2009 Texas Rangers season
Notable performances from several core players as well as a well-coached pitching staff contributed to a greatly improved record and allowed the Rangers to compete for the division and wild card playoff berths well into the final weeks of the season.
Washington's position as manager appeared to be saved as the Rangers headed to Toronto, where they bested Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay in the first game.
The club quickly went 13–3, a stretch which saw the return (and subsequent re-injury) of Josh Hamilton, several superb outings by Matt Harrison, and mounting concern over the quality of 1B Chris Davis.
Domination of each series over division opponents helped the Rangers reach first place in the American League West, and a record 10 games above .500 by the end of May.
Record: 11–15 Starting Rotation: Millwood, Padilla, McCarthy, Holland, Harrison, Hunter* *spot starter As the summer months began, the Rangers faltered.
Vicente Padilla, an enigmatic presence in the clubhouse and a pitcher that previously led the majors in hit batsmen, was placed on outright waivers June 3.
Rumors about Padilla's negative attitude in the clubhouse abound, though the official party line was that management was disappointed with the way the right-handed handled adversity after a start the previous afternoon.
On June 9, Josh Hamilton reportedly underwent surgery to repair an abdominal muscle, and RHP Brandon McCarthy was sent to the 15-day DL for shoulder issues.
[4] In part due to the return of OF Josh Hamilton on July 6, 1B Chris Davis was optioned to AAA to allow him to work out his issues at the plate.
By July 20, the club was 49–41 overall as closer Frank Francisco returned to the DL with pneumonia and several other players miss time late in the month due to bouts with the flu.
Transactions: Record: 14–15 Starting Rotation: Millwood, Padilla, Feldman, Holland, Hunter, Nippert* *spot starter The Rangers traveled to Oakland, precipitating the call-up of RHP Neftalí Feliz from AAA Oklahoma City for the first time.
On offense, similar struggles experienced in June seemingly returned to the Rangers in the dog days of the season and many critics pointed to tenured hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo, known for his aggressive philosophy.
After his placement on waivers in June, Padilla's issues with teammates and the front office had not been smoothed over and following a particularly poor start against Oakland, the team decided to end its relationship with the Nicaraguan right-hander.
Hamilton, whose long struggle and recovery from substance abuse was well documented in the public eye, admitted to relapsing in January 2009 and acknowledged that he notified his family and Rangers officials immediately thereafter.
Career minor-leaguer C Kevin Richardson was called up for the first time to spell Teagarden, while the front office worked a deal to re-acquire former Ranger Iván Rodríguez.
The financial issues often quietly mentioned in the media finally erupted on August 17 when the Rangers were unable to sign 2009 first-round draft pick LHP Matt Purke, who opted to attend college and pitch for Texas Christian University.
[8] The Purke affair confirmed the fears of many Rangers fans that the front office's ability to improve the team was restricted by Hicks Sports Group's large debts.
Transactions: Record: 13–15 Starting Rotation: Millwood, Feldman, Holland, Hunter, McCarthy, Nippert* *spot starter In the second game of a double-header on September 1, Michael Young strained his left hamstring running out an infield single.
The team pressed hard and generally did little to improve its place in the standings throughout September, and questions concerning the future ownership of the Rangers heated up as playoff potential cooled.
