Hinch gets contract extension with Astros

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Astros owner Jim Crane said Tuesday he extended the contract of manager A.J. Hinch following last year's World Series, rewarding him for leading the team to its first postseason appearance in 10 years.
Crane didn't divulge any details of Hinch's new deal, but he told MLB.com the manager, who's in his second year with the club, "will be here a while."
"My theory in baseball and business is don't let good people get away," Crane said.
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The Houston Chronicle reported early Tuesday that Hinch had received a revised contract in the offseason that included more money and a longer term. Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow declined to comment, but Hinch was asked about the contract prior to the game against the Nationals, and he confirmed the report.
"Jim and Jeff have both been great to me, and I'm really proud to be the manager of this group, and they treated me very well," Hinch said. "Club policy is we're not going to talk about the details and things like that. To say I'm thrilled to be the manager here and have them address me with the respect they have is an understatement. I love it here and how I've been treated."
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The details of Hinch's original contract haven't been made public, but he appears to be set in Houston for at least the next several years with the new extension.
"We could see last year he really had a lot of continuity in the locker room, and [he] continues to get these guys to jell," Crane told MLB.com. "He communicates well with the front office, and he and Jeff work well together. We thought we had a good combination there. And we wanted to reward him for last year and give him some security and move the contract down the line a little bit."
Hinch, 41, was hired as the 18th manager in franchise history shortly after the 2014 season, replacing Bo Porter. He managed the D-backs for parts of two seasons in 2009-10 and worked in the Padres' front office before being hired by the Astros. The club went 86-76 last year and led the American League West for much of the season before securing an AL Wild Card spot. They beat the Yankees in the AL Wild Card Game and then lost to the Royals in five games in the AL Division Series.