Today the Baltimore Orioles announced that they had hired minor league hitting coordinator Mike Boulanger. While this normally isn't big news it is funny here in north Texas. Boulanger had held the same position with the Texas Rangers and he is just one in the line of many Rangers' players/staff who have left to join the Orioles.
We'll start on top with the manager. Buck Showalter managed the Rangers from 2003-2006.
Showalter's staff includes former Rangers coaches Wayne Kirby, DeMarlo Hale, Rick Adair and John Kirby.
Then there are the players.
Former Texas pitchers include Tommy Hunter, Darren O'Day, Clay Rapada and Pedro Strop. They also recently obtained catcher Taylor Teagarden. Chris Davis plays first base for them and they signed free agent Endy Chavez a few weeks ago.
And last season Vladimir Guerrero signed a one-year deal with the Orioles after a season with the Rangers. He's currently a free agent.
So what's with the love fest that Baltimore has with Texas? I'm not really sure. And it's not as Baltimore is really stealing away talent. I will admit that I liked Tommy Hunter. He was a great guy and worked in out of the bullpen but he wanted to be a starter. I wrote Chris Davis off two seasons ago. Pedro Strop never seemed to be able to handle pressure situations. Taylor Teagarden was another AAAA player like Davis. Darren O'Day lost his command. I never really latched on to Rapada.
I guess if I miss any of those guys it would be Endy Chavez. He was a great bench player and defensive replacement in center field. Yet it was known that he wanted to be a starter and that simply wasn't going to happen in Texas. He'd still have to share playing time with Craig Gentry and the up and coming Leonys Martin. Not to mention that Julio Borbon is coming off of season-ending surgery and currently playing winter ball.
So if Baltimore's plan is to try and be champions like the Rangers by trying to be the Rangers then they may want to take a different approach and actually try to acquire more players like those that helped Texas win back-to-back AL titles and not our leftovers.
Best of luck to the Baltimore Rangers, er, Orioles.
Until next time, I'll see you in the cheap seats!
James Holland is a lifelong fan of baseball and his hometown Texas Rangers. You can follow him on Twitter @TXRangersJames.
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