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Rangers should provide next owner quite a thrill
Seems like just yesterday we were mocking Hicks as The Man Who Gave A-Rod $252 Million. Well, now Hicks is selling the Rangers, and some other rich guy is going to buy himself a gold mine.
That is, if the rich guy is smart.
Smart the way Arte Moreno is with the Angels. Smart the way John Henry's ownership group is with the Red Sox. Smart in a way that could transform the Rangers from a sleeping giant into one of the game's most dynamic franchises.
Moreno energized the Angels on and off the field, making a bold move to take over Los Angeles. Henry's group led the Red Sox to their first two World Series titles since 1918, making the team even more of a phenomenon in New England and beyond.
The next owner of the Rangers will have every opportunity to capture the imagination of North Texas — yes, even as the NFL's Dallas Cowboys open their new stadium within sight of the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
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| Imagine owning a team that owns Nelson Cruz. (Al Bello / Getty Images) |
The Rangers, who visit the Orioles this weekend (MLB on Fox, Saturday, 4:10 p.m. ET) are contending for the postseason a year ahead of schedule. Recent injuries to third baseman Michael Young and outfielder Josh Hamilton diminish the team's chances. But this is only the dawn of the Texas revival, no matter how the AL West races and wild-card races turn out.
Six bidders have expressed initial interest in buying the Rangers, according to a source with knowledge of the team's situation. Hicks, who is selling because he became overextended with his creditors, wants to retain a measure of control.
The process will continue through the end of the season and possibly into next year. The bottom line: Hicks needs to go, while team president Nolan Ryan — who presumably will be part of one ownership group and eventually could land with another — needs to remain front and center.
Two weeks ago, the Tribune Co. finalized plans to sell all but 5 percent of the Cubs and Wrigley Field to the Ricketts family for $845 million. The Rangers will not fetch nearly that much, particularly in a down economy. But consider the advantages the team's new owner will inherit:
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| Derek Holland has big upside for years to come. (Kathy Willens / Associated Press) |
The Rangers averaged 2.86 million in home attendance from 1996 to 2001, a period that included their only three post-season appearances in a span of four years. They play in the fifth-largest television market in the country. And now, finally, they are built to succeed.
The next owner needs to leverage every advantage, from Ryan's expertise to the team's vast marketing potential. All those possibilities that Hicks envisioned when he signed A-Rod during the 2000-01 off-season — well, they suddenly are within reach.
Hate to jinx the Rangers, whose history is rather tortured. But it will be difficult for the next rich guy who buys the team to screw this up.
Wish I had the money myself.
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