SportsDay Rangers, Episode 13: The one with John Burkett

Apple on Wednesday revealed more details about a multibillion-dollar U.S. manufacturing commitment the tech giant promised earlier this year — including new plans that involve North Texas. In other news, The FBI responded to U.S. Sen. John Cornyn’s request to help locate the Texas House Democrats who left the state to prevent the Legislature from passing a new congressional map; Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says he’s investigating Powered by People over reports the group founded by former El Paso congressman Beto O’Rourke has been raising money to support Texas House Democrats who left the state amid an ongoing battle over redistricting; and Gov. Greg Abbott asked the Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday to remove House Democratic Caucus chair Rep. Gene Wu of Houston. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With Kevin on a lavish excursion, Evan steps in to host and sets a SportsDay Insider record with two — TWO — staff guests. [1:00] First, Calvin Watkins joins to walk us through the Jerry-Micah mess and to try to explain what the sticking point is. Will the Cowboys actually trade Micah? Will Jerry ever learn that agents negotiate contracts? When will the contract get done? [22:53] Then, Shawn McFarland and Evan break down the trade deadline and the aftermath for the Rangers and what the deadline says about the farm system. We end with everybody’s favorite topic: The Joc Pederson Experience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Red-eye weary Evan details the weirdness that is the 2025 Rangers season and why the club ended up strengthening its strongest areas at the trade deadline rather than its weaknesses. Then John Burkett, the first Ranger to ever win a postseason game, joins the guys from the bowling alley in his home to discuss his post-baseball bowling career, how his Rangers debut helped rescue the season and what it was like pitching in Yankee Stadium in the playoffs. The guys then reveal the Final Four moments in the Rangers' Greatest Regular Season Moment bracket. And how John had to choose between being there for Nolan Ryan's 5,000th strikeout or bringing home his newborn first child. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Business in the Republican-dominated Texas House screeched to a halt in its third week of a special legislative session Monday when Democrats no-showed a critical vote on a GOP-driven plan to redraw congressional districts to further conservatives’ agenda in Washington. In other news, a Texas House panel heard testimony on five bills Tuesday meant to provide relief funding and upgrade emergency communications systems, among other solutions, in response to the deadly Hill Country floods that killed hundreds last month; Texas students whose families make $70,000 or less annually will be able to get free tuition at Texas Christian University. TCU for Texans will provide tuition and assistance for food and housing to eligible incoming first-year students starting in fall 2026. Students must be Texas residents, eligible for the Pell Grant and come from a family with an adjusted gross income of $70,000 or less; nd the Cowboys conducted their first and only scrimmage of training camp Tuesday against the Los Angeles Rams, and their best pass rusher — maybe their best player — watched from the sideline. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Republican-driven plan to redraw the state’s congressional boundaries would scramble a portion of North Texas politics and deliver political setbacks for Democrats in Tarrant and Dallas counties. In other news, transgender people in Texas would be required to use private spaces like bathrooms and locker rooms based on the sex they were assigned at birth under a bill passed by a Texas Senate panel Monday afternoon; Willie F. Johnson, the principal at South Oak Cliff High School for the past eight years said Shifting the students’ minds off what they grew up seeing to other opportunities, such as academics, mentorship and sports, could be one of the solutions to lowering crime rates, according to Johnson. He said the biggest thing is making sure they’re successful in schools; and two Gaza children arrived in North Texas on Sunday to receive “life-saving” medical treatment after suffering wartime injuries in their home country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Texas House Democrats have left the state in order to derail a Republican-driven redistricting plan designed to flip up to five congressional seats from blue to red. In other news, Cooper Lutkenhaus did the unthinkable. On Sunday at the USATF Outdoor National Championships at legendary Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., the Justin Northwest High School superstar ran an insane time of 1:42.27 for 800 meters at the age of 16 to set a new under-18 world record, beating two 2024 Olympians and the world’s second-ranked half-miler to qualify for next month’s World Championships in Tokyo; 'Like standing on Jello' - that's how one American Airlines spokesperson characterized the state of air travel this year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

AT&T will join NYSE Texas with a dual listing of its stock effective today as the Big Board built on its head start over local upstart Texas Stock Exchange, which is still seeking regulatory approval. In other news, actress Sydney Sweeney has drawn unlikely support from US Sen. Ted Cruz after an ad campaign for denim sparked outrage; Cindy Clemishire’s defamation lawsuit against Gateway Church and Robert Morris has a trial date, per Dallas County court filings; and H-E-B is nearly ready to make its debut in one of the fastest-growing cities in North Texas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Six people were taken to a local hospital and nine people were treated at the scene by Dallas Fire-Rescue after a fire involving a DART train occurred Wednesday afternoon. Between 10 to 15 people were evacuated from one of the transit cars after a fire was reported on the train near the Pearl and Arts District station. In other news, a ban on retail products containing THC won overwhelming support for the second time this year in the Texas Senate on Wednesday, even as the shadow of another veto by Gov. Greg Abbott hangs over its passage into law; frustration over the way Texas uses computers to grade students’ essays on the STAAR test is building after Dallas ISD officials again saw more than one-third of the exams they submitted for review come back with higher scores; and a whiff of optimism has spilled into the Pleasant Grove community with improvements led by The Loop Dallas, a nonprofit that’s steering a mammoth 50-mile trail around the city. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Joe Hoyt discuss [1:07] the lack of progress in Micah Parsons' contract negotiations as well as Joe's pleasant surprises and concerns. Hint: Tyler Guyton's injury wasn't a good development for the offensive line, and you can probably guess in which category Mazi Smith falls. [25:43] Evan and Kevin analyze the upsurge in the Rangers' offense lately and how that might affect Chris Young's trade deadline plans. Evan says a power arm for the bullpen remains the primary goal. Plus, is Jacob deGrom tipping his pitches to the Angels? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the Rangers finish an 8-1 homestand and zoom back into playoff contention, the guys discuss what's gone suddenly right with the offense. Think: Less chase and more Sam Haggerty and how it may impact the looming trade conversation. Then former Rangers GM Jon Daniels, who led the team to five different playoff trips, joins to recount the stories of deadlines past. Which trade did he hate? Which was his favorite? And what was the toughest to make. Also: How John aggravated JD every deadline. Finally, the guys review the winners from the round of 16 of Rangers Madness, including how neither of them were there for Adrían Beltré's 3,000th hit. And remember, you can earn Rangers memorabilia by voting in the Rangers Madness tournament. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices