Texas Rangers manager Jeff Banister was in his mom’s living room Tuesday morning in League City, about a 30-minute drive south of Minute Maid Park down I-45.
His mother, Verda, who is 78 and ailing from a recent fall that fractured her back, had the Houston Chronicle spread wide when she reminded her son of the standings.
“Oh, y’all are in second place now,” she told him.
“Thanks, I appreciate that,” Banister replied. “Thanks for letting me know.”
Whether mom was relaying the standings as a bit of good news or not (because the Rangers were in last place in the American League West not so long ago), the third-year manager didn’t wasn’t really sure, and frankly, didn’t care.