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ARLINGTON, TEXAS (TICKER) — Citing a desire to spend more time with his family, Texas Rangers first base coach Ed Napoleon abruptly retired today.
The 62-year-old Napoleon had been a member of the Rangers’ coaching staff since 1995. No replacement has been named and bench coach Bucky Dent will serve as the interim first base coach.
“I want to thank (general manager) Doug Melvin, (manager) Johnny Oates, the players and everyone in the Texas Rangers organization for an outstanding 5 1/2 years,” Napoleon said. “The people here made it even more difficult to retire at this time. However, it is very important for me to be home in Florida and this is the right decision for me and my family.”
Although Napoleon worked for Melvin, it once was the other way around.
“Ed Napoleon will be greatly missed by the Rangers organization,” Melvin said. “Nap has had a major impact on a number of people in his career. If it wasn’t for him, I’m not sure I would be in professional baseball. He was my first manager in 1972 and helped me get a chance with the Yankees three years later.”
Napoleon has spent the last 45 years in baseball, the first 15 as a minor league manager and the last 30 as a manager or coach. He has been a coach with Cleveland (1983-85), Kansas City (1987-88), Houston (1989-90), the Yankees (1992-93) and Texas.
Story #2:
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Texas Rangers coach Ed Napoleon, who has spent 45 years in professional baseball, announced his immediate retirement Monday to spend more time with his family.
Napoleon, 62, was in his sixth season with the Rangers, serving as first-base and outfield coach for manager Johnny Oates.
Rangers bench coach Bucky Dent will serve as interim first-base coach. Napoleon’s departure is the first change in Oates’ staff since he became the Texas manager in October 1994.
“It was probably tougher for Nap than for me because I think he’s doing the right thing,” Oates said.
Napoleon had already left The Ballpark in Arlington before Monday night’s game against Seattle. Rangers officials, who refused to elaborate on Napoleon’s reasons for retiring, described the coach as very emotional.
“The people here made it even more difficult to retire at this time. However, it is very important for me to be home in Florida, and this is the right decision for me and my family,” Napoleon said in a statement.
Napoleon was a minor league player from 1956-70, and spent the last 30 years as a major league coach and minor league manager and coach. His 14-year major league coaching career includes stints with Cleveland (1983-85), Kansas City (1987-88), Houston (1989-90), the New York Yankees (1992-93) and Texas (1995-2000).
Napoleon was in uniform for Sunday’s game, but had missed games Friday and Saturday after asking Oates for a couple of days off to be with his family.

ARLINGTON — Unable to swing a trade thus far, the Rangers took care of their need for an extra outfielder internally, promoting switch-hitter Scarborough Green from Triple-A Oklahoma.
Green was batting .313 with one home run, 10 runs batted in and 14 steals in 27 games for the RedHawks.
“I never want to get called up because someone gets injured,” Green said. “I want to get called up because of what I do on the field. All I want to do is get an opportunity to play.”
With left fielder Rusty Greer on the disabled list because of ankle surgery and a hamstring injury, and right fielder Gabe Kapler on the DL because of a partially torn quadriceps muscle, general manager Doug Melvin attempted to swing a deal for an outfielder.
He has had conversations with the Los Angeles Dodgers about Todd Hollandsworth and the Philadelphia Phillies about Ron Gant, but without success.
“I’ve looked into the trade route, and there’s nothing that excites me right now,” Melvin said. “A lot of clubs aren’t ready to deal yet.”
Melvin had some mild interest in Rich Becker, released by the Athletics on Friday, but decided to promote Green.
Green arrived in Arlington on Friday, and was in the clubhouse before the game. But because first baseman David Segui couldn’t play because of a strained hip flexor, the Rangers didn’t activate him because they needed an extra infielder.
Segui was able to play yesterday, so Green was added and infielder Kelly Dransfeldt was optioned to Oklahoma.
King off roster
Triple-A catcher Cesar King, once considered one of the top prospects in the Rangers’ farm system, was designated for assignment to make room for Scarborough Green on the 40-man roster. The Rangers have 10 days to trade, release or send him to the minor leagues.
King was batting .143 with seven RBI in 13 games for the RedHawks.
He was thought to be the same level with Ruben Mateo after the ’97 season, when both played most of the season at Class-A Charlotte. Mateo batted .314 with 12 home runs and 67 RBI. King hit .295 in 91 games at Charlotte and .356 in 14 games at Double-A Tulsa.
But in the past two seasons, King hit .222 and .227 at Tulsa, and was struggling this year at Oklahoma.