Dana Brown's job could be in jeopardy if he botches Astros' chaotic offseason

When the Winter Meetings started, Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown seemed to have one primary directive: make sure Alex Bregman doesn't get away. However, it didn't take long for things to go sideways as, while Bregman is still on the table, the Astros have quickly become the center of the baseball universe. Both Framber Valdez and Kyle Tucker could potentially be available in trade.

All of sudden, it has become pure chaos. Hopeful contenders have been lining up to ask what it would take to get either player (especially Tucker), and the rumor mill hasn't slowed down ever since. This isn't idle speculation where an executive says "anyone is available for the right price" that doesn't go anywhere. It sure seems like the Astros could end up making one of the biggest trades of the offseason.

What the future holds for Bregman and Tucker is up in the air at the moment, but things have escalated so quickly that now Brown's job may be on the line if Houston screws this offseason up.

Astros' Dana Brown may have maneuvered himself into the hot seat this offseason

To be clear, Brown doesn't have to trade Tucker or sign Bregman to keep his job, per se. There are prices for both guys where a move makes sense or doesn't, and Brown's biggest responsibility is to make the best decisions for the club. Giving Bregman $300 million and/or trading Tucker for an unranked prospect certainly doesn't qualify as doing that.

However, the waters for Brown are treacherous here. If he draws the line in terms of how much to offer Bregman shorter than where Jim Crane is willing to go, and Bregman ends up signing a reasonable deal elsewhere, Astros fans are going to be furious (and Crane may be as well). If he trades Tucker for a questionable return that ends up not working out while the outfielder goes wild with his new club, fans may be bringing torches to Daikin Park (that is still weird to say).

Odds are that Brown will be able to navigate these newly treacherous waters. He is highly regarded as a talent evaluator around the league, and the current offers for Tucker suggest that Houston would end up with some real talent if the Astros actually were to pull the trigger on a trade. As for Bregman, the Astros probably have a cap on how far they can go, which everyone has agreed upon ahead of time.

Still, these are the sorts of decisions that can make or break a franchise. If Brown ends up messing up one or both of these scenarios in either direction, well...we know from history who Crane is likely to throw under the bus.

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