By Jordan Long
The Texas Rangers are starting to interview for their managerial opening. They fired Jeff Banister on September 22nd. At the time the Rangers were 64-88. It was the 1st time in 10 years they had back-to-back losing seasons. Banister finished with a record of 325-313 managing the Rangers. They made 2 trips to the postseason and didn’t advance past the American League Division Series. The Rangers talked to Joe Girardi about their opening.
Girardi would help the Rangers. He has 11 years of managing at the Major League Baseball level. Girardi managed the then Florida Marlins and the New York Yankees. His success came in New York. From 2008 to 2017, Girardi turned the New York Yankees back into winners. He had an impressive record in the regular season of 910-710, a winning percentage of .562.
In Girardi’s 10 seasons with the New York Yankees, they reached the postseason 6 times. They won the World Series in 2009. That season they had the top record in the majors with 103 victories in the regular season. They never went that far again, but made 3 appearances in the American League Championship Series.
Girardi is the most experienced candidate who is looking for a job. There aren’t many managers out there who have won 988 games and 6 trips to the playoffs let alone a World Series title. Girardi’s knowledge of the game could turn the Rangers into a winner. They may end up going to the playoffs year in and year out, even if it is as the Wild Card team.
The Rangers will not find anybody as qualified as Girardi. His resume should tell the Rangers to hire him now. The Rangers are going to talk to other applicants for the opening. They will decide who will be the one to lead the franchise forward in hopes of a World Series title. That may end up being Girardi.
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