Busy week at Winter Meetings extends to radio booth
Rangers' Nadel among finalists for Frick award; club remains in search of upgrades
ARLINGTON -- The biggest news involving the Rangers at the Winter Meetings may come out of the broadcasting booth rather than the front office.
Eric Nadel, who is entering his 36th season as a Rangers broadcaster, is one of ten finalists for the 2014 Ford C. Frick Award. The winner will be announced on Wednesday during the Winter Meetings at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort.
"Winning the Frick Award would be a huge deal," Nadel said. "I have been trying not to think about it."
The other nine finalists for the 2014 Frick Award are Joe Castiglione, Jacques Doucet, Ken Harrelson, Bill King, Duane Kuiper, Eduardo Ortega, Mike Shannon, Dewayne Staats and Pete Van Wieren. The winner will be honored during the July 26 Awards Presentation as part of Hall of Fame Weekend 2014 in Cooperstown.
The Winter Meetings begin on Monday, and the forecast for the greater Orlando area is sunny skies and a high of 85 degrees. That will be a huge change for Rangers officials traveling from the Dallas-Fort Worth area after the crushing ice storm that swept through over the weekend.
They won't have much time to sit around the swimming pool and enjoy the sunshine, however. Like officials from other clubs, the Rangers will be busy in their suites trying to put the finishing touches on an offseason that has already brought first baseman Prince Fielder, catcher J.P. Arencibia and outfielder Michael Choice to Arlington.
Free-agent outfielders Nelson Cruz and Shin-Soo Choo remain available, and there will be many rumors swirling about Rays pitcher David Price being traded. The Rangers will be the subject of plenty of rumors before the week is out.
Manager Ron Washington will also be a part of the Rangers' delegation and is scheduled to meet with the media on Monday at 2 p.m. CT. Monday could also be a big day for the family of the late former Rangers manager Billy Martin.
Martin, who managed the Rangers from 1973-75, is one of 12 finalists for Hall of Fame consideration by the Expansion Era committee that is meeting Sunday. They are considering candidates whose greatest impact in the game came after '73. Martin is best known for his years as the Yankees manager, but he was the American League Manager of the Year in '74 while with the Rangers.