The Astros outdrew 11 other MLB teams in attendance in 2011. Eight of them were AL. Of the top half (15) in attendance, nine were NL. #mythdebunked
JimBowdenESPNxm JIM BOWDEN Astros deal expected to be completed at November ownership meetings which will include move to AL according to high ranking official
http://blog.chron.com/ultimateastro...o-the-american-league-in-2013-let’s-hear-‘em/ Yes, the Astros are switching to the American League in 2013. At least that’s how it appears. MLB wants two 15-team leagues instead of 16 teams in the National League and 14 in the American League. Moving a team from the National League Central to the American League West is the simplest way to accomplish this. The Astros are the most logical team because: • Ownership is likely to change. Baseball would not order Drayton McLane to change leagues, but it may make it a prerequisite of Jim Crane’s approval. • The Astros would have a natural geographic rival in the Texas Rangers. Nolan Ryan has said he’d look forward to an Astros-Rangers rivalry. If you close your eyes and think of a season when both teams are in contention, they could have the entire state focused on baseball during a critical September series. • No other NL Central team makes as much sense as the Astros. The Cubs and Cardinals aren’t going to be separated. The Brewers do not want to give up their division rivalry with the Cubs. As for the Reds and Cubs, Cincinnati has a fairly long history in the NL, and it makes no sense to have the Pirates playing in a western division. There’s a downside. That is, the Astros will be playing an additional 10-15 road games with 9 p.m. starts. Crane apparently believes those late starts will mean fewer TV ratings, and thus make the franchise worth less. As a result, he’s attempting to squeeze some money out of MLB for the switch. I’ve gotten quite a few e-mails today complaining about the move. You wonder why Commissioner Bud Selig has it in for the Astros. He doesn’t, but I have zero chance of winning that argument. You believe the American League is inferior baseball. This is silly. I’ve lived in National League cities and American League cities. Baseball is baseball. It’s the greatest sport ever invented. I favor the move. I think a Rangers-Astros rivalry overshadows the extra late games. I also like the idea of having the Yankees or Red Sox at Minute Maid Park every season.
excellent points all the way around. i also agree with the change for those and other reasons. i am in favor because i think it can breathe a bit of life into the franchise and be a catalyst for positive change. the last 50 years has been more stale then exciting. very rare you get a chance to hit the reset button, hopefully they don't scew it up. the whining and complaining in this thread is ridiculous.
this would be a little more palatable if the diamondbacks were going to the AL west with us and the Mariners went to the NL west. having 3 out of 4 opponents in the pacific time zone is suck.
Im completely over the move to the AL, the fact that this whole process has put us behind the eight ball is what bothers me now. I want to win regardless if it means kicking the Cards/Cubs around or Rangers/Angels. I dont like not being involved in the playoffs or even a stretch run. We need STRONG leadership in place and smart people running the show. Crane knows this will make people upset but hiring the right people will fix that very quickly and getting this squad back asap.
yay!!! 18 games a year against the rangers, mariners, angels, and a's! 6 games a year against the twins, royals, white sox, blue jays, orioles, indians, rays, and tigers!!!!!!!1 no more Dodgers, Mets, Braves, Giants, Cardinals, or Cubs! I can hardly contain my excitement.
Me too. The Astros have been in the NL for 50 years, and were an NL farm team before that. Essentially Selig decided that it did not matter and he would do anything he wants without recourse. To true baseball fans it is a big deal. Lets put it this way, I am currently living in Chicago, and if they attempted to move the Cubs to the AL, it would be a huge issue. This is all about respect, and the Astros and their fans are being disrespected. I have NO respect for Selig or for the MLB power structure.
I still haven't seen any mention in the media as far as what this means to the markets like Austin, San Antonio, Corpus...basically all of Texas not in or around D/FW. Will they split up the tv market and prevent the Astros from being shown in the same markets as the Rangers...like the NBA does (can't get Rockets games in Austin unless they're on national tv or playing the Purs). And that garbage from Justice might literally be the worst thing he's ever written...and that's saying A LOT.
Why do people outside of the south believe that the Astros fans really care about playing the Rangers? I really do not care at all. ...... CANNOT wait to play the Mariners and A's all the time.... just, great.... will do wonders for our attendance as well.
Outside of the northeast, the NL generally outdraws the AL. The Rangers, when they sink back into Rangerdom, will be as interesting and relevant as they always are--"what Rangers? They have two hockey teams in Dallas now?"
