Believe The Hype

Two great Americans building a baseball dynasty, believe it!

Albert Einstein, well-known genius, creator of nuclear weapons, and probable extraterrestrial according to The History Channel's Ancient Aliens television program, once said "The most powerful force in the universe is compound interest." Let it also be known that Jeff Luhnow, well known human being, bi-lingual baseball executive, and holder of a degree in Economics, (probably) said, "The most powerful force in baseball is compound player development." That, and the collaboration of Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell.

Successful baseball organizations, like successful investors, play the long game. There are no substitutes for time or patience in either, and getting rattled by short-term losses will ensure quick and absolute failure for both. The good news for Houston baseball fans is that Jim Crane is a very successful investor and businessman who obviously isn't rattled by short-term loss or attempted humiliation at the hands of East Coast, self-important baseball "analysts" who have no moral courage or journalistic integrity. In the face of rampant anti-Houston sentiment, The Astros' front-office has turned baseball's worst farm system into its best, reinvigorated an archaic 20th Century player development system and statistical analysis department, and brought Houston sports royalty back into the fold in the form of Nolan Ryan, Roy Oswalt, Lance Berkman, and Morgan Ensberg. The excitement on Crawford St and Texas Ave is palpable. Kissimmee is electric. Get used to it.

Jim Crane is soon to be at the helm of one of the most successful baseball dynasties in the modern era. He has allowed his experts to buck the conventional wisdom, and the baseball establishment led by Houston-hater Bud Selig and his acolytes, the mainstream sports media, are still quick to ridicule the Astros based on recent Win-Loss records and payroll, but consider this: Jim Crane, Jeff Luhnow, Reid Ryan, and the rest of the Astros brain-trust are very intelligent people with proven track records of success. To ridicule their plan is tantamount to calling some of the brightest minds in Houston sports history, stupid, which is offensive. The organization, from top to bottom, has been consistently steadfast in the plan that was laid out when Crain bought the team from Houston's favorite Tall Grocery Tycoon, and the baseball world is just beginning to see that plan pay dividends.

2014 will likely see the arrival of superstars-in-waiting George Springer and Jon Singleton and the continued growth of 2013's standouts. 2015 could bring any combination of Mark Appel, Asher Wojciechowski, Mike Foltynewicz, Lance McCullers, Delino DeShields, Carlos Correa, Domingo Santana, or Vincent Velasquez, plus many more. Talk about the power of compound interest paying off. Good moves Mr. Luhnow.

The bottom line: The Astros are in good hands. Jim Crane, Jeff Luhnow, and Reid Ryan don't fail because they don't put themselves in the position to fail. They have a long-term vision, and aren't short-sighted enough to placate ESPN today when they can make them look like bumbling fools on the wrong side of baseball history for the next decade and beyond. Believe the hype.

God Bless 5 & 7

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