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Marcus Semien, Willie Calhoun have a bond deeper than baseball which began before becoming teammates

The two have had similar career trajectories and very similar upbringings.

SURPRISE, Ariz. – This is a story that starts at an airport restroom. Not your typical setting for career turning points, at least not ones that end up with positive outcomes.

But, hey, serendipity is serendipity.

In the case of Willie Calhoun, it might just be the launching point for the next phase of his career, the one he and the Rangers hope is full of line drives and fulfillment of the offensive promise of which he’s shown glimpses.

It was the last week of November. Calhoun was on his way back to his home in Dallas after spending Thanksgiving with his family in California. He’d checked in for his flight at Oakland International Airport, then ducked into the men’s room before boarding his flight. On the way out, he nearly ran over Marcus Semien, then a free agent, also heading for Dallas, ostensibly for a round of MLB Players Association meetings.

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They ended up sitting next to each other for three hours on the flight, Calhoun talking energetically and excitedly as he can and Semien mostly listening. It extended to an impromptu lunch at Honor Bar in Highland Park.

“Two hours later, he called me to say we were teammates,” Calhoun said Thursday, as he excitedly launched into the story. “I’ve never had like an older brother [in the big leagues]. Marcus is that guy. He’s always been like that to me. To have a guy that you can lean on on your team is huge. I’m just excited about it.”

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Semien understands. He’s been in Calhoun’s shoes. Most of his life. The similarities the two share could help form a unique connection. Both are from the Bay Area. Both have fathers who worked in corrections. Both struggled personally through the summer of 2020, dealing with the social justice issues that rocked the country.

The bonds extend to baseball. Both were traded early in their careers, criticized on defense and struggled offensively. The numbers also show some similarities. Through his first three seasons, Semien played in 240 games, slashed .251/.304/.396/.700 with an OPS+ of 95. Calhoun to this point: 235 games, a .247/.301/.414/.715 slash and an OPS+ of 87.

Semien said after he got to Oakland in a trade from the Chicago White Sox that veteran Jed Lowrie played the big brother role for him. He hopes to do the same for Calhoun.

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“He’s taken Willie under his wing a little bit,” manager Chris Woodward said. “I know Marcus thinks the world Willie and wants to do anything he can to help him. Marcus went through some struggles early in his career, both on the offensive and defensive side. That’s pretty endearing for a lot of players. A lot of guys look at a star and say ‘oh, he’s a superstar, he’s always been.’ But he hasn’t always been. It’s been a rough road for him. He went through a lot.”

Said Semien: “There is a way to go about your routine, about nutrition, hydration and taking care of yourself. The staff does a great job of communicating about stuff like that. But sometimes it just helps when it comes from a player. I’m excited to get some work with him.”

The biggest difference, perhaps, is that it took Semien three years, after which he was 25, to reach 240 games; Calhoun has played in parts of five seasons and is 27.

He’s missed too much time to establish himself, having been significantly hampered by a pair of beanings. He was hit in the face in spring training in 2020 and in his arm last year. Both required surgeries. He’s never played 100 games in a season and has played in just 104 after a promising 2019.

Calhoun has put in work. In 2019, he famously slimmed down, dropping more than 20 pounds, and improving his outfield defense. After 2020, he sought out California-based hitting instructor Doug Latta, who helped Justin Turner optimize his swing. After a disappointing 2021, he set about trying to change his bat path to get the ball in the air more. Over his five-year career, his line drive rate is in the bottom 20 percentile for guys with at least 750 at-bats.

“I’ve always been able to hit the ball hard, but I’ve always hit it on the ground,” Calhoun said. “I’ve worked hard to get to a point where I can hit line drives and homers. I feel 100 percent. This year, I’m just going to do my thing.”

His “thing,” is another thing. Calhoun’s thing is hitting. He’s always been a hitter who tried to fit into a position. Second base with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. Left field with the Rangers. He’s improved as an outfielder, but he’s never projected to be above average there.

The way the Rangers’ roster lines up, though, he may fit best as a full-time DH. He’s still going to work in the outfield, but come game time, he may find himself only having to worry about hitting.

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“Yes, it’s easier when that’s the only focus,” Woodward said of hitting. “We need him to hit. He knows that. I don’t expect him to win a Gold Glove. That’s not why he’s here. He’s here to hit. So there obviously is more priority on what he does with the bat in his hand. But he needs to run the bases well. He needs to fit our culture and how we play the game. When we talk about applying pressure in every way, he’s got to be part of that.”

That resonates. But he’s also likely to hear the same from Semien.

And when it comes from your “older brother,” it may just resonate in a way that it never has before.

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