Rangers-Royal Game Day Thread: 3/18/16

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Well, One Strike Away is experiencing a new frontier today. I will be taking in the game from the press box of the Alamodome in San Antonio. Although the entire team wasn't able to make the trip due to also having a game in Arizona, there are a few notable players in San Antonio for the weekend.

  1. Delino DeShields, Jr.

    Thus far in Spring Training, DeShields has put up a solid .348/.360/.565. The games may not count, but he's making solid contact and I've talked previously about contact being the biggest area of concern for DeShields moving forward in 2016.
     
  2. Jurickson Profar

    Profar started Spring Training strong but has struggled a bit recently, and his Spring Training line now sits at .235/.381/.235. The important thing to remember is that after losing two full seasons to a shoulder injury, Profar needs to get acclimated once again to playing everyday. That involves dealing with the inevitable ebbs and flows of his game.
     
  3. Nomar Mazara

    Nomar Mazara is this year's version of, "If this guy keeps hitting like this, does he make the club out of Spring Training?" The answer is no, but his .423/.423/.577 line certainly looks pretty, and he's impressing virtually everyone with the way he's swinging the bat. We'll likely see him at Triple-A Round Rock, and look for him to be an Opening Day outfielder in 2017.
     
  4. Derek Holland

    Holland, hoping to start the season strong after two injury-filled years, is ramping up his workload in preparation for the regular season. He'll take the mound today for the start, and can probably be expected to pitch 3-4 innings.
     
  5. Ryan Rua

    I saved this entry for last. Rua, much like in 2015, is battling for a roster spot, and it's looking like he just might earn it. His .500/.538/.750 line is impressive enough, but his versatility may end up being what wins him a spot. He worked some at 1B during batting practice, and the Rangers want to find out if perhaps he can take some games at that position against left-handed pitching. Speaking of batting practice, the sound of the ball coming off of Rua's bat today was fantastic. Easily the most ear-popping of all the Rangers players here. So, take that for what you will.

The comments section is open below, so feel free to talk about the game, the Rangers, or baseball in general.