Buck Showalter fired as Texas Rangers manager. Showalter was hired back in 2002 and turned the team around and had them in second place just three games out of first with a record of 89 wins and 73 loses in 2004. The Rangers had cut the payroll from $100 million to $70 million trading away Palmerio, Gonzalez, and MVP A.Rod. Buck took this no name young team through a rough season using 17 different starters. One after another the pitchers the Rangers had counted on went down to injuries. Despite all of this Buck delivered a winning season and was named the 2004 manager of the year. Names we all know now Michael Young, Hank Blalock, and Mark Teixiera stepped up and became leaders of the team.
In 2005 Rangers fans were very optimistic. That would not last long. Bullpen relievers Frank Francisco and Carlos Almanzar were out early both with Tommy John surgery. Then the controversial Kenny Rogers got a 20 game suspension for attacking a camera man. Then in typical Ranger fashion GM John Hart put Ryan Drese on waivers, and was quickly picked up by the Washington Nationals. Hart never even attempted to try and make a trade for Drese just simply let him go.
This same time last year Rangers GM John Hart steps aside and in comes 28 year old Jon Daniels moving up from asst. GM. Young blood comes in with new ideas? No, John Hart never left the Rangers he just stepped aside. I have no idea what that really means but it was assumed that he was still calling the shots and Daniels was just the yes man. It did not take long to see the old Ranger ways coming back again. The biggest blunder was trading Soriano for Wilkerson and Terrmel. Then an out of control trading frenzy that left the Rangers again weak in their pitching. Adam Eaton missed most of the season with a finger injury from a spring training game. Kevin Millwood had the big numbers posting a league leading ERA of 2.86 after coming back from an injury with the Indians. What did Texas get from him? How about 16 wins and 12 loses with a 4.52 ERA. Inflated just a little bit wouldn't you say? Not bad for a $60 million dollar pitcher. Oh wait let us not forget the great Padillia. Not bad as far as 15 wins and 10 loses but with a 4.50 ERA. Not to mention the embarrassing incident in Chicago where he hit A.J. Pierzynski TWICE. Better yet how about the assault on the Angels batters, in particular Vladimir Guerrero that ended up in a bench clearing brawl back in Texas.
We won't even talk about what they traded away for this mess. Yes actually I will. Chris Young and Adrian Gonzalez, two of the players the Rangers lost in the big six man trade, are still playing baseball with the Padres. Now that is not how you manage a team. When I say manage I am referring to the GM not the manager. Buck's job was to manage the players he was given.
In 1994 Buck was AL manager of the year. The 1995 season was lost to a players strike. In 1996 Steinbrenner fires Buck and brings in Joe Torre. That year the Yankees (the team that Buck built) won the World Series.
In 1998 Buck is hired by the new Arizona Diamondbacks. Their very first season they went 65 wins and 97 loses and a fifth place finish. The very next year Buck turned the team around and had them 100 wins 62 loses and division champs. They lost to the Yankees in the first round of the playoffs. Still for a second year team you can not complain at all. In 2000 they went 85 wins 77 loses and 3rd place in their division. At the end of the 2000 season Buck was fired. In 2001 the Diamondbacks that Buck led the first three years went to the World Series and won over the Yankees four games to three.
So now the Rangers again make an incredibly stupid move and let a true asset to this organization go. Until Hicks wipes out the front office staff and brings in a team that will focus on winning and winning alone the Texas Rangers will always be a middle of the road team. Don't focus on how many tickets you sale, and not how much merchandise you sell. Not what your profit is at the end of the year either. Nothing at all but winning. If you win and bring a Championship team to Arlington you will be successful and the organization will be profitable. All you have to do is look at the other teams here in the immediate area. The Cowboys, Mavericks, and the Stars (a Hicks team go figure that one out) each have put together winning teams and if you were to see the bottom line profits I think you would just be blown away. You will see just how much revenue this area will bring in. This is not Kansas Toto and we will not be satisfied with just any pro baseball team. Make the Rangers Champions or sale them to someone who will !!
