SURPRISE Denard Span Jersey , Ariz. (AP) — Chris Woodward thinks long-term and appreciates the everyday grind of the game, having been a utility infielder over a dozen seasons and serving as a third base coach in the World Series each of the past two years.Still, Woodward allowed himself to consider where he had come from to being a first-time manager when the Texas Rangers pitchers and catchers held their first workout of spring training Wednesday.“There’s something special about it. To think, just kind of go back to my career, and I kind of mentioned that to the guys today,” Woodward said. “When you’ve been through so much as a player and then as a coach, just the ups and downs, you kind of start to look back and think about, ‘Man, this thing started when I was 18, could I be standing at this moment.’ … I’m going to enjoy it.”Woodward’s daily spring training commute from his home in Chandler, Arizona, has gotten longer this spring — from about 40 minutes each way to a solid hour, extra time he uses to listen to more documentaries.The 42-year-old Woodward has gone from being the third base coach for the two-time defending National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers to managing a Rangers team with a bunch of 20-something position players and a revamped rotation that is coming off consecutive losing seasons for the first time in a decade. But he hasn’t changed his expectations.“We’re building a championship mentality. Like that’s first and foremost. He didn’t hire me to finish third,” Woodward said http://www.marinersfanproshop.com/authentic-edgar-martinez-jersey , referring to general manager Jon Daniels standing beside him. “It’s lofty expectation, but you have to start that belief right now. … We’ve got to give them the process, define it for them, help them understand it, and provide the atmosphere.”Before opening camp, the Rangers had their most comprehensive organization meeting in a dozen years, with about 190 people gathering together in a resort ballroom Monday. That is about three times as many people as typically attend their meeting at the start of spring training.“Everybody in baseball operations,” Daniels said. “Stood up at the front of the room, and you realize the size of the operations. It’s large.”There were about 55 people hired in the past 12 months among the group, including the manager who replaced Jeff Banister after last season.“A variety of things. I think probably the biggest was to introduce some of the new people that are on board, and some of the things, the initiatives that we’re focused on, and just communication throughout the organization,” Daniels said. “It was a little bit of like looking to pull back the curtain and try to be as transparent as we can on what we’re doing, why we’re doing it.”When there was a show of hands from the people that attended the last full organization meeting in January 2007 Ben Gamel Jersey , Daniels said about 30 people had also been at that one before Texas won consecutive AL pennants in 2010 and 2011.Rangers pitchers opened spring training Wednesday doing long toss and some fielding drills without any bullpen sessions. Their day on the field got started later than usual, and that is likely to be the case until they begin to play spring training games.“Let these guys get their rest,” said Woodward, who played for five big league teams and coached for two others. “On teams that I played on in the past, and coached on, you try to look like you’re the best team out there because you’re out there the longest. Let’s be the most efficient in what we do, work the best while we’re doing it so we don’t have to be there five hours a day.” Andrew Heaney has become one of the stalwarts of the Los Angeles Angels‘ pitching staff this season, making his team-leading 26th start of the year on Tuesday night in a 4-2 loss to Texas at Globe Life Park that allowed the Rangers to even the three-game series at a game apiece.The Angels will send right-hander Jaime Barria (9-8, 3.46 ERA) to the mound in the rubber game of the series while the Rangers will counter with ageless right-hander Bartolo Colon (7-11, 5.45).The Rangers’ win did little to salve the wounds of being eliminated from the American League West race, which occurred with Monday night’s loss to Los Angeles. Texas’ elimination came in game No. 138, its earliest point to be out of the division race since 2014 (game No. 135).Article continues below ...The Rangers’ current 25-game deficit to front-running Houston matches their season-high.Texas general manager Jon Daniels confirmed Monday that the team had a chance to pursue a trade involving third baseman Adrian Beltre last week but did not do so because of Beltre’s desire to finish the season and possibly retire as a Ranger at the end of the year.Friday was the deadline for clubs to acquire players by trade and have them eligible for the postseason. “The only way it was going to happen — me going somewhere — is if it made sense for both parties: me and the team,” Beltre told MLB.com. “Obviously,it’s always been important for me to have a chance to win the World Series. Obviously, it didn’t make sense for both of us. We had a discussion http://www.marinersfanproshop.com/authentic-edgar-martinez-jersey , and that’s why I’m here.”Barria will head to the hill for his 22nd start of the season and 11th time on the road on Wednesday. He earned a win in his last outing on Friday at Houston after tossing six scoreless innings and allowing three hits with one walk and four strikeouts.In his last seven starts, Barria is 4-1 with a 2.78 ERA. He Is pitching to a 2.77 ERA on the road this season. In his three starts versus the Rangers this year, Barria has fashioned a 2-0 record with a 1.13 ERA and 14 strikeouts. He made his major league debut on May 3 at Globe Life Park.The 45-year-old Colon will make his 26th appearance and 24th start of the season on Wednesday night. It will be his first action since he was activated from the disabled list on Saturday. He was placed on the disabled list on Aug. 24, retroactive to Aug. 21, with a lower back strain. Colon took the loss in his last start on Aug. 20 at Oakland.Colon has gone 12-9 with a 3.88 ERA in 27 games, 26 of them starts, against the Angels in his career. He is 0-1, 10.50 in two games, one of them starts, against Los Angeles this season. The Rangers are 9-12 in his 21 starts.Heaney’s outing on Tuesday continued a stretch that has seen him take every turn in the Angels’ beleaguered rotation since his season debut on April 13. He hurled six full innings in the loss, lifting his season total to 158. He’s on pace to get to 175 to 180.