Unless something wacky happens and the Texas Rangers re-sign Nelson Cruz in the next few weeks, it seems Mitch Moreland will be with the Rangers when they open the season on March 31 at home against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Moreland is cheap, young and has long been seen as the Rangers' first baseman of the future. And now, the future is in the past as Prince Fielder was brought in this offseason, relegating Moreland to a designated hitter/fourth outfielder status. Rangers manager Ron Washington has made a point to make sure Moreland knows he'll get his at-bats, whether he's the club's first baseman anymore or not.
And now Moreland said he's ready to tackle the 2014 season and whatever comes with it.
"I think it’s about the same as it was: anywhere and everywhere," Moreland told MLB Network Radio. "And that’s what I told them, you know, I’ll be ready for anything. You know we’ve got six weeks out here [at spring training], we can go out and play a few different positions and get comfortable and get ready for the season. It’s always fun to be out on the field. It’s [DH] definitely a different position, it’s something I’ve never done before…but you know, I’m going to do the best I can."
Moreland has a history of being a) streaky and b) injury-prone, since emerging on the scene in 2010 with a big postseason, including a huge World Series against the pitching buzzsaw that was the San Francisco Giants.
