Jeff Luhnow: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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{{shortShort description|Mexican and American baseball executive (born 1966)}}

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| image = Jeff Luhnow at Union Station in August 2014.jpg

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1966|06|08}}

| birth_place = [[Mexico City]], [[Mexico]]

| nationality = [[Mexico|Mexican]]<br>[[United AmericansStates|Mexican American]]

| alma_mater = [[University of Pennsylvania]]<br>[[Kellogg School of Management]]

| occupation =

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'''Jeff Luhnow''' (born June 8, 1966) is a Mexican- and American former [[baseball]] executive whoand mostowner recentlyof servedMexican asclub [[generalCancún manager (baseball)F.C.|general managerCancún]] and president of baseball operations for the [[HoustonCD AstrosLeganés|Leganés]] of [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB)Spain.<ref Hisname=":0" most/> notable achievement in baseball is having orchestrated an illegitimate 2017 World Series title for the Astros as a result of the [[Houston Astros sign stealing scandal|Houston Astros Sign Stealing Scandal]]. He worked for the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] in their scouting department from 2003 through 2011, before joining the [[Houston Astros]] in December 2011. On January 13, 2020, Luhnow was fired by the Astros after Major League Baseball suspended him for the entire 2020 season as a result of the [[Houston Astros sign stealing scandal|electronic sign-stealing scandal]]. Prior to working in baseball, Luhnow was a business entrepreneur.

==Early life and education==

Luhnow was born in [[Mexico City]], Mexicoto [[Americans|American]] parents, and raised in the [[Lomas de Chapultepec]] neighborhood.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |last1=Gomez |first1=Eric |title=Mexican pride runs deep in Astros GM Jeff Luhnow |url=http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/26657532/mexican-pride-runs-deep-astros-gm-jeff-luhnow |access-date=May 6, 2019 |work=ESPN.com |date=May 3, 2019}}</ref> He is fluent in Spanish.<ref name=chron>{{cite news|url=http://blog.chron.com/ultimateastros/2011/12/08/nw-gm-jeff-luhnow-has-the-know-how/ |work=Houston Chronicle |title=New GM Jeff Luhnow has the know-how |date=December 8, 2011}}</ref><ref name=astrospr>{{cite news|url=https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/astros-name-jeff-luhnow-as-new-general-manager/c-26125700 |title=Astros name Jeff Luhnow as new general manager |date=December 8, 2011|access-date=August 9, 2012}}</ref> Prior to his birth, his parents had relocated from [[New York City]] to Mexico City for business.<ref name="mlb.com">{{cite web |url=http://m.mlb.com/news/article/169247236/jeff-luhnow-returns-to-mexico-as-astros-gm/ |title=Astros' GM reflects on growing up in Mexico City during MLB's special trip |work=mlb.com |access-date=September 4, 2017}}</ref> Luhnow attended schools in Mexico City through 10th grade and a preparatory high school in [[California]] for his 11th and 12th-grade years.<ref name="mlb.com"/>

He graduated from the [[Webb School of California]]<ref>{{cite web|title=The Webb Schools Notable Alumni: Jeff Luhnow '84|url=http://www.webb.org/news/detail/index.aspx?pageaction=ViewSinglePublic&LinkID=456&ModuleID=54|access-date=February 25, 2014}}</ref> and holds dual [[Bachelor of Science]] degrees from the [[University of Pennsylvania]] in [[economics]] and [[engineering]].<ref name=astrosbio>{{cite news|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/hou/team/exec_bios/luhnow_jeff.html |work=Houston Astros |title=Jeff Luhnow General Manager |access-date=August 9, 2012}}</ref> He earned an MBA from the [[Kellogg School of Management]] at [[Northwestern University]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://houston.astros.mlb.com/hou/team/exec_bios/luhnow_jeff.html|title=Houston Astros Executives |access-date=January 5, 2015}}</ref>

==Business career==

Prior to baseball, Luhnow worked as an [[engineer]], [[management consultant]], and technology entrepreneur.<ref name=chron/> He worked for [[McKinsey and Company]], a global management consulting firm, for five years. He founded and served aswas president and [[chief operating officer]] of Archetype Solutions, and served aswas general manager and vice president of marketing for Petstore.com.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/hou/team/exec_bios/luhnow_jeff.html |title=Houston Astros Executives |publisher=Mlb.mlb.com |date=December 7, 2011 |access-date=August 9, 2012}}</ref>

==Baseball career==

===St. Louis Cardinals===

Luhnow joined the front office of the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] in 2003.<ref name=astrosbio/><ref name=usatoday>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/story/2011-12-08/astros-hire-jeff-luhnow-as-general-manager/51727244/1 |work=USA Today |title=Most Popular E-mail Newsletter |date=December 8, 2011|access-date=August 9, 2012}}</ref> Cardinals owner [[William DeWitt Jr.]] had noticed what the Oakland A's had done with their [[Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game|Moneyball]] tactics and was looking to run his team in a more analytical, data-driven manner when he first hired Luhnow as vice president in 2003. Luhnow knew DeWitt's son-in-law from working at McKinsey & Company and from there, Luhnow met DeWitt and landed the job.<ref>{{cite webnews|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles/2014-08-28/extreme-moneyball-houston-astros-jeff-luhnow-lets-data-reign|title=Extreme Moneyball: The Houston Astros Go All In on Data Analysis|websitenewspaper=bloomberg.comBloomberg|date=August 28, 2014 |access-date=June 25, 2016}}</ref> Luhnow's hiring initially raisedprompted eyebrowsskepticism, since he had no previous experience in baseball and had not played the sport since high school. He was derided with nicknames like "the accountant" and "[[Harry Potter (character)|Harry Potter]]."<ref name=chron />

Luhnow began as the Cardinals' vice president of baseball development, as he established a baseball academy in the [[Dominican Republic]] and extended the Cardinals' scouting in [[Venezuela]].<ref name=astrosbio/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/luhnow-reflects-on-the-impact-of-taveras/article_84161884-e94b-5ebf-99c9-b98dcc539dcc.html|title=Luhnow reflects on the impact of Taveras|author=Lee Enterprises|work=stltoday.com|date=November 12, 2014 |access-date=January 5, 2015}}</ref> The Cardinals promoted him in 2005 to the role of vice president of player procurement, which made him the director of amateur, international and domestic scouting. He was named vice president of scouting and player development in 2006.<ref name=astrosbio />

During his time with the Cardinals, he developed a reputation for scouting and player development, and he was credited with having a key role in the team's successes in the minor leagues. The Cardinals won five minor league championships under his watch, and had the best system-wide minor league record in 2010.<ref name=scout>{{cite news |url=http://stlcardinals.scout.com/2/1136953.html |work=The Cardinal Nation |title=Cardinals VP Jeff Luhnow Hired as Astros GM |date=December 8, 2011 |access-date=August 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120714003445/http://stlcardinals.scout.com/2/1136953.html |archive-date=July 14, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=astrospr2>{{cite news|url=http://houston.astros.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20111208&content_id=26132934&vkey=pr_hou&c_id=hou |work=Houston Astros |title=Astros introduce Jeff Luhnow as new general manager |date=December 8, 2011|access-date=August 9, 2012}}</ref> From 2005 to 2007, the first three Cardinals drafts overseen by Luhnow produced 24 future major leaguers, the most of any team during that period. Several players who made important contributions to the Cardinals' victory in the [[2011 World Series]], including [[Jaime García (baseball)|Jaime Garcia]], [[Allen Craig]], [[Jon Jay]], and [[Lance Lynn]], were drafted during Luhnow's tenure.<ref name=astrospr2 />

===Houston Astros===

The Houston Astros announced Luhnow's hiring as the team's general manager on December 8, 2011,<ref name=astrospr/> replacing [[Ed Wade]]. In making the announcement, team president [[George Postolos]] cited Luhnow's past successes in player development and scouting with the Cardinals organization. He also expressed hope that "[Luhnow's] bicultural background [would] be an asset in recruiting players from Latin America and developing the Hispanic market for Los Astros."<ref name=astrospr/> Luhnow "was so devoted to efficiency that he engaged consultants from McKinsey to audit the organization (and, inevitably, to disrupt the org chart) every year".<ref>{{Cite webmagazine|url=https://newrepublic.com/article/155863/houston-astros-cheaters-2017-world-series-mckinsey-problem|title=The Smartest Guys in the Clubhouse|first=David|last=Roth|date=December 3, 2019|access-date=January 14, 2020|viamagazine=The New Republic}}</ref>

After Luhnow's first season, he opted to fire Astros' [[manager (baseball)|manager]] [[Brad Mills (manager)|Brad Mills]], replacing him with [[Bo Porter]] after the 2012 season. Porter was forced to keep most of Mills' [[coach (baseball)|coaching staff]], with third base coach [[Dave Trembley]] and hitting coach John Mallee serving as Porter's only additions to the staff for the 2013 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.chron.com/ultimateastros/2012/10/19/astros%E2%80%99-bo-porter-discusses-dave-trembley-john-mallee-hires/|title=Astros' Bo Porter discusses Dave Trembley, John Mallee hires|work=Houston Chronicle|access-date=January 9, 2015}}</ref> Luhnow and Porter had a falling out during the 2014 season, leading Luhnow to fire Porter. He chose [[A. J. Hinch]] as Porter's successor, and allowed Hinch to choose his coaching staff, with the exception of [[Brent Strom]], the pitching coach, whom the team chose to retain.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/astros/article/Luhnow-confident-about-hire-after-enduring-rift-5789564.php|title=Luhnow confident about hire after enduring rift with Porter|work=Houston Chronicle|access-date=January 5, 2015}}</ref> Luhnow received a contract extension at an undisclosed time in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.chron.com/ultimateastros/2014/12/09/astros-gm-jeff-luhnow-given-extension-in-past-year-2/#29064101=0|title=Astros GM Jeff Luhnow given extension in past year|work=Ultimate Astros|date=December 10, 2014 |access-date=January 5, 2015}}</ref>

News of an investigation into potential Cardinals front office personnel hacking into the Astros' baseball operations databases seeking information on player development, evaluation, and compensation broke on June 16, 2015. According to the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'',: "MLB issued a statement saying it has cooperated with the investigation but would take no action until 'the investigative process has been completed by federal law enforcement officials.'"<ref name=LAT>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-st-louis-cardinals-hacking-investigation-questions-answers-20150616-story.html|title=St. Louis Cardinals hacking investigation: Questions and answers|date=June 16, 2015|website=Los Angeles Times|access-date=January 14, 2020}}</ref>

On January 13, 2020, Luhnow and Hinch were suspended for the 2020 season by [[Rob Manfred]], the [[Commissioner of Baseball]], for failing to prevent the Astros from cheating by [[Houston Astros sign stealing scandal|electronically stealing signs]] during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. According to Manfred, Luhnow adamantly denied knowing about Astros players banging on a trash can to signal specific pitches, or that employees in the replay room were decoding signs and sending them to the dugout. Manfred stated that while Luhnow didn't know about players' efforts to use technology to steal signs, he should have made it his business to know, given that the general manager is charged with ensuring that the baseball side of a franchise's operations complycomplies with "both standards set by Club ownership and MLB Rules." If Luhnow commits another "material violation" of MLB rules, he will be [[list of people banned from Major League Baseball|permanently banned from baseball]]. Manfred also required Luhnow to undergo "management/leadership training" during his suspension.<ref name=report>{{cite web|url=https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/mlb/cglrhmlrwwbkacty27l7.pdf|title=Statement of the Commissioner|first=Rob|last=Manfred|author-link=Rob Manfred|publisher=[[Major League Baseball]]|date=January 13, 2020|access-date=January 17, 2020}}</ref> It is the longest suspension for a baseball executive since former [[Atlanta Braves]] general manager [[John Coppolella]] was banned from baseball for life in 2017.

According to Manfred, had Luhnow taken "adequate steps" to ensure the Astros followed the rules, the sign stealing operation could have been shut down as early as Manfred's September 2017 memo reminding all clubs that it was illegal to use electronic equipment to steal signs, and certainly by March 2018, when MLB disciplinarian [[Joe Torre]] issued a memo which clarified the ban on using technology to steal signs. As a result of that failure, Manfred decided to hold Luhnow "personally responsible for the conduct of his Club." He also harshly criticized the culture of the Astros' baseball operations department, saying that its emphasis on "results over other considerations" fostered an environment that not only made it possible for the sign stealing to continue for as long as it did, but also allowed Luhnow's assistant, [[Brandon Taubman]], to make inappropriate and sexist remarks to female reporters after the Astros clinched the 2019 pennant. Taubman was fired for lying about the comments, and was subsequently placed on the ineligible list through at least the 2020 season.<ref name=report/> Manfred later claimed that Luhnow's failure to notify the players about the 2017 memo was a major reason why MLB didn't discipline any players for their roles in the scandal. Manfred told ESPN that had he suspended or fined any players for their roles, the [[MLB Players Association]] (MLBPA) would have challenged such discipline "on the basis that we never properly informed them of the rules."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/28714873/mlb-commissioner-rob-manfred-defends-punishment-astros|title=MLB commissioner Rob Manfred defends punishment of Astros|publisher=[[ESPN]]|date=February 16, 2020}}</ref>

Hours after MLB announced its sanctions, Astros owner [[Jim Crane]] fired Luhnow and Hinch. Crane said,: "Neither of them started this but neither of them did anything about it".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Boeck|first1=Scott|title=Astros owner Jim Crane fires manager A.J. Hinch, GM Jeff Luhnow after MLB suspensions in cheating scandal|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/astros/2020/01/13/aj-hinch-jeff-luhnow-houston-astros-fired-cheating/4457554002/|publisher=USATODAY|access-date=January 13, 2020}}</ref>

==PersonalSoccer lifecareer==

===Cancún F.C.===

Luhnow and his three children reside in Houston.

In May 2021, Luhnow had shown interest in acquiring a Mexican soccer team, during which time he was part of a group that negotiated the purchase of Atlético San Luis,<ref>{{cite web |title=Quién es Jeff Luhnow, el polémico inversionista interesado en el Atlético de San Luis |url=https://www.infobae.com/america/deportes/espn/2021/05/05/quien-es-jeff-luhnow-el-polemico-inversionista-interesado-en-el-atletico-de-san-luis/ |website=infobae |access-date=15 July 2022 |language=es |date=4 May 2021}}</ref> although the purchase agreement did not materialize.<ref>{{cite web |title=Se caen negociaciones con Cuervos de San Luis donde Jacques Passy se integraría |url=https://www.espn.com.mx/futbol/nota/_/id/8758473/se-caen-negociaciones-cuervos-de-san-luis-jacques-passy-dirigente-sedofutbol-dominicana |website=ESPN México |access-date=15 July 2022 |language=es |date=9 June 2021}}</ref> Subsequently, in January 2022, Jeff Luhnow headed an investment fund that completed the purchase of the Mexican team [[Cancún F.C.|Cancún]] that participates in the [[Liga de Expansión MX]].<ref name="Mexicanist">{{cite web |title=Jeff Luhnow becomes the new owner of Cancun Football Club |url=https://www.mexicanist.com/l/jeff-luhnow/ |website=Mexicanist |access-date=2 June 2022 |language=es |date=14 January 2022}}</ref> The purchase was approved by the league owners' meeting on June 1, 2022, making it official.<ref>{{cite web |title=Acuerdos de Asamblea Ordinaria en la LIGA BBVA Expansión MX |url=http://ligabbvaexpansion.mx/cancha/detallenoticia/41067/acuerdos-de-asamblea-ordinaria-en-la-liga-bbva-expansion-mx |website=Liga BBVA Expansion MX |access-date=2 June 2022 |language=es |date=1 June 2022}}</ref>

===CD Leganés===

On June 23, 2022 Luhnow bought [[CD Leganés|Leganés]] who were then in [[Segunda División|LaLiga Smartbank]] through the company Blue Crow Sports.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jeff Luhnow: "What we want is to make Leganés grow and continue what Felipe and Victoria have done in the last fourteen years". |url=https://www.cdleganes.com/en/new/jeff-luhnow-what-we-want-is-to-make-leganes-grow-and-continue-what-felipe-and-victoria-have-done-in-the-last-fourteen-years |website=CD Leganés |access-date=15 July 2022 |date=23 June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Williams |first1=George |title=Jeff Luhnow, the engineer of "science and art", leads the new Leganés |url=https://sportsfinding.com/jeff-luhnow-the-engineer-of-science-and-art-leads-the-new-leganes/154740/ |website=sportsfinding |access-date=15 July 2022 |date=23 June 2022}}</ref> In 2024 the club was promoted to [[La Liga]] after winning the LaLiga Smartbank title.

==References==

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[[Category:1966 births]]

[[Category:Living people]]

[[Category:Businesspeople from Mexico City]]

[[Category:Mexican business executives]]

[[Category:American chief operating officers]]

[[Category:American management consultants]]

[[Category:Mexican people of American descent]]

[[Category:Houston Astros executives]]

[[Category:St. Louis Cardinals executives]]