Link to article KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Jeff Luhnow had been in baseball for only eight years when the Astros tabbed him to be their 12th general manager last December, but it was his strong player personnel track record with the Cardinals and his previous business successes that impressed ownership. It also didn't hurt that he had a very influential backer in his corner in Peter Ueberroth. The former Baseball Commissioner is a friend of Astros owner Jim Crane, and he got to know Luhnow through the man who is now Luhnow's father-in-law (Luhnow was married in January). So when the Astros were looking to fill their GM vacancy, Ueberroth called Crane. "He called me and said 'When you get the team, give me a call, and I'll give you the smartest guy in baseball,'" said Crane, who took control of the club in November. "Within 18 hours, he was in our office and gave us a 25-page report on how to fix the Astros. We knew some of it, but not all of it." Luhnow, 45, has been on the job a little more than two months and has barely scratched the surface of his 25-page path to success. He's reshaped the front office, putting an emphasis on data analysis, and understands the importance of continuing to build the club through the Draft and player development. Inheriting a club that's coming off 106 losses and is still working its way back from some poor Drafts (2005-07), Luhnow's job is a daunting one. But in many ways, it's one that he's prepared for throughout his adult life. "There's a number of areas you make sure you stay on top of, but that's part of being the general manager," he said. "I've been trained in that regard in other industries, and baseball as well. It's second nature to me. Not that we don't have our work cut out for us." Like Crane, Luhnow has a successful background in business. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania and getting an MBA from Northwestern, he became an engineer before transitioning to management consulting, and then becoming a technology entrepreneur. "Logically, the next step was to become a baseball guy," he said. Luhnow was born and raised in Mexico City, where his parents had relocated from New York. He grew up loving baseball and even made it to Houston to attend some games in the Astrodome. Luhnow played fantasy baseball in college and became passionate about numbers and statistics. He eventually parlayed his love for data analysis into a job with the Cardinals in 2003. At age 37, he was just getting started in baseball. He spent eight years in St. Louis and held the title of director of player procurement when the Astros hired him. He began overseeing the Cardinals' Drafts in 2005 and helped St. Louis acquire several players who played key roles in winning the World Series last year. In all, he won eight rings during his tenure with the Cardinals -- two World Series titles, a National League championship and five Minor League championships. Whether it's the business world or baseball, Luhnow says the path to success is the same. "You have to have good people working in different areas you're overseeing and you're giving them what they need to be successful," he said. "Nobody's successful in this role without a really good group of people in the organization. That's the key." The organization appears to be on the right track. The talent in the Minor League system has improved since assistant general manager of scouting Bobby Heck took over the Draft in 2008, and it was infused by a series of trades for prospects made by former general manager Ed Wade the last two years. Many of the players considered the future of the organization -- Jordan Lyles, Jonathan Singleton, Delino DeShields Jr. and George Springer -- are in Major League camp this year and could be the nucleus of the club in the not-so-distant future. Luhnow understands the importance of keeping the talent pipeline churning. "We want to build on what's here -- we don't want to take apart -- and add complementary pieces and create advantages so the Astros can sustain success over the long haul," Luhnow said upon his hiring. "Can you win and develop at the same time? The answer is yes. Can we do it right now with the Houston Astros? Probably not. But can we do it down the road? Absolutely." An important step in that future will happen this June, when the Astros have the first pick in the First-Year Player Draft, and the team will soon transition to the rough-and-tumble American League West. Luhnow's job is not an easy one, but he still can't help but smile. "I'm happy with where we are in camp right now," he said. "There's a lot of energy and that's the main thing that's getting me excited. Not just myself and [in the offices] upstairs, but [manager Brad Mills] and his staff and the guys on the Minor League side, and the players have picked it up from them. It's important for us to keep that energy and enthusiasm going all spring if we can."
Good read, thanks for posting. After a few down years, it's great to have something Astros related to get excited about again.
You gotta think that that document will never see the light of day. Way too much proprietary information in it, I suspect.
1) Don't pay $15M to an average reliever coming off a career year. 2) Don't pay an aging 3B that could never hit $5M. 3) Draft better 4) Scout better 5) Develop better 6) Sign FA's to team friendly contracts Executive Summary, more or less.
Thanks for posting. One thing that is very refreshing so far is that we get to hear Luhnow's opinion of how to fix things and improve....whereas we used to only hear about the GM's interpretation of the owner's opinion on how to improve things. Looks like Crane is just getting out of the way and letting the GM do his job when it comes to the on-the-field aspects of the club. Granted, Luhnow is going to get a hall pass for the first couple years since he inherited such a mess; but it really appears the guy has a plan and is executing it. Refreshing, indeed.
From a CASUAL fan's point of view - I UNDERESTIMATED the amount of renewed fan spirit and interest for the Astros that simply a new owner and new GM woud bring. I dont think I was "tired" of the previous regime and period, I wasnt NEAR as critical of them as others, just thought baseball became a lower "life priority". But now that there's seemingly some amount of competency in the front office that approaches things "up to date", I can see how MAYBE the Drayton era post-World Series did have a direct hand in contributing to loss of CASUAL interest in the product. And can sense having even a little more ANTICIPATION for what the new leadership can do. Now its like...well when Drayton first became owner. When he was the guy bringing a FRESH baseball approach to the franchise. But even with the dreaded move to the AL I might just follow along how a fan is supposed to
