Ron Washington resigned on Friday as the manager of the Texas Rangers:
“Today, I have submitted my resignation from the job I love – managing the Rangers – in order to devote my full attention to addressing an off-the-field personal matter. As painful as it is, stepping away from the game is what’s best for me and my family.
“This is in no way related to the disappointing performance of the team this season. We were already discussing 2015 and looking forward to getting the Rangers back to postseason contention.
“I deeply regret that I’ve let down the Rangers organization and our great fans. Over the past eight seasons, it’s been a privilege to be part of some of the best years in club history and I will always be grateful for the opportunities I’ve had here, and for the great management, players, and coaches who have made our time here a success. Thank you for respecting my privacy.”
It’s easy to jump to the conclusion this is related to his previous cocaine use. We’ll see. Tim Bogar takes over for the remainder of the season. I heard him speak at the Saberseminar in 2012 and he seems to be very comfortable with analytics. Back when the Red Sox let him go, he seemed like the type that would make a good manager. Dustin Pedroia:
“To me, Bogey was that calming voice that was always thinking baseball,” Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia told ESPNBoston.com on Wednesday. “He was trying to put us in the best situation to succeed, whether that was baserunning, defensive positioning or just mentioning to calm down at the plate. And his timing was always right on. He’s a very smart, no-nonsense guy, which you appreciate.”
We’ll see if he sticks.
Update: Jon Daniels says drugs was not the issue:
Jon Daniels says that Ron Washington's resignation was not drug-related. #Rangers
— Jeff Wilson (@JeffWilsonTXR) September 5, 2014
If he says it’s personal, that’s enough for me.
Of course, I respect that you want to report news, and some want to read it, so carry on. I’m not at all trying to be a scold, just voicing my own thoughts on the matter.
It could be family or health, or maybe just the Rangers telling him he was not in their plans. Not as trusting as some, but the drug thing is out there too, and if thats what it was it should come out, personal or not
That’s a reasonable position, pft, and I imagine a common one.
Personally, I disagree: if the man has a drug addiction, that sickness is his business too. I guess my basic stance is, I care whether these public figures are doing their jobs, but don’t much care why.
I think that my position is fairly extreme.