Tuesday Newsletter time: Camp schedule is only going to speed up after Texas Rangers' first spring workout
The key is trying to play as much as possible while being mindful of a potential physical toll, shortstop Corey Seager said.
The gang is all here, or at least the Texas Rangers know where their players are if they aren’t at the Surprise Recreation Campus.
Only three of the players on the camp roster, such that it is pending the announcement of some minor-league deals, did not participate in the first workout of big-league camp Monday – center fielder Leody Taveras, right-hander Yerry Rodriguez and infielder Ezequiel Duran.
They are dealing with visa issues or flight issues, though nothing of their doing and nothing that would have been an issue if not for the MLB lockout and a rush to start spring training.
The four major additions before the lockout were all in camp by Sunday. Right-hander Jon Gray arrived Friday, outfielder Kole Calhoun on Saturday, second baseman Marcus Semien early Sunday morning and shortstop Corey Seager later in the morning.
“I’m pleasantly surprised, pleased, that everybody is kind of ready,” manager Chris Woodward said.
They all did something on the field, though. Semien and Calhoun hit in the same group for batting practice, along with Adolis Garcia, and Gray threw a bullpen session that should have him ready for live batting practice this week.
Seager did some light infield work with assistant coach Corey Ragsdale.
Things picked up in earnest Monday.
Players hit the field around 11:30 a.m. after a 10 a.m. team meeting. Live batting practices for pitchers start Wednesday. The first Cactus League game is Friday. Camp breaks April 5, and the season opener is April 8 at Toronto.
There won’t be much tapping of the breaks early on, for pitchers or position players.
“A lot of these guys have thrown live,” Woodward said. “Throwing a bullpen was a downgrade for a lot of them. It’s OK to set them back a couple days just so we can see how they recover.”
One thing position players have to get used to is wearing spikes again, something that happens every spring after working out on mats during the offseason instead of dirt.
That’s a legit thing, and the feet bark for a few days or longer.
But with a shorter spring, players have to gauge how hard to press the gas pedal.
“You've got to get out there and play, and the hard part is not building up too fast and not being ready,” Seager said. “So, it's a fine line of 'I've got to get out there, you've got to give reps,' but trying not to do it too fast and too much.”
On the move again
The Isiah Kiner-Falefa Era with the Minnesota Twins lasted just more than 30 hours.
The former Rangers shortstop, traded to the Twins on Saturday for catch Mitch Garver, was traded Sunday night to the New York Yankees along with third baseman Josh Donaldson.
Kiner-Falefa, just as Joey Gallo and Rougned Odor did last season, shaved away his beard and mustache. Like Odor, he looks like a completely different person.
Gallo is still with the Yankees, and maybe having a familiar face around him will help him feel more comfortable in New York. Kiner-Falefa might need to lean Gallo as he gets adjusted to the strongly opinionated fan base.
The Newsletter wishes Kiner-Falefa nothing but the best of luck, and hopes he gets to stay put for least 48 hours.
Revised spring schedule
As was noted above, the Rangers play their first Cactus League game Friday in the annual opener with their Surprise roommates, the Royals.
Individual tickets for games at Surprise Stadium will go on sale today. They are available at texasrangers.com or at the Surprise Stadium box office at 15850 N. Bullard Ave. It opens daily at 10 a.m. MST.
All but one game will either be aired on 105.3 FM or as a webcast. Four games will be shown on Bally Sports Southwest — March 29, March 31, April 4 and April 5.
Here’s the schedule:
Friday, vs. Royals (Surprise Stadium), 3:05 p.m., 105.3 FM (tape-delayed 10:05 p.m.)
Saturday, vs. Brewers (Surprise Stadium), 3:05 p.m., 105.3 FM
Sunday, Open
Monday, at Guardians (Goodyear Ballpark), 3:10 p.m., webcast
March 22, at Diamondbacks (Salt River Fields), 3:05 p.m., webcast
March 23, vs. White Sox (Surprise Stadium), 3:05 p.m., webcast
March 24, at A’s (HoHoKam Park), 3:05 p.m., webcast
March 25, vs. Royals (Surprise Stadium), 3:05 p.m., 105.3 FM (tape-delayed 10:05 p.m.)
March 26, at Rockies (Salt River Fields), 3:10 p.m., 105.3 FM
March 27, vs. Diamondbacks (Surprise Stadium), 3:05 p.m., 105.3 FM
March 28, at Mariners (Peoria Sports Complex), 3:10 p.m., webcast
March 29, vs. Reds (Surprise Stadium), 3:05 p.m. Bally Sports SW
March 30, at White Sox (Camelback Ranch), 3:05 p.m., webcast
March 31, vs. Dodgers (Surprise Stadium), 3:05 p.m., webcast
April 1, at Giants (Scottsdale Stadium), 2:05 p.m., 105.3 FM (tape delayed 10:05 p.m.)
April 2, vs. Guardians (Surprise Stadium), 8:05 p.m., 105.3 FM/Bally Sports SWX
April 3, at Brewers (Maryvale Ballpark), 3:05 p.m., 105.3 FM
April 4, vs. Padres (Surprise Stadium), 3:05 p.m., webcast/Bally Sports SW
April 5, vs. Cubs (Surprise Stadium), 2:05 p.m., webcast/Bally Sports SW
Video of the Day
All of these new players are hard to keep up with, but it’s not hard to find Gray.
He’s big and has a mohawk and throws really hard.
The Rangers signed him to a four-year, $56 million deal hours before the lockout. He’s going to be here a while.
One interesting note: He’s wearing No. 22, which was Jack Leiter’s number in college and presumed to be his number as a professional.
Tenure, baby.
Anyhoo, watch the video below of Gray’s first bullpen session of camp, and then subscribe to the Texas Rangers Baseball Podcast YouTube channel. There are many more videos to peruse there.
Also, it’s probably time to get that paid subscription to the Rangers Newsletter you were holding off on until the lockout ended. It’s baseball season, and the Newsletter is cranking out the stories from big-league and minor-league camp.
Doggy video!
You’ve got spunk, kid. Now, leave me alone. Enjoy. See you Wednesday.
