Brad Ausmus is coming back to Houston, but is he already fighting an uphill battle before he even manages his first game for the Astros?
The Astros have officially named Ausmus their new manager, and while the former Houston catcher brings plenty of experience and familiarity with the organization, there is one major obstacle that could make his return more difficult than it needs to be. His close friendship and association with Jeff Bagwell.
Fair or unfair, that relationship is going to leave a bad
taste in the mouths of a significant portion of the Astros fan base. The problem is that much of the negativity surrounding this hire has very little to do with Ausmus himself, his previous managerial experience or his most recent role as bench coach of the New York Yankees.
Instead, it has everything to do with Bagwell, Jim Crane and the questionable personnel decisions that have been made under their watch as the Astros desperately try to remain relevant, competitive and capable of chasing another World Series championship.
Bagwell has become a lightning rod for criticism among Astros fans, and his continued influence on baseball decisions has raised legitimate questions about the direction of the franchise. Unfortunately for Ausmus, his longstanding friendship with the Hall of Famer makes him an easy target for fans who believe this organization needs fresh voices and a completely different approach.
But here’s the thing: Ausmus deserves to be judged on his ability to manage this baseball team, not simply on the company he keeps.
Let’s not forget that Ausmus has legitimate major league managerial experience, having previously led both the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Angels. He was also a finalist for the Astros’ general manager position before Dana Brown was hired, so his name has been connected to leadership opportunities within this organization for years.
He understands Houston, knows the expectations of this fan base and has a connection to the franchise that goes well beyond simply wearing the uniform.
More importantly, he should have the credibility necessary to command the respect of a veteran-laden clubhouse.
With established stars like Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and Yordan Alvarez still serving as the foundation of this roster, the Astros absolutely had to hire someone capable of walking into that clubhouse and immediately commanding the room.
Ausmus has spent the last three seasons working alongside Aaron Boone in New York, dealing with the expectations, pressure and personalities that come with managing the Yankees. Working with superstar players like Aaron Judge and the other established veterans on that roster should serve him well when it comes to handling the personalities and expectations in Houston.
The ability to communicate, earn respect and hold veteran players accountable will be critical if the Astros expect to remain contenders.
But the biggest question surrounding this hire has very little to do with the players.
It’s about the relationship Ausmus will have with new general manager Randy Flores, owner Jim Crane and, of course, Jeff Bagwell.
During Flores’ introductory press conference, Crane made it a point to emphasize that his new general manager would have full authority over baseball operations decisions.
That sounds great in theory, but this managerial search was already underway before Flores was officially hired. Ausmus had already interviewed and established himself as a legitimate candidate while Crane and Bagwell were heavily involved in the process.
So how much of this decision truly belonged to Flores?
That doesn’t mean Ausmus wasn’t the best candidate or that Flores didn’t ultimately support the hire. But when you’re trying to convince a fan base that the organization is making a fresh start, the optics certainly matter.
If Crane truly intends to give Flores complete control over baseball operations, then fans have every right to question whether this hire represents a new direction or simply more of the same.
And that’s really where the frustration comes from.
The Astros have reached a point where the decisions made by Crane and Bagwell are being scrutinized more closely than ever. The roster has obvious holes, the farm system needs improvement, and the organization is trying to extend a championship window that has already shown signs of closing.
With a new general manager and manager taking over two of the most important baseball positions in the organization, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to bring in fresh perspectives without any connection to the questionable decisions of the past.
Instead, the Astros have chosen familiarity.
Maybe Ausmus will prove to be exactly what this organization needs. Maybe his experience, relationships and understanding of the clubhouse will help the Astros return to championship contention.
But there’s also a very real possibility that every questionable lineup decision, every losing streak and every frustrating personnel move will immediately lead fans back to the same two names: Crane and Bagwell.
And that would be unfortunate for Ausmus.
He hasn’t managed a single game in his return to Houston, yet he’s already carrying the baggage of decisions he had absolutely nothing to do with.
Ultimately, the success or failure of this hire should come down to wins, losses, clubhouse leadership and whether the Astros can once again compete for a World Series.
But if this organization truly wanted a fresh start, perhaps the better approach would have been hiring someone without longstanding relationships with the very people whose decisions have brought the franchise to this crossroads.
Brad Ausmus may turn out to be the right man for the job. The question is whether the people who hired him will give him the opportunity to prove it, or whether their own reputations have already put him behind the eight ball before he ever fills out his first lineup card.
