DALLAS -- Bill Wood, an 11-year veteran of the Houston Astros organization, Monday was named general manager.
Wood had been acting general manager since Dick Wagner resigned Oct. 14. He was an assistant to Wagner since 1985.
'We're tremendously excited for the opportunity,' Wood said at a news conference. 'This is something every baseball man dreams of. It's been in the making for me for 18 years.'
The Astros hope the appointment puts an end to a troubled year of fricton between the front office and Manager Hal Lanier.
Board Chairmain John McMullen obliquely acknowledged Wagner's inability to get along with Lanier when he noted the manager was 'very instrumental in the selection.'
Lanier felt Wagner was not aggressive enough in helping Houston in its drive to repeat as National League West champion.
The Astros began slowly then made a bid before faltering in late August and early September. San Francisco won the division behind the late-season acquisitions of Al Rosen, who was named Executive of the Year. The Astros finished in third place with a 76-86 record.
Wood, 46, spent his first nine seasons with the Astros in minor-league operations, serving as assistant director of minor leagues and scouting then directing minor-league operations beginning in 1979. He was named assistant to Rosen in 1985 and continued under Wagner when Rosen left to join San Francisco.
Wood said he was not bothered by the nearly two-month wait while Houston searched for other general manager candidates.
'I figured if I didn't get the job this time, then another opportunity would present itself,' he said. 'It was not my decision making process. It was Dr. McMullen's.
'He had his own timetable, his own list of people he wanted to talk to. I had enough to do as acting general manager.'
Said McMullen: 'We made an extensive search and after conducting a number of interviews we decided that not only was Bill Wood well qualified, but that his loyalty and devotion to the organization should be rewarded by showing similar loyalty to him.'
Wood began in baseball as assistant general manager for the Los Angeles' Dodgers' Albuquerque farm club in 1969. He later served as general manager at Daytona Beach and El Paso when both were in the Dodgers' system.
'It will be a challenge for us to get back on top,' Wood said. 'But we're confident we can do it.'
