New Houston Astros Manager Shaking Up Offensive Philosophy

The Houston Astros have only been at Spring Training for a few days, but it's already clear that new manager Joe Espada is going to operate much differently than his predecessor.

The Astros spent the last four years playing for Dusty Baker, who was in his 70s and set in his ways. His laid-back approach was perfect for a veteran club that knew how to handle its business and win. Houston didn't need much help from Baker.

Coming off a disappointing ALCS loss to the Texas Rangers, however, the organization has a different mentality this year. There's a sense of urgency now, especially with Alex Bregman and Justin Verlander potentially leaving after this season.

Rookie manager Joe Espada is doing everything he can to push the Astros out of their comfort zone and get the most out of their ability. Perhaps he felt the team got complacent last year after winning it all in 2022, and he wants to avoid a repeat of that.

Espada already stressed the importance of Houston improving its defense this spring, but the 48-year-old skipper also wants to see his team be more aggressive on the bases.

Astros manager Joe Espada knows when you play baseball properly you are a better team.

The worst kind of baseball is station-to-station, home run or strikeout.

The best kind of baseball is an active, aggressive style where you are stealing bases, running 1st to 3rd, hitting to… pic.twitter.com/aqngehq0Qp
— Will Kunkel (@WillKunkelFOX) February 23, 2024

As the Astros' bench coach last year, Espada thought the team was too conservative on the bases and missed opportunities to take the extra base. He wants to see Houston take more "calculated risks" this year and not be afraid to push the envelope.

The Astros aren't a particularly fast team, so they need to get extra bases when they can. They ranked 24th in FanGraphs' baserunning runs metric last season, so there's definitely room for improvement on that front.

If Houston can be smarter and more aggressive running the bases this season, this team will be even more dangerous.