Texas Rangers - The First Years (1972-1979)

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1970

Decade

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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:

Ferguson Jenkins

Buddy Bell (6.91) - 10

Gaylord Perry

Bert Blyleven

Outfield:

Jeff Burroughs (8.83) - 24

Rookie of the Year:

Juan Beniquez (5.84) - 23

Mike Hargrove (1974)

Al Oliver (6.73) - 16

Tom Grieve (2.93) - 13

MVP:

Alex Johnson (1.79) - 12

Jeff Burroughs (1974)

Bobby Bonds (3.98) - 11

Cesar Tovar (1.92) - 11

Cy Young:

Richie Zisk (1.42) - 8

None

Notable Events:

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

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

we know who is really calling the shots here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

for Ferguson Jenkins

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

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

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

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

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

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

but long term, probably ruined a promising career

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

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

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

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

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

Neither one was a particularly good choice for the award.

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

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

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

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

it is an interesting coincidence. Karma.

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

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

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

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

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

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

□ 1977 - Doyle Alexander, 26, free agent

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

□ 1977 - Dock Ellis, 32, purchased from Oakland

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

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

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

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

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

□ 1978 - Doc Medich, 29, free agent

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

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

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

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

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

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.