Texas Rangers - The Bush Years (2000-2099)

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2000

Decade

2000

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Titles:

Top Rangers Players of the Oughts

None

Pitchers:

BallPark:

Kenny Rogers (18.41) - 45

BallPark at Arlington (1994-1999)

Kevin Millwood (8.44) - 36

Francisco Cordero (9.67) - 31

Team Name:

Vicente Padilla (4.17) - 26

Rangers

Rick Helling (6.15) - 18

Scott Feldman (4.35) - 16

Owner:

CJ Wilson (1.7) - 12

Thomas O. Hicks

Ryan Drese (3.82) - 10

Frank Francisco (4.09) - 6

General Managers:

Joaquin Benoit (5.27) - 6

Doug Melvin (2000 - 2001)

Doug Davis (5.03) - 4

John Hart (2001 - 2005)

Ron Mahay (4.81) - 0

Jon Daniels (2006 - 2009)

Catchers:

Managers:

Ivan Rodriguez (12.44) - 40

Johnny Oates (2000 - 2001)

Rod Barajas (3.01) - 19

Jerry Narron (2001 - 2002)

Gerald Laird (5.77) - 14

Buck Showalter (2003 - 2006)

Ron Washington (2007 - 2009)

First Basemen:

Mark Teixeira (21.53) - 41

No Hitters:

Hank Blalock (13.46) - 23

None

Second Basemen:

Hall of Famers:

Ian Kinsler (16.66) - 46

Ivan Rodriguez

Alfonso Soriano (3.66) - 16

Alex Rodriguez (Pending)

ShortStop:

Rookie of the Year:

Alex Rodriguez (25.52) - 48

None

Third Base:

Cy Young:

Michael Young (23.07) - 58

None

Mark DeRosa (4.89) - 9

MVP:

Outfield:

Alex Rodriguez (2003)

Rafael Palmeiro (15.69) - 28

Gary Matthews (10.17) - 22

Notable Events:

Marlon Byrd (8.89) - 20

Kevin Mench (5.68) - 20

2000 - A lot of times you don't know what ownership is about until a team

Nelson Cruz (3.6) - 16

has been successful and now it is time to retain (pay) the players who got

Frank Catalanotto (6.82) - 15

them there. In the case of the Rangers of the late Nineties, the ownership

Gabe Kapler (2.82) - 15

group that had built the core of the club in the late Eighties (Eddie Chiles

Josh Hamilton (6.02) - 13

via GM Tom Grieve) was long gone.

David Dellucci (2.57) - 13

The Consortium that owned the Rangers thru 1997 was also gone.

Milton Bradley (5.18) - 12

The new owner who bought the club in 1998 now had a chance to show

David Murphy (3.74) - 10

his true colors. It turns out that the color was cheap.

Juan Gonzalez (1.85) - 9

Hicks wasn't into spending to retain the help.

Notable Events:

2000 - After a great four year run to close the Nineties, the Rangers lose

several key players coming into the new century and it shows as they drop

2004 - Irony of ironies, after A-Rod is dumped, the squad blossoms, gaining

twenty four games in the standings. Twenty nine year old Juan Gonzalez,

eighteen games in the standings to contend. Mark Teixiera, 24, Alfonso Soriano, 28,

the team's best player, is dealt coming into his free agency walk year.

Michael Young, 27, and Hank Blalock, 23, have big years. Altho' A-Rod was

This pretty much told you where new owner's (1998) Tom Hicks' head

unquestionably a great player, teams had a habit of improving a lot when he left.

was at and it was not in a good place for Ranger fans.

Also, lost to free agency are slugging third baseman Todd Zeile to the Mets,

2005 - Texas falls back down to earth losing ten games in the standings.

eighteen game winner Aaron Sele to Seattle and righty Mike Morgan

The hitters keep hitting, but the pitching absolutely collapses.

to Arizona. Outfielder Rusty Greer career falls off a cliff, as well.

The club will be sub .500 for the next four years as the pitching flounders

The Rangers will flounder throughout the rest of the decade.

and the Rangers attempt to retool their roster.

2000 - Closer Francisco Cordero, 25, is picked up from Detroit in

2006 - 2B Alfonso Soriano is dealt to Washington, but Texas ends up getting

the Juan Gonzalez deal.

very little in return.

2000 - All of the above being said, the cupboard wouldn't be completely

2006 - OF Nelson Cruz, 25, is obtained from Milwaukee for Francisco Cordero,

bare for the Rangers moving forward.

Kevin Mench and Laynce Nix.

They were signing some good young hitters

□ 1997 - IF Michael Young, 20, - 5th round pick, rookie in 2001

2006 - Texas signs RHP Kevin Millwood, 31, from the Braves as a free agent

□ 1999 - 3B Hank Blalock, 18 - 3rd round pick, rookie in 2002

□ 1999 - OF Kevin Mench, 21, 4th round pick, rookie in 2002

2007 - The Rangers deal away Mark Teixiera to the Braves at the trade deadline

□ 2000 - 1B Adrian Gonzalez - 1st overall pick by Florida,

in his walk year.

acquired for Ugueth Urbina in '03

They land an incredible haul from Atlanta for the Teixiera rental:

□ 2000 - OF Laynce Nix, 19, 4th round pick, rookie in 2003

□ C - Jarrod Saltalamacchia, 22

□ 2001 - 1B Mark Teixiera, 21, is the 5th overall pick of the draft,

□ SS - Elvis Andrus, 20

rookie in 2003

□ LHP - Matt Harrison, 22

□ 2003 - IF Ian Kinsler, 21, 17th round pick, rookie in 2006

□ Closer - Neftali Perez, 21

2001 - Owner Tom Hicks, bidding entirely against himself, signs A-Rod

2008 - 1B Chris Davis, 22, is a rookie. He was a fifth round pick in the 2006 draft.

to an insane, at the time, ten year 252 million dollar contract.

Davis is one that got away as the Rangers will eventually trade him before he

He could have spent this money on re-signing his top players to try to keep

becomes a star.

the team going in 2000. At this point, the Rangers were a rudderless ship.

If Hicks had a strategy, it apparently was to confuse everyone. It worked.

2008 - On the other hand, Josh Hamilton, 27, is acquired from the Reds for

Edinson Volquez in a tremendously one sided deal, altho' Volquez was a

2004 - After three great seasons by A-Rod, but three awful seasons by

pretty good pitcher. It's just that all Hamilton does is turn into the best

the team, Tom Hicks can no longer justify carrying A-Rod's huge contract

hitter in the game while with Texas.

and deals him to the Yankees for 2B Alfonso Soriano.

2009 - The Rangers turn it around and finish above .500 at 87-75.

The youngsters Texas has acquired over the previous few years

are starting to produce.