HOUSTON, TX — The Houston Astros Baseball Club and Astros Owner and Chairman Jim Crane introduced Jeff Luhnow as the club’s new General Manager today at a press conference at Minute Maid Park.

 “He’s really been very successful in everything he’s done, even before baseball,” said Crane. “Getting to visit with him, it was easy to tell he’s a great leader, he has great people skills and I know he’ll do a great job with us.”

 “We are very pleased to have Jeff as the new General Manager of the Houston Astros,” said club President and CEO George Postolos. “Jeff is the perfect fit for the Astros because of his track record in scouting and player development during his eight-plus seasons with the Cardinals.”

 “There’s a lot of things to be excited about,” said Luhnow. “The fans of the Astros should be excited about the future. We’re going to do everything we can to put the best product on the field, while still staying true to the vision and the strategy, which is really about creating a sustainable winner. “

 Luhnow, 45, has been a Vice President with the St Louis Cardinals since 2003, most recently serving as V.P. of Scouting and Player Development. He has overseen the Cardinals amateur draft since 2005, and his drafts have been widely recognized as among the most productive across baseball. His first three drafts, from 2005-2007, have produced 24 Major League players, which is more than any other Major League team in that time frame.

 “The Astros strive to develop one of the best systems in baseball and create a consistent winner at the Major League level,” said Postolos. “Jeff has the knowledge, skills and experience to lead the baseball operations efforts at all levels and help the Astros achieve this vision. Jeff has demonstrated the ability to inspire and motivate staff in the front office and out in the field.”

 Many of the players that contributed to the Cardinals’ 2011 World Series title were drafted under Luhnow’s watch, including Jaime Garcia, Allen Craig, Jon Jay and Lance Lynn. He added player development to his responsibilities in 2006 and was instrumental in the organization’s minor league successes since that time, including the best system record in baseball in 2010 and five minor league championships from the rookie leagues to Triple A. The Cardinals were recently named the 2011 Organization of the Year by Baseball America.

 “The bottom line is, we have a lot of work to do, there’s no question about it,” said Luhnow. “We want to build, we don’t want to take apart. We want to build on what’s here, add complimentary pieces, and create an advantage, so that the Houston Astros can sustain success over the long haul.”