2009 Texas Rangers season
| 2009 Texas Rangers | |
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| Major League affiliations | |
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| Location | |
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| Results | |
| Record | 87–75 (.537) |
| Divisional place | 2nd |
| Other information | |
| Owner(s) | Tom Hicks |
| General manager(s) | Jon Daniels |
| Manager(s) | Ron Washington |
| Local television |
Fox Sports Southwest KDFI, channel 27 (MyNetworkTV) KDFW, channel 4 (Fox) Tom Grieve, Josh Lewin |
| Local radio |
KRLD 105.3 FM (Weekdays) KRLD 1080 AM (Weekends) Eric Nadel, Dave Barnett |
| < Previous season Next season > | |
The Texas Rangers' 2009 season was the 49th in franchise history and the team's 38th year in Arlington, Texas.
2009 signified the continuation of a strategy implemented by General Manager Jon Daniels in the summer of 2007. The plan to improve the club emphasized the acquisition and development of prospective talent within the Rangers' organization. Several young players such as SS Elvis Andrus, OF Julio Borbon, and pitchers Derek Holland and Tommy Hunter made their big league debuts in 2009 after spending time in the Rangers' minor league system. Ranked as the #1 farm system by Baseball America prior to the start of the season, the organization began the season with several of its heralded prospects still in the minor leagues. Emergence of these prospects on the Major League level gave the franchise and its fan base a brighter hope for the future, in line with the objective of competing for the A.L. West title in 2010 and beyond.
Notable performances from several core players as well as a well-coached pitching staff contributed to a greatly improved record and allowed the Rangers to compete for the division and wild card playoff berths well into the final weeks of the season.
*Rookie
Record: 10-11
Starting Rotation: RHP Kevin Millwood, RHP Vicente Padilla, RHP Brandon McCarthy, RHP Kris Benson, LHP Matt Harrison, RHP Scott Feldman*
* spot starter
Opening day of the 2009 season saw the Rangers open the year at home for the first time in four years. In a 10-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians, the club roughed up reigning A.L. Cy Young winner Cliff Lee. A sweep of the Indians was quickly forgotten as the Rangers were swept by the Tigers in Detroit over the first weekend of the year. The Rangers dropped 5 games in a row before bouncing back in their last game against the Orioles on April 15. That day, MLB's "Jackie Robinson Day", 2B Ian Kinsler went 6-for-6 at the plate, hitting for the cycle. Kinsler became the fourth player to perform the feat in a Rangers uniform and the first player since 1890 to record a 6-hit cycle. The Rangers dropped the next two games at home to the Royals, and before Sunday's game many observers openly questioned manager Ron Washington's job security. In that game, the Rangers' oft-criticized bullpen recorded four scoreless innings in relief, allowing the lineup to rally in the 8th inning. In a 5-5 tie game, 3B Michael Young led off the bottom of the 9th inning with a 427-foot walk-off home run, the first of his career. Washington's position as manager appeared to be saved as the Rangers headed to Toronto, where they bested Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay in the first game. Game 2 of the series saw the Rangers debuts of LHP prospect Derek Holland and newly acquired RHP Darren O'Day. O'Day, who arrived in Toronto after first pitch, quickly joined the team at the stadium and was informed upon arrival that he would pitch that night. Wearing Kason Gabbard's #60 jersey, O'Day met his new manager, catcher, and teammates on the pitching mound in the 11th inning. O'Day would be credited with the loss after giving up the winning run. While in Toronto, CF Josh Hamilton made a diving catch against the wall in left-center, suffering the first of several injuries in 2009. The Rangers took 3 of 4 games from another series with the Orioles before ending the month against their first division opponent, the Oakland Athletics, splitting the 2-game set.
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