Latest news with #TexasRangers'
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
J.D. Arteaga, the relentless ace turned loyal coach remains the heart of Canes baseball
March 2003. J.D. Arteaga was still chasing the dream. He stood on a mound in Arizona, working toward a potential shot at the big leagues with the Texas Rangers' Major League spring training. After five years of grinding through the minors with the Mets and Astros organizations, this was the opportunity he had been waiting for. His wife, Ysha, and their young son, Ari, were scheduled to fly out to visit him. It was supposed to be a rare moment away from baseball. Then his phone rang. Jim Morris was calling. Arteaga had spent four years pitching for Morris at Miami, leading the Hurricanes to four straight College World Series appearances and leaving his name all over the program's record books. Months earlier, he had casually told Morris that coaching was something he might consider one day. Morris wasn't calling for a casual chat. He needed a pitching coach—immediately. Not at the end of the season. Not after interviews. Right now. It was March. Miami's season was already underway. The Hurricanes were flying out to Tennessee that week. Arteaga hesitated. Was he ready to give up playing? To walk away from the only dream he had ever known? 'It was a very tough decision to give up a dream, for a dream job,' Arteaga said. At 2 a.m., he called Morris back and took the job. Instead of waiting for his family in Arizona, he went to them and got on the first available flight to Miami. Two days later, he was in Tennessee, calling pitches for a team he had barely met. Miami swept the series. And just like that, J.D. Arteaga's coaching career had begun. Fast forward over two decades and Arteaga is in his second season as the Hurricanes' head coach, who just led them to their first Super Regional appearance since 2016 and came one victory short of leading them back to Omaha and the College World Series. THE OVERLOOKED PITCHER Arteaga wasn't supposed to be the best pitcher in Miami history. He wasn't supposed to leave the program as its all-time wins leader (43) and starts leader (72). He wasn't the hardest thrower. He wasn't a projected star. But he worked harder than everyone else. Arteaga arrived at Miami in 1994 from Westminster Christian, a high school powerhouse that produced elite talent. He was never the most gifted pitcher on the roster, but by his sophomore season, he was the most reliable. 'He wasn't supposed to be the best pitcher Miami ever had,' Jim Morris said. 'But he was.' Arteaga knew his limitations, but he also knew how to overcome them. 'I was never the hardest thrower, never had the best stuff, but I knew how to pitch,' he said. By the time he left Miami in 1997, Arteaga had pitched more innings than almost anyone in program history. He had started in five College World Series games and delivered when Miami needed him most. He was drafted in the 26th round by the Mets—a long shot to make the big leagues. He spent five years battling in the minors, refusing to let the dream die. Then Jim Morris called, and Arteaga made the decision that would define his legacy. FROM THE MOUND TO MENTOR Most coaches ease into the job. Arteaga was thrown into the fire. Morris didn't care that Arteaga had never coached before. He saw something in him. The same qualities that had made Arteaga Miami's most reliable pitcher—calm, intelligence, leadership, and an ability to elevate those around him—would make him an exceptional coach. For the next 20 years, Arteaga became the architect of Miami's pitching success. He developed multiple MLB Draft picks, including first-rounders Chris Perez (2006) and César Carrillo (2005). His 2006 rotation—composed almost entirely of first-time starters—recorded five shutouts, the most by a Miami staff since 1998. But Arteaga wasn't just a coach. He was a mentor first. Andrew Walters, who made his Major League debut last season for the Cleveland Guardians, attributes much of his development as a college pitcher to Arteaga. He remembers the moment that stuck with him. 'Don't call me Coach,' Arteaga told him. 'You want me to call you Player?' That moment landed with Walters—not because of what was said, but because of what it meant. Arteaga didn't believe in hierarchy. He believed in respect. He wanted his players to see him as someone in the fight with them, not standing above them. That philosophy resonated with Walters, who went from a raw college pitcher to one of the most dominant closers in the nation under Arteaga's guidance. 'I don't want them to just follow orders—I want them to understand why we do things. That's how they grow,' Arteaga explained. LIKE HE NEVER LEFT When Miami needed a new head coach before the 2024 season, Arteaga was the obvious choice. However, obvious choices don't always get hired. He had spent two decades as Miami's pitching coach, but never as a head coach. Some voices inside and outside the program wanted a bigger name, a national profile. Morris wasn't having it. 'If the university has any loyalty, J.D. should be the next head coach,' Morris said to the University's administrators. Arteaga got the job. He inherited a roster in transition—seven of Miami's nine starting position players this season are new. It's a challenge unlike anything he faced as a player or pitching coach. Arteaga felt that immediately. 'It's a different seat. I knew what Miami baseball meant as a player and a pitching coach, but this? This is different.' But he didn't flinch. 'I was one of the guys pushing as hard as I could for J.D. to be the head coach,' Morris said. 'Because I knew he deserved that opportunity.' BEYOND BASEBALL Arteaga's influence extends far beyond the dugout. He's a die-hard Buffalo Bills fan, something his players love to tease him about when football season rolls around. He unwinds by fishing and occasionally golfing with Morris, keeping the same mentor-student bond they've had for decades. Then there's the Be The Light Foundation, named in honor of his late son, Ari, who was killed in a car accident. Arteaga doesn't bring it up often, but it's there in the work he does—a quiet but powerful reminder that baseball is just a game, and life is bigger than wins and losses. Every year, Miami hosts the 'Be The Light' game, a tribute to Ari's legacy that has grown into something bigger than Arteaga ever imagined. 'Just in ticket sales, we sold a little over $31,000. It was our biggest day in six years,' Arteaga said. 'This whole community has been so great to me, my wife, and her family. They just continue to show up for us every year.' Maybe that's why his players trust him so deeply. Jake Ogden, one of Arteaga's current players, has felt that impact firsthand. 'If you want to not only improve as a baseball player but improve as a person, JD is going to bring that out of you,' Ogden said. 'He compares the game to life a lot... how baseball is like a metaphor for life, and how to deal with the ups and downs.' He doesn't have to raise his voice. He doesn't need theatrics. 'He cares about the person more than the player,' Ogden added. Even Morris, the legendary coach who shaped Miami baseball, knows that Arteaga's legacy is already secured. 'When the time comes for my son to play college baseball, I'll tell him, 'You're going to Miami, and you're playing for J.D.'' Arteaga has never needed the spotlight. He's still the same man who took the ball for Miami 72 times. The same man who stood on the mound in Omaha and outdueled future MLB stars. The same man who answered his phone in Arizona and got on a plane before he had time to second-guess his decision. His career has been built on loyalty, work ethic, and an unwavering commitment to those around him. 'My family is here. My roots are here. I grew up here. Miami is home,' Arteaga said. His name is in the record books. His fingerprints are on the pitching staff. His legacy is in the players he sends out into the world. His heart never left Miami. And he never will.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
MLB reinstates 4 players after yearlong bans for betting on baseball
FILE - Chicago White Sox second baseman Jose Rodriguez throws out Texas Rangers' Jonah Heim at first base during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Tuesday, June 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File) FILE - San Diego Padres starting pitcher Jay Groome throws against the Milwaukee Brewers during the second inning of a spring training baseball game Thursday, March 23, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File) FILE - Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Andrew Saalfrank throws against the Texas Rangers during the ninth inning in Game 3 of the baseball World Series Monday, Oct. 30, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, FIle) FILE - Oakland Athletics' Michael Kelly throws during a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Oakland, Calif., Wednesday, May 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File) FILE - This combination of 2024 file photo shows baseball players, from left, Jay Groome, Michael Kelly, Jose Rodríguez and Andrew Saalfrank. (AP Photo/File) FILE - This combination of 2024 file photo shows baseball players, from left, Jay Groome, Michael Kelly, Jose Rodríguez and Andrew Saalfrank. (AP Photo/File) FILE - Chicago White Sox second baseman Jose Rodriguez throws out Texas Rangers' Jonah Heim at first base during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Tuesday, June 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File) FILE - San Diego Padres starting pitcher Jay Groome throws against the Milwaukee Brewers during the second inning of a spring training baseball game Thursday, March 23, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File) FILE - Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Andrew Saalfrank throws against the Texas Rangers during the ninth inning in Game 3 of the baseball World Series Monday, Oct. 30, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, FIle) FILE - Oakland Athletics' Michael Kelly throws during a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Oakland, Calif., Wednesday, May 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File) FILE - This combination of 2024 file photo shows baseball players, from left, Jay Groome, Michael Kelly, Jose Rodríguez and Andrew Saalfrank. (AP Photo/File) Major League Baseball's one-year suspensions for betting on the sport ended for four players Thursday — San Diego starter Jay Groome, Athletics relief pitcher Michael Kelly, Philadelphia infielder José Rodríguez and Arizona reliever Andrew Saalfrank. The A's announced they reinstated Kelly along with left-hander T.J. McFarland, who was on the injured list. They optioned right-handers Elvis Alvarado and Justin Sterner to Triple-A Las Vegas to make room on their big league roster. Advertisement Saalfrank was optioned to the Diamondbacks' rookie-level Arizona Complex League. The Padres have not announced their plans for Groome, but the Athletic reported he was not offered a contract, making him a free agent. The Phillies have not announced their intentions regarding Rodríguez. Kelly was suspended for betting on baseball while in the minor leagues, and the other three minor leaguers were penalized for betting on big league games. Each player wagered less than $1,000. Saalfrank and Rodríguez played previously in the majors. The players violated Major League Rule 21, which is posted in every clubhouse. They were handed mandatory one-year suspensions for betting on games in which they did not participate. If they had bet on any games they attended in person — even if they didn't play — they would have been banned for life. ___ AP MLB:
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Corey Seager is reinstated by Texas Rangers after shortstop's second IL stint this season
Texas Rangers' Corey Seager rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 10, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Lon Horwedel) ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Two-time World Series MVP shortstop Corey Seager was reinstated by the Texas Rangers on Wednesday after his second stint on the injured list this season because of a right hamstring strain. The Rangers activated Seager before their series finale against Toronto. Seager hadn't played since hitting two home runs on May 10 at Detroit. He missed 28 of their previous 33 games going into Wednesday night. Advertisement Seager was out 16 games while on the IL for the second time, but that didn't count the two games he didn't play before his two-homer game against the Tigers. He missed 10 games while out the minimum 10 days for his previous IL stint from April 23-May 2, then played only five games after being reinstated before being getting sidelined again. Infielder Blaine Crim was sent back to Triple-A Round Rock after not playing in either of the two games he had been back with the Rangers since getting called up Monday to fill an open spot on their 26-man roster. He appeared in five games in his first major league stint last month, going 0 for 11 with a walk. Seager, a five-time All-Star, is in the fourth season of his $325 million, 10-year contract with the Rangers. He went into the finale against the Blue Jays hitting .300 with six homers and 12 RBIs in 26 games this season, and 102 homers in his 419 games with Texas. Seager missed the end of last season after his second hernia surgery in less than eight months. That operation in September was a right sports hernia repair, on the opposite side of his abdomen from a procedure the previous January. Advertisement He dealt with the left hernia issue at the end of 2023, when he still hit .318 with six homers, 12 RBIs and 15 walks in 17 postseason games as the Rangers won their first World Series title. He was on the IL twice that season (left hamstring issue and right thumb sprain). ___ AP MLB:
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rangers place outfielder Evan Carter on IL with quad strain, activate Kevin Pillar
Texas Rangers' Jonah Heim, right, and Houston Astros catcher Victor Caratini, left, watch Heim's single that scored teammates Josh Jung and Evan Carter during the second inning of a baseball game, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero) ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers placed outfielder Evan Carter on the 10-day injured list Sunday, a day after he was a late scratch with a right quadriceps injury. Outfielder Kevin Pillar was activated from the injured list after being sidelined two weeks by lower back inflammation. Pillar was in the lineup Sunday against the Houston Astros in right field. Advertisement Manager Bruce Bochy said he expects Carter to be sidelined about two weeks with a quad strain. The 22-year-old was limited to 45 games by a back injury in what was supposed to be his first full big league season last year. Carter, who had a stellar debut in the regular season and the postseason when the Rangers won the 2023 World Series, started this season in the minor leagues as he continued with adjustments in his swing to try to ease the strain on his back. He is hitting .182 in 11 games while mostly playing center field. Pillar played all three outfield positions while appearing in 18 games before the back injury. The 36-year-old is hitting .237. The Rangers recalled right-hander Caleb Boushley from Triple-A Round Rock and sent right-hander Cole Winn to Round Rock four days after Winn was called up and Boushley sent down. It's Boushley's third stint with the Rangers this season. Winn made one appearance. ___ AP MLB:
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Corey Seager activated from the 10-day IL by the struggling Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager, left, throws to first base on a fielder's choice as Los Angeles Dodgers' Eddie Rosario, right, is out at second base during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter) Texas Rangers' Corey Seager hits a solo home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the seventh inning of a baseball game Thursday, April 17, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Texas Rangers' Corey Seager hits a solo home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the seventh inning of a baseball game Thursday, April 17, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager, left, throws to first base on a fielder's choice as Los Angeles Dodgers' Eddie Rosario, right, is out at second base during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter) Texas Rangers' Corey Seager hits a solo home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the seventh inning of a baseball game Thursday, April 17, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Corey Seager was activated from the injured list Saturday after the Texas Rangers lost eight of the 10 games the five-time All-Star shortstop missed because of a right hamstring strain. Seager was hitting .286 with four homers and six RBIs when he got hurt. He had hit .370 with three of those homers over a 12-game span before straining his right hamstring while running to first base against the Athletics on April 22. The two-time World Series MVP missed the minimal time on the IL. Advertisement Texas made the move before its game against Seattle on Saturday night. Infielder Jonathan Ornelas was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock. The Rangers scored 29 runs during their 2-8 stretch without Seager, with more than half of those runs coming when they had a season-high 15 against Oakland on Tuesday. They scored only 14 runs in the other nine games, including a 2-0 win. They lost 13-1 on Friday night in their series opener against the AL West-leading Mariners. Texas was last in the American League with 104 runs scored. At 16-17 overall, the Rangers were under .500 for the first time since losing to Boston in the season opener. ___ AP MLB:
