Houston Astros to Move to the American League

[Jaypers]

Thoughts?


Astros Expected To Complete Sale, Move To AL
By Ben Nicholson-Smith [October 12, 2011 at 11:05am CST]
Astros owner Drayton McLane is expected to complete the sale of the team to Jim Crane in mid-November, according to Peter Gammons of MLB Network (on Twitter). The deal would include a move to the American League West and even MLB into two leagues of 15 teams.

The sale of the Astros is intertwined with baseball's current round of collective bargaining. MLB is likely to add a Wild Card team by 2012 or 2013 and moving the Astros to the American League would likely accelerate expanded playoffs.

McLane recently said he expects the sale to be complete within three or four weeks. Last week, MLBTR's Tim Dierkes looked ahead to Houston's offseason.

 

[scotty21690]

Even leagues make sense to me, should be interesting.

 

[nosterbor]

Bout time. should have happened when the Brewers were put in the NL!

 

[Bosox3]

about time it gets done. This rumor has been floated around for some time now.

 

[braden]

So unless there's perpetual interleague player, both leagues will have teams with a day off every day. Will make for weird series (ie. off days won't be typical Mon and Thurs)

 

[George_Calfas]

Expanded playoffs=FAIL

 

[bouwob]

Should add a lot more wins to all the other teams in the west

 

[SeattleSports]

So Rangers/Astros are now in state rivals in the same division?

 

[JEA2880]

So unless there's perpetual interleague player, both leagues will have teams with a day off every day. Will make for weird series (ie. off days won't be typical Mon and Thurs)

I would think this would be the case - they play them already, I don't see the harm in having one interleague matchup throughout the season.

 

[scotty21690]

So Rangers/Astros are now in state rivals in the same division?

Yes.

 

[sheetskout]

I'm for it.

 

[ronfromfresno]

So Rangers/Astros are now in state rivals in the same division?

Not such a strange thing, so are the Giants, Dodgers and Padres along with the A's and the Angels in the West.

 

[chompsmcgee]

Finally, the AL West gets it's fifth team. More importantly, the Mariners will no longer be at the bottom of the division!

 

[Sjrmn91]

I like the Astros joining the West but I do not like the expanded playoffs.

 

[thefasterblade]

I don't like any of this.

 

[sportscardtheory]

I love it and I'm for expanded playoffs.

 

[bowmanchromeandorr]

So Rangers/Astros are now in state rivals in the same division?

they've always played in the same state, they're just in the same division now... sorry just having fun, dont get your ******* ina bunch.

 

[James52411]

I love it and I'm for expanded playoffs.

I agree. I'd like to see the Wild Card teams in a one-game playoff with the winner to play the team with the best record. Winning your division would actually mean something and the playoffs would start each year with two incredibly intense "winner take all" games.

 

[ASTROBURN]

Awww crap... I knew this was coming. I guess now my team can participate in the lesser league. (sorry, not a fan of the DH. Been a NL fan for 3 decades.)

We wouldnt have this problem if the Brewers stayed in the AL where they belong.

But the plus side is that now I can see them play here in Seattle!

 

[RNCoyote]

Only good thing is Carlos Lee can be DH at every game.