Last week, the Texas Rangers confirmed their newest hire to take care of the dugout leadership.
Bruce Bochy was announced as the new manager of the Rangers.
Today, fans could finally see him with his new threads.
“There is a new sheriff in town,” the official account of the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA) tweeted, with pictures of Bochy’s presentation.
There’s a new sheriff in town. 🤠
📸: @Rangers pic.twitter.com/VDQaaI2DGF
— MLBPAA (@MLBPAA) October 24, 2022
Bochy’s first challenge will be convincing the Rangers roster that they can win: the Baltimore Orioles, for example, went from having a 52-110 record in 2021 to an 83-79 mark in 2022, a 31-win difference.
If the Orioles could, why can’t the Rangers do something similar?
Lots of the things that happen in the front office won’t depend on Bochy, but the Rangers will likely approach him to ask his opinion on players to recruit or pursue.
Can Bochy Help The Rangers Take The Next Step?
The most important thing, however, is that the Rangers bring the right people to the organization and shore up scouting, analytics, and player development departments.
That part is crucial, and it’s actually what made the Orioles competitive this year: they could develop some excellent pitchers out of nowhere, and they guided young, promising prospects on their path to the majors and put them in a position to succeed.
The Rangers need to develop their own contributors, and Bochy, a man who has won three World Series with many homegrown stars, can surely help.
The 68-94 Rangers probably won’t expect to contend right away, but the hope is that Bochy can help put together a competitive team that is competitive at some point within the next couple of seasons.
It won’t be easy, but he has done it before.
NEXT: Graphic Shows Bruce Bochy's All-Time MLB Resume