Wings GM wants to bring out fans FROM PAGE 1P have accepted a job with the Albuquerque Dukes of the Pacific Coast League. Lunetta has a one-year agreement Red Wings President Fred Strauss said his salary is between the $34,000 paid Goughan and $40,000, plus use of an automobile. Lunetta said he still lived in Cincinnati and would begin his duties as soon as he moved. He said he wanted to spend the next few days looking for a place to live before returning to Cincinnati to prepare for his new job. "He just jumped right out at us," said Elliot Curwin, who headed a search committee that screened nearly 40 applications and conducted 10 interviews. "We like his background," Strauss said. "It fit the model we had developed on paper." "Lunetta, a 1980 graduate of Brockport State, had worked as general manager of the Jamestown Expos, director of operations for the Buffalo Bisons and been traveling secretary for the Montreal Expos and Cincinnati Reds. "I have had a longing interest to become a Triple-A general manager,". Lunetta said. "While I do want to continuing pursuing a career in baseball, I felt that this was going to be a good opportunity to broaden my baseball background, broaden my horizons and my knowledge of the game." He said he left the Reds after last season because of a "difference in philosophy with ownership." Lunetta comes to the Red Wings with a reputation of being thorough, hard working and diligent Orioles General Manger Roland Hemond knew him from their days in the White Sox organization, when Hemond was the Chicago general manager and Lunetta worked in the Bisons front office. "Anything he was involved in, he was efficient and enthusiastic," said Hemond, who added that the Red Wings sought his opinion about their selection. "I was in a position to compliment him highly. He showed me with his efficiency and his love of the game, he has all the attributes to be a fine general manager for the Rochester Red Wings." Montreal Expos General Man- -ager Dave Dombrowski told Lunetta about the Red Wings opening for a general manager. "He has got a feeling for what is needed to put together a successful operation," Dombrowski said. "He's not afraid to get his hands dirty." Strauss said the Red Wings wanted the new general manager to improve relations with the fans. "It's hard to satisfy everyone, but somewhere we have to satisfy more people than we have in the DAN LUNETTA Aga: 34. Born May 15, 1955. , Single. Homstown: Jamestown, N.Y. Education; Graduated . -Jamestown Community t College in 1978; graduated Brockport State in 1980 ' with a bachelor's in sports administration. Baseball experience: 1979 Groundskeeper at College Stadium home of the Jamestown Expos of the New York-Perm League; 1980 Assistant General Manager, Jamestown Expos; 1981 General Manager, Jamestown Expos and assistant spring-training coordinator for the Montreal Expos; 1984 Director of baseball operations, Buffalo Bisons; 1985 Traveling secretary, Montreal Expos; 1989 Traveling secretary, Cincinnati Reds. The Red Wings attracted 284,000 last season to Silver Stadium for a second-place team. The club bases its budget on drawing 285,000, but would like to see 300,000 in the stands. The club posted losses for the last two fiscal years. Lunetta's first obligation seemed to be to the fans. In them, he saw a way for the Red Wings to improve their financial situation: "We've examined it in brief detail. Obviously the bottom line to any success of a minor-league operation is the fans that you bring into the ballpark. There really isn't a reason why we can't increase attendance here." Lunetta has been around enough to know that the Red Wings success on the field depends on what the Baltimore Orioles supply. . "Baseball is the reason we're , tonight on J. , c a II 9 here," Lunetta said. "If you'll have a competitive club from year to year, that's hard to tell. You can't always rely on the baseball element to sell tickets." The Red Wings success at the gate depends on the team, as well as what the front office can do to excite the fans. "Baseball is important, don't get me wrong," he said. "At the minor-league level, I don't believe you can just open the gates and expect people to come into the ballpark. You have to create a want for them. That's where promotions come in ... As an overall philosophy, it's important to create an overall fun atmosphere. Not a circus atmosphere. When a fan leaves, whether the team won or lost, he or she wants to come again." Lunetta also commented on: Asking for players from the Baltimore Orioles: "My experience at the major-league level has provided me a sensitivity to what the minor-league situation is. If I see an area of the ballclub, where there's someone at Double-A, or there might be a player available to go out and sign, I think it's part of the (minor- league) general manager's job to approach the manager or farm director and suggest what possibilities there may be." His relationship with the Red Wings players and Manager Greg Biagini: "I've been pleased that at all levels of baseball, I've always maintained a good relationship with uniformed people. We're all part of this. We all need to work together." On the front office staff that he inherits: "What is in place right now is a result of their efforts. I'm trying to understand how things have been operating. I'm not coming in here with the intent of making any changes. Even though Pat Brown carries the title of director of operations, he is the assistant (GM) in that sense. It should be understood his role is vitally important to the Red Wings, as is that of the rest of the staff members." cab USA Network CHANNEL 30 presents THE CHINA LAKE MURDERS A serial killer poses as a Los Angeles City policeman to terrorize the desert community of China Lake every summer and then becomes a major player in the investigation. WEDNESDAY AT 9PM GRC 8 7 6 3 0 0