1992 Texas Rangers

1992 Texas Rangers / Franchise: Texas Rangers / BR Team Page

Record: 77-85, Finished 4th in AL Western Division (1992 AL)

Managed by Bobby Valentine (45-41) and Toby Harrah (32-44)

Coaches: Ray Burris, Orlando Gomez, Toby Harrah, Perry Hill, Tom House, Dave Oliver and Tom Robson

Ballpark: Arlington Stadium

History, Comments, Contributions

The 1992 Texas Rangers were a team in development, loaded with young ballplayers who would become the backbone of a solid club throughout the remainder of the 1990s.

20-year-old catcher Ivan Rodriguez made his full season debut, earning his first of 14 All-Star selections, while 23-year-old third baseman Dean Palmer also played his first full campaign, contributing 26 home runs and 72 RBI. Juan Gonzalez, at 22, led the team - and the American League - with 43 home runs, also pacing the club with 109 RBI, and 26-year-old outfielder Ruben Sierra added 14 home runs, 70 RBI and 12 stolen bases before being traded with two other players partway through the season for star slugger, 27-year-old Jose Canseco. Rafael Palmeiro, also 27 and entering his prime, had 22 home runs and 85 RBI. In what would be his career year, 27-year-old Jeff Huson paced the club with 18 steals. 24-year-old David Hulse had a promising stint, hitting .304 in 92 at-bats.

The youth movement was afoot in the pitching staff as well. 27-year-old Kevin Brown paced the team with 21 wins, tossing 11 complete games and posting a 3.32 ERA in 265 2/3 innings, while rookie Roger Pavlik won 4 games and had a 4.21 ERA in 13 games (12 starts). Before becoming a rotation staple, Kenny Rogers was a reliable reliever, posting a 3.09 ERA and leading the league with 81 appearances at 27 years old. 24-year-old Matt Whiteside had a 1.93 ERA in 20 relief appearances.

But it wasn't just the youngsters carrying all the weight that year. Veterans like 41-year-old Brian Downing and 45-year-old Nolan Ryan contributed, with the former posting a .407 on-base percentage with 10 home runs, and the latter averaging nearly a strikeout per inning in 157 1/3 frames. Pitcher Jose Guzman added 16 wins and closer Jeff Russell had 28 saves and a 1.91 ERA in 51 relief appearances before being included in the big trade with the Oakland Athletics that brought Canseco on board.

Not all the young studs worked out, however. Former first rounders Monty Fariss and Donald Harris batted .217 and .182, respectively, while Cris Colon - who jumped straight from Double A - hit .167. Dan Peltier, once a Baseball America top prospect, hit just .167 and slugger Rob Maurer, a perpetual .300 hitter in the minors, batted .063. On the mound, former first rounders Dan Smith and Brian Bohanon had ERAs of 5.02 and 6.31, respectively, while Gerald Alexander - who won 19 games on the farm in 1990 - had a 27.00 ERA in 3 appearances.

The team's core players would help the Rangers become one of the better clubs throughout the rest of the 1990s, with the team winning 86 games in 1993 and finishing first in the American League West in 1994 (albeit with a losing record). In 1995, they would again post a winning record, then make the American League Division Series in 1996, 1998 and 1999.

Awards and Honors

• All-Stars: Kevin Brown, Ivan Rodriguez and Ruben Sierra
• Gold Glove: Ivan Rodriguez (C)
• Silver Slugger Award: Juan Gonzalez (OF)