tread carefully
The minefield Houston Astros must navigate as manager search heats up
Oct 31, 2023, 10:55 am
The MINEFIELD Houston Astros must navigate as manager search HEATS UP!
Last week manager Dusty Baker made it known that he's stepping away and will not be managing the Astros moving forward. With the Astros now looking for a manager, several reports dropped naming some possibilities for the position.
Also, MLB.com's Brian McTaggart released a report claiming owner Jim Crane and Jeff Bagwell will lead the managerial search, with GM Dana Brown also having a say in the process.
Which immediately caused a firestorm of outrage on social media, as Bagwell and Crane were viewed as the main reasons the Astros had such a disappointing offseason in 2022. Both were blamed for firing then GM James Click, which led to signing 3 free agents without a GM in place. And those free agents were Rafael Montero, Jose Abreu, and Michael Brantley. All deals Astros fans would come to regret after the 2023 season.
The other main point of tension involves Jeff Bagwell's friendship with former Astro catcher Brad Ausmus. This relationship played a role in Ausmus being a finalist for the GM position before Dana Brown was hired.
And guess who is now being reported as a top managerial candidate for the Astros? None other than Brad Ausmus.
Brad Ausmus and Joe Espada will be strong candidates for the Astros' managerial opening.
Ausmus finished runner-up to Dusty Baker as manager, and also a runner-up to Dana Brown as GM.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) October 26, 2023
With all of this in mind, who will/should the Astros target as the next manager of the club?
Be sure to watch the video above as we examine all the reported candidates, and share our picks for the job.
If you enjoy the videos, subscribe to SportsMapHouston on YouTube for our latest content.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.