Lions play Q&A with visiting Rangers

Jan. 24--After the baseball program received a $5,000 grant from the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation, the Greenville Lions asked questions of two current Ranger pitchers and one former third baseman on Wednesday.

Ranger pitchers Nick Gardewine and Jose Leclerc and ex-third baseman Steve Buechele, who is now the Rangers Special Assistant for Baseball Operations, answered a variety of questions following the formal presentation at the Paul Mathews Auditorium. The grant, also provided by The Globe Life And Accident Life Insurance Company, is being used to build batting cages, cover current batting cages and to build a storage shed for field supplies for the Lions.

One question asked of the three Rangers was where they're from. Buechele, whose son Shane is a quarterback at the University of Texas, hails from California though he now resides in Grand Prairie. Leclerc is from Esperanza in the Dominican Republic and Effingham grew up near Chicago in Illinois.

Leclerc noted the difference between where he grew up, that "baseball was everything" in that region and in Texas where there is much more going on.

Gardewine talked about the importance of doing something you enjoy.

"If you're not having fun, I feel like you're in the wrong sport," said the 25-year-old right-hander.

Gardewine said he ran cross country and played football and basketball in high school.

"I think it's good for kids to be in all sports," he said. "It helps you get better with your social skills."

Gardewine said he went to college on a basketball and baseball scholarship but learned that baseball was for him when he pitched a no-hitter in his first college game. The Lion players applauded the mention of Gardewine's no-hitter.

Buechele, who set a major league record for third basemen with a .991 fielding percentage in 1991, talked about the mental part of the game.

"I saw so many players that had more talent...that didn't make it to the big leagues," he said. "Physical strength is one thing. Mental strength is another."

On the subject of physical strength, one of the Lions asked what was the most important workout in the weight room.

"That depends like if you are a hitter, I don't know. But if you are a pitcher, you have to do a lot of lower body and shoulders. That's the most important," said Leclerc, who finished last season as the Rangers' closer, nailing down his last 12 save opportunities to wind up with a 1.56 earned run average.

"I would say for me personally, it's squats," said Gardewine, who appeared in three games last season for the Rangers.

"A lot of hand strength," said Buechele. "They do arms, backs. They do full body workouts. Upper body and a lot of leg. I don't know if you guys are surprised when you hear these pitchers saying.

'Look, lower half.' They work their lower half a lot. I think that's huge. Not just in pitching but whatever you do in baseball."

Buechele agreed with Gardewine about enjoying the game "number one" but talked about putting the work in to be a better player.

Ray Casas, the manager of the Rangers' baseball foundation, said the grants are "something that we feel like are very important to make sure that you all get as much help so you guys can compete and hopefully win."

The Lions' 2019 baseball season begins on Feb. 18 with games at Rains in Emory.

The Rangers pitchers and catchers will report for spring training on Feb. 13. Their season opener is set for March 25 at Globe Life Park against the Cleveland Indians.

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