Astros Boss Showing Players He’s Straight Shooter

Early on his tenure as Houston Astros manager Joe Espada is proving he's a good communicator.

The Houston Astros have a new manager in Joe Espada. With a new manager comes new ways of dealing with players, and that’s something players have to get used to.

Fortunately, since many Astros players know Espada from his time as the team’s bench coach, building relationships is a bit easier. Still, when you’re the boss, you have to communicate.

According to The Athletic, Espada has displayed a straight shooter approach on more than one occasion this offseason and in spring training.

Most recently it was naming Josh Hader as the closer early in spring training. The Astros didn’t commit to making Hader the closer after his signing. But Espada announced it to the press after meeting with Hader and Ryan Pressly to make sure Pressly was all right with moving into a set-up role.

Sliding Yordan Alvarez up to the second spot in the batting order was also communicated to him by Espada. But he socialized it to Alvarez in the offseason, to the point where Alvarez said he thought his new manager was kidding because he had never hit in that spot professionally. But Espada was steadfast.

Earlier in the offseason it was Espada who called Jake Meyers from the winter meetings to ensure that Meyers understood the direction the team was taking his playing time. Meyers said Espada’s alignment with general manager Dana Brown’s announcement made him feel better about what was to come.

“The player hearing from the manager carries more weight and more reassurance when he hears it from the manager — 100 percent,” Espada said.

Espada learned that working for both A.J. Hinch and Dusty Baker, the Astros’ two previous managers. Both led the Astros to a World Series title. Both were well-known for their communication with players.

If Espada can do the same, it will be in part to the relationships he’s built and his straight-shooting style.