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The Texas Rangers are a Major League Baseball team based in Arlington, Texas, a suburb in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. They are in the West Division of the American League.

Franchise history

Washington Senators

When the original Washington Senators moved to Minnesota in 1960, Major League Baseball awarded a team to Washington, D.C., giving it the name of the old franchise. Elwood Richard Quesada lead the 10 men group that bought the franchise.

In eleven seasons, the new Washington Senators posted only one winning season (1969). Frank Howard was the team's most accomplished player. Hall of Famer Ted Williams of Boston Red Sox fame managed the team from 1969 to 1971, and moved with the franchise to Arlington, Texas in 1972.

The team played its games at D.C. Stadium (renamed Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in 1969) on East Capitol Street and the Anacostia River.

Team uniform colors: Red, blue and white, with script "Senators" across the player's chest

Efforts to bring baseball to the Metroplex

In 1962 the American League began to entertain the idea of bringing a professional baseball team to the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Charles O. Finley, the owner of the Kansas City Athletics, sought to move his team to Dallas, but the idea was rebuffed by the other AL team owners.

In 1964, the 10,000-seat Turnpike Stadium was constructed in Arlington for the minor-league Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs. The stadium, later renamed Arlington Stadium, would eventually serve as the Rangers' first home stadium.

Meanwhile, the Senators received new ownership in 1968 in the form of Bob Short, the Treasurer of the Democratic National Committee. He sought to move the team from Washington. On September 20, 1971, he got his wish, receiving approval from AL owners to move the franchise to Arlington for the 1972 season. Washington fans were outraged, leaving the team's public relations director, Ted Rodgers, with the unenviable task of putting a positive spin on such events as fans unfurling a giant banner that contained Short's name, preceded by a popular four-letter invective. A photo of the banner appeared on the front page of a DC newspaper the following day. Fan enmity was so great that in the team's final game in RFK Stadium on September 30 against the New York Yankees, the Senators were forced to forfeit the game after angry fans stormed the field and damaged much of the stadium and playing surface.

First years in Texas

During the off-season, additions were made to Turnpike Stadium to increase its seating capacity, and it was officially renamed Arlington Stadium. Bob Short also announced that the franchise would be called the Texas Rangers (following the lead of the previous Senators team, which had become the Minnesota Twins). The team played its first game on April 15, 1972, a 1-0 loss at the California Angels. The next day, the Rangers defeated the Angels 5-1 for the team's first victory. The first home game was also against the Angels on April 21. After the season, Ted Williams retired as manager. Whitey Herzog was named the new manager, but he was replaced in the middle of the 1973 season by Billy Martin.

In 1974, the Rangers began to come into their own as a team. They finished the season 84-76 and in second place behind the eventual World Series champion Oakland Athletics. (The 1974 Rangers are still the only MLB team to finish above .500 after two consecutive 100-loss seasons.) Mike Hargrove was named AL Rookie of the Year, Billy Martin was named Manager of the Year, Jeff Burroughs was named AL Most Valuable Player, and Ferguson Jenkins was named the Comeback Player of the Year after winning a (still) club record 25 games. However, the following season, after a 44-51 start, Martin was fired as the Rangers manager and was replaced by Frank Lucchesi.

The Rangers' first four seasons would set what has become a pattern for the franchise--cycles of poor to mediocre seasons, followed by an occasional year of near-success, followed by disappointment the following year, then reverting to poor to mediocre seasons.

After excellent seasons between 1977-79, the Rangers came very close in clinching a playoff spot in the first half of 1981. However, Texas lost the game before the strike hit. So the Oakland A's led the first-half Western Division by half-game. After 1981, the Rangers would not win again for another five seasons. During this stretch, the Rangers made one of their worst (and most unpopular) trades ever, sending multi-Gold Glove (and highly popular) catcher Jim Sundberg to the Milwaukee Brewers for future Brewers' manager Ned Yost.

Valentine Era

Bobby Valentine, who would eventually become the Rangers' longest-serving manager at 1,186 games, became steward over an influx of talent in the team in the late 1980s and 1990s. The 1986 winning season was possible with the help of rookies Ruben Sierra and Pete Incaviglia. However, the Rangers finished 5 games behind division-winning California. The signing of 41-year-old star pitcher Nolan Ryan prior to the 1989 season allowed Ryan to reach his 5,000th strikeout, 300th win and throw his sixth and seventh no-hitters with the Rangers. Coupled with powerful batters like Juan González, Rubén Sierra, Julio Franco, Harold Baines, and Rafael Palmeiro and a pitching staff that also included Charlie Hough, Bobby Witt, Kevin Brown, and Kenny Rogers, fans expected much from the team. However, the team never improved past being average, and Valentine was let go during the 1992 season. One of the teams most popular players during this time was catcher Geno Petralli.

The alleged "Texas Agreement" of 1986

In a 1990 book titled The Impossible Takes A Little Longer sportswriter Phil Rogers alleged that on May 19, 1986, with little fanfair, Rangers general manager Tom Grieve and Houston Astros general manager Dick Wagner reached an agreement to always deal with each other first for experienced players. Rogers stated that the agreement was carried out in secret due to the fact it would likely have violated anti-collusion regulations and brought down the wrath of the commissioner's office. According to the allegations, the players involved sometimes did not come directly from one team to another. An alleged example was the case of Denny Walling, the Astros third baseman from the 1980s along with Phil Garner, who was given a spot on the 1991 Ranger's roster and allowed to have 44 at-bats. A story by Ivy McLemore in the Houston Post on June 17, 1990 maintained that many of the allegations in Rogers' book were true.

Another alleged example was the Astros allowing former Rangers rookie sensation Pete Incaviglia to make their team in 1992. He struggled in only 113 games with the Astros and was released. In 1994 Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams supposedly brought about the end of the secret deal when he exploded in the Astros bullpen (having previously started his career with the Rangers) by blowing so many saves that he was quickly discarded.

The Astros general manager during the Wild Thing saga, Bill Wood, publicly stated he would not be bound by any such arrangement. The Rangers are alleged to have responded by refusing to trade first baseman Jack Daugherty to the Astros. In 1998 Pete Incaviglia supposedly invoked an obscure clause in the agreement and was able to garner 16 at-bats in the later part of the 1998 Houston Astros season. At this point Major League Baseball is alleged to have stepped in and banned the "Texas Agreement." To this day both Tom Grieve and Dick Wagner deny that any such agreement took place.

Other notable players alleged to have been part of the "Texas Agreement" over the years and who have played for Texas and Houston include Buddy Bell, Dickie Thon, Nolan Ryan, Calvin Schiraldi, Mike Lamb, Floyd Bannister, Alan Bannister, Luis Pujols, Ken Caminiti, John Cangelosi, Mike Henneman, Dwayne Henry, Art Howe (first base coach in Texas), Chris James, Cliff Johnson, Darren Oliver, Jay Powell, Doug Rader (as Texas manager), Mike Simms and Danny Darwin.The allegations about many of these players strain credulity, because their stints with the Astros and Rangers were interspersed with years of play for other organizations. Darren Oliver, for instance, last played for the Rangers in 2001. He then played for three other teams—the Boston Red Sox, the Colorado Rockies, and the Florida Marlins—before his very brief stint with the Astros in 2004. Oliver has since returned to the majors as a reliever for the New York Mets. It is difficult to understand how all these organizations could have been part of any supposed "Texas Agreement," particularly when the alleged agreement is said to have ended years earlier.

On March 25, 1988 Mike Loynd, the Rangers first round pick in 1986, was traded by the Texas Rangers to the Houston Astros in exchange for one of their prior first round picks, catcher Robbie Wine. It was the only trade of first rounders under the alleged agreement though neither player made it back to the major leagues.

1987 Catchers Surplus

The 1987 Texas Rangers set a record for being the only team in Major League history to carry four catchers on their roster for the entire season. Don Slaught, Darrell Porter, Mike Stanley, and Geno Petralli all split time as the team's catcher. Most teams seldom have more than two catchers. The catcher heavy roster did little to help the Rangers as they finished last with a 75-87 record. Many of the foursome would pinch hit or play DH if not catching.

Future U.S. President George W. Bush becomes Managing Partner

Meanwhile, in April of 1989, the Rangers' owner, Eddie Chiles, sold the team to an investment group headed by future President George W. Bush. Bush would serve as the Rangers' managing partner until he was elected Governor of Texas in 1994. During this time, the Rangers and the City of Arlington decided to construct a new stadium to replace the aging Arlington Stadium. Ground was broken on October 30, 1991 on what would become The Ballpark in Arlington (later renamed Ameriquest Field in Arlington).

Success in the 1990s

1993
In 1993, Kevin Kennedy took over managerial duties, helming the team for two seasons. The 1993 squad was the first since the 1974 team to be in serious contention for a playoff berth into mid-September. He was let go in 1994 despite leading the AL West prior to the players' strike. The strike wiped out what could have been the Rangers' first division championship when commissioner Bud Selig canceled the remainder of the season.

1995
The year 1995 saw the beginnings of the most promise for the Rangers. With a brand new ballpark that hosted its first All-Star Game, Johnny Oates was hired as the Rangers' manager and promptly led them to an AL West division title in 1996. The first Rangers' playoff series in history, 24 years after the franchise came to Texas, saw the Rangers lose to the New York Yankees. But the team had finally made the playoffs. Oates was named AL Manager of the Year and Juan Gonzalez was named AL MVP. The team featured a powerful lineup of hitters with Ivan Rodriguez, Will Clark, Mark McLemore, Dean Palmer, Rusty Greer, Juan Gonzalez, and Mickey Tettleton but continued to struggle with pitching – a reputation that dogs the Rangers to this day – despite having Rick Helling, Aaron Sele, and John Wetteland on their roster. Oates again led the team to AL West championships in 1998 and 1999, but en route to a second straight last place finish, Oates was let go mid-way through the 2001 season.

Hicks Era

Meanwhile, Bush sold the team to an investment group led by Dallas businessman Tom Hicks in 1998. In 1999, Nolan Ryan became the first player ever elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame to have a Ranger cap placed on his plaque.

The Alex Rodriguez experiment

Prior to the 2001 season, star free-agent shortstop Alex Rodriguez, previously of the Seattle Mariners, was signed by the Rangers in the most lucrative deal in baseball history: a 10-year, US $252 million contract. The move was considered controversial and was frequently maligned by the media who thought that Hicks was placing too much emphasis on one player instead of spreading out money among many players, especially for a team that lacked significant pitching talent. Although Rodriguez's individual performance was outstanding, the Rangers continued to struggle, and manager Jerry Narron was fired following the 2002 season. He was replaced by seasoned manager Buck Showalter.

In the 2003 season, the Rangers finished in last place for the fourth straight year, and after a post-season fallout between Rodriguez and team management, the then-reigning AL MVP and new Rangers captain, Alex Rodriguez, was traded to the New York Yankees for Alfonso Soriano and Joaquin Arias.

The present

2004
Prior to the 2004 season, little hope was held out for the Rangers to improve on their losing ways. However, behind a young team that gelled together well (spurred partially by comments from former Ranger Alex Rodriguez that he didn't want to play with a "bunch of kids"), the Rangers battled with the Anaheim Angels and Oakland Athletics for first place in the AL West for much of the season. Mark Teixeira, Alfonso Soriano, Michael Young, and Hank Blalock became one of the better tandems of batting infielders in the league, and Young, Blalock, and Soriano were named to the 2004 All-Star Game. Soriano was named the All-Star MVP after going 2 for 3 with a three-run home run. The Rangers remained in contention until the last week of the season, eventually finishing in third place behind the Angels and A's, but they finished the season only 3 games out of first place. (By comparison, the fourth-place team, the Seattle Mariners, were 29 games out of first.)

2005
In 2005, the Rangers have struggled to find consistency amid controversy and injuries. Frank Francisco and Carlos Almanzar, two key members of the bullpen, have been sidelined for Tommy John surgery. Kenny Rogers, the team's ace pitcher, received a 20 game suspension from commissioner Bud Selig for attacking a cameraman at Ameriquest Field. (Rogers signed with the Tigers for the 2006 season after the Rangers declined to offer him a contract.) Also, shortly after a spectacular homestand where the Rangers swept all three series (the first time in Rangers history that they ever swept an entire homestand), management unexpectedly placed opening-day starter Ryan Drese on waivers, where he was claimed by the Washington Nationals. After Drese's release and Rogers' suspension, the Rangers struggled to find consistency on the mound, and a disastrous road trip in August in which the Rangers went 1-12 all but assured that the Rangers would not make the playoffs in 2005. Whether the 2005 season is an aberration, or yet another sign of "failed promise", remains to be seen. The Rangers remain one of 3 American League teams (the other 2 being the Seattle Mariners and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays) to have never made it to a World Series.

2005-2006 Offseason
On October 4, 2005, the Rangers announced that John Hart was stepping aside as general manager of the franchise, and that Jon Daniels was being promoted from assistant general manager to general manager. Daniels, at 28 years and one month, is the youngest general manager in major league history. However, Hart will remain with the club as a "special consultant", thus giving rise to media speculation that Daniels will be little more than a "yes man" for Hart.

In any case, Daniels and the Rangers front office have been very active in the 2005-2006 offseason. Alfonso Soriano, who had often been mentioned in trade speculation, was finally dealt to the Nationals for outfielders Brad Wilkerson and Terrmel Sledge. The Rangers then began making moves to acquire the pitching help that they have long sought. The Rangers acquired starter Vicente Padilla from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for Ricardo Rodriguez and acquired San Diego Padres pitchers Adam Eaton and Akinori Otsuka in exchange for Chris Young, Adrian Gonzalez, and Sledge. Finally, they signed free agent starter Kevin Millwood to a five-year contract worth $60 million. The Rangers have also been mentioned in speculation as a possible destination for Roger Clemens, who was not offered salary arbitration by the Houston Astros. However, Clemens eventually decided to sign with the Astros and appeared in his first game for Houston on June 22.

2006
After a slow start the Rangers have rebounded and have been near the top of the American League West for much of the 2006 season. Some improvement has occurred on the pitching staff, which is ranked ninth in the American League in combined ERA after play on July 16, compared to a twelfth-place ranking for the 2005 season. Millwood and Padilla, along with Kameron Loe and John Koronka, have anchored the starting rotation despite Ameriquest Field's deserved reputation as a hitter's ballpark. One problem has been the inconsistency of former closer Francisco Cordero, who has blown eight of his fourteen save chances. He has been at least temporarily replaced as closer by Akinori Otsuka, and now serves as the set-up man on occasion.

Pitching problems persist, as shown by the Rangers blowing two nine-run leads in a historic 14-13 loss to the New York Yankees on May 16. The Rangers also squandered a seven-run lead against the Kansas City Royals in a 16-12 loss on June 8. But the Rangers themselves overcame a seven-run deficit against the Oakland Athletics on May 25 to win 8-7, thanks to a Rod Barajas grand slam and two Ian Kinsler home runs.

One of the worst losses of the season came on June 11, when the Boston Red Sox went into the bottom of the ninth at Fenway Park down 4-2 and facing their first back-to-back losses against the Rangers since 1997. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning and two men on, David Ortiz hit a 2-2 pitch from Akinori Otsuka deep into the right-center seats to give the Red Sox the win, 5-4. The homer occurred right after Ortiz had barely fouled off a pitch that would otherwise have been strike three and ended the game. The Rangers successfully came back in the second game of the doubleheader that day, though, winning 13-6 and slugging a season-high 22 hits.

Rangers shortstop Michael Young was named the MVP of the 2006 All-Star game, played on July 11 in Pittsburgh, for his game-winning two-run triple in the ninth. Center fielder Gary Matthews, Jr. also played in the All-Star game. As of July 16 the Rangers are 47-45 and in second place in the AL West, one game behind the Oakland Athletics. The division is closely bunched with all four teams in contention.

Quick facts

Founded: 1961 (American League expansion)
Formerly known as: the Washington Senators, 1961-1971. (Not to be confused with the team that was the Washington Senators prior to 1961, which became the Minnesota Twins, or the Washington Senators that existed from 1891-1899 and were contracted.)
Home ballpark: Ameriquest Field in Arlington (known as The Ballpark in Arlington 1994-2003)
Uniform colors: Blue, White, and Scarlet red
Logo design: A "T" superimposed on a baseball, set inside a circle with "TEXAS" on the top half and "RANGERS" on the bottom
Team motto: Every Day Is Game Day
Playoff appearances (3): 1996, 1998, 1999
Local radio: KRLD 1080
Local television: FSN Southwest, KDFI, KDFW-4
Spring Training facility: Surprise Stadium, Surprise, AZ

The Rangers (when combined with their predecessor the Senators) are the oldest franchise that has yet to appear in a World Series; in fact, they have yet to win any playoff series. In their history the team has only one playoff victory, on the road at Yankee Stadium in the franchise's first playoff game; they have never won a home playoff game.

See also: Lone Star Shootout (Rangers-Astros rivalry)

Baseball Hall of Famers

Chuck Hinton and Frank Howard, who played for the franchise in Washington, are listed on the Washington Hall of Stars display at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium in Washington. So are Gil Hodges and Mickey Vernon, who managed the "New Senators." Vernon also played for the "Old Senators" who became the Minnesota Twins.

Retired Numbers

Current roster

Minor league affiliations

See also

External links

Sports in Dallas | Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex | Major League Baseball teams | Texas Rangers | 1961 establishments

Texas Rangers (Baseball) | Texas Rangers | 텍사스 레인저스 | Texas Rangers | テキサス・レンジャーズ | Texas Rangers | Texas Rangers (basebollag) | 德州遊騎兵

 

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