Scoreboard at Texas Rangers’ Triple A ballpark damaged in deadly Nashville tornado
A Tuesday spring game means only one thing for most of the Texas Rangers beat writers: Getting our work done early enough to make it back for trivia night.
That game has much to do with that, especially the late innings when the MLB players are long gone and the JICs (just-in-case players) from minor-league camp are finishing off the game.
But the starting pitchers have a role, too. The sharper the better, though sometimes that’s asking for too much early in spring training.
And no, mid-inning pitching changes. That’s definitely asking too much.
Rest assured, Fake News would do everything it takes to make it on time.
Here’s the Surprise Five from Tuesday at Rangers camp.
1. Triple A Nashville is expected to begin the 2020 season on time after the tornado that ripped through the city early Tuesday morning caused only minor damage to First Horizon Park.
The Sounds said there was no structural damage to the ballpark. The famed guitar scoreboard, though, was damaged by the twister that touched down only one block away.
More than 20 deaths due to the storm have been reported over four counties in Middle Tennessee. The Sounds said that none of their employees were at the ballpark or injured in the storm, and the homes and families of the front-office members who live there full time were also unharmed.
The front office is in Surprise for its annual visit.
However, an apartment complex that housed many players last season and was going to house manager Darwin Barney and hitting coach Chase Lamkin took a direct hit from the twister.
Right-handers Lance Lynn and Tim Dillard live south of Nashville, and their homes are fine. Lynn, though, said that he has family members who live east of Nashville who were in the storm’s path.
Nashville, which became the Rangers’ Triple A affiliate last season, opens its 2020 season April 9.
2. Isiah Kiner-Falefa appears to have the early lead for a bench spot on the Rangers’ Opening Day roster, and he’s getting a boost from something rarely associated with him.
Power.
Kiner-Falefa swatted his third spring homer, this one to the opposite field, and the Rangers pushed their winning streak to four games with a 6-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants.
He’s also a better shortstop than Matt Duffy and isn’t decidedly worse at third base. But the bat is coming around for Kiner-Falefa, who never homered in his first four seasons in pro ball.
He was using a no-stride stance but changed that after opening the spring 0-for-11. A conversation with Rangers Hall of Famer Michael Young has helped, and he is 7-for-11 since.
“I’m just standing up a little taller,” he said. “All the work in the offseason has helped me in this transition. It’s good to see the power pay off.
Manager Chris Woodward has been impressed with the changes Kiner-Falefa made in the offseason and sees the benefit of having fresh legs from no longer trying to be a catcher.
Kiner-Falefa said last season that he hadn’t focused enough on his offense while he attempted to complete the transition to catcher. The Rangers abandoned that at midseason.
“Kiner’s done everything we’ve asked in the offseason, and it’s showing up now,” Woodward said.
Woodward said there’s a lot to like about Duffy, who has more experience at third base than Kiner-Falefa. Duffy has bought into the Rangers’ plan, Woodward said, and needs to be capable enough at shortstop to cover a brief injury-list stint in case Elvis Andrus is injured.
Duffy has more polish than Kiner-Falefa, who suddenly has more pop.
3. Greg Bird collected his first hit of the spring against the Giants with a first-inning single to center field, but he and Ronald Guzman aren’t exactly hitting the cover off the ball.
“Hey, they do fall in,” Bird said.
Guzman has a homer and a double, but hasn’t created a clear separation with his bat. His defense continues to be superior, though Bird isn’t a butcher over there.
Both bat left-handed and haven’t had much MLB success against lefty pitchers. However, Woodward said the plan is not to have a strict platoon at first base.
It just might look that way at times.
Woodward wants to get at-bats for bench players, especially Nick Solak. The right-handed hitter could play third against a tough lefty pitcher, and Todd Frazier could move from third to first.
The scenario also works by moving Danny Santana from center to third, moving Frazier from third to first and putting Solak in center field.
The Rangers’ bench will include Jeff Mathis as the backup catcher and Solak. Kiner-Falefa or Duffy will occupy one spot, and the final spot should go to an extra outfielder who can play center.
He can also play first base, though that isn’t a priority this spring. Blake Swihart can play first base and is switch-hitter who would give the Rangers a lefty bat on the bench.
4. Jordan Lyles made an adjustment last season with his four-seam fastball, throwing higher in the zone and seeing positive results, but he needed a third pitch to go with his heater and 12-6 curveball.
That third pitch is a changeup, and he featured it throughout his Cactus League debut.
Lyles said that he threw around 15 of them, more than one-third of his total pitches, and was pleased with how the pitch felt. He didn’t always land it in the strike zone, but he believes it is developing into a viable off-speed pitch he can throw five or 10 times a game.
“Overall we set out to get the changeup working,” Lyles said. “It was a good day with the changeup.”
Lyles surrendered a three-run homer to Wilmer Flores in the second inning, and that was all he allowed in three innings. Lyles wasn’t pleased with that runs, but the outing wasn’t about results.
It was about the changeup.
5. The Rangers did not orchestrate a second straight game with a reunion of brothers.
Heineman’s older brother, Tyler, is in Giants camp as a catcher, but he caught Monday and wasn’t scheduled to play against the Rangers. Both made their MLB debuts last season.
Woodward arranged for 2019 fourth-round pick Cody Freeman to play Monday against the Cleveland Indians, who brought Tyler Freeman with them from Goodyear. They exchanged the scorecards before the game, and each had a hand in retiring the other late in the game.
The game at Scottsdale Stadium also gave the Rangers a chance to reunite with Hunter Pence, who signed on with the Giants after the Rangers chose not to pursue the Arlington resident for a second season.
Duffy was also back at Scottsdale Stadium, and the former Giants third baseman received a nice round of applause before his first at-bat. He has been away from the Giants longer than he played for them, but fans wanted him back after the Tampa Bay Rays parted ways with him.
This story was originally published March 3, 2020 at 6:15 PM.
