Texas Rangers more optimistic about pandemic baseball, but not sure about the details
Staying fully dedicated to baseball during the coronavirus pandemic hasn’t been an issue for Texas Rangers players, said All-Star outfielder Joey Gallo.
They read and hear about reports that the 2020 MLB season is considering an early July start, which would translate into an early June reboot of spring training.
Those reports have gained steam, to the point where Rangers manager Chris Woodward has officially told players to gear their workouts for an early June return even though nothing is official.
But Woodward is optimistic the owners and players will put aside the expected haggling over salary compensation and that baseball will be played.
With expanded rosters. Without the traditional use of minor leaguers as a support system. Without fans. With microphones to spice up TV broadcasts.
In the end, baseball is still mostly going to be baseball.
“I don’t think my message has changed a whole lot,” Woodward said. “We’re waiting to see what schedule, what days, what month we’re actually going to play. I think we have somewhat of an idea right now, but I think right now it’s just keep our guys ready.
“It’s finally getting to the point where we may be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We might have a start time, but it’s getting our guys mentally ready and physically ready for this year.”
Woodward’s immediate concerns are keeping position players’ legs strong and getting pitchers able to be in mid-spring form once spring training resumes. The five starters have continued throwing, and some have even thrown live batting practice.
A group of players who live locally have started using Globe Life Field for workouts, with social distancing protocols in mind. Woodward said that he would prefer for spring training to resume there rather than in Arizona despite the logistical issues that would be presented by such a decision.
Globe Life Field is only one field, where as the Surprise Recreation Campus has six back fields and Surprise Stadium to use. Woodward said the Rangers have three or four different plans for spring training.
“There’s pros and cons to each one,” Woodward said. “Ideally, I’d rather be in Texas. I think it’s a better scenario for us. Arizona is hot. There’s more space, but also it’s going to be 115 degrees.”
A change of venue for spring training ultimately isn’t that significant.
The biggest change? Baseball with social distancing, which is tantamount to baseball’s plan to return to the field along with obtaining enough tests for players and staff.
Money is the sticking point between the owners and players, but players also have significant concerns about their health. That’s doubly so for players like pitcher Kyle Gibson, who has a pre-existing health condition (ulcerative colitis).
“That’s one thing we’re waiting to hear as a staff, to know what we can and can’t do as it relates to on-field stuff and in the clubhouse,” Woodward said. “But how many groups of players can we work out with? When they’re working out, are we all masked up? When do we wear our masks?
“It’s going to be different. It’s going to be different for everything we have to do. It’s up to us as a staff and the players to take ownership of that and say, ‘Listen, this is what we have to do, and we have to do it that way.’”
Not having the minor leagues will also be a significant change. Minor-league seasons have not been canceled, but the expectation is that they will be.
MLB players will still be getting injured, and MLB teams will still need to plug in players from the minor leagues. Enter the taxi squad, a group of players who work out together and stay at the ready when needed.
The assumption is that the taxi squad will be filled with players who are still in spring training but who don’t make the Opening Day roster. Pitchers who have already been optioned out of camp, like rookie reliever Demarcus Evans, could also join, and the Rangers might want to pluck from a group of minor-leaguers who had a chance to pitch in the majors this season.
The Rangers aren’t sure what that concept will look like once the owners and players reach an agreement on a plan for the season, but there’s no question reinforcements will be needed even if active rosters are expanded to 28-30 players.
“MLB is going to give us rules on how many guys we can have,” Woodward said. “Whoever doesn’t make our team, keeping those guys engaged, it’s going to be difficult. It’s going to be a challenge for everyone in the league.
“But I think the team that does that the best is going to see some benefit. We’re going to need other players. We’re going to need a lot of extra players, so keeping those guys ready is going to be really, really important.”
