Washington resigns as Rangers manager

Arlington, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Ron Washington has resigned as manager of the Texas Rangers.

Washington, who had led the club since the start of the 2007 season, has guided Texas to a 53-87 record in 2014, far and away the worst record in any of his seven-plus seasons at the helm.

Tim Bogar has been appointed interim manager for the remainder of the campaign.

"Today, I have submitted my resignation from the job I love -- managing the Rangers -- in order to devote my full attention to addressing an off-the-field personal matter. As painful as it is, stepping away from the game is what's best for me and my family," Washington offered in a statement shortly after the news broke Friday afternoon.

"This is in no way related to the disappointing performance of the team this season. We were already discussing 2015 and looking forward to getting the Rangers back to postseason contention. I deeply regret that I've let down the Rangers organization and our great fans. Over the past eight seasons, it's been a privilege to be part of some of the best years in club history and I will always be grateful for the opportunities I've had here, and for the great management, players, and coaches who have made our time here a success. Thank you for respecting my privacy."

Entering play on Friday, the Rangers occupied last place in the AL West, their lowest standing since Washington was named skipper. The Rangers had finished fourth in 2007, going 75-87, then placed second in back-to-back years before winning back-to-back division and league crowns in 2010-11.

Texas won 93 and 91 games, respectively, in 2012 and '13, which was enough for the franchise to reward Washington with a contract extension -- announced this past February -- through the 2015 season. The 62-year-old native of New Orleans departs the club having posted a 664-611 record and led the Rangers to three postseason berths.

Along with Tampa Bay's Joe Maddon, Washington was the only other manager to guide a team to four straight seasons with 90 or more wins from 2010-13.

"We accept Ron's decision and are grateful for his many contributions to the Rangers organization over the last eight years," Rangers GM Jon Daniels said in a resulting statement. "This has certainly been a difficult season for our major league club in terms of on-field performance, but we were looking forward to moving ahead with Ron as our manager in 2015.

"Ron has guided the Rangers franchise to more victories than any manager in club history, including four straight 90-win seasons, three playoff appearances, and back-to-back American League championships. He has left his mark as a teacher, motivator, and leader on this organization. We wish Ron the best as he deals with this matter."