After signing a then-record 10-year/$252 million deal in free agency to join the Texas Rangers, Alex Rodriguez had one of the best three-year stretches in modern MLB history.
Between 2001 and 2003, Rodriguez slashed .305/.395/.615 with 156 home runs, 395 RBIs and a 27.0 fWAR, which was second only to Barry Bonds among all players in the sport.
Amazingly, Rodriguez only won the American League MVP Award once during this three-year stretch, claiming the honor in 2003. Realistically, a case can be made that A-Rod should have been the recipient of the AL's top honor all three seasons, considering he led the league in home runs every year from 2001 to 2003 and fWAR in what turned out to be his final two seasons with the Rangers.
Unfortunately for the Rangers, while Rodriguez was tremendously productive in three seasons in Arlington, the team went just 216-270 (.444) during his stint with the team. That -- and an admission a few years later that he used performance-enhancing drugs during his entire time with the organization -- watered down what should have been one of the great stints in the history of the franchise.
Despite Rodriguez hitting 156 home runs as a Ranger, the best memory that many fans of the organization have regarding him is when Neftalí Féliz struck him out to end the 2010 ALCS. The Rangers defeated Rodriguez and the New York Yankees -- the defending World Series Champions -- in six games to win the first AL pennant in franchise history.
In another world, Rodriguez would have played at least a decade with the Rangers, and perhaps gone down as the best player in franchise history. Instead, he fell short as we look back at the nine greatest players in Rangers history:
9. Josh Hamilton (2008-2012; 2015)
Josh Hamilton is one of the greatest Rangers ever.(Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)Best Season as a Ranger: 2010 - .359/.411/.633 with 32 home runs, 100 RBIs, 43 walks, 1.044 OPS, 170 OPS+ and an 8.4 fWAR
Career Stats as a Ranger: .302/.359/.542 with 150 home runs, 531 RBIs, 240 walks, 814 hits, .901 OPS, 134 OPS+, 23.3 fWAR
The No. 1 overall pick in the 1999 MLB Draft by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, addiction troubles kept Hamilton from making his Major League Debut until 2007, when he played in 90 games for the Cincinnati Reds. The Rangers were so impressed that they traded Edinson Vólquez to acquire Hamilton before the 2008 season, making what turned out to be one of the best deals in franchise history. While Hamilton's peak was relatively short, he won an American League MVP, made five All-Star teams and helped the Rangers to win back-to-back pennants in 2010 and 2011.
8. Frank Howard (1965-1972)
Frank Howard was one of the best players in Washington Senators history.(Hulton Archive/Getty Images)Best Season as a Senator: 1969 - .296/.402/.574 with 48 home runs, 111 RBIs, 102 walks, .976 OPS, 178 OPS+ and a 5.6 fWAR
Career Stats as a Senator: .277/.367/.503 with 246 home runs, 701 RBIs, 575 walks, 1,141 hits, .870 OPS, 153 OPS+ and 27.8 fWAR
Before they moved to Texas, the Rangers franchise was the Washington Senators from 1961-1971, a relatively underwhelming 11-year stretch, outside of Ted Williams managing the team for four seasons. However, Howard was the most productive player in the second installment of the Senators, a power-hitter that made four All-Star teams with the franchise. Howard -- who spent seven seasons with the Senators and part of one with the Rangers -- remains third in franchise history with 246 home runs.
7. Juan González (1989-1999; 2002-2003)
Juan Gonzalez is one of the best players in Rangers history.(Al Bello/Allsport)Best Season as a Ranger: 1998 - .318/.366/.630 with 45 home runs, 157 RBIs, 46 walks, .997 OPS, 149 OPS+ and a 4.9 fWAR
Career Stats as a Ranger: .293/.342/.565 with 372 home runs, 1,180 RBIs, 375 walks, 1,595 hits, .907 OPS, 133 OPS+ and 29.3 fWAR
González is one of 32 players in MLB history who have won multiple MVP Awards, winning the American League MVP Award in 1996 and 1998. Across two stints with the Rangers "Juan Gone" hit 372 home runs, the most in franchise history. However, a connection to performance-enhancing drugs doomed Gonzalez's Hall of Fame case.
6. Ian Kinsler (2006-2013)
Ian Kinsler is one of the best players in Rangers history.(Kevin Jairaj/USA Today)Best Season as a Ranger: 2011 - .255/.355/.477 with 32 home runs, 77 RBIs, 89 walks, .832 OPS, 118 OPS+ and a 7.3 fWAR
Career Stats as a Ranger: .273/.349/.454 with 156 home runs, 539 RBIs, 462 walks, 1,145 hits, .804 OPS, 111 OPS+ and 29.4 fWAR
If the Rangers hadn't made the ill-advised deal to send Kinsler to the Detroit Tigers for Prince Fielder ahead of the 2014 season, he would be even higher on this list. As is, Kinsler posted an .804 OPS and 50 defensive runs saved during his eight seasons with the Rangers. Kinsler made three All-Star teams as a Ranger, and is one of the most complete players in franchise history.
5. Buddy Bell (1979-1985; 1989)
Buddy Bell is one of the best players in Rangers history.(Tony Tomsic/USA Today)Best Season as a Ranger: 1980 - .329/.379/.498 with 17 home runs, 83 RBis, 40 walks, .877 OPS, 143 OPS+ and a 6.0 fWAR
Career Stats as a Ranger: .293/.351/.431 with 87 home runs, 499 RBIs, 335 walks, 1,060 hits, .782 OPS, 117 OPS+ and 34.7 fWAR
Like Kinsler, Bell was a tremendous all-around player, posting a .351 on-base percentage and winning six Gold Glove Awards during parts of eight seasons with the Rangers. Between 1979 and 1984, Bell finished behind only Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt, Gary Carter and Robin Yount in fWAR.
4. Michael Young (2000-2012)
Michael Young is one of the best players in Rangers history.(Ezra Shaw/Getty ImagesBest Season as a Ranger: 2005 - .331/.385/.513 with 24 home runs, 91 RBIs, 58 walks, .899 OPS+, 131 OPS+ and a 4.1 fWAR
Career Stats as a Ranger: .301/.347/.444 with 177 home runs, 984 RBIs, 532 walks, 2,230 hits, .791 OPS, 104 OPS+ and 25.1 fWAR
Young may not have been a star defender, but he was a hits machine during his 13 seasons with the Rangers. Young led baseball in hits during both the 2005 and 2011 seasons, also winning the American League batting title when he hit .331 in 2005. His 2,230 hits are most in franchise history. The Rangers retired the seven-time All-Star's No. 10 in August of 2019.
3. Rafael Palmeiro (1989-1993; 1999-2003)
Rafael Palmeiro is one of the greatest players in Rangers history.(Ronald Martinez/Allsport)Best Season as a Ranger: 1999 - .324/.420/.630 with 47 home runs, 148 RBIs, 97 walks, 1.050 OPS, 160 OPS+ and 5.4 fWAR
Career Stats as a Ranger: .290/.378/.519 with 321 home runs, 1,039 RBIs, 805 walks, 1,692 hits, .897 OPS, 137 OPS+ and 42.3 fWAR
Across two stints with the Rangers, Palmeiro hit 321 home runs and accumulated 1,692 hits, which are second and fourth in franchise history, respectively. Palmeiro tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug during the 2005 season in August of 2005, weeks after he recorded his 3,000th hit and less than six months after he defiantly told a congressional committee that he had never taken steroids. While that positive test -- which he claims was because of "a tainted B12 sample" -- came while he was playing for the Baltimore Orioles, it created questions about the legitimacy of his entire career. Despite being 13th in MLB history with 569 home runs, Palmeiro is not in the Hall of Fame. His No. 25 also hasn't been retired by the Rangers.
2. Adrián Beltré (2011-2018)
Adrian Beltre is one of the greatest players in Rangers history.(Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)Best Season as a Ranger: 2012 - .321/.359/.561 with 36 home runs, 102 RBIs, 36 walks, .921 OPS, 139 OPS+ and a 6.3 fWAR
Career Stats as a Ranger: .304/.357/.509 with 199 home runs, 699 RBIs, 330 walks, 1,277 hits, .865 OPS, 128 OPS+ and 36.4 fWAR
Beltré didn't join the Rangers until his age-32 season, but Texas is where he became one of the greatest third basemen in MLB history. In eight seasons with the Rangers, Beltré hit nearly 200 home runs, while winning the Platinum Glove Award as the best defender in the American League in both 2011 and 2012. Beltré's No. 29 was retired by the Rangers in June of 2019, and there's no doubt that when he's elected as a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2024 he'll be wearing a Rangers hat on his plaque.
1. Iván "Pudge" Rodriguez (1991-2002; 2009)
Pudge Rodriguez is one of the greatest players in Rangers history.(Stephen Dunn /Allsport)Best Season as a Ranger: 1999 - .332/.356/.558 with 35 home runs, 113 RBIs, 24 walks, .914 OPS, 125 OPS+ and a 6.8 fWAR
Career Stats as a Ranger: .304/.341/.488 with 217 home runs, 842 RBIs, 309 walks, 1,747 hits, .828 OPS, 112 OPS+ and 49.5 fWAR
One of the most complete catchers the sport has ever seen, Rodriguez spent parts of 13 seasons with the Rangers, making 10 All-Star teams and riding one of the strongest arms in baseball history to 10 Gold Glove Awards during his time as a Ranger. Despite Jose Canseco tying Rodriguez to PED use, "Pudge" was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2017. That same summer, the Rangers retired his No. 7.
Previous Entires in This Series
- The 9 Greatest Players in Giants History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Astros History
- The 9 Greatest Players in Expos/Nationals History
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