In a move that shocked just about everyone, former Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington said goodbye to the Texas Rangers organization today. Here is a portion of his statement from texasrangers.com
“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 seasons, 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.”
As a long time Texas Rangers fan I am surprised and confused by today’s announcement. I liked Ron Washington, even though sometimes I questioned his ability to be a good in game manager. He made some odd choices in his eight years as the Texas Rangers manager, and he also made some good ones.
He is and will be for the foreseeable future the winningest manager in Texas Rangers history, and he will have the record for post season wins for a while as well. The Rangers just continue to get big blows this season, as Ron Washington is just the latest.
The Rangers are going to lose 100+ games, and Ron Washington is not to blame for that in my opinion. I wish him well in his future endeavors and I hope that everything is okay with him and his family. I now look forward to the search for the next Rangers manager even if we never understand why Ron Washington left. Lets Go Rangers.
