The Sunday Read: Expectations ahead for the Texas Rangers in 2022

The leash will be shorter for players who have yet to cement a place in the club's future plans.

Rangers manager Chris Woodward is frustrated by the lockout, but has made the most of his time with his coaching staff (The Associated Press/Duane Burleson).

Imagine being Chris Woodward for a second.

The team that employs him as its manager, the Texas Rangers, went out and got him some talent, spending $561.2 million on four players. Two of those players are shortstop Corey Seager and second baseman Marcus Semien.

And Woodward can’t talk to the newcomers. He can’t talk to any player on the 40-man roster thanks to the lockout, which dragged on yet another day with nothing good happening to resolve it.

He has message for his players, too.