Podcast appearances and mentions of donnie ecker

Rangers LHP Kohl Drake joins the guys to discuss his season and his part in the combined no hitter. Jeff and John also discuss the big league team, Bret Boone, Donnie Ecker and Evan Carter. Then they go down in the bus leagues. 

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The Texas Rangers have made several significant moves over the last few days, including firing offensive coordinator Donnie Ecker and bringing in former MLB infielder Bret Boone as a new hitting coach.

On "Giants Talk," co-hosts Alex Pavlovic and Cole Kuiper discuss Willy Adames finally getting his break out game as a Giant and how the team bounced back against the Colorado Rockies after a disappointing loss to open the series.2:15 – Kyle Harrison called up, Lou Trivino DFA'd5:00 – Giants lose series opener to Rockies but bounce back and win the next two games10:00 – Willy Adames finally has a breakout game Sunday12:00 – Giants need Matt Chapman, Willy Adames, Patrick Bailey and LaMonte Wade Jr. to find a rhythm13:45 – Waiting for Luis Matos to power up15:15 – Robbie Ray throws seven no hit innings16:30 – Tyler Fitzgerald out with cracked rib18:00 – Nick Ahmed hits open market20:00 – Donnie Ecker fired by Rangers24:00 – Update on Wade Meckler25:30 – Previewing Giants matchup vs. Cubs32:00 – Food recommendations in Chicago

Rundown[Intro] Chicago White Sox hitting coach Marcus Thames shares what he has Luis Robert Jr., Miguel Vargas, Chase Meidroth, and Edgar Quero focus on with their improvements. [6:29] White Sox growing confidence with Edgar Quero[13:02] Josh Rojas made his debut, and soon more veterans like Mike Tauchman, Austin Slater, and Korey Lee could join him in Chicago. How would this roster look if all four are available and healthy? [24:47] Caleb Freeman joins the White Sox bullpen which could be shuffling pitchers between Chicago and Charlotte. [33:23] Series Preview: Kansas City Royals. What are some ideas in getting Bobby Witt Jr. out? How the Royals starting staff continues to get better. [41:08] Around MLB: Top of AL Central playing good baseball, Donnie Ecker goes from possible White Sox manager to being fired from the Texas Rangers, and Aaron Judge is on Triple Crown Watch. 

Audacy MLB insider Bob Nightengale joined the show to discuss the Rangers placing Leody Taveras on waivers and firing Donnie Ecker.

Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker hit the airwaves for new week on the program recapping the Blue Jays' weekend set against the Guardians. The boys share their frustrations about the state of Toronto's offence, before taking a closer look at the team's bullpen usage and new additions to the pitching staff ahead of their upcoming road trip starting at Angel Stadium. Jon Morosi (27:47) of MLB Network checks in on Jays' issues at the plate, Chad Green's place among the relievers, and if the team has produced any All-Stars in 2025. Jon also chats about the Rangers firing their offensive coordinator Donnie Ecker, free agent bats still on the market, and what's behind the dip in MLB scoring in 2025.The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Texas Rangers offense has struggled for two years.  Now they are in the market for a new offensive coordinator.  Donnie Ecker was fired after an 8-1 victory yesterday. 

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, three major teams seem to have shifted their attention away from Shohei Ohtani, and indication that they have perhaps been told they're out of the running. Per Passan, the Mets, Red Sox, and Rangers are seemingly out on Ohtani. Those are three teams that were legitimate threats to land the megastar, which only increases the SF Giants' odds of landing Ohtani. Passan adds that the Dodgers, Cubs, Blue Jays, and Angels are known to still be in the running for Ohtani, and that the San Francisco Giants' status is "unknown." Per reports, Ohtani wants things kept as quiet as possible, so that's not necessarily a bad position for the Giants to be in.The Winter Meetings kick off in Nashville on Sunday. What's on the Giants' agenda on the offseason's biggest stage? Landing a superstar should be priority No. 1. Ohtani certainly would suffice. Yoshinobu Yamamoto reportedly won't meet with finalists until the week after the Winter Meetings, so don't expect his signing to go down in Nashville. The SF Giants would be wise, though, to improve their team to prove to Ohtani that they'd be in a position to win with him. It doesn't help that Korean star Jung Hoo Lee has yet to be posted, as he profiles as a strong fit for the Giants. Cody Bellinger is another who seems to fit well.Finally, Gabe Kapler landed on his feet. We learned today that the Giants' fired manager was hired as Assistant General Manager of the Miami Marlins under new President of Baseball Operations Peter Bendix, who was hired away from his position as General Manager of the Rays just weeks ago. Kapler joins several of his Giants coaches in landing on his feet after not being retained by the Giants. Kai Correa, Craig Albernaz, Andrew Bailey, Brian Bannister, Ethan Katz, and Donnie Ecker are among Kapler's initial staff with the Giants that now have prominent roles with other organizations.Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, three major teams seem to have shifted their attention away from Shohei Ohtani, and indication that they have perhaps been told they're out of the running. Per Passan, the Mets, Red Sox, and Rangers are seemingly out on Ohtani. Those are three teams that were legitimate threats to land the megastar, which only increases the SF Giants' odds of landing Ohtani. Passan adds that the Dodgers, Cubs, Blue Jays, and Angels are known to still be in the running for Ohtani, and that the San Francisco Giants' status is "unknown." Per reports, Ohtani wants things kept as quiet as possible, so that's not necessarily a bad position for the Giants to be in. The Winter Meetings kick off in Nashville on Sunday. What's on the Giants' agenda on the offseason's biggest stage? Landing a superstar should be priority No. 1. Ohtani certainly would suffice. Yoshinobu Yamamoto reportedly won't meet with finalists until the week after the Winter Meetings, so don't expect his signing to go down in Nashville. The SF Giants would be wise, though, to improve their team to prove to Ohtani that they'd be in a position to win with him. It doesn't help that Korean star Jung Hoo Lee has yet to be posted, as he profiles as a strong fit for the Giants. Cody Bellinger is another who seems to fit well. Finally, Gabe Kapler landed on his feet. We learned today that the Giants' fired manager was hired as Assistant General Manager of the Miami Marlins under new President of Baseball Operations Peter Bendix, who was hired away from his position as General Manager of the Rays just weeks ago. Kapler joins several of his Giants coaches in landing on his feet after not being retained by the Giants. Kai Correa, Craig Albernaz, Andrew Bailey, Brian Bannister, Ethan Katz, and Donnie Ecker are among Kapler's initial staff with the Giants that now have prominent roles with other organizations. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

The San Francisco Giants finally announced their new coaching staff under new manager Bob Melvin tonight. At least most of it, anyway. The big ticket additions: Ryan Christenson will be Melvin's bench coach, leaving former bench coach and interim manager Kai Correa's status in question. Matt Williams returns to the Giants and will be the third base coach, which pushes Mark Hallberg from third base to first base. This leaves Antoan Richardson's status in question. And finally, Pat "The Bat" Burrell joins the SF Giants' staff as co-hitting coach with Justin Viele.Viele's retention comes as somewhat of a surprise after two straight lackluster offensive seasons from the Giants under his leadership, ever since Donnie Ecker departed for the Texas Rangers. Pedro Guererro also returns as an assistant hitting coach. On the pitching side, things are far less certain. Director of Pitching Brian Bannister has already departed for the White Sox. Pitching coach Andrew Bailey's status is uncertain. All we know is that J.P. Martinez will return as an assistant pitching coach.What about important holdovers from Gabe Kapler's staff like Alyssa Nakken? Fortunately, Nakken will return for her fifth season as an Assistant Coach with the Giants. She been a popular figure in the dugout since her arrival, and she will forever be the first in-uniform female coach in MLB history. Taira Uematsu will also return as an Assistant Coach. Sadly, popular coach Craig Albernaz officially left the organization to join new Guardians manager Stephen Vogt's first-ever staff.Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

The San Francisco Giants finally announced their new coaching staff under new manager Bob Melvin tonight. At least most of it, anyway. The big ticket additions: Ryan Christenson will be Melvin's bench coach, leaving former bench coach and interim manager Kai Correa's status in question. Matt Williams returns to the Giants and will be the third base coach, which pushes Mark Hallberg from third base to first base. This leaves Antoan Richardson's status in question. And finally, Pat "The Bat" Burrell joins the SF Giants' staff as co-hitting coach with Justin Viele. Viele's retention comes as somewhat of a surprise after two straight lackluster offensive seasons from the Giants under his leadership, ever since Donnie Ecker departed for the Texas Rangers. Pedro Guererro also returns as an assistant hitting coach. On the pitching side, things are far less certain. Director of Pitching Brian Bannister has already departed for the White Sox. Pitching coach Andrew Bailey's status is uncertain. All we know is that J.P. Martinez will return as an assistant pitching coach. What about important holdovers from Gabe Kapler's staff like Alyssa Nakken? Fortunately, Nakken will return for her fifth season as an Assistant Coach with the Giants. She been a popular figure in the dugout since her arrival, and she will forever be the first in-uniform female coach in MLB history. Taira Uematsu will also return as an Assistant Coach. Sadly, popular coach Craig Albernaz officially left the organization to join new Guardians manager Stephen Vogt's first-ever staff. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Free agency officially begun, and San Francisco Giants fans have questions. Realistically, who will the Giants land this offseason? We know that they're very likely to be in on the biggest names in free agency. That includes Shohei Ohtani. It includes all of the top starting pitchers—the strength of this class—including Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Aaron Nola, and several others. Matt Chapman and Jung-Hoo Lee also stand out as realistic fits for the SF Giants.Other questions asked and answered on today's Locked On Giants include:How concerning is it for the Giants pitching that Brian Bannister has departed and it seems Andrew Bailey likely will as well (reports say he wants to go close to family on the east coast)? We saw the hitting struggle after Donnie Ecker left. Thoughts?Who will be the Giants' primary 3B in 2024? J.D. Davis could easily platoon at first base with LaMonte Wade Jr. (probably best for him given how he wore down in the second half last year) & Casey Schmitt could use some seasoning at AAA to improve plate discipline. If not Chapman, what FA/trade acquisition?Can you give a percent chance of where you think Shohei Ohtani will end up between the Giants/Dodgers/other ?Now that Jorge Soler is opting out with the Marlins, how much interest do you think the giants would have in pursuing him?How will Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi getting an extension possibly change how aggressive the SF Giants be this offseason, with Zaidi now knowing he has three more seasons left?Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Free agency officially begun, and San Francisco Giants fans have questions. Realistically, who will the Giants land this offseason? We know that they're very likely to be in on the biggest names in free agency. That includes Shohei Ohtani. It includes all of the top starting pitchers—the strength of this class—including Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Aaron Nola, and several others. Matt Chapman and Jung-Hoo Lee also stand out as realistic fits for the SF Giants. Other questions asked and answered on today's Locked On Giants include: How concerning is it for the Giants pitching that Brian Bannister has departed and it seems Andrew Bailey likely will as well (reports say he wants to go close to family on the east coast)? We saw the hitting struggle after Donnie Ecker left. Thoughts? Who will be the Giants' primary 3B in 2024? J.D. Davis could easily platoon at first base with LaMonte Wade Jr. (probably best for him given how he wore down in the second half last year) & Casey Schmitt could use some seasoning at AAA to improve plate discipline. If not Chapman, what FA/trade acquisition? Can you give a percent chance of where you think Shohei Ohtani will end up between the Giants/Dodgers/other ? Now that Jorge Soler is opting out with the Marlins, how much interest do you think the giants would have in pursuing him? How will Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi getting an extension possibly change how aggressive the SF Giants be this offseason, with Zaidi now knowing he has three more seasons left? Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

After the San Francisco Giants fired manager Gabe Kapler with three games left in the 2023 season, Padres manager Bob Melvin's name immediately came to many peoples' minds as a potential replacement. There was skepticism by some; after all, Melvin had just led the Padres to one of the most disappointing and underachieving seasons in MLB history. Why should he manage the SF Giants?Turns out there are more reasons than can even be counted. Melvin is a Bay Area native and has had a long, successful managerial career, including over a decade across the Bay. He would bring instant credibility where it matters most: among players and fans alike. He has reportedly developed great relationships with Asian-born players like Ichiro Suzuki, Yu Darvish, and Ha-Seong Kim, with the latter two being major potential influences on the ultimate destination of prized players Yoshinobu Yamamoto (out of Japan) and Jung-hoo Lee (out of Korea), who will be posted this offseason.The one potential concern has to do with the coaching staff. For all of Kapler's faults, he did bring in some of the best in the business, most of whom were relative unknowns at the time. Donnie Ecker has since departed for the Texas Rangers (and is himself a potential frontrunner for the Giants' managerial opening), but he is thought to be a hitting genius. Brian Bannister and Andrew Bailey have been very successful in helping the Giants get the most out of pitchers during their tenures. It remains to be seen, however, what type of coaching staff Melvin would seek to put together.Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

After the San Francisco Giants fired manager Gabe Kapler with three games left in the 2023 season, Padres manager Bob Melvin's name immediately came to many peoples' minds as a potential replacement. There was skepticism by some; after all, Melvin had just led the Padres to one of the most disappointing and underachieving seasons in MLB history. Why should he manage the SF Giants? Turns out there are more reasons than can even be counted. Melvin is a Bay Area native and has had a long, successful managerial career, including over a decade across the Bay. He would bring instant credibility where it matters most: among players and fans alike. He has reportedly developed great relationships with Asian-born players like Ichiro Suzuki, Yu Darvish, and Ha-Seong Kim, with the latter two being major potential influences on the ultimate destination of prized players Yoshinobu Yamamoto (out of Japan) and Jung-hoo Lee (out of Korea), who will be posted this offseason. The one potential concern has to do with the coaching staff. For all of Kapler's faults, he did bring in some of the best in the business, most of whom were relative unknowns at the time. Donnie Ecker has since departed for the Texas Rangers (and is himself a potential frontrunner for the Giants' managerial opening), but he is thought to be a hitting genius. Brian Bannister and Andrew Bailey have been very successful in helping the Giants get the most out of pitchers during their tenures. It remains to be seen, however, what type of coaching staff Melvin would seek to put together. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Losing Donnie Ecker may have been one of the most significant moments in recent San Francisco Giants history. Ecker was hired as part of the Giants' large new coaching staff under then-new manager Gabe Kapler entering the 2020 season. Ecker was part of a three-person hitting group, that included Justin Viele and Dustin Lind. Those two remain in the organization, but Ecker left for the Texas Rangers after the Giants shocked with world with a 107-win season in 2021.Now that Kapler has been fired and the SF Giants are searching for a new manager, The San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser reports that Ecker is "expected to be among the potential front-runners" for the Giants' managerial opening. It makes all the sense in the world, as it appears now with two years of hindsight that Ecker had a tremendously positive impact on the SF Giants' offense. Bringing him back as manager would be the only way to offer him a promotion, which the Rangers are supposed to support even if he remains under contract in Texas.In other news, SF Giants General Manager Pete Putila was spotted in South Korea scouting Jung-Hoo Lee, a center fielder who's going to be posted and available for MLB teams to sign this offseason. Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi recently told NBC Sprots Bay Area's Alex Pavlovic that the SF Giants have interest in Lee and Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but there figures to be heavy competition for both.Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Losing Donnie Ecker may have been one of the most significant moments in recent San Francisco Giants history. Ecker was hired as part of the Giants' large new coaching staff under then-new manager Gabe Kapler entering the 2020 season. Ecker was part of a three-person hitting group, that included Justin Viele and Dustin Lind. Those two remain in the organization, but Ecker left for the Texas Rangers after the Giants shocked with world with a 107-win season in 2021. Now that Kapler has been fired and the SF Giants are searching for a new manager, The San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser reports that Ecker is "expected to be among the potential front-runners" for the Giants' managerial opening. It makes all the sense in the world, as it appears now with two years of hindsight that Ecker had a tremendously positive impact on the SF Giants' offense. Bringing him back as manager would be the only way to offer him a promotion, which the Rangers are supposed to support even if he remains under contract in Texas. In other news, SF Giants General Manager Pete Putila was spotted in South Korea scouting Jung-Hoo Lee, a center fielder who's going to be posted and available for MLB teams to sign this offseason. Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi recently told NBC Sprots Bay Area's Alex Pavlovic that the SF Giants have interest in Lee and Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but there figures to be heavy competition for both. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Talk about a bombshell. The San Francisco Giants fired manager Gabe Kapler on Friday afternoon after four seasons in San Francisco. Kapler was an unpopular choice for Giants manager from the start, and he never won over a large segment of the fanbase. These weren't his failed rosters, but nonetheless Kapler always seemed to lack the communication skills necessary to face the media twice daily and seemed to be somewhat of an absent presence in a reeling SF Giants clubhouse.Why does Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi get to keep his job? He's the one responsible for these rosters that have massively disappointed in two straight seasons, in years four and five of his tenure here. It's a very fair question. The answer would seem to be that Zaidi has made numerous savvy moves and is seemingly one or two major moves away from having far more success. Thairo Estrada, Mike Yastrzemski, LaMonte Wade Jr., and J.D. Davis are all good to above-average major leaguers, and all were acquired in trades for next to nothing. The Kevin Gausman, Carlos Rodón, and Wilmer Flores stand out as great acquisitions. The Logan Webb extension was a success. Zaidi simply must be more bold moving forward (for example, he should've signed Gausman to a long-term deal when he had the chance).So ... who are the candidates to replace the fired Kapler? Everyone has an opinion, from old-school "baseball men" like Ron Wotus, Ron Washington, and Dusty Baker to newer school managers like Craig Counsell, who's contract is up after the season. Donnie Ecker is a very intriguing possibility but would the SF Giants be willing to take a chance on a first-time manager? One other name to keep an eye on: Buster Posey. Sure, he'd also be a first-time manager, but there couldn't possibly be a more popular choice among Giants fans, and that's kind of what this team needs right now is some good morale.Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Talk about a bombshell. The San Francisco Giants fired manager Gabe Kapler on Friday afternoon after four seasons in San Francisco. Kapler was an unpopular choice for Giants manager from the start, and he never won over a large segment of the fanbase. These weren't his failed rosters, but nonetheless Kapler always seemed to lack the communication skills necessary to face the media twice daily and seemed to be somewhat of an absent presence in a reeling SF Giants clubhouse. Why does Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi get to keep his job? He's the one responsible for these rosters that have massively disappointed in two straight seasons, in years four and five of his tenure here. It's a very fair question. The answer would seem to be that Zaidi has made numerous savvy moves and is seemingly one or two major moves away from having far more success. Thairo Estrada, Mike Yastrzemski, LaMonte Wade Jr., and J.D. Davis are all good to above-average major leaguers, and all were acquired in trades for next to nothing. The Kevin Gausman, Carlos Rodón, and Wilmer Flores stand out as great acquisitions. The Logan Webb extension was a success. Zaidi simply must be more bold moving forward (for example, he should've signed Gausman to a long-term deal when he had the chance). So ... who are the candidates to replace the fired Kapler? Everyone has an opinion, from old-school "baseball men" like Ron Wotus, Ron Washington, and Dusty Baker to newer school managers like Craig Counsell, who's contract is up after the season. Donnie Ecker is a very intriguing possibility but would the SF Giants be willing to take a chance on a first-time manager? One other name to keep an eye on: Buster Posey. Sure, he'd also be a first-time manager, but there couldn't possibly be a more popular choice among Giants fans, and that's kind of what this team needs right now is some good morale. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

The San Francisco Giants are completely unwatchable right now. Despite holding a strong position just a week ago, the SF Giants found a way to almost completely squander it by going 0-6 after winning the first game of their seven-game road trip. Now the Giants find themselves on the outside looking in, 2.5 games out of a playoff spot (with three teams ahead of them that they must pass) with just 22 games remaining. None of the four teams in this melee for the final spot has particularly great odds, but collectively one is almost certain to make it. The Giants' playoff odds, per FanGraphs, are about 21%.Overall, the SF Giants have been the very definition of "mid" since the start of the 2022 season. After going 81-81 last year, and falling to 70-70 this year after their six-game losing streak, they're obviously 151-151 over their last 302 games. But wait, there's more! The Giants have scored exactly 1310 runs and allowed 1310 runs over this span! Again: the San Francisco Giants have been the definition of "mid" for over 300 games...With that being said, what happens if the likely scenario plays out and the Giants miss the playoffs. Well, certainly something needs to/should happen. Giants chairman Greg Johnson has already indicated that Farhan Zaidi and Gabe Kapler will be back. Perhaps he could change his mind if this collapse continues. But on the coaching staff, it looks like the SF Giants really need to evaluate if their current group could be improved upon. The team simply hasn't been the same since Donnie Ecker left for Texas. The SF Giants hit very well under Ecker in both 2020 and 2021, and they've been below-average offensively since he left. If the current group isn't the best possible group, then they need to make changes.Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

The San Francisco Giants are completely unwatchable right now. Despite holding a strong position just a week ago, the SF Giants found a way to almost completely squander it by going 0-6 after winning the first game of their seven-game road trip. Now the Giants find themselves on the outside looking in, 2.5 games out of a playoff spot (with three teams ahead of them that they must pass) with just 22 games remaining. None of the four teams in this melee for the final spot has particularly great odds, but collectively one is almost certain to make it. The Giants' playoff odds, per FanGraphs, are about 21%. Overall, the SF Giants have been the very definition of "mid" since the start of the 2022 season. After going 81-81 last year, and falling to 70-70 this year after their six-game losing streak, they're obviously 151-151 over their last 302 games. But wait, there's more! The Giants have scored exactly 1310 runs and allowed 1310 runs over this span! Again: the San Francisco Giants have been the definition of "mid" for over 300 games... With that being said, what happens if the likely scenario plays out and the Giants miss the playoffs. Well, certainly something needs to/should happen. Giants chairman Greg Johnson has already indicated that Farhan Zaidi and Gabe Kapler will be back. Perhaps he could change his mind if this collapse continues. But on the coaching staff, it looks like the SF Giants really need to evaluate if their current group could be improved upon. The team simply hasn't been the same since Donnie Ecker left for Texas. The SF Giants hit very well under Ecker in both 2020 and 2021, and they've been below-average offensively since he left. If the current group isn't the best possible group, then they need to make changes. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

According to Giants owner Greg Johnson, maybe don't get your hopes up about Shohei Ohtani signing with the SF Giants afterall. In an interview with the SF Chronicle, Johnson noted that they have the flexibility to add impact talent, but that it would come at the cost of being able to make other moves to fill out the roster. That is only true, by the way, if the team is unwilling to blow past the breakeven point—something that Johnson has made clear he is not inclined to do: "our goal is to break even every year," per Johnson. Also discussed is the Donnie Ecker effect. The SF Giants thrived in 2020 and 2021 with Ecker as their main hitting coach. They hit like crazy and won like crazy. Since Ecker left for the Rangers prior to the 2022 season, the Giants have been dramatically worse offensively with a record just barely over the .500 mark. It remains shocking that they let Ecker leave, although we don't know the full story behind his departure.Finally, some mailbag questions are addressed. What does host Ben Kaspick think the Giants' final win total will be? Which NL teams represent the best and worst possible matchups for the San Francisco Giants in the postseason? Why is a lifelong fan slightly repulsed by this team?Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

According to Giants owner Greg Johnson, maybe don't get your hopes up about Shohei Ohtani signing with the SF Giants afterall. In an interview with the SF Chronicle, Johnson noted that they have the flexibility to add impact talent, but that it would come at the cost of being able to make other moves to fill out the roster. That is only true, by the way, if the team is unwilling to blow past the breakeven point—something that Johnson has made clear he is not inclined to do: "our goal is to break even every year," per Johnson. Also discussed is the Donnie Ecker effect. The SF Giants thrived in 2020 and 2021 with Ecker as their main hitting coach. They hit like crazy and won like crazy. Since Ecker left for the Rangers prior to the 2022 season, the Giants have been dramatically worse offensively with a record just barely over the .500 mark. It remains shocking that they let Ecker leave, although we don't know the full story behind his departure. Finally, some mailbag questions are addressed. What does host Ben Kaspick think the Giants' final win total will be? Which NL teams represent the best and worst possible matchups for the San Francisco Giants in the postseason? Why is a lifelong fan slightly repulsed by this team? Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Anyone else feeling nauseous? The San Francisco Giants took their fans on a roller coaster ride, one that was as nauseating as it was thrilling in the end. The Giants' offense continued its miserable funk as they were only able to muster one run through nine innings. But SF Giants ace Logan Webb was making it stand, carrying a shutout until two outs in the ninth. Webb allowed a two-out double, and was removed for Camilo Doval, who allowed the run to score on a freak play. But Patrick Bailey (who else?) absolutely bailed out the Giants with a two-run home run in the bottom of the 10th with the Giants down to their final out. What would've been perhaps the Giants' worst loss of the season became one of their best. And it's no surprise the rookie sensation Bailey was behind it all.Locked On Giants and Locked On Rangers discuss the series, the wild ending to Game 3, and so much more. How has Gabe Kapler compared to Bruce Bochy? Would Bochy have let Logan Webb keep pitching after he allowed the double in the ninth? What impact has Donnie Ecker had on the Rangers? He seemingly played a huge part in the Giants' offensive success in 2020 and 2021, and is now doing the same thing in Texas. Which player on the other team would each host most want on his team? All of that and more on this crossover edition of Locked On Giants.Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Anyone else feeling nauseous? The San Francisco Giants took their fans on a roller coaster ride, one that was as nauseating as it was thrilling in the end. The Giants' offense continued its miserable funk as they were only able to muster one run through nine innings. But SF Giants ace Logan Webb was making it stand, carrying a shutout until two outs in the ninth. Webb allowed a two-out double, and was removed for Camilo Doval, who allowed the run to score on a freak play. But Patrick Bailey (who else?) absolutely bailed out the Giants with a two-run home run in the bottom of the 10th with the Giants down to their final out. What would've been perhaps the Giants' worst loss of the season became one of their best. And it's no surprise the rookie sensation Bailey was behind it all. Locked On Giants and Locked On Rangers discuss the series, the wild ending to Game 3, and so much more. How has Gabe Kapler compared to Bruce Bochy? Would Bochy have let Logan Webb keep pitching after he allowed the double in the ninth? What impact has Donnie Ecker had on the Rangers? He seemingly played a huge part in the Giants' offensive success in 2020 and 2021, and is now doing the same thing in Texas. Which player on the other team would each host most want on his team? All of that and more on this crossover edition of Locked On Giants. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Bench coach and offensive coordinator for the Texas Rangers, Donnie Ecker joins Extra Innings with Bill Laskey to discuss his journey in baseball and to give his perspective on his role as Bruce Bochy's right hand man.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 896: Brice Paterik and Ben Kaspick of Locked On Giants discuss Bruce Bochy's return to San Francisco, how much Donnie Ecker helps the Rangers' offense and Dane Dunning's best ever game. They also discuss which player on the opposing team they would steal for their own if they could.Subscribe to Locked On Rangers on YouTube.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!IbottaDownload the free Ibotta app and use code MLB for $5 off when you register. eBay MotorsFor parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit. eBay Motors dot com. Let's ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.BunchesDownload the Bunches App today and when you do, our friends at Bunches have featured the LOCKED ON MLB Bunch in the “Discover” tab. Find the Locked On MLB bunch HERE. NutrafolTake the first step to visibly thicker, healthier hair. For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners ten dollars off your first month's subscription and free shipping when you go to Nutrafol.com/men and enter the promo code LOCKEDONMLB. GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONMLB for $20 off your first purchase.FanDuelMake Every Moment More. Right now, when you bet on a Super Bowl Winner, you can GET BONUS BETS EVERY TIME THEY WIN IN THE REGULAR SEASON! FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON.SleeperDownload the Sleeper app and use promo code LOCKEDON and you'll get up to a $100 match on your first deposit. Terms and conditions apply. See Sleeper's Terms of Use for details. Currently operational in over 30 states. Check out Sleeper today!FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 896: Brice Paterik and Ben Kaspick of Locked On Giants discuss Bruce Bochy's return to San Francisco, how much Donnie Ecker helps the Rangers' offense and Dane Dunning's best ever game. They also discuss which player on the opposing team they would steal for their own if they could. Subscribe to Locked On Rangers on YouTube. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Ibotta Download the free Ibotta app and use code MLB for $5 off when you register.  eBay Motors For parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit. eBay Motors dot com. Let's ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. Bunches Download the Bunches App today and when you do, our friends at Bunches have featured the LOCKED ON MLB Bunch in the “Discover” tab. Find the Locked On MLB bunch HERE.  Nutrafol Take the first step to visibly thicker, healthier hair. For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners ten dollars off your first month's subscription and free shipping when you go to Nutrafol.com/men and enter the promo code LOCKEDONMLB.  Gametime Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONMLB for $20 off your first purchase. FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Right now, when you bet on a Super Bowl Winner, you can GET BONUS BETS EVERY TIME THEY WIN IN THE REGULAR SEASON! FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. Sleeper Download the Sleeper app and use promo code LOCKEDON and you'll get up to a $100 match on your first deposit. Terms and conditions apply. See Sleeper's Terms of Use for details. Currently operational in over 30 states. Check out Sleeper today! FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bench coach and offensive coordinator for the Texas Rangers, Donnie Ecker joins Extra Innings with Bill Laskey to discuss his journey in baseball and to give his perspective on his role as Bruce Bochy's right hand man.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finally, that good old problem to have comes around for the San Francisco Giants. With Thairo Estrada, Mitch Haniger, Mike Yastrzemski, and John Brebbia likely to come off the IL this month (Estrada as soon as Saturday), the SF Giants must decide who comes off the 26-man roster. Additionally, players like top prospect Kyle Harrison may be added in the coming weeks as well, and he's not even on the 40-man. Isan Díaz, Casey Schmitt, Luis Matos, and AJ Pollock are the position players whose spots are in jeopardy, and the pitching side is even more difficult to sort through with Tristan Beck and Ryan Walker, two pitchers performing well, the only ones who might reasonably be sent down. Jakob Junis and Alex Wood might be DFA candidates, or an IL stint could be used. Worth keeping in mind: rosters expand from 26 to 28 in September.What should Giants fans make of the team's offensive approach? Is it time to question whether Justin Viele is up to the task as SF Giants hitting coach? To answer the question we must go all the way back to 2020, when Donnie Ecker, Viele, and Dustin Lind were hired as hitting coaches to Gabe Kapler's staff. In 2020 and 2021, the San Francisco Giants hit very well, with Ecker the team's primary hitting instructor. The Texas Rangers took Ecker away in 2022, however, and the Giants haven't been the same since. So it's starting to become more clear that Ecker's influence is being missed and the Giants need to evaluate whether they have the personnel in place to get the most out of their hitters.What to make of the Giants' new jersey patches? For the first time ever, the SF Giants are wearing an advertisement on their classic jerseys. It is, unfortunately, here to stay as teams are raking in tens of millions a year from these deals. Finally, what are the odds outfielder Wade Meckler gets called up to the Giants at some point? They seem to be pretty high, as Farhan Zaidi said as much in a recent interview with NBC Sports Bay Area.Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Finally, that good old problem to have comes around for the San Francisco Giants. With Thairo Estrada, Mitch Haniger, Mike Yastrzemski, and John Brebbia likely to come off the IL this month (Estrada as soon as Saturday), the SF Giants must decide who comes off the 26-man roster. Additionally, players like top prospect Kyle Harrison may be added in the coming weeks as well, and he's not even on the 40-man. Isan Díaz, Casey Schmitt, Luis Matos, and AJ Pollock are the position players whose spots are in jeopardy, and the pitching side is even more difficult to sort through with Tristan Beck and Ryan Walker, two pitchers performing well, the only ones who might reasonably be sent down. Jakob Junis and Alex Wood might be DFA candidates, or an IL stint could be used. Worth keeping in mind: rosters expand from 26 to 28 in September. What should Giants fans make of the team's offensive approach? Is it time to question whether Justin Viele is up to the task as SF Giants hitting coach? To answer the question we must go all the way back to 2020, when Donnie Ecker, Viele, and Dustin Lind were hired as hitting coaches to Gabe Kapler's staff. In 2020 and 2021, the San Francisco Giants hit very well, with Ecker the team's primary hitting instructor. The Texas Rangers took Ecker away in 2022, however, and the Giants haven't been the same since. So it's starting to become more clear that Ecker's influence is being missed and the Giants need to evaluate whether they have the personnel in place to get the most out of their hitters. What to make of the Giants' new jersey patches? For the first time ever, the SF Giants are wearing an advertisement on their classic jerseys. It is, unfortunately, here to stay as teams are raking in tens of millions a year from these deals. Finally, what are the odds outfielder Wade Meckler gets called up to the Giants at some point? They seem to be pretty high, as Farhan Zaidi said as much in a recent interview with NBC Sports Bay Area. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Bryan Reynolds. Carlos Beltran. San Francisco Giants fans are right to be afraid of the team making an all-in move and getting burned by it. We've seen it before, and are the Giants getting set up to repeat the pattern in 2023? It's important to remember that the Beltran and Reynolds moves were made by the previous regime, and the current front office got Kris Bryant without giving up all too much in 2021. Also, the only player that would cost a lot who could be potentially available is Shohei Ohtani. Other than that, the potential moves for the SF Giants won't be extremely consequential. Any moves the Giants make in 2023 likely won't dramatically alter their farm system.Why do the Giants struggle against inferior teams and specifically against no-name starting pitchers, who seem to have their best career starts against the Giants? Is it because Donnie Ecker left for the Texas Rangers? It's a fair questions, but it's worth remembering all the success they've had with their hitting development. LaMonte Wade Jr., J.D. Davis, Thairo Estrada, Mike Yastrzemski, Patrick Bailey, and others have been significant success stories. There are some who have struggled, but overall the Giants' offense has been above average. Oracle Park, and the glare on the hitting background early in games, certainly doesn't help.Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Bryan Reynolds. Carlos Beltran. San Francisco Giants fans are right to be afraid of the team making an all-in move and getting burned by it. We've seen it before, and are the Giants getting set up to repeat the pattern in 2023? It's important to remember that the Beltran and Reynolds moves were made by the previous regime, and the current front office got Kris Bryant without giving up all too much in 2021. Also, the only player that would cost a lot who could be potentially available is Shohei Ohtani. Other than that, the potential moves for the SF Giants won't be extremely consequential. Any moves the Giants make in 2023 likely won't dramatically alter their farm system. Why do the Giants struggle against inferior teams and specifically against no-name starting pitchers, who seem to have their best career starts against the Giants? Is it because Donnie Ecker left for the Texas Rangers? It's a fair questions, but it's worth remembering all the success they've had with their hitting development. LaMonte Wade Jr., J.D. Davis, Thairo Estrada, Mike Yastrzemski, Patrick Bailey, and others have been significant success stories. There are some who have struggled, but overall the Giants' offense has been above average. Oracle Park, and the glare on the hitting background early in games, certainly doesn't help. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Hosted by Chris Townsend, Towny recaps A's Cast Live interviews from: Arizona Diamondbacks Manager, Torey Lovullo, Pirates Manager, Derek Shelton and Rangers Bench Coach, Donnie Ecker. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chris Townsend was joined by A's Hall of Famer & 3x World Series Champion, Dave Stewart (1:10), Dallas Braden (17:15), A's Reliever, Sam Moll (29:10), World Series Champion & Giants pre & postgame analyst, George Kontos (35:30), Rangers Bench Coach, Donnie Ecker (49:40), the Pitching Ninja (57:40) and A's Outfielder, JJ Bleday (1:26:25). To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the May 11 edition of A's Cast Live, our weekly all baseball talk show Monday through Friday, Chris Townsend & Johnny Doskow discussed the young A's and how baseball is noticing how well the rookies are playing (7:00) and were joined by A's Outfielder, JJ Bleday (33:35), Rangers Bench Coach, Donnie Ecker (51:40), Rangers TV Analyst, CJ Nitkowski (59:10) and World Series Champion & Giants Analyst, George Kontos (1:13:10). To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Baseball America's MLB Coach of the Year, Donnie Ecker, shares his heart-forward approach to coaching and leadership.Donnie Ecker is a highly respected and accomplished Major League Baseball (MLB) coach who is entering his second season as bench coach and offensive coordinator for the Texas Rangers. Before his tenure with the Rangers, Donnie was recognized as Baseball America's 2021 MLB Coach of the Year when he helped lead the San Francisco Giants to a franchise record 107 wins and 241 home runs. However, this is not a conversation about baseball. Donnie's expertise is in biomechanics and analytics – but it's his people-first philosophy and ability to help his players work from the inside out that makes his coaching style so powerful and effective. I love how he's navigated the tension between taking care of himself and taking care of those around him. Best of all, it's forged in a great life story. Donnie has skills that we can all learn from and try to implement in our own lives – in business, sport, in our communities, or in our families. So, whether you're a baseball fan, a coach, a business leader, or someone looking to level up your own performance, I think you're really going to love this conversation with Coach Donnie Ecker.-----You can also check out our YouTube channel.Connect with us on our Instagram.For more information and shownotes from every episode, head to findingmastery.net.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jack Smith and Ryan Donahue sit down with Texas Rangers bench coach Donnie Ecker to talk about his hitting philosophy, the Giants vs. Dodgers rivalry, and the effects of analytics on baseball! Ecker, who joined the Rangers before the 2022 season, is one of the biggest up-and-coming names in the MLB coaching world. After retiring from his minor league career, Ecker coached for teams like the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Angels, and Cincinnati Reds before being hired by the San Francisco Giants in 2020. After Ecker's arrival in the Bay Area, the Giants' offense exploded, culminating in a franchise record 107 win, 241 home run season in 2021. In 2022, he accepted a job with the Rangers as their bench coach and offensive coordinator and helped Texas' offense improve in his first season in Arlington. Across his young coaching career, Ecker has worked with some of the best hitters in baseball including Corey Seager, Buster Posey, Joey Votto, and many others! In this episode of the Double Play Podcast, Ecker dishes on what makes some of these players successful as well as his hitting philosophy, the use of analytics, and MLB-wide rule changes such as shift limitation and robot umpires. Check out our Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/doubleplay.bsbl/ Check out our TikTok! https://www.tiktok.com/@doubleplaybsb Check out our Twitter! https://twitter.com/doubleplaybsb?s=21&t=6jpK5g3KKPMk9FIewyv0mg Subscribe to our YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWXI0raztWZpliDveS5rtkQ Check out our Website! https://doubleplaybsbl.wordpress.com/ Ryan's Socials: https://twitter.com/RyanDonahue18 https://www.instagram.com/ryandonahue2/ Jack's Socials: https://twitter.com/jacksmithpxp https://www.instagram.com/jacksmithpxp/

Episode 1008 In this episode, we get insight from a professional run-creator before turning the tables on our favorite interviewer. In the first half, David Laurila welcomes Donnie Ecker, bench coach and offensive coordinator for the Texas Rangers, to the program. Ecker, who David also interviewed last year, shares what it's like to work with […]

Bruce Bochy will probably get a statue outside of Oracle Park some day. He means that much to the San Francisco Giants, so the news of him accepting the role of manager with the Texas Rangers last week was shocking, even if it could be seen coming. Bochy read the room and seemingly agreed mutually with the organization that it was time to move on as the club prepared to bring in a new president of baseball operations, a role that ultimately went to Farhan Zaidi. Bochy managed the Giants for one more season, then he "retired."But it was apparent almost right away that Bochy still wanted to manage again someday. Which was a little bit awkward from the SF Giants' perspective. The optics made it appear that Bochy was nudged out the door, which may in fact have some truth to it (but it was seemingly decided before Zaidi was hired, so it was more of an organizational decision than a front office one). Anyhow, what will Bochy bring to Texas? What made him so beloved in San Francisco, aside from simply winning three titles? What enables the San Francisco Giants to win those three championships under Boch?There are a lot of connections between the SF Giants and Texas Rangers these days. Bochy is the new Rangers manager, and Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reported recently that the Rangers plan to make a big push for 2022 SF Giants ace Carlos Rodón. Rodón had a monster season in San Francsico in 2022, and he is certain to opt out of the $22.5M player option for 2023. The Giants have been hesitant to hand out long-term deals to starting pitchers, so it wouldn't be a shock if Rodón doesn't return to the Giants. The same kind of thing happened last year with Kevin Gausman.Former Giants hitting coach Donnie Ecker, who accepted a role as Rangers bench coach and offensive coordinator following the 2021 campaign, is also discussed. Bochy's coaching staff, and whether he'll go with more "old school" vs. "new school" coaches, will be fascinating to watch. Ecker fall firmly in the latter category.Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Bruce Bochy will probably get a statue outside of Oracle Park some day. He means that much to the San Francisco Giants, so the news of him accepting the role of manager with the Texas Rangers last week was shocking, even if it could be seen coming. Bochy read the room and seemingly agreed mutually with the organization that it was time to move on as the club prepared to bring in a new president of baseball operations, a role that ultimately went to Farhan Zaidi. Bochy managed the Giants for one more season, then he "retired." But it was apparent almost right away that Bochy still wanted to manage again someday. Which was a little bit awkward from the SF Giants' perspective. The optics made it appear that Bochy was nudged out the door, which may in fact have some truth to it (but it was seemingly decided before Zaidi was hired, so it was more of an organizational decision than a front office one). Anyhow, what will Bochy bring to Texas? What made him so beloved in San Francisco, aside from simply winning three titles? What enables the San Francisco Giants to win those three championships under Boch? There are a lot of connections between the SF Giants and Texas Rangers these days. Bochy is the new Rangers manager, and Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reported recently that the Rangers plan to make a big push for 2022 SF Giants ace Carlos Rodón. Rodón had a monster season in San Francsico in 2022, and he is certain to opt out of the $22.5M player option for 2023. The Giants have been hesitant to hand out long-term deals to starting pitchers, so it wouldn't be a shock if Rodón doesn't return to the Giants. The same kind of thing happened last year with Kevin Gausman. Former Giants hitting coach Donnie Ecker, who accepted a role as Rangers bench coach and offensive coordinator following the 2021 campaign, is also discussed. Bochy's coaching staff, and whether he'll go with more "old school" vs. "new school" coaches, will be fascinating to watch. Ecker fall firmly in the latter category. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Bruce Bochy is coming back to manage ... the Texas Rangers?! Former legendary San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy will be the Rangers' next skipper after agreeing to a three-year contract. Bochy, 67, retired from managing after the 2019 season, his last with the SF Giants.Was Bochy pushed out by Farhan Zaidi and the San Francisco Giants front office? Those rumors have swirled ever since Bochy announced his impending retirement, but they're also factually incorrect. Reputable sources have reported repeatedly that the Giants told prospective presidents of baseball operations during the interview process that they would have a chance to pick a new manager after the 2019 season, which would be Bochy's last with the San Francisco Giants.There's an interesting dynamic permeating major league baseball when it comes to modern vs. traditional managers. Many teams—the Rangers included—have hired modern managers without experience in recent years, only to fire those managers and opt to hire more traditional managers instead. Even Gabe Kapler, who's now managed the Giants for three seasons, was one of these inexperienced types when he took over the Phillies job in 2018.The Giants seem to be the type of team that doesn't want to cycle through managers so frequently, as many teams seem to do. Kapler was recently given an extension. There's also the increasingly important of the major league coaching staff. Tradtitional managers have traditionally hired coaches that don't necessarily provide the type of cutting-edge technology that will soon be imperative in order to succeed in today's game. Bochy's staffs with the SF Giants certainly weren't of that ilk. It will be fascinating to see how Bochy makes his staff. Donnie Ecker, the Giants' esteemed and modern hitting coach in 2020 and 2021, was hired as the Rangers' bench coach and offensive coordinator in 2022, and it will be fascinating to see whether he remains in that role in 2023.Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Bruce Bochy is coming back to manage ... the Texas Rangers?! Former legendary San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy will be the Rangers' next skipper after agreeing to a three-year contract. Bochy, 67, retired from managing after the 2019 season, his last with the SF Giants. Was Bochy pushed out by Farhan Zaidi and the San Francisco Giants front office? Those rumors have swirled ever since Bochy announced his impending retirement, but they're also factually incorrect. Reputable sources have reported repeatedly that the Giants told prospective presidents of baseball operations during the interview process that they would have a chance to pick a new manager after the 2019 season, which would be Bochy's last with the San Francisco Giants. There's an interesting dynamic permeating major league baseball when it comes to modern vs. traditional managers. Many teams—the Rangers included—have hired modern managers without experience in recent years, only to fire those managers and opt to hire more traditional managers instead. Even Gabe Kapler, who's now managed the Giants for three seasons, was one of these inexperienced types when he took over the Phillies job in 2018. The Giants seem to be the type of team that doesn't want to cycle through managers so frequently, as many teams seem to do. Kapler was recently given an extension. There's also the increasingly important of the major league coaching staff. Tradtitional managers have traditionally hired coaches that don't necessarily provide the type of cutting-edge technology that will soon be imperative in order to succeed in today's game. Bochy's staffs with the SF Giants certainly weren't of that ilk. It will be fascinating to see how Bochy makes his staff. Donnie Ecker, the Giants' esteemed and modern hitting coach in 2020 and 2021, was hired as the Rangers' bench coach and offensive coordinator in 2022, and it will be fascinating to see whether he remains in that role in 2023. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Donnie Ecker is the Bench Coach for the Texas Rangers. He was recently named the 2021 Major League Coach of the year and former hitting coach for NL West Champions San Francisco Giants. He is a mastermind within human performance. Extremely knowledgeable and able to articulate information to athletes at the highest level. Beyond the field of sport, Donnie is a great man, very caring and genuine to the world around him. Take a listen as Harvey and Donnie go into the deep end of living a life of maximum potential. - Where to find Donnie: Socials - @donald_ecker  

On today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick discusses the latest news with Major League Baseball and the San Francisco Giants. The first order of business is the major news that Yankees hitting instructor Rachel Balcovec will become the first female manager in affiliated professional baseball. She will manage the Yankees' Low-A team beginning in 2022, and it puts her on a path to greater things in years to come. Notably, Giants manager Gabe Kapler interviewed Balkovec in 2019 for the position of quality control coach, where she would have worked as a hitting instructor and in strength and development. Balkovec opted to stay with the Yankees, and the move seems to have paid off. Kapler later hired Alyssa Nakken as a major league coach, and she became the first female to hold such a role in major league history. In the past year or so, many women have broken significant barriers, including Kim Ng becoming general manager of the Miami Marlins, the first female to hold that role.Ben also discusses the latest with the major league lockout. ESPN's Jeff Passan reported today that MLB is going to make a core-economics proposal to the MLB Players Association on Thursday. While this is extremely welcome news, as this will be the first of its kind proposal by either side since the lockout began on Dec. 2, Ben urges listeners not to be overly optimistic about the proposal leading to any significant momentum. It's entirely possible, if not likely, that the MLBPA will not respond positively to the proposal and we'll be back to square one.Finally, Ben discusses the Giants denying the Mets permission to interview pitching coach Andrew Bailey for the Mets' open bench coach position. It's debatable whether the position would be a promotion, and it's pretty late in the offseason for teams to be willing to give up a key member of their staff. Ben relates the situation to the Giants losing Donnie Ecker to the Rangers much earlier in the offseason, when they were willing to allow him to explore the role, one which he eventually was offered and accepted. Ben also discusses Austrailian LHP Genevieve Beacom becoming the first Australian professional baseball player over the weekend. The lefty tossed a scoreless inning and featured a fastball/breaking ball mix.Follow & Subscribe to the Locked On Giants Podcast on these platforms

On today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick discusses the latest news with Major League Baseball and the San Francisco Giants. The first order of business is the major news that Yankees hitting instructor Rachel Balcovec will become the first female manager in affiliated professional baseball. She will manage the Yankees' Low-A team beginning in 2022, and it puts her on a path to greater things in years to come. Notably, Giants manager Gabe Kapler interviewed Balkovec in 2019 for the position of quality control coach, where she would have worked as a hitting instructor and in strength and development. Balkovec opted to stay with the Yankees, and the move seems to have paid off. Kapler later hired Alyssa Nakken as a major league coach, and she became the first female to hold such a role in major league history. In the past year or so, many women have broken significant barriers, including Kim Ng becoming general manager of the Miami Marlins, the first female to hold that role. Ben also discusses the latest with the major league lockout. ESPN's Jeff Passan reported today that MLB is going to make a core-economics proposal to the MLB Players Association on Thursday. While this is extremely welcome news, as this will be the first of its kind proposal by either side since the lockout began on Dec. 2, Ben urges listeners not to be overly optimistic about the proposal leading to any significant momentum. It's entirely possible, if not likely, that the MLBPA will not respond positively to the proposal and we'll be back to square one. Finally, Ben discusses the Giants denying the Mets permission to interview pitching coach Andrew Bailey for the Mets' open bench coach position. It's debatable whether the position would be a promotion, and it's pretty late in the offseason for teams to be willing to give up a key member of their staff. Ben relates the situation to the Giants losing Donnie Ecker to the Rangers much earlier in the offseason, when they were willing to allow him to explore the role, one which he eventually was offered and accepted. Ben also discusses Austrailian LHP Genevieve Beacom becoming the first Australian professional baseball player over the weekend. The lefty tossed a scoreless inning and featured a fastball/breaking ball mix. Follow & Subscribe to the Locked On Giants Podcast on these platforms

On today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick discusses the San Francisco Giants' 2022 ZiPS projections. Last season, the Giants outperformed their ZiPS projections more than any team had ever before. In Ben's opinion, the projection failed to take into account the influence of the Giants' new hitting coaches, Donnie Ecker, Justin Viele, and Dustin Lind, who demonstrated an ability to make players better in the short 2020 season. This year, the projections still aren't fully buying the Giants' collective breakout. Brandon Crawford is projected to be good, but not great, and roughly league average offensively. Buster Posey, had he still been playing, would similarly be projected to be more average than great. Brandon Belt is projected to be an above-average hitter, but nothing like the monster he was in 2020 and 2021 when on the field. Ben also explores the projections for the likes of Joey Bart, LaMonte Wade Jr., Mike Yastrzemski, and Kris Bryant. Lastly, he looks at some of the Giants' top pitchers. Logan Webb has an excellent projection, and it seems that the computers agree that Webb has arrived as a front-line starter. Alex Wood, Alex Cobb, and Anthony DeSclafani are projected to be solid second-tier starters behind an ace-like Webb, but the Giants are still missing at least one more trusted arm, it would seem.Follow & Subscribe to the Locked On Giants Podcast on these platforms

On today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick discusses the San Francisco Giants' 2022 ZiPS projections. Last season, the Giants outperformed their ZiPS projections more than any team had ever before. In Ben's opinion, the projection failed to take into account the influence of the Giants' new hitting coaches, Donnie Ecker, Justin Viele, and Dustin Lind, who demonstrated an ability to make players better in the short 2020 season. This year, the projections still aren't fully buying the Giants' collective breakout. Brandon Crawford is projected to be good, but not great, and roughly league average offensively. Buster Posey, had he still been playing, would similarly be projected to be more average than great. Brandon Belt is projected to be an above-average hitter, but nothing like the monster he was in 2020 and 2021 when on the field. Ben also explores the projections for the likes of Joey Bart, LaMonte Wade Jr., Mike Yastrzemski, and Kris Bryant. Lastly, he looks at some of the Giants' top pitchers. Logan Webb has an excellent projection, and it seems that the computers agree that Webb has arrived as a front-line starter. Alex Wood, Alex Cobb, and Anthony DeSclafani are projected to be solid second-tier starters behind an ace-like Webb, but the Giants are still missing at least one more trusted arm, it would seem. Follow & Subscribe to the Locked On Giants Podcast on these platforms

On today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick discusses the latest with the San Francisco Giants. Gabe Kapler was extended through 2024, in a move that shouldn't come as a surprise. He's coming off a 107-win season, and was going to be entering the final year of his original deal. This extension was a foregone conclusion, assuming he wanted to remain with the Giants.The Giants also made three waiver claims recently, nabbing off waivers RHP Hunter Harvey, OF Austin Dean, and LHP Joe Palumbo. All three were added to the club's 40-man roster, which currently stands at 38. Ben gives a brief scouting report on the three claims, and concludes that Harvey seems most likely to stick, where he could carve out a role in the bullpen. Friday is the deadline for teams to add players to the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 draft. The Giants will need to make several adds, which could force one or more of these recently claimed players to be designated for assignment.Finally, Ben discusses Giants president of baseball operations winning the fourth annual Executive of the Year award, which is voted on by other heads of baseball ops. Zaidi joins past winners Billy Beane, Erik Neander, and Andrew Friedman, two of whom are his former bosses. Zaidi's role in shaping this year's 107-win team is undeniable, and it was a truly amazing achievement. Ben also discusses the Giants hiring hitting coach Pedro Guerrero to replace Donnie Ecker, Mark Hallberg being promoted to third base coach, and Taira Uematsu being promoted from bullpen catcher to Assistant Coach.Follow & Subscribe to the Locked On Giants Podcast on these platforms

On today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick discusses the latest with the San Francisco Giants. Gabe Kapler was extended through 2024, in a move that shouldn't come as a surprise. He's coming off a 107-win season, and was going to be entering the final year of his original deal. This extension was a foregone conclusion, assuming he wanted to remain with the Giants. The Giants also made three waiver claims recently, nabbing off waivers RHP Hunter Harvey, OF Austin Dean, and LHP Joe Palumbo. All three were added to the club's 40-man roster, which currently stands at 38. Ben gives a brief scouting report on the three claims, and concludes that Harvey seems most likely to stick, where he could carve out a role in the bullpen. Friday is the deadline for teams to add players to the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 draft. The Giants will need to make several adds, which could force one or more of these recently claimed players to be designated for assignment. Finally, Ben discusses Giants president of baseball operations winning the fourth annual Executive of the Year award, which is voted on by other heads of baseball ops. Zaidi joins past winners Billy Beane, Erik Neander, and Andrew Friedman, two of whom are his former bosses. Zaidi's role in shaping this year's 107-win team is undeniable, and it was a truly amazing achievement. Ben also discusses the Giants hiring hitting coach Pedro Guerrero to replace Donnie Ecker, Mark Hallberg being promoted to third base coach, and Taira Uematsu being promoted from bullpen catcher to Assistant Coach. Follow & Subscribe to the Locked On Giants Podcast on these platforms

On today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick details a busy weekend that was for the San Francisco Giants. Sunday was a day of forced action, as qualifying offer and option decisions had to be made. The Giants exercised their options for Wilmer Flores ($3.5M) and José Álvarez ($1.5M), and officially declined their $22M option for Johnny Cueto, in favor of a $5M buyout. Flores and Álvarez were strong contributors for the Giants in 2021, and it's good news for the team that they'll be back next year, both in the final year of their deals with San Francisco. Cueto is officially a free agent after six mostly underwhelming years with the Giants. His first season in orange and black was spectacular, but he wasn't able to come anywhere close to it again over the final five.The Giants extended a one-year, $18.4M qualifying offer to Brandon Belt. There was some possibility that they might extend qualifying offers to Anthony DeSclafani and/or Alex Wood, but both were unlikely and the team ultimately elected to pass. This doesn't mean that they won't be back; just that they didn't extend them qualifying offers. Belt will have 10 days to accept or reject the Giants' offer. If he signs with another team this offseason, the Giants will receive Draft Pick compensation. Belt is a candidate to accept the offer, but he could also work out an extension to stay in San Francisco.Finally, Ben discusses Brandon Crawford winning his fourth career Gold Glove Award. He was spectacular defensively in 2021, which is a testament to his own hard work and the influence of Kai Correa and Ron Wotus. The Giants' new coaching staff has done a tremendous job getting the most out of players since taking over in 2020, and that includes Correa and his influence over the defense. Crawford, Belt, and Buster Posey were all at or near their best in 2021 despite being in their mid-30s. Ben reminds listeners of how significant of a loss it was when hitting coach Donnie Ecker accepted a position as bench coach and offensive coordinator with the Texas Rangers last week. Mike Yastrzemski was a Gold Glove finalist in right field, but he did not win the award. Still, it's an honor just for Yaz to have been named a finalist.Watch Daily on YouTube http://bit.ly/LOGYouTubeBONUS CONTENT: https://bit.ly/BenKaspickYouTubeSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you'll get 15% off your next order.BetOnline AGThere is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick details a busy weekend that was for the San Francisco Giants. Sunday was a day of forced action, as qualifying offer and option decisions had to be made. The Giants exercised their options for Wilmer Flores ($3.5M) and José Álvarez ($1.5M), and officially declined their $22M option for Johnny Cueto, in favor of a $5M buyout. Flores and Álvarez were strong contributors for the Giants in 2021, and it's good news for the team that they'll be back next year, both in the final year of their deals with San Francisco. Cueto is officially a free agent after six mostly underwhelming years with the Giants. His first season in orange and black was spectacular, but he wasn't able to come anywhere close to it again over the final five. The Giants extended a one-year, $18.4M qualifying offer to Brandon Belt. There was some possibility that they might extend qualifying offers to Anthony DeSclafani and/or Alex Wood, but both were unlikely and the team ultimately elected to pass. This doesn't mean that they won't be back; just that they didn't extend them qualifying offers. Belt will have 10 days to accept or reject the Giants' offer. If he signs with another team this offseason, the Giants will receive Draft Pick compensation. Belt is a candidate to accept the offer, but he could also work out an extension to stay in San Francisco. Finally, Ben discusses Brandon Crawford winning his fourth career Gold Glove Award. He was spectacular defensively in 2021, which is a testament to his own hard work and the influence of Kai Correa and Ron Wotus. The Giants' new coaching staff has done a tremendous job getting the most out of players since taking over in 2020, and that includes Correa and his influence over the defense. Crawford, Belt, and Buster Posey were all at or near their best in 2021 despite being in their mid-30s. Ben reminds listeners of how significant of a loss it was when hitting coach Donnie Ecker accepted a position as bench coach and offensive coordinator with the Texas Rangers last week. Mike Yastrzemski was a Gold Glove finalist in right field, but he did not win the award. Still, it's an honor just for Yaz to have been named a finalist. Watch Daily on YouTube http://bit.ly/LOGYouTube BONUS CONTENT: https://bit.ly/BenKaspickYouTube Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you'll get 15% off your next order. BetOnline AG There is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 481: Brice Paterik discusses the Rangers hiring Donnie Ecker as their new bench coach, how he made the Giants into one of the best offensive teams in baseball and what his title of Offensive Coordinator actually means. He also discusses Aaron Zavala's health scare that nearly ended his pro career before it started and what the Braves must do to take down the Astros in the World Series.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you'll get 15% off your next order.BetOnline AGThere is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

San Francisco Giants Broadcaster Mike Krukow joins the Murph & Mac Show to talk about Donnie Ecker leaving the Giants and game 6 of the 2021 World Series! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brad and Garrett are back the day after #Halloween to talk about the World Series, the latest in Giants news including Tommy La Stella's injury, Donnie Ecker leaving, and how much money the Giants actually might have. Then they talk about former Giant leading the San Diego Padres. Video version here: https://youtu.be/yVNqLwEAWrI Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thompson-2-clark-a-giants-podcast/id1525173181 Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Thompson2Clark Follow our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/thompson2clark Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1119989601710400 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thompson2clark Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaJKsqfSTkt1Cj7GZ0-yDyA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 481: Brice Paterik discusses the Rangers hiring Donnie Ecker as their new bench coach, how he made the Giants into one of the best offensive teams in baseball and what his title of Offensive Coordinator actually means. He also discusses Aaron Zavala's health scare that nearly ended his pro career before it started and what the Braves must do to take down the Astros in the World Series. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you'll get 15% off your next order. BetOnline AG There is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

San Francisco Giants Broadcaster Mike Krukow joins the Murph & Mac Show to talk about Donnie Ecker leaving the Giants and game 6 of the 2021 World Series! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick, host Ben Kaspick talks about three things we learned this weekend with the San Francisco Giants. Tommy La Stella, who received the largest contact handed out by Farhan Zaidi in San Francisco last offseason, had a disappointing first season in San Francisco. He was injured several times, and most recently his left Achilles bothered him down the stretch and kept him out of some key games. He met with a specialist last week, and ultimately ended up having surgery. He is expected to be back at full strength in four months, but you never know with these things. The Giants may need additional insurance at second base, as Donovan Solano is a free agent and their depth chart there currently looks something like Wilmer Flores, Thairo Estrada, Jason Vosler, and Mauricio Dubón. The Giants also suffered a big blow in the world of coaching on Monday. Donnie Ecker, one of the Giants' hitting coaches responsible for turning this team's offense around over the past two seasons, is leaving for the Texas Rangers, where he'll be bench coach and offensive coordinator, in charge of offensive development at the major and minor league levels. Ecker is considered a rising star in the industry, and this moves him one step closer to potentially becoming a manager. But it stings for the Giants, although manager Gabe Kapler is known for constantly keeping tabs on coaches who would be next in line if one of their own departs. This is par for the course for a team that shocked the industry by winning a franchise-record 107 games.Finally, Ben discusses Buster Posey winning his second Comeback Player of the Year Award. It was a tremendous bounceback season for Posey (in part thanks to Ecker, no doubt), after he opted out of the 2020 season and had struggled to below-average offensive performance in 2019. Several Giants veterans enjoyed career years in 2021, thanks to the Giants' new coaches hired by Kapler.Watch Daily on YouTube http://bit.ly/LOGYouTubeBONUS CONTENT: https://bit.ly/BenKaspickYouTubeSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you'll get 15% off your next order.BetOnline AGThere is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's Locked On Giants podcast, host Ben Kaspick, host Ben Kaspick talks about three things we learned this weekend with the San Francisco Giants. Tommy La Stella, who received the largest contact handed out by Farhan Zaidi in San Francisco last offseason, had a disappointing first season in San Francisco. He was injured several times, and most recently his left Achilles bothered him down the stretch and kept him out of some key games. He met with a specialist last week, and ultimately ended up having surgery. He is expected to be back at full strength in four months, but you never know with these things. The Giants may need additional insurance at second base, as Donovan Solano is a free agent and their depth chart there currently looks something like Wilmer Flores, Thairo Estrada, Jason Vosler, and Mauricio Dubón. The Giants also suffered a big blow in the world of coaching on Monday. Donnie Ecker, one of the Giants' hitting coaches responsible for turning this team's offense around over the past two seasons, is leaving for the Texas Rangers, where he'll be bench coach and offensive coordinator, in charge of offensive development at the major and minor league levels. Ecker is considered a rising star in the industry, and this moves him one step closer to potentially becoming a manager. But it stings for the Giants, although manager Gabe Kapler is known for constantly keeping tabs on coaches who would be next in line if one of their own departs. This is par for the course for a team that shocked the industry by winning a franchise-record 107 games. Finally, Ben discusses Buster Posey winning his second Comeback Player of the Year Award. It was a tremendous bounceback season for Posey (in part thanks to Ecker, no doubt), after he opted out of the 2020 season and had struggled to below-average offensive performance in 2019. Several Giants veterans enjoyed career years in 2021, thanks to the Giants' new coaches hired by Kapler. Watch Daily on YouTube http://bit.ly/LOGYouTube BONUS CONTENT: https://bit.ly/BenKaspickYouTube Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you'll get 15% off your next order. BetOnline AG There is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Phillies Broadcaster & Former Giant Kevin Frandsen talks some World Series Baseball and what the loss of Donnie Ecker means for the Giants See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Phillies Broadcaster & Former Giant Kevin Frandsen talks some World Series Baseball and what the loss of Donnie Ecker means for the Giants See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donnie Ecker joins Talkin' Baseball with Kerry to talk about what he thought when he first found out he was coaching Kris Bryant See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donnie Ecker joins Talkin' Baseball with Kerry to talk about what he thought when he first found out he was coaching Kris Bryant See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For most people, getting to play or coach for the baseball team they grew up loving is just a dream. For Brandon Crawford, Mauricio Dubón, assistant coach Alyssa Nakken and hitting coach Donnie Ecker, it is a reality. Listen to learn how they've each made their way to the big leagues, from their memories going to Giants games as fans, to now being a part of the team they've always admired.

The Giants are hiring coaches who embrace data and technology to hone their craft and help players perform at their best. The team has reportedly hired Donnie Ecker, who is credited with the breakout of Aristides Aquino, to be their new hitting coach, and they've also hired pitching guru Brian Bannister away from the Red Sox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices