Astros fire Bo Porter

Bo Porter interview with the local rag

[rQUOTEr]Q: What’s next for you?

Porter: “I think you take a step back and see what materializes and go from there. At this point of the season obviously there are different things that are going to happen between now and the end of the year that are just unknown. Once you get to the end of the season and we’ll see what’s out there and you talk to the different people. I’ll have my agent talk to different people and we’ll go from there.”

Q: How did you feel about analytics and defensive shifts?

Porter: I mean, I completely embraced it. We did a complete 40-minute presentation to the team this spring training and I explained to them in detail that this is the best way to maximize outs and put yourself in the best position to be successful. You look at analytics and all the information that’s afforded to us today, one would be crazy not to use the information in a matter that gives your team a competitive advantage or competitive edge or put your players in a better position to be successful. I’ve always been on the record; I come from the Hayden Fry tree: “Scratch where it itches.” So you put yourself in position to defend a greater portion of the field that the hitter has a great probability to hit the ball. When it comes to match-ups, you look at a hitter’s heat map and you say to yourself, ‘This guy has a better opportunity of getting this hitter out because he can get the ball to this quadrant. This guy is probably going to struggle off this guy because he can’t get the ball to this quadrant.’ That’s why there were times this year where I would bring in Josh Fields to face lefties that struggled with the ball at the top of the zone. Why? Because when you look at the analytics and all the information you have afforded to you it will let you know that’s matchup wise that’s a good matchup for him.”

Q. A lot has been written about the clubhouse dynamics. Can you discussion the clubhouse under your watch?

Porter: “That was probably one of the most disappointing things that I may have heard. I received over 550 text messages. I’m not going to sit here and name players because I just don’t do that, but a lot them were from our players. From text messages to voicemails basically thanking me and letting me know how they felt. You’d have to talk to them individually but the clubhouse was never an issue of me managing the ballclub. If anything I went out of my way to protect my players. I went out of my way to make sure the line of communication and the level of respect was always first class.”

Q. Do you have any regrets?

Porter: “No because at the end of the day all unity is not good and all separation is not bad. I think that when you look at the organization and our reasoning for parting ways, from a professional standpoint I leave with my integrity, my dignity and I’m ready to move on to the next chapter of our life.”

Q. How do you describe your relationship with Jeff Luhnow?

Porter: “I’ve always said this. I don’t think discussing personal relationships publicly does anyone any good. The organization made the decision that they made, and Bo Porter is going to move on with his life. I gave a statement when the announcement came down. I will live with that statement. I just think the game of baseball has its way of working things out, and I believe that God has a better place for me.”

Q. What’s your opinion on the direction the Astros are going right now?

Porter: “When you look at success in the way that I measure success, you know, is the situation better than it was when you arrived? So I look at the work in which we were able to accomplish, and that being me, my staff, all the players, all the people that were a part of the organization from the time I took the job to my last day on the job. The Houston Astros are in a much better place at this age than they were when I arrived.”

Q. What do you take the most pride in of the things you accomplished with the Astros?

Porter: “What I take away from this entire situation is: One, a sense of, I guess you can say, confidence that I can manager Major League Baseball. I take away from it understanding professionalism and respect and that the players always come first and just the love of the game.”

Q: What did it mean to you to manage in your wife Stacey’s hometown?

Porter: “The fact that my wife was born and raised here obviously that had a lot of bearing on my decision to take the job here, but by no means do I look back with any regret. I believe that I took the job for the right reasons. My wife doesn’t look back with any regret. She’s been on this jersey with me from day one, and we will just move forward.

Q: Will you remain in Houston?

Porter: “Houston is home. Our family is here. I didn’t move my mom and my brothers and my family from New Jersey here to (move). Houston was home for us 18 years before I ever became manager of the Houston Astros. I had to make that point to HISD and the people that are involved with my foundation who had questions on whether the foundation was still going to give to HISD. The Bo Porter SELF Foundation was never contingent on me being the manager of the Houston Astros. We started the foundation of July of 2012 before I was manager of the Houston Astros. Our desire to give back to a community that has given so much to us is not contingent on me being a major league manager of the city in which the foundation was founded. We’re going to continue our work in the community because we feel a responsibility to uplift those that are in situations that are probably not as ideal as other people. On Nov. 13, the SELF Gala will take place in the Hilton Americas downtown. Frank Robinson will be the Legacy honoree and the Torch Award recipient. We will continue to move forward with our work with the SELF Foundation in the city of the Houston and continue to impact the lives of people in under-served and under-privileged communities.”

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to say?

Porter: “If you can include the statement I made (on Labor Day), I think it speaks volumes.”

Spoiler

[/rQUOTEr]

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>In addition, Hart announced that Bo Porter has been named as third-base/outfield and baserunning coach.</p>&mdash; Atlanta Braves (@Braves) <a href="https://twitter.com/Braves/status/518062777068711937">October 3, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Dave Trembley joining the Braves as well