Former Rangers CEO Nolan Ryan will join the Astros in an advisory role, reports Mark Berman of Houston's Fox 26 (Twitter links). Ryan's duties will span both the business and baseball operations side of the organization, says Berman.
The club confirmed the report via press release, indicating that Ryan would serve as the team's "Executive Advisor." Though Ryan represents a high-profile addition to the Houston front office, his role will reportedly be limited and somewhat ad hoc. Ryan does not plan to maintain an office or residence in Houston, tweets Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He will primarily perform "special assignments," according to Wilson.
Ryan previously spent time with the Astros in the front office (in the mid-2000s) and, of course, as a player (1980-88). His son Reid is the club's president of business operations.
So much Nolan Ryan Disappointment Face to look forward to.
“Does not plan to maintain an office or home in Houston”
i.e. “Nolan Ryan will not make himself available to attend home games”
But isn’t that the only positive he brought to the Rangers?
Some would argue he is the cause of actual pennants being won. Reality is, he brought fans back while the franchise was trying to save itself from Tom Hicks and co. He was not much different than Chuck Greenberg who vanished long before Nolan. So there is a level of appreciation for what he was able to provide in Arlington. I’d expect the same in Houston where it appears they have been trying to talk the last three seasons.
The Astros are doing everything right, and the winning starts now.
75 this year, 85 next year.
The Orioles should take a page from this book.
The Astros have set franchise record for losses each of the last 3 years. Luhnow is rebuilding but its a bit early to proclaim the winning is starting since they have lost more games each year since Luhnow took over.
It’s not fair to take a look at our record to indicate the success Luhnow has brought. He was not brought here to “win now”, he was brought here to “rebuild”. Our farm system was depleted when he arrived, and now we have the best farm system in baseball, one of the more stacked minor league talent in history. He’s an unbelievably good GM and I cannot wait to see what more he can do when we do have talent. And to say we’ll win 75 games this year is not too far off. I personally put us at 70 if we can stay healthy.
I think Luhnow is doing a fine job, I just don’t think you can proclaim the Astros to be on a winning trajectory until they actually improved from one season to the next. Houston won 51 games in 2013 I don’t see how they have made a 24 win improvement to their team since last year.
Our bullpen lost us nearly 30 games last season. All we did this offseason is sign a bunch of quality relief pitchers. Our starting rotation wasn’t as effective as most teams, we signed two pitchers to make it more effective. We didn’t have a lead-off hitter, we acquired Fowler. And with the addition of Springer and possibly Singleton, I think we’ll be BETTER this year. My 70 win prediction is best-case scenario. If you watched Astros games from last season (I went to every single one as a staff member), you’d see our bullpen was to blame. Now, we’ve fixed that problem (hopefully). I guess we’ll see, but I certainly understand why people may think that big of a jump is a bit ludicrous. Haha
But I do believe that 85 wins for the 2015 season is a unhealthy dose of optimism at the moment. Adding 34 wins in 2 years is almost unheard of. Imagine if the Rangers win 125 games in 2015…
The 2012 Red Sox won 69 games, the 2013 Red Sox won 97 games (28 win improvement in 1 year) that being said I agree that the Astros have not made the moves necessary to make that kind of jump in 2014.
85 games by 2016 when the young prospects have had time to adjust to the MLB and mature as players is probably a more reasonable timeline.
There was a ton of major league talent on the 69 win Red Sox.. There is not a lot of talent on the Astro’s right now.
They also won 90 games in 2011. and have consistently been a 90-95 win team for years. So really they only improved by 7 games in 2 years, and need to win 103 games this year to meet the 34 game mark; a feat they haven’t achieved since 1946…
Lunhow cannot be judged as a GM yet.. GM’s job is to win at the major league level. Lunhow has done a great job building up the system so far. There is so much left to be done.. I cannot imagine Lunhow being thrilled with Ryan joining the org. Ryan has bounced from Astro’s to Rangers the last few years for a reason..
Obviously his results cannot be judged yet, as they have not occurred, but the Astros’ FO is certainly headed strongly in the right direction. Time will tell.
If you ask many baseball pundits, they would point at a franchise trying to lose for three years. Houston is not a small market and the payroll of this organization has been laughable. On the flip side, I have no qualms with the Astros as a whole.
But they have Nolan Ryan now……
Fangraphs projects them to win 75
Worst analogy ever. The wins have dropped off because Luhnow has removed “talent” from the MLB team to strengthen and deepen the minor league system. Luhnow could have left the MLB team alone, and each season squeaked by with 60-68 wins. Big deal. This situation was a tear it down and build it back up, and they told the fans that much 2 years ago.
What are you talking about? The O’s are winning. Our farm system is better now than it has been in years. I see you on the MASN board, so this comment puzzles me.
I’m a big Orioles fan, but Dan Duquette is not doing the things that are necessary to make the Orioles a better team.
The Astros have been horribly bad for three years and more, but they have drafted very well, traded very well, and they have developed an enormous number of prospects that will be real difference makers in the major leagues.
Even if only half of them pan out, the Astros will be a force in the American League for a very long time.
I’m very annoyed at Dan, because he hasn’t done any of these things.
sounds like another “Figure Head” role. You know, the one he never liked in Arlington. Oh well, I have a difficult time speaking ill towards Nolan.
That’s exactly correct though. Ryan’s “position” comes with no real power.
So maybe he was run off in Arlington.
Jon Daniels ran off Chuck Greenberg because of a personal difference of opinion, Greenberg sold a suite that Daniels used for friends and family and that set their whole relationship on a collision course. Daniels ran off Ryan because Nolan disagreed with quite a few moves the Rangers have made the last few years. Nolan wanted to spend money to keep some guys, and wanted nothing to do with Darvish. I guess, over the next 5 years…. we will see if Nolan was right.
Bickering over a suite. Sounds like someone may be a little petty. Nolan apparently didn’t want a Fielder either. Funny how quickly they traded for him.
In a few years, it will be off to the Angels, then a few years later he will head to the Mets! It’s a career reversal!
Nolan is going to show up for ceremonies, special events, be a “face of the franchise” and maybe give pep talks to the Astros young pitchers–at least, that’s how it looks from here. I don’t know what Crane is paying Nolan, but I hope he has a special budget set aside for all those nachos that Ryan likes to pack away–at least he did at the Ballpark in Arlington (not using that stupid new stadium name).
About time. The Stro’s are now offciially back. It will take a while but they will rise. Congrats.
confused.
First order of business, bring Roy Oswalt out of retirement.
And Lance Berkman…
Dont forget Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio.
And Ken Caminiti? Nolan Ryan can do all things, apparently.
That guy is dead.
Somebody didn’t get the joke
Yeah, Major League is not a well known flick either…
Cross him off then…oh well, can’t always win.
Isn’t Tracy McGrady looking for work?
If he planned to attend every home game like he did with the Rangers, then this would make sense. He could have a profound influence on the players just because of his presence, but it sounds like that is not the case. Since that is not the case, he should really just sit back and enjoy his retirement. He could still help out with the Astros and be around his son, but without the official title or obligations. That makes more sense to me.
I think Nolan Ryan might hurt someone if he watch a team lose that many games, he doesn’t look happy when his team loses
This just in, he has also received a minor league deal to compete for the #2 starting pitcher slot…
Does this mean Nolan Ryan beef is no longer available at the Globe and available at the Juice Box? He cooked such great hot dogs.
Please do not ever refer to the Ballpark in Arlington as the globe ever again.
And yes, Nolan Ryan hot dogs and hot dog night will stay.
Good job by Jim Crane of exorcising the ghosts of John J. McMullen and Drayton McLane. Nolan should have never left the Astros organization in the first place, but because of a penny-pincher and an ego-tripper, he’s a HOF Texas Ranger.