Top Ron Washington Replacement Candidates After Surprise Rangers Resignation

The Texas Rangers, beset this season by injuries and poor performance to the point where they currently own the worst record in Major League Baseball, face yet another challenge with the surprise resignation of manager Ron Washington.

The 62-year-old, who has been the club's bench boss since 2007, decided to step down Friday to deal with what he called "an off-the-field personal matter," according to T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com.

Here's Washington's statement in more detail:

"

Today, I have submitted my resignation from the job I love -- managing the Rangers -- in order to devote my full attention to addressing an off-the-field personal matter. As painful as it is, stepping away from the game is what's best for me and my family.

This is in no way related to the disappointing performance of the team this season. We were already discussing 2015 and looking forward to getting the Rangers back to postseason contention.

"

Under Washington's watch, the Rangers have posted a .521 winning percentage, captured two consecutive American League pennants in 2010 and 2011 and came within one strike of winning the first World Series in franchise history in 2011.

While critics have taken to second-guessing Washington's occasionally questionable in-game decision-making and old-school approach, watching the winningest manager in team history walk away unexpectedly is a blow to a club that already has endured more than its share this year.

The Rangers were expected to once again contend in the competitive AL West entering the season. That goal fell apart early on, primarily due to an avalanche of injuries, including but certainly not limited to: pitchers Derek Holland, Matt Harrison and Yu Darvish, as well as second baseman Jurickson Profar and the club's two big offseason acquisitions, first baseman Prince Fielder and outfielder Shin-Soo Choo.

Given the team's talented (if injury-ravaged) core, a quick turnaround certainly is possible. That makes this a coveted skipper's spot, one that will be filled by bench coach Tim Bogar on an interim basis until the end of the season.

Of course, well-wishes go out to Washington as he deals with this personal matter. And the door appears to be left open to a possible return, if Washington wants the job back.

But if that doesn't happen and the franchise chooses to go in a different direction than Bogar for a fresh start in 2015, what qualities might the Rangers be targeting for their next manager?

It's possible the organization could turn to someone already on the coaching staff for a smoother transition, but considering the Rangers have the roster to return to relevance in short order, there's a good chance experience would be a big factor, too.

That in mind, here's a list of candidates who could take over as the Rangers' next manager.

Mike Maddux

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Although Mike Maddux has no managerial experience at any level of professional baseball, he is the Rangers pitching coach and one of the more well-respected baseball minds around for his work with pitching staffs in Texas and Milwaukee.

Having been linked to the Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs openings in recent years, the 53-year-old clearly wants to take the step from coach to manager, and his familiarity with the inner workings of the franchise would make for a more seamless transition than an outside hire.

But it's fair to wonder: If general manager Jon Daniels was interested, wouldn't Maddux be wearing the interim tag instead of Bogar right about now?

Bo Porter

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Fired by the Houston Astros earlier this week, could Bo Porter find another home on the bench without having to leave the state of Texas?

Porter owns a disastrous .367 winning percentage in a season-and-three-quarters as a skipper, but most of that can be blamed on the rip-it-up-and-start-all-over-from-scratch rebuilding Houston has gone through in recent years.

At 42, Porter is young and energetic enough to be worth a second shot, whether with the Rangers or elsewhere.

Dusty Baker

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Out of the game for only the second season since he started managing in 1993 after being fired by the Cincinnati Reds at the end of last year, Dusty Baker has 20 seasons of managerial experience.

A three-time manager of the year (1993, 1997, 2000), Baker guided the San Francisco Giants (1993-2002) and Chicago Cubs (2003-06) before helming the Reds from 2008 through 2013.

Baker is cut from the same old-school style that Washington was known for. If the Rangers don't want to stray too far from an approach that has worked, Baker could be a fit. Plus, like Washington, he's also used to dealing with critics. At 65, however, he's getting up there.

Ozzie Guillen

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Baseball needs more Ozzie Guillen by now, right?

The no-filter, say-just-about-anything former skipper of the Chicago White Sox—with whom he won the 2005 World Series—had a much more embattled tenure with the Miami Marlins that ended after just one season in 2012, when he was dismissed by the Fish despite having three seasons left on his deal.

Like Washington was, the 50-year-old Guillen would be a motivator, which is good. But a much more fiery, unpredictable one, which might be less so. He could, though, connect with the young Latin American talent in the Rangers organization. And if nothing else, Guillen certainly would be entertaining.

Jim Tracy

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A year ago, Jim Tracy was on the shortlist to land Bogar's former spot—that is, Rangers bench coach—according to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

While he obviously didn't get the gig, the club should have a good—and fairly fresh—book on the former Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates and Colorado Rockies manager.

Now 58 years old with 11 seasons as a skipper on his resume, Tracy has experience, should the Rangers make that a priority.

Manny Acta

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Currently appearing regularly on ESPN's Baseball Tonight broadcast, Manny Acta is young enough at 45 to find his way back to a big league bench.

Thing is, his stints with the Washington Nationals and Cleveland Indians—he was skipper of each for parts of three seasons—didn't go all that well. To wit, Acta owns a .418 winning percentage.

Part of that, of course, has to do with the fact that those two organizations added a lot of talent only after he was gone. The Rangers, though, have a strong core of veterans as well as a handful of promising youngsters, so maybe these two sides could team up and turn things around together.

Don Wakamatsu

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Don Wakamatsu was a hot hire with the Seattle Mariners back in 2009 when he led them to their last winning season. Alas, things turned south swiftly as Wakamatsu, 51, was fired midway through the next season with the M's reeling at 42-70.

Now in his first year as bench coach with the Kansas City Royals, it's possible Wakamatsu could get a second chance simply for being a part of a feel-good story.

Plus, Larry Stone of The Seattle Times speculates that Wakamatsu could emerge as a candidate for the Rangers' gig because Jon Daniels holds him in high regard.