Texas Rangers - The First Years (1972-1979)

Texas
Home
Click
on Logo

1970

Decade

100

Click

105

on Logo

Titles:

Top Rangers Players of the Seventies

None

Pitchers:

BallPark:

Ferguson Jenkins (19.08) - 54

Arlington Stadium (1972-1979)

Gaylord Perry (13.1) - 30

Doyle Alexander (5.47) - 18

Team Name:

Jim Bibby (4.23) - 17

Rangers (1972-1979)

Steve Comer (5.39) - 16

Steve Foucault (3.54) - 16

Owner:

Bert Blyleven (11.11) - 15

Bob Short (1972-1974)

Steve Hargan (1.52) - 12

Brad Corbett (1974-1979)

Jim Kern (6.16) - 11

Jon Matlack (6.9) - 11

General Managers:

Dock Ellis (2.8) - 9

Joe Burke (1972-1973)

Doc Medich (2.45) - 9

Dan O'Brien (1974-1976)

Nelson Briles (3.46) - 9

Eddie Robinson (1977-1979)

Catchers:

Managers:

Jim Sundberg (22.18) - 55

Ted Williams (1972)

Whitey Herzog (1973)

First Basemen:

Del Wilbur (1973)

Mike Hargrove (17.1) - 41

Billy Martin (1973-1975)

Jim Spencer (1.97) - 13

Frank Lucchesi (1975-1977)

Eddie Stanky (1977)

Second Basemen:

Connie Ryan (1977)

Bump Wills (12.29) - 24

Billy Hunter (1977-1978)

Dave Nelson (4.22) - 16

Pat Corales (1978-1979)

Lenny Randle (4.98) - 15

No Hitters:

ShortStop:

Jim Bibby (1973)

Toby Harrah (27.86) - 66

Bert Blyleven (1977)

Bert Campaneris (3.69) - 14

Hall of Famers:

Third Base:

Ted Williams

Buddy Bell (6.91) - 10

Whitey Herzog

Ferguson Jenkins

Outfield:

Gaylord Perry

Jeff Burroughs (8.83) - 24

Bert Blyleven

Juan Beniquez (5.84) - 23

Al Oliver (6.73) - 16

Rookie of the Year:

Tom Grieve (2.93) - 13

Mike Hargrove (1974)

Alex Johnson (1.79) - 12

Bobby Bonds (3.98) - 11

MVP:

Cesar Tovar (1.92) - 11

Jeff Burroughs (1974)

Richie Zisk (1.42) - 8

Cy Young:

Notable Events:

None

1972 - Bob Short hires Joe Burke as GM. However, we get the feeling that

Notable Events:

we know who is really calling the shots here.

1967 - The Senators / Rangers started drafting some pretty good hitters and

1973 - Bob Short hires on Billy Martin as manager. At this point owners have

while it doesn't make them a winner, it makes them a fun watch:

figured out that if you want a guy to give your franchise a short term boost so

□ 1968 - SS Toby Harrah,19, minor league draft from Phillies - rookie in '71

that you can sell the team at a premium, bring in Martin. Of course, it works, as

□ 1969 - OF Jeff Burroughs, 18 - 1st round of amateur draft - rookie in '73

the Rangers improve 27 games to 84 wins in '74 with Martin at the helm.

□ 1970 - 3B Bill Madlock, 19, - 5th round of draft ==> dealt to Cubs

for Ferguson Jenkins

1973 - The Rangers draft David Clyde first overall and Short immediately

□ 1972 - 1B Mike Hargrove, 22, - 25th round of amateur draft

brings him up to the big leagues. The move generated revenue short term,

□ 1973 - C Jim Sundberg, 22, - 2nd overall pick in draft - rookie in '74

but long term, probably ruined a promising career

1972 - The Senators move out of Washington for Arlington, Texas. However,

1974 - Short sells the Rangers to Brad Corbett in something of a "short" sale.

they are stuck in a minor league ballpark. Charlie Finley had tried to go

to Arlington several years earlier, but was blocked by AL owners. Major

1974 - Mike Hargrove is Rookie of the Year and Jeff Burroughs is MVP

League Baseball had always felt it needed to keep a team in Washington

Neither one was a particularly good choice for the award.

in order to keep Congressional support for the Baseball Reserve clause.

However, with the country in turmoil due to the Viet Nam war, worry about

1975 - The Rangers come back to earth and Billy Martin is fired.

Congress acting on the Reserve Clause was not as big an issue in this climate.

The AL owners allowed the club to move out of Washington.

1975 - 1977 - New owner Brad Corbett spends for pitching. There are a bunch of

Altho' I don't see a relationship between this thumbing of the nose to

decent sticks on the roster, but the pitching has been hurting:

Congress and the fact that the Reserve Clause ended three years afterward,

□ 1975 - Gaylord Perry, 37, is obtained from Cleveland for 3 players plus cash

it is an interesting coincidence. Karma.

□ 1976 - Bert Blyleven, 25, is obtained from Minnesota for 4 players pllus cash

It's not clear in the long run that Arlington, Texas is a more lucrative location

□ 1977 - Doyle Alexander, 26, free agent

for a baseball franchise than Washington, DC. It could very well be the

□ 1977 - Dock Ellis, 32, purchased from Oakland

opposite. However, back in the late Sixties and early Seventies, major league

□ 1978 - Jon Matlack, 28, is obtained in a four team trade

baseball was not about long term, It was about making the quick buck.

□ 1978 - Ferfuson Jenkins, 35, re-acquired in a trade with Boston

If you could move to Arlington and get a sweetheart deal on a stadium,

□ 1978 - Doc Medich, 29, free agent

concessions, taxes and a local TV deal, then make the move.

Screw the fans of the city you are leaving. After a few years, with baseball's

1977 - 1979 - The spending works, to a degree. The Rangers contend in '77

popularity severely waning, baseball's ownership class started getting the

and finish over .500 in '78 and '79, but don't win any titles

message. You don't have a business if you don't have fans.

The franchise moving shenanigans wouldn't resurface again until the early 2000's

when commissioner Bud Selig would broker the move ot the Expos, ironically,

to Washington. Having learned their lesson, in the 2000's, the owners would

try to hide the underlying mercenary reasons for the move.