Rangers leaving American League.


The Rangers new Double-A logo.

The Texas Rangers, in a stunning move, have offically requested permission from the Commissioner’s Office of Major League Baseball to leave the American League. 

Subsequently, the team has applied for admission into the Double-A Central League of Minor League Baseball.

Jon Daniels, Rangers President of Baseball Operations, confirmed the report in a statement released this morning.

“Creating a major league roster is difficult. Heck, I’ve had fifteen years and I haven’t been able to figure out how to do it. So, I got to thinking, ‘Why keep trying?’” Daniels went on to add, “When I looked out at the twenty-six-man active roster we have after this trade deadline player giveaway thing, it occurred to me, we could be very competitive with any Double-A team. I firmly believe that.”

For the past five years, Jon Daniels and his staff have made a series of moves to turn the Texas Rangers into one of the best minor league rosters in America. The OPS stats of the current roster confirm that.

“Look at Eli White, Jason Martin, Nick Solak. Those are quintessential Double-A players,” Daniels argues. “And when I think of some of the talent we have let get away, I have to kick myself. And don’t even get me started on our rotation.”

Daniels acknowledged that players like Rougned Odor, Willie Calhoun, Delino DeShields, Nomar Mazara, Rya Rua, Jared Hoying, and Pete Kosma all could have been Double-A All-Stars had they not have languished away on the major league roster. 

“Remember Carlos Tocci? Scott Heineman? Rob Refsnyder?” Daniels mused. “If there’s a Cooperstown for players who had no business being in the major leagues, they’d be in it. Oh, and Jeff Mathis. You can’t forget him. Anyone have his agent’s number?”

Director of Player Development Philip Wheatley, agrees. “Guys like Willie Calhoun are just wasting away in the major leagues. He has Double-A stud written all over him.” Added Reynolds, “And officially I’m the Food and Beverage Director with the Ranges but we all rotate in on the Player Development role.”

The Rangers chose to move to the Double-A Central in order to complete with their minor league affiliate Frisco Roughriders. “Having Frisco in our league will really help us spread out all this minor league talent we have,” Daniels explains. “And I truly think in two years, we could be competitive with the Roughriders. We are looking at 2023 as our window.”

Daniels says he is looking forward to the day he no longer has to hassle with things like talent evaluation and constructing a big-league roster.

“Just spell Arlington with a Double-A,” Daniels quipped. “AArlington.”

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