It's pretty obvious Crane and Co. wanted Dusty and Click back in a one year capacity, as they are grooming their potential replacements for 2024. I'm fairly certain Espada is the guy to take over for Dusty once he retires, but who do you think is in line who was supposed to take over for Click? Not understanding the 1 year approach for him unless Crane had his replacement lined up for 2024.
I think, like Correa, Crane offered Click a 1 year deal that he was confident would not be accepted. It was to minimize the negative press of not bringing back a WS winning GM but he was not happy at all with him or his performance. Crane is a powerful rich business man who owns this team. He has expectations and has no qualms with kicking someone to the curb if they don't meet them. I'm sure he expected this outcome and is prepared.
I mix and match concepts at times and I liken the problem to addressing to two concepts which are necessary, but in opposition. One is chain of command (logistics) and the other is a feedback loop (taken from electronics). He apparently had to deal with the feedback side too often for his liking. If the GM earns the trust of those he is responsible for, the feed back is handled top-down. If not, it works it's way from bottom up. It appears he likes a smooth running ship more than micromanagement, but does exercise his authority before things get out of hand. But I'm definitely not Nook with inside information. I'm more of an analyst trying to collect and sort out a grain of truth from among the publicly shared data, much of which is speculative rather than informed.
I too have no inside information. But from observation and reading others Intel and opinions: Crane was a relatively hands off owner, giving Luhnow considerable freedom and authority. This is what Click observed prior to being hired. Crane made it clear this would change and he was going to be involved as well as the people in place are good and to be listened to. The new GM would need to accept this. Click probably noticed the difference from what Crane was telling him and what he had seen and learned about the team before. He probably expected things to calm down after a year or so and Crane would settle back to the way he was. Miscalculation.
Crane had a limited time to find a GM… and it wasn’t like Click had a bunch of suitors lined up. It was a quick fix situation that was favorable for both parties… Click gets a chance to be a GM of a high profile team with an opening that would normally have not been available. And the Astros were able to secure somebody who had a strong pedigree with analytics but was also not an established GM that would possibly come in with his own baggage/agenda.
Some of the reporting out there was that Luhnow looped in Crane a lot more than was generally understood. In the process, he educated Crane to the point of Crane having his own educated opinion on matters. Crane also consulted heavily with former players and others not in the formal chain of command. Sounds like Click wasn't expecting and didn't appreciate having to loop Crane in and also didn't appreciate not having final baseball operations say. Crane wants another Luhnow-type.
Or Crane wasn’t happy when Click would report that things were close… and then they wouldn’t happen. Crane would have likely been find with the “process” had the results been there. Betting everything on Jake Meyers unfortunately didn’t turn out the way they thought it would.
Given age Dusty is likely fine on 1yr deals and I think Espada is being groomed as manager. Who better too learn more from. The Click offer is a huge head scratcher. But Crane has picked two quality GM’s so I’ll trust his decision.
I think the simple truth is Crane hired Click with no expectations but hoped to groom him to become a good GM or let him go. Click just never got it.
