It will hurt, but I've pretty much decided that the only 2 NL franchises (excluding the 4 expansion/relocated teams that I have no interest in) I could possibly see myself trying to learn to root for are Pittsburgh and San Fran. MLB/Drayton/Selig/Crane do not care about the small percentage of hardcore Houston Astros fans - to the other whatever % it won't matter one iota. It's sickening, and I'm basically ****ing done with the whole charade. I've got HS and college ball aplenty around here, hell, I might start coaching again.
Start off by saying that I don't like the move one bit and think Selig is a DBag of the highest degree for pushing his agenda. All that said, you'd stop watching the Stros over the teams they play??? I mean, in the end, don't you root for your team and not the opposition? If they win the world series coming through the AL, it would be less of an accomplishment? Don't mean to pick on you by any means but I've seen this said by a few people and I don't get it, fight the move but why give up rooting for the team you've grown up with?
I am so pissed about possibly moving the Stros to the AL so the Rangers have a rival that I am rooting for the Cards to take the Series.
Because it won't be the same team, to me. I have zero interest in watching the Stros play an AL schedule, other things will just take precedent over MLB. I'm well aware that I'm in the minority re: this whole situation.
Each his own, like I said didn't mean to pick on you. I was just puzzled why some people would take that course of action. Curious to see if Crane pockets those 50 million or uses it on the draft and international FAgents. He could make a killing with that cash, then again, he might just decide to save it for a rainy day.
I agree, major league baseball will dead to me. The complete disregard for the fan base of Houston is disgusting.
I just want to see a winning Astros team again. Ultimately I guess I don't care which league they do that.
Pretty much...i'm pissed about Selig but i've accepted the fact we will replace the Cards and Cubs with the Angels and Rangers.
Bud Selig can't retire soon enough. Crane should bargain for MLB to pony up half of Drayton's asking price.
If you want to balance the leagues, just abort two teams, make them 28 teams, 14 per league, 7 team divisions. Or, this sounds crazy, but expand to 32...
[notthatitreallymatters]I hate the move to the AL. And with the Astros being a terrible team, there's not likely to be much watching from my end.[/notthatitreallymatters]
Sigh, Things like this make me wish the fans of Astros could pool together their money to create a "non-profit" organization to buy the Astros using shares bought the fans, a la the Green Bay Packers.
Technically he did not own the team. He sold it to his daughter. One interesting fact to know is that Selig's contract is up at the end of this year. He claim before that he would retire in 2008 only to sign a 3-yr contract that is supposed to end the last day of 2011. He is still claiming that he will retire despite strong widespread doubt. Honestly, If I'm Crane why not just wait this whole thing out. Sure by November the current deal would be dead, but a $50 million dollar "discount" does not make up for a team changing leagues. Then hope Selig does leave at the end of the year and try to get a new deal with McLane and the new commish.
I can learn to live with being in the AL. The end of my fandom comes if the move is made to the AL and then MLB decides it has to split up Texas, media wise, and leaves greater Austin with the Rangers. I am not shelling out hundreds for some cable package and I'm not going to go online every damn night to watch a game. If they pull the Astros from existence in central Texas, I'm finished with MLB all-together. They will never get another penny from me.
RJ looking even more foolish again. For how long have we been saying in this thread that the idea they needed more time to investigate Crane is ridiculous??? He was absolutely a known commodity before he even bid on the 'stros this time around. RJ's relationship with Bud Selig has him completely blinded on being able to report this story. http://blog.chron.com/ultimateastro...mpensation-to-move-astros-to-american-league/ Another industry insider contends MLB has been using past EEOC complaints and settlements involving war profiteering as “a bargaining chip” to leverage Crane into accepting a move to the AL as a pre-condition to taking over the team. Selig and the MLB Players Association have stated a desire for two 15-team leagues that will allow for the addition to two wild-card playoff teams. One of the 16 NL teams would have to change leagues for that to happen, and there have been no volunteers. With a pending sale, coming off the worst season in franchise history (56-106), the Astros would appear to be susceptible to persuasion to sever ties with the NL that go back to 1962. “It’s not like he was an unknown,” the industry insider said, noting that Crane was one of the finalists in the purchase of the Texas Rangers in 2010. “They wouldn’t have had it on the agenda if they hadn’t finished their homework. It was pulled because the (MLB) negotiators figured this is an important bargaining chip (in the pending labor negotiations), and the only way to deliver it was with Crane.” Because of that, because the Astros’ purchase agreement is $206 million above a 2011 valuation of the franchise as calculated by Forbes magazine, the insider said Crane “has the upper hand and the leverage” in negotiations with MLB. On May 16, Crane and McLane announced an agreement for a purchase amount second in MLB history to the $845 million that the Ricketts family paid for the Chicago Cubs in 2009. “MLB needs him more than he needs them,” the insider said. “The only way they can deliver the 15-15 (league configuration) and the playoff concept is by getting Crane to agree.” The New York Post reported that Crane, a cargo-shipping magnate who is making his fourth attempt to purchase a major league team, is asking for a $50 million reduction in the sale price. According to the Post report, Selig “is pushing” owners to grant the 75 percent approval required to complete the sale. The Post quotes one person saying there is a “65 to 70 percent chance” that MLB will reach a deal with Crane. “The moves are in (MLB’s) court,” a person with knowledge of the situation told the Chronicle.
