Astros invite entire coaching staff back for 2012

In a surprise move the Astros have invited all of their current coaches back for the 2012 season. I am surprised for a couple of reasons. One, when a team performs as poorly as the Astros have this season, coaches often pay the price. Two, one would think the new owner would want to infuse some new blood into the coaching ranks. Hitting coach Larry Barnett and pitching coach Doug Brocail are the only two coaches with contracts that expire at the end of this season. Both Barnett and Brocail have yet to decide whether or not to return.

It has also been rumored on sports radio that Drayton McLane will be calling a press conference later in the week. The assumption is there will be an announcement of some sort on the impending sale of the team to Jim Crane’s group. Today’s announcement regarding the coaches has me wondering if maybe the sale is dead. Jim Crane’s name has been dragged through the mud by the media in recent weeks. MLB owners were not big fans of the Houston businessman to begin with. MLB approval of the deal seems to be on life-support now. Maybe we will finally get an answer this week.