ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers hired Reid Nichols as their first-base coach on Sunday and shifted Bobby Jones to third base.
The Rangers needed to shuffle their coaching staff after Johnny Oates resigned as the team’s manager Friday. Jerry Narron, the team’s former third-base coach, was named manager for the rest of the season.
Nichols, the Ranger’s director of player development since 1994, also will work with the outfielders and be responsible for base-running.
Nichols, 42, had a 13-year professional career, batting .266 with 22 home runs and 131 RBI in 540 career games with Boston, the Chicago White Sox and Montreal.
After his playing days, Nichols spent four seasons working in Baltimore’s minor league organization.
G30: Rangers drop game to Chisox, 10-5
Well, I was hoping that the Rangers could build from last night’s spectacular game. Then Kenny Rogers pitched the first inning, facing eight batters, giving up a bunch of hits, but fortunately only two runs. Then he proceeded to have 4 or 5 perfect innings, and I thought we had picked it up.
However, we got to our usual nemesis – late innings. In the 7th, it all fell apart. We were up 4-3, and then gave up four. At that point, we were down three. Disappointing, but not insurmountable. Then Arod hit a solo HR in the 8th, putting us within two. Then Pat Mahomes blew it in the 9th – throwing almost 40 pitches, and giving up another 3.
This game really annoyed me, because we pitched like we were going to take it in style for the bulk of the game, and then it all got away at the end – I was so annoyed, that I stopped scoring the game in the top of the 9th.
Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy! There were total of 6 errors in the game, 3 by each side – including one play where we had two at once! Can’t win like that.
G29: Rangers win Jerry Narron’s official debut, 2-0
OK, it’s the fifth day of the fifth month. Jerry Narron has 5 kids. There were five hits by the opponent this game. Hmmm…
Goofy number plays aside, this was a spectacular game. I have to say, driving out to the game, it was raining the whole way. I didn’t think we’d be playing this game, either (see last night). However, once we got to the ballpark, it stopped raining. Sat in our seats, and my wife and I noticed that it started clearing up. It was like the heavens parted to get the game in – perhaps it had something to do with the fives above! :)
What more can you say about this game except Ryan Glynn. Driving out, I felt we’d lose, but I have to say, he blew everyone away, players and fans alike. Ryan was VERY strong, pitching 8 innings, giving up only three hits, with no walks, and not allowing anyone to get to second base the whole game! I felt that Ryan should have been given a chance to go out in the ninth and get a complete game shutout – I suppose if we had more than 3 runs, he probably would have gotten that chance.
Be curious to see if Ryan can follow this up next time on the hill.
Also, during the game, there was a very cool message on the scoreboard from Johnny & Gloria Oates. What a class guy – I will miss him. Johnny has meant a lot of me personally (growing up as a kid, he was the catcher in Philadelphia for a couple of years). I agree it was time for a change, but I’ll miss him. I hope he turns up somewhere.
Oates out as Rangers Manager
ARLINGTON, Texas – Johnny Oates has resigned as manager of the Texas Rangers, who are off to their worst start since 1985 despite signing Alex Rodriguez to the richest contract in sports history.
Third-base coach Jerry Narron will coach the Rangers for the rest of the season.
Texas is 11-17 and 11 games behind Seattle in the AL West. While the Rangers are near the lead in every offensive category, their pitching staff is by far the worst in the majors.
Rodriguez signed a $252 million, 10-year contract during the winter. The Rangers also signed other free agents during the offseason, including Andres Galarraga and Ken Caminiti.
Oates’ seven-year tenure included three division titles but a last-place finish in 2000.
Owner Tom Hicks said this week that Oates’ job could be in jeopardy if the team didn’t start playing better.
“I am very concerned, as everyone should be,” Hicks recently told Randy Galloway of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “On the other hand, I really do feel Johnny can still do what is within his control to get the team turned around.”
Oates went 506-476 in Texas through six full seasons and part of this year. He’s the second-winningest manager in franchise history and the only to lead the team into the postseason. He’s under contract through next season.
The Rangers are the second team to change skippers in the first five weeks of the season. Tampa Bay fired Larry Rothschild.
Roster Transaction
- MGR Johnny Oates resigned as manager of team
- COACH Jerry Nerron named as interim manager
Rangers rained out, Johnny Oates gone
Rainout. And it was good, because our pitching was getting shelled again. Down 6-0 in the fourth, it all got washed away.
This means that I’ll get to go to Narron’s official debut tomorrow – as I have tickets for that game. It seemed to me that Davis couldn’t get the ball up – he was continually too low.
The big news of the day was Johnny, of course. I covered that on the news page, and I haven’t written anything of my own yet – I want to wait a week or so to let it sink in. A lot of online folks just write knee jerk things, and I want to wait until I’ve had a chance to process my feelings. Since I’ve been a Ranger fan, Johnny has been the only manager I’ve known – I didn’t start following them until 1995 (I didn’t move to Texas until Dec 92).
Pudge placed on the DL
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Texas catcher Ivan Rodriguez was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday night because of a bruised left heel.
“I can’t do anything about it,” Rodriguez said. “I prefer to miss two weeks than play the whole year in pain. It’s only two weeks. I’ll be OK.”
Doug Mirabelli replaced Rodriguez in the starting lineup against Detroit, and was 0-for-1 with two walks in the Tigers’ 8-4 win.
To replace Rodriguez on the roster, Texas has purchased the contract of catcher Mike Hubbard from Oklahoma of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. Hubbard was to join the Rangers on Thursday.
“This is the best way to get him well,” Texas manager Johnny Oates said. “The move we play him, the longer it would take to get better or get 100 percent. We’ll shut him down for two weeks and hope he is 100 percent after that.”
Rodriguez was hurt when his heel hit first base awkwardly as he ran out a grounder in the ninth inning Friday night at Cleveland. He then missed two games.
He still appeared hampered the injury Tuesday night against Detroit, despite going 2-for-4. He led of the fourth with a hit into the right-field corner, routinely a double for him, but was obviously slow running and was more than 10 feet from second base when Roger Cedeno’s throw got there.
With the game tied in the eighth, Rodriguez was lifted for a pinch-runner after reaching on an error.
Rodriguez, who is hitting .309 with six home runs and 11 RBIs, walked gingerly as he made his way through the clubhouse before Wednesday night’s game. He didn’t talk to reporters.
“Talking with the doctor, he thinks it’s best he stays off it for a while to get it well rather than try to do what he did last night for 10 days,” Oates said. “It’s a bruise. We probably didn’t help it, but we didn’t hurt it either.”
Rodriguez played in just 91 games last year, the fewest since his rookie season in 1991. He didn’t play after breaking his right thumb July 24, two weeks after starting his eighth straight All-Star games, and still won his ninth straight gold glove.
Roster Transaction
- OF Chad Curtis placed on the 15 day DL
- OF Ruben Sierra called up from AAA Oklahoma
- P Darwin Cubillan designated for assignment
Curtis to DL, Sierra up
- In further DL news, Chad Curtis was placed on
the DL (same injury that knocked him out before), and Ruben Sierra was
called up.
Mr Twinkie gets pinched
As much as I don’t like Chuck Knoblauch, I dislike even more what the Twins fans did to him in the Metrodome this week. I don’t care who you are, you don’t throw things at players on the field. As much as I hate things like the wave at the Ballpark, throwing things at players should be an immediate ejection, and season long ban from all ballparks around the country – that’s disgraceful. I doubt anyone who did that in Minnesota will read this, but quite frankly, you’re a disgrace to the name “baseball fan”, and should never attend another game. Ever.
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