Friday Newsletter time: A season opener at Toronto or Jack Leiter's pro debut? April 8 could be a doozy for Texas Rangers
If the first two series are the only ones canceled by the lockout, the Rangers could be going to head to head with the professional debut of their 2021 first-round pick.
A friend of mine needs some help:
You have to choose between traveling to the Texas Rangers’ 2022 season opener, which at this point would be April 8 at Toronto, or traveling to the professional debut of Jack Leiter, which could be April 8.
What do you do?
It’s not an easy answer.
If it were any other place, I would say the big-league opener. Traveling to Toronto is a pain in the butt under normal circumstances because of customs. Throw in the continued fear over COVID-19 in Canada, and things get tough.
A rapid test is still being required for travelers entering our neighbors to the north.
And, boy, Toronto is pretty expensive.
Leiter could be opening the season at Double A Frisco, which is at home April 8, or at High A Hickory, which is at Winston-Salem on April 8.
That is going to be a big story.
But the Rangers won’t be without storylines.
It will be the first game in a Rangers uniform for Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, who played last season for Toronto.
Clayton Kershaw could start Opening Day, if the Rangers were to sign him. A lot must happen to get Kershaw to come to the Rangers, but money shouldn’t be a significant issue.
Now do you see why I’m asking you guys for a friend?
Labor update
Two negotiators from each side of the labor dispute met Thursday in New York, according to reports, though nothing formal was proposed and a date for the next round of bargaining was either not set or set and not announced.
Rangers broadcast C.J. Nitkowski, talking about the lockout on the Texas Rangers Baseball Podcast, said he will be watching to see if the owners budge on the competitive balance tax. He also said that more regular-season games could be lost if an agreement isn’t in place by Tuesday.
Negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement broke off Tuesday and the two series of the regular season were canceled.
Card of the Week
I haven’t bought anything new in a couple weeks, but I continue to have stacks of cards on my desk around my computer.
So, I picked one stack and decided to choose the Card of the Week from that. It turns out that the first five cards in the stack were Hall of Fame players Bob Gibson, Yogi Berra, Roy Campanella, Bert Blyleven (rookie) and 2022 inductee Tony Oliva (rookie).
I went with the one in the best shape — the 1958 Topps Berra, No. 358. I also have his ‘60 and ‘62 cards. This is the one I’ve had the longest, dating to my teenage years. There’s nothing particularly special about it, other than him being one of best catchers of all time.
FYI, there is a card show this weekend. Dallas Card Show is staging another big one at the Delta Marriott Watters Creek Convention Center in Allen. The show started Thursday and runs though Sunday.
Doggy video!
Sticking it to The Man. Enjoy. See you Monday.
While either Frisco or Hickory could have Leiter as the Opening Day starter, the other team will most likely have a highly regarded prospect pitching for them that day also. They both could be rotation mates in Arlington in 2024. This is one of the best set of pitching prospects the Rangers have ever had, maybe the best.
Is there any recent word out about Kershaw's arm? Is he healthy?