Bruce Bochy to Rangers: 'Embrace' Expectations

New Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy got to address the entire team for the first time on Monday in Surprise.

The first day with pitchers, catchers and position players offered new Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy an opportunity to address the team for the first time since he was hired in October.

He’s met many of them during offseason workouts at Globe Life Field. He’s talked to most of them by phone. But the entire team in one place? That’s a first.

Bochy said on Monday that introductions would be in order. General manager Chris Young would probably have a few words for the team.

But Bochy will do most of the talking. And while he didn’t disclose exactly what he would say, his message could be summed up succinctly.

He wants them to “embrace” expectations.

The Rangers have them, for the first time in several years. Bochy would have come out of semi-retirement if there weren’t.

“We should have high expectations right now, when you look at the improvements that have been made on this club,” Bochy said. “So you certainly want them to feel that you should embrace that. Better having that than the other way around.”

The Rangers have had six straight losing season. That’s part of the reason why Bochy is in Arlington.

The three-time World Series champion with San Francisco (2010, '12, '14) is one of handful of managers with at least 2,000 victories for his career. Young lured him from his home in Nashville and signed him to a three-year contract.

It brought the franchise instant credibility.

So did the moves Young made to the pitching staff, starting with retaining Martín Pérez on a one-year qualifying tender. Then he signed Jacob deGrom in free agency to a five-year, $185 million deal. The Rangers also signed Andrew Heaney and Nathan Eovaldi and traded for Jake Odorizzi.

The result is a remade starting rotation with veteran experience, something Bochy was hoping for when he took the job.

Bochy will be the first to admit that Spring Training is all about promise. It will take time for the Rangers to deliver on it.

“This is a good pitching staff, a good rotation,” Bochy said. “It should be a good bullpen and these guys should feel good about where they’re at.”

The Rangers are gearing up for their first Spring Training game when they face Kansas City on Friday in Surprise.

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