What do u guys think ?

Definitely an incomplete because he's only working rebuilding at this point. So far, so good. But he has to do well when we need to move to competitive to contender to championship caliber, too.

This is very similar to asking if we had the best draft in the National League. All the moves he has made are moves for the future, and we (or he) do not have a crystal ball. We will know in a few short years if he is a wizard or a m0ron. But for now, I'm leaning toward the wizard side of the fence.

Frank Wren and Mike Rizzo are the top GMs in the NL, IMHO.

Luhnow has been doing a great job, but he hasn't been at it long enough to consider him the top GM.

Agreed. It hasn't even been 10 months.

I pretty much agree with Marshall.

Luhnow has done a great job of building the farm with limited resources, but we haven't seen how he does in other areas. This offseason will be interesting since so much money is coming off the books. He'll probably be able to get a few mid-level free agents.

I think Luhnow could become the best GM in the AL but it is interesting that you stated that he has "done a great job of rebuilding the farm with limited resources". He has had limited time but you can't argue that his resources have been limited: he spent the max allowable (+4%) on the draft and he has traded MLB players and upgraded the prospects in return by paying a portion of the MLB players' salary. If you look at our recent draft and analyse what STL did while he was there, you will see a pattern of being able to maximize the process. STL did not hit homeruns with all its extra picks but they systematically got extra picks nearly every year which they parlayed into some above average MLB players. Perfecting the system is where I think Luhnow will shine.

"and he has traded MLB players"

Certainly, but the MLB players he had to work with didn't have much trade value. It's not like we had a Pence type on the roster this season.

I think Luhnow has done a great job, but it takes time to see the results of his work.

He has decrease payroll, acquired prospects, and had a draft with the 1st overall pick. Prospects may or may not pan out and this success rate is going to determine a lot towards his 'success.'

Another test for him as a GM is going to be knowing when and how to transition from rebuilding into a contender. At some point you have to stop moving MLB talent and start holding on to it. It is impossible to field a team entirely of 25 y/o guys making the league minimum who have at least average to better MLB talent.

I agree he was constrained by the situation but in comparison to the other 30 GMs, we have probably allocated more resources to rebuilding the farm than 25 other teams in the past 10 months. IMO, he has shown great mastery of the system but it will come down to did we get the right guys. I heard Keith Law discussing that in earlier trades with Seattle and Texas that the Yankees had offered a lower-tiered prospect named Roby Cano and both teams choose other prospects. We have about 20 guys which we traded for over the last 2 years which will come into "bloom" in the nest 1.5 years. If we don't get 4-5 above average MLB players and most of them turn out to be 4th OFs, Utility IF, and Middle RP, then it really will not matter that he mastered the system.

"It is impossible to field a team entirely of 25 y/o guys making the league minimum who have at least average to better MLB talent."

This right here describes Tampa Bay and Oakland, they field competitive teams but they can not get over the hump because they can not add more payroll or they do not add the right guys to the payroll. Plus it stinks that they are in the divisions with the biggest spenders. Which we are going to be next year. I hope Crain is willing to spend some to get us over the top when the time comes."

" If we don't get 4-5 above average MLB players and most of them turn out to be 4th OFs, Utility IF, and Middle RP, then it really will not matter that he mastered the system. "

I hope you are including players acquired last year as well, 2011 before he got here. Guys like Cosart Singleton and Springer in the draft as well as the 2010 draft. As far as above average ... I am hoping for 2 or 3 in that range with 2 or 3 average MLB players (meaning starters). The verbiage could mean anything when you say above average, do you mean a Jeff Bagwell or do you mean Mark Grace? Do you mean a Bobby Abreu or a Bernie Williams? If one of the Pitchers became Mike Scott or Roy Oswalt I would be ok with that, if they became Shane Reynolds for 10 yrs I would welcome that as well.

There is a wide range in which it would be satisfactory.

"I agree he was constrained by the situation but in comparison to the other 30 GMs, we have probably allocated more resources to rebuilding the farm than 25 other teams in the past 10 months."

Absolutely, but we still didn't have much to play with at the ML level.

It's going to be interesting to see how he handles this offseason in regards to free agency, but so far he gets an "A" in my book. Best in the NL? He's making a case for it.

I think the most you can say is the best at building a farm. Given what we've seen, I'm not expecting him to do anything in the future in terms of trading for or signing veterans that will hurt him much, but it would be premature to call him the best after 9-10 months of focusing on one area and one area alone.

I think the most you can say is the best at building a farm.
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It's too early to suggest even that. The Padres, Diamondbacks, Braves, and Nationals all have great farms that have been built on good drafts and thoughtful trades. Luhnow has to get a bit of a track record -- beyond then handful of months -- before you can objectively say he is the best.

"I think the most you can say is the best at building a farm."

Not as long as Mike Arbuckle is alive and well.

Who is he with now? I didn't realize he was an NL GM, last I heard he was fired from the Royals and I can't remember hearing about him taking an NL GM job since then.

"Who is he with now? I didn't realize he was an NL GM, last I heard he was fired from the Royals and I can't remember hearing about him taking an NL GM job since then."

His name is Mike Arbuckle and no, you didn't hear he was fired by the Royals because it didn't happen. He's still there doing his thing. But you are right he isn't the GM so I will change that to Dayton Moore. The man with enough sense to keep Arbuckle.