Category Archives: The Dot Race

Ron Washington May Be Getting Torched, But Don’t Forget This Is Hicks’ Mess

Posted on June 12, 2007 | 2 comments

According to recent reports, Ron Washington – a supposedly “players” manager – has lost the confidence and respect of key members of the Texas Rangers roster.  Yes, Ron has done some things wrong.  He’s a rookie manager, and he’ll make rookie manager mistakes.  But when handed a team that:

  1. Lacks a real #1, much less a true ace, pitcher in the rotation,
  2. Has 3 unproven starters and 2 who are not intimidating, 
  3. Is missing an anchor in the lineup to protect Teixeira,
  4. Is relying on a rookie catcher who can’t hit to call games,
  5. Has a terrible outfield,
  6. Lacks any tradition of excellence or winning,
  7. Udergoes change in personnel more often than changes in Texas weather, and most importantly…
  8. Knows without a doubt after watching several free agents leave and no high caliber free agents get signed that OWNERSHIP IS NOT COMMITTED TO WINNING,

any manager is set up to fail.

Ten years ago, this month, Tom Hicks became the owner of the Rangers.  Since then, the organization has deteriorated from making the playoffs 3 out of 3 years to an embarrassment and a national laughing stock across all of baseball.  So before anyone starts calling for Ron Washington’s head, let’s consider who is to blame for the current state of the team (in decending order of who’s at fault):

  1. Tom Hicks
  2. Tom Hicks
  3. Tom Hicks
  4. Tom Hicks
  5. Tom Hicks
  6. Tom Hicks
  7. Tom Hicks
  8. Jon Daniels
  9. John Hart
  10. The Red Dot (from The Dot Race)

What’s the Red Dot to blame for?  Nothing really, but certainly more than Ron Washington.

I’ve shared plenty of thoughts in previous posts (click on Tom Hicks to the right for the most recent posts) about why Tom Hicks is the bane of the Texas Rangers and a walking insult to all Rangers fans and players.  He’s disengenuous.  He’s bi-polar as an owner.  He thinks the Angels are the Rangers “partners” of all things.  He’s the worst owner in baseball, and he’s got to go if this team is to have a chance of turning around.

So let Nolan Ryan buy the team, and then take some notes from the Tigers and Mark Cuban about how to turn a team around.

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Posted in Arlington, Baseball, Detroit Tigers, Gerald Laird, Los Angeles Angels of Aneheim, Mark Cuban, Nolan Ryan, Rangers, Ron Washington, Texas Rangers, The Dot Race, Tom Hicks