If Crane picks Ausmus then Bagwell is officially a Gríma Wormtongue mf and I will expect a steady decline over the next 3-4 years.
Ausmus has no record in evaluating talent and assigning value to that talent which is the main job of a GM. Yikes!!!!
There are 2 things about Ausmus that make me think he would be a terrible GM. First, like you said he has no official background in talent evaluation, trade/contract negotiations, or player development. That’s a pretty big mismatch on his resume. But also, his track record as a manager and front office assistant is as a loser. The padres sucked while he was in their front office. The Tigers sucked while he was their manager. Same with the Angels. He was a winner while with the Astros but as a non-player, he’s got a track record of losing. Finally, a lot is made of Ausmus’ Ivy League background as if that somehow makes him qualified to be a big league GM. He made a 1220 on his SAT. That’s enough for me to know that Ausmus’ intellect isn’t on the level of someone like Luhnow (or Click). Could Ausmus probably contribute to a front office in a positive way? Sure. Is he qualified to be a Gm? On the surface, absolutely not.
@Nook I don't remember Ausmus being part of your candidate list. Are they bringing his name out there for negotiation purposes or is this guy just have bad info?
His name was mentioned awhile ago. Can't remember who said it. Not sure if his name was mentioned as a suggestion or if they were reporting that they heard Ausmus as a legit candidate. *looked like it was a list of suggestions by Passan in November. From mlbtraderumors.com Passan floats some names as candidates who cover a spectrum of styles. Sig Mejdal, formerly of the Astros but now with the Orioles, is known for his expertise on the analytical side of the game. While former player and manager Brad Ausmus is thrown out as someone with an arguably more traditional approach. Passan adds that Ausmus was recently in Houston and met with Bagwell, though it’s unclear if they discussed the open GM position
Jeff Bagwell, Brad Ausmus, Jim Crane, Dusty Baker, Reggie Jackson Sounds like an amazing brain trust for analytical baseball in 2023.
You know who I trust making the decision? Jim Crane that's who!! For those of you who think Bagwell or anyone else can persuade Crane one way or another you don't know jack about Crane. He's built numerous companies that have been successful and he's done so by surrounding himself with good people who give him different things to think about and then he makes the decision. It's called doing Due Diligence. Look at his track record with the Stros as well. He hired Luhnow and Hinch. He hired Dusty. I trust Crane until he gives me a reason not to trust him.
Nothing against Ausmus; Crane is a fool if he hires anyone without a proven track record as the leader of an organization’s scouting or player development.
I don’t disagree with your overall point; obviously Crane has been an excellent owner overall and appears to have made very good hires for his organizational leadership positions. But he’s not beyond doubt. The rings give him a lot of cover, but Luhnow was fired for cause and Click lasted 2 years. Crane also has plenty of blemishes on his non-Astros resume. I for one don’t think Dana Brown is the best GM candidate out there, but if Crane hires him I will give Crane the benefit of the doubt due to the 2 WS rings he has. But Ausmus doesn’t get the same treatment; if Crane hires him I will see it as a really bad omen. People change and nobody is perfect; it’s totally plausible that Crane is about to make a giant mistake.
Certainly understand your perspective on this. Like I said I'll trust Crane until he gives me a reason not to. Looking at the two finalists (according to the tweet) I would be VERY surprised if Crane chose Ausmus. I guess we'll find out.
Didn’t Ausmus trash the Astros within the past few years? I know he accused Marisnick of purposely injuring Lucroy in a crash to homeplate.
No, they have spoken to Ausmus. I didn't say much about it because I found out only after it was reported by the media. I don't have a problem with Ausmus being hired and having a voice, but I don't want him to be the GM. He isn't as qualified as Brown, who is exceptional at amateur player evaluation. Crane gives a lot of deference to former players.... it isn't coincidence that Biggio's "guy" and Bagwell's "guy" both were interviewed. I am really hoping Brown in the choice, he is objectively better than Ausmus and historically Crane has gone with the better objective choice.
