Delino DeShields content to look ahead, not what could have been

Delino DeShields isn’t thinking about what could have been, just what could be.

After playing only sparingly for most of April — three starts in the first 15 games — the speedy outfielder has started five of the Rangers’ past nine, including the third consecutive game leading off Saturday night. If DeShields has his way, he won’t be sitting any time soon.

Manager Jeff Banister could be thinking the same way. DeShields started against a right-handed pitcher for the first time this season. It’s a sign that Banister is willing to ride DeShields at the moment.

“It is pretty significant. How he’s been swinging the bat, his approach at the plate,” Banister said. “I just like the approach right now, the overall look of it. It seems like every time he gets on he scores a point for us.”

DeShields was 5 for 8 with five runs scored, three walks and two stolen bases in his previous three games before Saturday.

“It’s nice to be hitting leadoff against a righty but today is just another day as yesterday and the day before,” said DeShields, who has improved his on-base percentage drastically with more playing time. He’s at .379. A week ago he was at .167. “Every day I come to the field thinking I’m going to play, righty, lefty, or a switch-pitcher, it doesn’t matter. I want to be in the lineup. I’ve got to do my job, get on base and touch home plate.”

DeShields isn’t letting the lost time bother him, knowing that fellow left-fielders Jurickson Profar and Ryan Rua had excellent spring trainings, too.

“I came in with the mindset of not just making the team. I wanted a starting position in the lineup every day,” he said. “I came prepared and ready and did everything I had to do. For some people, they could have looked at the beginning of the year as maybe discouraging. I know we made it tough on them to make a decision.”

As a rookie in 2015, DeShields eventually took over the lead-off spot and was a catalyst for the offense. He didn’t become an every day fixture in the lineup until May 5.

“When we look at the big picture it’s, what three or four weeks compared to the rest of the season,” DeShields said. “If I had to sacrifice a little bit of time for them to figure out what they were trying to do ... I’m not saying they’re done making their decisions, but I’m going to keep putting my foot on the pedal and make them feel like they need me in there every day.”

This story was originally published April 29, 2017 at 5:02 PM with the headline "Delino DeShields content to look ahead, not what could have been."