4 Reasons why Joe Espada was the right hire for the Astros

The Astros have a manager. Joe Espada is succeeding Dusty Baker as Manager of the Houston Astros. Espada will be the team's 20th manager in franchise history.

4 Reasons why Joe Espada was the right hire for the Astros

While he doesn't bring any experience as a manager, he does have a polished resume, serving as the Astros bench coach for six ALCS trips, three pennants and a World Series title under three GMs and two managers, as well as working as the third-base coach for both the Yankees and Marlins. Espada served as an assistant to Brian Cashman when the Yankees were actually a threat to Houston and successfully using analytics.

He's a bright mind that the Astros are fortunate to have after having interviewed with multiple other teams over the last few years. While there were questions about how hands on Jeff Bagwell would be and what old-school candidate would be hired, for once, the Astros made the seamless transition and didn't complicate what was simple. The right hire was made. Let's check out why.

#1 Espada gives the Astros continuity

The Astros have made seven straight trips to the ALCS, won four pennants, and two World Series since 2017. In what world would it make sense to fix what isn't broken?

Joe Espada has been on staff for six of those trips, three of the pennants, and one of the World Series rings. Going external to somebody that doesn't understand the sanctity of the clubhouse culture the Astros have refined would have been a huge risk.

It's not to say there aren't qualified candidates and good managers-in-waiting on teams other than Houston. But Houston is the only one with the track record they've built. It would be nonsensical to make sweeping changes.

Espada is beloved in the Astros clubhouse and has spent six seasons building rapport with the players. With a title window still wide open, continuing to build on the foundation was the right call.

#2 Espada SHOULD bring a blend of analytics and feel

Joe Espada has been a bench coach under A.J. Hinch and Dusty Baker. As previously mentioned, he was a front office assistant to Brian Cashman when the Yankees actually implemented analytics in a wise manner. He's served under two analytical savants in Jeff Luhnow and James Click, and one old-school scouting mind in Dana Brown.

Needless to say, Espada has seen it all. His resume affords the perfect opportunity to blend both analytics and feel. Houston doesn't need to be the Tampa Bay Rays that makes all of their in-game decisions via computer, but they can't abandon analytics full tilt.

The Astros front office has been trending more towards the old school mentality than new, and Espada is equipped to push back on some of the "left on left" style schools of thought Houston so often implemented over the last few years.

Espada made it clear in his press conference that he will play "the best players" and explained that his decision to pinch hit Yainer Diaz and Jon Singleton for Jeremy Peña and Martín Maldonado in Game 5 of the ALCS after Dusty's ejection was solely his. It was a managerial master class, and a move Baker's allegiance and loyalty to a fault simply wouldn't have allowed him to do.

The Astros built their power with an incredibly analytical front office, but AJ Hinch still managed with feel rather than by the numbers. Espada will be a great combination of analytical savvy and pure baseball I.Q.

#3 Dana Brown made the hire

While it may be flying under the radar, one of the most significant elements of Espada's introductory press conference was who joined him on stage: Dana Brown and nobody else. Dana Brown is the Astros GM for a reason. Let him act like it.

Brown had been endorsing Espada for some time, but there was fear the ongoing power struggle between front office and ownership would continue. Would Dana Brown be able to build his staff, or would Jim Crane move closer to Jerry Jones on the hands-on owner spectrum and make the final call? How much of an influence would Jeff Bagwell have on the decision?

It's early in Brown's tenure, and maybe he isn't a first-class head of baseball ops like Luhnow and Click before him were. But regardless, you can't handcuff your GM. If Espada, and for that matter Brown don't pan out, you can cross that bridge when you get there.

Brown said this today:

I appreciate Jim Crane allowing me to lead the charge and I continued to keep him updated on what my thought process was and where we were going in this direction.

But Brown had a first class resume and has earned the right to call the shots. That Crane let him do just that is a very encouraging sign.