Texas Rangers Baseball

Arlington, Texas is one of only thirty cities in the Unites States with a Major League Baseball team. We welcome you to experience Texas Rangers baseball during your next vacation to Arlington, Texas at the 49,115-seat Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Come see Rangers baseball in action and join the crowd as we cheer on famous traditions and welcome exciting, new talent to the field.

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From Texas to Beijing: Rangers Catcher Taylor Teagarden Joins U.S. Olympic Baseball Team

Taylor Teagarden has experienced a whirlwind ride this summer…from the Rangers’ minor leagues, to playing in the Futures Game at Yankee Stadium, to the starting lineup for the Texas Rangers, and ultimately to Beijing, China as a member of the U.S. Olympic baseball team.

The former star of Carrollton (TX) Creekview High School grew up only 30 minutes away from Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. He stayed in-state to play college baseball at The University of Texas where he helped the Longhorns win the 2005 College World Series. He was selected by the Rangers in the third round of the 2005 June draft. He was playing well enough this season at Triple-A Oklahoma to earn a call-up to the major leagues on July 18th. The call-up occurred within a week of his playing in the Futures Game during MLB’s All Star festivities at Yankee Stadium.

In his first MLB action in a Rangers series at Minnesota, the rookie catcher started two games. In the Sunday finale versus the Twins, Teagarden hit the game-winning homerun in a 1-0 victory. It was Teagarden’s first major league hit. According to Elias Sports Bureau, Teagarden is one of just four players in the last 75 years to homer in a 1-0 win on their first hit in the majors.

Teagarden’s winning home run came off Twins starter Scott Baker who was working on a perfect game until the Ranger catcher came to the plate with two outs in the 6th inning. Teagarden worked Baker to a full count before launching a 92 mph fast ball into the seats in left-center field.

"Baker was throwing so well at that point, I got in a situation where it was two outs, 3-2 count, and I figured he was going to come with his best fastball -- and he did,” recalls Teagarden. “I just tried to put a nice easy swing on it and make contact.”

The home run overshadowed Teagarden’s stellar work behind the plate as the rookie called a shutout. Starting pitcher Vicente Padilla, just a day removed from the disabled list, gave up only 3 hits in 7 innings. The bullpen did its job over the last two innings and the Rangers won 1-0, the first time in 4 years that they won a 1-0 game.

"Teagarden was the hero today," said relief pitcher C.J. Wilson. "He caught the shutout and hit the homer to win the game. And he threw a guy out. The only thing he didn't do, I guess, was clean the stadium after we leave."

The rookie’s heroics in the win at Minnesota put the Rangers in a dilemma the day following the win. Would they keep Teagarden at the major league level as catcher Gerald Laird continued his stay on the disabled list, or should the team option him back to the minors so that he would remain eligible to play on the U.S. Olympic Team?
"That kid's done nothing since he's been up here but impress people," manager Ron Washington said of the team’s difficult decision.
The Rangers decision to option Teagarden to Oklahoma means that he will spend the month of August helping his country pursue an Olympic Gold Medal in Beijing rather than the Rangers continue their pursuit of the AL West title. Then again, once the Olympics are concluded, the Rangers could still be in the pennant race in late-August, heading into September.
Overall it’s a win-win situation for Teagarden, notes a teammate…a chance to represent his country and the Rangers organization in front of a world-wide audience.
"I hope he comes back right afterwards with a gold medal on," said Wilson. "He's a great catcher and a cool guy. I've had a chance to get to know him, and I'm really happy to have him up here."