Texas Rangers - The Reagan Years (1980-1989)

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1980

Decade

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Titles:

Top Rangers Players of the Eighties

None

Pitchers:

BallPark:

Charlie Hough (30.88) - 94

Arlington Stadium

Danny Darwin (9.99) - 30

Rick Honeycutt (5.45) - 22

Team Name:

Doc Medich (4.45) - 22

Rangers

Frank Tanana (7.73) - 19

Jose Guzman (6.01) - 18

Owner:

Bobby Witt (2.38) - 17

Brad Corbett (1980)

Jeff Russell (4.69) - 15

Eddie Chiles (1980-1989)

Mike Mason (5.3) - 13

Greg A Harris (6.62) - 13

General Managers:

Jon Matlack (5.45) - 13

Eddie Robinson (1980-1982)

Ferguson Jenkins (2.83) - 11

Joe Klein (1983-1984)

Nolan Ryan (5.1) - 11

Tom Grieve (1985-1989)

Mitch Williams (3.32) - 9

Dale Mohorcic (4.29) - 7

Managers:

Dave Schmidt (5.9) - 6

Pat Corales (1980)

Don Zimmer (1981-1982)

Catchers:

Darrell Johnson (1982)

Jim Sundberg (12.55) - 35

Doug Rader (1983-1985)

Don Slaught (2.07) - 15

Bobby Valentine (1985-1989)

First Basemen:

No Hitters:

Pete O'Brien (18.17) - 50

None

Pat Putnam (0.65) - 10

Hall of Famers:

Second Basemen:

Ferguson Jenkins

Julio Franco (5.31) - 13

Nolan Ryan

ShortStop:

Rookie of the Year:

Scott Fletcher (12.4) - 25

None

Wayne Tolleson (0.11) - 10

Toby Harrah (4.12) - 7

MVP:

None

Third Base:

Buddy Bell (29.42) - 54

Cy Young:

Steve Beuchele (7.57) - 18

None

Outfield:

Notable Events:

Oddibe McDowell (8.8) - 30

Ruben Sierra (10.68) - 28

1980 - The roster of the moderately successful Rangers club of the late

Billy Sample (6.65) - 25

Seventies has run it's course and is aging. The only players with staying power

Gary Ward (8.54) - 24

on it are 3B Buddy Bell, 28, who had been picked up from Cleveland in '79 in

Pete Incaviglia (6.02) - 23

a deal for Toby Harrah, and C Jim Sundberg, 29, who is one of the top

Mickey Rivers (6.31) - 21

backstops in the game.

Larry Parrish (5.1) - 20

George Wright (0.89) - 20

1980 - Thirty two year old knuckleballer Charlie Hough is purchased from LA.

Al Oliver (4.93) - 10

Who knew he'd still be going strong at the end of the decade at age forty one?

Notable Events:

1980 - Brad Corbett sells to Eddie Chiles. Corbett spent, but got no titles. Chiles

doesn't spend and the Rangers spend the decade spinning their wheels.

1985 - Tom Grieve, an ex ballplayer, is hired on as GM at age 36. He lays the

Texas has a couple of just above .500 seasons over the decade, but, for the

groundwork for the outstanding ballclubs of the nineties. Tom allegedly enters

most part they are battling to stay out of the cellar. GM's Eddie Robinson and

into an agreement with Astros GM Dick Wagner that neither club will move players

Joe Klein are not good enough to overcome tight pursestrings.

without checking with the other first. There are many GM's that have closer

relationships with some GM's than others, but, if true, this would have been

1982 - Twenty four year old first baseman, Pete O'Brien joins the club. An

collusive. There is a lot of circumstantial evidence supporting the allegations -

outstanding defender, he can also hit pretty good too and he is a nice part

all you have to do is look at the two teams' dealings in that period.

of the lineup for the next six years

The arrangement even had a name, The Texas Agreement.

1982 - Texas had some nice young arms in the farm system that they frittered away

1989 - The Rangers obtain Nolan Ryan from, who else?, the Astros.

in bad trades. In 1979, they dealt Dave Righetti, 20, to the Yankees for Sparky

While with Texas, Nolan wins his 300th game, strikes out his

Lyle, 34, in an awful ten player deal. In '82, they deal righties Ron Darling, 21,

5,000th batter and tosses no-hitters number 6 and 7.

and Walt Terrell, 24, to the Mets for OF Lee Mazzilli in another horrifc trade.

The three would have been the core of a sorely needed rotation for Texas.

1985 - Bobby Valentine is hired as Rangers manager. His eight

year run will be longest in franchise history. Bobby is a good fit as he

displays a Texas sized ego.