Michael Choice Makes First Start With Texas Rangers

Mar 18, 2014; Surprise, AZ, USA; Texas Rangers Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

St. Petersburg, Fla- Michael Choice is slated to make his first start for the Texas Rangers on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Texas Rangers traded Josh Lindblom and Craig Gentry to Oakland Athletics for Chris Bostick and Michael Choice. Many Texas Rangers fans were not happy about losing Gentry, until Spring Training came.

Michael Choice, who is from Arlington, Texas, worked hard in Spring Training and truly earned a position with the Texas Rangers. In Spring Training Choice had 13 runs in 24 hits with 17 RBI. Michael Choice hit five home runs had a batting line of .369/.406/.708. Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington wanted to give Choice as much playing time as possible to see what he is capable of. Clearly Michael Choice proved himself to the skipper and was on the team out of Spring Training.

Wash made the announcement Friday that Michael Choice would make his first start as a Texas Ranger against the Tampa Bay Rays’ left-handed pitcher David Price.

Michael Choice will make his first start of the season Saturday against Rays left-hander David Price. #Rangers
— Jeff Wilson (@JeffWilsonTXR) April 4, 2014

When I saw that Choice would be starting my first thought was “FINALLY!” Then, I started to fret about him making his first start against David Price. So, I thought I would try and calm myself down and see how he has done previously against lefties. Turns out, not too shabby. Michael Choice has faced 7 left-handed starters. In 15 at-bats he has two runs with five hits, five strikeouts and a batting line of .333/.375/.333. Even though the sample size is small it does reveal one thing, Michael Choice gets hits and on base. Apparently, Wash thinks the same thing as he has put Michael Choice in RF and letting Alex Rios DH to give Mitch Moreland some rest.

Rangers lineup: LF Choo, SS Andrus, 1B Fielder, 3B Beltre, DH Rios, RF Choice, C Chirinos, CF Martin, 2B Wilson and RHP Martinez.
— Evan Grant (@Evan_P_Grant) April 5, 2014

I am excited to see Michael Choice start and remain hopeful that even though this is his first start in the Texas Rangers regular season lineup he will bring the power and speed he did in Spring Training.

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