	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

MLB WINTER MEETINGS

December 5, 2007

Ron Washington

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

Q. So I can't remember, were you at last year's Winter Meetings?
RON WASHINGTON: Yes, I was. This is the second time around.

Q. Is it as exciting this time as it was last year?
RON WASHINGTON: It's even more interesting this time around because I sort of know and sort of have a feel about exactly what it's really about. Last year I was just trying to feel my way.

Q. So what is it really about?
RON WASHINGTON: It's really about trying to see what interests they have got out there that can help you fill some holes that are on your club. You see a lot of names.

Q. Is there any anxiety on your part as far as you guys haven't really done a whole lot this winter.
RON WASHINGTON: No, there isn't any anxiety on my part because we haven't done anything because we've got till April 1.
I do believe by April 1, all of the people that are involved in making the decisions, they are going to do the best they can to fill the needs that we have.

Q. Do you feel like you have a lot of needs?
RON WASHINGTON: Well, we just need some outfield help and first base, and once we get some outfield help and first base help, I think the pitching staff we have, we're going to be able to at least go to war with it. We've got Millwood could be at the top, and I think they are going to be better than last year.

Q. The first year of managing, did it change you any?
RON WASHINGTON: No. I'm a baseball guy. I believe in my ideals, and no, it didn't change me. I stay true to what I know to be correct and I stay true to the people I know that taught me about the game taught me and I just try to relay it. No, it didn't change me at all.

Q. How would you describe yourself as a person?
RON WASHINGTON: What I say is what I'm about. I can't say any more about that. My word is my bond.

Q. Do you feel confident that you guys will be able to put a contending team on the field come April 1?
RON WASHINGTON: Yes, I'm very confident that we'll be able to do that. That's the purpose of the whole season is to put a team on the field that can compete.

Q. March 31, April 1 rolls around, and you haven't added a center fielder, how confident are you in Byrd and Murphy?
RON WASHINGTON: I'm very confident in Byrd and Murphy. I haven't seen a lot of Murphy, but what I have seen, I've been impressed with, and now that he's impressed us, he will get an opportunity to really show what he can do.
If for some reason we don't fill that hole in center field, I think Marlon Byrd and David Murphy will do one heck of a job.

Q. What impresses you about Murphy?
RON WASHINGTON: His gamesmanship, his attitude, his work ethic, the way he can absorb information and put it to work. He's just a baseball player.

Q. And he won't just be relegated to center, he can hop around?
RON WASHINGTON: Yes, he's given me versatility because he can go from left, he can go from right and he can also play center field. So he gives us versatility.

Q. At this point what do you do about closing?
RON WASHINGTON: Right now, if for some reason we don't get anything done, we've got Benoit and CJ Wilson. They did it between the two of them last year. I think they closed down 20 ballgames.
You know, if we just don't get to the point where we can get a bonafide guy to close it down, we do have some guys in the bullpen that have been there and have done that, may not have the experience that you would like to have, but I do believe that I'll be confident when I give them the ball that that's what I have to do.

Q. What do you see as the center field out there that you like the most, who can come to the team; who could be added under the circumstance that is John's working on?
RON WASHINGTON: I mean, there's quite a few of them out there. So as far as choosing one of them, that's hard to say. I've made that known to John Daniels and everyone else in the room upstairs, but I think we'd better just wait and see what happens.

Q. Before you took this job, you saw the Rangers from afar. What do you learn about these guys after one year that you didn't know before?
RON WASHINGTON: Well, what I didn't know being on other side is how they came to the ballpark every day and gave everything they had. You know, there were times when I was in Oakland and we were playing them and maybe they were out of it, sort of quit on the field.
But I could say that was totally far from the truth because they never quit on me the whole year even through all the adversity we went through. I was very proud of the way they went about their business. I was very proud of the way they stayed the course. I was very proud of the way that they didn't let adversity get to them.

Q. What did you learn about managing last year?
RON WASHINGTON: Well, I learned coming from being a coach for 11 years, I was responsible for eight guys. Then I had to be responsible for 25 and six coaches.
So I learned that the more you can learn about a person and delegate and get out of the way, the better off you'll be, and that's what I really gained. I learned to let my coaches do their job, I learned to step in when I had to. I learned to tell the guys in the clubhouse that were the leaders what I expected and got out of the way and just watched them work their magic.

Q. Was that difficult for you at first?
RON WASHINGTON: It was difficult because I've always been a hands-on guy. By the time the All-Star Break rolled around and left, I was able to get back out there and get hands on with some of the infielders, because that's what I'm very good at.
But for the most part, I went through Michael Young and them, and if there's something I needed to get done, you went through them and just watch and see how they got the other players to react to it. So it was interesting in that way.

Q. How do you feel about this team now, early December, compared to a year ago, more optimistic, the same?
RON WASHINGTON: I've always got high expectations for myself and I'm always going to have high expectations for my players. Those are the guys that I had, like I always said, I never worry about things I don't have. I only worry about the things I do have.
And the guys I have, if this is all I have to go to war with, we're going to go to war. I'm not going to look back and I'm not going to cry about it.

Q. You have higher expectations, but last year before the season, you were talking about we're going to win and going to the playoffs.
RON WASHINGTON: That don't change. I still feel the same way. If I don't, I'll be crazy. I mean everybody that starts the season starts the season with that mind-set, I would hope, if they are competitors.
You know, it's not for me to judge. It's for you guys to look at it and judge it. All there's for us to do is go out there and take care of business. I think what happened to us this year is it gave us an opportunity to understand that we can win without hitting the ball out of the ballpark.
If we can bring that into this season, and we ended up getting some players in some positions that can help us offensively, I like our chances.

Q. Do you feel like you have a team that can make a run in the playoffs?
RON WASHINGTON: Yes.

Q. Was that a politically correct answer?
RON WASHINGTON: Politically correct answer. (Laughter.)

Q. If you do have basically the same team, no significant changes, what are your guys going to have to do, I guess better, to give you a chance today, whether it's contends for a playoff spot or show significant improvement or whatever; what are those guys going to have to do?
RON WASHINGTON: Three areas. We're going to have to definitely pitch better. We're going to have to catch the ball better. And we're going to have to be more aggressive on the base paths.
And going toward the end of the year, we did pitch better, we did catch the ball better and we did run the bases better.
So now if we can get into Spring Training and really, really, really improve upon that, I think, you know, we're certainly going to be a better club than we was last year, just by doing those three things.

Q. A few hours left here in Nashville. Can you characterize your thoughts on what you may potentially be able to get done before leaving?
RON WASHINGTON: We may be able to hopefully fill some of our needs, outfield position and first base and maybe some bullpen help. But you know, we've just got to wait and see how that goes. If it don't happen here, we've got till April 1 to get it done.

Q. There's talk about interest in Milton Bradley, and obviously you've had dealings with him. Would you be comfortable managing Milton?
RON WASHINGTON: I would be very comfortable with Milton Bradley.

Q. Can you expound? He's really a misunderstood player in some quarters.
RON WASHINGTON: No, I don't think I want to sit here and defend Milton. I want to let you know that if Milton were to become available to the Texas Rangers, we would like to have him.

Q. The American League changed drastically yesterday, your thoughts on that blockbuster deal?
RON WASHINGTON: Since Jim Leyland got into Detroit, they have been all about trying to get to the World Series, and they did what they had to do to try to strengthen their ballclub.
But you know, then again, the game is played on the field and I certainly hope when we play Detroit we can beat them.

Q. What have you heard about Bradley's health?
RON WASHINGTON: No more than anyone else. He had the operation, he's rehabbing, that's all I've heard.

Q. Do you know whether he's expect to be ready by Spring Training?
RON WASHINGTON: No, I don't. I haven't heard anything.

Q. His agent says he's miraculous recovery; Lazarus has listen from the dead; he's lost 15 pounds; working out in Hawaii and will be ready for Opening Day.
RON WASHINGTON: Okay. I didn't hear anything like that.

Q. You guys haven't gotten that far with him?
RON WASHINGTON: I didn't even know we were talking to him. I mean, his name wouldn't have been mentioned but I didn't know we were talking to him.

Q. Certainly internally you guys haven't gotten to a point at looking at when he'd be ready.
RON WASHINGTON: No, not as far as I know.

Q. Starting rotation, you talked about needing help in the outfield, bullpen, but what are your thoughts going into this season with what you have now?
RON WASHINGTON: Well, I don't feel like Millwood can produce another year like he did. I mean, he had injuries and he's more than a ten-game winner. I think Padilla is more than an eight-game winner. McCarthy stays healthy, he'll have potential to do more than what he did.
Volquez is new on the scene, and I think this kid has potential to do some things. And if we lay good behind him and he goes out there with the savvy and the maturity that he showed when he came up at the end of the year, we're better there.
Kason Gabbard, this guy may not be able to break a window pane, but he knows how to do one thing and that's pitch. He knows how to change speeds, hit spots and field his position; and we have Mendoza we've got Hurley. We have some arms, and they are going to have to step up.

Q. Do you think Hurley is ready to make the jump, or do you think another year?
RON WASHINGTON: I think we would like to see him take another year, but that's us. Hurley is coming into big league camp, and you never know how Hurley feels about that. So we are not going to deny it, but if Hurley ends up not going to AAA, it's because Hurley made us take him.
Other than that, we would like to see him get more seasoning, but he's coming in to camp to compete for a job and if he come up in there and he's one of the best pitchers, he may leave with us.

Q. Does it excite you the prospect of having so many good, young players that will be hungry and want to do that?
RON WASHINGTON: I'm always excited about youth. The one thing that I'm most excited about is maturity and mental toughness, and from all accounts I know of Hurley, he's mentally tough.
And Mendoza, we got a chance to see him toward the end of the year and I'm impressed with his mental toughness. Volquez is another one that showed some mental toughness that was supposed to be lacking.
So they are make being strides and in order for them to step up and become what they are, we have to give them an opportunity and they are going to have an opportunity this spring.

Q. The Rangers have long been known for a team that bashes the hell out of the ball, and that's obviously down, is that a good thing for you, not that you've lost all this firepower but you can get these guys to score runs in different ways?
RON WASHINGTON: I think it's good for any club when they can score runs and not have to hit the ball out of the ballpark, because now you understand if you're in a position; whereas, a pitching guru going out there, we can still win the ballgame.
And I think we learned that last year, we played some tough ballgames against some tough pitchers and played some close ballgames and come out on top.
So it's good that we've been able to add that to the Texas mystique, and like I said, if we end up getting some outfielders here and ends up getting some players that are capable of hitting the ball out of the ballpark, we'll be able to play whatever game presents itself on that day and that's all I want.

Q. Do you feel like this team has gotten better playing?
RON WASHINGTON: They have gotten better at playing to the situations. They have gotten better at playing to execute the fundamentals. And I think if you can stay fundamentally sound and you focus on trying to execute those fundamentals, good things usually happen. But you've got to pitch and you've got to catch the ball for it all to come together.

Q. Is Blalock your clean-up hitter?
RON WASHINGTON: I wouldn't put him in that position.

Q. So you would like to find somebody?
RON WASHINGTON: Yeah, that can sit in that slot. I haven't really thought about that yet because I haven't gotten a full club yet. Once I get the full club and I see who we got, then I can start finagling with the lineup. But Hank will be right there in the mix, fifth or sixth.

Q. What if you have a full club already?
RON WASHINGTON: Then I'll look at it and probably put Marlon Byrd back there. He did it for me last year because I think he can handle it all, and then I'll have Hank fifth and sixth.

Q. Do you think he had a breakthrough year last year?
RON WASHINGTON: I think what he had was a year where because of the years that he's been in the game, he's already had success, and the time that he spent with Rudy, and he unlocked some things inside of him that he probably already had in him.
And I think he's reached a point where he knows what consistency is all about, and he reached a point where he knows what he is all about. And I think he's reached the point where now he knows what to do when he goes up there to the plate because Marlon got some big hits against some big pitchers. He didn't get it just against the rinky-dinks. He got it against some good pitchers. I think he found himself, late bloomer.

Q. End of last year you had success with kind of the platoon lead-off situation, do you see Kinsler being a full-time lead-off guy next year? Do you see that situation kind of continuing? I know you don't have a full roster right now.
RON WASHINGTON: Right now, if I had to go with what I've got, I think that situation would continue when we face righties. Cat would hit first and Kins would hit second. And we face lefties, Kins would hit first. I told y'all that I didn't want to do that to Kins, but he made that happen. He showed me he could handle it, but he I didn't want to put that pressure on him but he put the pressure on himself and he handled it.

Q. If you end up going that way, is it more because that would be the best way to use Catalanotto, as opposed to -- I am assuming you think Kinsler could be a capable full-time lead-off hitter right now.
RON WASHINGTON: Yeah.

Q. And he would have a lineup change when you've got Catalanotto?
RON WASHINGTON: Well, that means that I wouldn't be able to put Cat down in that lineup if I didn't hit him first because of the other players that would be in the middle of that lineup, and then he would be in a useless spot and his talents would not be used as well.
So I'll put him in the top of the lineup because he's a very good hitting guy, and he can get on the base, and that's why we put him in the top of the lineup.

Q. Is Botts your DH?
RON WASHINGTON: We really haven't decided, once again, it goes back to what club I'm going to have. It's not put together yet but right now Botts is one of the pieces. So I've just got to wait and see what we've got.

Q. You don't know what kind of club you have, but you know Kins is going to be your second baseman and Michael is going to be the shortstop and Hank is going to be at third? After that, I know Joe is going to be behind the plate and Byrd and Murphy are going to be somewhere in the outfield.
RON WASHINGTON: We've still got Cruz and still got Boggs. So it's going to be a competition and we'll see where it goes. But Byrd certainly has, in my opinion, has earned his way to be a part of whatever is going on out there in the outfield. And Murphy for me has earned an opportunity to show that what he did when he came up is real.

Q. Is Sosa a possibility?
RON WASHINGTON: I really don't know. I know he's out there trying to see if he can get him a two-year deal. He had a successful year last year and just want to see what's out there. I really don't know until that comes back to us.

Q. Could you see getting another veteran hitter? To me, my opinion, a guy like Nomar Garciaparra would make sense for you guys, first, third, DH.
RON WASHINGTON: But do you know if the Dodgers are going to give him up?

Q. Just throwing a name out there, can you see yourself getting a veteran like Sosa in some form or fashion?
RON WASHINGTON: I would hope so. I can't say anything definite but I certainly would hope so. What we would like to try to do, though, is make sure that we keep versatility. I just don't want to have a guy that can just swing the bat so I hope if we do do something like that, he can also play.
Because if we don't have the pop, we certainly need versatility.

Q. Do you have any thoughts on the Marlins trade yesterday, seeing the American League get stronger with star players; why such a difference between the two leagues?
RON WASHINGTON: Well, I tell you, the last two years Detroit has not been messing around.

Q. It's a scary team now.
RON WASHINGTON: It's a very scary team. Plus they do have pitching. They have solid defense and then they have offense up and down the board. They are going to be tough. And they have got Jim Leyland leading them, so Jesus, that's all I could say. (Laughter.)

Q. Seems like the whole league, New York, Detroit, Anaheim spending money.
RON WASHINGTON: Yeah.

Q. You're in the wrong league.
RON WASHINGTON: One thing you've got to do, each day you've got a chance to compete. I can't worry about them. I can only worry about mine, and I tell you what, we are going to go out there and compete and we'll see what happens.

Q. Is it getting more daunting for the Texas Rangers with these big boys?
RON WASHINGTON: I think what it does for the Texas Rangers is we have to make sure whatever holes we feel like we have to fill, we fill them. And if we pitch and if we catch the ball, I will take my chances. You never know.
I think, what, the last four years, different World Series champions, is it longer than that, five?

Q. What is realistic for the Rangers this year?
RON WASHINGTON: My realistic goal is if we can add ten more wins, I'll be very happy. And if we can add ten more wins, that means that Millwood and Padilla stepped up.
And if we can add ten more wins, then we might get lucky and add 12 or 13. Will that take us anywhere? I don't know. But that certainly would be something that's reachable.

Q. You're a little more temperate and realistic of what this team is capable of -- I know you have high expectations --
RON WASHINGTON: No. I do believe that if Millwood and Padilla comes back and do what they can do, and our young kids just settle in and perform to their capability, not just their capability, I'm not saying overdo anything, just to their capability, you know; and our starters can get us through six innings, most nights; I like the bullpen I have, and I think we'll be able to shut some ballgames down. We're going to win some close ballgames, and we're going to win some big ballgames, and that's all I can expect, really.

Q. From a rotation, the Oakland A's, every time they have 65 victories from their starters, since they came to Oakland, every time they got at least 65 victories from their starters they won the division, and they never won it when they got less than 65. It was black and white. Is 65 wins, 15 from Padilla and Millwood, ten each from the rest of them, that takes you to 60, 65 maybe.
RON WASHINGTON: That's another one, you're talking about other teams in that division with Seattle and Anaheim who has all of the ingredients, they have speed. You know they have got pitching, they have got good bullpen, play defense. Seattle played good defense, they have got some power in their lineup. I mean, it would make us respectable, but it's going to take at least 93, 94 wins, I think, to win the West.

Q. So you're hoping for 85, 87?
RON WASHINGTON: You know, from where we came last year, that's just a goal. We could do more. You never know. But that's a goal. It's just going to take 90-some wins to win the west. Do I want to win 90-something? Of course. I can't predict that.

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297