Tom Hicks’ Greatest Hits
June 20, 2007 – 8:22 pm by McD
Whatever else you want to say about Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks, and we’ll probably say it a couple of paragraphs from now, the man can blast his former players. When asked about some of his biggest mistakes as owner of the Rangers, Hicks said this:
“Juan Gonzalez for $24 million after he came off steroids, probably, we just gave that money away.”
Aside from the “ZING!” we all immediately thought after reading that quote, this is the kind of honesty fans love out of people intimately involved with professional sports. It’s so refreshing to hear an owner throw potentially slanderous comments out there for everyone to hear, especially when many people would agree.
Juan Gonzalez is an interesting case from the “steroids era” in baseball. He was an extremely productive player for about ten years, but every single good season he had came before he was 32 and then he completely broke down physically. In fact, he was one of the more feared hitters of the 1990′s, but almost never stands out because his career ended so prematurely. Imagine if he’d been able to keep adding on to his 432 career home runs for eight more years. We’d be discussing his Hall of Fame credentials. Check out his stats. We had kind of forgotten how good he really was, despite all the injuries.
But Hicks’ comments got us thinking. There have been a heck of a lot of bad personnel moves in the Rangers’ recent history. Like a lot, a lot. Here’s what we came up with just off the tops of our heads.
The Alex Rodriguez Deal(s)
Hicks was the guy who gave A-Rod that insane 10-year, $252 million contract. That’s actually bad enough, because it prompted a ton of terrible nine-figure baseball contracts. However, not only did he sign Rodriguez to that deal, but the Rangers only got three years’ worth of service out of him before dealing him to the Yankees for Alfonso Soriano and a Dodge Charger. Are the Rangers any better because of those deals?
Chan Ho Park
The Rangers signed Park to a five-year, $65 million contract as a free agent, from the Los Angeles Dodgers. In three and a half season in Texas, he compiled a stellar record of 22-23. He never threw more than 155 innings in a season and never even made a full season’s worth of starts. His ERA was also only under 5.60 once. Money well spent. Sadly, this deal gives us a little bit of pain because the Padres took on much of that contract for its last two years. At least we got rid of Phil Nevin.
The Chris Young Trade
We’ve mentioned this one before, but man did this deal turn out to be one-sided. The Rangers sent Chris Young, Terrmel Sledge, and Adrian Gonzalez to San Diego for pitchers Adam Eaton and Akinori Otsuka and catcher Billy Killian. We probably don’t need to mention that Young, Sledge, and Gonzalez are all still with the Padres at this very moment. Young is 6-3 this season with a 2.26 ERA. Gonzalez is hitting .296 with 14 homers and 51 RBI. Only Otsuka is still with the Rangers major league club (Eaton is in Philly and Killian hasn’t made it to the bigs). Might it possibly have helped the Rangers’ terrible pitching staff to keep Chris Young? That was a rhetorical question, by the way.
The Alfonso Soriano Trade
Some of the names in this trade might seem familiar. Soriano was traded from New York to Texas for A-Rod, played two solid seasons for Texas, and was then shipped off to Washington. Trading Soriano wouldn’t necessarily have been a bad thing if the Rangers had gotten any value at all in return. Naturally, they didn’t. In return for Soriano, the Nationals sent Brad Wilkerson, Terrmel Sledge and a minor league pitcher to Texas. Wilkerson has never hit above .268 in a season and is batting a robust .220 this season. Sledge was immediately dealt to San Diego as a part of the Chris Young trade. So all Texas got for Soriano was a weak-hitting outfielder and a minor league pitcher. Well done, gents, well done.
The Juan Gonzalez Trade
This is on here because Texas only had to give him the $24 million because they traded him away in the first place. They traded him because they were worried they wouldn’t be able to afford him, but then overpaid him in the end anyway. In 1999, he and a couple of other players were traded to Detroit for Frank Catalanotto, Francisco Cordero, Bill Haselman, Gabe Kapler, Justin Thompson, and Alan Webb. This trade also signals the Rangers’ descent into awfulness. They had won the AL West in 1996, ’98 and ’99, but the next year the A’s supplanted them and Texas hasn’t been relevant since.
So yes, Mr. Hicks, you gave away $24 million for practically nothing when you signed Juan Gonzalez, but that’s hardly the worst thing you’ve ever presided over as the head of the Texas Rangers. This list could probably have been longer before we even reached the Gonzalez signing. It’s nice that you’re angry with Gonzalez for being constantly hurt, but your anger is a bit misplaced. Let us suggest a target for your ire: yourself.
25 Responses to “Tom Hicks’ Greatest Hits”
Add firing Doug Melvin to the list.
By Anonymous on Jun 21, 2007
Great story. One thing though – the Rangers didn’t win the West 4 years in a row – they won it in ’96, ’98, and ’99.
By Anonymous on Jun 21, 2007
You forgot to mention that he lives in Texas and his last name is Hicks. that’s sort of ironic isn’t it?
By palestinmiami on Jun 21, 2007
“Renting” Carlos Lee for two months at the expense of Francisco Cordero (mlb leading 27 saves) and Kevin Mench (.273 avg.) should be included in this post
By Anonymous on Jun 21, 2007
Speaking of trades involving Francisco Cordero, how’s Carlos Lee been hitting these days?
By Anonymous on Jun 21, 2007
In the interview, Hicks mentioned the Chan Ho Park deal before Gonzalez, so I don’t think he forgot it.
By Anonymous on Jun 21, 2007
It should also be noted that the Rangers are still paying a significant portion of A-Rod’s contract.
The line of incompetant Rangers owners is long and distinguished (see: Bush, George W.)
By TrickDaddy on Jun 21, 2007
You’re right, we should have included the Francisco Cordero/Carlos Lee deal. Especially because Lee ended up in Houston.
By McD on Jun 21, 2007
Weren’t people calling the Soriano trade a “steal” at the time because he’d never play left field and never hit in Washington, and Wilkerson was such a great player?
Good to know that was a steal for Washington.
By Anonymous on Jun 21, 2007
don’t really care that much, but he traded Travis Hafner to the Indians for Einar Diaz, a catcher who has a career 67+ OPS.
By Anonymous on Jun 21, 2007
Take a closer look at the A-hole photo. Is it me, or is the middle finger raised?
By Anonymous on Jun 22, 2007
Congratulations!! These articles is very good ; the information you show us is interesting It’s just great!! Do you want to know something more? Read it…:The best place for mlb trade rumor, 07 mlb show, Baseball tickets. For more information visit: http://www.bet911.com
By Kely on Oct 25, 2007
tom hicks is an idiot!!!
http://rangersliberation.blogspot.com
By Mario Castro on Dec 14, 2007
but these may not be his worst mistakes as a baseball team is minor compared to the one and only liverpool football club
the great team who won the champions league (2005) and got to the final in 2 years (2005 and 2007) and also in those three years under the manager rafa bnitez have won the community sheild the european super cup and where world club cup runners up are now in turmoil because of mainly hicks (and a little goerge gilet) as they pln on sacking this manager
at this point i want to say how little these two imbilsile know about the football we have came to love and trust
By liverpool fN FO on Jan 7, 2008
This Liverpool Football Club fan is typical of the type. Illiterate and has probably never been to Liverpool in his/her life.
Tom Hicks is the best ever thing happen to LFC and the club is in safe hands.
Tom knows his stuff and has quickly rumbled the fat Spanish waiter (Benitez). The sooner Tom gets rid of this manager the better.What’s he achieved other than a couple of flukey cup wins?
By blue nose on Jan 20, 2008
bluenose you are a typical bitters fan,as for hicks the sooner his yank arse is out of anfield the better,he and his co-horts gillette and rick parry should be sent packing asap.this man has lied and swinddled his greedy way into our club and if he thinks we are just going to sit back and let him ruin this great club,he had better think again,im a born and bred scouser and when we feel that someone has wronged us they had better watch out.if i were hicks or gillette i would stay as far away from liverpool fans as possable.
By fightingmadkopite. on Jan 24, 2008
Wow! A Liverpool fan actually from Liverpool. Bet you go to Norway for your holidays!
I didn’t hear many Kopites complaining when Hicks bought the franchise. After all Moores and Parry had pimped the club across the world for years.
As for lying and swindling his way into the club; well really. He said all the things he knew you shite wanted to hear. And you lapped it up.
Now it’s going to cost you £30M per year to service the debt.
By Anonymous on Jan 26, 2008
its got so bad we’re gonna try buy our own club back off them
By Anonymous on Jan 31, 2008
Why should Mr. Hicks sell when he has the Franchise itself paying off his debt? It costs him nothing but he stands to make megabucks in a couple of years.
I’m all for mutuality but most models; the Co-op, Barca, Nationwide Building Society (formerly owned by the Co-op) etc., where started by small groups of people, with a common interest, years ago.
The businesses were built up over generations to become the giants they are today.They didn’t become mutuals from a capitalist sellout.
If (and its a gigantic if) the proposal was successful any future loans needed would have to be secured against the business i.e. the football club. Isn’t that just what Hicks is doing?
By Anonymous on Jan 31, 2008
Tom Hicks has done major talking about backing RAFA he needs to prove this to the fans give RAFA monry to spend,then keep that big mouth shut,if RAFA does`nt win the league time to call it a day and most supporters would support him.
PS how stupid is Hicks jnr word of advice dont go into the Sandon any time soon
By Anonymous on Mar 3, 2008
we all know hicks and gillet should sell to dic. but i think were all forgeting who the real villain of this mess is. aka rick parry the man who has pocketed a tidy sum from bringing the yanks to anfield in the first place. as soon as dic take over that prick wants volleying out the shankly gates. by the way bluenose, flukey or not there still in the trophy cabinet. ps a trophy cabinet’s a big glass thing you put cups in
By Anonymous on Mar 4, 2008
I just think that Tom Hicks is a small fish trying to swim in a big pond. Liverpool are supposed to have aspirations of winning the league what with £30 million what will that buy you – a leg! It might be enough to run a club such as Aston Villa but not Liverpool. Money is needed for a new stadium as well where is that coming from? I have no problem with Hicks sounding out Klinsman that sort of thing goes on in football all the time. The simple truth is he doesn’t have enough money. He is also not doing his country much good either. If all America is about is greedy businessmen I’m glad I’m English!
By Anonymous on Mar 9, 2008
Greedy horrible man, can not wait until he kicks the bucket!
By Anonymous on Apr 14, 2008
Americans sure aren’t making a name for themselves in European football. Look at Fulham they’ve taken McBride, Dempsey, Renea, some others too I think. And now they are on the border of relegation.
I had high hopes that Hicks and Gillette would come to the scene and bring a good name to Americans and if anything apply some good business practices that have made the US the most prosperous nation on earth. (especially since they were coming to my favorite club). But here we go again, American’s ruining everything…that’s all we do.
By Free PS3 on Apr 22, 2008
Tom Hicks is qute evil
May he burn in hell
By Xabi on Jun 5, 2010