Ron Washington: A stimulus for Texas Rangers World Series aspirations
The Texas Rangers find their position ever more consolidated now as the team manager Ron Washington’s contract has been extended for two years. Ron Washington was hired by the team general manager Jon Daniels back in 2006, at a time when the club was in
the building phase.
Born in 1952, Washington has also remained a professional player in the baseball circuit. He was a former shortstop for the teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros and Cleveland Indians.
His career had its commencement in 1977 and lasted up until 1989 where he made his last appearance with the Houston Astros. The career which began with being a part of the Los Angeles Dodgers lasted for 12 years whereby he maintained a wonderful hitting
average of .261.
It was his ability to excel as an accomplished shortstop and infielder that drew the attention of the teams in the Major League Baseball. The first assignment that he would get as a professional coach was for the Oakland Athletics.
The club decided to have Ron Washington as their first base coach. The assignment there lasted for few more years. He served the Oakland Athletics as base and infield coach, embellishing his credentials with a record that will favour him in the years to
come.
Washington remained the focus of media attention, especially the baseball circuit, due largely to coaching and mentoring the players who afterwards became the most prominent names of Major League Baseball.
Take for example Miguel Tejada or Eric Chavez; the latter being the six-time Gold-Glove winner. Having groomed such big names of the game, Ron Washington’s decade-long service to the Oakland Athletics had a lot to contribute to the rise of the club.
It was in effect, the acknowledgement of his brilliance and expertise that the Texas Rangers recognised by having inducted him in the team during 2006. Washington, it goes without saying, knew the enormity of the challenges ahead.
However, the now experienced former coach of the Oakland Athletics was willing to undertake a new endeavour. The challenge was to invest time and energy on a team that is striving since their creation to win a single World Series title.
However, when Washington was put in the team, the Rangers were in the rebuilding phase. It was full of youngsters with a few experienced players that the team could turn to. It had now become his responsibility of Washington to lead the team into a winning
combination.
Ron Washington, with the years of experience in baseball, did all he could. The phase of building up the team bore fruit in 2010 when the Texas Rangers surged and stormed into the World Series final, confronting the San Francisco Giants.
Although the team could not do the needful and win the World Series title for the first time, they did win the glory. In 2011, the second in row, the team qualified for the finals again. Even though the Rangers once again failed to achieve their goal, 2012
promises something favourable.
With Ron Washington’s contract extended and the team stronger, it is an amazing opportunity for the Rangers to prove their mettle in a game that waits to see the ascension of the team as a champion with a crown.
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