Chris Woodward was hired as manager of the Texas Rangers on Saturday Jason Kipnis Jersey , six weeks after Jeff Banister was fired.He received a three-year contract with a club option for 2022. He will be introduced at a news conference Monday.Woodward inherits a team that went 67-95 and finished last in the AL West, with the focus turning to the development of younger players. Texas had its first consecutive losing seasons since 2005-08.The hiring ended a process during which general manager Jon Daniels and the Rangers interviewed more than 10 candidates, including bench coach Don Wakamatsu after he served as interim coach the final 10 games of the season.Woodward was interviewed this week after the Dodgers finished their second straight season in which they advanced to the World Series, losing both times. The last team before Los Angeles that appeared in consecutive World Series without winning the title was Texas in 2010 and 2011.“We interviewed a number of strong candidates during an extensive interview process for our managerial role and believe we have found the right fit in Chris Woodward,” Daniels said in a statement released by the team. “We look forward to working with him and everyone on the baseball staff to develop and grow a culture that will lead to success for many years to come.”Daniels has hired three managers in his 13 seasons as the Rangers GM, and all were first-time MLB managers. Texas won its only American League pennants during Ron Washington’s eight seasons before Banister won two AL West titles in his four seasons.Two candidates Texas interviewed were hired last month as managers by other teams, David Bell in Cincinnati and Rocco Baldelli in Minnesota. The hiring of Woodward left the Baltimore Orioles, who fired Buck Showalter after the season, as the only MLB team with a managerial vacancy.The 42-year-old Woodward spent the past three years on the staff of manager Dave Roberts, after working for Seattle the previous three years. He started his coaching career as minor league infield coordinator for the Mariners in 2013, then joined their big league staff later that year. He was Seattle’s infield coach in 2014 and the first base coach in 2015.“Chris brings high energy, outstanding leadership and communication skills, a strong knowledge of the game and its evolving strategies, and great integrity — attributes that we feel are vital for our next manager,” Daniels said. “We believe these traits will resonate with our players Lonnie Chisenhall Jersey , our staff, and our fans. He has also been a big part of a very successful stretch in Los Angeles.”As a player, Woodward spent 12 seasons (1999-2011) with five teams — Toronto, the New York Mets, Seattle, Atlanta and Boston. He hit .239 with 33 home runs and 191 RBIs while playing every position except pitcher and catcher.Woodward was teammates with Adrian Beltre for a short period during the 2009 season with the Mariners. Beltre, who has 3,166 career hits, just completed his 21st big league season and hasn’t said yet if he will return to play for the Rangers again next year.When Beltre went on the disabled list during the 2009 season, Woodward started 13 games at third base in his place. Soon after Beltre’s return that August, Woodward was selected off waivers by the Boston Red Sox.The Rangers went 87-75 in 2009 before their two World Series seasons, then lost in the AL’s first one-and-done wild-card game in 2012. They ended the 2013 regular season with a loss to Tampa Bay in a wild-card tiebreaker.When Banister was fired Sept. 21 with 10 games left in this season, Daniels acknowledged that the decision wasn’t based on the record and said instead that it was time for a new voice in leadership. Banister was under contract through next season.Woodward is a native of Covina, California, as is Michael Young http://www.indiansfanproshop.com/authentic-larry-doby-jersey , the Rangers career leader in hits and games played who is now a special assistant to the general manager. They are the same age but played at different high schools. TORONTO (AP) — Late in the season, as rumors of potential managerial openings swirled around baseball, Charlie Montoyo and fellow Tampa Bay Rays coaches Rocco Baldelli and Matt Quatraro started playing a game. When word of an expected vacancy surfaced, one member of the trio would slip that team’s media guide into the others’ locker. The suggestion: If someone comes calling you in the offseason, you’d better have done your homework.As it turned out, no one ever put a Blue Jays media guide in Montoyo’s locker, even though he saw Toronto as an enticing opportunity.“We were saying, that’s going to be a good job,” Montoyo said Monday in his first public appearance as the 13th manager in Blue Jays history. “This is an exciting team right here, for sure.”By the time Montoyo found out Toronto wanted to talk to him, there was no time to prepare.“I couldn’t,” he said. “It happened that fast.”Montoyo might not have known the Blue Jays organization inside out, but that didn’t stop him from becoming Toronto GM Ross Atkins’ preferred candidate. A week ago Sunday, about an hour after Rays GM Erik Neander told Montoyo the Blue Jays were interested in him, Atkins was calling to chat. Two days later Bob Feller Jersey , Montoyo was in Toronto to interview. By Thursday, the job was his.“He really fit our criteria the best before he ever set foot in our building,” Atkins said. “Excitement would be putting it lightly. I’m elated.”The Blue Jays had consecutive losing seasons under John Gibbons after making back-to-back AL Championship Series appearances in 2015 and 2016, but Montoyo said he sees plenty to look forward to.“It almost reminds me of the team we had in Tampa,” Montoyo said. “A lot of younger kids, there’s going to have to be a lot of player development. It’s going to be a fun team to manage.”Montoyo, whose only big league playing experience was a four-game stint with Montreal in 1993, was later a minor league teammate of Expos great Vladimir Guerrero. In Toronto, his top prospect will be the Hall of Famer’s son, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who hit .381 with 20 homers at Double-A and Triple-A this past season.“To tell you the truth, I’ve never seen him play, but I’m looking forward to it,” Montoyo said.Montoyo served as bench coach for Rays manager Kevin Cash last season, moving back into the dugout after three years as Tampa Bay’s third base coach. Before that Satchel Paige Jersey , he spent 18 seasons as a minor league manager in the Rays system, winning seven International League South Division titles and two Governors’ Cup championships (2009, 2013) with Triple-A Durham. He also worked with the Puerto Rican team at the 2009 World Baseball Classic.Acknowledging he has yet to discuss specifics with Atkins and team president Mark Shapiro, Montoyo said fans shouldn’t expect him to copy Tampa Bay’s use of opening pitchers and four-man outfield alignments.“Just because I come from Tampa Bay doesn’t mean we’re going to do everything they did over there,” Montoyo said. “We’re a different team and we’re going to adjust to what we have.”One thing he will try to bring, however, is the goal of defying expectations for a young, unheralded team. Tampa Bay won 90 games this season, making a push for a wild-card berth in the final weeks of September. Previously, Shapiro and Atkins both suggested it could take two to four years for Toronto’s rebuild to bear fruit.“From the first game of spring training, we’re going to play to win,” Montoyo said.Montoyo said he was proud to put on a Blue Jays jersey for the first time Monday, one day after fellow Puerto Rican Alex Cora led the Boston Red Sox to the World Series title.“There’s a lot of happiness in Puerto Rico now and I’m proud of that,” he said.