Bench coach Buechele rejoins Rangers after watching son’s QB debut
Steve Buechele arrived at Safeco Field on Monday morning after only a few hours’ sleep, but he said he was “flying” after watching son Shane lead the Texas Longhorns past Notre Dame.
“It was such an incredible experience I can’t even explain it, how cool that was,” said Buechele, the Texas Rangers’ bench coach. “To get there and watch him run out that tunnel, I can’t tell you what that was like. It was a super proud moment.”
Shane Buechele, who went to Arlington Lamar, became the first true freshman to start a season opener for Texas since NFL Hall of Famer Bobby Layne in 1944. Buechele went 16 for 26 for 280 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception. He also rushed for 33 yards and scored a TD in the Longhorns’ 50-47 upset in double overtime.
I need to watch the game again to really take in what happened.”
Steve Buechele
Steve Buechele said that his youngest son’s first drive, which ended with 19-yard TD pass, helped ease some nerves he was feeling. Even 12 hours after the game ended, he still hadn’t looked at Shane’s stats and wants to see a replay of the game.
“I need to watch the game again to really take in what happened,” said Steve Buechele, who flew to Austin and then to Seattle on the private jet of part-owner Neil Liebman. “I want the replays, I want the commentary. We didn’t get that. We just had the roars and the cheering.”
Perhaps his favorite moment came after the game when he got to see Shane for the first time.
“He walked out soaked in sweat, and his exact words were, ‘Hey, Pops. What’s up?” Steve said. “If you knew Shane, that’s him, like nothing happened.”
Manager Jeff Banister excused Buechele from the Rangers’ game Sunday in order to attend the game. Buechele said that he hopes the Rangers’ postseason run doesn’t allow him to go to another Texas game until November.
“I hope I miss them all,” he said.
Lewis’ third rehab start
Right-hander Colby Lewis threw 66 pitches in five innings and allowed four runs on eight hits while pitching for Spokane, a short-season A club, in his final rehab start.
The Rangers haven’t set a game for Lewis to return from the 60-day disabled list after a right lat muscle strain in June. He could start Sunday at Anaheim after Yu Darvish and Cole Hamels start the first two games against the Angels.
Perez eyes 200
Left-hander Martin Perez will attempt to conquer his road demons Tuesday night against the Seattle Mariners, and at the same time he will try to move closer to his goal of reaching 200 innings in his first full season after Tommy John surgery.
Perez is at a career-high 169 2/3 innings with five starts remaining. He said he feels fine physically after 28 starts, and the Rangers aren’t concerned with his workload. Perez threw 78 2/3 innings in 2015 after returning in July following a 14-month absence.
“I feel healthy. That’s the most important thing,” said Perez, who is 1-8 with a 6.23 ERA on the road this season. “I feel good, and I can do it.”
Cordell to Brewers
The Rangers completed the Aug. 1 trades for Jonathan Lucroy and Jeremy Jeffress by sending Double A outfielder Ryan Cordell to the Milwaukee Brewers as the player to be named.
The Brewers acquired outfielder Lewis Brinson and right-hander Luis Ortiz, both former first-round picks, just before the non-waiver trade deadline. Cordell didn’t play after Aug. 3 because of a sprained right ankle, and finished with a .264 average with 19 home runs and 70 RBIs in 107 games.
Jeff Wilson: 817-390-7760, @JeffWilson_FWST
This story was originally published September 5, 2016 at 6:53 PM with the headline "Bench coach Buechele rejoins Rangers after watching son’s QB debut."