Texas Rangers Spring Training Notebook: Rough Jose Leclerc Debut, Crowding the Plate's Top Frito Pie Chili

Texas Rangers reliever Jose Leclerc had a rough spring debut on Thursday, Where's Max Scherzer? Plus, Crowding the Plate's secret Wendy's Frito pie hack.

SURPRISE, Ariz. — Jose Leclerc made his spring debut during the Rangers' 7-5 Cactus League win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy summed up Leclerc's outing best: "He's just getting the cobwebs off."

Leclerc, who was so reliable over 13.2 innings for the Rangers during October's postseason title run, was tagged for three hits, including a two-run homer, and left the game after recording one out, a strikeout to the first batter he faced.

After the strikeout, Leclerc surrendered a triple to right and Joey Ortiz's two-run homer to left. Oliver Dunn followed with a single, and Leclerc walked Eric Haase before leaving the game.

"It's his first time out. He was working and threw 23 pitches. That's why we're here," Bochy said. "Getting ready for the season. His stuff was fine. His location was just off today."

Right-hander Owen White, 24, who made his second spring appearance with two innings after starter Nathan Eovaldi pitched the first three, allowed two runs on four hits in two innings. He struck out two and was the victim of some bad luck, Bochy said.

Shortstop Josh Smith lost a grounder in the sun, which allowed a run to score and would have typically been the third out. Instead, Eric Haase doubled in another run before White struck out Brock Wilken to end the inning. In the fifth, White retired the side with a groundout, flyout, and strikeout looking against Tyler Black.

"I thought he threw better than what the numbers showed," he said. "A little bit of bad luck there. You don't get too many ground balls that [get lost in the sun]. But in the second inning, he went out there and bounced back very well. I thought he had good hop on his fastball and used his pitches. You could see him get more comfortable in the second inning."

Where's Max?

Pitcher Max Scherzer was in camp for the first week but returned home to Florida to be with his family while continuing to rehab after his Dec. 15 back surgery. Scherzer has yet to resume throwing. The Rangers are hoping he's available to return to the roster by June. 

Dustin Harris Scratched

Outfielder Dustin Harris was scratched from the starting lineup against the Brewers on Thursday with oblique soreness. Harris felt pain while running down two fly balls in Wednesday's game in Scottsdale.

Quotables

"Yeah, it's sore. It's stiff. It just feels like I got punched in the arm really hard. But [the next morning] it didn't even look like anything happened. There was no swelling or anything. When we came into the training room, it looked like a golf ball under my skin, and it was black and blue, purple. It was nasty looking, and [I thought], 'It's going to be there for a couple of days.' I woke up the next morning, and it was gone. Crazy." — Rangers outfielder Evan Carter after being hit on the left forearm during Sunday's game. Trainers applied a pink pad, which Carter wore overnight. While still painful, the swelling was reduced, the bruising removed, and Carter was back in action the next morning.

Crowding the Plate

One of the most unheralded but reliable big-chain fast-food options is the Wendy's chili. It's never off. Unlike a burger or fries, which can occasionally come cold or have condiment issues, Wendy's chili always tastes the same and is on point. 

Frito Pie with Wendy's chili :: Stefan Stevenson/FanNation, Inside the Rangers

It is served in small and large options with saltines and your choice of toppings, including sweet onions and shredded cheddar cheese. For 60 cents, you can add a pouch of sour cream. The chili is fine on its own, with or without the extras. For me, Wendy's chili is the perfect choice for one of Texas' most ingenious culinary exports: Frito Pie.

Beefy, beany, and not too thick, Wendy's chili, which the restaurant officially calls Chili Con Carne, includes hunks of beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, and peppers. 

Wendy's founder Dave Thomas came up with the chili idea as a way of using leftover hamburger meat, and the chili was one of the original five items on the menu when the first Wendy's opened in 1969 in Columbus, Ohio.

I usually eat the Wendy's Frito pie at home, where I have a bag of Fritos, some shredded cheese, and onion. Since I'm in Surprise, however, I brought a single-serve bag of Fritos with me and asked for an empty salad container to use as my bowl. For one meal, the small chili option is plenty. It's a hearty, tasty meal that will keep you full for the rest of the day.   

Wendy's chili is Crowding the Plate's top choice for Frito pie :: Stefan Stevenson/FanNation, Inside the Rangers

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