Jon Daniels responds to Ian Kinsler comments

With Ian Kinsler’s inflammatory comments coming out in an online-published version of an article that will be released in ESPN the magazine, it was only natural that the man most of those comments were directed at would be asked what he thought.

Jon Daniels, who is in Arizona with the Rangers, was asked by reporters all of his thoughts on what his former second baseman had to say. ESPN Dallas’ Richard Durrett says that the GM hopes his team uses all the hype as fuel for the season.

"I hope our players are pissed about that, I do. I think we’ll find out what we’re made of, and how we go about our business and handle our business…I think he expressed a desire to be himself. Everybody leads in different ways. Some guys are more vocal than others, some guys more by example. Obviously, based on what he said, it wasn’t for him."

The last few sentences are in response to Kinsler saying he felt bogged down by being asked to be a leader and mentor for the younger players in the clubhouse following Michael Young’s departure. Kinsler had said he wanted to only focus on his game and how he was performing as opposed to trying to keep the others in line.

The one thing Jon Daniels said he regrets is how Kinsler found out about the trade that sent him to Detroit in exchange for first baseman Prince Fielder.

"It came down, and we got a green light while I was in the air. By the time that had happened, it had already gotten out. I wasn’t able to call until we landed…Bottom line: He found out via social media. Unfortunately, that’s not the way you want somebody to find out about that sort of thing."

The mid-November blockbuster trade involved only two players, but because of money being sent to Texas to alleviate Fielder’s salary and because Fielder had to approve of the trade, the finalization and authorization from the commissioner’s office had to wait. Daniels mentioned that he had his assistant Thad Levine try to contact Kinsler and that he called him as soon as he got on the ground. Daniels left Kinsler a voicemail.

Kinsler hasn’t returned the call.