Who’s at first? Nobody yet.


You know the old saying: if a tree fell in the woods and nobody was there to hear it, did it make a sound?

What if spring training happens and nobody is there to win the first base position, does anyone play there?

About a third of the way into spring training, the two leading candidates are playing a game of hot potato. Noboby wants the position.

Incumbent Ronald Guzman isn’t hitting, and hasn’t hit. His main competition, Greg Bird, is hitting even less, and hasn’t shown the ability to stay healthy.

First base is a production position. The only thing these two are producing thus far is frustration.

The two other first baseman in camp are Sam Travis and Curtis Terry. Travis has played parts of three seasons with the Red Sox. He combined to hit .230 with very little power. Boston released him. Without having a first baseman. So that should tell you all you need to know about Travis’s likelihood of being the starting first baseman for the Texas Rangers in 2020. 

Curtis Terry is a twenty-two-year-old Rangers draft pick, so he would a wonderful story if he made the team. But, so few Rangers draft picks make an impact in the major leagues, and Terry hasn’t played above A-Ball, making it highly doubtful they would seriously consider him. Terry has hit everywhere he’s been though, and for power. 

Of course, Scott Heineman can play first. If only the Rangers had a center fielder. He might need to plug that gap.

This roster is like a pick up baseball team. “Okay, we’ve chosen sides. Now, who can play where? Grab a glove and take a position.”

Without viable options, the Rangers may slide Todd Frazier across the diamond. But they don’t have a third baseman. They have said they’re going to try Nick Solak out at third soon. After they finish his try out in center.

What a mess.

It would be nice if someone steps up and takes control of first base.

It would have been nicer if someone would have stepped up and addressed all these holes in the offseason when they had the chance.

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TODAY’S GAME:

Game time: 2:05