ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – Greg Maddux is leaving the Chicago Cubs to join the Texas Rangers, reuniting him with his brother Mike.

The Rangers said Tuesday that Greg Maddux will become a special assistant to the general manager, the same role he held with the Cubs the last two seasons.

Mike Maddux has been the Rangers’ pitching coach for the last three seasons. He interviewed to become manager of the Cubs before Dale Sveum was hired this month.

Greg Maddux, a four-time Cy Young Award winner, will be an instructor at major and minor league spring training and will visit farm teams during the season.

The Texas Rangers have been fairly lucky this offseason when it comes to holding onto some of their prized possessions. However, their luck may be starting to change as the Houston Astros announced the firing of general manager Ed Wade and team president Tal Smith. The Rangers were able to hold onto Mike Maddux as their pitching coach, even though he was one of the top candidates for the Red Sox and Cubs managerial positions and at one time seemed destined to be the next manager of the Chicago Cubs. They have also been lucky to hold onto assistant general manager Thad Levine and senior director of player personnel A.J. Preller during an offseason filled with general manager positions.

The Rangers have become known as one of the best organizations in baseball over recent years and specifically when it comes to their front office and specifically player development. Jon Daniels has been at the front of everything that has taken place, but no organization could enjoy this much success based on the work of one man. For years now, Thad Levine and A.J. Preller have been expected to make the jump to the general manager’s chair and it has been very surprising this offseason that neither of them have even been interviewed to this point. That may be changing with the Astros position now available and Astros CEO George Postolos stating that their next general manager must have “a strong commitment to player development.”

Not only are the Astros under new ownership and will have a new general manager, but they will also be heading to the American League West in 2013. Not only would Levine or Preller have a solid background in player development, but they would also have been successful in the very same division that the Astros are heading into. It would seem that Levine would be a logical fit in Houston, but with the desire to invest in player development, it would not be out of the question for them to consider Preller for the position. Should Levine take the job in Houston, it would seem like Preller would be the most likely candidate to move into the assistant general manager’s position for the Rangers.

While it would be tough for the Rangers to lose Levine or Preller, the Rangers have built depth throughout their organization on all fronts and they are as prepared as any team to lose someone as talented as Levine or Preller. The Rangers also cannot expect to hang onto all of these great minds forever. Even if they do not lose anyone this year, it will come sometime down the line.

John Bowman is a lifelong baseball and Texas Rangers fan that loves to ponder the deeper aspects of the game. Some of his first baseball memories involve Arlington Stadium nachos, Charlie Hough’s knuckeball, dirt on Pete Incaviglia’s uniform and the voices of Mark Holtz and Eric Nadel as he fell asleep. Follow him on Twitter @TexasWinColumn.

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Texas Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux has interviewed for the open manager’s job with the Chicago Cubs.

Maddux was scheduled to have a news conference Wednesday afternoon to discuss the situation.

Maddux has helped the Rangers win back-to-back AL pennants and is the brother of former Cubs’ ace Greg Maddux, who was an assistant to former Chicago GM Jim Hendry.

The Cubs have also interviewed Phillies bench coach Pete Mackanin and Brewers hitting coach Dale Sveum. New director of baseball operations Theo Epstein fired Mike Quade last week.

Texas Rangers fans have another reason to look forward to opening day next year.

On the undercard, Nolan Ryan vs. Robin Ventura II: The Rematch.

Well, sort of.

Ryan is the Rangers’ president and a part owner, and Ventura is the new manager of the Chicago White Sox. Ventura’s debut will come in Arlington, site of one of the most infamous scenes in baseball history.

Ventura was a peppy youngster, and Ryan a grizzled veteran on his way to retirement, when one of Ryan’s famed heaters plunked Ventura in 1993. He took off toward the mound for revenge and wound up in a headlock, getting pummeled. Pictures of the scene are in sports bars across the country, and the video clip still draws loud ovations at Rangers Ballpark.

“You know, I’m truly surprised by that,” Ryan said Sunday, happy to discuss something other than weather forecasts that postponed Game 2 of the AL championship series. “I’m surprised that this thing has had the life that it’s had.”

The Hall of Famer added that he thinks Ventura’s hiring — a surprise to many — was a good move.

“I’m really happy for Robin, that he’s getting that opportunity,” Ryan said. “It should be with the White Sox. I think he’s the type of person that you want to see in that position, because I think he’s good for baseball, and he knows the game.”

Gavin Floyd pitched shutout ball into the eighth inning, Brent Lillibridge and Alex Rios hit two-run homers and the Chicago White Sox romped past the Texas Rangers 10-0 Sunday.

Chicago took two of three from the AL-West leading Rangers and finished a nine-game homestand at 5-4. The White Sox had their first winning homestand since June 3-12.

Floyd (11-10) coasted with a big lead. He allowed just three hits, struck out six and walked one. He left after giving up a leadoff hit in the eighth.

The Rangers have dropped three of four after winning the first six games on their 10-game road trip.

Derek Holland (11-5) lost for the first time in five decisions since the All-Star break. The left-hander gave up five runs and eight hits in 3 1-3 innings.

White Sox right fielder Carlos Quentin was out of the lineup after he injured his left shoulder making a diving catch during Saturday night’s win. X-rays came back negative and an MRI result showed a sprain. He was listed as day-to-day.

After Juan Pierre reached on an infield single in the White Sox third, Lillibridge followed with his shot to left field. It was Lillibridge’s 11th home run, matching slumping slugger Adam Dunn’s output in 197 fewer at-bats. Dunn has been sitting against left-handers in favor of Lillibridge.

After Holland issued back-to-back walks with two outs, Alejandro De Aza split the gap in the left-center for a two-run double that put the White Sox ahead 4-0.

Chicago added on in the fourth. Gordon Beckham broke an 0-for-14 slump with a single and Lillibridge chased Holland with a single. Paul Konerko greeted reliever Scott Feldman with an RBI single, leaving him one hit shy of 2,000 for his career.

Pierre added a two-run single with the bases loaded off Feldman in the fifth for a 7-0 lead.

Rios homered in the eighth.

Josh Hamilton was given the day off by manager Ron Washington, despite being 6 for 10 lifetime against Floyd. Hamilton is hitting .173 in day games this year and .339 at night.

Floyd pitched around an error by Lillibridge in the second inning. Floyd had Mike Napoli picked off, but Lillibridge missed Floyd’s throw at first. The ball bounced off the camera well fence and Napoli went into third. Floyd stranded Napoli at third by striking out Mitch Moreland and Yorvit Torrealba.

Along with giving up a two-run home run to Rios in the eighth, Feldman gave up an RBI single to De Aza.

Rangers manager Ron Washington stayed with Feldman for the rest of game, despite giving up five runs on eight hits in 4 2-3 innings of relief.

NOTES: After an off-day Monday, the White Sox begin a five-game road trip against the Angels on Tuesday. LHP Mark Buehrle is scheduled to start for the White Sox. Buehrle is 3-1 with a 2.29 ERA in his last five starts. … The Rangers begin a four-game series against the Red Sox on Monday. LHP C.J. Wilson, Monday’s scheduled starter, is 5-1 with a 3.99 ERA in 12 starts at home this season. … Texas 3B Adrian Beltre (left hamstring) will see Dr. Keith Meister on Monday. Texas hopes he will be cleared to resume running the bases.
 

Ogando worked seven full innings, gave up six hits and two earned runs while striking out five in his longest effort of 2011. Reliever Koji Uehara then gave up Alex Rios’ RBI double in the eighth and the Chicago White Sox beat Texas 3-2 to end a three-game losing streak.

Brent Lillibridge came in to pinch-run after Paul Konerko’s one-out single in the eighth. Rios hit a full-count pitch from Uehara (1-3) down the left-field line for the tiebreaking run.

“I felt like the first two innings I made good pitches but they got lucky hits,” Ogando said. “They were not hard-hit balls, they just got good breaks.”

Ian Kinsler homered twice for the Rangers. The AL West leaders had two runners on in the eighth, but Nelson Cruz flied out to end the inning.

Rios was showered by boos when he entered in the first inning after White Sox right fielder Carlos Quentin injured his left shoulder making a diving catch.

Rios overcame a tough start. In the bottom of the first, he came up with runners at the corners and struck out. He had just two hits in his last 27 at-bats before the big hit and had become one of the main targets of frustrated White Sox fans.

“I’ve never lost my confidence. It’s something that athletes can’t do. It will bring you down,” Rios said. “I’m just trying my best and I’m not going to quit. Even if I’m at my lowest point, I’m not going to quit. I’m ready to battle.”

Quentin tumbled to make the catch on Craig Gentry’s shallow flyball, but came up favoring his shoulder and was immediately removed from the game. X-rays came back negative and he will be examined further on Sunday.

“It’s not broken. That’s what I was worried about,” White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. “Carlos is a big kid. When you put all the weight in just one spot, you’re going to be sore for a little while.”

Kinsler drove the second pitch of the game down the left-field line, waiting to see if it stayed fair before he trotted around the bases. It was his sixth leadoff homer of the season and 19th of his career.

He homered again in the third on a 1-2 pitch after fouling off six pitches. He has three multihomer games on the year, 10 overall.

Kinsler finished with three hits to break out of a prolonged slump. He came into the game hitting .189 (18 for 95) over his last 22 games.

The two solo shots were all that White Sox starter John Danks gave up. He pitched seven strong innings, scattering seven hits. He struck out five and didn’t issue any walks.

“(Kinsler) and I are close, played a lot together in the minor leagues,” said Danks, a native Texan who came up in the Rangers’ farm system. “We keep in touch, I’ll have to talk to him tonight, for sure.”

Danks gave up a one-out double to Cruz in the fourth, but Cruz was caught attempting to steal third to end the threat.

Ogando tossed a shutout against the White Sox on May 23 in Texas and hadn’t allowed a run against them in 11 career innings until Alexei Ramirez’s two-out single in the first.

Juan Pierre followed with a two-out single in the second to put the White Sox up 2-1. Even with the loss, the Rangers have won seven of nine games on their current road trip and 10 of 13 overall.

Jesse Crain (8-3) put two runners on in the eighth but got Cruz to fly out to right field to end the threat.

Sergio Santos worked the ninth for his 26th save in 30 chances.

NOTES: Washington was reluctant to give SS Elvis Andrus the day off Saturday. “All these guys have been grinding. They all need a day off and I can’t give it to them,” Washington said. “So I decided today was a good day to do Elvis.” Andrus ended up pinch-hitting in the ninth and striking out. … Texas sends LHP Derek Holland (11-4, 4.23 ERA) to the mound for the series finale on Sunday. Holland is 5-0 with a 2.63 ERA in his last eight starts and is tied for the AL lead with four shutouts. Gavin Floyd (10-10, 4.66) will throw for the White Sox. Floyd struck out seven of the first nine batters he faced in his last start, but then allowed five runs over the next 2 2-3 innings in a no-decision.

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