Ron Washington: Rangers manager

[spnited]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/sports/AP-BBA-Rangers-Manager.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

 

[Football_Bat]

Sign of the times that I and some others may find refreshing: Hardly any mention anywhere (TV, radio, print) that Washington is the Rangers' first African-American manager.

One sign that race should no longer matter (and never did in the first place) if you are a good coach / manager.

 

[Armchair_QB]

Washington's name popped up for a couple of jobs. You have to wonder what Billy Beane was thinking by letting him get away.

 

[Jones]

1) Expect the Rangers to start bunting a lot.

2) Expect some of the hilariously profane managerial scrums in baseball history, or at least since Lee Elia.

 

[beefncheddar]

I'm sure I've posted it here before (and I will again later, if folks want), but Washington pulled off my favorite managerial move of all time while with the Capital City Bombers (would have been 1993, I'm guessing).

And while I don't have the time to give you the full story here, I'll give you the particulars:

-- Mid-game abduction of first base.
-- Holding of said base hostage in a locked equipment room.
-- Painting of said base day-glo orange.

 

[PopeDirkBenedict]

It didn't matter who the Rangers hired: they fired Buck Showalter, so they are guaranteed to win the World Series this year. Just ask the Yanks and DBacks.

 

[Just_An_SID]

Greatest Ron Washington quote of all-time:

Ron Washington on bunting for a basehit:
"Bottom line, son, you gotta get that ***** down and run like a mother****er.”

 

[BYH]

Washington's name popped up for a couple of jobs. You have to wonder what Billy Beane was thinking by letting him get away.

That Washington wanted a.) more than $4.50 an hour to manage and b.) wasn't willing to spend every minute glorifying Beane's very existence?

 

[Armchair_QB]

Washington's name popped up for a couple of jobs. You have to wonder what Billy Beane was thinking by letting him get away.

That Washington wanted a.) more than $4.50 an hour to manage and b.) wasn't willing to spend every minute glorifying Beane's very existence?

You might be on to something there.

 

[Claws for Concern]

Good for Washington. Good for the Rangers. I know he's had a lot on his mind in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and this is good news for him and his family.

 

[BYH]

Washington's name popped up for a couple of jobs. You have to wonder what Billy Beane was thinking by letting him get away.

That Washington wanted a.) more than $4.50 an hour to manage and b.) wasn't willing to spend every minute glorifying Beane's very existence?

You might be on to something there.

Plus, in all seriousness, Washington has been there a while and is popular among players. It'll be tougher for Beane to bully someone who has the respect of the locker room. That's probably the mistake he thinks he made with Macha.

 

[dawgpounddiehard]

I heard Ron Washington is kind of a big deal... his dugouts smell of rich mahogany.

 

[leo1]

this is cool. couldn't happen to a better guy. and he's about the least likely looking guy to end up managing a major league baseball team in the sense that these days most managers look just as comfy in a suit as in a uniform.

 

[harrydoyle]

Jones is correct. Wash is both hilarious and profane and honest to a fault. This job couldn't happen to a better baseball guy. And mustard, that was Butch Hobson you were thinking of on the base theft, not Wash.

 

[Jones]

A little too proud to say that I acquired SID's nicely referenced mother****er quote, back when I was a young baseball pup. I asked Wash to expand upon that answer, and he gave me a beautiful, profane, passionate lecture -- 45 minutes in length -- about the value of the bunt. One of my best interviews ever.

Almost worth living in Dallas to sit down with him everyday. Rangers beat guys should be thanking the Great Lord Giamatti in the Sky tonight.

 

[beefncheddar]

Jones is correct. Wash is both hilarious and profane and honest to a fault. This job couldn't happen to a better baseball guy. And mustard, that was Butch Hobson you were thinking of on the base theft, not Wash.

Oh, Wash certainly pulled it off, as well.

 

[Bubbler]

Ron Washington -- utility infielder legend.

He's a first ballot 80s utility infielder HOFer, along with Ed Romero, Steve Jeltz and Wayne Krenchicki.