Friday on the Farm: After ‘getting kicked in my face,’ Rangers’ Ricky Vanasco found his way again

(Rangers Today/Jeff Wilson)

Last spring was a mess for everyone on an MLB team’s 40-man roster.

Labor strife left players to prepare on their own, something that older players knew how to do without club coaches and trainers.

The young players, though, were left to figure things out on their own. And as well prepared as they thought they were, they weren’t.

Such was the case for Rangers right-hander Ricky Vanasco, who was added to the 40-man roster before the lockout and would start his first post-Tommy John season with his debut appearance in big-league spring training.

What followed was a rough start at High A Hickory and a realization that things needed to change.