Ron Washington
Encyclopedia
Ronald Washington is a former Major League Baseball
shortstop
and the current manager
of the Texas Rangers
. Prior to managing the Rangers, Washington coached
in the New York Mets
and Oakland Athletics
organizations.
in 1977 hitting .368 (7 for 19). He wouldn't return to the major league level until 1981 with the Minnesota Twins
where he would remain until 1986. He then played one season each for the Baltimore Orioles
, Cleveland Indians
, and Houston Astros
before retiring from Triple-A Oklahoma City in 1990. He was a middle infielder for most of his career. On May 28, 1988, while playing for the Indians, Washington broke up Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Odell Jones
' no-hit
bid after 8 and 1/3 innings with a pinch-hit single.
organization for five years. After being hired as the Oakland Athletics
first base coach in 1996 under his former Astros manager Art Howe
, Washington then served as infield and third base coach for the A's between 1997 and 2006. As infield coach Washington has been credited for developing much of the A's young infield talent in the last decade, including six-time Gold Glover Eric Chavez
, and former MVP
and A's shortstop Miguel Tejada
. In 2004, Chavez expressed his appreciation by giving Washington one of his Gold Glove trophies, signed "Wash, not without you."
Washington plays a significant role in the events of the book Moneyball, a book detailing how the A's have been successful despite a small budget. Washington is shown in a positive light for the way he trained Scott Hatteberg
to field first base for the first time in his career. Washington is also, however, portrayed as too old-fashioned and traditional in his unacceptance of general manager
Billy Beane
's sabermetric
strategies.
, who was fired a month earlier. Washington beat out four other candidates for the job: Rangers bench coach Don Wakamatsu
, then New York Mets third base coach Manny Acta
, Nippon Ham Fighters manager Trey Hillman
and former Rangers catcher John Russell. The A's also had a managerial vacancy after the firing of Ken Macha
at the end of the season, but Washington was not interviewed for the position.
At the beginning of the 2007 season, it was rumored that there was a rift between Washington and Rangers star Mark Teixeira
. Asked about it, Washington responded,
Teixeira was traded to the Atlanta Braves
in July 2007. He had been rumored to have been on the trading block before reports of tensions with Washington, as his agent, Scott Boras
, had refused to negotiate a contract extension beyond the 2008 season.
Similar reports rumored tensions between Washington and catcher Gerald Laird
. Questioned about the rumors, Washington conceded that the pressure he put on Laird was "a lot to put on a young kid... (But) that's what we've got. He's got to grow up fast."
On August 6, 2007, Washington was ejected for the first time of his managerial career after arguing with umpire Bill Miller over a called third strike to Michael Young, who also was ejected.
On March 17, 2010, Jon Heyman
of Sports Illustrated
reported that Washington tested positive for cocaine during the 2009 season and has admitted to using cocaine.
Washington would become only the second manager of the Rangers franchise, behind Johnny Oates
to take his team to the post season after winning the division in 2010, the team's first division title in 11 years. On October 12, 2010, Washington became the first manager in franchise history to win a playoff series, with a 3–2 victory in the ALDS
over the Tampa Bay Rays
. On October 22, 2010, Washington's Rangers defeated the New York Yankees in the ALCS
in six games, to advance to their first World Series
in franchise history. He became the third African American to manage a team into a World Series, joining Cito Gaston
, who managed the Toronto Blue Jays
to the World Championship in the 1992
and 1993 World Series
, and Dusty Baker
, who managed the San Francisco Giants
into the 2002 World Series
.
Second baseman Ian Kinsler
said: "I just love the way he never holds his emotion back, especially when he's managing. He hangs on every pitch, and it's great to know that your manager is in every single pitch and cares that much."
In 2009 his salary was about $750,000.
As of November 4, 2010, Washington agreed to a two-year extension with the Texas Rangers
.
On October 15, 2011, Washington managed the Rangers to their second World Series in as many years, when the Rangers defeated the Detroit Tigers
in the ALCS
. The Rangers eventually lost to the St. Louis Cardinals
in 7 games.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
and the current manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
of the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
. Prior to managing the Rangers, Washington coached
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
in the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
and Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
organizations.
Playing career
Washington was signed by the Kansas City Royals on July 17, 1970. He spent the next ten seasons in the minor leagues with three different organizations (Royals, Mets & Dodgers). He earned a brief September callup with the Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
in 1977 hitting .368 (7 for 19). He wouldn't return to the major league level until 1981 with the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
where he would remain until 1986. He then played one season each for the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, and Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
before retiring from Triple-A Oklahoma City in 1990. He was a middle infielder for most of his career. On May 28, 1988, while playing for the Indians, Washington broke up Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Odell Jones
Odell Jones
Odell Jones was a pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Seattle Mariners , Texas Rangers , Baltimore Orioles and Milwaukee Brewers in Major League Baseball....
' no-hit
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
bid after 8 and 1/3 innings with a pinch-hit single.
Coaching career
Following his retirement as a player, Washington worked in the New York MetsNew York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
organization for five years. After being hired as the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
first base coach in 1996 under his former Astros manager Art Howe
Art Howe
Arthur Henry Howe Jr. is a former Major League Baseball infielder, coach, scout and manager. He is an alumnus of the University of Wyoming...
, Washington then served as infield and third base coach for the A's between 1997 and 2006. As infield coach Washington has been credited for developing much of the A's young infield talent in the last decade, including six-time Gold Glover Eric Chavez
Eric Chavez
Eric Cesar Chavez is an American Major League Baseball infielder. Chavez has played for the Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees...
, and former MVP
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
and A's shortstop Miguel Tejada
Miguel Tejada
Miguel Odalis Tejada was a Major League Baseball infielder who has played for the San Francisco Giants, the San Diego Padres, the Houston Astros, the Baltimore Orioles and the Oakland Athletics...
. In 2004, Chavez expressed his appreciation by giving Washington one of his Gold Glove trophies, signed "Wash, not without you."
Washington plays a significant role in the events of the book Moneyball, a book detailing how the A's have been successful despite a small budget. Washington is shown in a positive light for the way he trained Scott Hatteberg
Scott Hatteberg
Scott Allen Hatteberg is a former American Major League Baseball first baseman and catcher.- Early life :...
to field first base for the first time in his career. Washington is also, however, portrayed as too old-fashioned and traditional in his unacceptance of general manager
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
Billy Beane
Billy Beane
William Lamar "Billy" Beane III is a former Major League Baseball player and the current general manager and minority owner of the Oakland Athletics...
's sabermetric
Sabermetrics
Sabermetrics is the specialized analysis of baseball through objective, empirical evidence, specifically baseball statistics that measure in-game activity. The term is derived from the acronym SABR, which stands for the Society for American Baseball Research...
strategies.
Manager
On November 6, 2006, the Texas Rangers announced that Washington had accepted their offer to manage the team replacing Buck ShowalterBuck Showalter
William Nathaniel "Buck" Showalter III is an American Major League Baseball manager for the Baltimore Orioles. He has previously served in a similar capacity with the New York Yankees , Arizona Diamondbacks , and Texas Rangers...
, who was fired a month earlier. Washington beat out four other candidates for the job: Rangers bench coach Don Wakamatsu
Don Wakamatsu
Wilbur Donald "Don" Wakamatsu is a former Major League Baseball catcher and manager. He was the manager of the Seattle Mariners for the season, as well as the majority of the season...
, then New York Mets third base coach Manny Acta
Manny Acta
Manuel Elias Acta is a Major League Baseball manager for the Cleveland Indians. He is the former manager of the Washington Nationals . In the Dominican Winter League, he managed the Tigres del Licey from 2002–2004, including leading them to victory at the 2003 Caribbean Series...
, Nippon Ham Fighters manager Trey Hillman
Trey Hillman
Thomas Brad "Trey" Hillman is the current bench coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has previously been the manager of both the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan's Pacific League and the Kansas City Royals in the American League.-Playing career:Hillman signed with the Cleveland Indians in...
and former Rangers catcher John Russell. The A's also had a managerial vacancy after the firing of Ken Macha
Ken Macha
Kenneth Edward Macha is a former Major League Baseball third baseman and manager. During an 8-year managing career, he managed the Oakland Athletics , whom he guided to the American League's Western Division championship in both his first and final seasons with the team, and the Milwaukee Brewers...
at the end of the season, but Washington was not interviewed for the position.
At the beginning of the 2007 season, it was rumored that there was a rift between Washington and Rangers star Mark Teixeira
Mark Teixeira
Mark Charles Teixeira , nicknamed "Tex" is an American Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees. Mostly a first baseman, he has also played third base and in the outfield...
. Asked about it, Washington responded,
Teixeira was traded to the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
in July 2007. He had been rumored to have been on the trading block before reports of tensions with Washington, as his agent, Scott Boras
Scott Boras
Scott Boras is an American sports agent, specializing in baseball. He is the founder, owner and president of the Boras Corporation, a sports agency based in Newport Beach, Calif. that represents roughly 175 professional baseball clients, including many of the game's highest-profile players...
, had refused to negotiate a contract extension beyond the 2008 season.
Similar reports rumored tensions between Washington and catcher Gerald Laird
Gerald Laird
Gerald Lee Laird III is an American professional baseball catcher for the Detroit Tigers. He graduated La Quinta High School in 1998, and played college baseball at Cypress College...
. Questioned about the rumors, Washington conceded that the pressure he put on Laird was "a lot to put on a young kid... (But) that's what we've got. He's got to grow up fast."
On August 6, 2007, Washington was ejected for the first time of his managerial career after arguing with umpire Bill Miller over a called third strike to Michael Young, who also was ejected.
On March 17, 2010, Jon Heyman
Jon Heyman
Jon Heyman is a sportswriter for Sports Illustrated and its website SI.com. He writes primarily about baseball. Heyman is also a baseball insider for MLB Network.-Early years:...
of Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
reported that Washington tested positive for cocaine during the 2009 season and has admitted to using cocaine.
Washington would become only the second manager of the Rangers franchise, behind Johnny Oates
Johnny Oates
Johnny Lane Oates was an American professional baseball player, coach, and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Baltimore Orioles, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees from 1970 to 1981...
to take his team to the post season after winning the division in 2010, the team's first division title in 11 years. On October 12, 2010, Washington became the first manager in franchise history to win a playoff series, with a 3–2 victory in the ALDS
2010 American League Division Series
The 2010 American League Division Series were two best-of-five game series to determine the participating teams in the 2010 American League Championship Series. The three divisional winners and a fourth "Wild Card" team played in two series from October 6 to October 12...
over the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
. On October 22, 2010, Washington's Rangers defeated the New York Yankees in the ALCS
2010 American League Championship Series
The 2010 American League Championship Series was the best-of-seven game series pitting the winners of the 2010 American League Division Series for the American League Championship. The American League wild card-winning New York Yankees faced the American League Western Division champions Texas...
in six games, to advance to their first World Series
2010 World Series
The 2010 World Series was the 106th occurrence of Major League Baseball's championship series. The best-of-seven playoff, played between the American League champion Texas Rangers and the National League champion San Francisco Giants, began on Wednesday, , and ended on Monday, , with the Giants...
in franchise history. He became the third African American to manage a team into a World Series, joining Cito Gaston
Cito Gaston
Clarence Edwin "Cito" Gaston is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. His major league career as a player lasted from 1967–1978, most notably for the San Diego Padres and the Atlanta Braves...
, who managed the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
to the World Championship in the 1992
1992 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 17, 1992 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaBraves fans had plenty to worry about in regard to both starting pitchers. Tom Glavine's post-season career had been less than stellar, including giving up eight runs in the second inning of Game 6 of the NLCS...
and 1993 World Series
1993 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 16, 1993 at SkyDome in Toronto, OntarioThe Series' first game sent two staff aces—Curt Schilling for Philadelphia and Juan Guzman for Toronto—against one another. The result was less than a pitcher's duel, however, as both teams scored early and often.The deciding plays...
, and Dusty Baker
Dusty Baker
Johnnie B. "Dusty" Baker, Jr. is a former player and current manager in Major League Baseball, currently the manager of the Cincinnati Reds. He enjoyed a 19-year career as a hard-hitting outfielder, mostly with the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers...
, who managed the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
into the 2002 World Series
2002 World Series
The 2002 World Series was a best-of-seven playoff series to determine the champion of Major League Baseball for the 2002 season. It was the 98th such contest between the champions of the American League and National League , and featured the AL champion Anaheim Angels against the NL champion San...
.
Second baseman Ian Kinsler
Ian Kinsler
Ian Michael Kinsler is a Major League Baseball All-Star second baseman for the Texas Rangers.Despite having been drafted in only the 17th round out of college, Kinsler has risen to become a two-time All Star, and a member of the Sporting News 2009 list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball...
said: "I just love the way he never holds his emotion back, especially when he's managing. He hangs on every pitch, and it's great to know that your manager is in every single pitch and cares that much."
In 2009 his salary was about $750,000.
As of November 4, 2010, Washington agreed to a two-year extension with the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
.
On October 15, 2011, Washington managed the Rangers to their second World Series in as many years, when the Rangers defeated the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
in the ALCS
2011 American League Championship Series
The 2011 American League Championship Series was a best-of-seven playoff pitting the winners of the 2011 American League Division Series, the Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers, against each other for the American League championship and the right to be the league's representative in the 2011 World...
. The Rangers eventually lost to the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
in 7 games.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball managers in 2007
- List of Major League Baseball managers in 2008
- List of Major League Baseball managers in 2009
- List of Major League Baseball managers in 2010
- List of Major League Baseball managers in 2011