Who's calling the shots in Houston? Brad Ausmus hire raises questions about Astros power structure

On Oct. 30, the Astros, who fired general manager Dana Brown in August, finally filled the lead front-office role by hiring former longtime St. Louis Cardinals front-office executive Randy Flores.

Among the managerial candidates to emerge after his hiring was his former Cardinals teammate and all-time great Albert Pujols, who would have been a sensible hire and provided synergy between the two posts.

Last week, Ausmus was confirmed as having interviewed for the opening, with McTaggart previously sharing he had also been considered for the general manager post.

McTaggart noted Aumus's connection to Jeff Bagwell, his former Astros teammate from 2001-05 and a close adviser to owner Jim Crane, made him a viable candidate as manager.

With Ausmus the pick over Pujols, it's fair to question how much of a say Flores had in Houston's first major hire since he signed on as general manager. And what about future roster decisions? Considering Ausmus was also a candidate for general manager and Bagwell remains a firm presence, Flores's power could be limited.

Rather than solidify the front office with their recent hires, the Astros opted for a fragile framework without a clear hierarchy. The jobs may be filled, but Houston still has plenty to figure out.