Calhoun playing second in minors, but there’s a roadblock to Rangers’ roster there, too
The biggest Texas Rangers news items Saturday didn’t come from T-Mobile Park, where the temperature was flirting with the 40s at first pitch.
First up was word from Arlington that left-hander Taylor Hearn has only inflammation in his elbow and does not need Tommy John surgery. The pitching prospect, who made his MLB debut Thursday, won’t throw for three weeks and will be evaluated again then.
The nugget that grabbed a firmer hold on the diehard portion of the Rangers fans came from Des Moines, Iowa, where Willie Calhoun played nine innings of baseball at second base Friday night for Triple A Nashville.
Neither he nor anyone else was harmed, though some hearts raced upon seeing that 2b next to Calhoun’s name in the box score while Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor was striking out four times in his first game off the injured list.
Could it be?
Probably not.
First of all, kudos to Calhoun for trying whatever it takes to return to the majors. He is blocked in left field by Joey Gallo and at designated hitter by Shin-Soo Choo. The more positions Calhoun can play, the better.
So, he has gone back to his old position, the one the Rangers removed him from the second they got him in the Yu Darvish trade. Calhoun wasn’t rangy enough, quick enough and didn’t have an arm strong enough to adequately turn double plays.
His personal fitness revolution, though, has given him the confidence and an improved skill set to give it a try again, and it is an endeavor fully endorsed by manager Chris Woodward.
But he’s not getting ahead of himself, and everyone else should follow that lead. It’ll take much more than a new body and one game to make Calhoun a viable option at second base should something unforeseen befall Odor.
“I want to see more reps, but it allows that opportunity to possibly happen,” Woodward said. “I don’t know that right now he would be the No. 1 [option]. I need to see it. He would probably be here and I could at least put him out there.”
Most of those reps will have to come during batting practice and early work, as Calhoun still must continue to improve in left field. Coaches will be standing by if he also wants to get better at second base.
The power has returned to Calhoun’s bat early this season, as his five homers through 21 games are more than half his 2018 Triple A total in 108 games. He also has five doubles and 11 walks for a solid .875 OPS.
He pledged late in spring training, following two days of some sulking and a mental break after he was told that he hadn’t made the Opening Day roster, that he would not allow the demotion to drag him down the way it did in 2018.
All these things are positive developments for Calhoun, but he still needs a break (of a Rangers regular’s body part) to be considered for a promotion. And, no, Odor is not in danger of being sent to the minors despite a slow start.
He entered Saturday batting .149 (7 for 47) with no home runs in 13 games, but he collected his first homer in the second inning. It was only his third hit in his past 31 at-bats, though the five at-bats he took Friday were his first since April 10.
The has been no talk of someone replacing Odor, who is in the middle of a six-year, $49.5 million contract, at second base.
But Calhoun’s attempt to turn himself into a decent second baseman has generated some buzz.
“All his work has been good, and he’s looked better,” said Woodward, who spent time coaching Calhoun before the 2017 season while both were still with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“I know what it looked like before, so I feel like if he’s added athleticism or whatever you want to call it that he worked on in the off-season, he should be better. If something were to happen to Roogie, it gives us the opportunity to bring him in.”
This story was originally published April 27, 2019 at 8:31 PM.
