The Astros have moved quickly to line up discussions with candidates to take the club’s open managerial position. Veteran skipper Buck Showalter had a sit-down yesterday, per Ken Rosenthal and Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Owner Jim Crane certainly isn’t taking his time with the process of replacing A.J. Hinch, who was fired just three days ago. Of course, Crane also had the advantage of knowing his own thinking. He was presumably able to prepare for the situation that broke publicly when commissioner Rob Manfred issued Hinch a one-year suspension, with a firing announcement coming close behind.
The Astros are slated to meet with John Gibbons today, putting those two squarely on the list of top candidates for the open position. Internal option Joe Espada is perhaps the primary alternative candidate known to this point, though a few others have been tied to the position as well.
Showalter, 63, sat out the 2019 season after wrapping up a nine-year stint with the Orioles. He has spent two decades at the helm of one team or another, with prior time coming at the helm of the Rangers, Diamondbacks, and Yankees. Showalter’s charges have won 1,551 and lost 1,517 games under his command. He has been named the American League Manager of the Year on three occasions — with remarkable timing (1994, 2004, 2014).
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Love Buck. He’d be terrific. Hope he chooses Red Sox instead but I can see him and John Henry butting heads.
Buck is awful
2016 Wild Card game…smh
It’s terrible this is what’s he become known for since in reality one of his best attributes is his bullpen usage.
But that was awful. I get what he was thinking but it’s a one game season.
Got the 2016 Orioles to the wild card game
What is his analytical background? Buck, is from the old school and that’s not where teams are now headed.
Buck has said that managers that don’t adapt don’t get to be old managers.
Wise Old Owl: that’s not where teams are headed? Really? In the Luhnow era the Astros enthusiastically embraced analytics in order to get the optimum results on the field. But in the end, as a writer for USA Today recently said, “They doubted it all.” Instead of relying on analytics, they fell back on one of the oldest schemes in the book to gain competitive advantage—sign stealing—and this time with high-tech monitors and low-tech garbage can lids
Buck saying something and Buck actually meaning that he would adapt are two very different things.
I don’t think today’s analytics should even factor in regard to hiring a manager. I’m not saying they are or aren’t a big part a game’s outcome, but I think “Analytics Coach” should be it’s own payroll position.
I’d just rather see the binder in the hand of a bench coach who is responsible for collecting, preparing and organizing all the charts and data. Then, when the manager wants his feedback, he turns around and asks him.
I truly feel the majority of coaching staffs have actually lost the ability to trust their gut and knowledge and instead rely way too much on “the binder”.
I miss the days when a pitching coach or manager would walk out to the mound without already having made up his mind, looked in the pitcher’s eyes and asked, “What’ve ya got? Can you give me one more batter? You want this guy?”. At the very least, give the pitcher a chance to dig deeper and maybe take himself to the next level.
I really miss the bulldog pitchers prior to the 90’s and the damn pitch count impact. Before pitch counts, believe it or not, guys actually had 10+ year careers, threw complete games, amassed well over 200 innings pitched EVERY year for over a decade and most never had arm surgeries. Today, the more we limit pitchers, the more surgeries they need! Sorry, ranted there. Lol.
Buck can offer 2 consecutive last place division finishes and one of the worst single season records in modern baseball history. Additionally; he’s old school and the Astros are probably more involved in analytics than any other team. The only “match” here is that they’re both in Texas.
Hard to blame him for that. Baltimore still would’ve finished last for any other manager.
Buck has had harsh words for the Red Sox and how they went about their business while he was managing the O’s. It would take a miracle for him to get the job recently vacated by Cora.
I hope he goes to the Sox or Stros. Loved him when he was my coach in Baltimore. Besides besides that one playoff wildcard game lol.
Pedroia scenario is interesting… He retires..this voids contract and gets $$$ off Salary cap… Signs on to manage at same $ amount and years left on contract.
Buck couldn’t get along with Dan Duquette. Who, compared to the analytics guys Houston has in the FO is basically Fred Flintstone. That’s a marriage I see ending very poorly. I mean think about that one for a second. Houston’s new head of baseball OPS/GM is likely to be a relatively young guy without the resume Duke had. That sounds like a potential disaster to hire Buck there.
I think the Mets is a more realistic landing spot for Buck, if he’s to get any of these jobs. I know Bloom won’t hire him in Boston and I have a real hard time imaging Houston would either. And I’m not saying he’s a great fit in NY either but BVW is the least experienced and analytically inclined GM of the bunch. Maybe a guy like Showalter would do fine there.
Crane strikes me as an old school baseball mind. I think Showalter will be a preferred choice of his being that he’s an old school style skipper.
wat.
Crane strikes me as someone who knew all about the cheating. Or a complete moron.
Didn’t Cranes’ company skate on charges of cheating U.S. troops in a recent war?
I like him for the Astros or even Red Sox. If I’m him though, I’m hoping the Astros as the Sox have shown some signs of regress and possibly wanting to trim the books a little…. meaning a bad year or two, he could be in the midst of a rebuild and crappy team like he was with the O’s. Just a thought, very well could never happen
I had hoped the Mets would’ve hired him before Beltrán the Mets need someone with experience but maybe they still can with Beltrán maybe being in trouble lol
As someone who doesn’t like the cheating teams but respects Buck and Gibbons a lot, I hope one of them manages the Mets instead
He destroyed the Orioles
Give the job to someone new and deserving.
Keep him retired.
the Orioles destroyed the Orioles
+1
TIL: Buck Showalter gave C. Davis that contract
He didn’t give him the contract, but he did continue to write him into the middle of the batting order when he was hitting .170.
That is an inaccurate statement. The Owner had a great deal to do with it also. Though I do believe that Showalter encouraged the Orioles to re-sign CD..
Buck definitely had a fixation for certain players (Flaherty) and sadly none of them deserved all those opportunities. Davis was the worst. Buck was always worried about “disrespecting the veterans”. He acted more than a teenage fan with regard to Vlad. All that adulation wore thin on me.
And exactly did he destroy the Orioles?
Buck is a bullpen genius. Look who he is linked with. Mo. Johnson. Britton. You could do worse.
U mean the Orioles with the best record over a four year period from 2012-2016? The same Orioles that hadn’t won in 14 years that all the sudden were in the playoffs again. He did some things that got old like stubbornness but the players and fans loved him. I will agree he should of put in Britton instead of Jimenez
Destroyed the Orioles? Are you kidding me? He produced on of the best multi year runs in O’s history with Mediocre talent.
Unlike his other stops, Buck never got the Orioles to the World Series and he finished his career with a sub .500 record in Baltimore. Let’s not forget 2018 when he had Manny, Britton and Jones (at least for awhile) and compiled one of the worst season records in the team’s history. Even rookie manager Brandon Hyde bested Buck with a bunch of AAA players in 2019 (versus 2018).
Not by much…..
He built the only successful Orioles teams of the last 20 years
I wanted Buck to be manager of the Phillies…
Instead of Girardi? Buck would’ve been an ok consolation if Girardi turned down the offer, but Phils definitely got the right guy (or at least until Phillies go into a deep slump then I’ll wish for someone else too).
Why?
I miss the Walter Alston, Gil Hodges style. Laid back but firmly in control. Maybe there’s someone like that.
That style also led Hodges to have the heart attack as a fairly young man as I remember.. Alston now was one of the greats and belongs up there as a guy who was as good as Durocher and Earl Weaver, only Alston was not nearly as animated
Jackie Robinson, himself ill with heart disease and diabetes, told the Associated Press, “He was the core of the Brooklyn Dodgers.[19] With this, and what’s happened to Campy (Roy Campanella) and lot of other guys we played with, it scares you. I’ve been somewhat shocked by it all. I have tremendous feelings for Gil’s family and kids.” Robinson died of a heart attack six months later on October 24 at age 53.
Dusty Baker to Stros…Showalter to Mets..Red Sox up in air
Im not sure why the Astros would promote Espada at this point… Im sure he knew what was going on.
Espada wasn’t there in 2017 when this was going on. No evidence produced by MLB in the report that shows Astros illegally stole signs during the time Espada has been there.
Probably because they didn’t fully investigate 2018 and 2019.
Wrong. League thoroughly investigated all seasons. Positively cleared them. Cora was the root of this and it pretty much ended when he left.
Brad Asmus …
Yeah I could see that or Gibbons happening
Just offer Buck a little dough.
I see what you deered there
Michael Avanati as soon as he gets out of jail….it will make for a “Stormy” locker room…….
Buck is one of the best baseball minds in the game. Just hearing him talk about baseball shows his in depth knowledge. Any team would be lucky to have him. I have no doubt he’ll be a manager again.
As an O’s fan, I love Buck. You can’t put the epic late 2017-2018 collapse squarely on him. Even though he’s not an “analytical” guy, I think the Astros would be wise to choose him. He’s well known as a disciplinarian and tough manager. Some bit of order is needed, at least in a simple PR sense, for this team.
I feel like that collapse came more from team-building than anything, it all just kind of came crashing down at once lol and there was nothing he could do to patch it up like he was able to get away with in past seasons based purely on his talent.
Tony La Russa and dave dombrowski
Hubby
I meant Gibby
Gibby is your hubby?
Number one qualification to be the new Astros manager should be a willingness to keep Brent Strom as the pitching coach. Anyone who wants to bring in a new PC can see themselves out the door.
Dusty Baker is properly listed in the poll after other. Should be after all others
I don’t know how Buck doesn’t have a job managing
It amazes me he is a proven winner
I don’t know how Buck doesn’t have a job managing
It amazes me he is a proven winner
Pete Incaviglia from the Sugarland Skeeters.
Let’s hope Strom leaves the Astros since the managers were thrown under the bus and ownership and players took 0 responsibility. Make Baseball Great Again!
The Astros should only hire Dusty Baker. He is a proven winner who is getting “Dusty” on the shelf. A one year deal for Baker would prove to the league he can still manage an organization and be a leader in this field. In a league which is slowly turning the page to technology and analytics, Baker’s old school mentality can keep the older fan interested. A place like Houston is prime for a winner such as Dusty.
And if he turns you down go get Bouchy for two years.
Bruce Bochy doesn’t want to manage this year.
Love Buck, have always been a fan of his. I think he’d be perfect for both Astros and Sox at the moment. They need the PR fix so turning to an old school, no nonsense, manager would help both. Personally I prefer he go to Houston so that I don’t have to see him in a Sox uniform
Too bad Carlos Beltran isn’t available.
The Sox should hire Bochy or Showalter because they need a stable presence and both of these guys would provide that.
Bruce Bochy isn’t managing this year.
2024 is going to be a great year for Buck!
Buck Showalter / Dave Dombroski to the Astros
Hensley Meulins gets promoted on the Mets
Dusty Baker to the Red Sox
Get Pete Incaviglia from the Sugarland Skeeters; already local and no nonsense. (Sarcasm)
“Crane had the advantage of knowing his own thinking” … I mean, obviously? What a bizarre point to make.
Every team Showalter has managed, except for the crap organization in Baltimore, a year or two after he left, that team was in the Series, feel like he’s never gotten his chance
Guy managed for 20 years lol
While a terrific manager, I do not believe Buck Showalter is a fit for the Astros at all. He has always been at his best teaching young guys how to be a professional, work ethic, etc – very detailed, to the point of going overboard about it. Veteran teams have always gotten tired of the way he goes about managing. Again, while he is a terrific manager, I do not believe his style will cater to a lot of veteran players who have won a lot — even though they might should be taught how to um, do it the right way.
Right about now some of the Astros players apparently need to be taught right from wrong and how to conduct themselves professionally. Cranes only Championship has been stained because those in authority failed to actually lead including the veteran players. That crap won’t happen with Buck in charge.
I agree with you from that standpoint. I just meant that a lot of those players may not buy into a different type of preparation, after doing it a certain way, for a long time, successfully. Whether we/Crane think the players need that, I have doubts that Verlander, Altuve etc will get behind such detail/etc. Just an opinion.
‘Oldman’, you pretty much make the perfect argument why the Mets need to hire him asap. They have a young team with a lot of talent that seem to already have good work ethics and attitudes. BUT, it is NY, there are a lot of distractions whether it is media related or off field and their pitching staff could do SO much more than they have so far. (Not including deGrom.)
Lol trying to tell the Astros about work ethic and professionalism when they have quite a few veterans and won 107 games. Ooookay.
Baseballs favorite dinosaur!
He’s not quite the grand poobah that Ned Yost is but he’s close. If there’s any analytical guys left in that FO they’re sure going to love this hire.
Buck has done waaaaay too much talking on TV about the ‘scandal’ so I doubt he gets the call. The Astros clearly want a veteran with a no-nonsense approach to right the ship. I think Baker has the edge but I see Gibbons as a dark horse candidate. He is from Texas and has a great relationship with his players.
Anything to get Buck off of YES.
Mets desperately need a veteran manager like Showalter or Baker. The smart move in NY would be to hire a guy like that short term and have that individual really take Meulens under his wing and truly groom him to take over in a year or two. If BVW feels he needs an analytics guy, then go ahead and hire the best one out as a BENCH coach who can feed the manager whatever data he may want.
Best if both worlds.
Buck is just good enough to never win anything. Pass on that clown
Buck would make any team that hired him play baseball the right way. He’d be good for the Astros in a PR fixing way.
Lol what does that even mean? Are they currently coming to the plate with pool cues?
I hope he manages the Astros so they don’t win another world series until the year after he’s fired.
Really fascinated by the overwhelming Buck love here. Guy has a long track record of mediocrity, his resume boasts extreme bullpen mismanagement and glaring overuse of position players who fade in September, not to mention his nauseating preening egotism.
Mediocrity of winning manager of the year multiple times. You wish you sucked that much
….. really? That’s your counter? A meaningless popularity contest award? Why not cite his merit badges too?
OH FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME!!!! Why, why, why, why do people continue to hire this guy???? In 20 years at the helm he’s had 8 winning seasons and 1 year of
.500 ball. He’s a lifetime .505 Manager!!
Yet somehow he has been manager of the year. 3 times. Because he is a good manager
Will he acquire the signals and electronic devices?
I think the Astros should give Clint Hurdle a call.