Spurned by first choice Andrew Friedman, the Houston Astros pivoted quickly and named Jeff Luhnow, VP of scouting and player development for the St. Louis Cardinals, as the team’s new general manager. Friedman, the successful GM of the Tampa Bay Rays and a Houston native, passed on the chance to take the reins under the […]
Tag Archives | houston astros
Crane cleans Astros house; Wade, Smith let go
New Houston Astros owner Jim Crane didn’t waste any time in launching his makeover of the struggling franchise, firing team president Tal Smith and GM Ed Wade. The moves were far from unexpected: the team has struggled in recent years and Crane signalled an intent to rebuild things via the draft and a youth movement, […]
MLB approves Astros sale to Crane group; team to shift to AL in 2013
MLB formally approved the sale of the Houston Astros to a group led by Houston businessman Jim Crane, as the team preps for a move to the American League in 2013. The sale price for the team was $610 million, according to the Houston Chronicle, some $70 million less than the original sales agreement between […]
With MLB realignment, it looks like the Astros
With MLB Commissioner Bud Selig saying he wants realignment by 2013 and Jim Crane negotiating a price break on his purchase of the team, it’s all but certain the Houston Astros are moving to the American League West. Selig made his comments about realignment during his annual World Series press conference, held before Game Four. […]
2012 MLB schedule released; no realignment or playoff expansion
Major League Baseball released a 2012 schedule this morning, with no changes in the division or league lineups, no expansion of wild cards in the playoffs and a regular season beginning with a Miami Marlins game on April 4. Yes, that’s right: the Miami Marlins (nee the Florida Marlins) will open the 2012 MLB season […]
The Week That Was: July 17
Unpaid bills, potential MLB realignment and the unveiling of the world’s most expensive hot dog made headlines this week. We unveil the most popular stories on Ballpark Digest from the past week, as measured by page views. Unpaid players revolt in Lake County: 9 traded, 14 released Astros to AL West: Report Rox to sell […]
Astros to AL West: Report
The Houston Astros will be moving to the American League West as Major League Baseball tackles the issue of realignment, according to a report from Fox Sports Arizona. Jack Magruder, a very reliable reporter, is writing that two sources told him the Arizona Diamondbacks would not be asked to move from the National League West […]
Cocoa Expo poised for return to business
Cocoa Expo, the former spring-training home of the Houston Colt .45s/Astros and regular-season home of the Cocoa Astros (High Class A; Florida State League), could reopen after a new owner rescues it from bankruptcy. The facility, which in recent years has served as a youth-baseball facility and eyed as the potential home of a summer-collegiate […]
MLB eyes realignment for 2012
Major League Baseball is examining several different realignment options for the 2012 season, including a move to two 15-team leagues and the potential elimination of divisions as a method for determining playoff teams. The options, first reported in USA Today and ESPN.com, could be something as simple as one team moving from the National League […]
Crane bid for Astros raises red flags for MLB
Though a group led by Jim Crane has agreed to pay Drayton McLane $680 million for the Houston Astros, MLB approval of the sale isn’t a given, as some issues within baseball and in court may cause MLB Commissioner Bud Selig to give the deal close scrutiny. Crane has been an active bidder for MLB […]
Crane group lands Astros
Jim Crane, who lost out to Nolan Ryan in a bid for the Texas Rangers, has perhaps the next best thing for someone in the Lone Star State: he’s heading a local group buying the Houston Astros from Drayton McLane in a deal announced today. No word yet on the purchase price, though we expect […]
Nats go public with desire for new spring-training facility
It’s not exactly been a secret in baseball circles — indeed, we’ve written about it more than once, based on inside sources — but over the weekend the Washington Nationals went public with their desire for a new spring-training facility. Nationals owner Mark Lerner confirmed to the Washington Post that the team was indeed looking […]
The Week That Was: Feb. 27
Spring training was the big news of the week in the baseball world, whether it was news about potential new venues, the opening of practices, or visits to familiar haunts. The most popular stories on Ballpark Digest for the past week, as measured by page views. Nats, Astros eying new Osceola County spring-training complex Tempe […]