Click out as Astros GM 6 days after winning World Series in Houston
Astros general manager James Click will not be given a new contract, a highly unusual move that the team announced Friday — just six days after Houston won the World Series.
Click was hired from the Tampa Bay Rays before the 2020 season and appeared increasingly distant from owner Jim Crane. The 44-year-old Click did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It’s believed to be the first change in general manager following a World Series title since 1947, when the Yankees’ Larry MacPhail was replaced by George Weiss.
Click said Tuesday at the general managers meetings in Las Vegas that his contract expired Oct. 31 and the situation had not been addressed. He also said that he was given little advance notice of Wednesday’s news conference, where the Astros announced that manager Dusty Baker was coming back on a one-year contract.
Click wouldn’t respond Tuesday when asked by reporters whether he had been offered a one-year contract. And he answered indirectly when asked whether autonomy over baseball operations was an issue.
“All of us always want to have areas of responsibility in areas that we can call our own, in areas that we can take pride in,” he said. “Inevitably in any of these jobs, these decisions are multimillion-dollar decisions, and ownership is going to be involved. It’s just a question of degree.”
NFL
BILLS QB ALLEN QUESTIONABLE FOR SUNDAY » Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen tested his injured throwing elbow for the first time in practice this week and is listed as questionable to play against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
The Bills referred to Allen’s
practice time as being limited, which is still considered a step in the right direction since he sat out the first two sessions after hurting his right elbow in the final minutes of a loss to the New York Jets last weekend.
Speaking before practice, coach Sean McDermott expected the decision on Allen’s playing status to come down to game time.
WATSON SET TO PRACTICE WITH BROWNS NEXT WEEK »
Deshaun Watson has one last weekend off the field.
The Cleveland Browns’ suspended quarterback can begin practicing on Monday as part of his settlement with the NFL after he was accused of sexual misconduct by two dozen women when he played for Houston.
Watson, who was acquired by the Browns in a controversial trade in March, was banned for 11 games in August for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. He agreed to the suspension, a $5 million fine and to undergo counseling and treatment.
NFL TO HONOR MADDEN ON THANKSGIVING BROADCASTS »
From awarding victory turkey legs to the star players to being the voice on the NFL’s biggest Thanksgiving Day games for years, John Madden was synonymous with the holiday he so adored.
The NFL is making that
a lasting tribute by honoring the late broadcaster by launching the “John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration” to begin on the first Thanksgiving following his death last December.
The league plans for the Thanksgiving tribute to Madden to be an annual event starting Nov. 24, when there will be special segments on all three broadcasts by CBS, Fox and NBC dedicated to Madden.
WNBA INDIANA FEVER WIN WNBA DRAFT LOTTERY »
The Indiana Fever earned the first pick in the WNBA draft for the first time in franchise history.
The Fever had a 44% chance to get the No. 1 pick after having the worst combined record the past two seasons. The Minnesota Lynx will pick second with the Atlanta Dream having the third pick and the Washington Mystics the fourth. The Lynx had the lowest chance to get the No. 1 pick, but moved up two spots in the draft lottery.
Golf FINAU TIES CAREER LOW WITH 62 »
Tony Finau finished his opening round with a string of birdies and then took the momentum right into Friday, making 10 birdies to match his career low with an 8-under 62 to build a big lead in the
Houston Open.
Finau was at his best late in the round at Memorial Park, finishing with three straight birdies. His final shot from light rough left of the 18th fairway still had enough spin to check up about 4 feet from the hole.
He was at 13-under 127 and four shots clear of Patrick Rodgers (63) among early starters.
FASSI TAKES EARLY LPGA LEAD » Maria Fassi always knew a good putting stroke to go along with her explosive power would lead to low scores. She picked a good time for it to finally come together.
Fassi powered her way across the rain-softened Pelican Golf Club and rode a smooth putting stroke to an 8-under 62, her career low on the LPGA Tour, giving her an early two-shot in the Pelican Women’s Championship.
This is the final tournament before the leading 60 players qualify for the CME Group Tour Championship with its $7 million purse.
Fassi, the 24-year-old from Mexico, is at No. 72.
Hockey WORLD CUP CALLED OFF »
The NHL and NHL Players’ Association have abandoned plans to hold a World Cup of Hockey in 2024.
They made the announcement in a joint statement Friday, saying it was not feasible to hold the tournament in February as they had hoped. The league and union said they hope to stage it in February 2025 and will continue to plan for that.
There has not been a World Cup for the sport since 2016 for various reasons. This time, the war in Ukraine was the reason because some countries did not want Russians to participate and players want the best in the world to take part.
Pushing plans to 2025 buys the league and players another year to figure out what to do with the Russia issue.