What's really behind highly polarized opinions on Astros managerial search
THIS IS NOT A DRILL!
26 October 2023
The Houston Astros are in the process of looking for a new manager, with Dusty Baker announcing his retirement from the Astros this week. And a report from MLB.com's Brian McTaggart has many fans and media concerned about the direction of the franchise.
From @brianmctaggart: "Dana Brown... will have a say in who’s in the manager’s chair, but owner Jim Crane and Jeff Bagwell, the team’s senior advisor to ownership and baseball operations, will oversee finding the next Astros skipper."
Absolute clown show in the front office.
— Mike Mitchell (@MikeMitchNH) October 25, 2023
McTaggart is reporting that the search for the new manager will be led by owner Jim Crane and Jeff Bagwell. With GM Dana Brown having a voice in the process.
This news is concerning because former Astros GM James Click lost a power struggle with Dusty Baker, which led to Click being arguably pushed out of the organization.
And Click did some terrific things for the Astros during his time in Houston. His presence was definitely missed last offseason when Crane and Bagwell made three free agent signings (Jose Abreu, Rafael Montero, and Michael Brantley) that backfired. The New York Post reported that Crane himself negotiated the Montero contract, which was the most scrutinized.
What's most alarming is the advanced analytics that helped build the dynasty, may longer be the direction the team is heading. It was reported that Crane may listen to Bagwell more than anyone else. A blend of old school baseball scouting and analytics could be ideal, but it seems the Astros are moving toward an old school approach.
One would hope Crane and Bagwell would learn from their mistakes from last offseason, but if they hire a manager like Brad Ausmus because of Bagwell's recommendation, we could see the team fall further behind the other number savvy clubs in MLB.
Just think about the skill set James Click brought to the organization. He started with the Rays in 2006 “building out their proprietary database, using his coding skills to pull in as much information as possible.”
Not exactly the skills you associate with Bagwell, Crane, and Brown. Or Ausmus for that matter.
And as we look back, allowing Click and pitching coach Brent Strom to leave look like huge mistakes. Strom just led his Arizona pitching staff to the World Series by silencing the Phillies explosive offense. While the Astros pitching regressed this year. One could argue Strom wasn't here in 2022 when the pitching was elite, but he worked with those guys in 2021 and perhaps after two years without Strom, they started to fall off.
So who should the next manager be? If the Astros promote bench coach Joe Espada to manager, will all the Crane and Bagwell criticism go away? Or if they hire a coach like Walt Weiss away from the Braves, will that ease the minds of Astros fans? That would indicate Crane and Bagwell are listening to recommendations from GM Dana Brown, who came from Atlanta.
One thing is for sure, if Ausmus is hired as manager, there will be a backlash. And don't forget, Ausmus was a finalist to be GM, with the team opting for Dana Brown instead.
There's so much more to cover here, be sure to watch the video above for the full conversation.
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Critical levers Astros can pull as health concerns, deadline pressures grow
Jul 10, 2025, 3:46 pm
What looked like a minor blip after an emotional series win in Los Angeles has turned into something more concerning for the Houston Astros.
Swept at home by a Guardians team that came in riding a 10-game losing streak, the Astros were left looking exposed. Not exhausted, as injuries, underperformance, and questionable decision-making converged to hand Houston one of its most frustrating series losses of the year.
Depth finally runs dry
It would be easy to point to a “Dodger hangover” as the culprit, the emotional peak of an 18-1 win at Chavez Ravine followed by a mental lull. But that’s not the story here.
Houston’s energy was still evident, especially in the first two games of the series, where the offense scored five or more runs each time. Including those, the Astros had reached that mark in eight of their last 10 games heading into Wednesday’s finale.
But scoring isn’t everything, not when a lineup held together by duct tape and desperation is missing Christian Walker and Jake Meyers and getting critical at-bats from Cooper Hummel, Zack Short, and other journeymen.
The lack of depth finally showed. The Astros, for three days, looked more like a Triple-A squad with Jose Altuve and a couple big-league regulars sprinkled in.
Cracks in the pitching core
And the thing that had been keeping this team afloat, elite pitching, finally buckled.
Hunter Brown and Josh Hader, both dominant all season, finally cracked. Brown gave up six runs in six innings, raising his pristine 1.82 ERA to 2.21. Hader wasn’t spared either, coughing up a game-losing grand slam in extra innings that inflated his ERA from 1.80 to 2.38 in one night.
But the struggles weren’t isolated. Bennett Sousa, Kaleb Ort, and Steven Okert each gave up runs at critical moments. The bullpen’s collective fade could not have come at a worse time for a team already walking a tightrope.
Injury handling under fire
Houston’s injury management is also drawing heat, and rightfully so. Jake Meyers, who had been nursing a calf strain, started Wednesday’s finale. He didn’t even make it through one pitch before aggravating the injury and needing to be helped off the field.
No imaging before playing him. No cautionary rest despite the All-Star break looming. Just a rushed return in a banged-up lineup, and it backfired immediately.
Second-guessing has turned to outright criticism of the Astros’ medical staff, as fans and analysts alike wonder whether these mounting injuries are being made worse by how the club is handling them.
Pressure mounts on Dana Brown
All eyes now turn to Astros GM Dana Brown. The Astros are limping into the break with no clear reinforcements on the immediate horizon. Only Chas McCormick is currently rehabbing in Sugar Land. Everyone else? Still sidelined.
Brown will need to act — and soon.
At a minimum, calling up top prospect Brice Matthews makes sense. He’s been mashing in Triple-A (.283/.400/.476, 10 HR, .876 OPS) and could play second base while Jose Altuve shifts to left field more regularly. With Mauricio Dubón stretched thin between shortstop and center, injecting Matthews’ upside into the infield is a logical step.
There’s also trade chatter, most notably about Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins, but excitement has been tepid. His numbers don’t jump off the page, but compared to who the Astros are fielding now, Mullins would be a clear upgrade and a much-needed big-league presence.
A final test before the break
Before the All-Star reset, Houston gets one last chance to stabilize the ship, and it comes in the form of a rivalry series against the Texas Rangers. The Astros will send their top trio — Lance McCullers Jr., Framber Valdez, and Hunter Brown — to the mound for a three-game set that will test their resolve, their health, and perhaps their postseason aspirations.
The Silver Boot is up for grabs. So is momentum. And maybe, clarity on just how far this version of the Astros can go.
There's so much more to discuss! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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