ASTROS OWNER CRANE INTRODUCES NEW GM, COACHING STAFF
It is the beginning of a new era at Minute Maid Park. Jim Crane, who recently bought the Astros from longtime owner Drayton McLane, introduced the new leaders of the Astros in a press conference downtown yesterday. Andrew Friedman, the former General Manager of the Tampa Bay Rays, will be the President of Baseball Operations and General Manager of the Houston Astros. Friedman, a native Houstonian, said that he couldn't turn down the opportunity to return home and rebuild the Astros.
"It's a dream come true," Friedman said. "I'm proud of what we did in Tampa Bay and I'll miss lots of people there, but I grew up watching the likes of Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell in the Astrodome. I look forward to building a winning team here and return Houston to the winning it was used to during my childhood."
Friedman is known as a sabermetric and forward thinker within baseball. He helped lead the low budget Rays to a World Series, and has turned them into a consistent winner despite a diminutive payroll.
Joining Friedman in Houston will be former Rays pitching coach Jim Hickey, who has been tabbed as the newest manager of the Astros. Hickey was the Astros pitching coach in 2004 and 2005, two of the most successful seasons in Astros history, including the franchise's only World Series appearance.
"It's an honor that Andrew and Mr. Crane would consider me for this job. I look forward to getting to spring training and getting to work," Hickey said.
Hickey certainly faces an uphill battle. The Astros finished 56-106 last year, the worst record in Major League Baseball. Friedman faces a challenge as well, as he is responsible for building that roster despite having one of the worst farm systems in baseball.
