Bo Porter Named The Next Manager Of The Houston Astros

Bryce Harper #34 of the Washington Nationals rounds third base after his solo homer in the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field on September 14, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Bo Porter, currently the third base coach with the Washington Nationals, has been named the next manager of the Houston Astros, with an official announcement by the team on Thursday morning.

Porter, who will finish out the year with the Nationals, is the 17th full-time manger in the history of the franchise.

The Astros fired former manager Brad Mills on August 18, after to the team started the year with a 39-82 record. Mills, who compiled a 171-274 record in less than three full seasons as the manager, who replaced on an interim basis by Tony DeFrancesco.

The 40-year old Porter spent parts of three season in the Major Leagues as a player from 1999-2001, with the Cubs, A's, and Rangers, hitting a .214 in 126 career at-bats.

Porter became a minor league hitting instructor, and got his first managerial job in 2006 with the Jamestown Jammers in the Florida (now Miami) Marlins organization.

Since 2007, Porter has been a third base coach in the Major League, serving in that capacity with the Marlins from 2007-2009, the Diamondbacks in 2010, and the Nationals in 2011 and 2012.

Porter, who is a Houston resident, was reportedly a finalist for the managerial jobs with the Marlins and Pirates following the 2010 season.

The Astros, who will be moving to the American League in 2012, after competing in the National League since 1962 when the franchise was founded as the Houston Colt 45's, have had five losing season over the last six years, including back-to-back seasons in which they lost 100 or more games, something that had never happened in their history prior to last season.

DeFrancesco is expected to remain with the organization in some capacity.