The Houston Astros have announced the hiring of Brad Ausmus as their new manager, marking a return to the team where he spent a significant portion of his playing career.
Ausmus played for 10 seasons with the Astros, making him one of the longest-tenured players in franchise history, and his 1,259 games behind the plate are still a record for catchers. His tenure is also notable for being the 10th most games played by any player in team history. Ausmus's playing career was marked by its longevity, with him spending time with four different franchises.
During his time with the Astros, Ausmus developed a strong connection to the city and its fans, who will remember him fondly as one of their own. In fact, he has stated that Houston felt like his baseball home, even when he was drafted out of high school by the Yankees. It's clear that Ausmus's experience in Houston had a lasting impact on him.
As Ausmus prepares to take on his new role as manager, fans and players alike will be looking back at his playing career for inspiration. His time with the Astros was marked by several notable moments, including a memorable home run he hit during the 2005 NLDS. The image of Ausmus rounding the bases after hitting that home run is one that will likely stick in the memories of Astros fans.
Ausmus's playing career may be over, but his legacy as a player and now manager has only just begun to take shape. As he embarks on this new chapter, it remains to be seen what kind of impact he will have on the team and its fans.
The Astros' 2005 National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves was a series that would be remembered for its thrilling conclusion. With the team trailing 6-1 in Game 4, Lance Berkman's grand slam in the eighth inning sparked a late-game surge, but the Astros still found themselves down by one run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.
It was then that Brad Ausmus came to the plate, delivering an unexpected blow. Despite having hit only three home runs during the regular season, Ausmus blasted a game-tying homer to left-center, tying the score and sending the game into extra innings. The Astros ultimately won the game and the series on Chris Burke's 18th-inning home run.
This dramatic turn of events was just one of several memorable moments in Ausmus' time as an Astro player. Another notable instance came during the 2004 American League Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, where a diving catch by Jim Edmonds robbed Ausmus of a hit in Game 7.
The Astros nearly achieved their first World Series appearance in 2004, but it was not meant to be. In Game 7 against the St. Louis Cardinals, Brad Ausmus came close to delivering a crucial hit for his team.
Houston took an early lead with two runs on the board in the second inning, and Ausmus's line drive to center field seemed destined to make it 3-0. However, Cardinals' center fielder Jim Edmonds made an impressive diving catch to halt the momentum.
The Cardinals capitalized on this pivotal moment, mounting a comeback with three runs in the sixth inning that ultimately ended the Astros' season.
The curtain call was a fitting tribute to Brad Ausmus' impressive performance at Minute Maid Park. Fans gave him a standing ovation not once, but twice - first after his home run and again when he left the game in the sixth inning.
Ausmus himself reflected on the experience, describing it as one of the most memorable days of his life. But what stood out to him was not just the excitement of hitting a home run or making a crucial play, but rather the people and relationships that made those moments possible.
As a player, Ausmus spent two years with the Dodgers before retiring from baseball. During his time with the Astros, he established himself as one of the team's top defenders, earning three Gold Glove awards in the process. His impressive defensive skills behind the plate have left a lasting legacy on the franchise.
The impressive defensive skills behind the plate that have left a lasting legacy on the franchise are not the only notable aspect of Brad Ausmus' time with the Astros. Throughout his 17-year career with the team, he remarkably managed to avoid any significant injuries that would keep him out of action.
It wasn't until his final season in the league that Ausmus faced a serious injury, undergoing surgery for a bulging disc in his back while playing for the Dodgers in 2010. The injury forced him to miss more than three months of play but he eventually returned to the field, albeit only for 18 games.
The Astros had previously traded for Ausmus twice and dealt him away once as part of major package deals with the Detroit Tigers. In one notable trade, the team sent Ausmus back to the Tigers in exchange for a trio of players, including Paul Bako, Dean Crow, and Brian Powell.
The Astros made another move to acquire Ausmus, this time sending three players to Detroit in exchange for their catcher and reliever Doug Brocail.
The deal marked the end of Ausmus' second stint with the Astros, who had previously traded him back to the Tigers two years prior when they sent Roger Cedeño, Chris Holt, and Mitch Meluskey to Detroit.
Yahoo Sports: https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/astros-manager-brad-ausmus-best-221227682.html
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