Well, for starters, Randy Galloway would’ve had even more to write about. But aside from imagining a sick amount of litigation and, er, a new jumbotron, the Dallas Morning News’ Evan Grant believes the Texas Rangers wouldn’t have been thoroughly fucked had Mark Cuban and Jim Crane succeeded in winning last week’s auction.
* – Nowitzki Ball: One thing Cuban would have brought that a lot of owners don’t get is the understanding of an “International Game.” The Mavericks have been big players in scouting Europe and Asia. I expected the Rangers to take a similar approach, especially since there is no worldwide draft at this point. Not many new owners immediately grasp the idea of investing in the worldwide markets. The Rangers likely would have invested to strengthen their position in Latin America, which dovetails with Jon Daniels’ philosophy, and grow their presence exponentially in Asia.
* -Long-term contracts: Say what you want about Cuban’s flamboyant on-the-court antics, but the guy likes stability in management. As Kevin Sherrington pointed out a couple of weeks ago, what’s Cuban had two GMs, three coaches with Mavs? Surely, Cuban heard the rumblings of Jon Daniels to the New York Mets. Maybe Daniels does leave for the Mets after the season, but I’d say it would only be if he turns down a long-term lucrative contract extension to stay here (I expect Greenberg and Ryan to extend the same offer).