Astrodomain-Houston Astros
General Astros thought and opinion.Sunday, August 19, 2012
Mills let go in inevitable move
In a move that has seen support for both parties, Brad Mills was fired last night by the Astros. GM Jeff Luhnow also went straight Drayton-style and canned hitting coach Mike Barnett and first base coach Bobby Meachem.
Let's not feel sorry for the now deposed skipper. He did get his chance to manage a major league club after years of proving his leadership worth in the minor leagues and alongside Terry Francona in Boston. The club hired him only after Manny Acta turned down the offer in 2009 to take the Cleveland Indians managerial position.
In a move at least a year overdue, the Astros decided to enter a partial sell-mode, and pie off veterans Roy Oswalt and Lance Berkman in 2010. Hunter Pence and Michael Bourn traveled east a year later, and the real blood-letting came earlier this summer.
Jeff Luhnow traded 25% of the major league roster, in what was regarded as a "second 2012 draft" for the Astros. Those transactions stripped the team of real relevance, minus maybe All-Star Jose Altuve. Mills was left to peacemeal a roster together from the scraps left to him by the front-office.
Mills had his warts, too, mainly giving middling veterans the chance at regular playing time over more promising talent. Was it his fault veterans like Scott Moore, Matt Downs and Steve Pearce were on the major league roster in lieu of calling others up?
The Arizona alum leaves the Astros with a 171-274 record during the 2010-2012 seasons.
Let's not feel sorry for the now deposed skipper. He did get his chance to manage a major league club after years of proving his leadership worth in the minor leagues and alongside Terry Francona in Boston. The club hired him only after Manny Acta turned down the offer in 2009 to take the Cleveland Indians managerial position.
In a move at least a year overdue, the Astros decided to enter a partial sell-mode, and pie off veterans Roy Oswalt and Lance Berkman in 2010. Hunter Pence and Michael Bourn traveled east a year later, and the real blood-letting came earlier this summer.
Jeff Luhnow traded 25% of the major league roster, in what was regarded as a "second 2012 draft" for the Astros. Those transactions stripped the team of real relevance, minus maybe All-Star Jose Altuve. Mills was left to peacemeal a roster together from the scraps left to him by the front-office.
Mills had his warts, too, mainly giving middling veterans the chance at regular playing time over more promising talent. Was it his fault veterans like Scott Moore, Matt Downs and Steve Pearce were on the major league roster in lieu of calling others up?
The Arizona alum leaves the Astros with a 171-274 record during the 2010-2012 seasons.
posted by dirty steve # 9:29 PM 
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