Williams Is Hired by Astros

Jimy Williams was quick to accept the Houston Astros’ offer to manage the club--and sidestep a question about the team’s playoff woes under Larry Dierker.

Williams, fired by the Boston Red Sox in August, became the Astros’ 13th manager Thursday, a day after agreeing to a three-year contract with General Manager Gerry Hunsicker.

“Gerry called and offered the job and I said I’d sleep on it,” Williams said. “I called him back in 45 minutes and told him I was a fast sleeper.”

Dierker resigned two weeks ago after leading the Astros to four division titles in five years but losing in the first round of the playoffs each time.

Williams, who led the Red Sox to the playoffs in 1998 and 1999, wouldn’t promise the Astros would improve on their 2-12 playoff record under Dierker.

“If you start making statements that you can’t back up, you’re in trouble,” Williams said.

Williams was fired during his fifth season as Red Sox manager.

“There are not many teams out there that have done what we’ve done,” Hunsicker said, “so we needed somebody to take us to that next level.”

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John Hart, the executive who turned the Cleveland Indians from one of baseball’s worst teams into a perennial contender, was hired as general manager of the struggling Texas Rangers.

Hart takes over a team that has finished in last place for two consecutive years.Owner Tom Hicks expects him to provide a similar transformation for Texas, which has won three division titles but never a playoff series.

“There’s a core and a nucleus of quality players that are in place,” Hart said. “With the proper leadership, proper tweaking of personnel, I don’t think this is a club that’s far away from contending.”

The 53-year-old Hart spent 10 seasons with the Indians, who made the playoffs six of the last seven years and reached the World Series in 1995 and 1997. Before Hart came, Cleveland’s last postseason appearance was in 1954.

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Hall of Fame outfielder Billy Williams is shedding his Chicago Cub uniform after 31 years to join the team’s front office.

Williams, the first base coach in 2001, will be a special assistant to club President and General Manager Andy MacPhail.

“I wanted to come off the road and I wanted to be with my family,” said Williams, 62.

“Of course, I wanted to really stay involved with the baseball team. This will supply those needs for me.”