How the Houston Astros GM search took an unexpected turn

Will Brad Ausmus be the Astros next GM? Photo via: Wiki Commons.

Astros owner Jim Crane is a man who believes in doing things his way. There's a reason he became a billionaire businessman who owns the team. When he and former general manager James Click couldn't come to terms on a new deal and parted ways after winning a World Series last year, people were a bit surprised. You know who wasn't? Those that know Crane and how he likes to operate.

Click was more of an analytics guy who didn't like to take big risks and was very conservative in his team building approach. Crane seems more like a risk taker who doesn't mind taking big swings in improving the team. He's proven that time and again when it comes to paying guys and approving of certain trades (Gerrit Cole, Zach Greinke, and Justin Verlander). So when those philosophies came to a crossroads, it was obvious, to some, that Click was going to move on and Crane would look for a new GM.

Wait...what?!? THAT AJ Hinch?!? Yes! You heard the video correctly! Crane reportedly reached out to AJ Hinch about becoming the team's new GM. I always thought a reunion of Crane and Hinch was possible because of the way Hinch seemed genuinely sorry about the scandal that led to him and former GM Jeff Luhnow being fired. Crane liked Hinch because they share a similar approach to the game. While Hinch is a traditional “baseball guy,” he also uses some aspects of analytics. Crane likes this blended approach. Hinch is still the manager of the Tigers, so I highly doubt this ever comes to fruition.

Now it's getting REAL good! Brad Ausmus is the beloved former catcher of the Astros. He was the soft hitting, defensive guy behind the plate that the ladies seemed to fawn over. He wasn't a good manager, the Tigers fired him after posting a .486 winning percentage over three seasons. He's a former player and that is something I believe Crane holds in high regard. People with previous, and recent, experience are atop his lists with every hire he's made so far. Ausmus would be interesting in the fact that he doesn't have GM experience. Same with Hinch.

Dana Brown is the Braves VP of scouting. Looking up and down that roster and what that team has been able to accomplish, it's no wonder he's on the list. Former Giants GM Bobby Evans was another guy listed as a finalist. If it comes down to these guys, I prefer Evans over the others. He's someone that's had experience helping build one of the playoff contenders over the last few seasons. Someone like him is needed to keep this thing going. Jeff Bagwell and Reggie Jackson have the former player/baseball guy advisory roles locked up. Let someone else, preferably with personnel experience, be hired as GM. This will give Crane a blend of old school and new school in his braintrust. The next hire will be manager whenever Dusty Baker decides he's done. Get this hire right, and it'll make the managerial hire easier. I have no doubt Crane will get his guy, it's just a matter of when.

Bobby Evans Dana Brown Dusty Baker Jim Crane astros houston astros brad ausmus

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Texas hosts Clemson on Dec. 21. Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.

No. 4 Texas will be competing for a return trip to Atlanta when it plays at home against No. 13 Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

The winner of the Clemson-Texas first-round game on Dec. 21 will play No. 10 Arizona State in the Jan. 1 Peach Bowl in Atlanta in the CFP quarterfinals.

For Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, who is from Austin, Texas, the game will be a homecoming.

“We recruited him hard," Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Sunday, calling Klubnik “a winner. He will do whatever it takes to put his team in position to be successful.”

Added Sarkisian: “When he made the decision to go to Clemson, honestly I wasn’t surprised. Both his parents went to (Texas) A&M.”

Klubnik applauded the announcement of the game at Texas for Clemson's seventh CFP appearance.

“For him to be going to his first playoff in Austin, Texas, where he grew up, you can’t make that up,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “Pretty cool opportunity for him and his family to go compete against Texas there in Austin.”

Swinney said his only visit to the Texas stadium was to watch Klubnik play in a high school playoff game.

“We’ve never played Texas or played in that stadium,” Swinney said. “... It’s going to be amazing. It’s one of the best venues in college football.”

The Longhorns (11-2) were seeded No. 5 in the CFP following their 22-19 overtime loss to Georgia on Saturday night in the Southeastern Conference championship game in Atlanta.

Sarkisian said his players were “really excited” to see Texas land the No. 5 seed and have the opportunity to play in the Longhorns' first game against Clemson.

Texas safety Andrew Mukuba is a Clemson transfer. Sarkisian said players already were calling the matchup the “Mukuba Bowl.”

Swinney said: “I love Mukuba. I just love his spirit and love his heart. He was a really neat kid.

“I certainly wish he had been able to finish here. He did everything that was asked of him at Clemson. Made a bunch of big plays.”

Clemson (10-3) beat SMU 34-31 in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game Saturday night to land an automatic CFP berth. The Tigers are ranked No. 16 in the CFP but were given the 12th and lowest seed. As the fifth-highest ranked league champion, the Tigers do not get a bye and instead must visit Texas.

Arizona State (11-2) earned a bye by rolling over Iowa State 45-19 in the Big 12 championship game Saturday. The Sun Devils were led by running back Cam Skattebo's 170 rushing yards in their impressive win to cap their first season in the Big 12.

Peach Bowl president Gary Stokan noted the Sun Devils were picked to finish last in the Big 12.

“You proved them all wrong,” Stokan told Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham.

Arizona State players celebrated the announcement of their No. 4 seed.

Dillingham said he hopes the conference championship and berth in the CFP helps him recruit and continue to build the program.

“Hopefully this stage will help get our branding out there, and show people that we can be one of the newer brands in college football," Dillingham said. "Every 10-15 years a new brand shows up, and a new brand becomes a national brand.”No. 4 Texas will be competing for a return trip to Atlanta when it plays at home against No. 13 Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoff.