How the Texas Rangers are giving ‘pass the hat’ new meaning with postgame award
A popular, go-to phrase in baseball is “hats off.”
It’s usually thrown around by the losing team when giving credit to the winner or to an individual player who made the difference in a victory.
Hats off to him for hitting that ball 700 feet.
Hats off to them for laying off all those pitches out of the strike zone.
As of Sunday, though, the Texas Rangers might be saying “hats on” after victories.
Manager Chris Woodward started a new tradition Sunday after a 7-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals, the Rangers’ first win of the season. The player of the game going forward will be awarded a straw Rangers-themed cowboy hat.
Woodward gave the first one to right-hander Jordan Lyles, who allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings, striking out eight and not walking a batter. Going forward the keeper of the hat, with input from teammates, will choose the player of the game after the next victory.
He’ll pass the hat, if you will.
“It’s something we talked about, just celebrating wins,” Woodward said. “You put so much time and effort and work into every day, and the offseason and spring training, it’s hard to win a major-league baseball game. We’re never going to take that for granted.”
There’s also a culture component to the hat award. Woodward wants the Rangers to create an identity of a team that grinds out at-bats offensively and attacks hitters on the mound.
Lyles did his part Sunday after two poorly pitched games to start the season.
He took a shutout into the sixth inning before allowing a two-run homer to Salvador Perez, but it was Lyles’ best start since joining the Rangers last season. He pitched to a 7.02 ERA in 2020 in part because he didn’t have very good command of his pitches.
“He set the tone from Pitch 1 exactly what we wanted to accomplish,” Woodward said. “It’s a way to bring some togetherness and some camaraderie, and at the same time celebrate things we value.”
Woodward said that pitchers are going to hand out a championship belt within their own ranks, and the hitters are also planning to recognize good offense.
The big prize, though, is that cowboy hat.
This story was originally published April 5, 2021 at 2:13 PM.
