Rangers Notes: Greenberg Steps Down as CEO

Chuck Greenberg’s brief stay in Texas included a bankruptcy auction and World Series appearance.

In an unexpected turn of events, the Rangers announced Friday that Chuck Greenberg – who spent several months and millions of his own dollars trying to secure partial ownership in the franchise – is resigning from his duties as the team’s CEO and managing partner.

Club president Nolan Ryan will assume Greenberg’s role as chief executive officer, and he will now oversee all baseball and business operations for the Rangers while reporting directly to the team’s Board of Directors.

“We thank Chuck for his many contributions to the organization, and wish him well in his future endeavors,” said Ray Davis and Bob Simpson, Co-Chairmen of Rangers Baseball Express LLC, in a press release. “At the same time, we are very confident in the continued success and further development of the Texas Rangers under Nolan’s leadership.”

Greenberg’s departure comes less than seven months after he led a group of investors – including Ryan – that submitted the winning bid to purchase the ballclub at a bankruptcy court auction late last summer.

Since then, he had become a popular public face for the Rangers as they marched through the American League playoffs and into the first World Series appearance in team history.

“I have great respect for the Texas Rangers franchise and am enormously proud of all we have accomplished together since August,” Greenberg said in the press release. “Unfortunately, Nolan Ryan, the Co-Chairmen, and I have somewhat different styles.

“While I am disappointed we did not work through our differences, I remain wholeheartedly committed to doing what’s right for the franchise. Together we concluded it is best for all concerned for me to sell my interest back to Rangers Baseball Express and move on.”

No specific details of the apparent falling-out were released, although according to Sports Illustrated baseball writer Jon Heyman (via Twitter), “Greenberg managed to upset a lot of people as managing partner but [his] undoing came after he upset Nolan Ryan.”

Team Makes First Roster Cuts

With less than three weeks to go until Opening Day, the Rangers on Saturday announced their first round of spring cuts while adding veteran pitcher Brett Tomko to the big-league roster.

Texas optioned four players from the 40-man roster to different levels of minor-league camp, including left-hander Zach Phillips (Triple-A Round Rock), outfielder Engel Beltre and right-hander Fabio Castillo (Double-A Frisco), and right-hander Wilmer Font (Class-A Myrtle Beach).

In addition, right-hander Brett Tomko – who signed a minor-league contract with Texas last month – was added to the team’s major-league camp as a non-roster player. Tomko, 37, missed all of the 2010 season while recovering from a nerve problem in his right arm.

Saturday’s moves leave the Rangers with a total of 52 players on their big-league spring training roster, including 36 on the 40-man roster and 16 non-roster invitees.

Beltre Close to Spring Debut

Third baseman Adrian Beltre, who has been sidelined with a calf strain throughout spring training, could see his first game action as soon as Monday, according to Richard Durrett of ESPN Dallas.

Beltre, a two-time Gold Glove award winner, signed a six-year deal with the Rangers in January worth $96 million, and his presence at third is expected to shift veteran Michael Young into a designated hitter/super utility role.

Rangers Notes: Sale of Team Made Official

In his third year as club president, Nolan Ryan is now part owner of the Rangers as well.

At the end of their quarterly meetings Thursday in Minneapolis, Major League Baseball owners unanimously approved the sale of the Texas Rangers Baseball Club to a group of investors led by team president Nolan Ryan and Pittsburgh sports attorney Chuck Greenberg (Rangers Baseball Express LLC). In addition to ownership duties, Ryan will retain his title as president while Greenberg will serve as managing partner and CEO of the team.

“I can’t tell you how excited we are to complete our purchase of the Texas Rangers,” Greenberg said in a press release. “We believe that this franchise belongs to all of its fans, and we pledge to be passionate in all we do to bring you the very best on and off the field.”

Outgoing owner Tom Hicks issued a statement Thursday in which he said “Chuck Greenberg and Nolan take control of a club that is well-positioned to compete, not only this year but for many years to come . . . [A] strong leadership team will be in place to help guide the franchise to the next level.”

Texas split a two-game series with New York at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington this week, beating closer Mariano Rivera in extra innings Tuesday, 4-3, before falling just short against him on Wednesday, 7-6. Right-hander Frank Francisco was brought in to pitch the eighth inning of both games, only to allow home runs to Alex Rodriguez and Marcus Thames on consecutive nights and issue three walks.

Outfielder David Murphy continued his hot hitting this month, going 3-for-6 with five runs batted in and three walks against the Yankees. Murphy is batting .423 with three home runs and 11 RBIs over his last seven games.

And right-hander Alexi Ogando lowered his ERA to 1.13 with two scoreless appearances against New York this week. In 24 innings this season, Ogando has a record of 3-1 with 23 strikeouts against 11 walks.

Rangers Notes: Greenberg-Ryan Group Wins Team Auction

After Tom Hicks (far left) drove the Rangers into debt, Chuck Greenberg and Nolan Ryan have won an auction to buy the team for $593 million.

Following nearly 15 hours worth of bidding in a Fort Worth court room, a group led by Pittsburgh attorney Chuck Greenberg and Rangers president Nolan Ryan emerged early Thursday morning as the winner of a bankruptcy auction for the Rangers. In what turned out to be a two-party auction, the Greenberg-Ryan group (Rangers Baseball Express) was challenged by a team of investors led by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Houston businessman Jim Crane (Radical Pitch LLC) before submitting the winning bid of $593 million, including $385 million in cash and $208 million in assumed debt.

Greenberg and Ryan had reached an agreement in January to purchase the team from outgoing owner Tom Hicks, but some of the lenders who hold $525 million in Hicks Sports Group debt began to raise objections over the potential deal. In an effort to expedite the process, Major League Baseball took control of the sale in late April and the Rangers voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy a month later.

“It was an emotional roller coaster,” Ryan said after the auction. “You go to court one day and it didn’t go your way, but you go back another day and it would. It’s a relief. It was time for someone to say uncle.”

The lenders who hold the debt on Hicks Sports Group signed off on the deal in a confirmation hearing Thursday morning, and the sale could be made official by next week if it gains the approval of 75 percent of MLB owners at their quarterly meeting on Aug. 12.

On the field, Texas won two of three games in Seattle to increase its American League West division lead to a season-high 8.5 games over Oakland and 10 games over the Angels. The Rangers are 3-3 on their current West Coast road trip, which will conclude with three games against the A’s this weekend at Oakland Coliseum.

With a perfect eighth inning Thursday against the Mariners, right-hander Darren O’Day recorded his 25th consecutive appearance without allowing a run. O’Day has pitched 23 and 1/3 scoreless innings since June 3 — the longest active streak in the majors — and he has given up a run in just four of his 49 appearances this season.

Outfielder David Murphy went 3-for-9 with two home runs and five RBIs against Seattle this week, and each of his round-trippers provided the Rangers with the eventual game-winning runs. Murphy has seen increased playing time in recent weeks as center fielder Julio Borbon is in the midst of a 3-for-21 slump.

Rangers Notes: Team Pads Lead with Clutch Wins

Nelson Cruz circles the bases following his three-run home run in the first inning of Thursday's 13-7 win over the Orioles.

The Rangers had won six of their last eight games before Wednesday’s 5-2 loss in Kansas City, and five of the six victories were by a one-run margin. The team reached its high-water mark of the season last week (25-18) after a five-game win streak put Texas four games ahead of Oakland in the American League West division standings. Despite losing three of four against the Cubs and Royals, the Rangers remain two games in front of the Athletics.

Right fielder Nelson Cruz was named the American League Player of the Week Monday after going 11-for-24 with two home runs, five doubles and 12 runs batted in. Although he missed more than two weeks with a strained right hamstring, Cruz is still tied for fifth in the A.L. with 34 RBI this season. 

Not to be outdone, designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero continues to produce results as the cleanup hitter in Ron Washington’s lineup. Heading into Wednesday’s game against the Royals, Guerrero was among the top five in the American League in batting average (.339), hits (58), home runs (12), RBI (42) and slugging percentage (.597), and he is currently the top A.L. vote-getter at DH for this summer’s All-Star Game in Anaheim. 

Third baseman Michael Young carries a 12-game hitting streak into this weekend’s series against the Twins, and his .381 batting average this month has helped push Young’s career hit total to 1,723, just 24 away from tying Ivan Rodriguez (1,747) as the Rangers’ all-time leader. 

Left-hander Matt Harrison is working his way back from a left biceps tendonitis injury and could re-join the active roster as soon as Friday in Minnesota. Once he returns, Harrison is expected to pitch out of the bullpen to give Texas a second left-handed reliever behind veteran Darren Oliver. In 23 and 2/3 innings this year, Oliver has posted a 1.52 earned run average with 25 strikeouts against just five walks. 

It was announced Monday that the team will voluntarily go into Chapter 11 bankruptcy in an effort to facilitate the ongoing sale of the club from Tom Hicks to the group led by Chuck Greenberg and Nolan Ryan, Rangers Baseball Express. By going to a judge and court-supervised process, according to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the sale can proceed without getting approval from the 40 lenders who hold roughly $525 million in Hicks Sports Group debt. The goal now is to finalize a deal sometime before the July 31 trade deadline.

Rangers Notes: Holland Shuts Down Oakland Offense

Derek Holland struck out seven Athletics batters across six shutout innings Wednesday against Oakland.

In his first major-league start of 2010, left-hander Derek Holland tossed six shutout innings Wednesday against Oakland while striking out seven batters and allowing just one walk.

The Rangers’ offense supported Holland with home runs from five different players (Josh Hamilton and Vladimir Guerrero in the fifth inning, Max Ramirez and Michael Young in the sixth and Justin Smoak in the seventh) as Texas cruised to a 10-1 victory. The team is now two games ahead of second-place Oakland in the American League West division.

On Thursday, left-hander C.J. Wilson gave up one run in seven innings to become the first Texas pitcher to start a season with seven quality starts. Though Wilson ended up with a no-decision in the Rangers’ 2-1 extra-inning victory, he lowered his earned run average to 1.48, second-best in the American League behind Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes.

Outfielder Nelson Cruz is expected to re-join the active roster for this weekend’s series against the Blue Jays in Toronto after missing three weeks with a strained right hamstring. The Rangers will send infielder Ryan Garko to Triple-A Oklahoma City to make room for Cruz on the roster, though Garko would have to clear waivers in order to join the RedHawks.

Through the first month and a half of the season, right-hander Colby Lewis continues to be among the top strikeout pitchers in the American League. Following his five-strikeout performance Tuesday against the Athletics, Lewis now has 49 strikeouts on the year and trails only Jered Weaver of the Angels (59), who has made one more start than Lewis.

And Evan Grant reports that Monarch Alternative Capital, the lender which owns a majority of Tom Hicks’ $525 million debt, has sent a letter to MLB owners expressing its dissatisfaction with the pending sale of the team to a group led by Chuck Greenberg and Nolan Ryan. Major League Baseball has recently taken over the sale process and is actively backing the Greenberg-Ryan group, called “Rangers Baseball Express.”