Daniels wants the Rangers to be strong contenders in '20 when the team moves into Globe Life FieldGETTY IMAGES
MLB Rangers ownership "left no doubts" about the job security of President of Baseball Operations & GM Jon Daniels with a "long-anticipated multiyear contract extension that means organization stability as it tries to navigate the narrow straits back to relevance," according to Evan Grant of the DALLAS MORNING NEWS. Daniels was "hesitant to say the Rangers were 'rebuilding,'" but also "hesitant to say when he was certain the club would return to contention." Daniels said that the Rangers would "like to be in a position to 'really win'" in '20 when the team moves into Globe Life Field, its under-construction retractable-roof ballpark. Team ownership's perspective is "based on this principle: Daniels built the Rangers into a power to be reckoned with once and remains capable of doing it again" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 6/8). In Ft. Worth, Jeff Wilson notes it had been "speculated upon since the GM meetings in November that an extension would happen, again just before the end of spring training and even as the Rangers' early-season struggles pointed them to a second straight losing season." Daniels said that he was "never worried that he would be looking for employment after his contract ran out following this season" (Ft. Worth STAR-TELEGRAM, 6/8).
ALL ABOUT OPTICS: In Dallas, Kevin Sherrington writes it is not that Daniels "doesn't deserve" a contract extension, given that he has "presided over the greatest era in franchise history." But "plain and simple, the problem is the timing." The Rangers are "in the midst of their worst season" since '14. Sherrington: "Does that sound like a great frame of reference for rewarding the guy in charge?" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 6/8). In Ft. Worth, Mac Engel wrote Daniels "recognized from an early age that winning games is sometimes not quite as important as winning over your boss." Rangers co-Chairs Ray Davis and Bob Simpson "don't just like" Daniels, they are "in love" with him. Engel: "Must be nice to know you can drive a team right into dead last and not only have the support of your bosses, but get more of their money in the process" (STAR-TELEGRAM.com, 6/7).
IN GOOD STANDING: FANRAG SPORTS' Jon Heyman cited sources as saying that Mets GM Sandy Alderson's new deal with the club is a "multi-year arrangement" -- two years for $4M a year -- that keeps him in his role through '19. The Mets gave Alderson an extension in late '17 with his contract about to expire "without revealing how long his new contract lasted." Meanwhile, despite the club's current 27-32 record, there is said to be "no discontent with Alderson" within the Mets organization (FRSBASEBALL.com, 6/7).
