Rangers won tonight, in what may have been Ron Washington's final game as manager. Evan Grant seems to think that's the case...
Late Friday afternoon, Daniels said no decision had been made on Washington's status and said the club's poor start is a reflection on everybody in the organization.
What stood out, however, was any affirmation that Washington's job is NOT in jeopardy.
"When a team struggles, you have to look at the leadership to turn it around," Daniels said. "The expectation of ownership is that we turn things around. That's on [Washington]. That's on me. That's on everybody who wears a 'T.' I'm not going to put it on one man."
Neither Ryan nor Hicks have been made available to this point and I've been told it's unlikely that Ryan will address the media this evening. Hicks is not at the game and I'm not sure if he's on his way to San Jose to watch the Stars or if he will simply watch from his from his home. Ryan was not in his seats right behind the owner's box Friday night. He's been in them for just about every home game this season. You can read into whatever you want, but they all come across as ominous signs.
In addition, Washington was supposed to have a staff meeting with his coaches on Friday, but that was canceled. Daniels said he expects to talk to Washington after tonight's game because the only thing they got a chance to discuss before Friday's game were the number of moves the team had to make. Daniels also declined to give any specific recommendations he and Ryan made to Hicks.
For Daniels not to say anything about Washington's future after the meeting doesn't seem to bode well for Washington's future with the Rangers.
And if this was the final game for Washington, it seems a bit apropos that, despite the win, we saw a base-running faux pas from Jason Botts, Ben Broussard dive for a ball that was really Ian Kinsler's and then throw it away, and Gerald Laird be left in in the 8th inning of a tie game with a pitcher who has allowed righties to put up a 523 OPS against him during his career, while Milton Bradley and Jarrod Saltalamacchia -- both switch hitters -- were on the bench.