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

Jeff Wilson January 10, 2023

(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

Pretty quiet out there

The case for Bubba Thompson

Rangers Today Baseball Podcast links for 2023 opener

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