Speaking for the first time about why he quit as the manager of the Texas Rangers, Ron Washington told reporters that it was because he was not true to his wife.
“I want to thank you guys for coming. I just wanted to say a couple of things. You know when you respect baseball, baseball respects you. I made a mistake and I’m embarrassed more than I’ve ever been in my life. I don’t run when I make a mistake. And when you put yourself in situations, you own it. Those are the type of things that my wife always say to me.”
Washington gave a three minute speech but did not field any questions afterwards.
“I was not true to my wife after 42 years. I broke her trust,” he said via the Dallas Morning News. “I’m here today to own that, the mistake, and to apologize to her and to those I disappointed. And those who have trusted in me and I let them down.
“You know when I was 22 years old, I went to Mexico and a lot of things started making sense to me about the game of baseball. I began to figure it out. I was able to see things that maybe other people weren’t able to see and I remember calling my wife and letting her know that I feel like I have arrived and I had figured this game out. In reality, you never really figure the game out. But I did tell her to quit her job. It was a really proud moment for me and it’s something that I’ll always remember and she’s always stood by me. Today I’m at a very low time in my life. I’m sorry for breaking the trust that I had with my wife and for disappointing my players, for disappointing my coaches, for disappointing Major League Baseball and for disappointing the Texas Rangers.
“All I ask is for your forgiveness and your understanding. I also ask that you respect our privacy as we go on with our lives. This matter is certainly personal and we are trying hard to put it behind us. And I was born to be a baseball player. I’m a baseball lifer. The Rangers gave me a home and I’m thankful for that. And I’m also thankful for the experience to have the opportunity to manage here in Texas. I look to the future and getting back into the game and continuing my career. I wanted to give a final thanks to the fans. Texas Rangers fans, you’ve been good to me and I will miss the Metroplex and I will miss you. That’s all I have to say. Thank you.”
This is the first anyone has said on Washington prior to his leaving of the team for what was deemed “personal reasons.”
