This will be said a million times. Spring training stats don’t count. 

Danny Santana had a really strong Cactus League last year. He started the season in Triple-A.

Joey Gallo hit .206. He wasn’t going to not make the team.

Rougned Odor hit .318 last spring. He ended up being Rougned Odor.

Stats don’t matter. 

What matters are things like Ronald Guzman getting a two-out double in the seventh inning of a game the Rangers couldn’t buy a hit.

That started a three-run rally to tie the game which the players in Rangers uniforms eventually won it in the ninth.

It’s not the numbers that matter, it’s the confidence. Guzman batted .400 last spring. He led the Rangers with five home runs. He ended up in Triple-A.

The starting bell has a way of evening things out. 

But a double is a double. And a double is a confidence booster. And a little of that can go a long way. Especially for a guy who needs it, like Ronald Guzman. 

And, dammit, it’s baseball.

*****

TODAY’S GAME:

Game time: 3:05, 105.3 FM