Banister Ready For New Rangers Season
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ARLINGTON (CBSDFW.COM) - Baseball season is still a few months away, but fans can stop by Globe Life Park in Arlington on Saturday for a family experience like no other. It is time for the Texas Rangers Fan Fest, a unique event to get you ready for the new year.
Fans will get a chance to meet players and coaches, purchase game tickets before the general public, and even take a jog around the bases. Click here for more information, including times and ticket prices.
Jeff Banister will be there to talk with fans, and the new Rangers manager is eager to get the season going. "I'm looking forward to actually getting ready, getting on this dirt and the grass, and getting into spring training," Banister said early Friday morning.
Pitchers and catchers report for training next month. The Rangers season opens on April 6 in Oakland, before the team returns to Arlington on April 10 against the Houston Astros.
Banister spent nearly 30 years with the Pittsburgh Pirates. This will be his first season with Texas. He is originally from the Galveston area, but now calls Keller home.
The new manager is also a cancer survivor, something that he uses to inspire his team. "I use it more as an attitude," he stated. "When you get knocked to your knees, find a way to get back up. Learn how to utilize the people around you and how important they really are."
"When you get punched, you punch back. When you get knocked down, you get back up," Banister emphasized. "If it is something that you're passionate about, you keep going forward."
