Marcus Semien Is MLB’s Iron Man: Greatness Takes No Days Off, Cal Ripken Would Be Proud

Marcus Semien Is MLB’s Iron Man: Greatness Takes No Days Off, Cal Ripken Would Be Proud

“The best ability is availability.” 

The Texas Rangers can always count on Marcus Semien.

Not just to make big plays at second base or come up with clutch hits, but to be penciled into the lineup every day.

The Rangers closed out the 2023 season with a World Series championship on Wednesday night.  It took 179 games and Semien played in all of them. 

Semien is an Iron Man, one of the most reliable players in the league today.

In the regular season, he had a batting average of .278 with 29 home runs and 100 runs batted in. It’s safe to say Semien is not only showing up to work but he is putting in major work too.

His hard work finally paid off as he held up a World Series championship that he had been seeking since he got to the majors 10 years ago. 


Marcus Semien was called up by the Chicago White Sox in 2013. Since then, he has not been shy about being in the lineup day in and day out.

He has played all 162 games three times now in his career. 2019 and 2021 he suited up for every game.

This 2023 season, he’s done it again.  Even if he doesn’t play all 162 games,  he still perennially ranks among the league’s iron men, as he’s played 155 games or more seven times in his career.  Semien is one major leaguer that values a daily grind. 

Cal Ripken would be proud.

 

In an interview with MLB.com back in 2022 Semien stated, If you are ready to go, then you should be ready to go.”


Semien Plays Every Day 

Semien came up big for the Rangers, like it was just another day at the office. In games 4 and 5 of the World Series.


He put up two home runs and 7 RBIs in the final two games of the World Series. One of those homers came late in game 5 to put the Rangers up 5-0 and eventually win the series 4-1.

 

“Everything I’ve worked for is for this moment.” Semien said in an interview with Sports Illustrated. 

 

Marcus Semien is the role model for young players, his durability and consistency has made an impact, not just on the league but most importantly in the clubhouse.

The new additions to the Rangers and manager Bruce Bochy, saw his impact on the team which is why the Rangers had such a successful 2022.


“He is what makes this team go”.
Jonah Heim said in Sports Illustrated.


Marcus Semien is a competitor. He can now celebrate his hard work and dedication this offseason.

The 33-year-old second basemen is showing no signs of slowing down, as he is still productive and still having clutch moments.

The Rangers have Semien locked up for the next 5 years, as well as their other middle infielder Corey Seager. So expect some big things coming to Texas in the next few years. 

 

Was This World Series The First Step In Marcus Semien and Corey Seager’s Texas Rangers Dynasty? | The $500M Infield Will Dominate For Years To Come

Was This World Series The First Step In Marcus Semien and Corey Seager’s Texas Rangers Dynasty? | The $500M Infield Will Dominate For Years To Come

With the Texas Rangers winning their first World Series in franchise history, stars Marcus Semien and Corey Seager laid the foundation for what has the chance to be Major League Baseball’s next great dynasty.

 

Marcus Semien has stamped himself as the greatest second baseman in Texas Rangers history after completing the mission to bring the franchise their first ever World Series championship along with his half a billion-dollar double play mate, two-time World Series MVP Corey Seager.

 

 

“Everything I ever worked for was for that moment,” said Semien when talking about his clutch bomb in the 9th inning put the game away for good.

 

“I had to simplify, see the whole field first. I am a pull hitter but needed to stay on the baseball longer.”

 

 

 

After the ball flew over the wall, the team’s quiet leader let out a mighty roar. Semien never shows emotion, whether good or bad. His even demeanor is a constant reminder of the teams “next play” mentality.

 

He’s also an iron man in today’s game. In 2023, he was MLB’s workhorse. When you combine his postseason, regular season and the All-Star Game, he played in 180 games and recorded an MLB-record record 788 plate appearances.

 

Marcus Semien Is MLB’s Most Durable Player 

 

Over the last three seasons, Semien has missed just one game.

 

Iron Man Marcus Semien Has Best Game Of Postseason With 5 RBI In Game 4 World Series Win | Texas Rangers History Is One Game Away

 

He never wants an off day, but for the time being he will finally get to enjoy some quality off time atop of the baseball mountain.

 

Texas Rangers Dynasty? 

 

The Rangers will be returning almost all of their core pieces from this World Series team and with the best middle infield in the game together for at least five more years, championships and championship opportunities could become common practice in Arlington, especially after slaying the dragon known as the Houston Astros.

Tommy Pham Has A History Of Postseason Power Surges | Game 1 Of The World Series Was No Different

Tommy Pham Has A History Of Postseason Power Surges | Game 1 Of The World Series Was No Different

Arlington, Texas — Tommy Pham didn’t waste his first World Series game.

In Game 1 against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field here, Pham – the Arizona Diamondbacks DH – blasted a solo home run.

At the time, it was a big one, giving the D-Backs a 4-3 lead in the fourth inning.
It came against Rangers‘ starter Nathan Eovaldi, who before that bro bomb, had allowed just one home run all season on a splitter according to a tweet by Inside Edge.

Diamondback Hit First WS Homer Since 2001

It was Arizona’s first World Series homer since Game 5 in 2001 when Rod Barajas went yard against the New York Yankees.

 

Ultimately, Pham’s homer went for not as the Rangers scored an improbable 6-5 victory in 11 innings – getting a two-homer in the ninth to tie it and a walk-off homer in the 11th to win it.

Still, Pham, 35, did his job and has continued to be a spark for the D-Backs who picked up the journeyman from the New York Mets at the trade deadline.
Game 2 is Sunday night here.

 

Tommy Pham Brings Power In Postseason 

And you can expect Pham to have his big bat again. This postseason, Pham has three homers.

In his career, he’s been a masher in the playoffs. With his 1-for-5 performance on Saturday, Pham is now batting .287 in 27 games in his career.

During that stretch, Pham, who
made his Major League debut in 2014, has six homers, nine RBI and 13 runs scored in 101 at-bats. His postseason OPS is .793.

For sure, Arizona hopes Pham – who has a lifetime .259 BA with 130 HRs and 431 RBI in his career – can continue proving some power in Game 2.

His acquisition continues to be the power move of the postseason for Arizona who has its hands full with the mighty Texas Rangers.

When Marcus Semien Shows Up To This World Series, It’s Over | Texas Rangers Take Game 1 In Extra Innings

When Marcus Semien Shows Up To This World Series, It’s Over | Texas Rangers Take Game 1 In Extra Innings

 

Arlington, Texas — Marcus Semien’s postseason struggles at the plate continued in Game One after going 1-for-6 with a single in the 9th inning of his World Series debut, dropping his playoff batting average to a team low .190.

 

Going back to early October when the Rangers were fighting for a playoff spot entering the last weekend of regular season baseball, we have been waiting for a vintage performance from the 2021 MLBbro.com Player of The Year and 2023 All-Star Starter at second base for the American League.

 

Playing in all but one game in the last three years, a long travel schedule to begin the playoffs coinciding with the birth of his fourth child and first daughter led me to think fatigue was an issue causing his bat to slow up down the stretch.

 

 

However, we are now over three weeks into the postseason and after getting a few days off between the Championship Series and Fall Classic he is still searching for ways to have an impact offensively. 

 

Marcus Semien Gets His Playoff Bat Going | Texas Rangers Keep Rolling To 2-0 ALDS Lead Over Baltimore

 

“I need to control the strike zone, that is step one,” Semien told MLBbro.com when discussing his game plan for attacking the National League Champion Diamondbacks.

“I want to hit the ball hard, that is all I can control.  Obviously I want to do better and get on base for all of the hot hitters behind me.”

 

It would take a walk-off homer by the red-hot Adolis Garcia in the 11th inning to ultimately defeat Arizona and drop the magic number for the Rangers first World Series in franchise history down to three. Garcia has carried the Rangers with eight homers this postseason.

But it also leaves a little bit of a sour taste knowing that if Semien would look anything like he did throughout most of the regular season, this series would probably end up being a laugher.

 

Move Marcus Semien Down In The Order ?

 

He has batted in the leadoff spot every game for the past two years and even broke the Rangers franchise record for the most leadoff home runs in a season this year with 10, but with him not getting on base at a high clip you have to wonder if sliding down to the two spot and getting a runner on ahead of him would help spark his bat.

 

For now though, manager Bruce Bochy — who shows the utmost trust in all of his players  — appears to be letting his lead horse find his way to water despite going through some hard times. The Rangers have not suffered in the win column at all.

 

Semien’s defense has been impeccable, he’s still one of the most intelligent players in the game and his consistent, positive attitude still resonates in the locker room.  

 

Game Two is Saturday night at 7PM.