In light of Craig Counsell agreeing to a five-year, $40 million contract with the Cubs to become the highest-paid manager in Major League Baseball, I found myself wondering two things. First, what is to come next in the Astros’ managerial search? At this juncture, I’d like to believe the front-runner is possibly Joe Espada. The long-time bench coach would make the most sense in terms of keeping some continuity while hopefully being more in line with Dana Brown and the front office than Dusty Baker.
From the outside looking in, Espada fits the bill with what I hope the Astros are looking for in their next manager, with his approach toward analytics and player development highlighted in his time in New York with the Yankees and Houston.