Nolan Ryan has been the man behind the 2010 Texas Rangers. After he, Chuck Greenberg and the rest of the Ranger fans ran Tom Hicks out of town, this team has gone from cellar-dweller to World Series favorite.
A guy like Ryan knows the game—he knows the kind of talent it takes to get to the ultimate goal. He brought those players in, and they are just four wins away from accomplishing what he set out to accomplish.
But is he the only former player and Hall of Famer turned general manager that could succeed in the same role? Are there other Hall-of-Fame players who could have the same type of success?
What about guys like Ricky Henderson, Dave Stewart, Ryne Sandberg, Ozzie Smith and so many others? How good would these guys be in the same position as Nolan Ryan? Would they be as good or possibly even better?
Here’s a look at 20 current Major League Baseball Hall of Famers who could be successful general managers.