Astros looking to extend AJ Hinch contract long term

I dunno, man. Any time you start looking to lock someone up long term...the manager ends up being fired before that term is up. It's the beginning of the end of Hinch.

Didn't the Rockets extend McHale's contract and he was fired like the very next season pretty much as soon as it got under way? lol

 

Glad to hear this. He should be our guy for (at the very least) the next 5 seasons. Potentially even longer as long as the team sustains success over the next 5 seasons or so.

 

A lot of managers probably could have led this team to a WS.

We don't have to wonder whether or not he "could" have done it, he actually did it.

Pay the man.

 

He earned it. I have no problem with it. But if there is an exact wrong time to sign someone I would think it’s right after they won the World Series for you, lol. But I always say the same thing when it comes to money, just pay it, and take it out of the equation as the amount is almost always irrelevant in the end. Don’t let money get in the way of making lots more money.

 

They need to reward him for what he is. A top 3 manager in baseball right now.

 

Totally on board with this. Managers aren't perfect, but I've liked Hinch for what he's brought over the last few years.

It's interesting to think--so little has changed in terms of what Hinch actually decided on the field (and probably in the locker room, strategically/people-wise) in the last couple of years. But 2 years ago, seemed like at least half the fans didn't think he was the best choice. Even during this past season, it felt like 30-40% probably still wouldn't have been on board with an extension. After winning a WS? I bet that # falls to 10-15%. Winning cures all

 

Tomstro faints?

 

He's clearly a better game manager that what we had prior and what I've seen from other current managers. I don't know how many managers successfully overcome their bullpen sucking it up in the playoffs. He realized his regular season formula wasn't working in the playoffs and tried something unproven. Dave Roberts, a pretty great manager in his own right, failed to make those adjustments.

That being said I did feel like he got a ton of help from the veterans that the FO acquired. He didn't have to micromanage a lot of stuff because Beltran and McCann could pull people aside.

 

Astros won in game 7 behind offense and starting pitching. Dodgers had 4 games with bullpen shut outs and a 5th game that bullpen gave up 1 meaningless run in a game they had a big lead. Astros could have lost in 6. Astros won because Astros hitters kept coming and wore out Dodgers pitching....not because Roberts failed.

 

While McCullers became the first game 7 starter to not allow a run since 1991 , I don’t think the Astros won game 7 due to starting pitching. I think most criticism of Roberts is due to him pulling Hill after 4 innings in game 2.

 

@smitheygerard

 

Not sure a manager can be blamed within reason that his team lost because the best reliever in baseball failed in one game, his second best starter failed in 2 games, and in one game, the best pitcher in baseball the last few years couldn't hold a 4-run lead and then couldn't hold a 3-run lead after that. When the Dodgers best faced off against the Astros best, the Astros won enough to win 4 games. Even then, Roberts moves made the series go 7. His only real stinker decision was pitching Morrow in Game 5, but that decision should not have needed to be made.

 

If putting up with Hinch's sometimes moronic handling of his pitchers is the price to pay for a World Series, then sign me up every single day of the week.

 

Which is why I said most of the criticism was from when he pulled Hill after just 4 innings. Could have led to some snowballing with using a couple of relievers he would not have necessarily had to.

 

You gotta love the offseason before the Winter Meetings get going.

 

If the worse decision by Roberts is pulling Hill and using non-closers to get a 2-run lead to a guy that hadn't blown a 2-run lead in years (I don't see a blown 2-run lead in 2016 and 2017 game logs but could be wrong), it is safe to say the criticism is overcritical.

 

Love it.

Hinch is our best manager since what, Dierker? Garner was nice, but Hinch deserves all the praise in the world. Got Houston over the hunch. Got the monkey off our back. The culture change with him was integral and rather flawless in hindsight. He connected with the players well, had them playing hard and for each other. Some bonehead calls along the way, but everything is 20/20 in hindsight. Few managers could’ve accomplished what—and in such a short amount of time—as Hinch.

As a sidenote, Hinch is everything I hoped Jimy Williams was gonna be.

 

Uh he is under club control for one more season at friendly rate. No need to extend him............

 

I had this exact thought. Hinch is in the unenviable position to have expectation sky high. The team would not have to falter much for coach ax discussions to commence.