1996 Roll Call at Elysian Fields
Doug Melvin put the team together but gave credit to his predecessor Tom Grieve for assembling the core group of talent, and Johnny Oates brought them home with a 90-win season and the first division championship in club history.
On Saturday night, they are honored at Ameriquest Field in Arlington.
Roll call:
SP Ken Hill - The Rangers Opening Day pitcher and No. 1 starter, he was 16-10 with a 3.63 ERA and three shutouts. He beat the Angels at the end of September that ranks as one of the two biggest victories in club history.
SP John Burkett - He had the other big victory in Anaheim when the Rangers were in danger of blowing the division. He made ten starts after being acquired from Florida in August and was 5-2 with a 4.06 ERA. They don't win the division without him and he may be the most important in-season acquisition in Rangers history as far as impact on a pennant race.
SP Bobby Witt - A 16-game winner on a division championship team. The ERA was 5.41 but who cares. In the end, he helped bring a division championship to Arlington.
SP Roger Pavlik - A 15-game winner and an All-Star that year, he was great in the first half, then all but disappeared in the second half and that funy cross-body delivery ultimately couldn't be fixed.
SP Darren Oliver - He was brilliant for eight innings against the Yankees in Game 3. A 14-game winner that year in his second full year, he seemed on his way to being a big winner. That never happened but he's still pitching for the Mets.
SP Kevin Gross - He was in the second of a two-year contract, general manager Doug Melvin's first pitching acquisition. He did win 11 games but lost his spot in the rotation to Burkett.
RP Mike Henneman - He did save 31 games and was part of a strong cadre of clubhouse leaders. Still think he was the Rangers best option in that ultimately critical ninth inning of Game 3.
RP Mike Stanton - People forget he was acquired on July 31 for Kerry Lacy and Mark Brandenburg, a great addition to a bullpen that was much better than people remember.
RP Jeff Russell - Long time Rangers closer proved to be valuable as their right-handed setup reliever.
RP Ed Vosberg - A steady middle reliever, he had the lowest ERA of any Rangers reliever. He was traded the next season for Rick Helling.
RP Dennis Cook - Another key member of the Rangers bullpen and it was huge for Johnny Oates to have three pretty good left-handed relievers.
RP Danny Patterson - A September callup, he was added to the post-season roster. The Rangers thought he had a bright future but injury curtailed his career.
RP Gil Heredia - A free agent signed in the off-season, he ultimately had better years before in Montreal and after in Oakland.
SP Rick Helling - He only pitched six games for them but one was a huge victory over Kansas City in May that started a six-game winning streak.
C Ivan Rodriguez - At least one member of the 1996 team will eventually be enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Simply one of the greatest ever.
C Dave Valle - "Are you willing to do what it takes to win?"
1B Will Clark - In the end, all that mattered was he taught the Rangers how to win. He has to be in the Rangers Hall of Fame.
2B Mark McLemore - The Doctor of Defense. A winner, on and off the field.
SS Kevin Elster - Maybe the best individual story of 1996. He came to camp as a non-roster player, won the job when Benji Gil got hurt and ended up driving in 99 runs in the No. 9 spot. He literally saved the Rangers at shortstop.
3B Dean Palmer - He hit .280 with 38 home runs and 107 RBI. In 1996, Dean Palmer was simply everything the Rangers ever hoped for from him.
OF Juan Gonzalez - One of baseball's biggest mysteries in the past 20 years. But in 1996-99 he was as good as there was and who can ever forget his inspired performance against the Yankees in the playoffs. He kept the Rangers going in July and August.
OF Rusty Greer - Clutch hitter, clutch fielder, he literally sacrificed his body for three division championship and if Bernie Williams hadn't taken away that home run in Game 3...
OF Daryl Hamilton - Another great clubhouse leader, he hit .293 as the leadoff hitter, scored 94 runs and did not make an error in center field. He was here just one year but the Rangers don't win without him.
DH Mickey Tettleton - Warrior.
OF Warren Newson - Critical piece as a fourth outfielder, his ten home runs and 35 RBI in 235 at-bats were significant.
OF Damon Buford - Johnny Oates loved his defense but he also hit .283 in 145 at-bats and added speed off the bench.
IF Kurt Stillwell - An All-Star with Kansas City eight years before, this was his final season in the Majors. Favorite memory was he always stood at rigid attention for the Star-Spangled Banner.
IF Rene Gonzales - Good guy and a backup infielder on a team that really didn't need over very often. But every piece fit and that's why they won.
*tear* I sure did love this team.
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Loved that team.
Especially loved the red uniforms.
547 Wins - 521 Losses (.512) 3 Division Titles wearing Red uniforms.
384 Wins - 426 Losses (.472) 0 Division Titles since returning to blue uniforms.
Coincidence? I think not.
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Why we didn't hear more about the Valle meeting when it happened is a crime.
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One small comment in response to Jamey, then my own thoughts....If the Dave Valle meeting was a player's meeting, an in-house, not publicized (thank goodness!) and private player-to-player "gut check", which was player-inspired and not intended for public airing, then why on earth would it be a "crime" that we didn't hear about it at the time? I don't think we need to know everything-let the principals involved take care of the problem.....now my own comments concerning the vaunted 1996 team: Terrific team. Will Clark/Mickey Tettleton/Mark McLemore/Rusty Greer were the inspirations on the field, and Johnny Oates, a comforting presence in the dugout made this "TEAM" (Together Everyone Achieves Mightily)...Juan hit 'em out, Darryl Hamilton steadily caught 'em, Kevin Elster excelled in defense and offense, Rusty Greer gave heart and soul, and plus, WE WORE RANGER RED!
Why did we change to blue? Who in the front office made the decision to change, and WHY? The color represented our first division victory ever, and actually we won 3 of 4 years with Ranger Red. (Actually, the first year of the ballpark and strike year,1994, the Rangers were in first place when play stopped, we also were wearing RED!!)So, for 4 out of 6 years wearing Ranger RED, we were number ONE in the west...Why change? Why the blue? If it ain't broke, don't fix it! Why revert to Dodger Blue, such as in the Bobby Valentine days? WE WON IN RED, you front office Einsteins! We want RED back! Did anyone but me notice that when the Anaheim/Los Angeles/Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, or whatever they call themselves nowadays, that when they began copying our Ranger Red, they WON. HELLO??? Is anyone listening on Ballpark Way? I can't fault Jon Daniels for this, just the perenial scapegoat, John Hart. Maybe someone in marketing said, "Hmmmm. We can't stand success wearing our Ranger Red. We better switch to Dodger Blue again." The Dodgers have been basically horrendous the past 15+ years--why do we want to emulate them? Do I hear the Ranger marketing Einsteins wanting to copy the Kansas City Royals Blue uniforms next?
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