According to a release by MLB on April 8, fans can visit MLB.com/FranchiseFour to select the four most impactful players for each franchise who best represent the history of each franchise out of eight choices from its lineage. There is also a space for a write-in selection. Voting is live now until May 8.
The Ballot:
Adrian Beltre (2011-Present)
Juan Gonzalez (1989-1999, 2002-2003)
Josh Hamilton (2008-2012, 2015-Present)
Frank Howard (1965-1972)
Rafael Palmeiro (1989-1993, 1999-2003)
Ivan Rodriguez (1991-2002, 2009)
Nolan Ryan (1989-1993)
Michael Young (2000-2012)
Shoestring Catches Recommendations for the Texas Rangers:
Juan Gonzalez: A two-time American League Most Valuable Player in 1996 and 1998, Juan Gonzalez is the franchise’s all-time leader in home runs with 372 and RBI with 1,180. Gonzalez was a two-time all-star who also was five Silver Sluggers.
Ivan Rodriguez: An 10-time all-star, Ivan Rodriguez also won 10 Gold Gloves as a catcher for the Rangers. He was the AL MVP in 1999 and is second in the history of the club 1,747.
Nolan Ryan: As the only player in the Major League history to have his number retired by three teams, Nolan Ryan achieved his most notable milestones with the Rangers. He threw his sixth and seventh no-hitters in 1990 and 1991. He won his 300th game and he fanned fellow Baseball Hall of Fame member Rickey Henderson for his 5,000th strikeout. He ended his career with 324 victories and an all-time record 5,714 strikeouts.
Michael Young: The franchise leader in games played with 1,823, Michael Young is also on top of the all-time hits list with 2,230. Young had over 200 hits in a season six times with a career best 221 in 2005. He was a six time all-star and the MVP in the 2006 summer classic. He also won a Gold Glove in 2008.
Editor’s Note: Frank Howard deserves a mention and probably some votes, but he only played 95 games with the Texas Rangers in 1972 after the club shifted from Washington. He won the AL home run title for the Senators in 1968 and 1970 with 44. He had his career high of 48 homers in 1969. Before joining the Senators in 1965, Howard was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1960 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was also part the Dodgers World Series championship in 1963.