Report: Rangers turn to Banister

Oct 16, 2014 - 5:56 PM Dallas, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - The Texas Rangers will reportedly hire Jeff Banister as their new manager.

The Dallas Morning News, citing a major league source, is reporting that Banister will fill the vacancy. An announcement could come as soon as Thursday afternoon.

Banister has been the bench coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates the last four years and doesn't have any prior major league managerial experience.

He has spent the last 29 years in the Pirates organization, serving as a minor league instructor and manager before joining the big league coaching staff. In his lone major league at-bat in 1991, Banister singled off Atlanta's Dan Petry.

Banister replaces Tim Bogar, who had been the Rangers' interim manager after Ron Washington resigned in September due to personal reasons. Bogar was reportedly among the finalists for the full-time job.

Washington was the most successful manager in Rangers' history, leading the franchise to a record of 664-611 with a pair of American League pennants from 2007 until September of this past season.