--Art Howe, Ron Washington's former boss who became his underling, won't be back on the Rangers bench next year. The bench coach, as well as third base coach Matt Walbeck will not return in 2009, general manager Jon Daniels announced the day after the season ended. When Howe was previously the manager in Oakland, Washington was a coach on his staff.
Daniels also said interim pitching coach Andy Hawkins would get consideration for the permanent job but that the team would look at other candidates. Interim bullpen coach Jim Colborn will return to his duties as Pacific Rim operations director. --The Rangers set a major league record for doubles in a season with 376, surpassing Boston (1997 and 2004) and St. Louis (1930). The other three teams had 373 doubles. The team leader was OF David Murphy, who had 41 despite not playing the last seven weeks of the season.
--The Rangers are just the fifth AL club to ever score at least 900 runs and allow at least 900 runs in the same season. They are the third to do it in the last 80 seasons. The Rangers finished with 901 runs scored and 966 allowed. Of the four previous AL teams to do it, none had a higher negative run differential than six runs.
--RHP Scott Feldman, who came to camp as a sidearm-throwing reliever, ended the season as the team leader in quality starts with just 13. RHP Kevin Millwood, who started the season finale, and RHP Vicente Padilla each had 29 starts to Feldman's 25. Feldman's 164 innings (including 12 in the minors) more than doubled his previous professional high.
--Rangers officials were scheduled to meet right after the season to discuss their coaching staff. Only hitting instructor Rudy Jaramillo was assured of returning for 2009. OF Gary Pettis was likely to return. The other four positions were very much undecided.
--CF Josh Hamilton finished the season leading the AL in RBI with 130, but he hasn't clinched the title yet. Minnesota's Justin Morneau is just one behind him, and the possibility exists that the Twins will have to play a one-game playoff against Chicago on Tuesday. Stats from that 163rd game would count in the regular-season stats.
BY THE NUMBERS: 107 -- Number of unearned runs allowed by the Rangers. In addition to being the most in the majors, it tied a club record set in 1973. The Rangers committed 132 errors on the season, their most since 2000.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I see no scenario where he doesn't play shortstop. That's a subject we never discuss. It's just not a story." -- Rangers manager Ron Washington on the possibility of moving SS Michael Young to another spot in the infield for 2009.
