SURPRISE, Ariz. - The Rangers are prepared to ask catcher Jeff Mathis, who turns 36 on the first weekend of the season, more than anybody has asked of him in a career that spans more than a decade.
Simply put: Start more than half of the team's games behind the plate.
Manager Chris Woodward acknowledged Thursday the team has a goal of 80-plus starts for Mathis. He enters camp as the starting catcher despite having only one season in his career of more than 80 starts and that came in 2008.
Mathis set a career high with 90 starts for Los Angeles in 2008.