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 However, do not expect to see the former minor league second
baseman grab a bat and step to the plate in the preseason game
against the Cleveland Indians at Surprise Stadium.
"The guy's a Super Bowl champ," Rangers manager Ron Washington said
Thursday, according to ESPN.com when asked whether Seattle Seahawks
quarterback Wilson might get an at-bat.
"You think they want him to come down here and get hurt? The guy
hasn't seen a pitch. I'm not running him up there."
Wilson, whose Seahawks won Super Bowl 48 earlier this month, is
expected to participate in the Rangers' workout on Monday before
suiting up for the game at Surprise Stadium.
The NFL title-winning quarterback was selected in the Rule 5 draft
by the Rangers in December, but has not played baseball since 2011,
when he was in Class A for the Colorado Rockies.
Wilson hit .228 with three homers, 15 RBIs, 40 runs scored and 15
stolen bases in 61 games that final season. He then went to the
University of Wisconsin for his final collegiate season before being
taken by the Seahawks in the NFL Draft.
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Texas skipper Washington said the Rangers believe Wilson can impact
his American League West team.
"Our intentions are to bring him in and 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."
The Rangers are striving to return to the World Series after
back-to-back trips in 2010-2011 with some new faces on the club.
"The guy has had a lot of success and he has a championship
attitude," Washington said. "We're going to give him a chance to
talk to our young kids and see what happens."
(Reporting by Larry Fine in New York; Editing by Mark
Lamport-Stokes)
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