Washington back in Texas with Athletics

ARLINGTON -- On Tuesday, Ron Washington returned to the ballpark where he was a highly successful big league manager for eight years.

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Once the manager of the Rangers, Washington returned as a special infield instructor for the Athletics. He is still hoping one day to return as somebody's manager.

"I do want to manage again," Washington said before Tuesday night's series opener at Globe Life Park. "I can help a team. I can direct a team."

Washington proved that in Arlington. He was the Rangers' manager from 2007-14, with a record of 664-611, a .521 winning percentage and two American League pennants. Washington resigned with 22 games to go in the 2014 season because of personal reasons. Otherwise, he would still be Texas' manager.

"Yes, I regretted the way I had to leave here," Washington said. "I regret my wife had to suffer through what she went through. I regret the people I loved suffered with what they went through. I have been dealing with it for 7 1/2 months. People don't know how much pain I was in. But I did what I had to do to save my marriage.

"Right now, I am in a good place."

The offseason came and went without Washington getting a job offer. So did Spring Training. He didn't get back into baseball until May 22, when the A's hired him to help their infield defense.

"Despair? That's a pretty rough word," Washington said. "I have been in touch with a lot of people and contacted with a lot of people in baseball. I wasn't forgotten. I just had to wait until something came up. Did I miss it? I have been in the game 46 years and never been out of Spring Training. Of course."

The adjustment to working with the Athletics' young infielders has not been hard. Washington has always taken great pride in his ability to teach, and he loves doing it. He was on the field with the temperature in the 90s working with shortstop Marcus Semien five hours before Tuesday's game.

"I adjusted from the first day," Washington said. "I arrived with the single job of helping the infield. It has been a lot of fun, six young kids eager to learn. It has been fun getting back on the field and teaching.

"It's what I do. It's where I'm an expert at. Everybody in this game has expertise. My expertise is in infield play. My expertise is in baserunning and people skills. I've got the equipment for it. I've got the tools for it. Making sure they keep thinking right, making sure they keep believing right and making sure they're working right. That's my work day to day."

But Washington made it clear. He would rather be managing and still hopes it happens again one day.

"I don't know," Washington said. "It would be up to some general manager and owner. I think my credentials are out there. We'll see what happens."