An interesting thing about the 2012 Houston Astros team set is that they are 1 of 2 teams (Cleveland is the other) that had multiple managers during the season. Houston fired Brad Mills in mid-August and replaced him with interim manager Tony DeFrancesco. DeFrancesco was not retained this offseason. My problem with this situation is why make the first change if you are going to make another change in the offseason. If the Astros won every single game under Tony DeFrancesco, they were still not going to the playoffs. He had no chance of being a success. Interim managers can be good if changed early in the season like Jack McKeon in Florida or Jim Tracy in Colorado, but changing in August (or late September like the Indians) isn't fair to the old manager or the interim manager. What are your thoughts on in-season managerial changes? Should there be a termination deadline to go along with the trade deadline? While you think that through, here is the second half of the final Houston Astros team in the National League.
My Top 5 Astros Cards
1. Chris Johnson
2. Jason Castro
3. Marwin Gonzalez
4. Fernando Martinez
5. Enerio del Rosario
I absolutely love the Chris Johnson card. Not because it showcases the memorable uniform of the mid-70s, but the background is what makes that photo fantastic. Just a beautiful shot. The Jason Castro seems like a photo that would be in 1973 Topps. I love the golf cart and the chain link fence in the background. Castro would be #1 on many other teams. The Marwin Gonzalez has flying balls of sod. How can you not love that photo? I think I am a bit spoiled when it comes to diving catch photos. I should like that Fernando Martinez more, but it just seems ordinary to me. I chose the del Rosario card as my #5 simply because that card looks as if it could have easily appeared in 1986 Topps. As an aside, that is my favorite of the Astros uniforms.
Coming up on team #20 tomorrow will be the fifth color change so far in the 2012 Quarry Unlimited set. Make sure you check it out and judge for yourself.
Thanx for reading.
2 comments:
Love the old Colt .45s jersey on the Lowrie. Plus, it's definitely one of the more "angrier" cards I've ever seen, you don't see shots like that too often anymore.
I think that sometimes interim managers are just placeholders (longtime organization guys) until they can talk to or sign the guy they want.
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