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Houston Astros off-season thread

Wulaw Horn

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Js1

Js1 87174

Posted
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3 minutes ago, slorch said:

If this all ends up being Crane/ Baggy/ and friends making a crony move, Dana is just little ole token, right?

Brown seems like he doesn’t have much say.  Maybe that’s my imagination. 

He’s a draft scout, he ain’t no GM. 

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Txslnghrns
Txslnghrns

Hey. Fuk you and fuk the astros.

Txslnghrns
Txslnghrns

Nope. Need help finding your pennant?

Txslnghrns
Txslnghrns

No. I think I’m on the right thread. Your off-season begins……now

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Dutchrudder

Dutchrudder 11240

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Is there any team that allows their GM the solre responsibility of hiring a new manager?  I would guess not. I don't think it's unusual to have the owner involved, but most teams also have a POBO to assist too. They need one of those, assuming it's not going to be Bagwell, and get some more smart baseball people in those upper management roles to help guide the club. 

Given the comments Crane has made about the 2017 scandal, I don't think we will ever see Hinch or Lunhow connected to this team again. Same for Cora and Beltran, you don't want to bring that back around unless you are going full evil empire. Crane isn't going to standby and let the club hire guys he doesn't like, even if they may be the best option, that's part of being an owner. 

For all the shit Dusty got as a manager here, he did fulfill his purpose of keeping the window open and changing the face of leadership in the org. He was a clean guy, well liked, friendly face and he did great in that role. His tactical decisions left a lot to be desired, but overall he did serve the club well given the situation he inherited. But the team is past the fallout now, they don't need the kind old folksy manager any more, go get a stone cold killer that can make hard decisions and get back to the World Series next year. Verlander and Altuve need a third ring! 

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Rockethorn1978

Rockethorn1978 6205

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I’d bring back lunhow all day. Who the fuck cares what the world says. No one cares about anyone being a dynasty other than the city that cheers for its team, other than that everyone will hate you if you are consistently good like we’ve been. Only dork rangers fans think the entire world is cheering them on in the WS and would continue if they won like we did. 
 

AJ benefitted from what lunhow built, he was the mastermind and was fucking great at it. I’m surprised no one has hired him yet.

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Fudge Nuggets

Fudge Nuggets 19453

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On 10/26/2023 at 12:49 PM, wood said:

Yeah, so, any top CFs available out there? Serious question.

Also, maybe an unpopular opinion, but it seems to me like we could do a lot worse than keeping Maldy around as a backup/mentor assuming he'd be up for it. Yainer's the man, but he  can't catch every day.

We should go full asshole mode and go after Bellinger and move Chas to LF.

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runthebone

runthebone 8372

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Bankman-Fried said he turned down a naming rights opportunity for the Kansas City Royals' stadium because he “did not want to be associated” with that team in particular. Ultimately, FTX bought the naming rights to the Miami Heat arena.

 

He doesn't even know how tough the KC Royals are, man.

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Guadaloopy

Guadaloopy 11129

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1 hour ago, tx 3 putt said:


Why hasn’t another mlb team brought him in ?

im curious if there’s an mlb suspension or something 

Luhnow has moved on from MLB.  He got royally fooked over by the commissioner and Crane.  Why would he try to kick the football again when Lucy's still the one holding it?

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Rockethorn1978

Rockethorn1978 6205

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5 minutes ago, Dutchrudder said:

Cleaning house, I like it. Only good things can come from this, right?

Yea if they’re replaced with great hires. Or we clean house because we’re spoiled and demanding and think next guys up will be better and help us win 105 games and another ws and we end up with a worse manager that leads us to 85 wins and miss the playoffs. 
 

If we hire ausmus you can bookmark this that we won’t make the playoffs next year. Hopefully crane goes all out and hires a francona legend to come and win a couple more like bouchy is about to do. 

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On 10/26/2023 at 3:57 PM, Macklemore said:

Like most of y’all, I’m not a Chandler Rome fan. That being said if his Chas banana pudding article helped push Dusty to retire — tip of the cap to him.

 

I am new to Twitter mostly due to old man reluctance, but the banana pudding article made me click follow on him. After about 2 weeks,I was just, ‘Fuck that guy.’

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Smax

Smax 3800

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On 10/27/2023 at 10:50 AM, Rockethorn1978 said:

I’d bring back lunhow all day. Who the fuck cares what the world says. No one cares about anyone being a dynasty other than the city that cheers for its team, other than that everyone will hate you if you are consistently good like we’ve been. Only dork rangers fans think the entire world is cheering them on in the WS and would continue if they won like we did. 
 

AJ benefitted from what lunhow built, he was the mastermind and was fucking great at it. I’m surprised no one has hired him yet.

 

 

He bought into a Euro minor league football team and is implementing his process there

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TonyTexas

TonyTexas 10738

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From Nightengale so take with usual skepticism 

Quote

Brad Ausmus and Joe Espada have emerged as the leading candidates to replace manager Dusty Baker in Houston. Ausmus finished runner-up to Baker when they hired a manager in 2020, and also runner-up to Dana Brown last winter when they hired a GM. 

 

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runthebone

runthebone 8372

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This is a list that probably was posted elsewhere while I was in my avoiding baseball funk that is not even over yet:

https://theathletic.com/4914407/2023/10/01/mlb-manager-candidates-job-opening/

Spoiler

MLB’s top manager candidates: Who could fill the next job opening?
Zack Meisel, Marc Carig, Cody Stavenhagen, Andy McCullough, Sam Blum
 

Gabe Kapler, former manager, San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies **fuck no

Clayton McCullough, first-base coach, Los Angeles Dodgers

McCullough interviewed with the New York Mets for the job that eventually went to Showalter and finished as the runner-up to Matt Quatraro for the Royals job last offseason. He spent several years as a manager in Toronto’s minor-league system before serving as the minor-league field coordinator with the Dodgers. He has earned praise for his work with younger players. — AM

George Lombard, bench coach, Detroit Tigers

Lombard has a significant amount of experience in the minors and the majors. He was Mookie Betts’s first professional manager, with the 2011 Gulf Coast League Red Sox. He wore a variety of hats in player development with Boston and Atlanta before joining Dave Roberts’ coaching staff with the Dodgers in 2016. After the team won the World Series in 2020, Lombard departed to work with A.J. Hinch in Detroit. His son, George Jr., was a first-round pick for the Yankees this past summer. – AM

Don Mattingly, bench coach, Toronto Blue Jays

After a decade spent managing in Los Angeles and Miami, Mattingly walked away from the Marlins last season only to segue into a gig with Toronto. Mattingly never had a losing record in five seasons managing the Dodgers, where he was well-respected within his clubhouse. Mattingly understood, players have said, the challenges of succeeding at the big-league level, but never lorded his own outstanding playing career over his team. – AM

Mark DeRosa, MLB Network analyst

DeRosa, 48, managed Team USA in the World Baseball Classic earlier this year, his first professional coaching experience. The University of Pennsylvania product bounced around to eight different teams during a 16-year big-league career. He spent his first seven seasons with the Braves. He has served as an analyst for MLB Network since retiring in 2013. – Zack Meisel

Benji Gil, infield coach, Los Angeles Angels

Gil firmly established himself as an intriguing managerial candidate this spring when he guided Team Mexico to the World Baseball Classic semifinals, and very nearly pulled off a massive upset to reach the finals. Gil won four championships as a manager in the Mexican League. That’s not a typical proving ground for MLB managers, but maybe that’s a good thing. Gil has some pedigree as a former player, as well, playing a small but critical role in the Angels’ lone World Series title in 2002. Gil clearly has managerial chops, but do they translate at the major league level? – Sam Blum

Don Kelly, bench coach, Pittsburgh Pirates

The nine-year MLB veteran was a clubhouse leader in his playing days and became a Tigers scout following his on-field career. In 2019, Kelly served as the first-base coach for the Astros under A.J. Hinch. Since 2020, he has been the Pirates’ bench coach under Derek Shelton  — Cody Stavenhagen

Stephen Vogt, bullpen and quality control coach, Seattle Mariners

The former big-league catcher jumped straight into coaching this season and has expressed a desire to manage since his playing days. One member of a major-league staff predicted Vogt will become “a manager in no time.”  — CS

Rodney Linares, bench coach, Tampa Bay Rays

The 46-year-old spent two decades coaching in the Astros’ system, and in 12 seasons as minor-league manager he oversaw the development of players such as Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and George Springer. Linares has also managed in the Arizona Fall League and Dominican Winter League, in addition to managing the Dominican team in the most recent World Baseball Classic. He became the Rays’ third-base coach in 2018, and was promoted to bench coach before this season. — CS

Will Venable, associate manager, Texas Rangers

The son of a big-leaguer and longtime minor-league coach, Venable, 40, played nine seasons for the Padres, Rangers and Dodgers. In 2017, he joined the Cubs’ front office as a special assistant to Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer. He then transitioned to the field, serving as a base coach for three years and then the Red Sox bench coach for two. In 2023, he became Bruce Bochy’s lieutenant. He’s an Ivy Leaguer, having played at Princeton with Guardians GM Mike Chernoff. The A’s, Cubs, Giants, Astros, Red Sox and Tigers all spoke with him about their managerial openings in recent years. – ZM

Bob Melvin, manager, San Diego Padres

Bob Melvin currently has a job, so why is he on a list of candidates? The Padres are entering a period in which they must evaluate their disaster of a season, and Melvin’s relationship with Padres GM A.J. Preller has been a source of tension. If that pairing is severed, the highly-respected Melvin could quickly become a coveted managerial candidate. Adding to the intrigue here: Melvin and the Giants’ Farhan Zaidi worked together in Oakland, so a Bay Area reunion in San Francisco would make sense. — Marc Carig

Mark Hallberg, third base coach, San Francisco Giants

Hallberg has served as Giants’ third base coach for the last two seasons, taking the position upon the retirement of Ron Wotus. Few candidates will have a background as varied as Hallberg, the son of international school administrators who grew up in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan before winding up at Florida State where he became teammates and close friends with some catcher named Buster Posey. After playing in the minors, Hallberg’s coaching ascent has been swift. In 2019, he was managing the Giants affiliate in Salem-Keizer. A year later, he joined the big league staff where he has remained. — MC

 

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tx 3 putt

tx 3 putt 78668

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54 minutes ago, runthebone said:

This is a list that probably was posted elsewhere while I was in my avoiding baseball funk that is not even over yet:

https://theathletic.com/4914407/2023/10/01/mlb-manager-candidates-job-opening/

  Hide contents

MLB’s top manager candidates: Who could fill the next job opening?
Zack Meisel, Marc Carig, Cody Stavenhagen, Andy McCullough, Sam Blum
 

Gabe Kapler, former manager, San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies **fuck no

Clayton McCullough, first-base coach, Los Angeles Dodgers

McCullough interviewed with the New York Mets for the job that eventually went to Showalter and finished as the runner-up to Matt Quatraro for the Royals job last offseason. He spent several years as a manager in Toronto’s minor-league system before serving as the minor-league field coordinator with the Dodgers. He has earned praise for his work with younger players. — AM

George Lombard, bench coach, Detroit Tigers

Lombard has a significant amount of experience in the minors and the majors. He was Mookie Betts’s first professional manager, with the 2011 Gulf Coast League Red Sox. He wore a variety of hats in player development with Boston and Atlanta before joining Dave Roberts’ coaching staff with the Dodgers in 2016. After the team won the World Series in 2020, Lombard departed to work with A.J. Hinch in Detroit. His son, George Jr., was a first-round pick for the Yankees this past summer. – AM

Don Mattingly, bench coach, Toronto Blue Jays

After a decade spent managing in Los Angeles and Miami, Mattingly walked away from the Marlins last season only to segue into a gig with Toronto. Mattingly never had a losing record in five seasons managing the Dodgers, where he was well-respected within his clubhouse. Mattingly understood, players have said, the challenges of succeeding at the big-league level, but never lorded his own outstanding playing career over his team. – AM

Mark DeRosa, MLB Network analyst

DeRosa, 48, managed Team USA in the World Baseball Classic earlier this year, his first professional coaching experience. The University of Pennsylvania product bounced around to eight different teams during a 16-year big-league career. He spent his first seven seasons with the Braves. He has served as an analyst for MLB Network since retiring in 2013. – Zack Meisel

Benji Gil, infield coach, Los Angeles Angels

Gil firmly established himself as an intriguing managerial candidate this spring when he guided Team Mexico to the World Baseball Classic semifinals, and very nearly pulled off a massive upset to reach the finals. Gil won four championships as a manager in the Mexican League. That’s not a typical proving ground for MLB managers, but maybe that’s a good thing. Gil has some pedigree as a former player, as well, playing a small but critical role in the Angels’ lone World Series title in 2002. Gil clearly has managerial chops, but do they translate at the major league level? – Sam Blum

Don Kelly, bench coach, Pittsburgh Pirates

The nine-year MLB veteran was a clubhouse leader in his playing days and became a Tigers scout following his on-field career. In 2019, Kelly served as the first-base coach for the Astros under A.J. Hinch. Since 2020, he has been the Pirates’ bench coach under Derek Shelton  — Cody Stavenhagen

Stephen Vogt, bullpen and quality control coach, Seattle Mariners

The former big-league catcher jumped straight into coaching this season and has expressed a desire to manage since his playing days. One member of a major-league staff predicted Vogt will become “a manager in no time.”  — CS

Rodney Linares, bench coach, Tampa Bay Rays

The 46-year-old spent two decades coaching in the Astros’ system, and in 12 seasons as minor-league manager he oversaw the development of players such as Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and George Springer. Linares has also managed in the Arizona Fall League and Dominican Winter League, in addition to managing the Dominican team in the most recent World Baseball Classic. He became the Rays’ third-base coach in 2018, and was promoted to bench coach before this season. — CS

Will Venable, associate manager, Texas Rangers

The son of a big-leaguer and longtime minor-league coach, Venable, 40, played nine seasons for the Padres, Rangers and Dodgers. In 2017, he joined the Cubs’ front office as a special assistant to Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer. He then transitioned to the field, serving as a base coach for three years and then the Red Sox bench coach for two. In 2023, he became Bruce Bochy’s lieutenant. He’s an Ivy Leaguer, having played at Princeton with Guardians GM Mike Chernoff. The A’s, Cubs, Giants, Astros, Red Sox and Tigers all spoke with him about their managerial openings in recent years. – ZM

Bob Melvin, manager, San Diego Padres

Bob Melvin currently has a job, so why is he on a list of candidates? The Padres are entering a period in which they must evaluate their disaster of a season, and Melvin’s relationship with Padres GM A.J. Preller has been a source of tension. If that pairing is severed, the highly-respected Melvin could quickly become a coveted managerial candidate. Adding to the intrigue here: Melvin and the Giants’ Farhan Zaidi worked together in Oakland, so a Bay Area reunion in San Francisco would make sense. — Marc Carig

Mark Hallberg, third base coach, San Francisco Giants

Hallberg has served as Giants’ third base coach for the last two seasons, taking the position upon the retirement of Ron Wotus. Few candidates will have a background as varied as Hallberg, the son of international school administrators who grew up in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan before winding up at Florida State where he became teammates and close friends with some catcher named Buster Posey. After playing in the minors, Hallberg’s coaching ascent has been swift. In 2019, he was managing the Giants affiliate in Salem-Keizer. A year later, he joined the big league staff where he has remained. — MC

 

 

is that the list of people we shouldn't be hiring ?

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LCHorn

LCHorn 2750

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I don't know much about Kapler besides a vague memory of Baseball America touting him as the next stud OF and he didn't really pan out.  Why is everyone so down on him as a manager?

I feel like Zaidi is someone who'd utilize a lot of the same analytical approach as Luhnow, who we all wish was still here.  He had to have seen something he liked to hire him. 

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tx 3 putt

tx 3 putt 78668

Posted
Posted (edited)
32 minutes ago, LCHorn said:

I don't know much about Kapler besides a vague memory of Baseball America touting him as the next stud OF and he didn't really pan out.  Why is everyone so down on him as a manager?

I feel like Zaidi is someone who'd utilize a lot of the same analytical approach as Luhnow, who we all wish was still here.  He had to have seen something he liked to hire him. 

https://aroundthefoghorn.com/2019/10/30/giants-houston-astros-gabe-kapler-building-culture/

he's not a culture fit and reads like an 'enabler' 

 

During Kapler’s time as the head of player development in Los Angeles, there were two occasions where players were involved in incidents that included accusations of sexual assault. On both occasions, Kapler never reported the incidents to the police and tried to mediate the incidents himself.

His past is emblematic of the exact culture that views the team above everything.

 

 

https://www.si.com/mlb/giants/news/sf-giants-fire-gabe-kapler-scapegoat-mediocrity-farhan-zaidi-austin-slater

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HtownHorn

HtownHorn 15234

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, LCHorn said:

I don't know much about Kapler besides a vague memory of Baseball America touting him as the next stud OF and he didn't really pan out.  Why is everyone so down on him as a manager?

I feel like Zaidi is someone who'd utilize a lot of the same analytical approach as Luhnow, who we all wish was still here.  He had to have seen something he liked to hire him. 

He's been fired twice and he's a meathead that pretends he is cultured. 

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Pimphand

Pimphand 6358

Posted
Posted
On 10/25/2023 at 11:47 AM, Mitch Hedberg said:

If we are going to get back one of the two scapegoats I much prefer Luhnow over AJ. I know I’m in a huge minority, maybe of one, but I was never a huge AJ fan and his shitting the bed in 2019 is the last thing I need to see from him. Even that being said I’d take him over some of the guys on that list. Wtf. 

No fuck that I want Luhnow back 1,000% and I want Hinch back -1,000%

We can't keep putting the absolutists in charge of lineups....

Hinch: King of pissing down his leg and undermining the confidence of his pitchers by pulling them at the picosecond of trouble
Baker: King of not pissing down his leg and letting the pitcher bleed out on national television undermining their confidence
 

I want someone who will pay attention to analytics but still use his gut intuition to break the trend is that so hard to find?

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LCHorn

LCHorn 2750

Posted
Posted
12 minutes ago, Rockethorn1978 said:

Crane went after dusty a proven manager before so why wouldn’t he shoot a call to a francona? Let’s keep ausmus as the runner up again or I don’t know maybe go win somewhere else before taking on a WS contending roster.

I'm a little skeptical that Ausmus was actually THE runner-up last time, personally. 

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WBT

WBT 20966

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Posted
36 minutes ago, LCHorn said:

I'm a little skeptical that Ausmus was actually THE runner-up last time, personally. 

I pray that they just let Bagwell keep throwing his name out there to try to get him another job somewhere else 

2 hours ago, Pimphand said:

 

I want someone who will pay attention to analytics but still use his gut intuition to break the trend is that so hard to find?

Agree, except for the dumb gut intuition part

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