Andrus will be honored before Friday’s game against Ron Washington’s Los Angeles Angels. Elvis Andrus, the fresh-faced, exuberant kid who helped launch the Texas Rangers’ American League dynasty more than a decade ago, will retire as a Ranger on Friday. Hey, just because a story makes you feel old doesn’t mean it can’t also make you feel happy. The Rangers will commemorate Andrus before Friday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels by having him throw out the first pitch. The timing of the announcement to coincide with the Angels’ visit is not a coincidence. The Angels are led by Ron Washington, Andrus’ original manager with the Rangers who assisted him through the early phases. of being a major league player. Then his father, Adrián Beltré, stepped in. “Our success really started in 2009, and the biggest player move that year was promoting a 20-year-old shortstop from Double-A,” said former Rangers general manager Jon Daniels. Andrus was acquired as part of a seven-player deal that sent Mark Teixeira to Atlanta in 2007. “Elvis cemented the infield alongside Michael [Young] and Ian [Kinsler] and improved our pitching with his range and ability to play shortstop. His energy and base running influenced the way we pressured defenses.
“He handled the spotlight quickly, both as a rookie and again in the playoffs at pivotal moments, and endeared himself to fans. He was an ideal match for a team full of excellent players who enjoyed playing and competing.
Michael Young, the only player in the organization with more experience than Andrus, is slated to attend the first pitch ceremony as well as Andrus’ retirement news conference on Friday afternoon, alongside Washington and his former colleague.
“For our fan base, Elvis will always symbolize an immensely fun time in our organization’s history,” Young told reporters Wednesday. “Every player has distinguishing characteristics that people remember them by.
“For Elvis, it will be his passion and fire. When he arrived, we were eager to get this thing started. We wanted some young players to bring the nightly spark. He delivered it to us through his personality and performance. And, more importantly, we all instantly adored him.” Andrus is nearly certain to be inducted into the Rangers Hall of Fame. The team usually waits at least two years following a player’s official retirement announcement before inducting him. For context: Iván Rodríguez retired after his last active game in 2011.
2012 and was elected to the team’s Hall of Fame in 2013. Andrus, who turned 36 last month, spent last season with the Chicago White Sox before signing a minor league deal with Arizona during spring training. When he didn’t make the team, he chose not to play in the minor leagues and returned to his home in Frisco, where he found solace in being with his wife, Cori, and three small children.
Andrus, who was born in Venezuela, played 1,652 games for the Rangers between 2009 and 2020, second only to Young in club history. Andrus had 1,743 of his 2,091 career hits with the Rangers, ranking third in franchise history after Rodríguez and Young. He leads the squad in stolen bases (305) and is third in runs scored (893).
Fifth in doubles (303), second in triples (48), and among the top ten in RBIs and extra-base hits.
But as good as Andrus was with the Rangers, he will always be inextricably linked to Beltré. The two developed a deep bond, “almost like family,” Beltré said Wednesday.
“He was the best teammate I ever had in terms of chemistry,” Beltré recalls. We just clicked. He was a good athlete and a wonderful person. I simply wanted the best for him. It was easy to take him under my wing. I wanted to make sure he didn’t make the same mistakes I had earlier in my career. I simply wanted him to be the best player.
Fifth in doubles (303), second in triples (48), and among the top ten in RBIs and extra-base hits.
But as good as Andrus was with the Rangers, he will always be inextricably linked to Beltré. The two developed a deep bond, “almost like family,” Beltré said Wednesday.
“He was the best teammate I ever had in terms of chemistry,” Beltré recalls. We just clicked. He was a good athlete and a wonderful person. I simply wanted the best for him. It was easy to take him under my wing. I wanted to make sure he didn’t make the same mistakes I had earlier in my career. I simply wanted him to be the best player. There were 347 thefts in 2,059 games. He was the American League’s runner-up for Rookie of the Year in 2009 and a two-time All-Star.
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