He’s going to be their pitching coach. WOW.
Was just reported on MLB Radio per an article in The Athletic. Would make you think there is some reason behind the scenes as to why he wanted out. Though I guess it’s possible he just wanted a chage.
This news does not make me happy at all. Lends credence to the idea there was stuff going on behind the scenes that led to Strom’s departure.
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Did you hear the interview with him? He said the 2 coaches (can’t recall their names) are more than ready to take the reins and he felt like he was in the way. I can see it being as simple as that.
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He was very clear there was no conflict between Baker or the Front Office with him. Might not be the truth, but I’ll take his word on it.
Despite his assurances on the current coaches and the lack of drama, I will commence throwing things about the house.
He likely was putting lipstick on the pig.
I am stunned.
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I’d be stunned to walk in on him putting lipstick on any animal.
It’s a far reach to conclude that there was animosity surrounding the decision to leave with no real evidence of it other than Dusty being Dusty. I’ll take Strom at his word and hope he is right.
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I certainly do not think there was animosity. I do think there were philosophical disagreements about how the pitching was managed and a desire not to work under the constraints of those disagreements again.
Blows the heck out of his story about lying on a beach in Mexico.
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Money can change a lot of plans.
In that same interview, he later said the travel was getting to be too much, and he had asked others what retirement is like. On Oct. 13, Mark Berman had an interview with Strom where he talks about considering retirement after the season.
See above.
About money changing his plans? He’s Brent Strom. Widely considered to be the best pitching coach in MLB. He had to know the day he announced he was leaving the Astros that other teams would come calling to gauge his interest in being their pitching coach.
Could there have been nothing behind the scenes that led to him leaving? Yes. But, he could have just ended his exit interview after saying the Astros have two younger guys ready for their chance. He didn’t.
Believe what you want to believe. I just think that if a man wants to make decisions based on what he thinks he wants to do and then changes those plans, then who am I to say he’s got different motives than what he presented to the public. That’s too easy to do.
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Unless and until something specific gets leaked, true, I have no reason not to take Strom at his word. But how often does a coach bolt from a pennant winner to take the same job with the worst team in the league? If it were any other organization we’d be assuming something was going on beneath the surface.
I could certainly see 3 pennants in 5 years as mission accomplished. Decide to retire. Get a call from the worst pitching team in the league with a wheelbarrow full of money and see it as a challenge.
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Plus, it is Arizona. We don’t know if he got assurances that travel would be limited. He could have family there, maybe a ranch. I just refuse to see it strictly as something the Astros did wrong.
People are free to change their mind, and I don’t think Strom holds animosity towards the Astros. However, you and I can recall numerous instances of coaches at the college and professional level saying one thing at a press conference only to do another shortly after (typically referring to lack of interest in certain jobs). This is reminiscent of former Rockets GM Daryl Morey saying he wanted a break to spend more time with his family last season, and he was hired by the Sixers roughly two weeks later. He wanted a break from Tillman Fertitta.
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And if that’s it then so be it.
Who knows anything about these 2 coaches Strom was going on about?
He’ll get get to travel in October for the first time in 5 years.
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