So it's being reported that Jim Crane would like to have a manager in place by the end of next week.
This is odd, mainly because, you know, the season is still going on at the end of next week. So the Astros are either going to:
1) Hire Tony DeFrancesco, Joe Pettini, or someone within the organization
2) Hire someone who is currently not with a team (Ausmus?), or at least not with a contender (ruling out Porter, Martinez, Bogar, Hale)
3) Hire someone who is with a contender, but who won't take over until after their season is over.
#3 isn't an unreasonable option, but the timing is certainly strange.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
