Feb 23, 2014; Lakeland, FL, USA; Detroit Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler (3) poses for a photo picture for at Joker Marchant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Former Texas Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler gave one of those no-holds-barred interviews to ESPN the Magazine and, well, no holds were barred.
No words were minced. No punches were pulled.
Ian Kinsler went Frank Underwood-in-the-subway on his old team the Rangers and especially president Jon Daniels.
Kinsler was traded by the Rangers this offseason in the deal that brought Texas Prince Fielder, and Kinsler did not appreciate the way that deal went down. He did not appreciate finding out about the trade through the media.
Even before that, he did not appreciate the way Jon Daniels forced Nolan Ryan out the door in Texas.
Safe to say, Kinsler is not a fan of Jon Daniels.
“Daniels is a sleazeball,” Kinsler told ESPN the Magazine. “He got in good with the owners and straight pushed Ryan out. He thought all the things he should get credit for, Ryan got credit for. It’s just ego. Once we went to the World Series, everybody’s ego got huge, except for Nolan’s.”
Kinsler’s time in Texas had some high points, including a couple of World Series appearances, and for him personally a pair of 30/30 seasons. But things have gone downhill in Texas and Kinsler thinks it’s because Nolan Ryan got pushed out and the team lost their swagger.
Kinsler’s own production tailed off in 2013, he says in part because the team put too much pressure on him to mentor young players when he himself was struggling.
And then the trade to Detroit.
Does Kinsler have hard feelings toward Texas? Not toward his old teammates and buddies. But toward the organization?
“I’ll miss Elvis and Beltre, Mitch , Matt Harrison and Washington,” Kinsler said. But, “To be honest with you, I hope they go 0-162. I got friends, and I love my friends, but I hope they lose their ass.”
That is a man with revenge on his mind.
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