1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

Astros 2022 Season General Discussion Thread

Discussion in 'Houston Astros' started by Snake Diggit, Apr 9, 2022.

  1. Qan

    Qan Member

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2012
    Messages:
    2,835
    Likes Received:
    3,997
    Jeter was a Yankee, that's why.
     
  2. J.R.

    J.R. Member

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2008
    Messages:
    106,788
    Likes Received:
    154,648
    https://theathletic.com/3738094/2022/10/27/astros-owner-general-manager-contract/

    So what exactly must Click do to earn a new contract from owner Jim Crane? Why, as the Series begins, does his job appear in jeopardy?

    Sources familiar with the Astros’ situation who are not authorized to talk about the team’s operation cite a variety of potential reasons for the uncertainty surrounding Click: Stylistic clashes between the 44-year-old executive and the 68-year-old Crane, disagreements about the size of the baseball operations staff and concern from Click about other voices in the organization influencing the owner.

    Both Crane and Click declined comment for this story.

    […]


    Yet the uneasy relationship between Crane and Click continues. Here, in greater detail, are the potential reasons cited by sources:

    Stylistic clashes

    Crane likes to act quickly and boldly. Click, who came from the Rays’ organization, moves more deliberately. Yet while the two might not share the same ideas on roster construction, their decisions on players seem to complement each other well.

    Crane was the driving force in the most recent contracts for Justin Verlander, Michael Brantley, Yuli Gurriel and Martín Maldonado. Click, meanwhile, built nearly the Astros’ entire bullpen, which led the majors in ERA during the regular season and has allowed three runs in 33 innings (on three solo homers) for a 0.82 ERA in the postseason.

    Click is not completely risk-averse, as evidenced by his choice of rookie Jeremy Peña to replace Correa without signing a veteran shortstop as a safety net. But at this stage of the Astros’ competitive cycle, his mostly conservative approach is probably best for the franchise. It’s easy for a GM, particularly a GM who arrives from another organization, to screw up a good thing.

    Case in point: Click could have traded one of his younger starters at the deadline for a promising catcher or center fielder. Instead, he reduced the surplus in his rotation by sending veteran righty Jake Odorizzi to the Braves for lefty reliever Will Smith, and retained his depth for the future. The Astros, even if they lose Verlander to free agency this offseason, will have six starters under club control through at least 2025.

    Staffing conflicts

    Luhnow built a powerhouse with a lean staff, and Crane loved the efficiency of the operation, as any owner would. Click has taken the Astros in the other direction, adding to the team’s front office and scouting department.

    Last offseason, Click hired two assistant GMs, Scott Powers from the Dodgers and Andrew Ball from the Angels (another assistant GM, Pete Putila, recently left to become the Giants’ general manager). He also boosted the team’s number of scouts from 27 to 38, according to Baseball America. The Astros still have one of the smallest scouting staffs in the majors, but their increase of 11 was the largest of any team from the previous year.

    Crane obviously approved all of the hires, but that doesn’t mean he liked increasing his budget for baseball operations — and Click is said to want further additions. Pivoting from Click less than a year after allowing him to expand the staff would be odd. Forcing another GM to inherit Baker (whom Crane hired shortly before Click) would be odd, too.

    Other voices

    Crane felt burned by Luhnow, and after firing him was looking for people he could trust. Special advisor Reggie Jackson and community outreach executives Jeff Bagwell and Enos Cabell helped fill that void, and remain influential with the owner.

    Click has not gained Crane’s confidence the way Luhnow once did; perhaps no GM could. Click also is not as savvy politically as the job sometimes requires, and perhaps should have made a greater effort to endear himself to Crane’s newfound inner circle. Players, though, view Click as a good, open communicator. And if Click is not the type to glad hand, Crane should have learned that before he hired him.
     
    travfrancis and everyday eddie like this.
  3. awc713

    awc713 Member

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2012
    Messages:
    6,394
    Likes Received:
    5,991
    Man…at first I thought this rift was just a reach by media/other teams to try to distract HOU, a rumor with little to no legs. I can’t imagine firing Click if we do in fact win it all. That would be unprecedented across any of the major sports. My guess is, if he does not return, it will be less about Click and more about Stearns being available. These types of rifts described by Athletic just seem normal for any major, winning franchise. All organizations have internal disagreements and rifts. Clicks 180 on the bullpen is impressive. His literally only 20/20 hindsight error was CF, but hell, Chaz et al are doing just fine in the playoffs. This is wild. I don’t want it to be true, I would like for Click to stay…I think he’s earned the right to stay another year or two, especially to see his his drafts shake out.
     
    Snake Diggit likes this.
  4. sealclubber1016

    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2010
    Messages:
    18,999
    Likes Received:
    27,530
    I get the feeling Click wouldn't be opposed to a breakup himself. He would absolutely find another GM job, and likely with an owner who is happy to let him do his job his way. If we manage to finish this run off, his conservative approach will have set us up extremely well moving forward on top of a chip, the best of both worlds. Yet he's having to deal with an owner who doesn't seem to think he's doing a good job, that would piss anybody off.

    It just concerns the hell out of me that Crane seems to be so "make a splash" minded. This isn't the NBA, you don't need to have the absolute best team to win a title in this sport. It's same rabbit hole Drayton fell into, start only worrying about maximizing the current MLB roster and ignoring all the peripheral things needed to keep a top organization near the top.
     
    awc713 and Snake Diggit like this.
  5. jiggyfly

    jiggyfly Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2015
    Messages:
    21,011
    Likes Received:
    16,853
    Just go through the fire Dusty thread.
     
  6. jiggyfly

    jiggyfly Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2015
    Messages:
    21,011
    Likes Received:
    16,853
    Wait wut is Jomboy is actually trying to sale Astros merch?
     
    HTown2017Champs likes this.
  7. Nick

    Nick Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 1999
    Messages:
    47,915
    Likes Received:
    14,156
    I don't think Crane will get into the Drayton "lets chase it!" mindset any time soon. He's more than likely to order another complete teardown/rebuild before that. He may just feel that Click is more the GM/Assistant GM type than a guy who can truly be a head of all baseball operations type.

    Crane is far more calculating and ruthless than Drayton ever was. Drayton continually acted on emotion, sentiment, anecdotal experiences.

    3 years is enough time to make full evaluations of who one would want to lead the baseball operations going forward. If Crane and Click just don't have the same chemistry as the previous regime, that's just how it is. I still don't see it as Crane looking to go into gunslinging mode and start making bad developmental decisions at the expense of only making the MLB team better.

    We're also not privy to even 10% of stuff that goes on behind the scenes in terms of whether or not Click is truly laying the foundation/international presence in place to keep the pipeline churning.
     
  8. Nick

    Nick Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 1999
    Messages:
    47,915
    Likes Received:
    14,156
    Not firing him... just not renewing his contract.
     
    BlindHog likes this.
  9. HTown2017Champs

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2018
    Messages:
    4,623
    Likes Received:
    4,408
    I see, trying to kiss up to us and thinks we'll forgive him? Don't give that clown any business, especially after pushing the lie that is Buzzergate, which was debunked by the commissioner's report.
     
    jiggyfly likes this.
  10. IdStrosfan

    IdStrosfan Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2021
    Messages:
    5,266
    Likes Received:
    5,894
    I understand Crane wanting Click to make "splash moves"

    2017 JV put them over the top and won.

    2018 none - lost in ALDS

    2019 Grienke completed a superteam and lost world series by as close as possible. Arguably only MGR decision prevented another title.

    2020 nothing- lost in ALCS as close as possible

    2021 no splash - could not overcome loss of McCullers and lack of pitching depth.
     
  11. Nick

    Nick Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 1999
    Messages:
    47,915
    Likes Received:
    14,156
    And 2018 did have the agreed upon Harper deal which would have out-splashed the other splashes.

    Click probably isn't has politically savvy as some experienced GM's. You do have to be a "people person", whatever that is. You can't be a head of baseball ops and be an introvert. Even Luhnow, who was universally despised by other front office types, was able to lead discussions and work out trades throughout... professional.
     
  12. IdStrosfan

    IdStrosfan Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2021
    Messages:
    5,266
    Likes Received:
    5,894
    The 2022 Houston Astros:

    #2 SP (entering season) missed the first 3/4 of the season, making only 8 starts.

    All star LF missed the second half and playoffs with injury.

    Got the 29th most production from the 1B position including a .619 OPS which was 24% below league average.

    Entered the season with a rookie shortstop (replacing an All star and reigning platinum glove winner) who had never played a game in MLB.

    Had 4 different players play at least 40 games in CF without any of them definitely winning the job for 2023.

    Oh, they also won 106 games in the regular season and steamrolled through the playoffs and World Series.
     

Share This Page

  • About ClutchFans

    Since 1996, ClutchFans has been loud and proud covering the Houston Rockets, helping set an industry standard for team fan sites. The forums have been a home for Houston sports fans as well as basketball fanatics around the globe.

  • Support ClutchFans!

    If you find that ClutchFans is a valuable resource for you, please consider becoming a Supporting Member. Supporting Members can upload photos and attachments directly to their posts, customize their user title and more. Gold Supporters see zero ads!


    Upgrade Now