Houston Astros Bring in James Click
The Houston Astros have been searching for a General Manager for a little over two weeks now. Their search came to a conclusion tonight as the team announced that they were hiring General Manager, James Click. The news was first reported by Jake Kaplan of The Athletic.
The Astros have hired James Click as their new general manager.
— Jake Kaplan (@jakemkaplan) February 4, 2020
According to Ken Rosenthal, Click received a multi-year contract from the Houston Astros. That’s an interesting development considering that recently hired skipper, Dusty Baker is only signed to a one-year deal. It signals that the team views Click as someone that can carry on the thought processes of the previous regime.
New #Astros GM James Click signed a multi-year contract, source tells The Athletic. New manager Dusty Baker is under contract only for 2020.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 4, 2020
Given that Click comes to the Astros from the Tampa Bay Rays, it’s a fascinating hire. The Astros were one of the first organizations to embrace sabrmetrics and analytics at every level of the organization. The Rays built up a similar model over the last few years. With Click in the fold, Houston can continue to carry on those decision-making processes.
Background on James Click
Besides coming from the Rays, Click originally got his start at Yale University. After graduating from there, Click joined the Rays in 2006 and has held a multitude of different positions with the organization. His last role was as the Vice President of Baseball Operations.
Given the background and experiences that Click has, he is multi-faceted when it comes to how a big league organization runs. For any front office member, experience is a key when it comes to landing a job and Click will be able to use all of his knowledge to guide the Astros moving forward.
Furthermore, since he has held a multitude of different positions with the Rays, Click has experience with scouting, player development, and how to manage a budget. For the Astros, those are going to be critical components for the organization as they potentially move into the next chapter of their franchise. Houston currently is projected to have an Opening Day 26-man roster projected payroll of $210.3 million dollars. Currently, that would surpass the first level of the luxury tax threshold of $208 million.
Therefore, having a General Manager that is familiar with internal scouting and player development processes is critical for Houston. Additionally, the Astros could be entering their final year or two of their current competitive window. After this season, the likes of George Springer, Michael Brantley, and Josh Reddick are all free agents leaving some uncertainty for the team moving forward.
Final Thoughts
In the end, James Click should end up being a very good hire for the Houston Astros. Right now, the Astros need all of the positive press they can get. This is a terrific start towards achieving that and Click will help carry on the analytical fundamentals set by the previous regime.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images
