A couple of weeks ago on these very pages, we discussed the prospects of Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington winning AL Manager of the Year honors after this season comes to an end.
The chances are pretty much zilch, considering Washington has never really come close despite winning two straight AL pennants and the award usually goes to a manager whose team comes out of nowhere to be a force in October. The Rangers will certainly surprise no one if they make a postseason run in 2013, but perhaps they should.
The Rangers have had injuries galore, including four of their five starting pitchers to open the season sitting on the disabled list as we speak, DL stints from Ian Kinsler, A.J. Pierzynski, Lance Berkman and Jeff Baker and underwhelming seasons, so far, from Berkman, David Murphy and Elvis Andrus.
Yet, the Rangers begin play in the second half of the season just two games back of first-place Oakland, which has been remarkably healthy this season and if the season ended today, the Rangers would be in the playoffs as an AL Wild Card team.
"Wash has done a tremendous job," Daniels told ESPN Dallas. "I was saying the other day he's done as good or a better job this year than he's ever done. Which is saying something because he's been very successful."
