It’s been a long road for the Rangers, who now have their 17th manager since coming to Texas in 1972. Of those managers, only two (Billy Hunter and Johnny Oates) posted winning records. After Buck Showalter failed to turn the franchise around, it was time to make a change. However, despite the fact that several experienced managers were looking for jobs, GM Jon Daniels didn’t interview one candidate with major-league experience as a manager. Bruce Bochy (now with the Giants) and Joe Girardi are among the favorites for this year’s NL Manager of the Year, yet they weren’t considered. Dusty Baker, winner of three NL Manager of the Year Awards, was not worth interviewing. Lou Piniella (now with the Cubs) apparently wasn’t worth consideration either.

For whatever reason, Daniels decided that the Rangers’ new manager was going to be a rookie. There is no way of knowing why Daniels came to this decision, but this philosophy was a risky one. Of course, that is not to say that hiring someone with experience comes without risk, but to not even interview some of the bigger names out there is questionable. Even if Daniels was sold on the idea of hiring a first-time manager, the selection of Ron Washington was surprising.

Washington, 54, managed the New York Mets' South Atlantic League affiliate to a combined 123-153 record in 1993-94 before joining the Oakland A’s in 1996. He spent the last 11 seasons as their infield instructor, and has also been their third-base coach for the past 10 years. When Oakland fired Ken Macha after the ALCS, Washington was among the people GM Billy Beane was considering to replace him. However, the fact that Beane, who has been in the Oakland organization longer than Washington, didn’t hire him as the A’s new manager is cause for concern. To be fair, the A’s still haven’t replaced Macha, and Washington wasn’t ruled out. Yet you have to wonder if Washington was such a great candidate, then why would Beane let him go, especially to a team in his own division?

Beane called Washington "arguably the most popular coach we've had since I've been here." He has also said that he "is as fine an individual as you're going to find in the game." All indications are that Washington is a very likeable man with lots of charisma and energy. In fact, A’s third baseman Eric Chavez, winner of six Gold Gloves, gave Washington his third Gold Glove trophy. Popularity is one thing, but winning baseball games is another.

My guess here is that Daniels went into the hiring process trying to find the anti-Buck. In an offseason where Daniels will face many tough decisions, he definitely took a risk hiring Washington , and has left the Rangers with more questions than answers with his decision. In the end, Daniels’ decisions in free agency and the trade market will be more of a determining factor in the fans’ optimism for 2007, as the Washington hire isn’t likely to give many people hope that things are about to change anytime soon for Texas.

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