San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Houston braces for Osuna’s debut
LOS ANGELES — Twenty minutes after he was previously scheduled to arrive, A.J. Hinch strode into the visitor’s dugout at Dodger Stadium and sat atop a bench. A horde of reporters swarmed.
“We just wrapped up a private meeting with our owner and our GM,” the manager acknowledged, vaguely beginning a six-minute interview which centered on one subject.
“It was about the obvious,” Hinch said flatly.
Conducting a nontactical team meeting in the middle of a series is uncommon, reserved for uneasy situations. The Astros will confront one today, when Roberto Osuna’s 75-game suspension expires, and he joins a cohesive clubhouse bracing for the frenzy — and possible fragmentation — that could follow.
“We have a lot to talk about tomorrow, obviously that’s the day Osuna gets here,” Hinch said Saturday, declining to elaborate on the tone or contents of the meeting. “We, as a team, will address it tomorrow. But we wanted to get Jeff and Jim in the room with our players and begin a series of meetings we’re going to need to absorb all of this.”
Osuna is charged with one count of assaulting a woman in Canada. He accepted the 75game suspension Major League Baseball levied June 22 for violating the league’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.
During the six days since acquiring Osuna from the Blue Jays, the Astros have held two meetings. One occured Monday in Seattle, mere hours after the deal was consummated. Saturday’s was the first to include any front office members.
“We’re doing well. We’re doing quite well,” Hinch said. “We have a really good team, we have really good character on this team, we have a good vibe. We’re one of the most enjoyable teams that you can imagine. Our clubhouse is one of the favorites to come to work to everyday. Our guys love each other, they do a great job of blending each other on a daily basis.”
Owner Jim Crane was unavailable for comment on Saturday. General manager Jeff Luhnow will address reporters on Sunday morning in Los Angeles alongside Osuna.
“I think there’s always going to be extra attention,” Hinch said. I don’t think it could go any other way, to be honest. It’s very difficult on a personal level, it’s very difficult on a private level and on a baseball level. This is something that we fully understand. We are gathering information on a day-today basis. It’s going to be with us.”
Osuna is next scheduled to appear in Canadian court on Sept. 5, after his lawyer, Domenic Basile, received a postponement during a Wednesday appearance. Basile said earlier this week he hopes to “resolve this case on Sept. 5 or shortly thereafter in my client’s favor.”