Astros Add Four To Baseball Staff

HOUSTON, TX — Houston Astros General Manager Jeff Luhnow announced four new additions to the organization on Wednesday.

Joe Pettini has been named bench coach for the Astros Major League club, Matt Sinatro will serve as the Major League catching and advance scouting coordinator, Dan Radison has been named Special Assistant to the General Manager/Player Development and Mike Elias has been named Special Assistant to the General Manager/Scouting.

Pettini takes over as Astros bench coach after serving the last 10 seasons (2002-11) in the same role with the St. Louis Cardinals under manager Tony La Russa. Pettini, a former Major League player and minor league manager, was a part of seven Cardinals playoff clubs, including three NL Championship teams and two World Series Champions (2006 & 2011).

“Joe has been a critical part of the success in St. Louis for the past 10 years as the bench coach and prior to that as a minor league manager and field coordinator,” Luhnow said. “His experience will help us immediately.”

Pettini replaces Al Pedrique, who has chosen to pursue other opportunities in baseball. Pedrique had spent nine seasons in the Astros organization as a minor league manager, field coordinator, special assistant and Major League coach. “We thank Al for his contributions to the Astros organization and wish him the very best in the future,’” Luhnow said.

Sinatro is a former Major League catcher who was recently a coach for four seasons (2007-10) on the Chicago Cubs Major League staff. He was the Cubs first-base coach from 2007-09 before being named a special assistant to manager Lou Piniella in 2010. Sinatro, who also served as the Cubs Major League catching instructor, also spent 11 seasons in the Majors as a bullpen coach, all under Piniella, first in Seattle (1995-2002) and then with Tampa Bay (2003-05).

“Matt has three decades of baseball experience and will improve our advance scouting efforts with his vast experience,” Luhnow said. 

Radison, who served as first-base coach for the Washington Nationals the last two seasons (2010-11), has close to 30 years of experience in professional baseball. Prior to joining the Nationals, he was the Cardinals minor league hitting coordinator for three seasons (2007-09). He was also a first and third-base coach for the Cubs from 1995-99 and a first-base coach for the Padres from 1993-94. Radison has 12 years of experience as a minor league manager, compiling a combined 622-552 (.530) record with three division titles and a league championship. He also played three seasons in the Cardinals farm system (1972-74) after being selected in the 10th round of the 1972 June Draft.

“Dan has decades of baseball experience as a manager, coach and scout across all levels with multiple organizations,” Luhnow said. “He understands what it takes to find and develop Major League players.”

Elias, 29, had worked in scouting for the St. Louis Cardinals for the past five seasons under Luhnow, first as an area scout before being promoted to manager of amateur scouting with crosschecking responsibilities in September of 2010. He has scouted domestically and internationally and at both the amateur and professional levels. Elias, a four-year letterwinner as a left-handed pitcher at Yale University, signed four players currently on Baseball America’s Top 30 Prospect list for the Cardinals.

“Mike is an up-and-coming baseball executive with playing and scouting experience,” Luhnow said. “He has demonstrated an eye for talent.”