Jon Paul Morosi brings a whole lot of blunt with him in this article on realignment.
But let’s be honest: The Astros can make this transition more easily than most clubs, because their current roster isn’t very good. Ed Wade (or a new GM, if Crane decides to make a change) can rebuild the team in the AL style. The Astros will need to hire a DH after next season, which gives them plenty of time to adjust. And if there is any upside to finishing with the worst record in baseball, it’s a blank canvas...
...The process behind it all was lengthy and imperfect, with repeated interruptions and the uncomfortable history of Crane’s settlement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. But the basic outcome – the Astros moving to the AL – is a happy one. That the franchise effectively sold its NL identity for the sum of $70 million tells you something about how much it mattered in the first place.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
