Tickets.com Client Spotlight: Texas Rangers

Texas Rangers sweeten ticket deals to attract more fans

By ANTHONY ANDRO
Star-Telegram/Stewart F. House

ARLINGTON — The Texas Rangers are going to offer fans more reasons to come to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

Individual ticket prices this year will remain the same in all sections except for the lower infield seats (up from $60 to $65).

But a number of incentives are planned to boost attendance. Postgame fireworks will be featured 13 times, up from five last year. All-you-can-eat seats will be available every home game and include seats in the upper home run porch. Two more concerts are on the calendar. A family pack will offer savings of up to 50 percent.

The Rangers have added four premier games, up to 16 from 12. That was necessitated by the Rangers having an additional home series with Boston and a July 4 game.

Individual game tickets will go on sale at 9 a.m. on March 7.

Senior vice president Jim Sundberg said that season ticket sales are down slightly because of the economy. Last season’s attendance was the lowest ever at the ballpark.

Beefed-up Brandon

Rangers right-hander Brandon McCarthy showed up at the Rangers’ pitching camp looking big and healthy.

The 6-foot-7 McCarthy weighs 220 pounds, up from 195. That’s due in large part to his 7,000-calorie a day diet. More important, McCarthy is healthy after being limited to five starts with the Rangers last year because of forearm and finger injuries.

"It’s sort of starting over again," McCarthy said. "It’s been two years since I’ve done anything of note. It’s time to sort of prove myself again. I look at as a make-or-break year in terms of where I want to be personally."

Wilson signs

The Rangers avoided arbitration with reliever C.J. Wilson by agreeing to terms on a one-year deal. The left-hander signed for $1.85 million and additional performance incentives.

Wilson was 2-2 last year with 24 saves and a 6.02 ERA. His season ended in August when he had surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow.

Washington on Obama

Rangers manager Ron Washington didn’t have a chance to watch Tuesday’s presidential inauguration because of a pitching camp, but he still felt a sense of pride.

"I never thought this day would come," Washington said. "Just like anything else in life, there are changes. This is one change I think will help a lot of young kids in life understand they can be anything they want to be."

Saltalamacchia ready

Jarrod Saltalamacchia lost the starting catching job in spring training last year to Gerald Laird, who was traded to the Detroit Tigers in December. Saltalamacchia heads to camp this year competing with Taylor Teagarden for time.

"I’m ready to take the job and that’s what I’ve got to do," he said. "I’m here to play ball. Last year my mind-set was a little different. Going into spring training, I don’t want to say I was lackadaisical, but I had different things going through my head. I learned a lot last year and I’m going to go in there and play the game the way it’s supposed to be played."