Astros owner Crane expects to hire new manager by Feb. 3

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston Astros owner Jim Crane expects to hire a new manager by Feb. 3.

The Astros need a new manager and general manager after AJ Hinch and Jeff Luhnow were fired Monday, hours after both were suspended by Major League Baseball for a year for the team's sign-stealing scandal.

Crane said Friday that he's interviewed a number of candidates this week and has some more to talk to in the coming days.

Crane refused to answer directly when asked if former Astros player and Hall of Famer Craig Biggio was a possibility for the job. But he did say that he had spoken to Biggio, fellow Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell and former Astros star Lance Berkman in the days since the firings.

“We've talked to all of our Killer B's,” Crane said referring to the nickname the three shared while playing for the Astros. “They've contacted me and they've all expressed that they would like to help. Berkman, Bagwell, Biggio have all called and said: ‘hey, if there’s anything I can do, I'm here for you.'"

“So we'll continue to visit with those guys and see if there's something there.”

Crane says his list is still rather extensive and that he hopes to have it narrowed down by the end of next week. He added that he expects most of Hinch's staff to stay in place regardless of who is hired.

Crane has enlisted the help of three or four employees to help him with the interview process, including some in Houston's baseball operations department.

“We compare notes,” he said. “I've learned a long time ago that you learn a lot if four or five people talk to a key candidate and you get a lot more information. So that's what we're doing.”

Crane' top priority is finding a manager with spring training less than a month away, but he said he would start focusing on the search...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Astros-owner-Crane-expects-to-hire-new-manager-by-14985105.php