Houston, We Have a Problem; Fire Everyone

The Houston Astros have fired (hat tip to Baseball Musings) manager Phil Garner and GM Tim Purpura. Garner is replaced on an interim basis by bench coach Cecil Cooper, while speculation abounds on who will be the new GM.

A reader points out that Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle has mentioned Padres GM Kevin Towers as a possible replacement. Although I have no doubt that Towers would do a world of good in Houston, I’m not sure what the incentive would be for him to leave San Diego and an organization that is on the rise.

Whatever the Astros end up doing, they’d better hope it works. Their winning percentage has dipped every year since 2004 — from .568, to .549 (mitigated by an NL championship, of course), to .506, to .443 through Monday. We’re talking about a franchise that had experienced just one losing season since 1992 before this year.

I dunno, maybe they should try to talk Casey Candaele out of retirement. Probably wouldn’t help, but at least it would be different.