So who does he put as the front-runners for Coop's replacement?
Never mind that the Astros exercised manager Cecil Cooper's option for 2010 in April. Cooper is almost certain to be fired, major-league sources say, and several of his coaches also are in jeopardy.
Third base coach Dave Clark would be the leading internal candidate to replace Cooper, but the team likely would consider a wide range of outside options.
On that list of outside options:
-Jim Fregosi, Atlanta's assistant (to the) General Manager, Frank Wren
Fregosi managed the Phillies from 1991 to '96, when Ed Wade, the Astros' current GM, was in the Phillies' front office. He also met Astros owner Drayton McLane when he interviewed for the managerial opening that went to Jimy Williams after the 2001 season.
-Phillies' bench coach Pete Mackanin
-Giants bench coach Ron Wotus
Yesterday in Zach Levine's live blog of the G133, commentors were throwing out names like Manny Acta, Bobby Valentine, Buck Showalter. That may very well happen. Allow me to throw out another name that has not yet been discussed as a possibility: Bo Porter.
Who is this Bo Porter? Bo Porter has been the Marlins' third-base and base-running coach for three years, and has spent five years total as a coach. He lives in Houston, and is on Fox Sports Houston all the time when the Marlins are in town. He also, according to his bio, has a degree in communication. Which would be an, uh, upgrade.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
