San Diego ties shaped Hinch’s career path
Just after his final group had hit batting practice and A.J. Hinch tried to depart the cage, a familiar face approached.
Hinch bolted toward San Diego Padres thirdbase coach Glenn Hoffman. The two men shared a prolonged, enthusiastic embrace while Astros owner Jim Crane and general manager Jeff Luhnow looked on.
If not for Hoffman, and a score of others who remain from Hinch’s days as a Padre, the third-year Astros manager may not be here.
Prior to opening a three-game series against his former organization, Hinch credited his fouryear stint with the Padres, and their former manager, with reinvigorating him to get back onto the field following his firing in Arizona.
“I credit Bud Black, who was the manager there when I was there, for being one of the first guys to re-engage me back on the field,” Hinch said. “I did a little bit of catching stuff with some of the younger catchers that were there and during spring training, during the season I sort of was a liaison to the coaching staff.
“I ended up kind of re-energizing myself to get back on the field again and that happened while I was in San Diego and I’m grateful for the openness we had as an organization to blend the front office and the field and make me want to get back on the field again.”
Hinch was hired by then-general manager Jed Hoyer as the Padres’ vice president of professional scouting shortly after Hinch was fired as the Diamondbacks’ manager.
Hinch worked in San Diego from 2010-14, ascending to vice president and assistant general manager in 2011. He, Omar Minaya and Fred Uhlman, Jr. were part of an interim general manager trio in the wake of general manager Josh
firing in 2014. Shortly thereafter, Hinch resigned his posi- tion to seek “another job in baseball.”
Now renewed, he found one in Houston.
“Ron Fowler, the owner there, continues to be a big supporter of mine and I stay in touch with him,” Hinch said. “Their business people, their baseball people all get to live in the best city in the country and be a part of a fantastic franchise.”
“For three days we’ll be enemies, but I’ll be a Padres fan again in three days.”
MVPs honored
The Astros have tried and tried to turn the page from 2017.
“And then something comes up to where we can’t,” manager A.J. Hinch deadpanned.
Friday, it was recognizing Jose Altuve, George Springer and Justin Verlander for their individual awards.
In a lengthy pregame ceremony alongside Hinch and owner Jim Crane, Springer was acknowledged for his World Series MVP and Altuve for his American League MVP. Verlander was lauded for his American League Championship Series MVP honor.
Both Altuve and Springer were also recognized for their American League Silver Slugger seasons.
All three also received personalized paintings from artist Opie Otterstadt.
“To be able to have three MVPs in the same clubhouse, that’s awesome and they deserve what’s happening today,” Altuve said. “It’s an honor for me and I thank God for the opportunity to play with those two guys.”
The theatrics over, the team was tasked, again, with trying to focus on 2018.
“We’ve been able to compartmentalize everything and turn the page when the game starts,” Hinch said. “And that’s a credit to the players. I think our preparation has been good.”
Cole to make home debut
Saturday is a home debut, of sorts, for Gerrit Cole.
The former Pirates’ ace spent his entire big league career, to this point, in the National League. The one time he faced the Astros was at PNC Park in 2015. Saturday is his first appearance as a Major Leaguer in Minute Maid Park — but not the first time he’s pitched in the stadium.
As a freshman at UCLA, Cole threw six innings of two-hit, onerun baseball in the Shriners College Classic against Baylor, a game the Bruins ultimately lost 5-1.
Cole exited the game without allowing an earned run.
“I really enjoyed pitching on the mound there,” Cole said last week in Arlington. “As a pitcher in college sometimes you don’t always get the best mound or the best surface. You treasure some of those moments when you get to step on a bigleague mound.”
Cole struck out 11 Rangers in seven innings of one-run baseball during the series finale last week, becoming just the fourth Astros pitcher to ever record 11 or more punchouts in his debut.
Following that dazzling debut he’ll return to a not so unfamiliar place.
“I threw a simulated game the other day and I had a little deja vu,” Cole said. “I remembered what the picture looks like back there behind the plate.
“I’m looking forward to it and the place is going to be rocking.”