Over on ESPNDallas.com, Richard Durrett tells the tale of how Texas Rangers general manager Jon Daniels came to hire Ron Washington instead of one of the four other contenders for the skipper's gig following Buck Showalter's ouster: Manny Acta, John Russell, Trey Hillman or Don Wakamatsu. Washington talks about what impressed him about the young GM (he picked him up at the airport!); Daniels, about why he fell in love with Wash:
"He comes across as genuine, sincere," Daniels said. "His passion for the game just comes pouring out. You're sitting there thinking about if you were a player and had to come to work every day, who would motivate you? Who would get you fired up? Who would get you ready to play? You could see this guy could do it. It's not a manufactured energy. It's real. It's who he is. He wakes up in the morning and he's that guy."Which is why Tom Hicks, after a burger-grilling session at Watering Lawn, told Daniels to sign him up. And he did. Because that's the way ... well, you know.