So much for a smooth transition for the Houston Astros from the National League to the American League.
Even though the move won’t theoretically take place until 2013, it took all of one day for other teams around the league to take issue with MLB’s approval of the shift.
The charge was led by Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim president John Carpino, who attended baseball’s annual owner’s meeting on behalf of Angels owner Arte Moreno. Carpino didn’t hold back his displeasure with the plan to have the Astros move from the NL Central to the AL West.
“If you’re going to look at realignment, then why don’t we really look at it?” Carpino said. “Let’s look at natural rivalries and what makes geographical sense. Does throwing the Astros in the AL West solve the real issues except making two 15-team leagues?” Read more...(389 words, estimated 1:33 mins reading time)
Disclaimer to all baseball purists: avert your eyes, major changes are coming to Major League Baseball.
Yes, after one of the most exciting MLB postseasons in recent memory, the landscape of the majors will change dramatically over the next two seasons: the Houston Astros are headed to the American League, interleague play will be extended to September and two more teams will be added to the playoffs.
The most startling change is the Astros changing leagues. The move to go from the NL Central to the AL West will take place in the 2013 season, this after the sale of the Astros from Drayton McLane to Jim Crane was approved. The Astros have been part of the NL since joining the majors in 1962. The transition will create less travel for Houston and it could one day lead to a potential rivalry with the Texas Rangers. Read more...(389 words, 2 images, estimated 1:33 mins reading time)
It looks like the Houston Astros are moving ever closer to the American League. Negotiations continue as MLB seems to really want this to happen and sooner rather than later.
MLB is now discussing possible compensation for Astros owner Jim Crane if the move to the AL is completed. Jim Crane reached an agreement in May to buy the Astros from Drayton McLane for $680 million. From sources close to the negotiations, it is said that MLB has offered Crane $50 million to move the team to the American League. There are those who think that this compensation may come in a reduction of the sale price of the team, but those selling the Astros have denied that any reduction in price is in play. The only other place the money could come from would be an outright payment from MLB itself. Read more...(410 words, 1 image, estimated 1:38 mins reading time)
Currently sitting at 33 games under .500 and 19 1/2 games back of the National League Central leading Milwaukee Brewers, the Houston Astros are the epitome of the wold “seller.”
The team is also the unfortunate owner of the worst record in the majors (31-64), and it would appear that they are well on their way to making it six straight seasons in which they have failed to qualify for the postseason.
Those are grounds for demolishing the current roster and building a new one from scratch. And as much as it may pain Astros fans to hear, the demolition has to begin with the trading of Hunter Pence. Read more...(341 words, 2 images, estimated 1:22 mins reading time)
I normally don’t condone inebriated fans stumbling around professional baseball fields during games, but this was awesome. Far from being lost in a drunken stupor, this guy had the wherewithal to throw a kill deke move on the first security guard, scale the the outfield wall, climb up into the grassy terrain behind center, then hop another wall before exiting Minute Maid Park.
Unfortunately for our nameless hero, he was eventually caught and arrested outside of the stadium.
The Astros have made little to no moves this off season. In fact, they have made only one real noteworthy pick up in Ryan Rowland Smith being added to their bullpen. Geoff Blum was let go and outside of that everything else was minor league action of some sort. The Astros didn’t make any moves that will help them move up in the baseball standings this coming season. Read more...(401 words, 1 image, estimated 1:36 mins reading time)
The dust has settled today as Roy Oswalt finally decided to quit dragging out his rendition of LeBron James’ “Decision” and waive his no-trade clause in order to be dealt to Philadelphia. Who could have seen that coming? Without question, it’s the most surprising trade of 2010. Yeah, thanks for telling us what we already new was a foregone conclusion, Roy. Houston’s former ace is being shipped to the city of brotherly love for left-handed starter J.A. Happ and two prospects, outfielder Anthony Gose and shortstop Jonathan Villar.
“The hardest part about it is cleaning out my locker. I’ve been in the same place for 10 years and having to say goodbye and clean out the locker is the toughest part,” Oswalt said. Read more...(333 words, 2 images, estimated 1:20 mins reading time)
The faithful Phillies fans in Philadelphia (try saying that five times fast) are still holding their breath, waiting to see if ace Roy Oswalt will relinquish his demand that he be guaranteed his $16 million option in 2012. But with Osawlt now holding the entire city of Philadelphia at gunpoint, the brazen Phillies are balking at his request. The Phills were already interested in finding another pitcher before the possibility of landing Oswalt came up, and now that the seed of having Halladay and Oswalt as a one-two punch has been planted in the minds of Philadelphia fans, the whole city is waiting for the trade to be made. Read more...(273 words, 2 images, estimated 1:06 mins reading time)
Jeff Bagwell is making his return to professional baseball and the Houston Astros––sort of. Bagwell has just recently been named the new hitting coach for the slumping Astros after the team fired hitting coach Sean Berry on Sunday. In all fairness to Berry, there was little that he could do with the struggling Astors lineup. Entering today’s action, they have the second worst batting average in the majors (.237), the worst on-base percentage (.295) and are tied for 28th in home runs (57). They are dead last in the NL with only 199 extra base hits and their 691 hits as a team are the third fewest in the league, coming just ahead of Seattle and Pittsburgh. Read more...(274 words, 2 images, estimated 1:06 mins reading time)
Outrageous. Energetic. Gregarious. Competitive. These are just some of the words that could be used to describe one of the best personalities to ever take to the rubber.
Jose Lima, the man who coined the term “Lima Time” to describe his intense brand of pitching, unexpectedly passed away this past Sunday while asleep in his bed in his Pasadena home. Although the exact cause of death has yet to be determined, on-scene paramedics believed that the 37-year-old died of a heart attack.
Sadly, Lima was present at Dodger Stadium on Friday where was given a rousing ovation when introduced that night. On Sunday, the crowd observed a moment of silence before the first pitch, the flags just beyond center field were at half mast and a video tribute to Lima was played in the sixth inning. Read more...(325 words, estimated 1:18 mins reading time)
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