Brad Mills, who was introduced as the Astros' 18th manager on Tuesday, spent his first full day on the job with general manager Ed Wade at Minute Maid Park on Wednesday going over the composition of the coaching staff, among other things.

"We're trying to accomplish as much as we can today and give him a chance to get back home and do what needs to do there," Wade said.

The Astros have vacancies for a bench coach, pitching coach, first-base coach and bullpen coach, with hitting Sean Berry returning and Dave Clark returning to coach third base after serving as interim manager the final 13 games of the regular season.

Mills was scheduled to travel home to California on Wednesday before heading to the Arizona Fall League next week to meet up with Wade, Berry and Clark.

"He already knows Sean very well because they live close by in California, and he's going to quickly find out the person he's got in Dave Clark," Wade said. "We've got some people we're going to recommend to him [to join the coaching staff] and he's got some ideas.

"The composition of the staff will be a collective effort, and I think at the end of the day we're going to take advantage of the openings we have now to give him a strong staff, which would benefit him personally and benefit the players and the organization."

Mills said filling out the remainder of the coaching staff is very important.

"The names Ed and I have thrown around already have me really excited," he said. "These guys have had experience, not only in the Major Leagues, but in the Minor Leagues and whoever we wind up getting it's going to be pretty exciting. I'm looking for a guy that's had experience, passion for the game and a lot of energy, and hopefully the players can see that and he's able to teach and has a lot of knowledge and knows how to convey that knowledge."

Red Sox first-base coach Tim Bogar, who interviewed with the Astros for the managerial position, said Tuesday he hasn't given much thought about joining Mills in Houston. Mills said after his news conference Tuesday that he had talked to Boston manager Terry Francona about some of his staff members.

"They're such good guys and Terry has been very loyal to them and they have been very loyal to Terry over the years," Mills said. "Tim was an outstanding coach this year for Terry. We're not going to cross that road just yet."

While the Astros were given a deadline to get a new manager in place by the start of the World Series, Wade said there is no such timetable for announcing members of the coaching staff.

Brad Mills may not have been the Astros' first choice to be their next manager, but he may wind up being the right choice. Mills was named manager of the Astros on Tuesday and brings a wealth of experience and respect to the Houston franchise.

He's managed for 11 years in the Minor Leagues and has coached in 45 playoff games in the Major League as the bench coach for the Boston Red Sox, winning a pair of World Series titles. He's worked closely with Terry Francona, considered one of the best managers in the game.

Tim Bogar, who interviewed for the job and last season was Boston first-base coach, couldn't say enough good things about Mills.

"He's put in his time and diligence in being a bench coach for [Francona] for a long time and learned quite a bit from him and also his time with the Expos and all the way back to Philly," Bogar said. "If there's one guy who deserves a chance to run a team, it's Brad Mills. Having a chance to run the Astros is going to be perfect for him. Not only is he a capable manager, but also one of the best teachers I've been around.

"With the [Astros'] situation on the left side of the infield and the catching situation [and playing youngsters], he's going to be perfect for those young players. Being in Boston and being round veteran players, he knows how to handle them and knows how to do things to compete and he obviously understands the pitching aspect of it.

"I think they made a great hire, and Brad is going to be everything everyone is looking for as a manager. He may not be a huge name, but you can't ask for a better quality individual."

The challenge now for Mills is putting together his staff. Dave Clark will return as third-base coach and Sean Berry will be the hitting coach, but there are important positions to fill, particularly the bench coach and pitching coach.

The Astros finally got their man in Mills, but for Mills the work has yet to begin.

Brad Mills, who spent the last six years working under former college roommate and teammate Terry Francona as the bench coach for the Boston Red Sox, will be named Tuesday to be named as the new manager of the Astros.

How does the hiring of Mills play with Astros fans?

Mills, 52, inherits a Houston team that has missed the playoff four seasons in a row since reaching the World Series in 2005. Last season, the Astros went 74-88 and finished in fifth place in the six-team National League Central for their lowest finish since a sixth-place ending in the NL West in 1991.

Mills managed 11 seasons in the Minor Leagues with the Chicago Cubs (1987-92), Colorado Rockies (1993-96) and Los Angeles Dodgers (2002), moving into managing immediately upon the completion of his playing career. He's coached 11 years at the Major League level, including the last six as Boston's bench coach.

Astros general manager Ed Wade has a tremendous respect for Francona and said dismissing him as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies was the biggest mistake of his professional career. Mills and Francona were teammates and roommates at the University of Arizona.

Mills played four seasons in the Major Leagues for the Montreal Expos, hitting .256 in 106 career games. He some time playing the Astros' Minor League system, but is probably best remember by Astros fans for being Nolan Ryan's 3,509th strikeout victim, lifting Ryan past Walter Johnson as baseball's all-time strikeout king in 1983.

In addition to the Red Sox, Mills has also spent time on Montreal's Major League coaching staff, as well as serving as an advance scout for the Cubs.

Brad Mills, who spent the last six years working under former college roommate and teammate Terry Francona as the bench coach for the Boston Red Sox, will be named Tuesday to be named as the new manager of the Astros.

Mills, 52, inherits a Houston team that has missed the playoff four seasons in a row since reaching the World Series in 2005. Last season, the Astros went 74-88 and finished in fifth place in the six-team National League Central for their lowest finish since a sixth-place ending in the NL West in 1991.

Mills managed 11 seasons in the Minor Leagues with the Chicago Cubs (1987-92), Colorado Rockies (1993-96) and Los Angeles Dodgers (2002), moving into managing immediately upon the completion of his playing career. He's coached 11 years at the Major League level, including the last six as Boston's bench coach.

Astros general manager Ed Wade has a tremendous respect for Francona and said dismissing him as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies was the biggest mistake of his professional career. Mills and Francona were teammates and roommates at the University of Arizona.

Mills played four seasons in the Major Leagues for the Montreal Expos, hitting .256 in 106 career games. He some time playing the Astros' Minor League system, but is probably best remember by Astros fans for being Nolan Ryan's 3,509th strikeout victim, lifting Ryan past Walter Johnson as baseball's all-time strikeout king in 1983.

In addition to the Red Sox, Mills has also spent time on Montreal's Major League coaching staff, as well as serving as an advance scout for the Cubs.

Former Astros manager Phil Garner confirmed for MLB.com on Monday he's still in the mix to be the next manager. Garner interviewed on Oct. 17 and went more than a week without hearing from the Astros, but general manager Ed Wade finally got back to him on Monday and told him he was still in the running.

Astros owner Drayton McLane said Monday as he was traveling to Temple from Austin that a manager will be in place by the end of the week, which is later than his earlier prediction of Wednesday. Still, it appears the Astros will likely have a candidate in place by Wednesday at the latest.

Garner is one of three finalists, joining interim manager Dave Clark and Boston bench coach Brad Mills. Mills and Clark were due to arrive in Houston on Monday and interview again with McLane on Tuesday at Minute Maid Park. Garner has not been asked in to interview again.

With Manny Acta out of the way, the Astros are indeed down to three candidates -- Boston Red Sox bench coach Brad Mills, former manager Phil Garner and interim manager Dave Clark, who has remained a candidate despite published reports to the contrary.

As of late Sunday, Garner said he had yet to hear anything from the Astros, while Mills had been contacted again by the Astros. Mills certainly falls in line with what the Astros are looking. He tons of experince managing in the Minor Leagues and has extensive experience on a Major League coaching staff. He served as the bench coach under Terry Francona for six years, and we all know how much Ed Wade respects Francona.

Astros owner Drayton McLane maintains a manager will be in place by Wednesday, prior to the start of the World Series. McLane is spending Monday in Temple, so signs are pointing towards the Astros getting something done with somebody on Tuesday.

For more information on Mills, read here.

Now the second round of interviews appear to be over -- with Manny Acta and later Brad Mills making repeat trips to Minute Maid Park to meet with owner Drayton McLane -- the Astros remained focused on four candidates: Acta, Mills, Phil Garner and Dave Clark.

None of these four have been rule out by the Astros, who would like to get something done before the World Series starts. Major League Baseball frowns on major team announcements taking place during the World Series, which starts Wednesday. So it's of no surprise the Astros could try to get something done before the Fall Classic.

Acta, the former Washington Nationals manager, is also a finalist in Cleveland, which could complicate matters. Mills is the veteran Boston bench coach who is looking for his first job managing in the Major Leagues. Garner and Clark are well-known to Astros fans, both having managed the team.

Garner managed the Astros for more than three years and led them to the World Series in 2005, and Clark was named interim manager when Cecil Cooper was dismissed Sept. 21. The Astros have ruled out neither of the four candidates.

All the interviews and public press conferences are finished, and we know the Astros' next manager will be one of 10 people. Some have extensive experience in the Majors, some have extensive experience in the Minors and all bring something different to the table.

The Astros were open with the first round of interviews, but now things change. Club officials are taking the search underground, with the next public announcement likely to be the hiring of a manager. GM Ed Wade has set no timetable and MLB doesn't like announcements to coming during the World Series, so we might have to wait until November to find out who the manager is going to be.

No matter who the Astros pick, don't expect a quick fix next year. The bottom line is it's a broken roster that will take a few years to correct. There are too many older players -- and  maybe even declining older players -- making the lion's share of the money without many young players coming up. That will change in a few years, but a new manager isn't going to fix that.

What a new manager can fix is clubhouse chemistry. He can get everyone on the same page. He can get rid of the losing air that took over the clubhouse last year and get the Astros playing inspired baseball again. Let's be honest. The final two months of the season, every Astros game was the same. They were down by five or six runs early and they'd hit into about three double plays. It was tough to watch.

I wasn't in the interview room with Wade, president of baseball operations Tal Smith or assistant GMs Ricky Bennett, David Gottfried and Bobby Heck, so I don't pretend to know how the interviews went or what they thought of certain guys. I can only tell you what I learned from my research about each guys' background and what I heard in the 10 minutes I spent with the each candidate.

The Astros are definitely looking for a manager with experience, and I think we're going to see one with Major League experience. After all, they want a manager who will relate well with younger and older players, and I think you need an experienced MLB manager to deal with star players. So I've broken down the candidates into three groups. The leaders, the contenders and the long shots.

Again, this is in no way indicative of what the front office is thinking, but it's what I think. And sometimes I get things right. Now I want to know what you think. Who should be managing the Astros in 2010 from this group?

LEADERS

Bob Melvin: The Astros have to love the fact he managed veteran players to 93 wins in Seattle and a younger Arizona team to the NLCS in 2007. He seems to be the exactly what the Astros want.  

Manny Acta: No one in the group seemed to have as much knowledge about the Astros than Acta, who was signed by Houston at 16 and spent 16 years in the organization as a player, coach and manager. He's young, bilingual and this would be his dream job. 

Phil Garner: The fact that Garner, the former Astros manager, even got an interview leads me to believe he's a serious candidate. If anyone can rally a team and fire them up, it's Garner. He's been there, done that. Whether that helps remains to be seen. 

Ned Yost: He took a struggling Milwaukee franchise and led them to the playoffs as they got younger and better. Sure, he was fired at the end of the 2008 season, but that was his team in the playoffs.

CONTENDERS

Pete Mackanin: The lasting image I took from Mackanin was him walking off the podium after the interview shocked at how few members of the media there were in attendance. But he has tons of experience doing different things and was highly recommended.

Dave Clark: No one would be shocked if the Astros hired Clark, who got the endorsement of the players after his 13 days as interim manager at the end of the season. But I see him staying on the staff and getting another look during the next go-round. 

Brad Mills: Who doesn't like Brad Mills? He has a great personality and has tons of experience as a Minor League manager and as a coach in the Majors. He spent six years working under Terry Francona, a person Ed Wade respects mightily.

LONG SHOTS

Tim Bogar: Bogar is still young and up-and-coming, which could hurt his chances here. I think he's going to make a good manager someday, but the experience handling star players just isn't there.

Randy Ready: I just can't see the Astros hiring someone with so much lack of experience at the Major League level when they have so many other experienced candidates. His time will come eventually. 

Al Pedrique: The Astros' Minor League field coordinator knows the organization well, but will players listen to him?  

The Astros will finish their first round of managerial interivews today at Minute Maid Park by visiting with Boston Red Sox coaches Tim Bogar and Brad Mills. Neither man has managed in the Major Leagues before, but both have had success managing in the Minors and both come highly recommended.

Astros general manager Ed Wade hasn't yet said when the second round of interviews will take place or how candidates will be involved from the initial group of 10, but that will probably happen later this week when owner Drayton McLane returns to town.

Here's a quick look at Bogar and Mills: 

     Tim Bogar
     Age: 45
     Hometown: Indianapolis, Ind.
     College: Eastern Illinois.
     Most recent job: Currently first -base coach for Boston Red Sox.
     Previous Major League managing experience: None.
     Major League managing record: None.
     Minor League managing experience: Spent four seasons as manager in the Minor Leagues with Cleveland (2006-07) and the Astros (2004-05) and went to the playoff in three of those seasons. Led Double-A Akron to the Eastern League title in '06 and '07 and was named the league's Manager of the Year in '06. He was named Manger of the Year in the Appalachian League in 2004 in his first year of managing at Class A Greeneville. The next year, he led Class A Lexington to an 81-58 record, the best record in the South Atlantic League.
     Minor League managing record: 289-200.
     Playing experience: An infielder who spent nine years in the Major Leagues with the New York Mets, the Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers, Bogar hit .228 with 24 homers and 161 RBIs in 701 career games. He started a career-high 82 games at shortstop for the Astros in 2000 whiles sharing time with Julio Lugo.   
    Did you know: Bogar played all nine positions in an exhibition game for the Mets against Triple-A Norfolk in 1996?
     What GM Ed Wade said: "When this process started, a lot of people spoke very favorable of Tim. I don't know him, but certainly there are multiple people, including people on our interview committee and [president of baseball operations] Tal [Smith] and others, that felt Bogar fit the profile extremely well. Despite the fact he hasn't managed in the big leagues, they felt the experience they had with him and dealing with players [was positive]."

     Brad Mills
     Age: 52
     Hometown:  Exeter, Calif.
     College: College of the Sequoias/University of Arizona.
     Most recent job: Currently bench coach for the Boston Red Sox.
     Previous Major League managing experience: None.
     Major League managing record: None.
     Minor League managing experience: Mills managed 11 seasons in the Minor Leagues in the Cubs (1987-92), Rockies (1993-96) and Dodgers (2002) organizations, moving into managing immediately upon the completion of his playing career. He led the Rockies' Triple-A club in Colorado Springs to the playoffs in 1994 and Pacific Coast League title in 1995. He last managed in 2002, when he guided the Dodgers' Triple- A Las Vegas affiliate to a club-record 85 wins the PCL's Southern Division championship.
     Minor League managing record: Unavailable.
     Playing experience: Appeared in 106 career games over four seasons, all with the Montreal Expos (1980-1983). He hit .256 with one homer and 12 RBIs in 168 at-bats.    
     Did you know: Mills was Nolan Ryan's 3,509th career strikeout victim, lifting Ryan past Walter Johnson as baseball's all-time strikeout king in 1983?
     What GM Ed Wade said: "I've always had great respect for Brad. [Boston manager] Terry Francona made a point of calling me when the search began and gave a strong endorsement for Millsy and he got a strong endorsement from [Boston general manager] Theo Epstein. Despite the fact he hasn't managed the big-league level, everyone knows he's got tremendous experience working as [Francona's] right-hand guy in Philadelphia and Boston and managed in the Minor Leagues."

The Astros will interview their final two managerial candidates on Monday when Boston Red Sox coaches Tim Bogar and Brad Mills visit Minute Maid Park. They will be the ninth and 10th men to interview for the job that became vacant when Cecil Cooper was dismissed on Sept. 21. One of the most popular candidates if former Astros manager Phil Garner, who was dismissed late in the 2007 season and replaced by Cooper.

Garner was let go less than two years from leading the Astros to their only World Series berth. He interviewed with the Astros on Saturday and met with the media afterwards. Here's the transcripe of Garner's question-and-answer session with the media:

Q: How did the interview go Friday?
A:  "It was enjoyable. You guys know that I've known Ed [Wade] for a number of years, but I've never know him in this capacity. It was important and I think vital to get an opportunity to see how he feels about the relationship between a manager and a GM and how the manager fits in the organization and his view of the ballclub and what their plans are and where they want to go and how they want to get there. It's important for me to get to say that to him, too. It was a good starting process."

Q: What is it like being in the mix in a manager search?
A: "It's exciting. You probably have noticed in my voice this week. I was with some friends [Friday] night and the guy said, 'Are you going to do this again?' I said, 'Well, I'm going to give it by best shot.' He said, 'Well, I noticed when I met you after you retired you were a little bit wound up. I've noticed how you sort of have kind of relaxed over the last couple years, and now you're winding up again.' I said, 'Well, that's because it's a lot of fun.' This is energizing and exciting and I'm happy and grateful to be one of these 10. There are nine other people that are very well qualified and I think it's an interesting group. I think they're going to make some good choices."

Q: Do you think Drayton McLane's and Tal Smith's opinion about you has changed in two years?
A:  "Drayton was not in this process, so I've no conversations with Drayton other than to see him here at the ballpark a few times to chat wit him. First and foremost, being fired, there's nothing wrong with that. It happens in baseball a lot. I did not have any ill feelings I do know I've made changes when the club is not going right and in '07 things weren't going right. You have to do things to shake up the ballclub. I don't think Drayton had ill feelings towards me. He was looking at the ballclub, so sometimes you have to take your individual feelings out of this and get over those things. We're looking at what's right for the ballclub. If you go back and look at that time, it was probably the right thing to do. I don't see any problems with that, so put that in its proper prospective. There's a different scenario now. Given my past experience and what all I've done in baseball and how I fit into the picture, maybe it's a good fit, so that's how I decided to put my name in the hat to see if maybe there's a fit here. I don't think that what happened in '07 is going to have anything to do with this. It doesn't for me. I can't speak for Drayton, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't. And I didn't sense that was an issue [Saturday] either."

Q: Some Astros players like Doug Brocail and Lance Berkman have praised you recently. How does that make you feel?
A:: "I think the world of those guys and obviously both of those guys we had a great deal of success, and they were a big part of that. I'm grateful for players that say good things, but I'm also grateful for good players, too. Those are two good players. It does make you feel good when players say good things about you."

Q: What do you think you could bring as a manager if you got another chance?
A: "I feel like No. 1, we can talk about experience and been there, done that. I can talk about a knowledge of the organization, the people that are in the organization. I think there's a measure of importance to that. I feel re-energized, I always bring an energy to a ballclub. But I think at this point after being out a little over two years, I'm re-energized and I think that's important to bring a can-do attitude to a ballclub and I can bring that. I'm always upbeat. You guys know that I can see a lot of good things even in a storm. That I can bring to the table: baseball experience and knowledge. I think there's some things that need to be done with this ballclub and for whatever reason I don't think it's where it should be. I think there's going to need to be a tough hand applied, and I think I'm very capable of doing that. I know I can and I think the players will respect that and will appreciate we need to be on a different path if we're going to get back to where we need to be."

Q: Have you talked much about the job with fellow candidate Bob Melvin, who' s a close friend?
A: "Most people how this came about, but I'll say it again. Bob called me last week and said he thought he was going to get an interview here and could I give him some insight on the organization and the city and if I would be so inclined to call on his behalf. Of course, I'm delighted to speak on Bob's behalf. I think that he's a terrific manager, he's a great guy if you get to know him. Players love him. If you talk to anybody that's ever played for him, they're going to love him. He'll do a fabulous job. I still would recommend Bob Melvin for the job. We spoke about that, but I called Tal [Smith] on his behalf. I actually called Wade first and Wade was in a meeting and I called Tal and I'm sure Tal probably saw my name pop up on his phone because the way he answered the phone, he said, 'Hey, are you a candidate?' That kind of stunned me a little bit. Every time there's an opening in baseball you always think about it - Washington and Cleveland. I thought for a few minutes about those situations even though it doesn't go anywhere. So when the opening occurred here I thought about it for a while and didn't let it go any further than just thinking about it. When Tal said that, it all clicks back. I said, 'Of course, if you guys think I'm a candidate, I'm a candidate' and we dropped it at that. We continued the conversation by talking about all of Bo's good points and why I thought he should be under consideration for this job, and Tal called me back the next day and asked if I would be interested in putting my name in the hat and feel comfortable going through the vetting process like everybody else. I'm comfortable with that and said I would. That's how I got here. Bo and I had talked about the ballclub. I had spoken on his behalf to the ballclub and even as I think of things I think might be an advantage to him I would call him and pass those onto him."

Q: How did this year's Astros team compare to the '07 team?
A: "We weren't playing well in '07 and I think any time your club is playing poorly it's hard to determine if the club's better than you're actually playing or it's about what you have. And so, I'll have to leave it up to the people that are evaluating and some p the personnel they've watched closer than I have the last couple of years. You can always use a year like the Astros have gone through as a good bounce-off point. You can go to all players, key player son your ballclub and you can say, 'How'd that work for you?' So whatever it is that was going on it hasn't worked too well. It's a good time to promote change a good time to say 'Hey, you've got to get back to some of the things you know work and some of the things you think are important for a ballclub.' I think it's a good opportunity right now to approach those things. Certainly you would start that in the winter, but when you go into Spring Training it's a great opportunity to say what we were doing wasn't working so we have to do things differently. I say it that way because so many times in baseball we're so resistant to change. You guys know how that is. It's hard to get ballclubs to turn and go in a direction. But this is a good opportunity to go in a direction philosophically and then you have to apply it to the field."

Q: Billy Martin had five different stints as manager of the Yankees. Could you be the Billy Martin of the Astros?
A: "Was it five times he was fired? I don't want to go through five firings, but I wouldn't mind a couple of firings. That would be alright. It has worked before and maybe it could work begin."

Q: Did you have your World Series ring inside your resume?
A: "That's one thing that we've gone there as an organization and I was part of that and I'm proud of that."

Q: Have you talked recently with Cecil Cooper?
A: "I have not talked to Cecil yet. As a matter of course, I usually wait when things like this happen to good friends, but I will give him a call. I want to check with him and see how he's doing."

Q: How has going for the same job affected your relationship with close friend Bob Melvin?
A:  "That's baseball, that's what I would say. This is a most unusual sport in the sense that you could have guys that are working for you for a while and you might end up working for them for one stretch. It's a totally unusual situation. We're very close. We became close when we were working together in Milwaukee. I watched him grow as a coach and as a manger and become a very good manager. I have the greatest deal of respect for him. From my standpoint, it has not strained us. I will have to admit it was a little unusual phone call to tell him, 'Hey Bo, I've got good news and bad news. The good news is I spoke to Tal and he says you are going to get an interview and they think very highly of you and the bad news is I'm going to interview also.' That was strange, but it's the way things happen in this game sometimes."

Q: Bob Melvin was fired this year just two years removed from being NL Manager of the year, and you were fired two years removed from going to the World Series. What do you think of that?
A: "That's what happens. I don't quibble wit that. That's the way it's happened. I can only refer to what I've done in terms of what's happening on the field. When things aren't going the way you want to you make changes. You change the lineup or try to set some people down. You try to make a trade sometimes. The same thong goes for the personnel and when it's not going the way you want you, you make changes."

Q: What did you see in the Astros last season?
A: " It is tough when you're hometown team is not playing to what you think they're capabilities are. And I say that, but you never really know until you're with these guys on a daily basis what you think a guy's capable of. We all have our opinions on the outside looking in. That doesn't mean I'm right about that, but we all have our opinions on it. At times, I thought there were a couple of things said [in the media] from my standpoint as a coach or a manager, I would have though it's better to keep those things in the clubhouse. That would be one thing. Were we lacking in a team effort? It looked like that at times. I think those things need to be addressed. I don't know if that was a fault of anybody, but that's the way it appeared to me. I think those are the things that would need to be addressed. We need to get back to the team concept. Baseball is unusual from the fact of individuals play to get it done, but you need a team effort and you need to get where you're going. It appeared to me at times we weren't really sure we were playing for a team, for a single goal."

Six Astros managerial candidates have interviewed and there are four left, beginning with former Astros manager Phil Garner and bench coach Pete Mackanin today at Minute Maid Park. He's a closer look at each one of those men:

     Phil Garner
     Age: 60
     Hometown: Jefferson City, Tenn.
     College: Tennessee.
     Most recent job: Manager of the Astros
     Previous Major League managing experience: Garner managed for more than 14 years in the Majors, spending eight seasons in Milwaukee (1992-1999) and two full seasons in Detroit (2000-01) before being dismissed six games into 2002 season. He took over the Astros at the All-Star break in 2004 and led them to the NLCS and a year later to the World Series. He was let go with 31 games left in the 2007 season and has been out of baseball since.
     Major League managing record: 985-1,054.
     Minor League managing experience: None.
     Minor League managing record: None.
     Playing experience: Spent 16 seasons in the Major Leagues with Oakland, Pittsburgh, Houston, the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco and hit .260 with 109 homers and 738 RBIs in 1,860 games. He helped Pittsburgh to the 1979 World Series title by hitting .500 in the World Series.  He played with the Astros from 1981-87 and appeared in more games with the Astros than he did with any other team.
    Did you know: Garner became a candidate after calling Astros president of baseball operations Tal Smith to recommend Bob Melvin for the job?
     What GM Ed Wade said: "I've known Phil since we crossed paths in 1981 when I went to the Pirates and he was there. I've been a big fan from afar in Detroit and then here his record speaks for itself. He's a tremendous candidate."

     Pete Mackanin
     Age: 58
     Hometown: Chicago.
     College: Illinois.
     Most recent job: Currently the bench coach for the Philadelphia Phillies.
     Previous Major League managing experience: Has been interim manager twice, with Pittsburgh in 2005 and Cincinnati in 2007. He went 12-14 in the final 26 games with the Pirates in '05 and 41-39 in the second half of the season two years later with the Reds, who had the worst record in the Majors when Mackanin took over.
     Major League managing record: 53-53.
     Minor League managing experience: Managed in the Minor Leagues for 13 seasons and won championships in 1995 (Ottawa of the International League), 2002 (Lynchburg of the Carolina League) and 1990 (Nashville, Eastern Division championship of the American Association). Mackanin has also managed in Venezuela League, Dominican winter league and Puerto Rican winter league. He also has seven years of Major League coaching experience with Pittsburgh and Montreal.
     Minor League managing record: 917-849.
     Playing experience: Played for nine years as an infielder in the Major Leagues with Texas (1973-74), Montreal (1975-77), Philadelphia (1978-79) and Montreal (1980-81). He hit .226 with 30 homers and 141 RBIs in 548 career games.
      Did you know: Mackanin has been succeeded twice by Jim Tracy as a manager, with Class A Peoria in 1986 and the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2006? He succeeded Tracy as manager at Triple-A Ottawa in 1995.
     What GM Ed Wade said: "Pete served as interim manager it Pittsburgh and Cincinnati and had great results taking over in Cincinnati. I talked to Wayne Krivsky, who as the GM [in Cincinnati] at the time, and he was a really big advocate of Pete's. He has managing experience in winter, extensively in the Minor Leagues and on two Major League club. He has a great personality and a good sense of humor."

Day 3 of the Astros' managerial search continues today when two of the candidates I consider the favorites come to Minute Maid Park -- former Arizona manager Bob Melvin and former Washington manager Manny Acta. Both men told MLB.com last week they were candidates and were looking forward to coming to Houston. Here's a look at Melvin and Acta.

     Bob Melvin
     Age: 47
     Hometown: Palo Alto, Calif.
     College: California.
     Most recent job: Manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
     Previous Major League managing experience: Managed the Seattle Mariners in 2003-04 and Arizona Diamondbacks from 2005 until he was dismissed on May 9 of this year after a 12-17 start. He won 93 games with Seattle in 2003 but didn't make the playoffs and lost 99 games the following year. Melvin was hired by the Diamondbacks and led Arizona to the 2007 NL West title before being swept in the NLCS by the Colorado Rockies. He was NL Manager of the Year in 2007.
     Minor League managing experience: None.
     Minor League managing record: None.
     Playing experience: Melvin spent most of his career as a backup catcher for 10 seasons with Detroit, San Francisco, Baltimore, Kansas City, Boston, the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox. He hit .233 with 35 homers and 212 RBIs in 692 career games.
    Did you know: Melvin was hired by Arizona to replace Wally Backman, who was dismissed before he managed a single game because of past discretions?
     What GM Ed Wade said: "Once we started to focus in on some names and we did our homework and talked to people like Pat Gillick and [former Diamondbacks general manager] Joe Garagolia Jr., they thought he did a good job."

     Manny Acta
     Age: 40
     Hometown: San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic.
     College: None
     Most recent job: Manager of Washington Nationals.
     Previous Major League managing experience: Acta managed the Washington Nationals from 2007-2009 and never finished higher than fourth place in the NL East, which came during his first season when he went 73-89. Acta was fired July 12 after a loss to the Astros.
     Major League managing record: 163-254.
     Minor League managing experience: Began managing at 1993 with the Auburn Astros of the New York-Penn League before moving to Quad City of the Midwest League in 1997. He took over the Astros' Florida State League affiliate at Kissimmee in 1999 and won a league championship and managed again at Kissimmee in 2000.
     Minor League managing record: 419-432.
     Playing experience: Acta played for five seasons in the Astros' Minor League system and was a career .241 hitter in 370 games. He never played above the Double-A level.
     Did you know: The plane that crashed in 2006 that killed Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle crashed into Acta's apartment in New York? Acta was the third-base coach with the Mets at the time.
     What Acta said: "It is a very special organization to me. I spent 16 years of my baseball career over there. I owe them for shaping me into the baseball man that I'm today."

With Dave Clark and Al Pedrique completing their interviews Wednesday, former Milwaukee Brewers manager Ned Yost and San Diego Padres hitting coach Randy Ready will take their turns in the hot seat on Thursday at Minute Maid Park. Here are their bios:

     Ned Yost
     Age: 54
     Hometown: Eureka, Calif.
     College: None.
     Most recent job: Manager of the Milwaukee Brewers.
     Previous Major League managing experience: Managed the Brewers for six years and guided them from also-ran to contender in the National League. Milwaukee finished sixth in the NL Central in his first two seasons, third in 2005, fourth in 2006 and second in 2007 and 2008. The Brewers clinched the NL Wild Card on the final day of the 2008 season, just days after Yost has been dismissed as manager.
     Major League managing record: 457-502.
     Minor League managing experience: Managed in Class-A Sumter from 1988-90.
     Minor League managing record: 197-223.
     Playing experience: Yost spent six years in the Majors as a backup catcher with Milwaukee (1980-83), Texas (1984) and Montreal (1985). He's a career .212 hitter with 16 homers and 64 RBIs in 605 games.
     Did you know: Before becoming manager of the Brewers, Yost was the bullpen coach (1991-98) and third-base coach (1999-2002) under Bobby Cox in Atlanta?
     What GM Ed Wade said: "I don't know Ned very well, but the guy served under Bobby Cox for 10 years and certainly has what it takes to be a successful big-league manager and he has experienced success in the Major Leagues. It didn't end well [in Milwaukee], but that's true of all the experienced guys we're interviewing."

     Randy Ready
     Age: 49
     Hometown: Freemont, Calif.
     College: Cal State Heyward.
     Most recent job: Hitting coach for the San Diego Padres.
     Previous Major League managing experience: None.
     Major League managing record: None.
     Minor League managing experience: Ready began his Minor League managerial career in 2002 with Oneonta of the New York-Penn League and was named Manger of the Year. He spent two years in Oneonta before returning the Padres and managing at Class-A Fort Wayne (2004-06) and San Antonio (2007). He led the Missions to the Teas League title in 2007. He took over as manager at Triple-A Portland prior to the 2008 season and held that position until being named the hitting coach of the Padres on July 31, 2009.
     Minor League managing record: 489-466.
     Playing experience: Ready was a fifth-round selection of the Milwaukee Brewers in the 1980 draft and played parts of 13 seasons in the major leagues with the Brewers (1983-86), Padres (1986-89), Philadelphia (1989-91; 1994-95), Oakland (1992) and Montreal (1993). For his major league career, Ready batted .259 with 107 doubles, 21 triples, 40 home runs, 239 RBIs and 312 runs scored over 777 games.
     Did you know: Ready was teammates with Cecil Cooper and Ned Yost in Milwaukee in 1983.
     What GM Ed Wade said: "I've known Randy since '89 when we traded for him in Philadelphia. He ha a great personality and mixes with players. I saw him manager in the Tigers' Minor League system and was impressed. He has equally as strong credentials managing in the Padres' system. When I scouted [for the Padres] for a couple of years, I could tell he relates very well with the players. They promoted him to big-league hitting coach midway through this season, and  a lot of people feel the success they experienced in the second half of the season coincided with Randy arriving on the scene."

In an effort to give you a better understanding of the men who are coming to interview for the Astros' full-time managerial job, this blog will be home to bios of the potential candidates on the day they are scheduled to interview. In case you missed it, here is the interview schedule:

     Wednesday: 10 a.m.-Dave Clark; 1:30 p.m.-Al Pedrique
     Thursday: 10 a.m.-Ned Yost; 1:30 p.m.-Randy Ready
     Friday: 10 a.m.-Bob Melvin; 1:30 p.m.-Manny Acta
     Saturday: 10 a.m.-Phil Garner
     Monday: 10 a.m.-Brad Mills; 1:30 p.m.-Tim Bogar

Clark, the Astros' interim manager, and Pedrique, the Astros' Minor League field coordinator, are pretty familiar to Astros fans, but hopefully these bios will help everyone get to know the candidates better in advance on their interviews. The first interviews are Wednesday, but here are the bios of the first two candidates:

     Dave Clark
     Age: 47
     Hometown: Tupelo, Miss.
     College: Jackson State
     Most recent job: Astros interim manager (after spending most of season as third-base coach).
     Previous Major League managing experience: Went 4-9 in final 13 games with Astros this year.
     Major League managing record: 4-9.
     Minor League managing experience: Made managerial debut in 2003 at Class-A Lynchburg in Carolina League and was named league's Manager of the Year. In 2004, he managed at Class-A Hickory in the Pittsburgh organization and went 85-55 and won the South Atlantic League title. The Astros hired him in 2005 and he managed for three years at Double-A Corpus Christi, leading the Hooks to the 2006 Texas League title and winning Manager of the Year honors. He managed at Triple-A Round Rock in 2008 and went 64-79.
     Minor League managing record: 432-405.
     Playing experience: Played 13 seasons in Major Leagues, ending his career with the Astros in 1998. He's a career .264 hitter with 62 homers and 284 RBIs in 905 games. He was originally selected in first round (11th pick overall) in 1983 draft by Cleveland.
     Did you know: Clark was 26-0 as a Golden Gloves boxer while in high school?
     What GM Ed Wade said: "I was impressed with the work he did at Triple-A a year ago. I thought he did a very solid job as third-base coach, and I was favorably impressed with him as both as a coach and an interim manager."

     Al Pedrique
     Age: 49
     Hometown: Valencia, Venezuela
     College: None
     Most recent job: Astros' Minor League field coordinator.
     Previous Major League managing experience: Went 22-61 in second half of season for Arizona Diamondbacks in 2004.
     Major League managing record: 22-61.
     Minor League managing experience:  He managed for eight years in the Minors, posting back-to-back winning seasons in 2002-03 at Double-A Tucson in his final two seasons as skipper. He began managing in 1995 and guided the Astros' Class-A affiliate in Michigan in 1999-2000, winning the Midwest league title in 2000. He's also managed in the Venezuelan Winter League and the Arizona Fall League. 
     Minor League managing record: 463-433.
     Playing experience: Pedrique played three seasons in the Major Leagues and hit .247 with one home run in 174 games with the New York Mets, Pittsburgh and Detroit.
     Did you know: Pedrique was the starting shortstop for the National League All-Star team in the original RBI Baseball video game by Nintendo?
     What GM Ed Wade said: "Al was here as an administrative coach when I got here and I was impressed enough with what he did that we made him field coordinator, which is a critical part of our organization. Al's done a great job in that role and relates well with people. He's stern when he has to be and is willing to teach, which is important."

Upon hearing the Astros were in search of a full-time manager with plenty of experience, Phil Garner last week called president of baseball operations Tal Smith to give an endorsement of Bob Melvin, who had coached under Garner in Milwaukee.

Before Garner could even mention Melvin's name, he became a candidate himself.

"All of sudden on the caller ID it showed Phil Garner was calling and I picked up and said, 'Are you a candidate?'" Smith said. "I was being facetious. 'Well,' he said, 'I wouldn't mind it, but it's up to you guys.'"

And that's how Garner, one of most popular managers in team history and the only one to lead the Astros to the World Series, found himself back in the mix to return to the team that dismissed him with a month remaining in the 2007 season.

The names are slowly coming in. The Astros will begin interviewing managerial candidates Wednesday, and Red Sox coach bench Brad Mills and first base coach Tim Bogar have been given permission by the Red Sox to interview with the Astros. Interim manager Dave Clark will be among two men to interview Wednesday, and former Washington manager Manny Acta has already acknowledged he will interview.

Also, former Arizona manager Bob Melvin told MLB.com on Monday he will interview later this week. Wade has confirmed Acta, Mills, Bogar, Clark and Astros Minor League field coordinator Al Pedrique as candidates.

The Astros will try to interview two candidates per day beginning Wednesday and hope to finish the first round of interviews by later this week. Wade, president of baseball operations Tal Smith, assistant general managers Ricky Bennett, David Gottfried and Bobby Heck and special assistant to the general manager Enos Cabell will be involved in the first round of interviews. Owner Drayton McLane is scheduled to get involved later in the process.

Wade has been making calls to try to gather more information about the men who will interview, but he's looking forward to talking to the candidates in person

"We'll have very specific questions about how he goes about organizing Spring Training, how he interacts with coaches and the authority he gives to coaches and things of that nature - basically walking through what one would expect a manager's responsibilities to be," he said. "And we'll ask some direct questions about how they go about things in each of those areas."

Astros general manager Ed Wade and his baseball operations staff will begin interviewing candidates for the full-time manager job on Wednesday at Union Station. The Astros have about 10 names on their initial list of candidates, with interim manager Dave Clark the only candidate the club has disclosed to the public.

Wade said Thursday that Clark would probably the first to interview in what will likely be multiple interviews next week. After the candidate goes through the interview, he will sit down and meet with the media.

Wade got a positive response when he contact several candidates Friday.

"We made contact with quite a few of the prospective candidates and set interview times up for them," he said. "This is a very attractive opportunity, and everyone I talked to today was very excited and pleased."

Astros fans, consider yourselves lucky. You're going to get to go through each step of the managerial interview process as if you were in the same room with Tal Smith and Ed Wade. Like they did when Wade was hired more than two years ago, the Astros are keeping the process open.

That means they're going to announce who's coming in to interview (or in some cases who they are going to interview) the day before the interview happens, and the candidate will be made available to the media when the interview is over. Not that we'll gain any great insight from these guys after they interview, but it will be nice to know who the candidates are and what they bring to the table.

And I'll be there to bring you all the details on the candidates. Of course, the quickest way to find out which candidates are going to be interview is to follow me on twitter: @brianmctaggart

The Astros could begin contacting potential managerial candidates later this week once owner Drayton McLane returns to Houston from a business trip to Washington, D.C. Gauging from conversations I've had with general manager Ed Wade and others in the organization, I'm more and more convinced the Astros will bring in a manager with Major League managing experience.

Because the 2010 club is again going to be made up of mostly veteran players, Wade wants a manager with experience managing in the Minors or Majors and experience on a Major League coaching staff, but I get the feeling we're not going to see a first-timer on the job. Wade has three pages of names he plans to whittle down to 10 at some point in the near future.

Whether Dave Clark, who certainly has the players' endorsement for manager, fits their bill remains to be seen, but he is a serious candidate. Clark could be a terrific manager, but he may not get the opportunity here. Or he might. But I still envision him as a long shot to get the job on a full-time basis.

Not being privy to the Astros' wish list and seeing very few candidates having been tied to the job publicly, I've put together a list of some potential managerial candidates you could be reading about in the coming days. In other words, these are men who would likely have interest in the job, but whether the Astros have interest in them remains to be seen:

• Ned Yost: Yost, 54, helped the Brewers return to contender during his a managerial stint in Milwaukee that began in 2003 and ended in the final days of the 2008 season, with the Brewers on their way to their first playoff berth in 26 years. His career record is 457-502.
• Willie Randolph: Randolph, 55, has gone on record and expressed an interest in the job. He was Yankees base and bench coach for 11 years and took over as manager of the Mets in 2005 in his first-ever managerial job. He led the Mets to within one game of the World Series in 2006 and then to their historic collapse at the end of 2007. He was fired in the middle of the 2008 season, and is currently bench coach with Milwaukee. His career record is 302-253.
• Jim Fregosi: A former Gold Glove player during a distinguished Major League career, Fregosi, 67, managed the Phillies to the 1993 World Series and is currently a top scout with the Braves. He managed the Angels (1978-1981) and won an AL West title, guided the White Sox (1986-88), Phillies (1991-1996) and Blue Jays (1999-2000). His career record is 1,028-1,095. He interviewed in 2001 before the Astros hired Jimy Williams and he has deep ties to Ed Wade.
• Tim Bogar: Bogar, 42, is the first base coach for the Red Sox and former Astros infielder. He started his managerial career in 2004 with the Greeneville of the Appalachian League and won the championship en route to being named Manager of the Year. He was named Manager of the Year in the South Atlantic League Lexington Legends in 2005 before leaving the organization. In 2006, he was named Eastern League Manager of the Year with the Double-A Akron Aeros. His career managerial record in the Minors is 250-168.
• Lloyd McClendon: The hitting coach for the Detroit Tigers is now available after his team was bounced by Minnesota in a one-game playoff Tuesday. McClendon, 50, went 336-446 as manager of the low-budget Pirates from 2001-2005. He played seven years in the Major Leagues and was a career .244 hitter.
• Manny Acta: A popular figure in the Astros organizations from his years as a player and a coach in the system, he managed the Washington Nationals for 2 1/2 years and sent 132-198. He previously served as third base coach for Montreal under Frank Robinson in 2002-2005 and was third base coach for the Mets under Willie Randolph until the end of the 2006 season.
• Eric Wedge: The 2007 American League Manager of the Year, Wedge went 561-573 in seven years as manager of the Cleveland Indians and won the AL Central title in 2007. Wedge, 41, is close friends with Jeff Bagwell, who's an assistant to Ed Wade.
  

Club owner Drayton McLane said Monday was disappointed the Astros didn't make the playoffs for the fourth season in a row. Houston finished in fifth place in the National League Central with 88 losses and hasn't made the playoffs since reaching the World Series in 2005.

"It's very disappointing," he said. "In December, when [general manager] Ed [Wade] and [president of baseball operations] Tal [Smith] and them were putting things together, we were very positive about the season and thought they would really play well together, and there were some good points.

"Remember about 60 percent of the way through the season, we were one game from first place and quit playing well. It was a disappointing season. Obviously, the goal is to be playing in the post-season and we're going to immediately go to work."

McLane, currently on business in Washington, D.C., said the club will likely face payroll challenges like they did in 2009. The Astros' $107 million payroll for last season was a club record, but it's likely going to be slashed.

"That's certainly going to be a challenge," he said. "The economy has taken a tumble and we have to be respectful of that. People are cautious how they spend their money. I think every team is going to be careful how they spend money."

Here's a rundown of the contract status of the Astros' 40-man roster:

Long-term contracts:
Lance Berkman (thru 2010)
Carlos Lee (thru 2012)
Kaz Matsui (thru 2010)
Roy Oswalt (thru 2011)

Note: These four will combine to make $54.5 million next year.

Under team control and not eligible for arbitration:
Alberto Arias
Yorman Bazardo
Brian Bogusevic
German Duran
Jeff Fulchino
Sammy Gervacio
Brad James
Chris Johnson
Wilton Lopez
Tommy Manzella
Edwin Maysonet
Bud Norris
Felipe Paulino
Yordany Ramirez
Billy Sadler
J.R. Towles
Polin Trinidad
Jose Vallejo
Wesley Wright

Arbitration eligible:
Michael Bourn
Tim Byrdak
Chris Coste
Jeff Keppinger
Chad Paronto
Hunter Pence
Humberto Quintero
Wandy Rodriguez
Chris Sampson

Note: Pence has less than three years of service time, but qualifies as a "Super Two." From the Players' Association web site: A player with three or more years of service, but less than six years, may file for salary arbitration. In addition, a player can be classified as a "Super Two" and be eligible for arbitration with less than three years of service. A player with at least two but less than three years of Major League service shall be eligible for salary arbitration if he has accumulated at least 86 days of service during the immediately preceding season and he ranks in the top 17 percent in total service in the class of players who have at least two but less than three years of Major League service, however accumulated, but with at least 86 days of service accumulated during the immediately preceding season.

Free Agents:
Geoff Blum
Aaron Boone
Doug Brocail (club option)
Darin Erstad
Mike Hampton
LaTroy Hawkins
Jason Michaels
Brian Moehler (mutual option)
Miguel Tejada
Jose Valverde

I'm not a big fan of closers. I mean, it's an important job and when you have dominant closer like the Phillies did last year with Brad Lidge, it can make a huge difference. But I'm also of the belief that most pitchers with good stuff could convert nine of 10 save chances.

Jose Valverde has been pretty good this season since coming back off the disabled list, which has only driven up his price up when he faces free agency this winter. He's going to demand, I'm guessing, at least $10 million per year, which should be enough to make the Astros walk away from him. Nice guy, good pitcher, but they can't afford that.

If I were the Astros, my Plan B would be LaTroy Hawkins. Nice guy, good pitcher and affordable. Hawkins is making $3.5 million this year and he would likely return at probably less than half at what Valverde is going to make. Hawkins has pitched well since the Astros plucked him off his couch last year, and he has experience closing games.

Hawkins saved 42 games for the Twins in 2000-01 and 25 for the Cubs in 2004. And he saved 11 this year while Valverde was on the disabled list. 

Jeff Fulchino has blossomed into a pitcher who could handle the set-up role. Let's be honest, Doug Brocail isn't coming back.

But to say a team is only as good as its closer isn't entirely true. Look at the Phillies. They've blown at least 11 saves this year and have one of the best records in baseball. That being said, who would pick the Phillies to win the World Series at this point with their unstable closer situation? The point is the Phillies are a great team, even without a top-notch closer. The Astros aren't in their league, so why retain a top-notch closer?

I touched base with Astros owner Drayton McLane early Friday while I was waiting for my train at 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. He had seen the national report that the Astros were for sale, but McLane assured me it wasn't true.

"That's the most bogus thing I've ever heard," he said. "It's absolutely untrue."

And there you have it.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Interim manager Dave Clark said to go ahead and write Wilton Lopez's name in as the starter for Sunday in pen. Lopez had a root canal the day Wednesday in Philadelphia, but should be ready to close out the season for Houston against the Mets at Citi Field.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Carlos Lee was back in the starting lineup Friday in New York after missing Thursday's game in Philadelphia with a sore hand. Clark said he anticipated Lee starting the final two games of the regular season, too.

Miguel Tejada, who began Friday needing four hits to reach 200, will also start the final series as long as he's chasing the milestone, and don't expect Michael Bourn to go the bench either. He began Friday needing four stolen bases to tie the club record of 65.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Don't be suprised to see Aaron Boone get a start in one of the final two games of the season. Boone (0-for-9) doesn't have a hit since he returned to action a month ago from having open-heart surgery.

"I'd like to see him get a hit," Clark said. "Everyone is on those [dugout] steps rooting for him. He's worked his but off because he wants that hit." 

Left fielder Carlos Lee was not in the starting lineup Thursday because of a sore right hand that's been bothering him for the past few weeks. Jason Micheals started in left field, but Lee was available to pinch hit and is expected to return to the lineup Friday.

"It's just for a precaution," interim manager Dave Clark said. "He feels it more so when he swings and misses. Earlier today, when I talked to him about it, he said if I needed him to play he could play. I hope to give him the whole day off if we don't have to use him."

______________________________________________________________________________

Clark said he expects center fielder Michael Bourn to continue to make huge strides in his offensive game into next season. Entering Thursday, Bourn led the National League in steals (61), bunt hits (16) and infield hits (42), was third in triples (11) and fourth in batting with runners in scoring position (.360).

Clark credits a conversation Bourn had with teammate Lance Berkman during spring training for helping to springboard Bourn's career.

"He told him basically to stay back," Clark said. "He would lunge a lot and every now and then he still does that, especially on breaking balls. Now he is staying back and seeing the ball a lot longer as a result of that and seeing the whole field as well."

Clark would like to see Bourn cut down on his strikeouts. He had 135 whiffs entering Thursday, which was easily the team lead.

"If you put half of those balls on the ground that he's striking out on, he's hitting .320 or .330." Clark said. "It's going to take time. Once you get into that third and fourth year of a career, that's when you start seeing things more. We're just seeing his potential."