Angels’ Ron Washington says Zach Neto still ‘growing into his maturity’ – Daily News

ARLINGTON, Texas — Longtime Texas Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus announced his retirement before Friday’s game at Globe Life Field.

And it was no accident that the 15-year MLB veteran made the announcement with Angels manager Ron Washington in town.

Washington was integral to Andrus’ development after he was acquired as an 18-year-old minor leaguer in a seven-player trade with the Atlanta Braves in 2007. By 2009, Andrus was Washington’s everyday shortstop.

Andrus was a cornerstone for the Rangers for the next 12 seasons and finished his career as the club’s all-time leader with 305 stolen bases, and ranks second in games (1,652), at-bats (6,366), and triples (48), and is third in runs (893) and hits (1,743). For his career, Andrus batted .269 with 2,091 hits, 380 doubles, 51 triples, and 102 home runs.

Promising young Angels shortstop Zach Neto, 23, who is in his second major league season, shares some similarities with Andrus, Washington said, but there’s one big difference.

“Elvis had a little bit more maturity as a young kid. Zach is growing into his maturity,” Washington said. “Elvis arrived at the major league level already mature with the way he went about his business and how adversity never affected him.”

More importantly, Washington said, Andrus had two influential veterans guiding him in Hall of Fame third baseman Adrian Beltre and infielder Michael Young.

“He was fortunate. That’s where he was lucky. I think right now, Elvis can look back and realize how lucky he was because of the people that were surrounding him,” he said. “Zach has all of that [talent], but unfortunately, he’s in a different situation with the Los Angeles Angels. Elvis was in a great situation with the Texas Rangers, so he had help from the beginning. Zach and a lot of the guys are trying to figure it out on their own.”

Brock Burke Returns

It was only three weeks ago when the Rangers made the surprising move to designate hard-throwing right-hander Brock Burke for assignment. The Angels claimed him off waivers two days later and Burke made his Angels debut on Aug. 16. It has been a good move for both Burke and the Angels. He has a 2.70 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 10 innings of relief with the team. That’s already more than he had in 13⅔ innings with the Rangers. He’s also walking far fewer batters – three compared to nine with Texas. Hitters are batting .167 against him with the Angels compared to .350 with the Rangers.

“He’s been pounding the strike zone. He definitely has a tremendous arm and I don’t know if the (change in) scenery has done it to him or not,” Washington said. “Sometimes you find lightning in a bottle and I hope he’s our lightning because he’s been very good for us ever since he arrived.”

Being back in Arlington is admittedly weird for Burke, who had never seen the visitors’ clubhouse until this week.

“This is my first time ever being over here. Obviously it’s pretty nice, but not as nice as the home side,” Burke said. “It’s definitely weird being out on the other side, especially in the dugout and the opposite bullpen. But it’s just part of the game.”

Since joining the Angels, Burke has altered where he stands on the rubber, which he says has improved his location. The Rangers had him standing closer to the third base side a year ago.

“I was probably six to eight inches over from where I normally was [standing],” Burke said. “And [the Angels] instantly moved me right to the other side of the rubber. I think that just kind of fixed my posture, and it fixed my ability to get more towards the center of the plate, and not be so cross body and leaning forward.”