Wednesday newsletter time: Rangers’ individual Opening Day process, promotional schedule revealed
(AP photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
The Rangers unleashed their young pitchers on the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday, and that’s pretty compelling stuff.
But if 16 years on the beat has taught me anything, two of the biggest stories of spring training are how to get individual Opening Day tickets and the team’s promotional schedule.
Details on both were released Tuesday morning.
First up: Opening Day tickets.
Fans have until 11 a.m. March 9 to sign up for the Texas Rangers newsletter at texasrangers.com/newsletter. Those who register will be pooled together for a drawing, and a “limited number of fans” will have their names drawn at random for the chance to buy Opening Day tickets March 10.
All other individual tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at the Southeast Box Office at Globe Life Field, online at texasrangers.com/tickets or by calling 972-RANGERS (972-726-4377).
On to the promotions …
The promotions schedule has 30 giveaways, eight of which are bobbleheads. The customary Opening Day giveaway is the 2023 magnet schedule for all fans. The season-opening season will also feature a replica cap giveaway April 1 for the first 15,000 fans and a Corey Seager power-blue replica jersey for the first 15,000 on April 1.
Marcus Semien is the first bobblehead April 21. The others: Seager, May 19; Nate Lowe Silver Slugger, June 3; Jacob deGrom, June 16; Rangers’ Captain 20th anniversary July 1, Martin Perez, July 15; Nolan Ryan baseball card, Aug. 19; and Adolis García, Sept. 23.
The giveaway April 23 will be a Rangers power-blue hoodie (first 15,000 fans). There are eight other apparel giveaways, including a Ferguson Jenkins 1974 replica jersey May 20.
As always, there are weekly promotions. FamilyFun Tuesdays will have select tickets at 50 percent off with the promo code COKE 50, limit of eight. They must be purchased online.
Wednesdays will again be $1 Texas Chili hot-dog days. Fridays and Saturdays will feature the pregame Anheuser-Busch Happy Hour in the Karbach Brewing Skyporch.
Sundays will again be $1 Blue Bell Ice Cream Sundays for kids 13-under, and all fans can run the bases. After the game.
Visit texasrangers.com for more information.
Young arms deliver
The Rangers win Tuesday is what makes spring training fun.
Left-hander Cody Bradford started and allowed one run in two innings. Jack Leiter worked a scoreless sixth inning, Lucas Jacobsen had a scoreless seventh, Kumar Rocker a scoreless eighth and Kyle Cody a scoreless ninth.
Leiter was the winning pitcher in the Rangers’ 6-4 win. Jacobsen and Rocker got the game to Cody, who recorded the save.
Leiter and Rocker are the Rangers’ past two first-round picks, second and third overall. Their performances as former Vanderbilt teammates pitching the same game grabbed most of the attention.
Even though the Rangers have their rotation filled, it’s fun to see what the future might hold.
“We never pitched in the same game [at Vanderbilt], so that, obviously, was cool,” Leiter said.
Jacobsen and Cody, though, have a chance to make the Opening Day roster and should pitch in the majors this season at some point.
Cody has MLB experience and the ability to go multiple innings with power stuff. The Rangers will have at least two left-handers in the bullpen with Taylor Hearn and Brock Burke, so Jacobsen or John King would be a luxury.
Manager Bruce Bochy said that he wants the eight best pitchers, regardless of what arm they use.
Spring things
Some of what happens during a spring game happens out of necessity. Sometimes there’s a purpose behind what looks like something that happens out of necessity.
Mark Mathias, who has played plenty of second base in the minor leagues but only once in the majors, has played second base twice this spring and first base once.
Brad Miller, who has been mentioned as a candidate to be the left-handed option in a left-field platoon, has played only first base so far this spring.
Mathias will need to be as versatile as possible to make the team, so moving him around likely is part of the plan. It’s conceivable that the Rangers won’t need a utility infielder who can play shortstop because Semien can play there when not at second base.
Miller is versatile. The Rangers also don’t have a roster full of first basemen. Playing him at first base looks to be more about needed a veteran to start at first base when Lowe is off.
Maybe it’s neither, but it’s something to chew on.
Doggy video!
How great are dogs? Enjoy.
Good boy giving his tiny human a ride 🥰 pic.twitter.com/13IJsgZCZ4
— Madeyousmile (@Thund3rB0lt) February 28, 2023
Jeff Wilson, jeff@rangerstoday.com
