Word is that former Cleveland GM John Hart has phoned Seattle and informed the Mariners that he'd like to come out of retirement and run a team again. Hart currently is working as a consultant for the Rangers.
...Funny how this is worded... "former Cleveland GM"... instead of "former Texas GM"...
Quick story on Hart's last go-around with the Rangers...
When Doug Melvin was fired in 2000, Texas owner Tom Hicks had two suitors to his GM throne; Dave Dombrowski and John Hart.
It's assumed that Dombrowski's interview didn't fly over too well with the Rangers brass. The dreaded "R" word was thrown around... a youth movement was advocated. The Rangers were only a year removed from having won the West... and had put together a nice run during the late 90's... but, it was clear that no progress was being made, as the team succumbed to three first-round playoff exits in four years.
Hart, on the other hand, believed the Rangers were on the cusp; a mere one or two players away. Tom Hicks, being the 'win-now' dingleberry he is, liked what he heard, and Hart was hired.
What followed was a series of disastrous free-agent signings and trades: Rafael Palmeiro, Ruben Sierra, Juan Gonzalez, Chan Ho Park, Jay Powell, Todd Van Poppel, Richard Hidalgo, Hideki Irabu, John Rocker, Ismael Valdez, Andres Galarragga, Ken Caminiti ... has-beens, have-nots...
...And even though he was worth every penny while he played here, the A-Rod contract was (sigh) a stretch.
His drafts were hit-and-miss... Colby Lewis, Mark Teixeira, Vince Sinisi, Ian Kinsler, John Mayberry, Drew Meyer (Meyer was more of a Grady Fuson pick (assistant GM); but, because of Hart's bogus spending spree the previous off-season, the Rangers 2002 draft did not net a pick in Rounds 2 - 5)...
In a nutshell, Hart set this team back years... when it all ended, many of us were left to wonder what it would have been like with Davey-D at the helm.
It baffles me that he still collects a paycheck with the Rangers, but... whatever.
The first reaction is usually the correct one. - Akeem
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