A closer look at Astros’ potential GM candidates
HOUSTON — With the beginning of Spring Training about three weeks away, the Astros’ seek for a basic supervisor seems to be narrowing, as a number of candidates have emerged in latest days. That listing consists of former Angels and Tigers supervisor Brad Ausmus, who performed 10 seasons for Houston.
A supply advised MLB.com that the Astros have been in contact with Ausmus about changing into their subsequent GM, the place he would work intently with long-time teammate and pal Jeff Bagwell — one among Astros proprietor Jim Crane’s closest advisors. In addition, Braves vp of scouting Dana Brown has interviewed for the job, a supply tells MLB.com.
“We’re still searching,” Crane stated Wednesday evening on the Houston Sports Awards, the place he was set to obtain an award for Executive of the Year. “We’re still working on it. We’ll take our time and get it right.”
When requested if he’s narrowed his search, Crane stated: “Possibly.”
Crane stated the Astros have interviewed each inner and exterior candidates.
Houston has been and not using a GM since Nov. 11 of final 12 months, when James Click’s contract wasn’t renewed solely days after the workforce received the World Series. Shortly after, Crane stated the seek for a brand new GM would final into the brand new 12 months, that means the Astros navigated the offseason with assistant GMs Bill Firkus, Andrew Ball and Charles Cook main the baseball operations division, together with Crane and Bagwell.
Crane stated on Wednesday he had not requested permission from the Brewers to interview David Stearns, the previous Astros assistant GM who stepped down because the Brewers’ president of baseball operations on Oct. 28 and moved into an advisory function.
Here’s extra on the Astros’ potential GM candidates and a few names which were linked to the membership:
Brad Ausmus
The 53-year-old Ausmus, who performed for the Astros from 1997-98 and 2001-08, spent final season because the bench coach of the A’s, however he managed the Tigers for 4 seasons (2014-17) and Angels for one season (’19). The solely front-office expertise Ausmus has on his resume was a particular assistant stint with the Padres shortly after his enjoying profession ended and as a particular assistant beneath former Angels GM Billy Eppler in ’18.
Dana Brown
Brown, 55, was named Atlanta’s VP of scouting previous to the 2019 season and helped procure a lot of the Braves’ younger expertise, corresponding to Michael Harris, the 2022 NL Rookie of the Year, and pitcher Spencer Strider, who completed second. Prior to Atlanta, Brown spent 9 seasons as a particular assistant to the GM for the Blue Jays and labored because the director of scouting for the Expos/Nationals for eight seasons from 2002-09, throughout which he drafted over 40 Major League gamers, together with seven All-Stars. He started his scouting profession with the Pirates in ’94. He was a teammate of Craig Biggio at Seton Hall.
Bobby Evans
Evans, 53, was the GM of the Giants from the beginning of the 2015 season till Sept. 24, 2018. He was employed by San Francisco in ’94 as a Minor League administrative assistant and labored his means up from there. He was promoted to director of Minor League operations in ’98, to director of participant personnel in ’05 and to vp of baseball operations in ’09. Prior to the Giants, he labored within the Commissioner’s Office in New York for 3 years.
James Harris
Harris was promoted to the assistant GM of the Guardians final 12 months after becoming a member of the group in December 2016 because the director of participant growth. He spent most of ’16 as a particular assistant with the Pirates after three years because the chief of workers for the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles and almost six years working on the University of Oregon. He was additionally a guide for the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers from 2008-12.
