Rangers manager Ron Washington tests positive for cocaine

Ron Washington, between the lines (Photo: Wikipedia)

From alcohol to amphetamines, from cocaine to human growth hormone (HGH), baseball has seen its share of drug scandal. It's almost refreshing to say that the recent Ron Washington revelation has nothing to do with HGH, but his admission to having recently used cocaine is still bad news for a sport that desperately needs to maintain momentum and recapture the fan base lost to football and NASCAR (one is an outgrowth of the other, in terms of fan culture^*). The Texas Rangers manager claims it was a one-time thing, and he revealed the incident himself before one of Major League Baseball's random drug tests could kick the door open for him.

Ron Washington in his second straight option year with Rangers

So in other words, Washington isn't technically under contract. His two-year, $600,000-per-year deal ended after the 2008 season, but the Texas Rangers have picked up his option in each of the past two years for that same annual salary. That puts him in the middle of the pack among baseball manager salaries, and although he certainly doesn't need the services of a loan company, he may have to turn in a strong season (with an AL West Championship) if he wants to return to the Rangers after "Cocainegate." ... click here to read the rest of the article titled "Rangers manager Ron Washington tests positive for cocaine"