As a fan, it’s hard to evaluate a manager of a bad team. Even the best poker player won’t win too many games with a pair of twos when the other players all have four of a kind.

And that’s an apt analogy for the disparity in talent level that Chris Woodward has been given in what will be his third season as the Rangers manager. Except, the deal wasn’t random. He was deliberately handed those cards.

Is he good? How can you tell? His team finished third, then dead last. So, is he getting worse? How can you tell?

Yesterday, the people who know how to evaluate talent, along with Jon Daniels, picked up the option on Woodward’s contract for 2022.

In his two seasons, he has led the team to a 100-122 record. But that is not on him as much as it is on the front office who dealt him that hand.

The Rangers aren’t expected to compete this year or next. So, Woodward will have his work cut out for him. 

He seems like a good man thrust in a bad situation. At least he now has the security of knowing he won’t be blamed for this mess for the next two years.

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