Jeff Luhnow found his seat in the visiting executive’s box at Citizens Bank Park earlier this week and glanced at the Phillies’ lineup. He thought about 2013. It was a time when Luhnow, the Houston Astros general manager, endured ridicule from across the game. His first three teams lost a combined 310 games.
“When you’re in the middle of it,” Luhnow said, “it seems like it’s never going to end.”
The current Astros own the best record in the American League by 12 games. They are hailed for their deep roster of young players, which Luhnow augmented this past winter with four veteran acquisitions.