Rangers hire Banister as manager

Oct 16, 2014 - 11:52 PM Arlington, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - The Texas Rangers have hired Pittsburgh Pirates bench coach Jeff Banister as their new manager.

The Rangers said Thursday evening that Banister signed a multi-year contract and will be introduced during a news conference Friday morning.

He was the bench coach for the Pirates for four seasons, helping them reach the playoffs the last two years, but doesn't have any major-league managerial experience.

Banister, 50, just finished his 29th season working for the Pirates organization, which included stints as a minor-league instructor and manager. He singled for the Pirates off Atlanta's Dan Petry on July 23, 1991 in his only major-league at-bat.

"I am elated to have the chance to make an impact on the organization, and I look forward to getting started on that task," Banister said in a statement released by the Rangers.

He will replace Tim Bogar, who served as interim manager for 22 games after Ron Washington resigned in September over personal reasons. Bogar went 14-8 in his brief stint and was reportedly among the finalists for the full-time job.

Washington is the most successful manager in Rangers history with a record of 664-611 from 2007-14, including consecutive trips to the World Series in 2010 and 2011.