Play Ball at Youth Ballpark a hit for kids

ARLINGTON — The Rangers found their sweet spot for Sunday’s Play Ball event at the Texas Rangers Youth Ballpark next to Globe Life Park.

With more than 300 kids on hand for the initiative, which focuses on widespread participation in both formal and informal baseball and softball activities, the Rangers had their inaugural Play Ball event on their home turf running like a well-oiled machine.

“This is what we’re used to doing,” said Lauren Parker, the Rangers’ assistant director of community outreach and youth baseball programs. “This is a lot like the summer camps we run. It’s great to have an event like this at our park.”

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The focus was on fun, with some fundamentals thrown in, too. Under the watchful eyes of the Rangers’ youth coaches and former Rangers players, the children whipped from station to station. With their parents in the stands, the kids fielded grounders at second base and short, hit off tees, worked on their pitching mechanics, chased down fly balls and took their hacks at plastic balls.

Once they ran through those fundamental drills, it was time for baserunning and …

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