LONGVIEW, TX (KLTV) - With the signing of Yu Darvish, excitement around the Rangers continues to grow. So it was no surprise that hundreds of fans showed up in Longview Thursday for the Rangers Winter Caravan at Academy Sports.
Outfielder Craig Gentry, pitcher Mark Hamburger and hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh signed autographs and talked a little baseball. The biggest topic of course was Darvish.
"This guy's supposed to be the real deal," said Gentry. "And if he's going to come in and fortify our staff that much more and help our team that much more, we're all excited to have him."
Pitcher Mark Hamburger says no one really knows was to expect.
"Guys are excited and skeptical," he said. "Everyone wants to see him perform well and to have a guy like that that's been the top athlete in that sport over in the Japanese league. We're excited to have him, I mean a guy that throws seven pitches, you want to see all those pitches."
Hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh has already given up his number 11 for the Japanese star.
"I think that every player is superstitious," said Coolbaugh. "I'm done playing and it really doesn't serve any purpose other than having the name on my back so I was glad to give it to him (Darvish)."
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