Albert Pujols pursuit shows Astros are bucking Mariners’ approach in manager hunt

While Jason Kanzler was ingratiating himself to Seattle Mariners fans by referring to the Houston Astros as the "team that shall not be named" on Wednesday, it so happened that some big names were dropping in Houston's own pursuit for a new manager: Albert Pujols and Morgan Ensberg.

With respect to Ensberg and his track record as a one-time All-Star and Silver Slugger for the Astros, one of those names is bigger than the other. Albert Pujols? The Albert Pujols? That's the one, alright, and that the Astros are interested hardly feels like a publicity stunt.

Even setting aside the 700-homer, three-time MVP legacy that makes him a Hall of Fame lock as a player, Pujols is a serious managerial candidate. The Los Angeles Angels considered hiring him last winter. He also has experience managing in the Dominican League, and for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic.

Either way, there's a common flavor to the Astros' interest in Ensberg (first reported by Brian McTaggart of MLB.com) and Pujols (by Mike Rodriguez of Rompiendo Sports). Their candidacies paint a picture of Astros owner Jim Crane and new GM Randy Flores chasing clout, which is the exact opposite of how Jerry Dipoto went about hiring Kanzler.

There's no guarantee that Albert Pujols can be a better manager than Jason Kanzler

Even before Kanzler's introductory press conference, it was apparent that the Mariners' faith in him was effectively an upside play. He comes to Seattle with no experience as a major league manager and, really, not much of a public profile at all. When even Jeff Passan has to call around to get a sense for a guy, that's how you know said guy is an off-the-radar pick for a job.

After Kanzler met the press, we know that he looks straight out of central casting and that he talks a really good game. Simply to these ends, he comes off as Dan Wilson's opposite. Maybe that portends success. Maybe it doesn't. We don't pretend to know the answer.

At least among the candidates the Mariners pursued, was there an obviously better pick than Kanzler? Even despite his inexperience, it's hard to say for sure. Joe Espada wasn't very exciting. Neither was Rocco Baldelli or Carlos Mendoza. Brandon Hyde and Walker McKinven were in there as well, and similarly less than eye-popping candidates.

Yet lest anyone think Pujols should have been a slam-dunk managerial candidate for the Mariners, here's a word of warning: Great players don't necessarily make great managers.

If anything, there might be a negative correlation between having been a great player and then becoming a successful manager. John McGraw, Joe Torre and Dusty Baker pulled it off, yet even they weren't Hall of Fame material as players. Ted Williams, Yogi Berra, Frank Robinson, Rogers Hornsby and Mel Ott were, and none of the five was especially successful as a manager.

On the contrary, list of the greatest managers in MLB history is more so populated by guys who never really made it as major league players. Without going too deep into theorizing, it would seem as if struggle is a better predictor of success in managing. Maybe there's value in knowing what failure looks like, and in thus having an idea for how to steer around it.

Simply to this end, Ensberg might be the more compelling pick to become Houston's next manager. His success as a major league player was short-lived, yet he has a track record of coaching that covers the college and pro ranks and is now over a decade long. Similarly, fellow Astros candidate Brad Ausmus has a history as a merely serviceable MLB player, who has since cut his teeth as a coach and manager in the majors dating back to 2011.

If there's anything to envy about the Astros' managerial search, it's that their fans are getting buzz-worthy names to talk about. That was never the case with the Mariners' search. Since Stephen Vogt wasn't involved, the candidates whose names did become public invited scrutiny more than hype.

However, this doesn't mean the Astros are doing it better. There's a decent chance that they're actually doing it worse. We won't really know until the board for the AL West is set, and the pieces start moving.

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