Astros to hire Bo Porter

There are a number of reports breaking late last night/early this morning that Nationals 3B coach Bo Porter will be named the next manager of the Houston Astros.

Ken Rosenthal reported just before midnight that Porter was heading to the Astros. The Washington Post's Adam Kilgore has a full(er) story posted.

Porter was the hitting coach for Low-A Greensboro in 2005, and manager for High-A Jamestown in 2006. From 2007 to 2009 Porter was the 3B coach and outfield and baserunning instructor for the Marlins. He left the Marlins to become the Diamondbacks' bench coach in 2010 and was promoted to bench coach in July 2010 after Kirk Gibson was promoted from bench coach to manager. He became the Nationals' bench coach under Davey Johnson following the 2010 season.

Porter had interviewed for a number of managerial positions before. The Astros interviewed him before offering the job to Brad Mills. The Marlins interviewed him mid-season 2010 after dismissing Fredi Gonzalez, but apparently only wanted to sign him to a contract through the end of the 2010 season (remember, we are talking about the Marlins here).

Porter:
"The conversation did lead to that. They wanted to know, if that was the case, what is your thought process? My thought process is I would want this year and next year, at the very least, to have an opportunity to go through spring training and implement my standards. I want to make one thing clear. it was not like it (the job) was offered, take it or leave it. It was just part of conversation."

Then the Marlins stuck with interim manager Edwin Rodriguez after playing footsies with Bobby Valentine. Valentine had this to say about the process back in 2010:
"If this is a Major League process, I hope I'm never in the process again. It's very disturbing, confusing and it was insulting at times, but it's over."

ANYway, Porter was also a finalist for the Pirates job that ultimately went to Clint Hurdle. And many in Washington saw Porter as a successor to Davey Johnson when he eventually steps down. 

He will remain with the Nationals through their playoff run, however long that may be, and then join the Astros. There will be a press conference at 10am Central. 

Luhnow isn't looking at this as a short-term hire, as he said earlier Wednesday:
"We're looking to find a manager that's going to take the Houston Astros from where they are today, two years in a row losing more than 100 games, to the point of our goal, which is to win multiple championships. I'd like to be here when that happens, and I'd like the manager we hire to be here when that happens." 

FanGraphs interviewed Bo Porter back in July, and you'll see that he shares a lot of the same values as Luhnow has been pushing (hint: no bunts!)