Not up on your Astros news today? Here’s a little help — a lot of good links all in one place!
The Orlando Sentinel reports owners have unanimously approved the sale of the Astros to Jim Crane and approved the addition of two more wild card teams, one in each league. One-third of MLB teams now make the playoffs as baseball strives to be more like the NBA and NHL — interminable playoffs and a generally unwatchable first round.
Jeff Caplan of ESPN Dallas writes that moving the Astros to the AL West was “a decision steeped in logic and a shift that needed to occur.”
Mark Saxon of ESPN LA writes that the Astros going to the AL West could be good for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the short run, but that major market money and competition with the Rangers could end up making the Astros a real headache for the Halos.
Players react to the news.
Christina Kahrl writes on the Sweet Spot Blog that this realignment is consistent with “Bud Selig’s long, successful and reliably Machiavellian stewardship of the game.”
Astros fan and lawyer Kevin W. Yankowski plans a legal challenge of the move of the Astros to the American league on the grounds that the Astros’ lease with the Harris County Sports authority requires the Astros play at Minute Maid Park as a National League team, unless prior consent is given by the Sports Authority.
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