say that's the core system. I thought I saw some of this on social media but I thought it at the time. Like they didn't really embrace and kiss and stuff when they came over. No they didn't. They kind of were like just stood there.

Well one of them was sick. Oh okay yeah I did see something about that. He apparently ran out at 3am to CVS to get the kids medicine But also them were sick, you know the other thing that happened to is like they started to embrace but Opponent his partner hadn't finished and he was like wait Yeah, it just felt it didn't seem like Yeah, they were as lovey-dovey as Nance or fake Nance even would have won it no But I was just gonna say I mean if you're saying that if we peel back the curtain, the white picket fence, beautiful image of the golfer

and his wife when he wins, I'm sure it's a happy moment. But I bet that's not an easy person to be married to. The golfer? Yeah. I bet there's a lot of. Especially probably if you're. Struggle-busting? Yeah. I bet there's a lot of... Especially probably if you're... Struggle-busting? Yeah.

Yeah. Because you're spending all this money. There's no... So that does somewhat prove Nance's point. And you're on the road every week. There's a support system there for sure. You're gone. Right.

I would bet that when the cameras are away, it's like any couple, you're like, fuck, OK, god, that's over. But it's not like a novel every time they embrace like Nance I feel like Nance thinks every time a man and a woman talk like music starts playing but if you're making millions a week like some of these guys are yeah your wife is probably like yeah I'm on board with all of this yeah great but yeah and we alluded to it earlier kids you know

little bit of a heart to heart with jj spawn earlier in his career said he was beating himself up too much he's such a solid player i play with him a lot of my career and i just knew the potential we had in them and he needed to change the way he was treating himself on the golf course so pulled him aside one day in the locker room and his caddy came over to mark kairns and said, thank you so much thank you, that's gonna mean a lot to him and

Ran into him on the on the range this week and Mark's like Think it might be time for another one kids That's fantastic Kids, by the way, Dan Hicks married to Hannah Storm. Yes. Yes. For 30 years. Did not know that.

It once blew her face up on a Weber grill. Thank you. Look it up. It's a crazy photo. Propane. He stuck with her. Yeah. She rebounded quite nicely.

Yeah, I'd have been out. Yeah, that's what you've always said. Yeah. Is that if your wife sustained 60 degree burns all over her body? That's the one thing I won't stand for. I've always thought it was funny to imagine a guy who had a threshold of percentage like the doctors like giving him the number and he's like too high. Killer. Or whatever. I don't know. Yeah, don't kill her. Golf.

Yeah. One of my notes was, are you allowed to use that... I thought you couldn't use that tall, tall putter. Oh no, that's... You can't anchor it. What does that mean? For a few years they would wedge it into their chest chest, anchor it and make it a pendulum basically. So then they eliminated that. So you can use the long putter as long as you don't

like touch it to your chest basically. So Adam Scott still does that. And a bunch of guys still do that. Oh, if we're doing golf dummy questions, I have another one. If you're JJ spawn and you're not like a highly coveted talent in the sponsor world. Do you not have a windbreaker with your logo on it? And I'm actually not kidding. Was he just got plain t-shirt guy type thing?

Well, no, I mean, he had a polo with his MasterCard, Paycom, three or four logos, whatever, but it was like pouring on him. And he never put anything else on. And it occurred to me like this guy might not just have like Four suitcases full of sponsorship. I Don't know he had a windbreaker if he needed it trust me JJ spawns a big anyone who's established on tour Which is one is has every single thing sponsored and they're there. Are you sure he didn't have a coat Mikey? They may have forgotten it.

That's impossible. But he was drenched. It was weird to me. You know, JJ spawn is our first ever, uh, skateboard man golf champion. Hell yeah. Jake's very interested. I knew he was from Southern California.

It's the same age. San Diego guy. And I mean, they always say this. I don't know that they're like, he wanted to go pro as a skateboarder and Then shifted to golf, you know, but you can find a JJ spawn ripping a ripping a hard kick flip on Camera that's makes me very happy. Yeah, that's like Being a motocross champion and then deciding play golf. I like that yeah mix it up. Well Mike thank you for the report my friend. Christina wanted me to show Jake this this is the

book she's reading Mark Hoppus Fahrenheit 182. Yes. And she literally left this morning and I say this morning when I fired out of bed at 11 31 a.m. and she said make sure you tell Jake about this it's awesome so she's like halfway through it she says it's incredible and you would love it I appreciate it I was gifted a copy and was planning to read it but yesterday I retired from books oh yeah one of our sit-ins gave that to you right mm-hmm I was planning on reading it and you're not going to now? I'm going to say no, and if it happens, everyone be surprised.

But I'm tired of saying I'm going to read it. Will you audio book it? No. And if you audio book it, can you say that you read it? Yes. But it's not happening. Retiring from books. I'm quitting.

If I read a book, it's icing. But I'm tired of this deal where I'm like, I'm going to read these books this year. Abundance, the new hot political, that's a book I've been waiting for someone to write for a decade. I'll never read it. I've heard it's good. Abundance.

That's too bad. It's not happening. Because you're a well-read guy. There was a time where I read lots of books. I don't think you should give up books that easily. I think you're a book quitter. I am. I'm quitting books so that I can, you know, fucking watch sports and stuff, I guess.

I'm watching the Rangers. I'm watching a lot of baseball. Golf. Well, thanks to Christina for the recommendation. We'll check out your show tomorrow night, bud. Thank you. Thanks, Dom's Own. Love you guys.

See you, man. Bye-bye. Mike Saroy, yes. Mikey. Go look up Cirque du Saroy. Cirque du Saroy. I don't know how you spell it. You'll figure it out. Do you want to talk baseball? Is that our next item? Sure. You seem to be fired up about this. Ted Emmerich has been at the games quite often. Yeah I'm kind of a baseball insider at this point. It's got to be fun to mix it up a little bit. No, it is fun. When was the last time you regularly were doing studio? I've never done this before.

I've never done anything. I've never done anything in baseball. I've never done. Pre-post, the only experience I had was on the radio side, I would fill in for Mike Peasley on the Mavericks radio broadcast. Hey, Peasley's looking for you. From time to time. So this was all new.

I was pleasantly surprised when they asked. And you know, it's a handful of games this year and it's fun. And obviously it's fun working with Jared. How Ted and I first met. So you've never done baseball play-by-play? Very little. I didn't do the minor league baseball that Jared did, that my cousins did. That was not my path. Yeah, it was a couple of high school games very early on when I was also doing, you know, high school football or basketball. And I did like one

event for ESPN that was baseball. It was a high school tournament in the summer that was on ESPNU. Outside of that, nothing. You've done some NFL games? I have here and there, not a ton, but yes and on radio, not on TV obviously. Like Westwood 1 games or something? Yes. You filling for Brad? And I filled in for Brad one time on the Cowboys radio network. One of like the three games he's missed or something? Yes. It was a religious holiday, too. Yes. Yeah. Yep.

A Sunday night in New Orleans. Well, it was cool. I mean, if you're us, to just have pregame with Ted and the play-by-play with Jared and the color for Bastic. It was like, this is amazing. I don't know how. I just ended up watching a lot of baseball while you three were on.

It was awesome I love guys for you guys to mix on that show right that's fun. Yeah, it's very very cool Wait, what was that you tweeted you quote tweeted Jared and like called him gay or something. Oh Yeah, okay, so Jared tweeted Like highly recommend getting to work with one of your groomsmen slash best friends So you got a guy appreciating his friend a picture of them meant a lot to him in tuxedos apparently on Jared's wedding day Yeah, and then a picture of them that night Getting ready for the game just smiling very happy that they get to work together. They're like best friends forever and

then Ted quote tweets it with Jared doesn't know we're planning to hoist him up in the play-by-play chair in the fifth inning, and that just made it feel like it's a high chair and he's got a bib and he's small. And it's also, you did a we. So now it's you and your, it's like, oh, we are controlling where you go tiny Jared Well, what I was going for was, you know Jared and Emily at their wedding, you know You have a traditional Jewish wedding and the day I do know they rock

You know, I don't know what breaking glass and stuff. Oh, yeah, the glass break What's the other I'm sorry again, I am in the dumb zone after all. So I'm sorry I don't have the term right. But what is the dance where you hoist up the bride and groom and get around the room? The Avne Gila? That? Or is that different? That's the one Jewish-based song, perhaps.

The Hora, there you go. OK, but I was going on. A on the end of that, yes. No, or Brown but I was I was going on of that. Yes. No or uh, I guess I was going based on Dave Raymond's line of humor with Jared and the most tiny No little guy and that's the way I read that is oh well hoist you up little guy cuz look at these pictures Where I'm much taller than you. No, that's not what I was going for. I I'm sorry if it came off again

This is the problem and we have good people on the show. Because he wouldn't be thinking that. We're both like, oh, yeah, he's just embarrassing his friend like I would do. Yeah, yeah. I didn't quote tweet it and say, oh, no, he's a good person. I forgot. I didn't quote tweet it and say, by the way,

you need a fucking phone booth to stand on next to me, bitch. Little fella, little jitter. But I thought you did it in a comedic way of ain, okay So here's my run through of the weekend Friday nights game I don't even remember what happened in each one, but Friday nights game. There was a throw by the umpire Really? He had one earlier that was shaky and then there was one an inning or two later Just air mailed a ball over the second baseman's head. Not the not second base itself. He's trying to throw the ball back to the pitcher. It ends up in right field.

Everyone is having a laugh. Jared, Bassick, they're replaying it. And then I, my wife was walking through and I'm like, hey, you know how every week you're like, why are you so obsessed with this learn to throw a baseball thing? And I don't really have an answer for you. I was like, watch what I'm probably some language. I was like, watch this guy. And she started laughing when he threw it. And I was like, that's why you want to look like a man. I don't want to. And it was odd to me because this person has progressed to the point of umpire in the major

leagues and still just had the goofiest way the players were laughing it's it's the movie throw it's it was a movie it's the one that we clown on yeah that's kind of what I have and I'm trying to fix but this guy's an ump you know so Jared from his booster chair whatever was even down and laughing at him. It was a funny moment. I'm interested, this was not you, so you're gonna have to answer for Jared as someone who is not in. Corey Seeger, playing hurt.

Right off the DL, able to hit, not really able to run. Very apparent. He is needed on the base path. They were kinda having a plan around it. So Jared in the eighth inning, I believe Seager might have scored, used the term, and they're able to get a run from Hot Wheels Seager here, which begs the question,

is it okay for a broadcaster or anyone to use the term Hot Wheels as a nickname for someone who is a little bit slowed down. Man, that's a question for Jared. I'll be honest, I didn't hear that part. I think I might have been on the field at that point, maybe getting ready for postgame. But damn, I'm sorry I didn't hear that. Why would that not be acceptable? I don't know. I thought you meant because it's in the state of Texas. Well, I've heard people say that if you look at someone who can't run well and call them hot wheels,

you're a bad person. Right. And here's Jared Sandler watching Corey Seeger limp around. He's like, a hot wheel Seeger. Obviously, the first thing you think about is, who is it who called Greg Abbott that somewhat recently? Who's Greg Abbott?

OK. It was Jasmine Crockett. Yeah, thank you. There you go. Do you want to play, I have a bit of audio for you. I think this is from Saturday night's game, Saturday Night Walk Off Night. Okay, yeah. By the way, you guys know what tomorrow is, is Paul Skeens is pitching.

That may be today, but the Rangers are playing a four game series against the Pirates and missing him. That's good. That's a shame. Oh wow. I know I was looking because I was like hey we should all watch this together. I'd love to see Skeen. Show topic and they're missing him. Let me start with the one from Sunday night because I think yours is better. Okay. This was Ted leading off the postgame show Sunday night sending a shout out to us all. Rangers point. There were heart palpitations in every game of this series against Chicago. But they are able to close the door each time.

And they've now won seven of eight. Hello friends. I'm Ted Emmerich. Gosh, I love you. Gave us a nice hello, friends. And the thing is, like, he can cosplay Nance, and people wouldn't believe it, you know? Right. Like, he's probably actually a better person than Jim Nance. Like, Jim Nance we know is actually kind of, you know,

whatever. He's had his issues. But he presents himself very well. Ted's able to do that. Nobody's like, oh, that's weird He's making fun of somebody. You know what nobody said anything. You know what else Sunday night was? To a fair portion of our listenership, right? What's that? Oh, that's right sweep sex. Yes, can you work that in next time we oh man?

I bet you picked the right one to cover, like if you wanna... Boy, that's right. Have a good record. Maybe that, I don't think there's any way you can work that in. I can tell you how you do it. You have to get creative. What happens?

Well, you have to put some sort of divider in between the two words and make it make sense. You can't say like, oh, everyone's out here having sweep sex and nothing, no, no, but... Yeah, sounds just like that. It's like if I were asking a question and I wanted to phrase it correctly to someone else who works for the Rangers

and you know, we were talking to them, we would be like, Ranger scouting director, Kip Fagg, it seems like you guys are focusing on younger arms. But, so I don't know how you do that, but you could, Dan could pull it off if he thought about it as my boy. A word that begins with X Plural before that, I see where you're going

Okay Alright so you want Saturday night? This was perfect, we had a walk off win, it was an electric game, extra innings, the only of the year right? First of the year I'm watching Ted in the background over with Elvis

Andres, that's a cool'm watching Ted in the background over with Elvis Andrus. That's a cool thing. And down there in the bay. The best thing about this. Sorry, Dan, you go ahead. No, I was going to ask, were you at the game Saturday or? No, but I was locked in. You could see us, where are we on camera? Before? Yeah, I mean, when they, yeah, when you get the first base side shot of a right- handed hitter, you can directly see the massive Elvis Andrus. We're in the show. And little ol' me right next to him.

It's funnier when it's Jared. I was just going to say the best thing about this audio is that this was not, we didn't set him up and say, hey, will you do this for us? Will you do this nod to us? He just does it because that's just in his DNA. This was something that you suggested to Jared. And I thought, well, I'm in that role this weekend. And if there's an opportunity. Yeah, I'll take it off his plate.

This dude is Davey filling in back in the day. Like, I care. I'm here two weeks out of the year. I'm Ted Amrick alongside Elvis Andrews. You know the first 90% of this game it was gut-wrenching for the Rangers. The story very well could have been all the missed opportunities, all the runners left on base, 15 of them in fact, before the 11th inning and yet none of it matters because Adolis Garcia delivers in the final 10% and the Rangers make it to the finish line. I love this.

That's what a W does for a team you know like when you were talking right like the ups and downs it was such a roller coaster game but W always take the bat away. You get to the end it doesn't really matter how you got there Elvis. You make it to the finish line. That's all that matters. The Dung Zah, Dung Zah, Dung Zah, Dung Zah.