“I Miss Jeff”: Houston Astros Analyst Throws Shade at Current GM Dana Brown After Another Humbling Defeat

The rockets are crashing and the Astronauts are falling. How can the Houston Astros save themselves from this embarrassment? With the team losing to the Chicago Cubs, they’re officially 7-18 in 2024. That’s the kind of number that absolutely no one expected from the Astros. But now that it has happened, it has led to fingers being pointed at executives. From the manager Joe Espada to the GM, Dana Brown no one is safe from the fans’ anger.

It isn’t that the issues weren’t known earlier. The symptoms of this disease had been visible throughout the offseason. The fans had been clamoring for some fresh blood or trades to reinforce the squad. However, the management remained inexplicably inactive, only choosing to pay a bonanza price to Josh Hader. This lack of activity has led to top analyst Michael Connor remembering former GM Jeff Luhnow.

In his Locked On Sports Houston Postcast Connor said that it’s time for the Astros to have a “real conversation about blowing things up.” He wants the team to trade some talents and help supplement the squad and the farm system. It was here that he threw a mild shade at Brown by wishing Luhnow was here. “I don’t know anything about Dana Brown as a trade guy but these are gonna be the moments where I miss Jeff Luhnow…Miss James Click – the guys that come from the analytics side,” Connor said.

While Connor accepted that he might be “short-changing” Dana Brown, he wondered how the team would move so many players at once. That’s something that has been the issue with the Astros throughout Brown’s tenure (he’s been here since 2023). The Astronauts haven’t completely utilized their trading options, and as a result, their farm system has been overstretched. 

At the same time, however, the team has quite a few veterans that they could move on if they wanted to. But then, the Astros haven’t shown any signs of that yet. 

If a trade becomes a reality, who will be on the Houston Astros’ cutting block?

The Houston Astros aren’t short of talent. In fact, the team has one of the most expensive bullpens in all of baseball. More importantly, some players could prove to be a major trading chip for the Astros. Drew Keoch of Fansided’s Climbing Tals Hill predicted that Ryan Pressly and Alex Bregman could find themselves on the chopping board if things don’t improve quickly.

In Pressly’s case, the Astros have already signed a closer in Josh Hader. As a result, Pressly could prove to be a massive trading chip for the Astros. On the other hand, Bregman hasn’t been impressive in 2024 till now. With his free agency looming large, could the Astros capitalize on his remaining value before the trade deadline? 

It’s certainly time for the Astros to start planning for their next course of action. While things look bleak, Dana Brown must ensure they don’t extend past this season. Because once the rot sets in, it’s quite difficult to come out of it.