5 Reasons Why Joe Espada Is the Perfect Replacement of Dusty Baker as the Next Houston Astros Manager

When Dusty Baker announced his retirement after the ALCS loss of the Houston Astros, experts wondered who would succeed him. Gradually, as the offseason arrived and unlike other teams, there was no managerial link connected to the Astros, it became clear what was happening. The Stars didn’t go looking out for a manager; they had him with them. It was their Bench Coach Joe Espada. Now that Espada’s appointment is announced, one wonders have the Astros made the right call. 

The Astronauts have actually been scaling the space heights for the past few years. They have been a constant presence in the World Series and have won 2 in the last 6 years. Now that they’re looking to extend that contendership to another few years, will Espada’s appointment be the one to sail them through? 

Why Joe Espada might actually work for the Houston Astros?

Here are 5 reasons why Joe Espada might actually be the perfect replacement for Dusty Baker.

1. Joe Espada has been in the Astros system for a long time

Joe Espada joined the Stars right after their World Series win in 2017. Since then, he has seen all the highs and lows of the franchise. He was present right as the controversy for the 2017 cheating scandal became louder. As a result of his constant presence, Espada deeply knows everything about how the team operates. He understands the power structures and the inner workings of the Astronauts. By appointing him, they have saved valuable time and effort that another manager would have needed in order to feel accustomed to the Astros system.

Apart from this, his presence enables them to maintain a semblance of consistency in the team. A new manager would have caused a slight upheaval to how the franchise operates, but with Espada, it continues to march on the path that the team has been on for the last decade.

2. Espada knows how the champions operate

Joe Espada has worked under Dusty Baker and A.J. Hinch, both of them are World Series winners. So he has been under the tutelage of two of the very best managers. Obviously, he will have gotten quite a few tools of the trade from them. Also, his presence continues to maintain a winning system that was created by Baker and Hinch. Apart from this, Espada’s experience in different teams helps him not get overwhelmed by the attention that he might get.

He has worked for teams like the New York Yankees and was a coach of the Puerto Rico Team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. That team ended up winning the silver medal in that competition. So, Espada knows how to handle big moments and highly tense situations, and this will surely come as a positive for the Astros.

3. Joe is bilingual

The Houston Astros squad has a lot of international stars. Most of them speak Spanish as their first language. Communication will become quite easy with Espada as he himself is bilingual and is fluent in Spanish and English. He is already popular for his straightforward and hard communication style. His being bilingual will only increase the effectiveness of his communication with the team.

4. Espada has already shown his managerial skills

During Game 5 of the ALCS – Dusty Baker was ejected after a bench-clearing incident. Espada, as the bench coach, had to manage the game after that. He showed his managerial props as the Astros managed to win that game in the last inning. So, he already has experience of managing and has actually done so in the biggest stage possible. Now with him becoming their manager, he will ensure to use that experience to continue the growth trajectory of the Houston Astros.

The Astros are no strangers to big occasions as they have played in multiple World Series’ since in 2017, so to have a manager who already knows how the stakes feel will only be a tremendous bonus for the Stars.

5. Great relationships with players like his predecessor

Players adore Espada. More than adoring him, however, they respect him for his straightforwardness. With being in the Astros for so long, Espada has created an aura around him. Apart from this, he is always open for a conversation and is said to always give truthful remarks to the players. They value his words as they understand that they will ultimately lead to his improvement. Espada shares this trait with the past manager Dusty Baker, who too was extremely impressive in his player management skills.

Houston Astros 2024 expectations

Now that they have their manager, the Astros are looking to finish what they started in 2023. The team was extremely close to becoming the first team in two decades to become repeat winners of the World Series.

Read more – “Dream Come True” – Joe Espada Gets Emotional After Replacing Dusty Baker as New Houston Astros Manager

Now, with most of their players returning, the Stars are as strong as ever. Will they continue on their upward trajectory or will they plateau? The new season will answer all the questions.

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