Texas Rangers baseball pitchers Nick Gardwine. left and Jose LeClerc, with GHS junior Hadden Swanzy, middle.

There was a lot of baseball talk at Greenville High School when three Texas Rangers stopped by to exchange stories with our players.

Pitchers Nick Gardwine, Jose LeClerc, and former third-baseman and Special Assistant of Baseball Operations Steve Buechele told the stories of their journeys to the Majors. What did they all have in common? Discipline and hard work.

"You've got to do the work, do the conditioning, do the nutrition, and don't forget to have fun," Buechele said. "And take your defense as seriously as you take your hitting. "

Several students asked what makes the difference between players in the Majors and all the others.

"So much of it is mental," Gardwine said. "There are a lot of guys who get there on talent. I've seen it, but they don't stick unless they have the mental discipline and focus. You have to focus on the part of the game you can control. Once that ball leaves your hand, you can't worry about what the other guys are doing."

LeClerc, who grew up in the Dominican Republic, agreed that so much of the game is what you don't see: the mental focus and the day-to-day conditioning.

"I spend a lot of time in the weight room on my lower body and shoulders," he said.

All three players talked about the camaraderie they enjoyed growing up playing not only baseball, but many other sports.

"My best memories growing up were playing basketball, baseball, football and cross country," Gardwine said. "I never even thought about playing professional baseball until I played in college. I threw a no-hitter, and that's when I decided I should focus on baseball."

Buechele agreed that "it's important to branch out and try lots of different sports. It's different today, and some young athletes specialize early. You've got to love the game, and it's good to explore and find your passion."

Many thanks to the Rangers for taking the time to visit our baseball players. We also thank them for a $5,000 grant that they made last year to fund expansion and improvements to the baseball facilities.