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Texas was 80-82 this season, its sixth losing record in seven years since
last making the playoffs in 1999. Showalter was 319-329 with the Rangers,
his
third managerial job, and still had three seasons left on his contract.
Showalter was the AL manager of the year only two years ago, when after AL
MVP Alex Rodriguez was traded in the spring the Rangers remained in playoff
contention
until an 11-inning loss in the 158th game of the season.
Showalter didn't immediately return calls from The Associated Press.
The Rangers were 89-73 in 2004, the fourth-best record in team history and
an 18-win improvement over 2003. They finished only three games back in the
AL
West, but still in third place behind the division-winning Angels and
Oakland.
But the Rangers weren't able to build off the momentum of that unexpected
playoff chase. They backtracked last year with only 79 victories, and were
only
one game better than that this season.
Showalter is the fifth manager to lose his job since the end of the regular
season, joining Joe Girardi (Florida), Dusty Baker (
Chicago Cubs),
Frank Robinson (Washington) and Felipe Alou (San Francisco).
Girardi, the potential NL manager of the year and a candidate to replace
Baker in Chicago, could also be pursued by the Rangers. Current bench coach
Don
Wakamatsu could be another candidate.
Showalter's firing came the day after owner Tom Hicks had dinner at his home
with Jon Daniels, his 29-year-old general manager, and Showalter for what he
said he would be a "candid conversation" about what went wrong this season.
Hicks said before the meeting that he wasn't leaning either way and would
rely on a recommendation from Daniels, the youngest GM ever in the majors
when
hired a year ago Wednesday.
Daniels accompanied the team on its final road trip last week, partly to
talk to players and determine if discontentment with Showalter in the
clubhouse
was widespread.
The 50-year-old Showalter, whose contract was extended after the 2005
season, is still owed about $5 million to $6 million from the Rangers. His
overall
record is 882-833, including four seasons with the
New York Yankees
(1992-95) and three in Arizona (1998-00).
The season after Showalter's stay ended in New York, the Yankees won three
of the next four
World Series.
That streak was snapped in 2001 by the Diamondbacks, the expansion team
Showalter had built.
Texas this season spent more than two months atop the AL West despite never
being more than six games above .500, then were out of first place for good
a week after the All-Star break. The Rangers had a losing record at home
(39-42) for the first time since 1997.
Whoever replaces Showalter will inherit a roster that includes three-time
All-Star shortstop Michael Young, switch-hitting slugger and Gold Glove
first
baseman Mark Teixeira, two-time All-Star third baseman Hank Blalock, closer
Akinori Otsuka and Kevin Millwood, the No. 1 starting pitcher with four
years
left on his contract.
But the Rangers also have nine potential free agents, including Carlos Lee,
the two-time All-Star outfielder acquired from Milwaukee before the trade
deadline
in late July.
Other likely free agents include Gary Matthews Jr., the All-Star center
fielder and leadoff hitter who had a breakout season, six-position starter
Mark
DeRosa, catcher Rod Barajas, and starting pitchers Vicente Padilla and Adam
Eaton.
It is unlikely the Rangers will be able to keep all of their potential free
agents, unless Hicks is willing to significantly increase this season's $68
million payroll.
Lee was traded only after he turned down a four-year extension worth at
least $48 million from the Brewers, and Matthews most likely will at least
triple
his $2.3 million salary. DeRosa is a free agent for the first time and
Padilla is a 15-game winner available in what is expected to be a sparse
market
for quality starters.