Russell Wilson won't get at-bat
— -- SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Rest easy, Seattle Seahawks fans. Quarterback Russell Wilson will not bat for the Texas Rangers in Monday's Cactus League game.
"The guy's a Super Bowl champ," Rangers manager Ron Washington said Thursday. "You think they want him to come down here and get hurt?"
Washington said he didn't want to take any chances with Wilson's health.
"The guy hasn't seen a pitch," he said. "I'm not running him up there."
The skipper did extend an invitation to Wilson if the former second baseman wants a one-on-one fielding tutorial, something Washington has done with most of the club's infielders this spring, including first baseman Prince Fielder.
"He's an infielder, so you know I'm open to taking him over there [to a back field to work with him] if he wants to do it," Washington said. "But it's up to him."
Wilson is scheduled to attend the Rangers' spring training complex Monday and work out with the big league club that morning. He will be in uniform for Monday's game, and Washington said Wilson can be in the dugout if he chooses.
Texas took Wilson in the Rule 5 draft in December even though he hasn't played baseball since 2011, when he was in Class A with the Rockies. He hit .228 with three homers, nine more extra-base hits, 15 RBIs and 40 runs scored in 61 games that season. He then went to Wisconsin and Seattle, where he's coming off a Super Bowl victory earlier this month.
"Our intentions are to see if there's anything he can say that may help anyone around here that has on a baseball uniform," Washington said. "This guy is a winner. He has tremendous character. He has attitude and undoubtedly has a lot of commitment to what he does. That's what we're about, and we just want him to feel comfortable."
