I hate the idea of adding another round of WC , this would push the WS all that much further into November.
Astros to the AL?!?
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I hate the idea of adding another round of WC , this would push the WS all that much further into November.
Is moving to the AL worth the discount??
Probably not to the fans:
Report -- Approval of Houston Astros sale conditional on move to American League - ESPN
Well, there is no rivalry with Texas. When the schedule comes out every year, no one circles the games against Texas. It's just like the other interleague games, meaningless series in the middle of the regular season. I will freely admit that I was wrong about the wild card. I was right about interleague play, however. It, and Bud Selig, should fade away in the night and never be seen again.
Everyone I've talked to would be fine going back to the NL West. As a child, my most hated team in baseball was the Dodgers. For that matter, I loved watching night games at Candlestick. Crazy things would happen just about any night. I understand that moving back to the NL West would reduce ad rates on the future Comcast Houston, but it wouldn't bother me as a fan.
Ultimate Astros » Local attorney says Astros’ move to AL violates lease agreement
There's a new hero in Houston, and he's a lawyer!
Seeing the word 'currently' used makes me think that the lease is simply listing the status of the team at the time the agreement was reached. The number of game dates and other revenue-related parameters would be seen as potential deal-breakers, but not which league in MLB the team plays for...
It's done ...
Ultimate Astros » Jim Crane officially approved as Astros’ new owner; Astros moving to AL
1962-2012
Ultimate Astros » Jim Crane officially approved as Astros’ new owner; Astros moving to AL
RIP Astros
1962-2012
We have liftoff: Astros officially on way to AL in 2013
By 'Duk
It's official: After a 2012 season that will be their 51st as a member of the National League, the Houston Astros will symbolically pack up and join the American League in 2013. The long-rumored move was announced by commissioner Bud Selig in Milwaukee on Thursday as the owners unanimously approved the sale of the Astros to Jim Crane.
In exchange for agreeing to switch circuits, Crane (below) will receive a break of about $70 million — half from MLB and half from previous owner Drayton McLane — from his $680 million purchase price. Not a bad coupon if you can get it.
This is obviously big news. It's the first case of a team switching leagues since the Milwaukee Brewers jumped to the NL in 1998 and it's going to leave a big impact. For the first time since 1997, both leagues will contain the same amount of teams — 15 — a distribution that will require interleague play throughout the entire season. The six-team NL Central and equally ridiculous four-team AL West will be no more; the Astros' Texas two-step into the Rangers' division will leave five teams across each of the six divisions.
Unlike the Brewers' move into the Milwaukee Braves' old league, Houston has no history as an American League city. So there is likely to be plenty of opposition from the fan base, criticism that has been loudly voiced by former Astro Lance Berkman(notes). They'll have to get used to a lot of things — from shopping for a DH to getting used to more late start times against the Angels, A's and Mariners — and any and all complaining can be directed toward McLane. His decision to make a nice profit on his $117 million purchase of the team in 1992 made the team most vulnerable to a change. It was a lot easier to push around an owner (Crane) wanting in on the exclusive club than convincing one of the comfortably ensconced ownership groups (Milwaukee and Arizona would have made sense) to move.
For baseball fans without a Wandy in the race, it'll take some time to get used to the idea of interleague play from the beginning to the end of the season. Ditto for a second wild-card team that would lead to a one-game playoff round, an imminent move that Selig also announced on Thursday.
But it'll also be interesting to see how the NL clubs stock their rosters for that schedule dynamic. Something tells me that we'll be seeing more guys like Jason Giambi(notes) and Jim Thome(notes) finding homes on National League rosters.
By 'Duk
It's official: After a 2012 season that will be their 51st as a member of the National League, the Houston Astros will symbolically pack up and join the American League in 2013. The long-rumored move was announced by commissioner Bud Selig in Milwaukee on Thursday as the owners unanimously approved the sale of the Astros to Jim Crane.
In exchange for agreeing to switch circuits, Crane (below) will receive a break of about $70 million — half from MLB and half from previous owner Drayton McLane — from his $680 million purchase price. Not a bad coupon if you can get it.
This is obviously big news. It's the first case of a team switching leagues since the Milwaukee Brewers jumped to the NL in 1998 and it's going to leave a big impact. For the first time since 1997, both leagues will contain the same amount of teams — 15 — a distribution that will require interleague play throughout the entire season. The six-team NL Central and equally ridiculous four-team AL West will be no more; the Astros' Texas two-step into the Rangers' division will leave five teams across each of the six divisions.
Unlike the Brewers' move into the Milwaukee Braves' old league, Houston has no history as an American League city. So there is likely to be plenty of opposition from the fan base, criticism that has been loudly voiced by former Astro Lance Berkman(notes). They'll have to get used to a lot of things — from shopping for a DH to getting used to more late start times against the Angels, A's and Mariners — and any and all complaining can be directed toward McLane. His decision to make a nice profit on his $117 million purchase of the team in 1992 made the team most vulnerable to a change. It was a lot easier to push around an owner (Crane) wanting in on the exclusive club than convincing one of the comfortably ensconced ownership groups (Milwaukee and Arizona would have made sense) to move.
For baseball fans without a Wandy in the race, it'll take some time to get used to the idea of interleague play from the beginning to the end of the season. Ditto for a second wild-card team that would lead to a one-game playoff round, an imminent move that Selig also announced on Thursday.
But it'll also be interesting to see how the NL clubs stock their rosters for that schedule dynamic. Something tells me that we'll be seeing more guys like Jason Giambi(notes) and Jim Thome(notes) finding homes on National League rosters.
I am getting more and more angry as I think about this. The people of Harris County, through the Houston Sports Authority paid for Minute Maid Park. The Sports Authority leases the stadium to the Astros. Shouldn't the people of Harris County (and I am not one of them) have a say in this? I've seen only one online survey on the move to the AL. 76% of respondents opposed the move with 35% stating that they were done with the Astros if it happened.
My only hope is that the SA threatens to refuse to allow the Astros to use MMP. A few posts up I posted a story about a local attorney who is claiming that the lease stipulates that the tenant must be in the National League. I don't think that he could win in any court, but I am hoping that he could raise enough of a stink to make this a national story and force that b@stard Selig to back down. There are a lot of people in Houston who just found out today that all of this was going on.
My only hope is that the SA threatens to refuse to allow the Astros to use MMP. A few posts up I posted a story about a local attorney who is claiming that the lease stipulates that the tenant must be in the National League. I don't think that he could win in any court, but I am hoping that he could raise enough of a stink to make this a national story and force that b@stard Selig to back down. There are a lot of people in Houston who just found out today that all of this was going on.
I am more concerned with the stupid idea of making 2 conferences of 15 teams and playing Interleague play every night.
Is this a done deal ?
Nice that Selig can make all these changes and then walk away in a year.
I also agree with those saying that Milwaukee should be the one to come back.
Is this a done deal ?
Nice that Selig can make all these changes and then walk away in a year.
I also agree with those saying that Milwaukee should be the one to come back.
Did you see my earlier response, post #67?? Probably not, because you haven't commented on it....
I had missed it. I am just outraged at this. All of my life, I have considered myself a National League guy. I've rooted for them in World Series and All-Star games. If not for a childhood spent collecting baseball cards, I would probably be unable to name all of the American League teams. They are the other league that I don't pay attention to.
they keep saying that because Milwaukee was originally a NL team (the Braves) thats their "reason" why Milwaukee wont go back to AL
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