Inside The Rangers

'I Play For My Family.' Watch Texas Rangers Star Address Teammates After Reaching Career Milestone

Texas Rangers All-Star second baseman Marcus Semien reached a major MLB milestone before the series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Stefan Stevenson

Texas Rangers
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Marcus Semien has accomplished a ton in his 12 seasons in the Major Leagues. He's a two-time All-Star, Gold Glover, Silver Slugger, and, of course, a World Series champion.

For a player like Semien, however, his latest feat may mean as much, if not more. He reached 10 years of MLB service time ahead of the Texas Rangers series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park.

Manager Bruce Bochy presented Semien with a couple of mementos marking the milestone, including a collage of photos in a home-plate shaped frame and a bat with his teammate's signatures.

"Congrats to you Marcus on a tremendous career and all that you have accomplished," Bochy said during a pre-game team meeting in the clubhouse posted on the Rangers social media pages.

Semien, 33, has famously declined to take days off over the past several seasons, including the past two with the Rangers, in which he missed only one game. He addressed his teammates on Tuesday.

"My goal as a child was to make it to the Major Leagues. Once I got here, I saw how hard it is to stay," Semien said. "Now that I'm here 10 years ... how did I do it? I feel like I wasn't the first-rounder who had all of the talent. I never thought I was the best player on the field. I thought preparation, routine, and love the game [was the way], and now that I have four kids, I play for my family. So you put all of those things together ... I show up every day ready to work. That's why I don't want to take a day off. That mindset has got me where I am today."

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Stefan Stevenson

STEFAN STEVENSON

Stefan Stevenson worked as a journalist and editor at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram for 25 years, covering sports, concerts, and general news. His beats have included the Dallas Cowboys, the Texas Rangers, and Texas Christian University football.

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