Astros owner Jim Crane gave AJ Hinch and Jeff Luhnow only minutes of warning before he fired them on live television Monday. It was a cold, sudden ending to what had been such a warm story, as Hinch, the manager, and Luhnow, the general manager, guided Houston from irrelevance to the franchise’s first world championship, packed houses and three straight 100-win seasons.
Hinch was blown away by the news. He had anticipated discipline from Major League Baseball for failing to stop his team’s sign-stealing schemes in 2017 and 2018, but who actually anticipates getting fired? He was stunned, but still managed to tell Crane he understood and still wants what is best for the organization.