Introduction to the New Manager
ARLINGTON — Jeff Banister commanded his opening news conference like Douglas MacArthur. Or Knute Rockne. Frankly, I didn’t know whether to salute or run through a wall. Alas, Banny, a fitful general, wasn’t as adept at the day-to-day business of interpersonal communication.
Of the Rangers’ other managers this century, Johnny Oates was tactical, if fragile; Jerry Narron, underequipped; Buck Showalter, a micromanager; Ron Washington, profane; Bruce Bochy, folksy; and Chris Woodward talked everyone to death.
Skip Schumaker?
Handled himself impressively in his introduction Friday at the Globe, though Chris Young hired him less for his elocution than for the hope that he finds the middle ground between the communication skills of the club’s last two skippers.
Previous Managers
The Rangers have had their fair share of managers over the years, each with their unique style and approach. Jeff Banister, for instance, was known for his commanding presence, but struggled with day-to-day communication. Johnny Oates, on the other hand, was tactical but fragile, while Jerry Narron was underequipped. Buck Showalter was a micromanager, Ron Washington was profane, and Bruce Bochy was folksy. Chris Woodward, the most recent manager before Schumaker, was known for talking too much.
If there’s a valid complaint against a Hall of Fame manager, it’s that Bochy might have too often given the veterans the benefit of the doubt. Players ran his clubhouse, which is how it goes in most winning organizations. Problem is, this clubhouse lacked anyone to make sure Bochy’s message reached across the room.
Communication is Key
The Rangers tuned out Woodward’s overkill and no longer responded to Bochy’s light touch, which is how we got to Friday’s presser. Communication was the word of the day. Everyone used it, from Young, the president of baseball operations, to Schumaker to Ross Fenstermaker, the general manager. It’s even the first word of CAPE, the acronym Schumaker employs to illustrate his vision of a winning culture.
Communication, alignment, preparation and execution. “So everybody talks about winning culture,” Schumaker said, “but no one can define it. That’s kind of what I believe it is. You can’t have one without the other and expect to win.
“And I believe it’s in that order.”
Looking to the Future
Of course, you’re probably more interested in next year’s batting order, and I’m right there with you. Nothing builds a bridge over troubled clubhouses like a three-run homer. Schumaker agrees. But the fact is the lineup may not change much, and home runs have been hard to come by from these guys since they left Chase Field with champagne in their hair.
Schumaker didn’t dwell on it much Friday, but he said the Rangers will do what the game asks of them. If it means playing small ball, so be it. They can’t keep swinging from their heels on any count in every situation. That tired approach got a Hall of Fame manager a pat on the back on his way out the door.
Before Schumaker’s four-year deal is up, we’ll learn how well his message translates. For the record, Wash, a first-rate communicator, had a culture shortcut of his own: ACE, or attitude, commitment and effort. A three-letter acronym once was enough to get the Rangers to back-to-back World Series. The moral now: assume nothing. Their next manager will probably need the whole alphabet.
Photos from the Introduction
Settle in, Skip: See photos from Rangers’ intro news conference with new manager Skip Schumaker
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The Rangers had a top-five bullpen in baseball last season despite the fact that they committed just north of $15 million to the group.
