Astros takeaways: What Jim Crane may be thinking, what to do with Tatsuya Imai and more

HOUSTON — A celebration prompted Jim Crane’s last public comments. After he sat atop a dais in January and introduced Tatsuya Imai, Crane allowed a group of reporters to gather around for a rare on-the-record interview session.Within it, Crane praised Imai’s arrival and promised a bigger presence in the Pacific Rim. Asked about the status of manager Joe Espada and general manager Dana Brown — both of whom are in the final year of their contracts — Crane did not offer a vote of confidence and claimed there “probably” wouldn’t be any extension talks.“We’ve been focused on getting what we need to compete this next year,” Crane said in January.Advertisement