Texas Rangers pitcher Colby Lewis rides his way to drop in weight
Colby Lewis showed up to the Texas Rangers Winter Caravan event Thursday night touting the benefits of cycling and with ideas of taking the dive into the carbon-fiber end of the bicycle pool.
It was on the bike paths and roads near his home in Bakersfield, Calif., where Lewis rehabilitated his surgically repaired right knee this off-season, and in the process dropped 25 pounds.
Lewis was limited in the gym much of last season as he dealt with torn meniscus and, as a result, packed on more pounds than he does during a normal season. But he still managed to lead the Rangers in wins (17), starts (33) and innings (204 2/3 ).
“Every time I’d try to ride a bike, it was killing me,” said Lewis, who weighed in recently at 238 pounds. “I would get on the treadmill and walk every morning, and I even didn’t want to do that.”
My longest ride so far has been about 62 miles. Average is about 40 or 42. It’s a huge loop.
Right-hander and cycling enthusiast Colby Lewis
Dr. Keith Meister urged Lewis to take up cycling, and Lewis wants to keep on riding this season in Texas even though he isn’t sure he will be able to replicate the changes in elevation he has encountered east of Bakersfield.
“Doc told me that riding a bike would be the best thing for my knee,” Lewis said. “It’s fun. I’m hooked now.”
Not worried
First baseman Mitch Moreland said that he is letting agent Bob Garber handle his salary arbitration and doesn’t have any clue where the negotiations stand nine days before the deadline to avoid a hearing.
Moreland, who joined Lewis and broadcaster Tom Grieve at the Academy Sports and Outdoors near the Parks Mall, is seeking $6 million in his final year of arbitration, and the Rangers countered at $4.675 million.
Both sides want to avoid arbitration hearings, which can get contentious as the club points out a player’s shortcomings as it defends what it wants to pay him. But Moreland — who set career-highs in average (.287), home runs (23), doubles (27) and RBIs (85) — isn’t worrying about the process.
“The agent handles that,” said Moreland, who made $2.95 million last season. “He’ll call me and tell me where we’re at. It is what it is. I try to work hard every year, and I’ll be ready to go and play baseball.”
FanFest lineup
The Rangers revealed the time slots for their star players to sign autographs Saturday at the annual FanFest at Globe Life Park.
Third baseman Adrian Beltre and left-hander Cole Hamels kick off the hour-long sessions at 10 a.m. and will be followed by designated hitter Prince Fielder. The headliner sessions resume at 1 p.m. with team legend Ivan Rodriguez, who will be followed by shortstop Elvis Andrus and left fielder Josh Hamilton.
FanFest begins at 9 a.m., and the full schedule of player autographs can be found in an insert within the FanFest program.
Jeff Wilson: 817-390-7760, @JeffWilson_FWST
This story was originally published January 21, 2016 at 8:58 PM with the headline "Texas Rangers pitcher Colby Lewis rides his way to drop in weight."