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The Lone Ranger

The Lone Ranger

If you were to take 100 writers and ask them about who they thought were the best 5 managers currently in the game, you’d hear names like Terry Francona, Mike Scioscia, Jim Leyland, Bruce Bochy, Charlie Manuel, and Joe Girardi…and rightfully so. They’ve each won World Series. You might hear a few purists tote the names of Ron Gardenhire, Joe Maddon, and Kirk Gibson, guys who do so much more with less. There’s one name though that few would come up with.

Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington.

The excuses on why he’s not a top manager pop up as quick as popcorn: He’s got a ton of great hitters, they play in a offense-friendly ballpark, the pitching staff is one of the best in the majors, he used cocaine (By the way, I have to say, who cares?). Most people think that if it weren’t for Nolan Ryan, Ron Washington would be useless…it’s Ryan that built this juggernaut of talent; Washington just has to make sure the players find their way to the ballpark each day. Right?

You couldn’t be more wrong.

Washington has guided Texas to two World Series (if it weren’t for the grace of luck and Albert Pujols, they’d have won both), won two AL West titles, and made 3 straight playoff appearances. Yes, the Rangers are loaded, but it takes managerial skill to know when to push buttons and when not to, especially in postseason baseball. Do you remember the the 2001 Seattle Mariners? In case you don’t, they were loaded too…won 116 games, but lost in the ALCS. You can’t just expect to plug players in positions and win 90 or 100 games. It takes someone to motivate and galvanize that talent into a team.  Otherwise, you get the 2012 Boston Red Sox, a talented team that just wanders rudderless until mercifully crashing right after game 162.

Washington is a whiz at creating cohesion and team unity, by promoting accountability and giving the team a reason to pull together. For example, take a look at what Washington has posted in the Rangers clubhouse and dugout. The teams’ goal each night is to produce 17 of these events together.

1. Get a base hit.
2. Draw a walk.
3. Get hit by a pitch or get on base by catcher’s interference.
4. Make a sacrifice bunt.
5. Make a sacrifice fly.
6. Move a runner with an out.
7. Move a runner with an error.
8. Have an 8-pitch or more at bat.

Teams all over have similar productive hitting charts, but Washington has ingrained the thought of producing quality at-bats so much that players police themselves when someone isn’t carrying their weight. That’s the mark of a manager building championship level unity.

Once again, the Rangers are off to a great start, with the AL’s best record at 29-17. The Rangers lineup gets tons of accolades, their pitching staff is lauded, and Nolan Ryan gets his respect for putting it together.

When does Ron Washington get his?

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To Contact Chris, or any AFR contributor, please E-Mail: Contact@AFRSports.com

Chris Jackson covers the AL West for AFRSports. He hopes to work for ESPN one day.

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