Spring 2.0 has arrived for the Texas Rangers. It won’t be anything like a normal camp.
All that happened the past six weeks between the owners and players, from the haggling to the distrust and back to the haggling, might not be easily forgotten, but Friday might be a start toward healing baseball’s black eye.
Spring training 2.0, or Summer Camp, begins for teams across MLB. The Texas Rangers will hold their first full-squad workout at Globe Life Field, with a simulated game scheduled for Day 1.
Time is of the essence. There are only three weeks left before the Rangers expect to open their 60-game schedule July 24. Assuming there isn’t another stoppage because of the coronavirus pandemic, things will feel like they are flying by.
Camp won’t look like it normally does.
But the concept is still the same. Pitchers need to continue building arm strength and honing their stuff, and hitters need to see pitches and find a swing that works.
Here’s a glimpse into the key features of Rangers camp:
Safety first
The lengthy MLB operations manual for the 2020 season might seem to be over the top in the fight against COVID-19. It might not go far enough. No matter. Players are expected to strictly adhere to the safety protocols in place.
All 57 players in the Rangers’ club player pool — right-handers Edinson Volquez and Juan Nicasio have been added — had to submit to intake testing and a 24-48 hour quarantine until the results were returned. They will have their temperatures taken each day their arrive to Globe Life Field, and are subject to be tested for COVID-19 every other day.
Social distancing and mask wearing are also required when not doing on-field activities.
Running the spread
Those activities, from taking grounders to batting practice to throwing bullpen sessions, will be done in small groups that are staggered throughout the day. The Rangers will also be using Globe Life Park for some of their workouts. Players will be spread across three clubhouses to maintain social distancing.
The Rangers will use Zoom for large group meetings. Manager Chris Woodward was planning to address the team for the pre-camp meeting Thursday night via Zoom. There will be baseball talk, but not like in Arizona.
“This is a little different, I think, following protocols being safe, making sure we’re on time, sticking to schedules,” Woodward said. “Those are critical for our success here.”
Work already done
Of the 57 players in camp, Woodward believes they have all done the necessary training during the shutdown to hit the ground running. “Some guys are well ahead of where I expected them to be,” he said.
The starting pitchers are the group the Rangers needed to stay sharp, and they did. Each has thrown at least 80 pitches in simulated games, pitching coach Julio Rangel said, and that will allow the starters to go deep into games once the season starts.
“When you look at our our pitching staff, the veterans, our strength of our whole pitching staff, we can say it is the starting rotation,” Rangel said. “Just having that luxury that the guys are actually ready to go, and I don’t have to worry about, if everything goes well of course, the pitch count.”
Healthy again
Had the season started on time, Willie Calhoun would have missed at least the first six weeks because of a fractured jaw and Jesse Chavez would have needed time on the injured list with a shoulder injury.
Catchers Jeff Mathis (hamstring) and Jose Trevino (finger) were also staring at missing the start of the season. All four are healthy now, and the Rangers will enter camp with only one injury to reliever Joely Rodriguez (lat muscle).
The club hasn’t revealed if anyone has tested positive for COVID-19 yet. That will always be a threat.
Jobs at stake
If there is an innings shortfall on the pitching staff, or a nagging injury to a position player that needs a few extra days, Woodward will have more players on the bench to call upon. The season will open with a 30-man active roster.
That means more competition for spring training, especially on the pitching side. Pitchers who can log multiple innings, like Jonathan Hernandez, Taylor Hearn and Luke Farrell, have seen their chances at the Opening Day roster improve.
Ronald Guzman and Greg Bird are fighting to be the first baseman. Isiah Kiner-Falefa appears to be on the team. Veteran reliever Cody Allen might also have a better chance at making the club with rosters expanded. Expect a third catcher to make the team, too.
