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.

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.