SURPRISE, Ariz. — The first week of Texas Rangers spring training brought us this nugget of information: Manager Bruce Bochy, like many, spends his downtime on Instagram watching golf videos.
The second week further peeled back the layers of the veteran manager’s social media acumen.
“I don’t do YouTube, and all that,” Bochy said Thursday.
The prompt: Dude Perfect — the Frisco-based sports entertainment group that rose to YouTube fame thanks to their trick-shot-making-ability — was at the Rangers’ spring training complex on Thursday at the invitation of starting pitcher Dane Dunning.
Kevin Sparkman of Dude Perfect tries to make a catch at the outfield wall while shagging balls in batting practice during a Texas Rangers spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers infielder Josh Jung plays works with first base coach Corey Ragsdale during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers infielder Josh Jung wears a compression sleeve on his injured left calf during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers infielder Josh Jung plays catch with first base coach Corey Ragsdale during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers infielder Josh Jung signs autographs during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers infielder Matt Duffy, infielder Jared Walsh and infielder Nathaniel Lowe head to a back field for a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers pitchers stretch during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers position players stretch during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers outfielder Evan Carter participates in a baserunning drill during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers infielder Ezequiel Duran participates in a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers infielder Ezequiel Duran participates in a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers infielder Ezequiel Duran (left) talks with infielder Abimelec Ortiz in a dugout during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers infielder Ezequiel Duran laughs with teammates during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Garrett Hilbert of Dude Perfect tries to make a diving catch while shagging balls in batting practice during a Texas Rangers spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Cody Jones and Tyler Toney of Dude Perfect prepare to take the field to shag balls in batting practice during a Texas Rangers spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi greets member of Dude Perfect during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Coby Cotton of Dude Perfect tries to make a sliding catch while shagging balls in batting practice during a Texas Rangers spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)From left, Coby Cotton, Cody Jones and Cory Cotton of Dude Perfect relax in the bullpen during a Texas Rangers spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Gear bags for Dude Perfect in the bullpen during a Texas Rangers spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Tyler Toney of Dude Perfect tries his hand at a catching drill during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers executive vice president & general manager Chris Young trains his camera as Tyler Toney of Dude Perfect tries his hand at a catching drill during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Tyler Toney of Dude Perfect (left) fist bumps Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim after trying his hand at a catching drill, wearing Heim’s chest protector, during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Dirt covers the front the jersey of Tyler Toney of Dude Perfect during a Texas Rangers spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Tyler Toney of Dude Perfect (facing) shakes hands with Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim after trying his hand at a catching drill, wearing Heim’s chest protector, during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi hugs Kevin Sparkman of Dude Perfect during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers infielder Abimelec Ortiz participates in a sliding drill during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers pitcher Chasen Shreve throws in the bullpen as fellow pitchers (from left) Nathan Eovaldi, Andrew Heaney and Kirby Yates look on during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers minor league development coach Josh Johnson hits infield grounders during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers infielder Justin Foscue passes a baseball card back through a fence while signing autographs for a fan during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)Texas Rangers infielder Ezequiel Duran (right) laughs with outfielder Evan Carter as they ride back to the clubhouse on a golf cart after a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)
“I knew nothing about them, I had never seen them before,” Bochy said of Dude Perfect, whose YouTube page now has 60 million subscribers. “Dane Dunning comes in my office and talks about them that they’re coming here. ‘Who are they?’ … then I started looking at them, and it’s incredible what they have accomplished.
“We’re excited to have them here. They all know ‘em, the players, trust me. This grandpa doesn’t know too much about them, but I’m looking forward to seeing them interact with our players.”
The group was out and about on the practice fields Thursday dressed in team uniforms, shagging fly balls, attempting catcher’s drills and meeting with Rangers players and officials.
“I’ve watched their YouTube videos and stuff,” said outfielder Wyatt Langford, whose batting practice fly balls were fielded by Dude Perfect. “We were having a good time hitting it to them.”
Texas Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi hugs Kevin Sparkman of Dude Perfect during a spring training workout at the team’s training facility on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Surprise, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)
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