On your typical day, the Rangers' bench in has two players who have won a combined 21 Gold Gloves, a guy who has hit .300 over the past two seasons and a catcher who might be the best defensive talent in the game.
And if you think that's good, just wait until they get into a game. On Thursday, just three games into the season, manager Ron Washington cleared the bench by starting designated hitter Andruw Jones (10 Gold Gloves), shortstop Omar Vizquel (11 Gold Gloves), left fielder Marlon Byrd and catcher Taylor Teagarden. All they did was combine to go 8-for-18 with a pair of walks, a home run and six RBIs as the Rangers clinched a season-opening sweep of Cleveland with a 12-8 win.
Afterward, as general manager Jon Daniels was busy calming any potential hysteria from breaking out over the Rangers' first 3-0 start since 1996, he cited the contributions from the entire roster as the single aspect he was happiest with.
"I'm proud of the way our guys played and proud of the way they are getting after it," Daniels said. "I'd still be the first guy to tell everybody to calm down; it's only three games, but it certainly beats the alternative. Our guys were ready to play, and it seems like everybody had some kind of impact. I guess the depth of position players and the confidence (Washington) has in all 13 of them makes me really happy."
Perhaps most significant, everybody on the bench seems willing to accept his role, at least for now.
Vizquel and Jones have been starters throughout their careers but had to be willing to accept part-time status with the Rangers. Vizquel has gravitated toward his assigned role as mentor to rookie shortstop Elvis Andrus; Jones told the Rangers in mid-March he was so anxious to revive his career, he'd take any role the Rangers offered him.
RANGERS 12, INDIANS 8: The Rangers finished off the season-opening sweep of Cleveland by jumping on Carl Pavano early and holding on late. Texas scored five times in the first inning, thanks in large part to Marlon Byrd's three-run homer. Byrd entered the game 8-for-20 (.400) against Pavano in his career.
Texas built the lead to 9-1 in the second with four runs that included a two-run homer from Ian Kinsler. The Rangers scored four runs in the second inning in all three games against Cleveland.
The Rangers did have to hang on a bit as Cleveland outscored them 5-1 over the final four innings. But when it was done, Texas was 3-0 for the first time since 1996. That's the year the Rangers won their first AL West title. Texas is 3-0 for only the seventh time in club history.
