The Astros have spoken to Guardians assistant general manager James Harris about their vacant GM position, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post (Twitter link). Heyman calls Harris, Braves VP of scouting Dana Brown and former Giants GM Bobby Evans as three of the finalists for the post. It’s not clear how many names are still in the running, though former Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill has withdrawn his name from consideration.
Harris has been with Cleveland since 2016, when he was hired away from the Pirates organization to serve as the team’s director of player development. Prior to that, he’d spent a season as a special assistant to baseball operations with the Pirates and several prior years working with the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles and the University of Oregon’s football program. Over the past several seasons, he’s risen from director level to vice president to assistant GM in Cleveland. The 2022 season was his first following that promotion to assistant general manager.
Houston has been in the market for a new general manager since owner Jim Crane surprisingly made the decision to move on from now-former GM James Click following a World Series win. Reported friction between Crane and Click began to mount late in the season, and Click rejected what was widely regarded as a token one-year extension offer, prompting the formal split between the two parties. Assistant GM Scott Powers, who’d been hired by Click in Jan. 2022, was fired not long after Click’s departure.
Since that time, Crane has taken a sizable role in baseball operations, receiving input from remaining assistant GMs Andrew Ball, Bill Firkus and Charles Cook, in addition to special assistant Jeff Bagwell. There’s seemingly been no urgency to make a new hire to the GM’s chair — the vast majority of the team’s offseason dealings have already been completed — and the team hasn’t commented publicly on when a new hire might be made. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported over the weekend that the aforementioned Brown is the current favorite for the job, but there are clearly still multiple candidates in the running.
Al Avila is still Avilable.
muted
Have a sense of humor! Al Avila will be available for decades.
IF a team wants great draft positions
I hear the guy from Seinfeld is without a job.
He found a way to get Bonds and Griffey in the same outfield!
And you wouldn’t have to give up that much!
There’s probably much more than just those 3. Houston papers are reporting that Brad Ausmus is also a candidate. I’m sure Jim Crane is talking to a lot of people. He said that he was going to be pretty thorough. Dana Brown seems like he has the best resume, but they all have their strengths.
I hope Jim Crane does not become the Jerry Jones of MLB.
Not going to happen. As someone who worked in the front office under him, he knows his strengths and weaknesses. The 2017 scandal definitely made him more hands on, but he’ll turn over the Captain’s chair to whoever he hires shortly.
Good to hear. Thanks.
He should show me something and go full Steinbrenner. Take the reins
Looks like the White Sox lost a pitcher
If true pouring dip on a kid is a huge party foul and he should be given the Trevor Bauer treatment
Have you seen the accuser? Look up her Twitter, she seems a little ummm out there. I very much dislike Mike clevenger but there’s something off with the woman it’s all about how she hates clevenger because he has cheated on all his kid’s moms lol
I don’t know Mike Clevenger or the women he associates with, and I doubt you or anyone here does.
You judge persons and their actions on legal issues based on their Twitter page?
I know critical thinking is hanging by a fingernail in America, but it’s posts like yours along with the upvotes and the associated comments are are truly “ummm out there”.
Stick to baseball.
Yes. Same way I judge you based on your “umm bad takes” on here constantly. You’re welcome.
You realize you can even be denied a job based on what you say and do on social media right? She clearly doesn’t care tho because she’s stuck on a “umm millionaires juggernaut”…… I can’t stand mr. Sunshine yet he’s still innocent 🙂 oh and yes I do know Mike met him in several occasions, don’t like him, but he’s still innocent.
mydogcrowder;
Seriously, are you chronologically an adult?
Not saying he’s guilty or not, but regardless he’s going to miss time while on administrative leave m
Also not saying he’s guilty or not, but as long as Williams is running the White Sox, I will enjoy the continued difficulties he always has finishing a team. Its almost 2nd nature to him to not close the deal.
I completely agree stymeedone
10 comments and no hate directed towards the Astros! That’s great. I’m making it 11, even as someone who isn’t an Astros’ fan.
I think it is played out except for a select few. Yankee fans boo Altuve, but cheer Marwin Gonzales. I believe it is only Bregman, Altuve, McCullers left, so the bad taste will remain, but the booing should be done in a year or two.
And really none of those players should really get the hate they do. Altuve didn’t partake, Bregman was in his first full season who has had much better seasons than 2017, and McCullers is a pitcher.
Beltran HOF? I loved him as a player and do regret having given up 2 elite relievers for him, but he was up there along with Kinsler, Alex Rios, amd Carlos Gomez as one of my favorite power speed guys (though Beltran didn’t have much speed when he played for Texas).
Andrew Ball is a brilliant baseball guy. I’ve worked with him. Maybe they are hesitant to hand the reigns over to him because he’s still young but I’ll tell you what, I would want that guy running my organization.
The quality MLB organizations keep poaching FO people and major coaches from Cleveland.
Terrible take Samuel. Don’t talk about my Cleveland team in any way. They don’t like you based on your usual bad takes on here.
mydogcrowder;
My bad takes?
I just complemented your team. Is that a bad take?
When you get older and watch what happens in MLB for 10 years (if you’re still following it), you’ll understand my takes and realize how right on they are.
Cleveland is one of the best run franchises in MLB, and everyone in the industry knows it.
Don’t care. Your takes are so bad usually I don’t want your bad juju to get sprayed on my team. So stop with the bad takes child.
And another bad take on your end sammy boy… I’ve been a fan of the Cleveland Indians now guardians for the last 20 years. MLB fan for 40 years as a little child I was a cubs fan. Know stuff before you say stuff Samuel.
Go get John Coppolella.
That guy told me on LinkedIn he is not interested in returning to the MLB. He wants to “take things one step at a time.” He probably knows it’s not worth trying.
I wonder how much of a yes man the new would have to be for Crane to bring them in. It’s obvious Crane was more hands-on then Click could tolerate which is why he left.
acoss13;
There are some major differences in the way the Rays run their organization (where Mr. Click came from) and the way the Astros had been running theirs.
Mr. Crane has other businesses to run. He’s not a George Steinbrenner…never has been…never will be. Mr. Crane may be the owner, but he was hardly the only person in the Astros organization that was uncomfortable with the direction the franchise was moving in. He only stepped in this offseason because there was not enough time to hire a GM, acclimated him about the Astros system, and work with the in-house people, and still make need moves for 2023.
The Astros off-season moves this year have fit in with the direction they’ve been going in, and they were hardy made my Mr. Crane in a vacuum. Rest assured department heads were gathering data and making recommendations.
The next Astros GM will be given the leash Jeff Luhnow had, and will not be in the position Billy Eppler is with the Mets.
That’s what I’ve been wondering too. If you think you’ll eventually have a legitimate chance to be a GM elsewhere, you probably wouldn’t pick the Astros job. There’s a great chance to win a ring, but I doubt there’s much authority.
I think anybody associated with the Tribe’s front office has to be talked to. That organization does a whole lot right.
Sorry for throwing this here:
In December, the White Sox signed Clevinger to a one-year deal for 2023. They have told The Athletic they were not aware of the allegations at the time of that signing. “Major League Baseball and the Chicago White Sox take any and all allegations very seriously, and the White Sox are completely supportive of the Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse policy shared by MLB and the MLBPA,” the White Sox said in a statement. “MLB opened an investigation after learning of these allegations. The White Sox were not aware of the allegations or the investigation at the time of his signing. The White Sox will refrain from comment until MLB’s investigative process has reached its conclusion.”
This is a problem. I know there are all sorts of legal implications BUT there ought to be some sort of mechanism by which the White Sox could know this before they sign a contract. It just puts more money in the hands of a potentially bad person who is already under investigation. And it takes up a roster spot. And compromises off season planning.
It just seems like a bad way of operating by MLB.
whyhayzee;
You’re treading on legal issues – one’s the MLB Players Union will scream to high heaven if a process is put in place that costs a player one cent let alone a lucrative contract.
–
One of my favorite movie makers for 30 years has been the Cohen Brothers. They don’t use union labor. One reason they gave is that not only do they have to ask approval to tell a grip to move this item from here to there – which guarantees their films production costs will be out of control; but they wouldn’t even have control of implementing the scripts they write. Additionally their films are not meant to be commercial – they’re for a select audiences. Once they compromise with the content of their films they’ll lose all profitability at which time they they go out of business because they no longer have a way of raising money to finance future films.
Bad take Samuel.
mydogcrowder;
Kid, I mute ankle biters…..especially the cellar dwellers that upvote their own posts.
Why you muting me Samuel. That’s a bad take Samuel. What are you a child Samuel?
Samuels mad my comment got 4 likes oooh so scary. Yep I made 4 accounts and liked my own comment, I can’t believe you figured it out. Seriously what a bad take Samuel.
Ohhhh Samuel thinks calling someone a child and/or kid hurts adults feelings. What a bad take Samuel you’re just like oic.
Stop with the such bad takes Samuel why do you think most people on here laugh at your baseball takes? It’s because you don’t know anything about the game of MLB or baseball in general. It’s sad tbh. So just stop, Samuel.
Uh oh looks like my other comment got 2 likes I must have made a 5th and 6th account, what a bad take Samuel. Stop muting people that put you in you’re place Samuel it looks bad and guess what? Is a bad take Samuel.
Samuel, I tried to respond but got moderated and deleted by the powers that be. I agree on the legal issues but I’m not anti-union. My cousin co-founded a battered women’s shelter so I’m pretty much in favor of this information at least being available rather than only having one team know. That said, it’s bad either way. The White Sox are left holding the bag for something that did not happen under their purview. But, maybe with due diligence, there is a chance for discovery and the White Sox know what they’re getting for their money. Our society has a long way to go in a lot of areas but I would like to see some forward motion instead of daily opening the paper and reading horrible stories about unnecessary violence.
Samuel muted me because he’s a child he said.
#triggered
Very #triggered