ARLINGTON -- Every player dreams of that moment when he finds out he’s officially headed to The Show. The life-changing news often comes via a postgame visit to a Minor League manager’s office, or a phone call from big league staff. Every year, one way or another, hundreds of players are given the good news.
But not many find out the way Rangers reliever Carter Baumler did Monday night -- on the mound, between batters, in the middle of an inning he happened to be pitching.
The Rangers traded for Baumler in the offseason after the Pirates picked him in the Rule 5 Draft. That meant the Rangers had to put the 24-year-old on the Opening Day roster -- and stow him there for the entire season -- to keep him in the organization.
They decided to inform the right-hander that they were keeping him in one of the most unorthodox ways possible, with manager Skip Schumaker delivering the message in person on a mound visit during the fifth inning of Monday’s 3-2 exhibition win against the Royals at Globe Life Field.
Baumler induced groundouts from the first two batters he faced, Starling Marte and Jonathan India, before Schumacher suddenly sprung from the dugout steps and went out to the mound for a chat. The Rangers’ infielders converged and Schumaker broke the good news to Baumler – to a visit then filled with laughs and smiles.
Baumler did not allow a run in 9 1/3 innings over eight Cactus League appearances for the Rangers this spring, striking out 10 and walking two. At three levels in Baltimore’s farm system last season, Baumler posted a combined 2.04 ERA in 39 2/3 innings.