Jeff Banister, Texas Rangers manager: Rangers to hire Banister, per Ken Rosenthal

Jeff Banister, Texas Rangers manager:  Per Ken Rosenthal on Twitter, the Texas Rangers will hire Jeff Banister as the team's next manager.

Banister, 49, has been the bench coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates the past four years.  Banister, Tim Bogar, and Kevin Cash were the final three candidates for the Rangers' job, and Banister was highly recommended by Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle, who was the Rangers' hitting coach in 2010, and who has ties to Jon Daniels and Thad Levine dating back to their days in Colorado.

More on this as it becomes available...

UPDATE -- Evan Grant, Jeff Wilson and T.R. Sullivan are also saying that Banister is the guy.  An announcement is expected later today.

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