1 of 1- Max
- Colby Rasmus
Offline 
- From: Pacific Northwest
- Registered: 9/07/2010
- Posts: 5,269
Astros headed to the AL
AP source: MLB forcing Astros out of NL
By KRISTIE RIEKEN, AP Sports Writer
HOUSTON (AP)—Major League Baseball told Houston businessman Jim Crane it would not approve his purchase of the Astros unless he agreed to move the team to the American League, The Associated Press has learned.
- don.rob11
- Édgar Rentería
Offline
- Registered: 9/11/2010
- Posts: 4,299
Re: Astros headed to the AL
Seems like the once American League Brewers would be the more logical choice . I will miss Houston being in the National League .
- artie_fufkin
- Administrator
Offline
- From: God's Little Acre
- Registered: 9/08/2010
- Posts: 22,429
Re: Astros headed to the AL
I don't like it because of the increase in interleague games. Interleague play has run its course. The Cardinals playing the Rays and the Orioles or even the Royals doesn't really get my blood rushing.
- Max
- Colby Rasmus
Offline
- From: Pacific Northwest
- Registered: 9/07/2010
- Posts: 5,269
Re: Astros headed to the AL
And it spoils that natural interleague rivalry between Houston and Texas. Imagine what interleague play would be without rivalries like St. Louis-KC? We'd be left with completely irrelevant games, like St. Louis-Seattle.
- •
Thread Starter- forsberg_us
- Administrator
Offline
- Registered: 9/08/2010
- Posts: 9,944
Re: Astros headed to the AL
The league also apparently approved adding an additional wild card team to each league.
- artie_fufkin
- Administrator
Offline
- From: God's Little Acre
- Registered: 9/08/2010
- Posts: 22,429
Re: Astros headed to the AL
forsberg_us wrote:
The league also apparently approved adding an additional wild card team to each league.
Can we presume that means there will be a 4-tiered playoff system?
Ex:
First round: WC1 v. D4; WC2 v. D3
Second round: D1 v. WC1/D4 winner; D2 v. WC2/DC winner
Third round: LCS
Fourth round: World Series
The puts the end of the season around the first weekend in November, correct?
Brrrr ....
- Max
- Colby Rasmus
Offline
- From: Pacific Northwest
- Registered: 9/07/2010
- Posts: 5,269
Re: Astros headed to the AL
The league also apparently approved adding an additional wild card team to each league.
So, 10 teams make the playoffs? With 30 teams, the playoffs won't be truly fair or meaningful until they become a 16 team tournament. I don't know why MLB is nickle and diming us with this crap. Let's follow the successful example of hockey.
- •
Thread Starter- artie_fufkin
- Administrator
Offline
- From: God's Little Acre
- Registered: 9/08/2010
- Posts: 22,429
Re: Astros headed to the AL
"First round: WC1 v. D4; WC2 v. D3
Second round: D1 v. WC1/D4 winner; D2 v. WC2/DC winner
Third round: LCS
Fourth round: World Series"
Never mind. I must have had NFL on the brain and thought there are four divisions in each league. Duh.
- artie_fufkin
- Administrator
Offline
- From: God's Little Acre
- Registered: 9/08/2010
- Posts: 22,429
Re: Astros headed to the AL
So the two wild cards will play each other and the winner plays the division winner with the best record, provided they aren't in the same division?
- forsberg_us
- Administrator
Offline
- Registered: 9/08/2010
- Posts: 9,944
Re: Astros headed to the AL
"Specifics are being worked out" but they hope to implement the new playoff system next year (2012)
- APIAD
- Administrator
Offline
- From: Central IL
- Registered: 9/07/2010
- Posts: 11,096
Re: Astros headed to the AL
So the two wild cards will play each other and the winner plays the division winner with the best record, provided they aren't in the same division?
Thats what I would do. At least it punishes the wild card teams some. This will get more fan involved because more teams will be in the playoffs. However for those few fans that watch the playoffs that dont have a rooting interest it will cause them to become less involved. The regular season drags on. Then the playoffs drag on. Now the playoffs will really drag on. I say if this is what they are going to do they should delete the interleague games and not replace them. Shortening the season would not hurt a thing.
- artie_fufkin
- Administrator
Offline
- From: God's Little Acre
- Registered: 9/08/2010
- Posts: 22,429
Re: Astros headed to the AL
So the two wild cards will play each other and the winner plays the division winner with the best record, provided they aren't in the same division?
Thats what I would do. At least it punishes the wild card teams some. This will get more fan involved because more teams will be in the playoffs. However for those few fans that watch the playoffs that dont have a rooting interest it will cause them to become less involved. The regular season drags on. Then the playoffs drag on. Now the playoffs will really drag on. I say if this is what they are going to do they should delete the interleague games and not replace them. Shortening the season would not hurt a thing.
The cautionary thing is the rationale for a 1-game WC playoff is that's what the TV people want. Has anything that the TV people have wanted been in the best interests of baseall?
Last edited by artie_fufkin (11/18/2011 5:22 pm)
- forsberg_us
- Administrator
Offline
- Registered: 9/08/2010
- Posts: 9,944
Re: Astros headed to the AL
I say if this is what they are going to do they should delete the interleague games and not replace them.
They can't get rid of interleague play now that Houston will be moving to the AL. With 15 teams in each league, there will have to be some interleague play going throughout the entire year. I heard interleague play was actually expanding with each team playing 30 interleague games each season starting in 2013.
Shortening the season would not hurt a thing.
I doubt that the owners who receive the ticket, television and other related revenue would agree.
Personally, I hate this continued expansion of the playoff format.
- APIAD
- Administrator
Offline
- From: Central IL
- Registered: 9/07/2010
- Posts: 11,096
Re: Astros headed to the AL
I am pretty much fine with adding another WC spot right now. I just think they need to find a way to get it done without making the season longer.