So long, Elvis Andrus.


Goodbye, Elvis.

One of the most beloved Rangers call it a career yesterday in one of those hokey “last contract signing” stunts. After a fifteen-year career with Texas, Oakland, and the Chicago White Sox, Elvis announced his retirement. (He hit .251 last year with the White Sox, you’d think they would have wanted him back. He’d be an All-Star on that team). He wanted to retire a Ranger, the team he was identified with for twelve of those years. So, he signs a fake one-day Rangers contract, then retires.

With Corey Seager out, they should have put a uniform on Elvis and let him run out to start the game, and then be removed before the first batter came up so he could get a proper standing ovation. 

But he got to stand on the mound with his former manager and mentor Ron Washington there, and his longtime teammate Michael Young there, and soak up the atmosphere of where it all began.

Ron Washington, who singlehandedly turned Elvis into a brilliant defense shortstop, told a story about how it happened.

Washington was hitting ground balls to Elvis for the first time. After a while, the nineteen-year-old Andrus signaled to Washington that he was done, he’d had enough grounders for the day.

Washington was livid. “I called him over,” Washington recalled, “And I told him, ‘As long as you’re living, don’t ever do that again. Go back out there and I’ll let you know when we’re done. We’re working on something. I’ll let you know when it’s over.’”

Elvis ran back out to short. Washington hit him one more ground ball. Then Wash walked away. Now they were done.

He made a name for himself as a defensive star, a youthful jolt of energy that solidified the team when he first came up on 2009, and helped propel them to the first of their two consecutive World Series appearances the next year.

Elvis was second in A.L. Rookie of the Year voting in 2009 and was named to the A.L. All Star team twice.

He still is the franchise leader in stolen bases with 305, and ranks second in games played, at-bats, and triples, and third in runs scored and hits.

Not bad for a guy who was known for his glove. 

So long, Elvis Andrus. Thanks for all those years.

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