Thad Levine isn't a player (unless you count some mean pickup basketball games in Surprise, where he's a tenacious rebounder). He won't swing a bat or glove a grounder. But every good organization has certain folks in all facets that make a real difference. Levine is one of those.
From the moment Jon Daniels was given the job of general manager of the Rangers, he's had Levine beside him. Before Daniels' first few weeks as GM were over, Levine was settled in his office as the assistant GM. He's been there every since.
Levine has become an integral part of how the club operates. He's handled contracts, spending time establishing relationships with agents. He's been involved in discussions on trades, carefully examined the club's budget and helped find value in various acquisitions and re-signings. In other words: He's one of the many smart and talented folks in Rangers' front office.
"Thad’s a critical part of what we do and I’m glad he’s not going anywhere just yet," Daniels said.
The "yet" shows Daniels knows he's going to lose some of those folks. Scott Servais has already headed off to the Angels. And this won't be the last time Levine's name comes up. A.J. Preller's has been mentioned for jobs too. That's the way it goes when you win two straight AL championships and turn around an organization.
But for now, the Rangers keep one of their top front office talent in the fold. And that's good news for Rangers fans.