Rangers' Beasley Calls Camp 'Good Therapy' For Cancer
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SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Texas Rangers third base coach Tony Beasley says being with the team in spring training is "good therapy" after being diagnosed with rectal cancer.
Beasley is scheduled to begin chemotherapy treatments this week in Arizona.
"In a perfect world the chemo knocks it out, dissolves it," Beasley said Sunday, when he joined the Rangers two days after his cancer was revealed. "Then we have to think about the option if I want to do the surgery or not. I know the doctors will want to do it regardless."
The plan is for at least four chemotherapy treatments every two weeks. Doctors have told the 49-year-old coach there could be periods of fatigue after treatments.
Beasley said he had been dealing with hemorrhoids since August and when they did not subside, he opted to check it out further with a colonoscopy. He said doctors then discovered a mass, but felt good about catching it in time. He said everything is contained.
"I walk by faith, not by sight. I'm a Christian man, a strong man of faith. My belief through my faith in God I'm already delivered from this," he said. "I've just got to go through the process."
The Rangers have said they will see how Beasley feels before determining if they need someone to fill in for the coach on an interim basis. Beasley got to camp after missing the initial workout Friday following the reporting date for pitchers and catchers.
General manager Jon Daniels and manager Jeff Banister, Beasley's friend for about 25 years, have told Beasley to work at whatever pace he needs to during camp.
Texas has its first full-squad workout scheduled for Wednesday, and start playing games a week later.
"It's a good outlet mentally," Beasley said. "I could have easily done this at home, but at home I felt I'd have too much downtime in between treatments. Half of this battle is mentally, keeping my mind occupied and not sitting around thinking, allowing possibilities and scenarios creep into your mind. I don't want to do that. Here I'll be busy every day. There's so much to keep my mind occupied here, so this is good therapy for me."
Beasley was getting treatment at a cancer center in Houston before joining the Rangers in camp. He said his top priority is getting healthy and to the point of being able to be consistent without any limitations or restrictions again.
"You have an opportunity to look at things in life in two ways, obstacle or opportunity," Beasley said. "I could look at this as an obstacle and be defeated by it. But I choose to look at this is an opportunity."
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