Nelson Cruz, Coach Jackie Moore and Andruw Jones of the Texas Rangers sit in the dugout before the game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California on Saturday, June 20, 2009. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

A few years ago the Oakland A’s made a big mistake by letting coach Ron Washington get away and capture his first managerial job with the Texas Rangers. Instead of giving Washington the chance to skipper the A’s, Billy Beane decided to hire his good friend Bob Geren. The A’s loss was the Rangers win. I BIG win. Washington has had his best year with the Rangers this season as they have contested for both the American League West title and the Wild Card spot all season long.

Andruw Jones of the Texas Rangers sits in the dugout before the game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California on Saturday, June 20, 2009. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

The second time I shot the Rangers this season was during an interleague series against the Giants in San Francisco. I was assigned to shoot the game for Sports Illustrated and got there almost three hours early to shoot batting practice in the pretty late afternoon light prior to the 6:05pm first pitch. The Rangers came out of their clubhouse early while the hometown Giants were still hitting. I was hanging out in their dugout with one camera and a wide angle lens when many of the players started joking around with each other and having a great time. They were super loose and playing really well when they rolled into town. They were a reflection of their manager. I was like a kid in a candy store as many of the best players on the roster were allowing me to hang out and photograph them as they joked around with each other. I was having so much fun and I WAS THE ONLY PHOTOGRAPHER THERE. I could not wait for my editor Nate Gordon to see my take from this game!

First I photographed Ian Kinsler, then it was Elvis Andrus and Nelson Cruz messing around in front of my camera. Finally everything came together when Andruw Jones came out with a sledge hammer with a bright yellow handle. What a subject! I shot fun portraits of him with his sledge hammer as he flashed his brilliant smile. Then bench coach Jackie Moore joined in the fun by putting his arm around Jones and posing for my camera. The heck with the game- this stuff was gold!

Ian Kinsler #5 of the Texas Rangers gets ready in the dugout before the game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 24, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

The Rangers made their final trip to the Bay Area last week soI had the chance to shoot Kinsler, one of my favorites, one last time in 2009. He has the best hair and he was showing it off near the dugout as the game was about to start. I followed him out onto the field and had a blast shooting some cool backlit images of him. The Rangers kind of fizzled towards the end of the season, but I look for big things from Wash and his club when I see them in Surprise, Arizona in 2010.

From left: Erick Aybar, Chone Figgins, Juan Rivera, and Maicer Izturis of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim get ready in the dugout before the game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California on Wednesday, June 17, 2009. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Even though the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim beat my San Francisco Giants in the 2002 World Series (when they were the Anaheim Angels) I have always enjoyed watching and photographing this team- especially in recent years as they play a fun National League-style brand of ball. I have grown to appreciate this club even more this season as I started shooting them goofing around in the dugout before games in both Oakland and San Francisco. What great team chemistry they have!

The first time I shot them in the dugout was before an interleague game against the Giants in San Francisco. I was hanging out watching and waiting for some moments to happen when Erick Aybar, Chone Figgins, Juan Rivera, and Maicer Izturis all gathered together for an impromptu group photo. What a really fun group of players!

Bobby Abreu #53 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim gets ready in the dugout before the game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on July 19, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

We had one day in Oakland when Bobby Abreu would not stop posing for me right before the 1:05 first pitch against the A’s. This team always teams so loose! They really seem to enjoy playing together and man does Abreu have a nice smile!

Howard Kendrick #47 (left) and coach Dino Ebel #21 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim get ready in the dugout before the game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on July 18, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Since the Angels have locked up another playoff spot and will be heading to the playoffs soon I look forward to them being super loose when I photograph them again in Oakland this Saturday.

Manager Lou Piniella #41 of the Chicago Cubs gets ready in the dugout before the game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on September 26, 2009 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

The Chicago Cubs were in town this past weekend to play the Giants at AT&T Park in San Francisco and as usual I hung out in the visiting dugout on the first base side to shoot some candid photographs of the Cubs as they prepared to take on the Giants. While most of the team was stretching in right field Cubs skipper Lou Piniella came out to the dugout top relax before the first pitch. While shooting a few frames of Lou we chatted a little bit about how great the weather was and what a beautiful day it would be for a ballgame.

When I got home after the game and edited through the 1,285 images I shot I noticed something familiar about the above frame of Piniella. It reminded me of a similar image I shot of him way back in 1990 when he was piloting the Cincinnati Reds and they were in town to play the Giants at Candlestick park. I went through my archive to compare the two images and I though it was a fun comparison.

Manager Lou Piniella of the Cincinnati Reds sits in the dugout and talks to Chris Sabo before a game against the San Francisco Giants at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California in 1990. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

What do you think?