Well, isn’t that just the cherry on top of the cake to the perfect season for the Texas Rangers? It was announced on Friday afternoon that eight-year manager, Ron Washington, has stepped down from his duties of team manager for personal reasons. Washington said the following about his abrupt decision:
“Today, I have submitted my resignation from the job i love- managing the Rangers- in order to devote my full attention to addressing an off-the-field personal matter. As painful as it is, stepping away from the game is what’s best for me and my family. This is in no way related to the disappointing performance of the team this season. We were already discussing 2015 and looking forward to getting the Rangers back to postseason contention. I deeply regret that I’ve let down the Rangers organization and our great fans. Over the past eight season, it’s been a privilege to be part of some of the best years in club history, and I will always be grateful for the opportunities I’ve had here and for the great management, players, and coaches who have made our time here a success. Thank you for respecting my privacy.”
Entering today, the Rangers were the owners of the worst record in the American League at 53-87. At the beginning of the season, nearly every prognosticator had put the Rangers in playoff contention, but after having to use the disabled list 26 times (a major-league high) this year, things changed. Jon Daniels, the teams GM, was not negative in any sense of the word.
“While we are disappointed, we accept Ron’s decision and are grateful for his many contributions to the Rangers organization over the last eight years. This has certainly been a difficult season for our major league club in terms of on-field performance, but we were looking forward to moving ahead with Ron as our manager in 2015. Ron has guided the Rangers franchise to more victories than any manager in club history, including four straight 90-win seasons, three playoff appearances, and back-to-back American League championships. He has left his mark as a teacher, motivator, and leader on this organization. We wish Ron the best as he deals with this matter.”
Washington, including this letdown season, has a .538 winning percentage, and has managed 1,144 games, and has a record of 615-529. Bench coach Tim Bogar will act as the interim manager for the rest of the Rangers pitiful season. Ron Washington will definitely be missed in the Texas clubhouse. Washington was a guy that always liked to keep things loose, even in the midst of one of the worst seasons in franchise history. Some things are more important than baseball, and whatever it is he’s dealing with, I wish him the best of luck.
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