How Jon Daniels ruined the Texas Rangers (Part 1)

How Jon Daniels ruined the Texas Rangers Part 1

The Texas Rangers season has gotten off to a rocky start and many fans wonder if it is time to hit the panic button yet. Well, the answer is an emphatic YES! But with the rash of injuries this team has endured, who is to blame for this bad start, Ron Washington, Jon Daniels, the Ownership Group? The manager can only field a team with the players you give him, and the owners went and spent money this off-season to bring players in, and you can’t predict injuries, but the blame has to fall on the shoulders of General Manager Jon Daniels. This three-part series gives the reasons why this season is a disaster and why it is the GM’s fault. Part One is the Bad Contracts given out, Part Two is the Trading of the Farm System for rental players, and Third is the undefined roles of pitchers and poor player management.

Let’s start with Bad Contracts

I want to start with the contract of Matt Harrison, 5-yrs $55-Million runs through 2018. This didn’t seem that bad when he signed the deal, Harry had just come off and 18-win season. The problem is the length of the contract for a guy who had double digits wins TWICE in five seasons. He rewarded the Rangers by pitching 10.2 innings last season and making $5 million.  Now he may need another back surgery (possibly career-ending) and the Rangers are still on the hook for 4 yrs and $50 Mill. 

Let’s not forget the contract given to Elvis Andrus either, 8 yrs $120 Mill running through 2023. That’s a ton for a guy who hits on average 3 HR’s/yr and bats .270 with 0 Gold Gloves.  By my math, that’s $26 Million in wasted money per year until 2018. I’m not even going to get into the Prince Fielder contract and how that could potentially cripple this franchise. The Rangers have always loved his personality and playfulness, but it seems to be wearing thin now that for the second consecutive year he has started the season slowly. JD was expecting progression, not regression. Maybe they should have traded Elvis and kept Ian Kinsler. Top prospect Jurickson Profar’s natural position is Shortstop.

I’ll be back with the second installment: "The Gutted Farm System" soon.

Geoffrey Craig
@geoffrey_craig