"Flush that log Dusty and tell us if you are indeed the new manager of the Houston Astros" "How the hell did you get into the toilet pipe?"
All of this has been done with the blessing of the commissioners office. Prepare for fluff pieces about how Crane is doing it right and Dusty is a great hire.
Peter Woodfork is well thought of. However he also worked for the commissioners office in the past. That isn't a coincidence.
The GM job is what will tell me a lot about the direction of this franchise. Don’t know much about Woodfork but seems like he is someone who was recommended to Crane by MLB. I read an article I believe by fangraphs and would think the assistant GM for the A’s would be a good candidate. Have also read some positive things about Evans- the former Giants Gm. We need someone who can come in and really work the international free agent signings for the next couple years and able to hit on some mid round draft picks. Also, if we do end up trading Correa we need to help replenish the farm. That GM job is key here. I think dusty will do fine for the next two years
Not to open a can of worms, but all of these most recent rumors SCREAM Crane giving MLB and Rob Manfred what he wants as an olive branch for the cheating scandal and everything else. It’s almost as if Manfred himself owns the Houston Astros now. Crane also has a reputation for being unfriendly towards minorities in his past hiring practices, and Manfred is on record as wanting there to be more diversity in baseball. Both Dusty Baker and Peter Woodfork fit Manfred’s agenda in that regard, plus they would allow Crane to put to bed the perceptin that he’s a racist. It’s really not hard to see what seems to be happening here. Crane is very obviously feeling the pressure, and he’s reacting to it in a very predictable way. The real question is whether or not he will actually hire those men, or if they were just brought in for a token interview. They are both viable candidates, I just wonder how seriously they would have been considered by Crane if not for the influence of Manfred and MLB. https://chicago.suntimes.com/2019/12/4/20995281/mlb-minority-hiring-job-candidates-shut-out-again
There isn't any question that MLB is closely working with Crane for the hiring of the manager and GM. They did not say "Hire X", they gave a list to Crane and they conferred before decisions were made. The weekend before the report was released, Crane and the commissioner spoke and everything was worked out in general terms. The Astros fire Luhnow and Hinch, and the league will attempt to help rehabilitate the Astros image..... and we are in the middle of that. There will be fluff pieces if Baker is officially hired..... the narrative will be about replacing the bad apples with good ones and the media will go along with it, including MLB's own arm of the media. Peter Woodfork isn't a name that Crane pulled out of a hat. He is someone that the commissioners office knows well and trusts will play the politics appropriately. There will be some others that will either have a huge track record that gives comfort to the league or guys that have worked directly with the commissioners office. Having said that, whether it is Woodfork or Arnold (another one the league likes); both are quality hires.
What @Hank McDowell & @Nook said. So the Astros appeared to have had their balls cut off, good to know. Just like Silver/Colangelo/Sixers. Jim Crane here to kiss (MLB's) ass. Jim got caught up in the bullshit. Appease MLB, appease MLB media I had a "new school" manager who players "took advantage" of and a "new school" GM who was "toxic" so I'm gonna go back to the old school and hire old school folks! It was working with them but damn it, we now need to switch things up! Anything else to appease MLB? Play all home games on the road (or at shitty Tropicana Field)? Forced to leave the roof open? Open season on the players? Spoiler HIRE HINCH AND LUHNOW BACK YOU COWARDS!
I guess Crane is mailing it in and more concerned about the Astros public image than winning. Should have went with a heavy analytics guy with an fu attitude.
Literally two minutes after Crane fired Luhnow and Hinch I had people in the game texting me and laughing that everyone in the game knows how this would end up.... and what the league is doing to "fix" the game and the ownership interests. Is there more? Damn right there is....... the manager and the Astros front office will be pushing hard for player apologies.
Peter Woodfork - Senior Vice President, Baseball Operations Peter Woodfork was named Major League Baseball's Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations on March 8, 2011 and now oversees On-Field Operations. In this capacity, Peter's primary responsibilities include oversight of umpiring and instant replay, among other baseball operations functions. Prior to joining MLB, Woodfork spent five years as the Assistant General Manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he also served as a Vice President in 2010. While in Arizona, Peter primarily focused on the D-backs' 40-man roster management as well as contract negotiations, scouting and Minor League player development. He came to Arizona by way of the Boston Red Sox, where he served for three seasons (2003-05) as Director of Baseball Operations and Assistant Director of Player Development. With Boston, Woodfork played a key role in signing players, salary arbitration, monitoring league rules and working on player development issues. Before working for the Red Sox, Woodfork spent three years in the Commissioner's Office as a part of MLB's Labor Relations Department. During his first stint with MLB, he worked with the baseball operations departments of all teams, assisting them with the interpretation of the collective bargaining agreement, salary arbitration and advising them of upcoming deadlines. Woodfork also took part in the creation of the 2003-06 Basic Agreement between MLB and the Major League Baseball Players Association. Woodfork is a 1999 graduate of Harvard University, where he earned a degree in psychology and was a starting infielder for the Crimson baseball team, which won three Ivy League Championships in his four seasons.
Did I miss where he traded Verlander, Altuve, Springer, and Bregman? As long as the roster is intact, they’re going to win a ton of games... regardless of who the manager or GM is. When it comes time to rebuild, only then will I be closely scrutinizing any of these decisions. Dusty has managed through media frenzies and teams with egos bigger than life before. He can navigate this clubhouse.
On WoodFork old article: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/489080-peter-woodfork-leaves-diamondbacks-front-office "Woodfork had been identified as one of the young movers and shakers in Baseball and he was widely regarded as the heir apparent to Byrnes. Like Byrnes, Woodfork is a Moneyball disciple. His evaluation skills are based significantly on statistical analysis as opposed to the more traditional scouting disciplines Towers is expected to utilize." Could be worse.
You got it....... worked for Arizona and I believe the Red Sox many years ago. He is a fully indoctrinated "baseball man". He will push for financial prudence and whatever else benefits owners.
I don't think I or others are worried about the on-field product the next couple years. The problem is that we went from a forward thinking organization with the smarts to become a regular contender (at least similar to how the Cardinals have stayed competitive for all these years) to potentially an organization stuck in the old ways that is going to bring the Astros back to our old ceiling all because the owner has no balls. Just when I was getting over Crane accepting that we would have to switch to the AL, I want him out. Sell the team, you are a coward.
