ARLINGTON, Texas >> When the Texas Rangers begin the 2019 season against the Chicago Cubs today at Globe Life Park, Isiah Kiner-Falefa will experience opening day as a big leaguer for the first time.
And it’s a landmark occasion for the former Mid-Pacific star even after he hit .261, with four HRs and 34 RBIs last season in 111 games for the Rangers, his first taste of life in the “show.”
“Yeah, it’s a big deal for me. I worked really hard and it says a lot for my teammates having my back the whole time,” Kiner-Falefa said before a Monday exhibition game with Cleveland. “They’re really pushing me to get better and just helping me along the way. It’s really surreal.”
As a rookie, he played 46 games at third base, 35 at catcher, 20 at second base and two at shortstop, and earned high marks from everyone for his versatility and for his solid approach to the game.
However, when discussing his first opening day, he couldn’t resist mentioning a list he was left off earlier in his career, an omission that served as a big motivator for the now 24-year-old.
“I remember the day before the (2013) draft, there was an article — five professional guys that were the top guys to get drafted out of Hawaii and I wasn’t on that list,” Kiner-Falefa recalled. “I kept that with me the whole time. Everything’s worked out. From looking back at how things were out of high school and the path to my first opening day, the journey, every step of the way was a big deal.”
Last season, he benefited from picking the brains of veterans like shortstop Elvis Andrus, third baseman Adrian Beltre and catcher Robinson Chirinos to learn some of the finer nuances of playing behind the plate and in the infield in the majors.
Andrus remains a Ranger while Beltre retired, ending a sure Hall of Fame career, with Chirinos now in Houston. But Kiner-Falefa has a new brain to pick in veteran catcher Jeff Mathis, who the Rangers signed this winter.
“He’s very athletic. He’s doing a great job with the transition,” Mathis said of Kiner-Falefa. “As an infielder, you can tell the hands are there, you can tell the athleticism’s there. He’s really starting to get a grasp of this catching thing, too.”
Mathis, 35, has caught 801 games in his 14 big league seasons, declined to elaborate on any specifics about exactly what he and Kiner-Falefa have discussed about catching, but the veteran backstop said he’s more than willing to share his wealth of information with his new teammate.
“We’ve had some pretty good dialog back and forth,” Mathis said. “He’s wanting to learn, he’s always wanting to get better and that’s one thing that has really opened my eyes to him, is how much he wants to learn and get better. I think it’s great for us and it’s great for the club.”
One year ago, Kiner-Falefa was with Round Rock, the now-former Triple-A affiliate of the Rangers, which was three hours south of Arlington and preparing for the start of the Pacific Coast League season. He’d only play five games for the Express before being summoned to the majors on April 10.
Much has changed since then, but the affable infielder/backstop recognizes one huge difference in himself now compared to last spring.
“Confidence for sure (is my biggest takeaway from 2018),” Kiner-Falefa said. “Having one year under my belt, it’s just one year in the big leagues. I’m stepping into year two with more confidence. I’m just ready to go. I know what it’s like and I know what I have to do. I know how this game is now and I’m ready to go.”
However, one thing which hasn’t changed is his sense of pride every time he hits the diamond for the Rangers because he realizes not only is he representing them, but he’s also providing players in Hawaii with a shining example of just how far hard work and determination can take you in life.
“It’s awesome (to represent Hawaii),” Kiner-Falefa said. “Just being able to go out there and knowing I’m from a small island, not many people have the opportunity that I have right now, so I don’t want to waste it. I just want to keep doing what I do and have fun.”
Speaking of Hawaii, he was among the big leaguers at January’s fifth annual Taste of Hawaii Charity Event on Maui. It was put on by the Kurt Suzuki Foundation and raised funds for the pediatric cancer division of Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children.
And Kiner-Falefa was honored to be in attendance.
“That was awesome. I enjoyed every minute of that,” he said. “Yeah, it’s real humbling, being able to go there. I think (Albert) Pujols was there, Kanekoa Texeira, Shane Komine, just a bunch of guys who played the game before (me). They laid out the path for me. To go back and be in that group with them, it’s real surreal.”
