HOUSTON -- Astros owner Jim Crane told Examiner.com that he takes pride in the solid pool of candidates interviewed by the team as part of the recent process to hire a new general manager.
Bill Geivett (Rockies), J.J. Picollo (Royals) and Logan White (Dodgers) represented some of the top-notch candidates to interview.
Ultimately, ex-Cardinals vice president of player procurement Jeff Luhnow emerged from the group and caught the eye of Crane.
"I really liked having a chance to attend the Winter Meetings," Crane said. "It certainly made it easy for the ballclub to get to everybody, since they were all in one spot. That was nice for us. We interviewed some really good guys, but in the end, it became clear that Jeff was the right guy for the job. We are impressed."
The Astros entered the process with the idea of focusing on candidates with a strong background in scouting and player development.
Luhnow, 45, was instrumental in the Cardinals' minor league success during his nine-season tenure, which included the best record in baseball (2010), as well as five minor league championships.
He's responsible for adding several quality prospects to St. Louis' farm system over the last few years, such as Jaime Garcia, Mitchell Boggs, Allen Craig, Daniel Descalso and Jon Jay.
Plus, Brett Wallace (2008) and Colby Rasmus (2005) were first-round picks under Luhnow's watch and later traded for crucial pieces.
The collaboration of solid draft picks, with the acquisition of impact players, helped to lead St. Louis to the 2011 World Series title.
More importantly, Luhnow knows how to build and maintain a productive minor league system -- something Crane wants in Houston.
His accomplishments set him apart for the Astros' job.
"We talked to Jeff three or four times," Crane said. "I think he has a really impressive background. He is a young guy, but with a lot of good experience. We went down a checklist, and he fit what we wanted. His technical and analytical skills, as well as having good information on all of the ballplayers and possessing a strong scouting background, are all big things. His business experience, success rate and résumé were all big. He speaks fluent Spanish. He is very smart and poised. Just across the board, I think he's great. Jeff is an asset for us.
"He has been a winner at every level in baseball. Every time he has been put in a position to lead, Jeff Luhnow has been a winner.
"That's what I want."
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