Texas Rangers Spring Training Notebook: Whataburger Coming To Globe Life Field?
SURPRISE, Ariz. β The best baseball team in Texas (and the world) is apparently teaming up with the state's best burger chain.
An image of a Whataburger "Coming Soon" sign posted on social media has gone viral among Texas Rangers fans.
A Rangers official did confirm with the Dallas Morning News' Evan Grant that the sign does exist.
Apparently, the long-time, all-night burger chain of choice in Texas is opening a stand somewhere on the concourse. The official announcement isn't due until sometime in March.
Lets see ... I'll take a couple of home runs from Adolis Garcia and Josh Jung, a two-hit shutout from Nathan Eovaldi, and a No. 5 with a diet Dr Pepper and a large onion ring. Thanks!
Quotables
"Nothing carries over. Everybody's going to come in and have the same exact mindset. You work through a normal spring [training], like you always did. Coming back here, you have more confidence, a little more swagger, just because of what happened last year." β Rangers starter Andrew Heaney
"Looking back now, I think the neck issue was even a bigger issue than I thought because, along with losing some velocity, it was his command, too. Remember, he had trouble getting the ball where he wanted. It's hard to pitch in the big leagues when you're healthy. But when you're dealing with what he had to deal with, it just shows you how tough he is." β Rangers manager Bruce Bochy on Jose Leclerc battling neck stiffness a year ago in spring training
Crowding The Plate
When it comes to my favorite Surprise dining options, only one spot challenges Culver's. Big Buddha is a classic Chinese restaurant on Greenway Road, several miles west of Surprise Stadium, that nails all of the well-known Chinese options. What sets them apart? Everything tastes ultra-fresh, from the meat to the vegetables to the rice. Their sauces are always on point, their sweet-and-sour batter is delicate but crispy, and the meat inside (pork, shrimp, chicken) tastes fresh and perfectly fried.
I typically hit Big Buddha several times during spring training, which often means I'm eating leftovers days later because I'm not limiting myself to one item at my favorite Chinese restaurant in the country.
Although I was stuffed to the gills from Big Buddha, I 'forced' myself to try Handel's Homemade Ice Cream, which is just west of Route 303 on Greenway Road. The ice cream shop has been making fresh ice cream at each of its locations since first opening in Ohio in 1945. When trying a new place, I like to order a classic option to see how it compares to all the others. I'm here to report that Handel's butter pecan is the best I've ever tasted.
There are seven locations in DFW, including two in Flower Mound and one in Southlake, Arlington, The Colony, Plano and McKinney.
I'll probably be back for seconds before leaving Surprise. And I'll definitely keep a mental note about the North Texas locations going forward. Handel's is the real deal.
Spring Training Notebook: Bochy's Instagram, Leiter's Degree, Del Taco
You can follow Stefan Stevenson on X @StefanVersusTex.
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