Rangers fans are now threatening court officials - MLB

I’ve reported a bit of bad news regarding the Rangers sale over the past year, and when I did I was always surprised to read the hostile reactions of Rangers fans on various Rangers blogs. Hostility directed at me directly, not at the news. Killing the messenger is always tiresome, you know?

But at least no one was threatening to literally kill the messenger in those instances. The same can’t be said for the court-appointed reorganization officer in the bankruptcy case:

Frustrated fans
have apparently decided to target the negotiator appointed to
work out a deal to lift the Rangers out of Chapter 11. William K.
Snyder, 51, has suggested that the bidding be reopened at a new
auction.

Security at the courthouse was stepped up
after Snyder received threatening phone calls, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Michael Lynn
said Monday.

Snyder declined comment on the
threats.

Security was stepped up at the federal
courthouse Friday, when Snyder attended a Rangers bankruptcy
hearing. A Federal Protective Service vehicle was parked
conspicuously in front of the entrance, and the number of guards
on duty was more than doubled.

“I don’t know
anything more than that Snyder has received threatening calls,”
Lynn said in an e-mail relayed from the bench.

The judge is at least keeping his sense of humor about it all:

“I am not
particularly worried about them. After all, we
do get those e-mails from disgruntled fans who believe — as, I
understand, do some sports writers — that I should construe the
Bankruptcy Code as wished for by the fans.”

Glad to see everyone is keeping things in perspective down in Texas.

TAMPA, Fla. — Anthony Volpe grew up watching Derek Jeter star at shortstop for the New York Yankees.

Now, the 21-year-old is getting the chance to be the Yankees’ Opening Day shortstop against the San Francisco Giants.

The team announced after a 6-2 win over Toronto in spring training that Volpe had won the spot. New York manager Aaron Boone called the kid into his office to deliver the news.

“My heart was beating pretty hard,” said Volpe, rated one of baseball’s best prospects. “Incredible. I’m just so excited. It’s hard for me to even put into words.”

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, hitting coach Dillon Lawson and bench coach Carlos Mendoza were also present.

Volpe was able to share the news with his parents and other family members near the Yankees’ dugout and said it is something he will never forget.

“It was pretty emotional,” Volpe said. “It was just an unbelievable moment to share with them.”

Volpe, who grew up a Yankees fan, lived in Manhattan as a child before moving to New Jersey. Jeter was his favorite player.

“It’s very surreal,” Volpe said. “I’ve only ever been to games at Yankee Stadium and for the most part only watched him play there.”

Volpe is hitting .314 with three homers, five RBIs and a .417 on-base percentage in 17 Grapefruit League games. He has just 22 games of experience at Triple-A.

Spring training started with Volpe, Oswald Peraza and holdover Isiah Kiner-Falefa competing for the everyday shortstop job. Kiner-Falefa was shifted into a utility role midway through camp, and Peraza was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

“While certainly the performance was there, he killed it between the lines,” Boone said of Volpe. “All the other things that we’ve been hearing about showed up. There’s an energy he plays the game with, and an instinct that he has that is evident. He really checked every box that we could have had for him. Absolutely kicked the door in and earned his opportunity.”

Volpe arrived in Florida in December to work out at the Yankees’ minor league complex.

“He’s earned the right to take that spot, and we’re excited for him and excited for us,” Cashman said. “He just dominated all sides of the ball during February and March, and that bodes well obviously for him as we move forward.”

Volpe was selected out of high school with the 30th overall pick in the 2019 draft from Delbarton School in New Jersey. He passed up a college commitment to Vanderbilt to sign with the Yankees.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get into the organization,” Volpe said. “This day, this feeling, this moment was kind of what I’ve worked my whole life for when I made that big decision.”

“Right now it’s crazy,” he added. “I don’t even know what lies ahead but Thursday I just want to go out and play, and have fun.”