Not only is he being paid for this season but he'll be paid for the 2013 season as well due to an evergreen clause that activated at the end of October. No doubt Drayton McLane on his way out hooked up his boys. But this isn't really about that. This is about a general manager search that has seen several high profile names decline to even interview with the organization.
The problem isn't the Astros, it's the timing. Sure the Major Leauge team's bad and the farm system is still pretty bad, but it seems to be more about the timing of the price. Which is why Andrew Friedman and several others have decided to decline an interview, they've got work to do and leaving in the middle of the offseason just wouldn't be fair to their current organization.
If this process were taking place in October or even November things probably are a little different. At this point thought halfway through the offseason Friedman and others have already put in significant time getting ready for next season. Leaving their current position would be hurting their current employers. It happens, but it's not an easy decision and it's a lot easier when you haven't already invested a significant amount of time into the offseason.
It's certainly not the only factor but it's quite possibly the biggest factor.
If the Astros had kept Ed Wade around and began the search early next year there's a bigger pool of talent willing to interview. Of course then you're operating with Wade for another 8-10 months. It's not ideal but it's not the worst idea either. Wade has done an admirable job and left the organization, or at least the farm system, in better shape than it was when he became general manager.
Then again another general manager might come in and accelerate the rebuilding Wade started. And there are certainly some interesting names being floated about.
Changes were necessary for the Astros as an organization. I'm just not so sure the timing of some of those changes were right.