The Houston Astros don’t have a general manager at the moment, after firing James Click a couple of weeks ago.
That doesn’t mean they have been inactive: to the contrary, they even secured a top free agent signing in slugging first baseman Jose Abreu.
Lots of fans have wondered how they have been able to keep things afloat without a person in charge of making baseball decisions.
Well, we might have an explanation now.
“Astros assistant GM Bill Firkus said it’s been a ‘team effort’ in the absence of a GM, saying himself, AGM Charles Cook, AGM Andrew Ball, advisor Jeff Bagwell and owner Jim Crane are ‘working together to keep steering the ship forward,'” Astros insider Brian McTaggart tweeted.
Astros assistant GM Bill Firkus said it's been a "team effort" in the absence of a GM, saying himself, AGM Charles Cook, AGM Andrew Ball, advisor Jeff Bagwell and owner Jim Crane are "working together to keep steering the ship forward."
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) December 6, 2022
Five guys have been in charge of making baseball decisions, negotiating contracts, scanning the market, and looking for potential upgrades: Firkus, Cook, Ball, Bagwell, and Crane.
The Astros’ Current “Baseball Council” Seems To Be Working
Crane is not your typical owner: he knows baseball and likes to be involved.
Bagwell is obviously familiarized with the game as a Hall of Famer himself, and the three assistant GMs are talented and have a structure that has supported them for a long time.
The group knows what it’s doing.
They brought in Abreu, they probably negotiated with Justin Verlander (who eventually departed), and are continually looking to improve the roster.
The Astros are eventually expected to name a GM, but for now, they are doing just fine without one.
The team just won the World Series and have a foundation in place to go for another World Series berth next year.
They will be just fine over the long haul.
NEXT: The Astros May Swoop In And Land A Top Catcher