Astros GM’s Joe Espada Belief Is Absolute — Why Dana Brown Is Certain Houston’s Rookie Manager Will Be a Great One

Objective outside baseball observers might look at the Houston Astros’ managerial situation as something of a question mark for a team that’s made seven straight American League Championship Series. After all, Joe Espada is a rookie manager taking over baseball’s closest thing to a modern dynasty, replacing Dusty Baker, a beloved public figure who could run for mayor in Houston and win in a landslide.

But Dana Brown and the rest of the Astros’ front office braintrust certainly do not look at Joe Espada as something to worry about. Instead, they view Espada as clear strength and a maybe needed new voice for a clubhouse in transition.

“Joe is just a good baseball man,” Brown says when I ask about Espada. “He’s relentless in his approach and his conversation of getting better. He loves the sport. He loves his job. He’s a good influence, a good family man.

“I can talk a long time about Joe Espada. I really like him. At the end of the day, I think he’s really going to do a good job. I think his relationship with players — I think that’s going to be pretty special. Which I value a whole lot.”

The 48-year-old Espada embraces analytics while understanding how much relationships matter. He’s been in coaching since 2010, been in baseball the majority of his life. Espada has seen up close how New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman handles things, how A.J. Hinch approaches managing and how Dusty Baker goes about his day to day. Now he gets his chance to manage one of the proudest and most successful teams in Major League Baseball today, one that is used to winning big.

When the Astros complete reporting to spring training this week in West Palm Beach (pitchers and catchers arrived on Wednesday) and Espada addresses the full team for the first time, he will be living his dream. One laced with serious pressure to perform.

“2024, expectations don’t change here,” Espada says. “Our job is to win another title. And that’s my job.”

Give Joe Espada credit. He already sounds like Jim Crane, the big boss. The Astros’ new manager does not try to downplay what comes with this particular job. Espada must keep the Astros’ winning rolling along with one clubhouse leader gone (veteran catcher Martin Maldonado) and another entering his free agent walk year (third baseman Alex Bregman). The new Astros manager will be expected to help young power hitting catcher Yainer Diaz thrive as a full-time starter, do what he can to get Jeremy Pena back on track at the plate and manage a pitching staff with two potential aces (Framber Valdez and Cristian Javier) coming off uneven seasons.

“It’s my job to make sure to put our players in the best position to succeed,” Espada says.

Espada is already starting to make his mark. On the first day of spring training, Espada quickly and decisively named Hader the Astros’ closer over postseason stalwart Ryan Pressly, showing he’s not afraid to make a tough decision. With little hesitation. The move came bedrocked by Espada’s communication skills. He pulled Hader and Pressly aside the day before he announced the move to talk about it and make sure both men understood his thinking.

This is a manager who believes in communication first, foremost and always.

“I can talk a long time about Joe Espada. I really like him. At the end of the day, I think he’s really going to do a good job. I think his relationship with players — I think that’s going to be pretty special. Which I value a whole lot.” — Astros GM Dana Brown on his first year manager

Joe Espada’s Safety Blanket

Espada enters spring training knowing that Jose Altuve, the all-time greatest Astro, is locked up through his age 39 2029 season. The first-year manager is already excited about the Altuve he’ll get this season. Espada and Altuve already have been talking about this season and the push to get back to the World Series. Which makes the GM very happy.

“Jose Altuve is a franchise player,” Dana Brown says. “He’s a fan favorite. He’s the spark in that clubhouse. And our dugout. So getting this guy done was very, very important. I know what he means. He’s the heart and soul of this club. He’s a great human being. He’s approachable.”

“Having Jose Altuve as an Astro for life, it fires me up,” Espada says.

A vintage Jose Altuve season would make Joe Espada’s life a little easier. A backend of the bullpen worthy of those underappreciated Nasty Boys 1990 Cincinnati Reds with newly signed super closer Josh Hader, Ryan Pressly and Bobby Abreu is another manager-soothing asset.

“2024, expectations don’t change here. Our job is to win another title. And that’s my job.” — Astros manager Joe Espada

Not that Dana Brown thinks Espada needs any special help. The Astros general manager talks about Espada as a leader the way other GMs talk about top prospects.

“His experience at being around really good managers, that’s going to help him in the future,” Brown says. “I’m a big big fan. It’s tough for me to hold back when it comes to Joe. I really like him.”

Find someone who looks at you the way Dana Brown looks at Joe Espada.

Dana Brown will tell you that the faith is earned. Espada, a former University of Mobile star turned second round draft pick whose dreams of playing Major League Baseball never materialized, has coached some of the most seminal figures of recent baseball times. Including Alex Rodriguez, Adrián Beltré and Carlos Correa, who Espada built a special bond with. He interviewed for seven other managerial jobs over the years before landing this new role as the leader of the Astros.

So yes, Brown is certain Espada is more than ready. The Astros general manager is pumped to see how this Book of Joe goes.