Wash Plays GM

Ranger goodies from Jamey Newberg.

Ron Washington's unvarnished outspokenness with the press was a refreshing change over the winter and when spring training got underway, but some of his comments lately have been a little curious.

Asked on a talk show on Friday morning whether he wanted Vicente Padilla back in 2008, Washington responded: "I don't think I have a choice there." Honest? Sure. Tactful? Not sure.

Other examples of Washington's straight-talk express abound in Newberg's piece.

Washington seems to have gotten a lot more than expected out of his players over the past four months. It would be a shame if his downfall was losing the clubhouse with a few too many jabs at his own players.

Very few managers can get away with pounding on their players in the press consistently. Lou Pinella is an example of one manager who can get away with it. The odds are against Washington, or for that matter most other managers, being able to pull that off over the long-term.