Your Dark Companion Podcast

On Your Dark Companion, Mike Rhyner and Grubes sit down with Dallas Morning News veteran Evan Grant (29 seasons on the Rangers beat) to unpack a maddening 2025 campaign: elite starting pitching, an offense that never synced, and a clubhouse that couldn’t find its rhythm. Evan explains why this felt like the most underperforming Rangers team in memory, what changed going from Donnie Ecker to Brett Boone on hitting, and how a late-season infusion of “Little Rascals” energy briefly jolted the club.They also dig into Jack Leiter’s leap, where Kumar Rocker stands, the Seager–Semien dynamic, the looming payroll/CBT constraints, potential trade math (who’s movable, who isn’t), and what new manager Skip Schumaker’s C.A.P.E. mantra (Communication, Alignment, Preparation, Execution) could mean in practice. Plus: catcher conundrums, Adolis adjustments, and who Evan would love to see in October.
⏱️ Chapters
00:00:00 - Open & Introductions00:04:45 - Pitching vs. Hitting00:09:20 - Ecker → Boone (Hitting Message Shift)00:13:50 - “Little Rascals” Bump00:18:05 - Jack Leiter’s Breakthrough00:22:40 - Kumar Rocker’s Path00:27:10 - Clubhouse Chemistry00:31:35 - Catcher Crisis00:36:00 - Adolis & the OF Puzzle00:40:10 - Payroll Reality Check00:44:45 - Trade Talk00:49:05 - Enter Skip Schumaker (C.A.P.E.)00:53:20 - Ballpark & Approach (Line Drives > Uphill Swings)00:58:00 - October Wish List01:04:00 - Wrap & What’s Next
 

Show Notes

On Your Dark Companion, Mike Rhyner and Grubes sit down with Dallas Morning News veteran Evan Grant (29 seasons on the Rangers beat) to unpack a maddening 2025 campaign: elite starting pitching, an offense that never synced, and a clubhouse that couldn’t find its rhythm. Evan explains why this felt like the most underperforming Rangers team in memory, what changed going from Donnie Ecker to Brett Boone on hitting, and how a late-season infusion of “Little Rascals” energy briefly jolted the club.
They also dig into Jack Leiter’s leap, where Kumar Rocker stands, the Seager–Semien dynamic, the looming payroll/CBT constraints, potential trade math (who’s movable, who isn’t), and what new manager Skip Schumaker’s C.A.P.E. mantra (Communication, Alignment, Preparation, Execution) could mean in practice. Plus: catcher conundrums, Adolis adjustments, and who Evan would love to see in October.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00:00 - Open & Introductions
00:04:45 - Pitching vs. Hitting
00:09:20 - Ecker → Boone (Hitting Message Shift)
00:13:50 - “Little Rascals” Bump
00:18:05 - Jack Leiter’s Breakthrough
00:22:40 - Kumar Rocker’s Path
00:27:10 - Clubhouse Chemistry
00:31:35 - Catcher Crisis
00:36:00 - Adolis & the OF Puzzle
00:40:10 - Payroll Reality Check
00:44:45 - Trade Talk
00:49:05 - Enter Skip Schumaker (C.A.P.E.)
00:53:20 - Ballpark & Approach (Line Drives > Uphill Swings)
00:58:00 - October Wish List
01:04:00 - Wrap & What’s Next

 

Thanks to our monthly supporters
  • Matthew Kamper
  • W hammons
  • B Smith
  • Robert Stoolfire
  • Thaddeus D. Matula
  • Rachel W
  • Scott Lewis
  • John Clayton
  • cody SIMS
  • John Gilbert
  • Robert Saunders
  • Kiffer
  • Sidney Long
  • Pattie Rhyner Davidson
  • David
  • Ashlea Bullington
  • James Corona
  • Gordy
  • John C Caffey
  • Joe Lindsey
  • Cam
  • Jillian Wright
  • Harry Perdomo
  • David Moore
  • Becca Moore
  • Mike Rhyner
  • Becca Moore
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Creators and Guests

Host
Mike Rhyner
Mike Rhyner… "a little on the bumpy side, but rather likable"…so stated famously by a grade school teacher in Oak Cliff, where Mike grew up. A complicated guy, yet a guy who can do long division and remember call strike three to A Rod. Probably best left unattended. Don't expect assistance from him if a medical situation arises.

What is Your Dark Companion Podcast?

"Whatever I want it to be about on a given day; is what it is." Your Dark Companion couples your familiar friends from radio, Mike and Grubes! Mike brings his classic interviews that draw you in, and Grubes—The Devil—drops…well the drops, and throws the occasional grenade. Mike likes to draw on his fascinating acquaintances and friends allowing them to tell their stories as you've never heard them. But he also goes outside his network, sharing Grubes' network, and often outside of both, to bring you those they don't know, but believe have a story that will make you laugh, make you think, think differently, or just entertain you…"that's what we are trying to do here."