BBTF's Newsblog Discussion :: Report: Astros to fire GM Wade

Baseball Primer Newsblog
— The Best News Links from the Baseball Newsstand

Monday, November 28, 2011

Report: Astros to fire GM Wade

Les Treemayne ~ More Leadership!

In news that is hardly surprising, the Houston Astros are expected to make “major changes” Monday to the front office, including the dismissal of general manager Ed Wade, reports Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. It’s only a report for now, but we do know that Crane is going to meet with the front office Monday. It would actually be surprising if he didn’t fire Wade at this point.

All the ingredients for a change were in place. First of all, the 2011 Astros were the worst team in franchise history, going 56-106 and finishing with the worst record in baseball. There also isn’t a ton of help on the way from a relatively barren farm system. Next, new owner Jim Crane is taking over for Drayton McLane. With a change in ownership and a team that basically needs to start over—especially since they’re headed to the American League West—it is the perfect time to bring in a new regime.

Repoz Posted: November 28, 2011 at 04:18 AM | 43 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: astros

Reader Comments and Retorts

Go to end of page

Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.

1. Avoid running at all times.-S. Paige Posted: November 28, 2011 at 04:41 AM (#4001919)

This single act might bring back all the anti-DH fans who are leaving.

2. base ball chick Posted: November 28, 2011 at 04:49 AM (#4001930)

why on earth would it bring back anti-DH fans who are leaving?

no matter WHO is the next GM, it won't get the astros back into the NL

or do you have some fantasy that larry beinfest is dying to come work in houston, seeing as how crane is NOT going to spend any money on the team and there are no more major league players to give to philly in return for crap

3. Avoid running at all times.-S. Paige Posted: November 28, 2011 at 04:51 AM (#4001932)

bbc, I'm kidding.

4. Tripon Posted: November 28, 2011 at 04:52 AM (#4001934)

I hear Peter Brand can be had for a song.

5. Pat Rapper's Delight Posted: November 28, 2011 at 05:01 AM (#4001940)

Makes sense. Wade is more of an NL style GM anyway.

6. Social media assassin (Templeusox) Posted: November 28, 2011 at 05:01 AM (#4001941)

Paging Andrew Friedman...

7. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: November 28, 2011 at 05:07 AM (#4001945)

Does this leave Dayton Moore as the only moron left running a team?

8. base ball chick Posted: November 28, 2011 at 05:13 AM (#4001950)

paging andrew friedman?

why?

does the guy have a bad case of complete mental insanity? he's gonna work for the cheapskate who beat out his father's bid for the team? he wants to answer to tak (swear word) smith? he wants a BASKETBALL person as the team president?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

9. Social media assassin (Templeusox) Posted: November 28, 2011 at 05:17 AM (#4001952)

bbc, I'm kidding.

10. Repoz

Posted: November 28, 2011 at 05:18 AM (#4001953)

Thad Levine or Gerry Hunsicker?

"Finally, on the managerial situation, Brad Mills will not be fired, reports Richard Justice."

Link...

11. The DA Baracus Hypothesis Posted: November 28, 2011 at 05:18 AM (#4001954)

Does this leave Dayton Moore as the only moron left running a team?

Ned Colletti is still employed.

12. Textbook Editor Posted: November 28, 2011 at 05:20 AM (#4001955)

As any Phillies fan could have told you, if Ed Wade was the answer, you're asking the wrong question.

13. base ball chick Posted: November 28, 2011 at 05:29 AM (#4001961)

templeu

i can NOT believe how many people think that andrew friedman WANTS to be the houston GM. all i can say is that if he does, he's in need of some serious medication

TE

i knew that back in 07. seeing as how he was going to just get rid of the people drayton wanted gone and get miggy tejada, who drayton had wanted for 3 years, and "work with" tal smith

got to say that fast eddie is real good at finding cheap relievers and bad at bout eveything else, including keping scrap heap guys too damm long

14. Tuque

Posted: November 28, 2011 at 05:46 AM (#4001973)

Does this leave Dayton Moore as the only moron left running a team?

I never know how much Colletti is being hamstrung by McCourt, and therefore how much blame he deserves for the fact that he sucks at everything. A fair amount, presumably, but maybe at least their draft picks would be more interesting if they weren't forced to be so cheap.

Though beginning the season with Uribe, Carroll, Barajas, and Gwynn Jr. all starting is unforgivable.

15. catomi01 Posted: November 28, 2011 at 06:25 AM (#4001991)

As any Phillies fan could have told you, if Ed Wade was the answer, you're asking the wrong question.

even if the question is who should we fire first?

16. Tricky Dick Posted: November 28, 2011 at 06:36 AM (#4001996)

Astros President George Postolos confirmed that he informed Ed Wade and Tal Smith on Sunday night that they were fired. Asst. GM Gottfried is the interim GM, but will not be considered for the permanent GM position.

17. Social media assassin (Templeusox) Posted: November 28, 2011 at 07:04 AM (#4002005)

When a report like this comes out late on a Sunday night, you wonder how America is going to wake up to the news.

18. Los Angeles El Hombre of Anaheim

Posted: November 28, 2011 at 07:36 AM (#4002016)

Let the Kim Ng interviews begin!

19. Joe Kehoskie Posted: November 28, 2011 at 08:19 AM (#4002021)

One of the Houston outlets is saying Smith was fired by phone while he was in Hawaii. The story didn't say why Smith was there, but coming off a 106-loss season, not even Thanksgiving seems like a good excuse to be 5,000 miles away from the office the same week the new bosses take over. If Daniel Loeb was an Astros fan, he'd be penning an angry letter in which the word "insouciance" figured prominently.

20. HollywoodHartman Posted: November 28, 2011 at 08:28 AM (#4002022)

I'm just curious about the disadvantage the incoming GM has taking over a team in December. He'll (or Ng'll) have less than a week to prepare for the Winter Meetings. Is this just a punted offseason then?

21. Joe Kehoskie Posted: November 28, 2011 at 08:39 AM (#4002023)

I'm just curious about the disadvantage the incoming GM has taking over a team in December. He'll (or Ng'll) have less than a week to prepare for the Winter Meetings. Is this just a punted offseason then?

The timing shouldn't matter much for the Astros. They've already announced they won't be active in ML free agency, and the trade market for Wandy probably won't max out until after the better free agent pitchers are off the market. The biggest task facing the Astros in Dallas is probably making a decent Rule 5 pick (or picks).

22. Vaux, A.B.D. Posted: November 28, 2011 at 10:42 AM (#4002036)

If Mark Buehrle or C. J. Wilson signs before or during the Winter Meetings (a longshot, of course), it would be a perfect storm for the new GM to get a bidding war going for Rodriguez with everyone all together in a hotel like that.

23. MM1f Posted: November 28, 2011 at 11:26 AM (#4002037)

One of the Houston outlets is saying Smith was fired by phone while he was in Hawaii. The story didn't say why Smith was there, but coming off a 106-loss season, not even Thanksgiving seems like a good excuse to be 5,000 miles away from the office the same week the new bosses take over. If Daniel Loeb was an Astros fan, he'd be penning an angry letter in which the word "insouciance" figured prominently

I'm pretty sure Smith has always been Drayton McLane's right hand man. Crane and Smith both knew he would be relieved of his duties as soon as Crane was installed as owner.

I doubt Crane wanted Smith working too hard on any projects for the 2012 season anyway. You don't want outgoing management drawing up your 2012 season ticket package promotions or signing big ticket free agents, do you?

24. Joe Kehoskie Posted: November 28, 2011 at 12:55 PM (#4002045)

Crane and Smith both knew he would be relieved of his duties as soon as Crane was installed as owner.

It seems like it might have been obvious to everyone except Smith. In the article I read, he didn't sound like a guy who was planning to quietly ride off into the sunset — this, despite reports that his contract had expired.

25. TerpNats Posted: November 28, 2011 at 02:38 PM (#4002061)

Let the Kim Ng interviews begin!

If that's the plan to woo bbc back to the fold, I'm pretty certain it's not going to work.

26. Tricky Dick Posted: November 28, 2011 at 02:40 PM (#4002064)

I wonder if Ed Wade will end up back with the Phillies as an advisor or assistant?

27. zachtoma Posted: November 28, 2011 at 03:05 PM (#4002075)

Here's another vote for the idea that this makes Ned Colletti the worst currently-employed GM.

28. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: November 28, 2011 at 03:31 PM (#4002088)

I'm just curious about the disadvantage the incoming GM has taking over a team in December. He'll (or Ng'll) have less than a week to prepare for the Winter Meetings. Is this just a punted offseason then?

That's more than enough time to put together an offer for Pujols.

29. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: November 28, 2011 at 03:37 PM (#4002094)

Let the Kim Ng interviews begin!

This is Jim Crane. Orientals and Negros need not apply.

30. base ball chick Posted: November 28, 2011 at 05:01 PM (#4002162)

i am , uh, "amused" by the fact that absolutely nobody in the media has anything to say about crane hiring a BASKETBALL person to run the team. no wonder we were cast off to the DH league. i can't believe the almost complete absence of ANYTHING media coverage a bout almost ANYTHING about this stupid team

despairing sigh

like joe sez,

there is not real too much for a new GM to do. crane has been MORE than clear that he is NOT goingto spend any money on this team. the GM shouldn't have much trouble getting rid of wandy because there were at least 6 teams i know of - and that is just this here lil ol blogger, who wanted him last year. i wouldn't be surprised if they dump him for any warm body that can play short because barmes is gone.

if crane is going to be content to have the team win 50-60 a year for decades, as it looks, it does not matter WHO he hires

31. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: November 28, 2011 at 05:24 PM (#4002182)

i am , uh, "amused" by the fact that absolutely nobody in the media has anything to say about crane hiring a BASKETBALL person to run the team. no wonder we were cast off to the DH league.

Is that a big deal though? Stan Kasten ran the Hawks and the Braves. Tony Taveras went from the NHL's Anaheim Ducks to the Washington Nationals (now back to the NHL with the Stars). Andrew Friedman wasn't even in sports when he was tapped to run the Rays. I sat in on a forum with former Royals team president Mike Hermann who ran the team in the glory days of the 80s and was surprised to find out he had pretty much no professional sports background when hired - he was part of the management team at the pharmaceutical company Ewing Kauffman owned. As long as George Postolos hires the right GM, I wouldn't be concerned that he is a "basketball guy."

32. i'm not STEAGLES and you shouldn't be either Posted: November 28, 2011 at 05:31 PM (#4002191)

I wonder if Ed Wade will end up back with the Phillies as an advisor or assistant?

i'm crossing my fingers that kansas city has an opening in their front office.

although, it would be pretty hilarious to see the philly beatwriters have to deal with wade again. i don't think that's worth it, though.

33. Moloka'i Three-Finger Brown (Declino DeShields) Posted: November 28, 2011 at 05:46 PM (#4002209)

I just figure Mike Leach is a candidate for the job, since he's apparently a candidate for every job opening in the nation at this point.

34. Mayor Blomberg Posted: November 28, 2011 at 05:59 PM (#4002226)

"I was actually informed Wednesday morning," Wade said in an interview with FOX 26 Sports. "It was an 8:30 meeting scheduled at Minute Maid (Park) that George has asked for and when I arrived at the meeting George and Jim were both there, and they made me aware they were going to make a change and I asked them when they planned to announce it and they said there weren't going to announce it until Monday and asked me to sit on it until then.

"I thanked them and had a chance to talk to them about our staff a little bit, people in the front office, (manager) Brad Mills and the esteem at which I hold them and hopefully that message rang true and will be strongly considered."

35. Walt Davis Posted: November 28, 2011 at 08:11 PM (#4002391)

If that's the plan to woo bbc back to the fold, I'm pretty certain it's not going to work.

But if they hired Brad Ausmus as the new GM ....

36. ValueArbitrageur Posted: November 28, 2011 at 08:50 PM (#4002432)

This was very unfair to Wade. I think he deserved at least one more and probably two more years.

37. ValueArbitrageur Posted: November 28, 2011 at 08:51 PM (#4002433)

BBC, I'm kidding.

38. base ball chick Posted: November 28, 2011 at 09:22 PM (#4002459)

VA,

i know you are

truth is that ed wade should never have been hired in the first place. tal smith SHOULD have been dumped at the end of the 06 season along with the entire crew of minor league/scouting supervisors.

trouble was that drayton still wanted to run the team and wanted players where everybody knew their name. and then, of course, was the fiasco that was 07 in which the only important thing about the season was kissing craig biggio's decrepit ass. and you know the rest of the story - drayton just not wanting to spend any money on basically anything...

ESPECIALLY the draft and GOOD prospects...

39. Tricky Dick Posted: November 28, 2011 at 11:55 PM (#4002534)

This was very unfair to Wade. I think he deserved at least one more and probably two more years.

It turns out that Wade has a contract guaranteed through 2013. The 2013 contract extension was an evergreen provision that became effective during the period when the ownership approval was up in the air.

40. Mike Emeigh

Posted: November 29, 2011 at 02:50 AM (#4002595)

Astros receive permission to interview Friedman.

-- MWE

41. puck Posted: November 29, 2011 at 03:03 AM (#4002603)

One of the Houston outlets is saying Smith was fired by phone while he was in Hawaii. The story didn't say why Smith was there, but coming off a 106-loss season, not even Thanksgiving seems like a good excuse to be 5,000 miles away from the office the same week the new bosses take over.

He was scouting the Hawaiian winter league.

There was one?

42. Benji Gil Gamesh is not being paid to be that guy Posted: November 29, 2011 at 03:13 AM (#4002608)

Astros receive permission to interview Friedman.

-- MWE

bbc, he's not kidding.

You must be Registered and Logged In to post comments.

<< Back to main

Monday, November 28, 2011

Report: Astros to fire GM Wade

Reader Comments and Retorts

Support BBTF

Bookmarks

Hot Topics