The most interesting note (to me, anyway) coming out of the McCullers press conference was the info on the relationship between Luhnow and Scott Boras.
Luhnow's history with Borashelped make the signing happen:
"The great thing is that we had a history with Jeff when he worked for the Cardinals and the development of players. There was a real understanding of metrics and the coaching staff and the personnel needed to do that...we were very comfortable with the design and the plans that Jeff and the Astros staff have put in place for Lance."
While I think most of us would be happier to scrape Boras off our shoe than to shake his hand, it's a smart approach from Luhnow. Boras routinely represents the best players in baseball, so treating him like he has been cast out of the village and must weep outside the Dung-Gate, is in essence philosophizing your way out of negotiations with those players. By embracing Boras, it opened the door to signing not only McCullers, but it opens the door to future negotiations and drafts.
McCullers will report to Kissimmee on Wednesday, and could end 2012 with Greeneville.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
