Tom Grieve was on BaD for his weekly call yesterday and he obviously doesn't believe this had anything to do with the team or JD.

He was a breath of fresh air in that he expressed his deep emotion at the loss of Wash (said it was one of the most difficult personnel changes he's witnessed in his decades-long career) but also that he is fine not knowing until the time that Ron is ready to tell everyone.

He said he texted Wash the day it happened to say what he meant to TAG and got back a response that Ron appreciated it.

Great timing to just basically vanish. Team is completely invisible and the start of the NFL season, Ray Rice, and tu football crapping the bed.

@JamieSportsTalk: BREAKING: Ron Washington left the Rangers due to impending legal issues, alleged sexual assault. More @TweetTheScoop http://t.co/JelUeeTo87

That's a huge accusation. That guy better have some pretty solid sources.



Its ok Wash. I like those Asian girls too.

Oh (old school) brother

quote:

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That guy better have some pretty solid sources.

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I think it is a she.

Huge accusation.

That just doesn't seem legit...

Ben Rogers tweeted that he heard the same thing.

quote:

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Ron Washington: A sexual assault allegation against former Texas Ranger manager Ron Washington is what led to his sudden resignation last
week, according to Jamie Kelly.

Kelly is a credible source, and this is consistent with the type of things that have been floating
around out there the past few days. If this news is correct, it would
certainly go a long way towards explaining why the people who know what
is going on have reacted the way they have.

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Link to SB nation report

Damn, just saw that shot on Facebook. Was hoping it was BS since I've never heard of scoopsports before

quote:

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That just doesn't seem legit...

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It actually fits with everything we do/don't know... Wasn't health or performance related, lawyers present during resignation, everyone in management that knew the reason seemed absolutely stunned.

Now the pertinent question becomes does this thing have any teeth, or was it a baseless accusation that Ron simply did not have the ability to deal with at this time (remember the Rangers brass made it clear they wanted Ron to stay -- hard to believe if it was a slam dunk guilt that Texas would be doing anything but distancing themselves).

Sad way to close out what will go down as the the worst season in Texas Rangers history.

So far, the Asian reporter thing is sounding like a rumor that no one else felt they had the sources to report.

Ben Rogers tweeted last night that he'd heard the same chatter about the rumor.

Richie Whitt was on the radio this morning talking about it, and while he tried to say Jamie Kelly's story was bad reporting (no sources, no details), he said that 1) Wash brought two attorneys with him to the meeting where he resigned (I guess culdeus is finally vindicated?), and 2) other, better (according to him) sources said it was a marital issue. JD asked Wash to finish out the season and then deal with it, but Wash felt he had to go right away.

I wish Wash would just come clean so the media (and we) will stop talking about it, and then we can focus on the game and cleaning up this mess of a year.

^
Could be both. I would think being accused of sexual assault would be hard on a marriage

My thoughts exactly. While Richie tried to downplay Jamie's story on the radio, everything he was saying (the lawyers, team reaction, and the marital problems comments) seemed to validate her story, or at least something like that.

The fact JD and the Rangers wanted him to stay and the fact Wash seemed to believe he would be back in baseball next season, lead me to be surprised this is legit.

Why would the Rangers have a PC to accept the resignation of someone who is presumably going to be charged with sexual assault on the heels of what the NFL is going through?!

The fact he had lawyers at the announcement, was not something I was aware of.

The more this rumor perpetuates, the more I think the claim has merit. However, it also would lead me to believe that there was even more to it.

Maybe blackmail? Maybe just infidelity (but why lawyers?)?

During the season... as a manager would just seem like a very difficult thing to happen with a reporter. Now, maybe it was consensual and the woman feels scorned... but I just can't imagine a scenario where a female Asian reporter would have been in an isolated situation with a manager.

With Darvish and Choo... there is certainly a large following...

quote:

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During the season... as a manager would just seem like a very difficult thing to happen with a reporter. Now, maybe it was consensual and the woman feels scorned... but I just can't imagine a scenario where a female Asian reporter would have been in an isolated situation with a manager.

With Darvish and Choo... there is certainly a large following...

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He could easily see the reporter in a hotel bar or ask her to get drinks... It wouldn't be that hard to isolate your self with a reporter outside of the park at all. Reporters can travel with the team and stay at the same hotel.

The support from the team doesn't discount it -- could very well be that Ron has said he is completely innocent and the team was backing their guy until proven guilty.

You have to remember Ron isn't some guy fresh off the street - he's been with the organization for 7 years - -2 of those being the most successful in franchise history. Whether there's some personality conflicts in the front office or not, JD and Ron have been through quite a bit together.

Richie Whitt commenting on someone else's bad reporting

What is the Japanese media reporting?

Is Yu Darvish involved in any way?

quote:

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He could easily see the reporter in a hotel bar or ask her to get drinks... It wouldn't be that hard to isolate your self with a reporter outside of the park at all. Reporters can travel with the team and stay
at the same hotel.

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I guess it depends on what they mean by sexual assault.

Grab a butt or tit... maybe, but I can't see all this drama over inappropriate groping.

A hotel bar? The coaches and players park in an isolated area, presumably with video surveillance?

Most hotels would have surveillance, as well.

If it were something he were innocent and occurred in a public place, even as you described... then he'll either be convicted, or charges summarily discharged.

I'm not trying to defend the guy... I'm just trying to substantiate why the merit of it would surprise me.

quote:

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but I can't see all this drama over inappropriate groping.

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Unless the bigger deal to him is dealing with his marriage and family. Maybe the legal ramifications are a non-issue, but he's got bigger troubles at home that are more important than baseball to him.

Ron is 62, would be 63 next season. He's been in professional baseball for 44 years as a player, front office man, base coach, position coach, and manager.

This season had to be wearing on him, anyways, and then even if this was a matter of "groping", I can see him saying "hey, let's just call it quits, for now, at least. If this gets taken care of and I feel like coming back to baseball in the future, maybe I'll have an opportunity. If this turns into a mess, or I just don't feel like coming back- I've had a long career and done it all- then I'll be under no pressure to come back and I won't keep the Rangers organization in limbo. I can try to ride off into the sunset with minimal invasion of my personal life and move on and enjoy retirement."

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And then go coach for Nolan who he likes more than JD anyway.

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When did Nolan get a GM gig? If he really doesn't like JD (strictly a media-propagated bit), I can't imagine him and Luhnow being buddies.

1:30 today

quote:

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Former Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington on Thursday will make his first public statement since resigning as Texas Rangers manager on Sept. 5.

Washington will make a statement at a Dallas-area hotel. He apparently has added a public-relations firm to assist him.

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Evan Grant thinks he's not going to reveal anything new. If so, what's the point?

Evan Grant doesn't know anything. Wash has hired two PR firms that specialize in crisis management. What would be the point of that if he didn't have anything to say?

Can any watching the presser give us updates? TIA

1:40 PM still setting up the podium, no one speaking yet.

1:42 Ron: "thanks for coming. when you respect baseball, baseball respects you. I made a mistake ...

when you put yourself in situations, you own it ... I was not true to my wife. After 42 years I broke my trust, want to apologize to her."

More apologizes for disappointing his wife, baseball, coaches, and the Rangers. Asks for us to respect his privacy as they move on.

Nothing else of substance. No questions.

****ed around on his wife.

That's it? He resigned over that? I mean, I can respect for him being a stand up guy and all, but seems kind of silly to resign over an affair. Has to be more to it.

Well, I can see that, if his marriage and family is more important to him than baseball. If she thinks this affair or whatever happened as a result of his baseball life, he could be trying to show her he's willing to give it all up to focus on her.