HOUSTON -- The Houston Astros fired general manager Ed Wade and team president Tal Smith on Sunday night in the first of the changes promised by new owner Jim Crane.
The moves come less than a week after the sale of the team from Drayton McLane to Crane was officially completed last Tuesday, a transaction that requires the franchise to move from the NL Central to the AL West in 2013.
In a news conference on the day owners approved the sale on Nov. 17, Crane vowed to meet with all the executives and "make some very, very quick adjustments."
Wade was hired in September 2007 after spending the previous two years as a professional scout for the San Diego Padres. He was the general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies from 1998 until he was fired after the 2005 season.
The Astros made a 13-game improvement in Wade's first season as general manager and finished 86-75. But that would be their only winning season under Wade as they won 74 games in 2009 and 76 in 2010 before posting this year's franchise-worst mark of 56-106.
In the last two years Wade traded away stars such Lance Berkman, Michael Bourn, Roy Oswalt and Hunter Pence for mostly young prospects, saying he had "inherited a pretty barren farm system" that he had to replenish.
Smith, who has been team president since 1994, has spent more than 50 years as a baseball executive and more than 30 of those years have been with the Astros. He worked for the franchise in its first season in 1962 when the team was known as the Houston Colt .45s and remained in Houston until 1972.
He spent some time working for the Yankees before returning as general manager of the Astros from 1975-80.
Smith's input was key in the development of both the Astrodome and Minute Maid Park. A small hill in center field at Minute Maid Park is known as Tal's Hill as a nod to his work on the project.
This is directly from ESPN. I've known that the Astros were moving to the AL West for about a week or two now, and I still can't believe it. I've been a BoSox fan for a while now. I've got a BoSox tie, shirt and hats. My World Series dream match up would the 'Stros vs BoSox. I am now looking for a new NL team to root for. I'm not going anywhere with the 'Stros. I, too, have a tie, shirt and hats of the Astros. I have to admit that the Astros and the perfect World Series winless team to root for. The BoSox have won 2 in my life time. Go Astros!!!!!! Now if they will just do something.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Season Over, but.....
The St Louis Cardinals are the world champions for the 11th time in team history. I have to admit, the way that they got hot all of a sudden is simply inspiring. They were 10 games out of the wild card in August and ended up winning the World Series in 7 games against the Rangers. Who would have thought. I called it, though. I told people that if the Cardinals were to win game 6 (which they did), that the Cardinals would end up winning the series. And it was game 6 that did it.
It was a fantastic series and a fun season of baseball. Now that it's the off season, it'll be interesting to see if the Astros will actually do something this off season to bring in some pitching and some bats. Rumor has it that the Astros might be heading to the AL West, which means Scott Bardin and I will be rivals. Scott is a Seattle fan through and through. Face it though, we'll be getting bragging rights on who will not be on the bottom of the division if these rumors become a reality.
Work has been tough for me mentally lately. It's been real hard on me when I go to work and all I feel like I'm going to picking up everyone else's poop. I've tried to keep a prayer in my heart, but the Lord knows who to send my lately to test me. I feel like I'm not doing to well with those tests. For example, I really wanted to start yelling at my first caller of the day when he started insulting my intelligence. Well, I'm sorry that I look at my monthly mortgage statements every month and I know how much interest is being applied to my mortgage every month. Why on Earth would I want to figure that out on my own? So we got the mortgage company on the line with us. I couldn't just hang up after connecting with the mortgage company. I wanted to, but couldn't. He started insulting that representative because she had a hint of an accent. He declared that it was hard to understand her because he is an American! I wanted to slap him. I wanted to tell him that if he was an American, he should start acting like one! ID10T!!!!!!!! That started my day on the dark side. And it only got worse from there.
My day would have been a little better if my 2 eldest had slept better in there own beds last night. Last night was Halloween, and some college kids had some innocent fun with the kids last night, but it sure scared them spitless. Trent wouldn't even trick or treat at the Vincent's because he got scared so bad. Funny, though. Trent was the only one to stay in his bed last night. Marissa came in at about 1 and Audrey followed suit at about 2. Bree woke up at 1:30, so Shelly had a real long night last night. Me? I had a back massage that made me real irritable all day. Here's to a better day tomorrow.
It's about 9:30 and I'm ready to turn in for the night. Good night and keep the faith! Don't forget to pray!
It was a fantastic series and a fun season of baseball. Now that it's the off season, it'll be interesting to see if the Astros will actually do something this off season to bring in some pitching and some bats. Rumor has it that the Astros might be heading to the AL West, which means Scott Bardin and I will be rivals. Scott is a Seattle fan through and through. Face it though, we'll be getting bragging rights on who will not be on the bottom of the division if these rumors become a reality.
Work has been tough for me mentally lately. It's been real hard on me when I go to work and all I feel like I'm going to picking up everyone else's poop. I've tried to keep a prayer in my heart, but the Lord knows who to send my lately to test me. I feel like I'm not doing to well with those tests. For example, I really wanted to start yelling at my first caller of the day when he started insulting my intelligence. Well, I'm sorry that I look at my monthly mortgage statements every month and I know how much interest is being applied to my mortgage every month. Why on Earth would I want to figure that out on my own? So we got the mortgage company on the line with us. I couldn't just hang up after connecting with the mortgage company. I wanted to, but couldn't. He started insulting that representative because she had a hint of an accent. He declared that it was hard to understand her because he is an American! I wanted to slap him. I wanted to tell him that if he was an American, he should start acting like one! ID10T!!!!!!!! That started my day on the dark side. And it only got worse from there.
My day would have been a little better if my 2 eldest had slept better in there own beds last night. Last night was Halloween, and some college kids had some innocent fun with the kids last night, but it sure scared them spitless. Trent wouldn't even trick or treat at the Vincent's because he got scared so bad. Funny, though. Trent was the only one to stay in his bed last night. Marissa came in at about 1 and Audrey followed suit at about 2. Bree woke up at 1:30, so Shelly had a real long night last night. Me? I had a back massage that made me real irritable all day. Here's to a better day tomorrow.
It's about 9:30 and I'm ready to turn in for the night. Good night and keep the faith! Don't forget to pray!
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