Andrus arrives to Rangers camp with Beltre update. Is he regretting decision to retire?
The music started blaring Saturday morning in the Texas Rangers’ clubhouse just as the beat reporters entered, confirming that Elvis Andrus had reported to spring training.
Andrus has controlled clubhouse volume for years, either with his diverse selection of tunes or by using his outdoor voice indoors.
Now, he controls the clubhouse.
His good buddy and traveling companion Adrian Beltre has left the building, retiring in November after 21 seasons and eight with the Rangers. Andrus, the longest-tenured Rangers player, will be looked upon to fill the leadership shoes.
He was assigned Beltre’s locker.
Beltre, of course, is hardly forgotten. He didn’t seek refuge in a cabin in the woods. He and Andrus have talked regularly, and they took a couples’ trip with their wives to London and Paris just last month.
No kids. No playing catch at Windsor Castle or the Eiffel Tower. Plenty of wine. Just two ballplayers trying not to talk about ball.
But if anyone besides Beltre and his family has an idea of how Beltre feels with baseball season approaching without him, it’s Andrus. That was one of the main topics Saturday, two days before the first full-squad workout.
“I think it’s going to hit him a little bit, probably around this time and around the season,” Andrus said. “He seems really happy. He was 100 percent sure of his decision. As a baseball player we know it’s going to be tough at some point. But he’s happy, he’s enjoying his family, so I don’t think he’ll have any regrets.”
Andrus said that he is giving Beltre some room as he adjusts to retirement, so no baseball questions. Beltre is taking that room, as he hasn’t called Andrus with any tips on how to be a leader.
He took care of that the past two seasons.
It’s up to Andrus now, and he doesn’t plan on changing who he is or what he does. He isn’t going to emulate Beltre, other than leading by example, or try to match his production.
Andrus said that he didn’t make leadership an off-season priority.
“It’s been natural so far,” he said. “I’m not trying to be a leader. I’m just trying to be myself. I’ve been doing this quite a few years now, so there’s no point right now for me to change with the guys. They know who I am. They know my personality. I don’t think I’ll change, but it’s going to be a lot different year. A lot of things are going to change for the good, nothing for the bad.”
Manager Chris Woodward said that Andrus should stick his chest out a bit more and be proactive in talking to the young players. That would take away any pressure he might be feeling to be a leader.
But Woodward isn’t going to stick his nose into Andrus’ business. Andrus is already taking care of it.
“I don’t think there’s any pressure. He just need to be Elvis,” Woodward said. “ “He cares about his teammates, and a lot of younger guys mentioned that to me.
“During the winter, he really pushed those guys in the weight room. I watched them all winter. It’s a cool dynamic because they’re getting after it but at the same time they’re enjoying their teammates and pushing themselves. It was a really cool bonding experience the whole winter, and he was a huge part of that.”
This story was originally published February 16, 2019 at 12:47 PM.
