Jeff Bagwell on Brad Ausmus being hired as Astros manager

HOUSTON — There’s no denying the years-long friendship between new Astros manager Brad Ausmus and Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell, who’s one of owner Jim Crane’s closest confidants. Ausmus and Bagwell played together on the Astros from 1997-98 and 2001-05 and started on the team’s first World Series club in 2005.

That friendship continued after their playing careers, when Ausmus became…