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The Houston Astros are still in the spotlight for their 2017 sign-stealing cheating scandal that set the baseball world alight. Analysts, players, and fans still have not forgiven the Astros organization for their conduct, which brought shame to the MLB community. Rumors are now spreading that the Astros could bring back two controversial staff members from that era.
Per an article by Sportsmap, the Astros would consider rehiring former manager A.J. Hinch and former general manager Jeff Luhnow. The two were fired in 2020 after a barrage of evidence was released to the press relating to the organization's role in the scandal.
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"The Astros went through this last year with Baker and Crane didn’t begin to commit until team won ALCS. How committed is Crane to Click? That Q hasn’t gone away. The GM of AL’s best team deserves better than silence about his future with Astros." - Brian T. Smith
A.J. Hinch is currently in charge of the Detroit Tigers. He managed the Houston Astros between 2015-2019 and had success during those seasons. Under his guidance, the Astros won the World Series in 2017. Hinch never finished a season below .500 with the Astros and completed five seasons with a .594 winning percentage (481-329).
Jeff Luhnow was the brains behind the operations. He is still highly regarded in Houston for his business acumen and savy moves in the trade market. It doesn't hurt that he brought the organization their first ever World Series title.
The latest talk of a return for Hinch and Luhnow seems strange considering the Houston Astros are currently in first place in the American League. With an impressive 92-50 record, they hold a 12.5-game lead over the Seattle Mariners and a 30-game lead over the Texas Rangers.
Dusty Baker has a 216-148 record and an AL Pennant as the Houston Astros manager after 3 seasons
Dusty Baker and James Click, who were brought in to replace Hinch and Luhnow, have done a fine job of steadying the ship. Through all the chaos and controversy, the Astros have remained competitive in the AL.
".@astros owner Jim Crane on General Manager James Click and Manager Dusty Baker: 'I’m aware both contracts are up and we’ll address them at the end of the season. We don’t want any distractions right now.'" - Mark Berman
Another key issue here is Dusty Baker's short-term contract. Although the veteran manager has done an exemplary job with the team, he has not provided any long-term guarantees that he will stick around. The roster is filled with talented stars in their prime. Houston may want to look at hiring a younger manager/GM combination to lead the team over the coming years.
Owner Jim Crane will have a difficult decision that could make or break this franchise's future. While the Baker/Click combination works for the organization, why make a change? The return of Hinch and Luhnow will obviously stir up emotions around the league and add more pressure on the field. It will be interesting to see what moves the Houston Astros make this off-season.
