Over the years, it has become one of the best conversations that can and eventually does occur among baseball fans. Who deserves to be on their respective All-Time teams? The more passionate the fan is, the better the discussion gets. Fans of the Texas Rangers are particularly sentimental when it comes to their All-Time greats. The Rangers have a strong team at the moment, but for now, let’s take a look at who would hypothetically be on their All-Time team managed by Ron Washington.
Catcher – Ivan Rodriguez
The man simply known as “Pudge” is considered royalty in the Lone Star state. Ivan Rodriguez made his major league debut with the Rangers when he was just 19 years old. Early on, he flourished, and it wouldn’t stop until his retirement in 2011. He holds a career batting average of .296, which is unbelievable for a catcher. He also has 2,844 hits to his name as well as a WAR of 68.7. He slugged 311 home runs, and drove in 1,332 runs in his 20-year career. Rangers fans loved him for his work behind the plate as well. For his career, he posted a .991 fielding percentage and was the best at throwing out potential base stealers. He has one World Series ring that he won in 2003 with the Miami Marlins (then the Florida Marlins). Despite it coming with another team, Rangers fans still love him.
First Base – Mark Teixeira
With a career home run total of 409, Mark Teixeira is this writer’s pick at first base for the Texas Rangers’ All-Time team. He was only with the Rangers from 2003-2006 and part of 2007, but they were memorable years. He picked up many of his 1,862 career hits in Arlington, translating into a .268 career batting average. He also drove in 1,298 runs, and had a WAR of 50.6. Many fans will agree that Tex fits in nicely at first base on this roster.
Second Base – Ian Kinsler
Ian Kinsler was another fan favorite in Arlington. He will be trotting out to second base on the All-Time roster. Kinsler spent 13 years in the major leagues. Seven of those years were with the Texas Rangers. He has a career average of .269. He hit 257 home runs during that time, and he had 909 RBI. His WAR was 54.1. He was a slick fielder in the four-hole on the diamond as well. His .991 career fielding percentage is identical to Pudge’s.
Third Base – Adrian Beltre
The third baseman on this roster needs no introduction. That would be Adrian Beltre. It’s hard to imagine, but he might even be more beloved in Arlington than Pudge. Every day, it seemed like he put on a magic show for the fans. In his 20-year career, he hit .286 and had a WAR of 93.5. He came to Texas in 2010, and stayed with them until he retired in 2018. He was very close to joining the 500 home run club himself. He fell 23 shy of the magic number. He did, however, join the elite 3,000 base hit club, finishing his time in the big leagues with 3,166 hits.
Shortstop – Michael Young
Taking over at short on this roster is none other than Michael Young. Young spent 12 years of his 13-year career in Texas. People really saw him as one of the good guys in baseball. He was great with the fans as well as on the field. He is one of the few guys on this list who hit more for average than power. He hit 185 home runs in his career, and had a .300 average during that span. He also had 2,375 hits, a 24.7 WAR, and 1,030 RBI.
Outfielders
Making up the Rangers’ All-Time outfield would be Frank Howard, Josh Hamilton, and Juan Gonzalez. Howard would be in left, Hamilton in center, and Gonzalez in right. Howard only spent part the 1972 season with the Rangers, but his 382 career home runs are enough to earn him his spot. He had a WAR of 37.6. Hamilton spent six years with the Rangers and became another fan favorite. He hit 200 home runs in his career and drove in 701 runs. He was a .290 hitter, and had a WAR of 28.2
The last of the outfielders is Juan Gonzalez. Gonzalez was with the Texas Rangers from 1989 to 2003. Fans got really attached to him as well. He had 1,936 hits in his career. He had a WAR of 38.7, 434 career home runs, and a .295 average. Rangers fans would love to see this outfield in action again.
Designated Hitter – Rafael Palmeiro
Taking over at DH on the Texas Rangers’ All-Time team is Rafael Palmeiro. He also spent some time in left field in his career, but he was primarily a first baseman. Palmeiro had a career that lasted for 19 years, and he had a WAR of 71.9. He spent 17 of those years in a Rangers uniform. He is a career .288 hitter. He is a member of the exclusive 500 Home Runs club, and the 3,000 hit club (3,020 hits for his career). He belted 569 homers and drove in 1,835 runs before hanging up his cleats in 2005.
Pitchers
Right-hander Kevin Brown would get the start for the Rangers in the big All-Time game. Brown was as durable as they come, posting a career record of 211–144. He had an ERA of 3.28, and a WAR of 67.8. Over 3,256 1/3 innings, he had a respectable strikeout total of 2,397. He also walked 901 batters. C.J. Wilson, Francisco Cordero, or Coco, as people called him take the bullpen slots alongside closer John Wetteland.
Honorable Mentions
There is only so much room on a major league roster. With that said, the honorable mentions on this list go to third baseman Buddy Bell, and outfielders Nelson Cruz, and Joey Gallo. Last but not least, are infielders Toby Harrah and Elvis Andrus. This roster means a lot to Texas Rangers fans, and they would be in for a treat to see them all on the same field.
See the All-Time Team Tournament Headquarters here.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
Players/Managers Mentioned:
Ron Washington, Ivan Rodriguez, Rafael Palmeiro, Ian Kinsler, Adrian Beltre, Michael Young, Frank Howard, Josh Hamilton, Juan Gonzalez, Mark Teixeira, Kevin Brown, Francisco Cordero, John Wetteland, C.J. Wilson, Buddy Bell, Nelson Cruz, Joey Gallo, Toby Harrah, Elvis Andrus
