Astros Jumpstart Inevitable Change By Firing Dana Brown

How the Astros Got Here

Brown and the rest of the front office and ownership group have not always been in agreement. Houston’s reign as a bona fide World Series contender has trended in the wrong direction over the past couple of seasons due to an aging core, stars leaving in free agency, and a lackluster farm system failing to replenish the talent they let walk out the door.

Several significant moves made under Brown’s tenure did not go as planned, which has cornered the Astros into a unique spot of facing the end of an era without much to backfill what they have lost. Cristian Javier’s five-year deal has been a bust, Tatsuya Imai failed to the point of moving to the bullpen, bringing back Carlos Correa added to their difficult payroll, trading Kyle Tucker upset fans, and sending out key prospects to acquire Mike Burrows was, perhaps, the cherry on top. That’s just to name a few.

Many thought that Houston needed to enter some variation of a rebuild or retool after last season. A lack of impact players coming up through the system, paired with too many veterans closer to the end of their careers, was a difficult lane to operate in, especially when you consider how many holes still existed on the roster.

Instead of moving some bigger contracts off the books, the Astros traded away useful utility man Mauricio Dubón for a glove-only shortstop in Nick Allen, added a big-name free agent from overseas in Imai, and made the Mike Burrows trade. Not only were these moves, and the smaller deals they made, not enough, but they positioned the team in a place where pushing the inevitable rebuild another year down the road became irresponsible.

Then came the trade deadline.

An opportunity existed for the Astros to be honest with themselves, trade away impact players, and truly revamp their farm system and outlook for the future. Jeremy Peña, Yordan Alvarez, Isaac Paredes, and a number of bullpen arms would have been the type of players contenders would give up legitimate pieces for, allowing Houston to reset, stock the system, and distance themselves from the luxury tax issues they are dealing with.

Instead, they decided to buy.

Okay, if you want to do some variation of a “one last dance,” I can get behind that. You know, go all in with your fingers crossed, only to dismantle the team over the winter? Sure, you can sell me on that plan. Go out and address your biggest need, primarily starting pitching, and see if you can take advantage of a weak division.

Nope.

Houston decided to add Daulton Varsho, an elite defender in center who has struggled to reach league-average offense throughout his career. Did they add a starter? You already know the answer. In fact, they traded one away. On top of the bizarre moves, and lack thereof, Varsho’s contract is set to expire at year’s end.

A team that already struggled heading into the trade deadline made one move that doesn’t move the needle and did nothing else. Outside of a series against the embarrassing Giants, the Astros have dropped every series since the trade deadline, serving as the final straw for Brown.

The team reportedly gave manager Joe Espada an option to also be fired or stay through the end of the season. He decided to ride out the last five or so weeks.

Although Dana Brown had his lumps as a general manager, I do not think it is fair to pin the Astros’ failures squarely on his shoulders. Yes, he deserves a slice of the pie, but ownership and other members of the front office did not help and, in some ways, made his job more difficult.

What’s Next For Houston?

Astros owner Jim Crane has inserted himself into roster decisions more than most owners would, even nixing a trade that had been agreed upon a few weeks ago. Now, he will serve as the President of Baseball Operations.

Houston is also promoting Assistant General Managers Charles Cook, Gavin Dickey, and Connor Huff. In addition, Jeff Bagwell will apparently have an even bigger say in what goes on behind the scenes, which isn’t exactly a cause for celebration.

Look, I respect the hell out of Jeff Bagwell as a player, and he will forever have a special spot in Houston Astros history. However, that special spot will solely be based on his play on the field. Since he entered a role in the front office, there have been a number of issues. Too much control and say in the daily operations has created a difficult position for Dana Brown, or anyone else who will assume the general manager role in the future.

Could Bagwell be on the inside track to claim the job? The way things are going right now in Houston, it would not be a surprise. But I think that move would truly be a problem. I know fans would be upset. Perhaps Bagwell would rather keep his position of control without having the type of title it usually demands, making the opening less and less enticing.

Who ultimately takes the job will certainly have their work cut out for them. Not only do you have an ownership group and their friends micromanaging, but when something in their plan goes wrong, you will be the one to pay.

Politics aside, Houston’s roster is in a challenging spot. You walk into a job that has one of the worst farm systems in terms of top-end talent and depth, an aging roster, four more years on Altuve’s contract, two on Imai’s, and a complicated Correa deal that will likely last at least two more seasons.

Oh yeah, Yordan Alvarez, Jeremy Peña, Isaac Paredes, Josh Hader, and maybe others are almost all going to have to be traded. Right off the bat, you are in charge of dismantling what is left of a great era and ushering in a likely losing brand of baseball.

Final Thoughts

Dana Brown’s departure doesn’t come as a huge surprise. His contract was set to expire at the end of the season, so his vacation gets to start several weeks early. The timing is what caught some off guard. Was the move justified? Sure. Was making the move out of frustration and as arguably a knee-jerk reaction justified? I’d say no.

For as much success as the Astros have had over the last decade, this day was always going to come. The reign at the top could not last forever, and the number of times they had to move prospects to chase World Series titles would eventually take its toll. It looks like that time is now.

Was it all worth it? Certainly. Is it going to hurt like hell for the next several years? Without a doubt.