In a rather bizarre article out of ESPN Dallas, Nolan Ryan explains that MLB has been running the Rangers since July:
Texas Rangers president Nolan Ryan, on the brink of becoming a minority owner in the club, said Tuesday that Major League Baseball continues to oversee the organization, something it's done since July.
"We were required to have any expenditure that was not budgeted for had to be approved and also any signing outside of the slot limit had to be approved," Ryan said. "There were obviously some restrictions that other clubs weren't under."
Reporter Richard Durrett:
Ryan said that MLB had to approve the Rangers' trade for Pudge Rodriguez in August and the above-slot money for first round draft pick Matt Purke. The money the Rangers offered for Purke wasn't enough to get the left-handed pitcher to sign. He will pitch for TCU this season.
Thanks for Nevarez and Vallejo, Bud! But wait. If slotting is so damn important, why did MLB approve offering Purke money over and above what MLB recommended?
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
