Wasn't there some story coming out of that where their owner was supposedly in the pocket of Bud Selig?
I'm just reading through this thread and noticed you didn't get an answer for this. Drayton McLane has long bent over and took it from Bud Selig forever. Here are somethings I remember:
1) Astros not signing, or not pursuing, early draft picks because Selig insisted that the Astros pay the slot price (while many other teams ignored the instructions). This resulted in a terrible set of drafts from 2005-2007.
2) Selig insisting the Astros hire Cecil Cooper even though he was a terrible manager.
3) Selig insisting the Astros play the crucial Chicago Cubs series in Milwaukee while Houston was underwater due to Hurricane Ike.
4) Selig insisting the Astros play playoff games with the roof open because the noise was distracting.
There are other things, but if McLane ever stood up to Bud then it was the first time I've ever heard of.
Jim Crane, the new owner, haf all his background EEOC problems and whatever dirt MLB could find drug out, so they could twist his arm into moving the Astros to the AL. They also recently took the gun off the Colt .45s vintage uniform at the request of MLB. If there is more news besides this I would be surprised.
