Christopher

In an exclusive interview with MLB. com, Jeff Bagwell explains how hiring Brad Ausmus had more to do with Ausmus' credentials than their friendship. "I told Jim and I told Flo, I am not banging the table for Brad." mlb.com/astros/news/jeff-bag…

A special message from some special people for the MVP

Alright I’ll give this Ausmus hire my most objective, non-emotional take: On the field, the 2027 Ausmus-lead Astros will operate pretty similarly to the 2026 Espada-lead Astros. We know Ausmus is “smart”. We know he’s been around the game a long time and knows ball. That being said, baseball managing, imo, is about 85% “vibes and chemistry”, and 15% actual decision-making. Because most of the “decisions” are made long before the game as part of a strategy along with a gaggle of other managers and front office people. On “vibes and chemistry”, this is where I think a lot of people are concerned (and rightly so). Because he’s been around the game for so long, we have more than a few stories of things he’s said, things that have happened under his watch, or experiences working with him, that lead us to question his leadership qualities and philosophies. His winning % is not necessarily an indicator either way for me personally. He had a couple decent Tigers teams, and a bad Angels team. What’s more telling is that his last opportunity was with the 72-90 Angels, where he signed a 3-year deal and then was let go after 1 season. Then nowhere for 2 years, then bench coach of the A’s in 2022. Now he’ll have followed Joe Espada’s path of bench coach for the Yankees to Astros manager. The biggest story in all this is the circumstances of his hiring. Ausmus has interviewed for the Astros job in the past and didn’t get it. What changed? Ausmus wasn’t even interviewed by any of the other teams trying to fill empty manager roles in the past couple years. The Astros interviewed him before hiring their new GM. They then say this new GM has full control over the team and hiring process. Just a lot of external indicators that this hiring was more on connections, and less on merit. Bagwell’s input and relationship to Ausmus is the MAIN complaint I have and that I’ve seen from most fans. It indicates a continued meddling from Bagwell and Crane in decisions, and undercuts your new GM within the first week. This COULD really be Flo actually choosing Ausmus, but every indication leads us to think that’s not the case. 30,000 ft view, based on rumors before each hiring, it sounds like in the Astros search this offseason for both a GM and a Manager, they had a preferred candidate ready to go (Kleine & Pujols), but Crane didn’t want to give up more $ and/or control. I’ll try my best to find the optimism and give them some benefit of the doubt as Flo and Ausmus progress, but unfortunately right now the feeling in my gut is this team seems to be on a steady decline back into mediocrity

C.J. Stroud is RISING FAST

At least Brad Ausmus will bring some intensity to the clubhouse He already has one of the best reactions to getting ejected ever🤣

Live look at Bagwell influencing Jim Crane... #Astros

Being friends with Jeff Bagwell doesn’t mean Brad Ausmus will be a bad manager

The last time the #Astros hired …a former MLB catcher …with previous front office experience …and previous managerial experience it worked out fine. #GoldenEra #Hinch 📢 talk to you at 2p on #TheATeam

Welcome back to the H, skip 🤘

It’s interesting to me how some franchise legends would ever want to risk even partially tainting their legacy with the team’s fanbase in their post-playing career Jeff Bagwell and Buster Posey are doing it in real time

Brad Ausmus was interviewed before Randy Flores. That tells you all you need to know.

Jim Crane said in the intro press conference for the Astros new GM Randy Flores that Flores will have “full authority” but they’re going to hire Brad Ausmus as the new Manager who interviewed before Flores was hired? It’s laughable at this point, man.

No idea if “Flo” will be a successful GM. No idea if Ausmus will be a successful manager. That said, it seems like the Astros hired someone who wasn’t their first choice as GM, then hired someone closer to Jeff Bagwell than the new GM as manager. Tough to feel optimistic.

A respected member of the Astros for two stints that covered 10 seasons as part of an 18-year playing career, Ausmus brings five years of managerial experience, going a combined 386-422 with the Tigers (2014-17) and Angels (’19).

As ever, I will gladly eat crow if proven wrong as I always want the Astros to succeed above all else - but there is nothing to suggest Brad Ausmus is the right man to manage this team, or even a good manager.

Brad Ausmus is the next Astros manager how we feeling

This will be fun