The official transaction report will call it a “firing.” What it was, was a mercy killing.

The Houston Astros canned manager Brad Mills on Saturday, sending hitting coach Mike Barnett and first base coach Bobby Meacham out the door with him.

Andrew Weber – U.S. Presswire

The University of Arizona alum went 171-274 since taking over the club in 2010.

In Mills’ defense, Casey Stengel would be hard pressed to win with this group of players. Winning 39 of Houston’s 120 games this season with this lineup should be considered a minor miracle.

The numbers aren’t pretty. Skip the next graph if you’re squeamish or have a heart condition.

With 42 miserable games left to ride out, the ’Stros are 12-48 on the road, 6-29 in the second half, 3-24 in July, 1-11 in extra innings and 33.5 games out of a position they haven’t finished in since 2001: first place.

Their magic number to be eliminated from playoff contention is 10 – an admirable goal if achieved before the September call-ups when their roster will expand to 40 unrecognizable names.

Mills and company become curious fall guys at a strange point in another lost season. Come on, really? The first base coach is part of the reason why the Astros haven’t had a winning season since  2008?

The fall from grace has been a quick one for a franchise that competed in the World Series as recently as 2005.

Mills got a raw deal. But let’s allow Astro Nation sum it up:

I hope Brad Mills starts sleeping better. He deserves at least that.

— Zachary Levine (@zacharylevine) August 19, 2012

What a relief that must be for him. RT @mlb: BREAKING: @astros have relieved Brad Mills of his managerial duties. — Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 19, 2012

Brad Mills was toast the day he was hired. The Astros organization took a massive dump in a mixing bowl and wanted him to bake a cake. — Andy Wade (@HouCounterplot) August 19, 2012

GOOD THING THE ASTROS FIRED BRAD MILLS. CLEARLY A NEW MANAGER WILL CHANGE THE FACT THAT THEY’RE PLAYING WITH A GLORIFIED AAA ROSTER. — Not Buster Olney (@TrippingOlney) August 19, 2012

After careful consideration, we have decided that if Brad Mills is going to defy us and not wear deodorant he can no longer manager our team — NotJimCrane (@NotJimCrane) August 19, 2012

Astros management handed gave Brad Mills a crap sandwich for a team & then took away the bread.Now they blame him?Huh? — High Heat Stats (@HighHeatStats) August 19, 2012

Didn’t realize Brad Mills single-handedly ruined the Houston Astros. LOL. Geez. — P (@Malfunctioning) August 19, 2012

Now that brad mills is gone, wonder if @astros would be intersted in hiring me. I’ve seen major league several times and think I can win

— a. michael hopper II (@texhop58) August 19, 2012

Firing Brad Mills is like firing a mechanic because your 1983 Honda Accord won’t start.” #classless

— Kyle Miller (@HANSOLOSMRTGRID) August 19, 2012

News: Brad Mills resigns from Evansville’s MPO, Redeveloment Commission bit.ly/PuxJ13C&P Top News (@courierpress) August 16, 2012

Ooh, maybe the Astros will hire him…

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