The Astros have employed Braves vice chairman of scouting Dana Brown as their new common supervisor, the crew introduced Thursday. He’ll exchange James Click on, who held the place from 2020-22 however departed after the season.
“We’re excited to have Dana be a part of our group,” Astros proprietor Jim Crane mentioned in at present’s press launch. “He brings championship-caliber expertise to our crew and is the fitting match for us to proceed to ship a successful franchise on and off the sphere. We welcome Dana and his household to the Astros household.”
Brown has been the Braves vice chairman of scouting for the previous 4 seasons, overseeing drafts that netted the Braves expertise equivalent to Spencer Strider, Michael Harris, Vaughn Grissom, Shea Langeliers and Bryce Elder. Earlier than being employed by Atlanta in 2019, he was a particular assistant within the Blue Jays’ entrance workplace for 9 years — overlapping with present Braves president of baseball operations (and former Toronto GM) Alex Anthopoulos for a considerable portion of that tenure. Brown spent the 9 previous seasons because the director of scouting for the Expos/Nationals and was an space supervisor and crosschecker within the Pirates’ scouting division for eight years within the 90s.
Even six months in the past, the notion of the Astros needing to rent a brand new common supervisor would’ve registered as a shock. There have been reviews of rising friction between Crane and Click on late within the 2022 season, however successful tends to remedy all, and the Astros not solely made a deep postseason run however took dwelling their second World Collection title previously six seasons — Click on’s first in simply his third 12 months on the job.
Nevertheless, whereas 73-year-old skipper Dusty Baker was content material to take a one-year extension regardless of having simply secured a championship, Click on understandably sought a multi-year supply along with his authentic three-year contract drawing to an in depth. Crane put forth what was extensively considered as a token one-year extension supply — Click on’s World Collection counterpart Dave Dombrowski, for comparability, was prolonged by means of 2027 by the Phillies — which was swiftly rejected by Click on. The Astros announced Click’s departure two days later and, on the identical day, fired assistant GM Scott Powers, who Click on had employed away from the Dodgers again in Jan. 2022.
The Astros have operated with no common supervisor all through the offseason. Crane has personally taken a big position in baseball operations, negotiating Rafael Montero’s three-year, $34.5M deal to return to the membership and Jose Abreu’s three-year, $58.5M contract. Assistant GMs Invoice Firkus, Andrew Ball and Charles Cook dinner have all retained roles close to the highest of the hierarchy, and former Astros star and present entrance workplace advisor Jeff Bagwell has additionally reportedly influenced the crew’s baseball operations choices.
Brown will now step to the highest of the Astros’ baseball operations division, ostensibly with full autonomy over the crew’s roster choices transferring ahead. Stories have indicated that Crane was extra concerned than most house owners even earlier than Click on’s departure — he nixed a deadline trade that may’ve despatched Jose Urquidy to the Cubs for Willson Contreras — and solely time will inform whether or not he has a extra hands-off strategy along with his newly minted common supervisor.
