SportsDay Insider (formerly Ballzy) is hosted by Dallas Morning News sports writers Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and David Moore. Hear their expert analysis, hot takes and humor about the things you’d expect — Cowboys, Mavs, Rangers, Stars — and a few things you didn’t see coming, each Tuesday afternoon in The Dallas Morning News podcast feed. To listen and never miss an episode, search for "The Dallas Morning News" in your favorite podcast app and hit the “Subscribe” or “Follow” button. (Here…
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SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Calvin Watkins discuss the Cowboys' signing of DeSoto's own Von Miller. Calvin tells us that Von plans to play 10 to 15 snaps a game, and Kevin says if he's going to get nine sacks again, it'll require a world-record success rate. Otherwise, Calvin says the defense under Christian Parker looks better than it did at this time last year under Matt…
The trade deadline has passed, the Rangers stood pat and waited for everybody to get healthy, and now John and Evan have to make sense of where they stand, which is where they seemingly always stand: stuck in the middle. Evan points out the importance of this week's road trip, especially with Houston hosting the same two losing teams next week. Then Bobby Witt, the elder, joins the guys to talk…
SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington and Evan Grant discuss the impact of the late Don Nelson, who, with his son, Donnie, gave the Mavs clarity and an icon, not to mention the makings of the franchise's only title. Kevin asks Evan if he's willing to bet on the Rangers, who, no matter what happens, always seem to come back to .500. Joe Hoyt joins the guys to analyze the impact of Quinnen Williams,…
Well, the boys have made it through 50 episodes without strangling one another and to celebrate Rangers legend Will Clark joins the show to reminisce about his time in Texas, the great run of 1996 and the camaraderie of that time. And, yes, all of us old-timers gripe how that same element doesn't seem to exist today in MLB. John and Evan also break down the Rangers activity - or relative lack…
With Kevin away on "assignment," Evan seizes the microphone and brings in fellow Rangers insider Shawn McFarland for a lively breakdown of the Rangers' trade deadline activity. Who knew we could make 40 minutes out of the team trading Josh Smith for Adam Macko? But the guys break down the lack of activity, the reasons for it and what it means. In addition, do we, like the Rangers, believe this…
Well, it's less than a week until the trade deadline and John and Evan have been moved by the Rangers' recent hot streak. What is there to do? How can the Rangers do it? But the team deserves a chance to compete is the guys' perspective. Then Royce Clayton, at the center of the Rangers' 1998 trade-deadline makeover, joins the fellas to discuss the trade that brought him and Todd Stottlemyre to…
SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington and Evan Grant look at the Rangers' prospects heading into Monday's trade deadline and discuss what makes this year different from last year. Besides the fact they're in first place. Kevin asks if anyone scares you. They also discuss whether to trade or keep Corey Seager and ask why Rangers owners are always so cheap. Calvin Watkins joins the guys to decipher…
With a huge series against Seattle looming, what's the guys' level of optimism about the Rangers' ability to make a declaration that they belong? Are they merely in first place or can they be a first-place team? Then we break down the ever-growing impact of injuries and how that might further impact the ability to declare their intent. Then Evan's longtime archnemesis on the Rangers' beat, TR…
At the All-Star break, John and Evan spend more time on Jacob Latz's All-Star performance than Jacob Latz spent in his six-pitch effort to strike out Luis Arraez in Philadelphia. Then the guys touch on the Rangers' move to the BZZR app for a direct-to-consumer streaming option. And Evan muses on how much it pays (no pun intended) for him, as a borderline Boomer, to just keep shelling out for cable…
With Kevin on World Cup coverage, Shawn McFarland joins Evan for a Rangers roundtable. And, boy, do we get to a lot. Has this team wasted chances in the first half? How many games will the Rangers be able to count on from Corey Seager after the break? And could they pull a fast one - consider trading Seager AND still contending for a playoff spot this season? Oh, and we even get into a little…
John and Evan salute Jacob Latz making the AL All-Star team and continue to struggle to define the 2026 Rangers. But at least this time, they get some help for their problem. Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young stops by the show to discuss the state of the team at the season's midpoint, the club's needs at the deadlines and whether the Rangers will have resources to add talent.…
Sports Day Insiders Kevin Sherrington and Evan Grant discuss the Rangers' position with three weeks until the All-Star break and what the organization will have to see to make improvements. Kevin says missing out this year would be especially egregious given the performance of Jacob Latz, who's made himself into an All-Star closer, along with bounce-back years from Josh Jung, Zeke Duran, Joc…
What a turnaround! Here comes home-field advantage: What a difference a week makes. The guys are getting whiplash from the Rangers' turnaround that saw them win six straight, storm into first place in the AL West and look like an energized team with a real identity. After they finish catching their breath from the turn of events, John welcomes in former Ranger manager Bobby Valentine, who guided…
SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Mike Curtis discuss the arrival of Dusty May as the 11th coach in Mavs history. Mike notes that he comes with a reputation as a communicator, and he demonstrated those skills in his introductory news conference. Now, if he can communicate with Kyrie Irving, it's all good. Mike also tells us whom he expects the Mavs to try to sign as free agency…
Around some lovely background music, perhaps to make the sound of another breakdown of the Rangers' offensive failings more relaxing, John and Evan toss around what could happen. Then we discuss how the loss of Jack Leiter exposes a weakness the Rangers wanted to keep hidden. Then, Rangers Hall of Famer and Fort Worth Christian head coach Rusty Greer joins the fellas to discuss the scrutiny of…
SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Mike Curtis discuss the hiring of Michigan's Dusty May as the 11th head coach in Mavs history and what that means for the direction of the organization. Will they be contenders next year? Or does the hiring of a first-time NBA coach mean they're committed to a rebuild around Cooper Flagg? The Rangers haven't shown signs of playoff-caliber…
John and Evan break down the Rangers' current issue of getting down early with no pulse thereafter and discuss Corey Seager's reliability. Then one of the best stories of the season, Jacob "High Leverage" Latz joins the guys to talk about his long road to becoming the best breakout story of the season. Latz discusses how his previous challenging experiences prepared him to go from jilted starter…
SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington and Evan Grant discuss Corey Seager's latest stay on the injured list and what his unavailability overall means to his future with the Rangers. Evan laments his unwillingness to turn it up a notch when the situation calls for it. Does he fit the model the Rangers are trying to build? Mike Curtis joins the guys to provide insight as to what new Mavs president…
John and Evan once again try to pin down the identity of this Rangers club as it struggles to get over the .500 hump. Once again, another road trip causes issues. And Evan expresses concern about the rotation's sudden inability to pitch deep into games. What's the potential fallout from that? Then Rangers broadcaster and former outfielder David Murphy joins the two-timer club for a visit about…
SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington and Evan Grant discuss the Rangers' lineup and where it's headed. Kevin thinks signs are point up because of the All-Star-level play by Josh Jung and Zeke Duran. Evan is still puzzled. He doesn't know what to make of Corey Seager's slow start, though he thinks he still needs time. Kevin and Evan lament the judge's order that allows Brendan Sorsby to play for…
The guys break down the Rangers' hot week and the exciting brand of baseball they played. Evan wonders how the Rangers will handle playing time once Wyatt Langford returns from the IL. Then Rangers Hall of Famer Buddy Bell joins the program to discuss the circus that was the early 1980s for the organization and how he almost returned to the club, and the fellas both ponder the possibilities that…
SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Brad Townsend discuss the Mavs pending move to the old Valley View site, and with the Stars' accompanying move to Plano, the prospects of an urban core without an NBA or NHL team for the first time in nearly a half-century. Brad lays out the process that led to it and how it's probably the best move for the Mavs, if not the city. Evan says the…
The guys sit down with former Rangers president and managing partner Tom Schieffer for a special visit about turning the franchise legitimate with the building of The Ballpark in Arlington, the challenges he faced in the role and his vision for how sports ownership should operate. And besides, who needs another week of recapping mostly rancid offensive performances.
SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington and Evan Grant discuss the Astros' combined no-hitter of the Rangers, the low point of another low season, at least offensively, for the locals. Do they blow it up? Not with the Rangers only a couple of games out of first place in the West. But Evan tells us they need to at least come up with a plan for what the future could look like. Do fans really understand…
What to make of the Rangers' 3-3 start to a road trip against the three worst teams in baseball? Is there anything more that Skip Schumaker can do to the lineup? And is Hot Jake Burger back? Also, where did Evan run into John Elway? Then former Rangers manager Jerry Narron joins the show to discuss the rise of the 1996 team and what he saw in Michael Young as the Rangers manager that made him…
SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington and Evan Grant discuss the sorry state of the Rangers' offense, now three years running. Evan says it's not something Chris Young will overreact to, nor should he. Kevin, who notes they're still in the thick of the playoff chase with numbers down around baseball, wonders if MLB will do something eventually to help offense like it did in the late '60s. The guys…
Guess what? More talk about the offense! Never can get enough. But John and Evan break it down and Evan rolls out a really interesting stat about the mystery of the disappearing homer at Globe Life Field. Then Evan sits down with Rangers third baseman Josh Jung to discuss his changes at the plate, his change in philosophy and the impact of bonding with Brandon Nimmo. Then Josh castigates himself…
SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington and Evan Grant discuss [5:45] the Mavs' new hierarchy of Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz and what it means to have so many experienced people making decisions. They'll have their work cut out for them in this draft. [16:20] Evan tells us what's gone right for not only Zeke Duran but Josh Jung, too. Kevin says it's important for them to stay hot until Corey Seager…
As the Rangers' arduous season-opening stretch enters its final week, John and Evan join the angsting over the Rangers offense. Seems almost like it's a theme. Or maybe its own special. Then former Rangers reliever Jake Diekman, the latest of the legions of former Rangers now coaching high school baseball, joins us to talk about his new career (with the best backdrop any guest has ever had).…
With Kevin "unavailable," Tim Cowlishaw joins Evan to go around the horn -- no pun intended -- with hot takes on the Stars and their Stanley Cup Final drought, the Mavs and the most important thing about Masai Ujiri's hiring, the Cowboys drafting of an actual leader and what Springsteen song he wants to hear at the concert that is a rite of passage for old sportswriters. Then Shawn McFarland joins…
With April coming to a close, John and Evan consider what went right in the first month and what didn't. Josh Jung: Big hit. Jacob Latz: Ditto. But what about Globe Life Field seems to have gotten in the Rangers' heads. Then Kevin Mench joins the show for some memories of his seven-game home run streak back in 2006 and also to get some head-size abuse from John. Do we need to file a report with HR…
SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Calvin Watkins discuss [00:45] the Cowboys' draft and why Calvin gave it only a B. He's got a problem with taking guys who didn't play in either the SEC or Big Ten or who played for Michigan. He also tells us what he thinks about DeMarvion Overshown's future with the organization. [32:05] Evan says the Rangers' offense won't get going until…
With the Rangers sitting at .500, a familiar spot the last two seasons, John and Evan break down the significance of Wyatt Langford's forearm injury and whether all the soft tissue injuries early in his career are a concern. Speaking of concerns, the guys wonder about Corey Seager getting hot, because, as Evan says, the offense isn't really going anywhere until Seager and Langford get on track.…
SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Joe Hoyt go over the Cowboys' draft prospects one last time before Thursday's big day and try to sort out the possibilities. Trade up? Or stay put? Consensus: If they wait, they'll miss an impact player. Kevin says Ray Davis pulled the rug out from under Chris Young by cutting payroll, thus keeping him from investing in the bullpen. Gavin…
When technical difficulties prevent our planned guest from joining, John and Evan take a longer than usual look at the first 10% of the Rangers season. Evan offers an in-depth breakdown of the club, focusing on the issues surrounding the bullpen (an ongoing theme) and putting the record into context with the early-season schedule and the early-season stumbles of Houston and Seattle. John really…
SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Joe Hoyt discuss the order of the Cowboys' needs and how that may impact their draft process. Joe says if they stand pat at 12, and if the draft fell just right, he'd guess they want Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles or his teammate, Caleb Downs, a safety. But their biggest need, as our guys project, is at edge rusher. Can they still get one in…
After the Rangers' sweep of Seattle, John and Evan break down the hits (and the lack of them) and the excellent pitching that marked the first homestand of the year. What a difference it makes to have MacKenzie Gore in the middle of the rotation. Rangers quality control coach Rod Barajas, who caught for the Rangers for three seasons, joins the guys to talk about his long working relationship with…
SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Joe Hoyt discuss the prospects of the Cowboys trading up to get a pass rusher such as David Bailey or Arvell Reese and whether they should expend the resources necessary. Do they wait to see if Rueben Bain Jr. falls to 12? Would they trade up to nine for a shot at Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs or Mansoor Delane? All options apparently are on the…
After a successful season-opening road trip, John and Evan break down what went right for the Rangers in Baltimore and Philadelphia and fawn a little bit about the glory of opening day. Evan can't stop gushing over the Brandon Nimmo impact. And John isn't worried about Nathan Eovaldi. Then Rangers Hall of Famer Michael Young, the first-ever guest on the podcast, makes his return. He's the…
SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Shawn McFarland go over their Final Four picks, or at least Kevin and Shawn do. The guys also discuss Mark Cuban's expressed regrets over selling the Mavs to the Adelsons. He shouldn't expect an invitation to a Las Vegas Thanksgiving. The Rangers' fast start caught everyone by surprise. The quality of the Rangers' at-bats was also a topic of…
After the Rangers' season-opening roster was set, John and Evan break down the final decisions and how playing time might be split at some positions. We also revisit the cool moment of Skip Schumaker informing Carter Baumler that he'd made the team while on the mound in the middle of an inning. Former Rangers catcher Robinson Chirinos, the bench coach for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic,…
SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Shawn McFarland discuss the Rangers' final roster decisions going into Thursday's opening day in Philadelphia and deliver their predictions for the season. From Andrew McCutchen's surprising bid to the roster to the unprecedented talent at the top of the rotation, the guys cover it all, including their final take on ABS and their win totals in…
John and Evan continue to whittle away at the biggest questions of spring. Evan is pretty high on how the Rangers have wandered, er, walked in the desert And he also offers his potential starting lineup. And the fellas sum up the WBC. Spoiler alert: Nobody's mad. Then Rangers Hall of Famer Ian Kinsler stops by to become the first member of the two-timers club and discuss the Rangers second base…
SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Calvin Watkins discuss [2:04] the Cowboys' offseason moves. Calvin tells us why the Cowboys traded Osa Odighizuwa to the 49ers and why a third-round pick in return was better than he thought they'd get. The guys also discuss the priorities in the draft now that the Cowboys have made the bulk of their free agent moves. [21:14] Evan breaks down a…
John wants to know if there are positive signs about the Rangers offense and Evan delivers the goods. But he's got no answers for John on the state of the bullpen. Then Pete Incaviglia joins the guys to talk about the 40th anniversary of his legendary rookie season, his enduring love for the game that has him in Cleburne for the summer. He also weighs in on what he saw as Kumar Rocker's first…
SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington and Evan Grant team up from Surprise for an all-Rangers, all-the-time podcast. [3:45] Who's the star of camp this spring? What's going on with Josh Jung? What does the back end of the rotation look like? If the Rangers get off to a bad start, will Chris Young conduct a fire sale? And how's the new ABS challenge system working out so far? All this and more in a…
Just as Team USA is about to start its quest for the World Baseball Classic title, manager Mark DeRosa, a Ranger in 2005-06, joins John and Evan to discuss his team's chances, his fervor for putting together the roster and even the possibility of Wyatt Langford joining the roster at some point in the tournament. But first, John and Evan run through the various injuries impacting the Rangers in…
SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Joe Hoyt talk [00:12] about Joe’s mock draft 2.0 and what it portends for the Cowboys with the 12th pick. Joe tells us what he learned at the combine and how that affected his picks since his first mock draft. Should Jerry Jones trade up? Down? Whatever he does, they need two impact players on Day 1. [35:15] Evan tells us where the Rangers are…
After a breakdown of the first week of exhibitions, Team Mexico's manager for the WBC and former Ranger Benji Gil joins the guys to talk about his club, which includes Rangers outfielder Alejandro Osuna and Robert Garcia. Benji was also Osuna's manager in winter ball and raves about him. Plus, what Osuna can learn from two weeks around Randy Arozarena, Jarren Duran and Alek Thomas. Benji discusses…
SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Joe Hoyt analyze the Cowboys' signing of Javonte Williams and what's next for George Pickens. Joe also tells us how many new defensive starters he thinks Christian Parker needs. (Hint: It's a lot). How many can they get in the draft? Should they trade up or down? The guys discuss it all. Evan tells us that Josh Jung is off to a nice start in…