Astros insider makes controversial (but correct) pick for Houston’s best manager ever

While the Houston Astros' franchise history only dates back to 1962 and the Colt .45s days, it is a surprisingly rich history filled with all-time greats and Hall of Famers. Just at manager, the Astros have had Hall of Famer Leo Durocher, all-time great Dusty Baker, 1998 NL Manager of the Year Larry Dierker, and the perennially underrated Phil Garner occupy their skipper's chair. However, one name stands out more than others for a number of reasons.

Astros fans have a difficult legacy to wrestle with when it comes to former manager AJ Hinch. On one hand, he helped bring a World Series title to Houston and oversaw some of the most dominant Astros teams in history. However, he was also connected to the Astros' sign-stealing scandal and ended up getting fired for his role in the scheme.

Astros insider Brian McTaggart was recently tasked with ranking the best Astros managers ever, and it was fair to wonder where Hinch would end up, given his relatively short tenure and the controversial way his time with the team ended. In the end, McTaggart gave the top spot to Hinch, and honestly, he is probably right.

Astros insider Brian McTaggart names AJ Hinch as Astros' best manager ever

On a rate basis, Hinch's case is without peer. He had the highest winning percentage of any Houston manager ever at .594 (although technically Salty Parker won his only game as manager in 1972), and his 481 wins across five seasons rank only behind Bill Virdon in franchise history. Baker ended up managing more postseason games, but Hinch did win a World Series while appearing in another in 2019 and losing in the ALCS in 2018.

Hinch's numbers over a similarly short tenure to Baker ultimately give him the nod. It is completely fair to penalize Hinch for the scandal, but he wasn't the only one complicit in that scheme (far from it), and his performance still stands out the most, especially when you consider that Houston has a long history of only having managers for a few seasons at a time.

Is Hinch's legacy complicated and tainted? Sure, 100%. But there is no denying that he was a driving force behind the Astros turning into the juggernaut they became. Remembering the good and the bad is important, but that doesn't change that Hinch was the best Astros manager ever (for now).