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Dave Clark

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Dave Clark

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God please no

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The Astros announced that they have designated right-handersPaul ClemensandDavid Martinezfor assignment in order to make room on their 40-man roster for September callups. RightiesJorge De LeonandNick Tropeanoeach had their contracts selected, necessitating corresponding 40-man moves. Additionally, catcherMax Stassi, outfielderL.J. Hoesand shortsopJonathan Villarhave been recalled, while leftyDarin Downshas been activated from the DL and waiver claimSam Dedunohas been added to the activeroster.

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• There were some within the Astros organization that thought Porter should be dismissed following the 2013 season,reports ESPNs Buster Olneyin his daily Insider-only blog. However, the prevailing opinion wound up being that it was too soon to let go of a manager who had just completed his first season. Olney spoke with team sources that told him some players and club employees are angry over the situation. Some club employees are even looking for jobs elsewhere, according to Olney.
• Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo is likely to be a candidate, sources tell ESPN.coms Jerry Crasnick (Twitter link).
• Some potential candidates,according to MLB.coms Brian McTaggart, include former Astros star (and current adviser) Craig Biggio. Other possibilities include bench coaches Tim Bogar (Rangers) and Dave Martinez (Rays) along with third base coaches Dave Clark (Tigers) and Joe McEwing (White Sox). McTaggarts colleague, Richard Justice,also tweetsthat Bogar is a candidate.

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Two springs ago, Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow gathered his players to introduce his new manager, Bo Porter.
That very day, some players foresaw trouble.
"It was extremely uncomfortable being in that room," one remembered.
Players and coaches remember a weird dynamic between the two men.
"Bo kept interrupting Jeff," one player said. "He seemed to think he was the boss. If you'd been there, you would have known it wasn't going to work."

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From the beginning, there was a disconnect. In that first Spring Training, Porter did things that struck the front office as silly.
For instance, Porter had the walls papered with motivational sayings and placed mirrors in each locker to remind players to look at themselves first before blaming a teammate. He had players turn their chairs away from their lockers, his way of telling them to look forward.
If Porter had been managing a Little League team, that stuff might have played well. Adults? Not so much. When one coach left the big league staff, he went directly to Luhnow and said, "You had better get that guy away from your young players."

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Only time the astros have ever had a player reach 200 hits was Biggio with 210 back in 1998

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From the beginning, there was a disconnect. In that first Spring Training, Porter did things that struck the front office as silly.
For instance, Porter had the walls papered with motivational sayings and placed mirrors in each locker to remind players to look at themselves first before blaming a teammate. He had players turn their chairs away from their lockers, his way of telling them to look forward.
If Porter had been managing a Little League team, that stuff might have played well. Adults? Not so much. When one coach left the big league staff, he went directly to Luhnow and said, "You had better get that guy away from your young players."

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• Though theWhite Soxconsidered a call-up for recent first-rounder Carlos Rodon, the club ultimately decided against the promotion. But GM Rich Hahn tells Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com saysthat, givenhow far along Rodon is,hefully expects him to come to big league camp next year and compete for a spot on the 2015 White Sox.

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Salt in the wound...

• Though theWhite Soxconsidered a call-up for recent first-rounder Carlos Rodon, the club ultimately decided against the promotion. But GM Rich Hahn tells Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com saysthat, givenhow far along Rodon is,hefully expects him to come to big league camp next year and compete for a spot on the 2015 White Sox.

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