tigereye, you need to listen to what folks are saying here. While I appreciate your viewpoint, it's bush league and immature to characterize someone else's as "BS" just because you don't share it (or perhaps don't even understand it). This is an NL town, whether that means anything to you or not.
CampbellChron Steve Campbell Brewers attendance in 1997, their last year in AL: 1.44 million for 78-83 team. Attendance in '98, first year in NL: 1.81 million for 74-88.
Unfair comparison, since baseball made a huge comeback in 1998, largely on the backs of Sammy Sosa & Mark Mcgwire who happened to share a division with the Brewers.
If you don't appreciate the NL game, and the Astros history don't get upset because other people do. The Astros have developed rivalries, played in some of the greatest games in the playoffs including the post season monster games against the Mets, Phillies, and Braves. Some of us were at one or more of those games. There have been great baseball players that played for our team. Many of us appreciate that, and like the tradition. If tradition to you is limited to uniforms, and bad trades that happened in the past, then I'm not surprised you don't care. I watch some American League games both live and on television. If there are no NL games on it's a great substitute. But it isn't the real thing. You are entitled to your opinion. Others of us can appreciate the Astros history as part of the NL.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us You obviously haven't spoken to Robert California about this yet; you may find yourself feeling differently.
I don't think the intended point is that being in the NL means bigger crowds...just that the idea that moving to the AL will mean bigger crowds is flawed. In fact, no teams draw worse collectively than AL West teams, whether on the road or at home.
have I mentioned today? this freaking SUCKS. enjoy your millions, Crane. starting off as a freaking sellout doesn't put you in very good graces with many of us.
This article makes no sense. But for them being in negotiations to purchase, there was no leverage to force the 'stros to the AL. None at all. If McLane's kids wanted to keep the team, they may be asked to move to the AL, but they certainly wouldn't be "forced" in the way this approval has been conditioned on the move. http://www.bizofbaseball.com/index....with-the-astros&catid=26:editorials&Itemid=39 Given what I’ve published prior, you might be saying, “Huh?” but I feel for Jim Crane. The man about to take over the Houston Astros may wind up with the shortest honeymoon period of any new owner in recent memory. Crane is in a no-win situation. After several attempts to land an MLB club, barring some last minute snafu, Crane will finally do so on Thurs. when MLB’s owners vote to approve the $680 million sale from Drayton McLane. The bad thing for Crane is, the sale has the added wrinkle of moving the Astros to the AL West as early as the 2013 season in the mix. Fans, incensed at the notion of the 50-year relationship with the National League is about to bid farewell have already begun booing Crane for “bowing to Selig” over the move. To be blunt, that’s unfair. Look, the Astros move to the AL is something bigger than Jim Crane. Truth me told, it’s something that not only the owners want to see, but so do the players as it balances the schedule out. Never mind that we’ll get interleague daily, the Astros would be moving to the AL whether Jim Crane, Drayton McLane, or some mystery owner behind door #2 was in the ownership position. In that, Crane can’t win. He knows that if he wants the club, he has to make the move. The only question needing to be answered is how much his investor group would be compensated. And look, at $680 million, Drayton McLane was probably right when he said there wasn’t going to be a better deal out there. The bad thing is, while $680 million is good for McLane and MLB (even if there’s a $50 million compensation element for the move to the AL, it will be the highest sale price, ever), it may be bad for the Astros. Crane has already been involved in furthering the “house cleaning” having approved of the Hunter Pence and Michael Bourn deals. That netted eight prospects, but the Astros might not be done, yet. It’s been rumored that Wandy Rodriguez could be next. In other words, the Astros could be in the same position that they were in 2011 – dead last. The move the AL will cause a major shift in how Ed Wade (or whoever is the next GM, should Crane clean house on the baseball ops side, as expected) goes after building the team for 2013 and beyond. So, give Crane some slack. He’s entering a situation that no other owner has had to deal with. Don’t cry that he “sold out” to land the Astros. Remember, the Astros were going to go the AL regardless. Give Crane some rope with extra slack. Next year at this time is when you really need to take stock in the direction that the Astros are headed. This season should be written off as “priming the pump.”
i've known this was likely to happen for a while now... and it still feels like a kick to the gut. BNightengale Bob Nightengale Jim Crane will receive about $80 million for going to AL once approved to be #Astros owner AstrosCounty Astros County So Crane ponied up for an RSN that won't have the Rockets, and will show Astros vs. AL teams. Well done. Joelsherman1 Joel Sherman Let's 1st guess that MLB letting in dubious guy because Crane has money and willingness to go to AL. #Astros
F*** Jim Crane. F*** Bud Selig. This will be worse than when Bud moved to Nashville. At least when Bud stabbed me in the back and I had to kick his team to the curb, I didn't have to see Oilers billboards around town, and I didn't see Oilers games on TV (after a couple of years). Goodbye Astros. Did I mention f*** Bud Selig and Jim Crane?
I don't like to whine about Houston sports fans getting screwed all the time, but Schaub's injury (just as we're getting excited about the playoffs) and the announcement of the move to the AL (just as we're getting excited about dumping Uncle D) make it hard to stay positive. And yes, the reason we are all on this message board, the Rockets, don't look like they'll be playing at all this year. This day sucks!
This was mentioned on another board, and I'm sure mentioned here, but it seems like the MLB likes to split up teams from the same geographical area between the two divisions. Dodgers/Angels Giant's/A's Mets/Yankees Marlins/Rays Cubs/White Sox Nats/Orioles It seems strange, then, that the Astros would go to the AL where the Rangers are. It would make more sense to send the Pirates to the AL, thus clearing the glut in the NL Central, separating the two Pennsylvania teams, and evening out the divisions. Plus, no one likes the Pirates. It's too bad you guys have to see the Astros go out like this, into that DH league.
Sorry for the double post, but it's just interesting to me (yet completely understandable) how you guys are damning Crane. For so long I wanted to see the Astros free of McLane, and like many here, I presumed that Crane was going to be your ticket out of that jam... Talk about out of the frying pan and into the fire, eh?
