Tuesday newsletter time: Rangers Winter Caravan is back, starting Thursday

(AP photo/Scott Audette)
Between COVID fears and the MLB lockout, the Rangers haven’t held their Winter Caravan since 2020 shortly before everyone’s lives were disrupted.
It’s back, beginning this week.
The Rangers are scheduled to make 12 stops this month, 10 at North Texas Kroger stores. The other two will be at Triple A Round Rock and Double A Frisco.
As always, the stops will include autograph opportunities with players, coaches and broadcasters. The events are free to attend, but some the number of autographs at each event might be limited.
Those who attend the Kroger locations will receive a Coca-Cola caravan scarf, while supplies last.
The schedule is below, but those scheduled to appear are subject to change.
The Rangers encourage fans to visit texasrangers.com, rrexpress.com and ridersbaseball.com for more details
Winter Caravan schedule
Jan. 12, 4-5 p.m.: Kroger, 1820 N. Loy Lake Road, Sherman, 75090
Scheduled to appear: Jonah Heim, John King, Matt Hicks
Jan. 12, 6:30-7:30 p.m.: Kroger, 1801 N. Lake Forest Drive, McKinney, TX 75071
Scheduled to appear: Jonah Heim, John King, Matt Hicks
Wednesday, 5:30-6:30 p.m.: Kroger, 4750 W. Bailey Boswell Road, Fort Worth, 76179
Scheduled to appear: Tony Beasley, Jon Gray, Josh Sborz
Thursday, 5-7 p.m.: Dell Diamond, Round Rock
Scheduled to appear: Nathan Eovaldi, Mark Mathias, Josh Smith, Matt Hicks, others TBA
Friday, 4-5 p.m.: Kroger, 500 Marketplace Blvd., Forney, 75126
Scheduled to appear: Donnie Ecker, John King, Mark Mathias, Josh Sborz
Friday, 6-7 p.m.: Kroger, 3600 Gus Thomasson Road, Mesquite, 75150
Scheduled to appear: Donnie Ecker, John King, Mark Mathias, Josh Sborz
Saturday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.: Riders Field, Frisco
Scheduled to appear: Martin Perez, Joe Barlow, Dane Dunning, John King, Jonathan Hernandez, Josh Smith, Dave Raymond
Tuesday, 5-6 p.m.: Kroger, 2925 Custer Road, Plano, 75075
Scheduled to appear: Joe Barlow, Brock Burke, Dane Dunning
Wednesday, 4-5 p.m.: Kroger, 1631 SW Wilshire Blvd., Burleson 76028
Scheduled to appear: Brock Burke, Nathaniel Lowe
Jan. 26, 4-5 p.m.: Kroger, 5101 W. Sublett Road, Arlington 76001
Scheduled to appear: Brock Burke, Dane Dunning, Jonathan Hernandez, Josh Smith
Jan. 29, 1-2 p.m.: Kroger, 9150 N. Tarrant Parkway, North Richland Hills, 76182
Scheduled to appear: Mitch Garver, Jake Odorizzi
Jan. 29, 1-2 p.m.: Kroger, 4620 State Highway 121, The Colony, 75056
Scheduled to appear: Jacob deGrom, Andrew Heaney
Jan. 31, Univision Radio Caravan Stop, 5-6:00 p.m.
WSS at La Gran Plaza, 4200 South Freeway, Fort Worth, 76115
Scheduled to Appear: Jonathan Hernandez, Jose Guzman, Eleno Ornelas
Coaching staff set
The Rangers made the staff under manager Bruce Bochy official last week, though it had been in place for a while, and there weren’t any surprises.
The only newcomers, aside from Bochy, are pitching coach Mike Maddux and associate manager (ha ha) Will Venable.
Every holdover from 2022 returns to the same roles. If there is going to be a change, it will likely be Venable taking over outfield coaching duties from Tony Beasley and Beasley teaming with Corey Ragsdale to coach infielders.
Here’s the staff:
Manager: Bruce Bochy
Associate manager: Will Venable
Pitching coach: Mike Maddux
Bench coach/offensive coordinator: Donnie Ecker
Hitting coach: Tim Hyers
First-base coach: Corey Ragsdale
Third-base coach: Tony Beasley
Catching coach: Bobby Wilson
Bullpen coach: Brett Hayes
Assistant hitting coach: Shane Conner
ICYMI …
Rangers Today has been in Frogs Today mode for a few weeks, but that all ended Monday night at the College Football Playoff National Championship. Yikes. A few things slipped through the cracks, like the Rangers signing first baseman/outfielder Joe McCarthy to a minor-league deal. He was in camp last year, was pretty impressive, but didn’t make the team and took a paycheck to go to Japan. He’s back. But Rangers Today wasn’t dark. Here’s our latest, in case you missed it.
The Sunday Read: A trade idea for Bryan Reynolds
Nathan Eovaldi wants to win championships
Rangers Today Baseball Podcast links for 2023 opener
Subscribe to podcast YouTube page
Doggy video!
It must have looked like a good idea. Enjoy.
Because why not…🐶🐾😅 pic.twitter.com/9vtn0VLkVX
— 𝕐o̴g̴ (@Yoda4ever) January 7, 2023
Jeff Wilson, jeff@rangerstoday.com