Brad Ausmus is back with the Astros. Fans have some thoughts

The Houston Astros have officially named former Astros catcher Brad Ausmus as its new manager, and the reaction from Astros fans has not been very enthusiastic.

Some Astros fans have questioned whether newly hired general manager Randy Flores had much say in the decision, while others have pointed fingers at longtime team advisor Jeff Bagwell, whose influence over the organization has been a source of frustration for some supporters.

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The reaction came after the Astros announced Ausmus’ hiring on Instagram Wednesday, welcoming him back to Houston with the message, “Welcome back to the H, Skip.”

“We would have been better off letting a random fan in attendance coach every night. Absolutely mediocre hire,” one fan wrote.

“Jeff Bagwell ruined this franchise,” another wrote, voicing their disappointment.

Astros fans question Bagwell’s influence in Ausmus hire

Ausmus was teammates with senior advisor to ownership and baseball operations Jeff Bagwell in 1997-98 and ’01-05. They both featured in the Astros’ 2005 World Series appearance. Bagwell’s influence on organizational decisions has been criticized by fans who insist the former Astros star has too much sway in the organization.

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With the hiring of Ausmus, many believe that the newly hired general manager, Randy Flores, was not given the latitude to make his own hiring decision.

“Did he ever even interview in person with Flores? This process is a s–tshow,” one fan wrote on X.

“So I guess Flores isn’t really in charge,” another chimed in.

“Jeff Bagwell is Jack Easterby reincarnated. Houston is never blessed with smart team owners,” another wrote.

Many fans have compared Bagwell and the hiring of Ausmus to another Houston franchise decision-making drama, calling Bagwell the Jack Easterby to Ausmus’s David Culley.

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Former executive vice president of football operations Easterby was maligned by Texans fans after being promoted from team chaplain and given a say in major franchise decision-making due to his close relationship with the Mcnair family. Easterby was instrumental in the hiring of Culley, who went on to lead the Texans to a 4-13 record before being fired in 2022.

What to know about Brad Ausmus

Ausmus was among the candidates considered for the Astros’ managerial opening, alongside former St. Louis Cardinals star Albert Pujols, Texas Rangers bench coach Luis Urueta and former Astros third baseman Morgan Ensberg.

Of the listed candidates, Ausmus was the only one with previous big-league managerial experience. He managed the Detroit Tigers from 2014 to 2017 and the Los Angeles Angels in 2019. His combined record at both stops is 386 wins and 422 losses. Ausmus managed Detroit to an American League Central title in 2014, but the team that featured the likes of Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, and Miguel Cabrera, among other top players, was swept by the Baltimore Orioles in the first round.

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Astros owner Jim Crane reportedly handed Flores control of the search for the team’s next manager after hiring him. The team had conducted interviews with candidates for the managerial role before Flores was hired. Ausmus had interviewed with the team before the hiring, but not for manager, but for the vacant general manager position, which Flores filled.

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This article originally published at Brad Ausmus is back with the Astros. Fans have some thoughts.

Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com