Houston to the AL?

Edwards Kings · Post by **Edwards Kings** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 4:02 am

I just saw the following report:

"Peter Gammons of MLB Network and NESN reports that the sale of the Astros is expected to go through in mid-November, complete with a move to the American League. Drayton McLane agreed to sell the team in May to a group led by Jim Crane for $680 million — the second-highest sale price in major league history. Crane met with commissioner Bud Selig last week and the deal must still be approved by MLB owners. The Houston franchise has played in the National League for all 50 years of their existence, but would move to the American League in order to give each league 15 teams."

Is Houston going to move to the AL? How do you have a full slate of games in each league with odd numbers in each unless there is interleague play all 26 weeks of the season? Or am I having a senior moment?

DOUGHBOYS · Post by **DOUGHBOYS** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 4:13 am

MLB has never liked the unbalanced leagues. Neither have the players. The owners in the NL Central make a good point in stating it is tougher to make the playoffs in a six team division than the four that are in the A.L. West.

This change has been rumored for over a year and with Houston ownership changing and the new contract up, it was thought to be the perfect time to implement it.

Scheduling is a minor problem. There may not be blocks of interleague games as before. Or they could keep the blocks while having two teams always playing interleague.

It should be interesting to see how it is handled. Houston would go to the A.L. West to presumably set up a Rangers-Astro's rivalry.

Edwards Kings · Post by **Edwards Kings** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 4:19 am

Originally posted by DOUGHBOYS:

Scheduling is a minor problem. There may not be blocks of interleague games as before. Or they could keep the blocks while having two teams always playing interleague. If you say so. I see a scheduling mess of epic proportions.

I agree, however, that the NL Central has been screwed for years especially when compared to the AL West.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 4:28 am

Originally posted by Edwards Kings:

quote:Originally posted by DOUGHBOYS:

Scheduling is a minor problem. There may not be blocks of interleague games as before. Or they could keep the blocks while having two teams always playing interleague. If you say so. I see a scheduling mess of epic proportions.

I agree, however, that the NL Central has been screwed for years especially when compared to the AL West. [/QUOTE]Are you kidding me? The NL Central WANTS six teams as long as one of them is Houston!!

Damn, the Brewers won the NL Central because of how they played against Houston and Pittsburgh. Six teams in that division HELPED them win their first divisional title since 1982!!

MLB wants three divisions of five teams each. They had their accountants do that math and then went out to celebrate that evening. Unfortunately, they didn't include the scheduling committee, which is now left to clean up the mess with interleague games every day of the season. Talk about killing that golden goose. Sheeesh.

I agree Wayne, this new format makes sense on an AL-NL basis, but every day of inter-league play leads one to believe that the future of baseball is like the NFL where eventually you play x amount of games from both leagues each season. This is the first step toward more AL-NL games each season rather than selected weekends of interleague play. Get ready for it.

DOUGHBOYS · Post by **DOUGHBOYS** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 4:34 am

You're right, Greg.

The scheduling will ultimately result in NFL like schedules where playing against a team from the other league will become common.

Sad really. But it is the way of sports. Logistics and economics come before tradition.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 4:40 am

Originally posted by DOUGHBOYS:

You're right, Greg.

The scheduling will ultimately result in NFL like schedules where playing against a team from the other league will become common.

Sad really. But it is the way of sports. Logistics and economics come before tradition. Next move: Bud says it's time to expand to two more cities so that we can have four divisions of four teams each and 16 teams in each league, just like the NFL. Buffalo and Indy get ready!!

DOUGHBOYS · Post by **DOUGHBOYS** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 4:58 am

Here is the beef I have with this concept down the road.

I have always been intrigued by the differences in each league both from a statistical point of view and from the techniques that Managers use because of the differences in leagues.

Down the road, there will not be an A.L. MVP or a N.L. Cy Young winner. It'll just be an MVP and Cy Young.

I'd miss that.

Also down the road, whether to keep the dh in baseball or get rid of it will have to be addressed.

Scheduling so many games between leagues will make it more of an irritation than separation of leagues.

Many, many traditions will be down the drain and this move of Houston to the American League will be the genesis.

[ October 12, 2011, 10:59 AM: Message edited by: DOUGHBOYS ]

Winston's Empire · Post by **Winston's Empire** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 6:00 am

These are all valid questions and concerns for baseball, but I think we can all agree on one thing for sure...The old Astro uniforms need to make a perminant comback in Houston!

duesman24 · Post by **duesman24** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 6:05 am

Hey guys

Traditions are great but id luv to see leagues even out 15 teams each. MLB did a great job starting & ending season on a wednesday this yr. Hope they try 1 game playoff & add a wildcard team each league. I also wish they would play 154 game schedule again.

Im happy with mlb has done overall last 8 yrs.

ToddZ · Post by **ToddZ** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 6:13 am

Originally, the plan was for the wild cards to be a stop-gap until MLB expanded into 8 divisions with 4 teams, this was after it was obvious contraction to 28 teams (4 divisions, 7 teams) was not an option.

My suspicion is the tanked economy put an unexpected damper on those plans -- my guess is they figured they would have expanded by now.

At some point, when, who knows, but at some point, adding two teams will make sense as Greg alluded, though likely part tongue-in-cheek. Let's just hope it is not too late, as Doughboys suggests.

That said, I think Portland would be a better destination than Buffalo -- Buffalo would take too many from Toronto while I think Portland can support a team without taking away from Seattle, while helping to ease the travel burden of Seattle a bit. When your shortest road trip is Oakland -- ouch.

NorCalAtlFan · Post by **NorCalAtlFan** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 6:42 am

Prince to the Cubs would be priceless. Just another 100+ million investment the Cubs will regret 2-3 years down the line.

It's moves like that that make the Cubs, the Cubs.

There isn't enough on that roster to make them competitive in 2012, with or without Fielder.

Let Theo come in, clear out those bloated contracts within a years time and go from there.

oops, wrong threat, but same sentiment:)

let Bud continue to erode the game.

[ October 12, 2011, 12:44 PM: Message edited by: NorCalAtlFan ]

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 7:43 am

There are conflicting reports on this now, but there sure is a lot at stake with this move. Will it actually happen in 2012?? Wow, that would be quick, don't you think? But some sources are already knocking down Gammons' report:

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/sports/ ... can-league

http://www.nbcdfw.com/blogs/red-fever/A ... 08998.html

Here's a more in-depth look at the situation:

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ycn-8658319

C'mon, us fantasy players need to know what is going on. If there are more interleague games this year than past seasons, that affects which starting pitchers we draft (not as many NL than AL as past seasons). It affects David Ortiz's status and other DHs. Knowing where Houston plays helps determine more wins for our opposing pitchers.

Let's resolve this and help us begin fantasy drafts.

Edwards Kings · Post by **Edwards Kings** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 8:56 am

Originally posted by DOUGHBOYS:

Also down the road, whether to keep the dh in baseball or get rid of it will have to be addressed. Man, I hadn't even thought of that. Not the getting rid of the Desecrated Hitter, but who will DH in Houston. No slam to my friends who are still fans of the Astros, but they cannot find eight guys who can hit, not to mention nine! :rolleyes:

Navel Lint · Post by **Navel Lint** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:02 am

The 2012 schedule has already been created. I would assume a move to the AL for Houston would not take place until the 2013 season.

TOXIC ASSETS · Post by **TOXIC ASSETS** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:42 pm

Seems to me that 15 teams in each league makes sense. I'd also love to see them cut back to 28 (or LESS) teams but the players union will have something to say about that. While we're at it, let's also cut back to 154 games so that the World Series can end a little earlier.