I was totally against the move, especially considering the circumstances. Selig royally screwed us. Years later, I am really enjoying it. I like not having to see the incompetence that is pitchers batting. I also come to appreciate forming new rivalries. Beating the Rangers and Yankees is nice too.
I think its much harder to manage in the AL vs the NL. Also, former AL managers like LaRusa and Maddon have pretty much said as much ("sometimes the decision to make a move is already made for you in the NL game").
Still don't give a **** about the Rangers. I'm not feeling the "rivalry" that some are so excited about. I don't need to be in some monogamous rivalry relationship. The Rangers "declaring Houston as their main rival" feels about as genuine as Texans fans b****ing about the Cowboys. I really--truly--don't care about the Rangers. They had a nifty little run and even made the big show twice, but they are what they are: irrelevant schedule fodder for the rest of the softball league they play in. Now, the Braves and Dodgers. I hate those guys. I love beating those teams; I love seeing those teams lose baseball games. That hasn't changed. The DH is still a sick joke. I still miss the Dodgers, Giants, Braves, Pirates, Mets, Cubs, Cardinals, etc. Still an Astros fan; still not going anywhere. I'm enjoying the heck out of this season so far. But count me out in terms of AL. 7 games each with the Yanks and Red Sox don't excite me nearly enough to tolerate 19 games of the A's, Rangers, Angels, and Mariners, 7 games of the Twins, Rays, White Sox, Royals, Blue Jays, Orioles... *yawn*. AL still sucks. Bud Selig still sucks.
Funny; this scorched earth screed sure reads like you care about the Rangers. Not sure someone who DOES care could bring a bigger hammer. (And, at least recently, the Rangers are NOT the Texans in this scenario. Not only have they been the better team this past decade, they've absolutely owned the Astros over that time, and specifically the past two years when they stole a division title from us in '15 and lapped us last year. It's a big reason why this rivalry has grown so heated so quickly.) I get the history - but neither the Lasorda Dodgers nor Maddux/Glavine/Smolts Braves are walking through any doors. You'd honestly trade six games against the Indians for six games against the Braves right now? Both leagues have their scrub teams - as if the Marlins, Rockies, D'Backs, Pirates, Reds, Brewers, Padres are enticing match-ups....
All good points, Ric. But I prefer the scrubs in the NL to those in the AL. And, I'll take these Braves over these Indians. Crazy, I know: but I'm a National League fan. And when I say the Rangers are irrelevant, I'm not attempting to insult. I mean, they don't matter. I think of the Rangers when we play them ("again?? *yawn*") and when I see this thread. Otherwise, pretty much never.
