Astros have a new owner and are moving west lads.

[Guest beechnut]

http://blog.chron.com/ultimateastros/2011/11/15/crane-to-receive-70-million-discount-for-astros-switch-to-american-league/

[Gabe]

I like it

[AggiesAreWe]

[quote name="Gabe" post="1121190" timestamp="1321562610"]
I like it
[/quote]

I don't like that they are moving to the AL. Will be more late night starts for them now.

Wonder why Bud Selig didn't offer to send his own team, Brewers, back to the AL where they once were?

[BrenhamFan]

Dang!  The lastros were the team I was sure would keep my Cubbies out of last place!  Oh well, I guess there's still the Pirates...  ;)

[EAGLE07]

[quote name="AggiesAreWe" post="1121194" timestamp="1321562761"]
[quote author=Gabe link=topic=91682.msg1121190#msg1121190 date=1321562610]
I like it
[/quote]

I don't like that they are moving to the AL. Will be more late night starts for them now.

Wonder why Bud Selig didn't offer to send his own team, Brewers, back to the AL where they once were?
[/quote]

No doubt.....seems like the logical choice.

[westend1]

Good move.  I think a real rivalry will develop with the Rangers.  Should put some people in the seats.

[the sports guy]

Houston, Texas, Los Angeles, Seattle and Oakland

Going to be a battle.

[walldrill]

Still not excited abou this move. Like the NL brand of baseball better. Hoping having an interleague game every night of the season will kill the DH. The Dh will only cause the Astros to have to spend a little more money for that position, but who knows maybe Berkman can come back in a few years when the team gets a little more competitve again. Also hate losing the history that the Stros made in the NL.

[Guest UHCoog14]

Name your DH.

Carlos Lee?

[king]

Yeah and most games will b starting @ 9:00pm because of west coast time

[PhatMack19]

[quote name="king" post="1121319" timestamp="1321572757"]
Yeah and most games will b starting @ 9:00pm because of west coast time
[/quote]

Yeah that part sucks, but on the bright side at least we won't finish 6th in the division anymore.  ;D

[coachdaddy]

[quote name="AggiesAreWe" post="1121194" timestamp="1321562761"]
[quote author=Gabe link=topic=91682.msg1121190#msg1121190 date=1321562610]
I like it
[/quote]

I don't like that they are moving to the AL. Will be more late night starts for them now.

Wonder why Bud Selig didn't offer to send his own team, Brewers, back to the AL where they once were?
[/quote]

thats what i was thinking. what year exactly did they move from the AL? and was that when it went from 2 to 3 divisions?

[coachdaddy]

And an added wild card? I dont know how to take this, maybe with the stipulation " No yankees or red sox in the 2nd wild card spot" hehehe

[AJ25]

[quote name="AggiesAreWe" post="1121194" timestamp="1321562761"]
[quote author=Gabe link=topic=91682.msg1121190#msg1121190 date=1321562610]
I like it
[/quote]

I don't like that they are moving to the AL. Will be more late night starts for them now.

Wonder why Bud Selig didn't offer to send his own team, Brewers, back to the AL where they once were?
[/quote]

It's simple. This was too easy for him. He has his team, the Brewers, who are excelling in that division... He doesn't want to move them. He has the Astros, bottom-feeders, who are trying to change owners. For a team to be bought by a new owner, every other owner along with the commish have to approve of the purchase. So, knowing this, Selig says, "If you want to buy this team bad enough, you have to move to the AL." Again, too easy. That's why they didn't approve of this purchase 3 months ago, because it took convincing. So, why move his team when he can low ball another to do it for him?

[Guest beechnut]

Selig and David Stern are SCUM.

[Ty Cobb]

Not very happy with the move.  Most of you know that I'm a RANGERS fan and that I have no ties to the astros, but with both TEXAS teams in the same division there can never be an all TEXAS World Series. 

Why didn't baseball move the mets, or the dodgers?  Why did it have to be the astros?

Now on the bright side, the astros are terrible and will be for a few more years.  That means more wins for the RANGERS!!!  ;D

[2throwrundown]

this is a really crappy move for the stros and their fans. New ownership crumbled, not a very good start for the man. 

[Guest beechnut]

I have mixed feelings but it is what it is but the good news is that new owner and one more year of carols.  :o

[AJ25]

Guys, they weren't gonna let him own the team if he didn't agree to it. It's pretty simple why it happened lol. We don't have to like it, but in the end we may love Crane. After all, Uncle Drayton is the one who raised tickets and concessions prices, cut the team payroll in half, and sent the Astros into their demise. Who's mad about him being gone? If moving to the AL is what it will take for them to be good again, lets do it.

[shovel]

[quote name="AJ25" post="1122089" timestamp="1321646282"]
Guys, they weren't gonna let him own the team if he didn't agree to it. It's pretty simple why it happened lol. We don't have to like it, but in the end we may love Crane. After all, Uncle Drayton is the one who raised tickets and concessions prices, cut the team payroll in half, and sent the Astros into their demise. Who's mad about him being gone? If moving to the AL is what it will take for them to be good again, lets do it.
[/quote]
Good post AJ.

Bud Selig is the devil.

I guess we have to take the good with the bad. I'm not happy about the move to the AL. I'm not happy that McLane gutted payroll and made the Astros a minor league caliber team. I'm not happy that most of the division road games will be at 9:00 pm.
I'm happy that McLane is gone. My self-imposed boycott of the Houston ballpark is over. I'm anxious to see whay Jim Crane does for the fans and team. I dont expect a winning program for a while, but I do expect some positive changes. Time will tell.

[walldrill]

[quote name="GCMPats" post="1121306" timestamp="1321571703"]
Name your DH.

Carlos Lee?
[/quote]

Think this is the last year we have to watch that trash.

[jeremy341]

I hate it; it was extortion.  First Selig questioned the potentila ownership of Jim Crain and didn't want to approve him due to his questionable business practices.  Several months later, and at the time that the new CBA was to be finalized, Selig changed his mind and approved Crain but only if he agreed to the move.  Then they had to pay Crain $70 million to move.  I can't stand DH baseball but regardless, they way this was handled was purely underhanded and sneaky.

Additionally, there is a reason why no other NL team would move to the AL, because AL teams cost more to operate due to the average $8 million DH.

I would like to know only one thing.  If the Cubs or Cardinals had been up for sale, instead of the Astros, would MLB even attempt to move one of these teams to the AL.  Hell NO.

[AJ25]

[quote name="jeremy341" post="1123118" timestamp="1321677196"]
I hate it; it was extortion.  First Selig questioned the potentila ownership of Jim Crain and didn't want to approve him due to his questionable business practices.  Several months later, and at the time that the new CBA was to be finalized, Selig changed his mind and approved Crain but only if he agreed to the move.  Then they had to pay Crain $70 million to move.  I can't stand DH baseball but regardless, they way this was handled was purely underhanded and sneaky.

Additionally, there is a reason why no other NL team would move to the AL, because AL teams cost more to operate due to the average $8 million DH.

I would like to know only one thing.  If the Cubs or Cardinals had been up for sale, instead of the Astros, would MLB even attempt to move one of these teams to the AL.  Hell NO.
[/quote]

What do both of those teams have that Houston isn't close to having?

[Guest UHCoog14]

GM Ed Wade and President Tal Smith were fired on Sunday.