Texas Rangers All-Time Team: Position Players
The shutdown of the baseball world at the hands of the novel coronavirus pandemic has given all of us time to think, reflect, learn to cook, grow a garden, become Zoom experts, and potentially pick up a myriad of other hobbies.
As a baseball writer and reporter, it's quite easy to go a little crazy after more than a month without baseball. The closest thing we have to the game are replays of the glory days of the Texas Rangers and Joey Gallo dominating the MLB The Show Players League. I'm in need of a baseball fix. Aided by the lack of traveling back and forth to Globe Life Field and my uptick in solo and family walks just to get out of the house, I've compiled my Texas Rangers all-time team.
In this list, I'm going to go based off a pure performance standpoint and not be the moral judge when it comes to on- or off-the-field character issues. Once you go down that road, who knows where it could stop. The selections are also based off their time in Texas alone, which include their stats and awards with the Rangers.
Starting Nine
Catcher: Ivan Rodriguez
Years with Rangers: 13 seasons (1991-2002, 2009)
Career Stats with Rangers: .304/.341/.488/.828, 217 HR, 842 RBI, 112 OPS+
Career Awards with Rangers: 10-time All Star, 10-time Gold Glove winner, 6-time Silver Slugger winner, 1999 AL MVP, Texas Rangers No. 7 retired, Texas Rangers Hall of Fame (2013), National Baseball Hall of Fame (2017)
Comment: Could this have been more obvious? The Rangers have had some very good catchers in their history, put Pudge stands alone. Next!
First Base: Mark Teixeira
Years with Rangers: 5 seasons (2003-2007)
Career Stats with Rangers: .283/.368/.533/.901, 153 HR, 499 RBI, 128 OPS+
Career Awards with Texas: 1-time All Star, 2-time Gold Glove winner, 2-time Silver Slugger winner
Comment: There's another Rangers first baseman that could be named here, but I prefer "Tex" as the starting first baseman. His two-way ability of hitting and defense makes him my favorite Rangers first baseman of all time. The haul the Rangers got for him in a trade with Atlanta in 2007 is a nice added bonus for his contribution to Texas Rangers history.
Second Base: Ian Kinsler
Years with Rangers: 8 seasons (2006-2013)
Career Stats with Rangers: .273/.349/.454/.804, 156 HR, 539 RBI, 111 OPS+
Career Awards with Rangers: 3-time All Star
Comment: This will likely be the pick that makes Rangers fans mad, and to be honest, this was the most difficult choice. Michael Young is an all-time Rangers great and deserves all the accolades he gets for a variety of reasons.
Let's be honest though. Ian Kinsler is arguably the most overlooked/under-appreciated player in Rangers history. He was as good of a two-way player in club history, ranks fifth in bWAR in the franchise's history, and will undoubtedly be inducted into the Rangers Hall of Fame some time this decade.
Third Base: Adrian Beltre
Years with Rangers: 8 seasons (2011-2018)
Career Stats with Rangers: .304/.357/.509/.865, 199 HR, 699 RBI, 128 OPS+
Career Awards with Rangers: 3-time All Star, 3-time Gold Glove winner, 2-time Silver Slugger winner, Texas Rangers No. 29 retired
Comment: Buddy Bell was a great third baseman for the Rangers, but Adrian Beltre was the clear choice here. He turned himself into a first-ballot Hall of Famer in his eight seasons with the Rangers, more than any other ball club in his career. He recorded his 3,000th hit on July 30, 2017 and had his number retired by the team in 2019. This decade will include his induction into both the Rangers' and the National Halls of Fame.
Shortstop: Alex Rodriguez
Years with Rangers: 3 seasons (2001-2003)
Career Stats with Rangers: .305/.395/.615/1.011, 156 HR, 395 RBI, 155 OPS+
Career Awards with Rangers: 3-time All Star, 2-time Gold Glove winner, 3-time Silver Slugger winner, 2003 AL MVP
Comment: Here's the first controversial pick. We know he admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs during his time in Texas. That will forever stain his career. He was still an all-time talent that even inflated numbers can't hide.
Left Field: Rusty Greer
Years with Rangers: 9 seasons (1994-2002)
Career Stats with Rangers: .305/.387/.478/.865, 119 HR, 614 RBI, 119 OPS+
Career Awards with Rangers: Texas Rangers Hall of Fame (2007)
Comment: Rusty Greer was a fan-favorite on a team filled with offensive stars that won three division titles in four years in the late-90's. Yes, he helped preserve Kenny Rogers' perfect game in 1994 with a diving catch, but he was also a very accomplished hitter. Injuries shortened his career due to his all-out style of play, but he's remembered by Rangers faithful very fondly.
Center Field: Josh Hamilton
Years with Rangers: 6 seasons (2008-2012, 2015)
Career Stats with Rangers: .302/.359/.542/.901, 150 HR, 531 RBI, 134 OPS+
Career Awards with Rangers: 5-time All Star, 3-time Silver Slugger winner, 2010 AL MVP, 2010 ALCS MVP, Texas Rangers Hall of Fame (2019)
Comment: There might not be a more naturally-gifted player in my lifetime than Josh Hamilton. He lived to that potential in his first five seasons with the Rangers and was the centerpiece of the team's back-to-back World Series appearances. His off-the-field issues with substance abuse left a bad taste in people's mouths, but a recent indictment for a third-degree felony charge may cost him any positive memory in Rangers fandom.
Right Field: Juan Gonzalez
Years with Rangers: 13 seasons (1989-1999, 2002-2003)
Career Stats with Rangers: .293/.342/.565/.907, 372 HR, 1,180 RBI, 133 OPS+
Career Awards with Rangers: 2-time All Star, 5-time Silver Slugger winner, 2-time AL MVP (1996, 1998), Texas Rangers Hall of Fame (2015)
Comment: If Alex Rodriguez belongs on this list, then surely Juan Gonzalez belongs here too. Gonzalez has borderline-Hall of Fame numbers and remains the leader in a plethora of offensive categories in Rangers history. He's arguably the greatest hitter the club has ever had, giving plenty of reason to make him the starting right fielder on this list.
Designated Hitter: Rafael Palmeiro
Years with Rangers: 10 seasons (1989-1993, 1999-2003)
Career Stats with Rangers: .290/.378/.519/.897, 321 HR, 1,039 RBI, 137 OPS+
Career Awards with Rangers: 2-time All Star, 1-time Gold Glove winner, 2-time Silver Slugger winner
Comment: Palmeiro's tie to performance-enhancing drugs will keep him out of the Hall of Fame, but like A-Rod, his natural talent was undeniable. Despite a Gold Glove award in 1999, his defensive abilities do not match that of Teixeira's, which is why he's relegated to the designated hitter spot.
Bench
Catcher: Jim Sundberg
Years with Rangers: 12 seasons (1974-1983, 1988-1989)
Career Stats with Rangers: .252/.330/.345/.675, 60 HR, 480 RBI, 91 OPS+
Career Awards with Rangers: 2-time All Star, 6-time Gold Glove winner, Texas Rangers Hall of Fame (2003)
Comment: Pudge is the greatest catcher in franchise history, but we can't leave out Jim Sundberg for an all-time roster spot. Six-straight Gold Gloves from 1976-81 and ranking sixth in bWAR in the club's history are key reasons why Sundberg belongs here. A spot in the club's Hall of Fame doesn't hurt either.
Utility: Michael Young
Years with Rangers: 13 seasons (2000-2012)
Career Stats with Rangers: .301/.347/.444/.791, 177 HR, 984 RBI, 104 OPS+
Career Awards with Rangers: 7-time All Star, 1-time Gold Glove winner, 2005 AL Batting Title, Texas Rangers No. 10 retired, Texas Rangers Hall of Fame (2016)
Comment: He's not called Mr. Ranger for nothing. As difficult as it was to put Kinsler in the starting role over Young, there was no way I was leaving Young off this list. He was a consummate professional and made positional changes for the betterment of the team, including a switch from shortstop to third base immediately after winning the AL's Gold Glove at shortstop in 2008. Michael Young personified baseball for Rangers fans for 13 seasons and was a part of the best era in club history during the 2010 and 2011 AL championship seasons.
Infield: Elvis Andrus
Years with Rangers: 11 seasons (2009-present)
Career Stats with Rangers: .275/.331/.373/.704, 73 HR, 629 RBI, 87 OPS+
Career Awards with Rangers: 2-time All Star
Comment: Andrus is the only active Ranger on the list of the positional players. His numbers and accolades don't quite compare with some of the others on this list, but he's provided Gold Glove-caliber defense at times and a solid bat for 11-plus seasons at the most important defensive position on the field. Having that kind of security at shortstop cannot be overlooked. Andrus will be in the Rangers Hall of Fame one day.
Outfield: Nelson Cruz
Years with Rangers: 8 seasons (2006-2013)
Career Stats with Rangers: .268/.327/.495/.823, 157 HR, 489 RBI, 114 OPS+
Career Awards with Rangers: 1-time All Star, 2011 ALCS MVP
Comment: We remember Nelson Cruz for all the wrong reasons. Yes, he was part of the lowest-low in franchise history when David Freese hit a line drive over his outstretched glove in Game 6 of the 2011 World Series. However, one could make a strong argument that they don't get to the World Series without his historic performance in the Championship Series against Detroit.
For eight seasons, Cruz was a mainstay in the Rangers potent lineup. He's also had quite the career and notched his 400th career home run for Minnesota in 2019.
Starting Lineup
LF Rusty Greer
CF Josh Hamilton
SS Alex Rodriguez
RF Juan Gonzalez
SS Adrian Beltre
DH Rafael Palmeiro
1B Mark Teixeira
C Ivan Rodriguez
2B Ian Kinsler
Stay tuned for the selection of the pitching staff in the second part of this series.
Do you agree with our list? What changes would you make? Leave your opinion below in the comments section.
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