Following Rafael Montero trade, Astros' success or failure is all on Dana Brown now

When general manager Dana Brown took the top job in the Houston Astros organization, it came in the wake of some really puzzling decisions made by owner Jim Crane. The most offensive, of course, was signing Jose Abreu to a three-year deal, though that has since been remedied. But Crane also handed out a rather costly deal to reliever Rafael Montero.

The Astros traded Montero to the Braves on Tuesday, meaning that all of Crane's misadventures with Houston's roster are now gone. Houston's famously restrictive and difficult owner is still influencing the front office's choices, but Brown has done well to rid the organization of Crane's specific and prominent failures.

However, that also means that Crane isn't an easy scapegoat for any of the team's struggles going forward. Like it or not, Houston is Brown's team now and he is going to be the one who's judged when the Astros succeed or fail.

Astros' GM Dana Brown fixed Jim Crane's mistakes, but now he's on the hook

It would be a little different if Brown was an executive with a light touch. If he was the type to stay the course and just reap the rewards as they came in, the spotlight wouldn't be on him as much. Instead, Brown is famously open with the media, has made a number of high-profile (and questionable) moves, and his influence can be felt up and down Houston's roster.

The good news is that if the Astros make a deep playoff run this year, Brown should and likely will get a lot of credit. Having the gumption to let Alex Bregman walk and trade away Kyle Tucker during the Astros' offseason overhaul is a big risk to take, but one that was unmistakably made with the best interests of the club in mind.

But with that risk comes potential consequences. If the Astros fall short of the MLB Postseason in 2025, fail to win the division, or even suffer an early-exit, fans will begin to wonder what would've happened if both Bregman and Tucker were still part of the organization.

Fans have seen how Crane has treated successful executives in the past. One can't help but wonder how the enigmatic owner would respond if this season goes south despite the fact that Brown was the one who cleaned up the mess that Crane created.

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