Well Ian, thanks for not doing anything to make a liar out of me, not that I expected you to. When I heard about Kinsler’s comments in an article for ESPN the magazine my initial response was to be surprised that it took this long. It would have been hard not to expect someone as outspoken as Ian to speak his mind. It would have been damn near impossible to think that when he did, his comments would reflect anything other than hurt feelings.
To me there is a certain level of irony in that Kinsler would blast Daniels for having too much of an ego in a piece that clearly shows how bruised Kinsler’s own big ego is. The hypocrisy Kinsler displayed with that comment is laughable. The name calling was pretty cute too. If Daniels comes across as a “sleazeball” because of the way he deals with players it sure as hell doesn’t bother me as long as this team continues to win. It’s hard for me to believe that he’s done much to earn that sort of reputation other than hurting the feelings of a few aging players by not overvaluing them. Most of them would probably get along well with Jerry Jones, assuming they’re the type who are cool with mediocrity.
I’m sure there are plenty of Ranger fans that think Kinsler’s comments are probably justified. Most of those same fans are the ones who can’t give Daniels his due because they are blinded by their hero worship of that guy who recently took a job in Houston. The fact that they are completely unwilling to acknowledge simple historical fact is as irritating as it gets. Kinsler’s comments only give those morons more fuel.
Another topic addressed by Kinsler was the problem he had with the Rangers organization expecting him to be a leader for the younger players. How could a team possibly expect a guy who’s been in the league for nearly a decade to provide a strong example? I guess that’s just too much. Come on Ian. That’s just something that’s expected of a veteran ballplayer. It sounds to me more like an excuse for your struggles.
What about the part where he seemed bitter about being asked to change positions? He didn’t want to move to make room for Profar because “these guys gotta earn it, that’s what I did”. Yeah, because it’s not like the team sent an All Star player packing to make room for you or anything. Do you have the slightest idea how stupid you sound with that garbage?
When all is said and done I’m very appreciative of all the great things Kinsler did in his time as a Ranger. There’s no doubt that he was a vital cog in some of the best teams this organization has ever had. It’s very easy to understand why someone would be hurt about not being wanted anymore. I’d like to think though, that if I were asked to discuss the events that have transpired I would be able to do so without coming across like petulant child. So Ian, thanks for the good times. It really has been fun, but I can’t honestly say that you’ll be missed. At least not by me.