Ron Washington Option

After the Texas Rangers picked up Ron Washington’s contract option for 2010, I emailed my dad to see what he thought:

Blair @ 8:23am
Dad – what do you think about Washington coming back next year?

Dad @ 8:34am
OK, let me get this straight...through one-third of the season, Texas is 9 games over .500 after playing one of the weakest schedules in the American League and we feel the need to jump out there and give Ron Washington an extension? Was there some reason to knee jerk this move now? Was there this uncertainty in the clubhouse? Were we afraid we were gonna lose Washington to another team? I venture to say that this young club is 9 games over in spite of Ron Washington, not because of him.

Blair @ 8:43am
So…you liked the move?

Dad @ 8:54am
Look - sometimes good moves don't work, sometimes dumb moves do, but playing it by “the book" works more times than not...that's how it became "the book!” This team needs Wash to just get out of the way...try not to trip over the bats and balls as we roll them out there. Wash has made a litany of bad moves so far this year, but just for brevity sake, let's look at Monday’s game:

6th inning, runners on 1st and 3rd with one out and we've just been given 3 gift runs to draw within 4-3. With Elvis Andrus at the plate, Wash is not content to sit idly by and let the game take care of itself. Instead, the genius of Wash once again raises its ugly head: a SQUEEZE PLAY? Are you kidding me? Elvis Andrus at the plate...22 strike-outs in 163 at-bats...too fast to be doubled-up...and Wash goes with the all-or-nothing squeeze play just to tie?

There are ten ways to score a runner from 3rd with less than 2 outs. Ground out, error, sac fly, etc…Heaven forbid Andrus get the opportunity to get a base-hit where we're in position to go ahead in the game. Not to mention – if he somehow doesn't get the runner home - our leading RBI guy (Kinsler) is on deck. I take my chances 100 times out of 100 on Andrus making contact and/or Kinsler coming through.

Mike Basik (the Ticket) justified the move based on the fact that National League teams “have pitchers do it all the time.” Do you know why pitchers do it all the time? Because they hit .127 and strike-out more times than they don’t. If a batter is hitting .275 - and makes consistent contact – calling for a squeeze play is idiotic. The failed squeeze left Texas down a run and they eventually lost 6-3.

It was a ridiculous decision, but what is even more ridiculous is the fact we just gave this guy an extension. Idiocy!

Blair @ 8:58am
So…you liked the move?