Texas Rangers’ prep work for the 2020 MLB season could take them to a familiar place
Who said Globe Life Park was done as a baseball facility?
Well, lots of people did, including the Texas Rangers.
But now, with the coronavirus pandemic throwing the 2020 MLB season into uncharted territory, Globe Life Park might be part of the Rangers’ plans to prepare for the inaugural season at Globe Life Field.
General manager Jon Daniels said that the club would prefer to resume spring training in Arlington, and the old ballpark could figure into the planning even though it was turned into a football stadium for the Dallas Renegades of the defunct XFL.
At the very least, it remains spacious and conveniently located.
Also, at the very least, Daniels and the Rangers are growing more optimistic that a season will be held and have started to plan accordingly.
“I’m optimistic, personally,” Daniels said. “I think it’s pretty clear there are two major topics that need to be addressed sufficiently. The first and most important one is the health and safety of everyone involved, and I believe that can be met.
“If that can be met, then I would anticipate that everybody involved will work and figure out the second bucket, which is the economics of it.”
The goal is for the season to begin in early July and for a second spring training to start in mid-June. Fans would not be allowed in ballparks.
MLB has circulated a draft of its operations manual to the 30 teams. It is detailed, extensive, and, according to some, impractical. Teams would need to get their facilities ready in short order, and there could be complications with some states and local municipalities that are showing an abundance of caution to slow the spread of COVID-19.
The owners and MLB Players Association are also divided on player compensation. The owners have proposed a 50-50 revenue share rather than paying a prorated portion of the players’ 2020 contracts because teams will be losing ticket revenue.
The players, meanwhile, believe an agreement they reached in March to accept prorated salaries is valid, and that revenue sharing is, in essence, a salary cap.
That is beyond Daniels’ scope, but he and the team did consult with some players about the safety measures being proposed by MLB, and the team must submit a emergency-action plan to MLB.
The Rangers, though, are moving ahead with baseball plans based on some rules that MLB has proposed.
Daniels said the Rangers will use all 50 spots on their spring training roster, with those who don’t make the Opening Day roster becoming part of a taxi squad. The taxi squad, which could be located in Arizona, would include only players who have a chance to help the 2020 team.
But they would first come together at Globe Life Field and work out there and potentially Globe Life Park in small groups and at staggered times in an effort to combat coronavirus.
Globe Life Park still has utility for baseball despite the significant changes made to it to accommodate football and soccer after it hosted its final baseball games in October as a group of top prospects played TCU.
MLB has recommended that teams use multiple facilities.
“It’s a turf football field at this point, but we can get our throwing program over there, [and] we can take BP over there,” Daniels said. “We can use the weight room so we have a third weight room. There’s quite a bit we can do across the street, and that played into it.”
This story was originally published May 19, 2020 at 5:27 PM.
