DALLAS (105.3 The Fan) - A day after Willie Calhoun expressed a desire to be traded following the Rangers' decision to option him to Triple-A Round Rock due to his early-season struggles, Rangers president of baseball operations Jon Daniels made his first comments on the designated hitter's frustrations.
"The bottom line is we had to get down from 28 to 26 [MLB mandated roster cutdown to 26 players], and we just felt like we wanted to give Zach Reks an opportunity. He had swung [the bat] well, hit right-handed pitching well in the minor leagues. … But it's also an opportunity for Willie to get going. The game is about performance like all professional sports are. What he brings to the team primarily is going to [come on the offensive side]. He's done a nice job working on his game in the outfield, but that's not the focus of his game, that's not his best skill. He's not going to steal bases, he's going to hit. And we need Willie to get regular at-bats and to hit to get going. And that's ultimately the name of the game for somebody in his spot," Daniels said during his visit with the GBag Nation on 105.3 The Fan.
"It wasn't really that difficult of a decision [for us to make]. We know in the past that he's an emotional person. I think that ultimately helps him on the field. I'm not shocked with how he kind of responded. [But] that's not the reality of it. The reality of it is that when he hits, there will potentially be an opportunity here with us, or if he really kills it, then maybe we'll get some calls elsewhere. But until that point, the focus is on getting him back to swinging it the way he's capable of."
Daniels says Calhoun was "fine and professional" when they informed him of their decision, but he didn't hold back how he was feeling with them or to the media.
"He expressed what he expressed and he shared some of it publicly, and we move forward and hope he gets going."
Calhoun, who is hitting just .136 (6-for-44) with one homer in 18 games, expressed in an interview with The Athletic that he believes he can be a .300 hitter with more opportunities, but those opportunities will likely come with another team.
"It's gonna be in a different uniform, for sure. ... I don't know if I'll play another game in a Rangers uniform, and I let them know that," Calhoun said.
If a trade is what Calhoun ultimately wants, he'll have to hit his way out of Texas, because the club has no plans to release him and he doesn't have any value to other teams on the trade market based on his recent performance at the plate.
And even if he does start hitting, Daniels isn't thinking about trading away the 27 year old right now.
"I'm not looking to disparage anyone, but that's the reality of the game. The phone doesn't really ring a lot on players who aren't producing," Daniels said. "This isn't something where we're spending time thinking about trade opportunities for Willie. If somebody calls, we'll listen, we'll engage. But I think the focus is more on the development side and helping him make the most of this opportunity."
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