Navigation: Jump to content areas:

Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
Around SBN: The Most Dangerous Division in Sports

The Bud Selig hate. It burns.

A-beer-for-steve-mckinney_tiny by StephS on

I've not seen any writing on the Astros AL move that really captures what I think (read FEEL) about things. So here's an attempt. First of all, not that it matters one lick, but I strongly suggest as a part of your Astros healing process, you shout into the abyss by sending Bud Selig a piece of your mind:

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball
Allan H. (Bud) Selig, Commissioner
Address: 245 Park Avenue, 31st Floor
City: New York, State: NY Zip Code: 10167
Phone: 212-931-7800
Fax: 212-949-5654

His 3:00 minute video press conference after the move was announced was enraging. He did not come close to even acknowledging how sickening the process was to Houston fans. Not one lick of apology. NOTHING.

"The greatest thing this sport has going for it is its history and tradition." ENRAGING.

No apology. No even basic recognition of how bad Astros fans got hosed in this. He goes on and on about how Drayton McLane left a great legacy and left the team better than he found it. Yeah, we got a stadium, but that was partly Bud Adams' doing. McLane sold a weak team and made it weaker by switching it to the AL. Just an infuriating video.

Overall here's my thoughts on the move:

The Purchase Price Reduction. I actually don't mind the purchase price reduction as much as some. Selig's demand that the Astros move to the AL certainly hurt the value of the franchise. Jim Crane has to try to create a winner out a terrible team with huge debt burden, an angry or indifferent fanbase, during a recession. Good luck with that, guy. I would contend even with the discount he overpaid.

There's Nothing the Astros Can Do to Make this Good Short Term. The move to the AL creates a huge sense of loss to me. (for reasons stated below). Price discounts at the ballpark doesn't make this better for me. Uni changes don't make this better to me. I can't fathom anything in the entire planet that Crane could do to make this good.

His press conference was a bunch of big fat, no hope, depressing real talk. Yeah, it was truthful, and likely all they can do, but it doesn't make me particularly enthusiastic about the near future of the team, or supporting a league that intentionally kicked the fourth most populous US city in the teeth. They say that winning will fix everything but good luck with that any time in the near future. Crane already had a difficult road without the AL move. Bud Selig handed him an anchor...encased in concrete.

Star-divide

I want some HCSA smiting. What could make me feel any better at all? If the Harris County Sports Authority enforced the terms of the lease against MLB saying that only an NL team can play in the stadium. Back in the day, I actually helped in the fan efforts to get people to vote for the stadium. Met Drayton McLane at the party for staff and volunteers. He had lost his voice talking so much.

Houston voted for a stadium to keep Astros baseball in Houston. Astros baseball is National League baseball. Don't think this will happen, but I'd like the Sports Authority to smite MLB with the language of the lease. I would like them to demand that MLB oblige by the terms of the contract, and keep National League baseball in Houston. If a judge would not enforce specific performance for that, I would like Harris County to receive huge money damages to compensate local fans for having to watch teams we don't give a * about play the history-gutted, turned into an expansion team Astros.

Why I Loathe the Move to the AL. Yeah, I knew this AL move was going to be forced on Astros fans. And even so, when it was made official, I was surprised how sad and angry it made me.

There is exactly nothing I like about it. Hate the move. Hate the process that led to the move. It's like MLB is doing everything they possibly can to try to get me to hate baseball. Or at least not care about it any more.

You name any number of NL teams, and I have Astros memories both good and bad about them. I am wildly indifferent to the AL.  I really don't have strong feelings about the Yankees or Red Sox other than thinking that the MLB model of competition creates a big, fat, nearly unwatchable joke. The Astros don't have the Bagwell, Biggio, Berkmans on the team. They no longer play winning baseball, and I have no reasons to believe that they will be playing a winning form of baseball any time soon during our debt service, budget cutting rebuilding, switch to AL style of baseball .I don't have to tell you how HARD it's been being an Astros fan, much less paying to see this product.

All the Astros fans have in 2011 is their 50 years of history. And Bud Selig took that away too. If you were systematically trying to figure a way to cripple a franchise for a long time, you'd have a harder time figuring out a plan more effective than the caretaker Astros transitioned into the extortioned AL sale.

People will argue that eventually if you play in the AL long enough, and winning happens, you will care about new rivalries.  Yes, perhaps some day I will loathe the Mariners as much as I loathe the Cardinals. But it took me a lifetime to grow my rooting interests. It would involve rooting for a better team that isn't a doormat. It would involve years of relevant baseball play. Sadly, I don't think I will live long enough to develop my AL hate.

Can't say I much like the late night west coast move or that I will have Rangers games shoved down my throat.(People pretending to be longtime Rangers fans bragging about their team. Oh joy).

There may be some folks who are fine with the AL move and the process that sacrificed the near term viability of the Astros for the "greater good." I can't be that person. And anyone who lectures me about how awesome this is going to be makes me want to punch them in the face.

Comment 54 comments  |  6 recs  | 

Do you like this story?

Read More: Houston Astros

Comments

Display:

Yes Bud Selig is a coercive, conniving son of a...

This is the only part of this whole thing that pisses me off. As a relatively young fan, I can’t say that I’m completely enamored with the NL style of play and I can’t say I’m too mad about us going to the AL with the DH (I’m not happy either), but having the baseball commissioner basically coerce a man desperate to own a Major League team into negotiating a move into the sale is downright disgusting. The man created this system by moving the Brewers here himself, but he would never move his team back into the AL. No, let’s just pick on the Astros.

Check out The Dream Shake.

by Patrick Harrel on Nov 20, 2011 1:12 PM CST reply actions  

Do you seriously think the letter you're encouraging will ever get forwarded to Milwaukee?

Which is where Selig’s actual office is. Bud Selig is nothing more than a substantially overpaid ultramillionaire mouthpiece who publicly expresses the majority interests of the 30 owners of the MLB franchises (many of whom are his close personal friends, hence the salary). If you think he has any more influence than this, you are giving the old guy way too much credit.

So, yes, that’s where your post misses the boat. Bud Selig isn’t moving the Astros to the AL West. The Astros are being moved to the AL West by majority vote of the 30 MLB team ownership groups AND by majority vote of the 30 MLB players who act as their team’s union representative. If you’re a fan who is angry enough about the Astros being displaced to the AL that you feel a complaint letter is warranted or somehow cathartic, you should be writing 60 letters and addressing those letters to the people who actually orchestrated and authorized the move. In short, don’t shoot the messenger … at least not for this reason.

by reillocity on Nov 20, 2011 1:47 PM CST reply actions  

The thing you nailed is that

Selig sucks at public relations. That is undeniable. You have to understand people of his background, wealthitude, and age to figure out why he is the way he is. He’s sort of the guy who has had everyone else doing his work for him the last 40 or so years of his life (an executive drawing ridiculous amounts of income passively behind the limelight) and now he has to step forward in front of the cameras periodically and fake like he’s the person actively running baseball. And when you’re accustomed to working behind the shadows, you’re public personna and public relations just don’t enter into the picture in terms of how you act in front of others. The reason that I suspect Selig looks so terrible and haggard the few times we see him in a year is that whenever we see him he’s actually been working (negotiating, arguing, etc.) and the combination of that and the associated stress doesn’t suit his personality. As an aside, I’m guessing that Stern and Goodell put in more actual work hours in a month than Selig does in a year.

by reillocity on Nov 20, 2011 2:34 PM CST up reply actions  

Best part of this post.

Great title SEO for SBN. Google “Bud Selig hate.” 1st page.

Given the history of Selig and the Astros, an Astros blog should be entitled to the first hit.

by StephS on Nov 20, 2011 2:43 PM CST up reply actions  

googling

That “hate Roger Goodell” results in 105K web hits while “hate Bud Selig” only results in 30K hits really illustrates how far baseball has slipped in terms of its place in the American sportscape. Goodell’s only been on the job for like five years and what in the world has he done to alienate so many folks? Allow one of his henchman to fine their favorite team’s strong safety for hitting a defenseless receiver? Off with his head!

by reillocity on Nov 20, 2011 2:59 PM CST up reply actions  

He took a bunch of flack during the strike...

Probably a big reason :P It’s been a minute since we’ve had a labor dispute of that magnitude.

by Peckerwood on Nov 21, 2011 1:40 AM CST up reply actions  

Selig= Idiot

Looks like he’s eat up with the dumb@$$

by The Deadman on Nov 20, 2011 2:21 PM CST reply actions  

Oh Well

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.

by BustaPozee on Nov 20, 2011 3:26 PM CST up reply actions  

The Hurricane Ike "fiasco" was on Drayton not Bud.

Here’s the deal. It’s widely known that Drayton and Bud were on friendly terms and that Drayton was a company man, i.e. didn’t rock the boat. In my opinion this probably played a part in how Bud Selig had approached the Astros over the past 10 years or so. So maybe with Drayton gone, the organization will demand a little more consideration from MLB.

This is why I hate Drayton more than Bud Selig.

by Reverend Koosh on Nov 20, 2011 9:42 PM CST up reply actions  

There’s still some accountability for McLane considering he’s the head of the organization. I would also put some of the accountability on the players as well for even playing. I don’t think anyone would blame them for forfeiting some games so they could take care of their family and would of certainly put Selig in a bad light for not postponing the game.

Follow my ramblings on Twitter .

by Timothy De Block on Nov 21, 2011 11:03 AM CST up reply actions  

I don't think I'll see eye to eye with most Astros fans, and this is a perfect example.

As mad as people are getting about moving to the AL, I’m 10X more mad at Drayton for what he’s done since running off Gerry Hunsicker. But are fans mad about turning a good, proud fanchise into a joke? Heck no, they’re too busy blaming Bud Selig.

1st, Bud Selig does not own the Astros. He’s the commissioner, and has another 29 teams to deal with. I’m not for 1 instant saying he’s a good commissioner or that he’s done a stand up job, but for the overall health of the Astros he’s low on the list of culprits. Who’s the #1 reason the Astros are pathetic? Drayton McClane…but do fans blame him? No, they’re too busy blaming Bud Selig.

Look we can all run down the stuff Bud’s done over the years, but none of them including:

giving up draft picks to sign guys like Woody Williams, or trading decent prospects for Jason Jennings. Have you seen the garbage that’s going in and out of MMP the past 6 years? Mike Hampton, Russ Ortiz, Williams, Jennings, Preston Wilson, Bill Hall.

Did Bud Selig force Drayton to replace Gerry Hunsicker with Tim Purpura? No he did not. Did Selig force Drayton to replace Purpura with Ed Wade? No he did not.

The fact is, Selig can’t force much on the Astros, but he can “suggest” and I’m telling you that Drayton doesn’t have to be convinced, he just goes along with that garbage.

Case in point: A quote from Drayton regarding Selig making them play in Milwalkee:

"Give credit to the commissioner. He hammered out," said McLane, who was in constant phone conversation with Selig since Thursday.

Drayton didn’t fight it, infact he praised Bud Selig for hammering it out. Awesome.

by Reverend Koosh on Nov 21, 2011 2:20 PM CST up reply actions  

*I accidently put McClane instead of McLane….my bad.

by Reverend Koosh on Nov 21, 2011 2:21 PM CST up reply actions  

I have to say I 100% agree with this.

I’m disgusted by the way the Astros were strong-armed into this situation, but I’m more disgusted by having a 106-loss team with no farm system.

by CRPerry13 on Nov 21, 2011 2:24 PM CST up reply actions  

you act like McLane wouldn’t have agreed to it on his own.

Crane had a choice and he could have walked away from the purchase had he chosen to do so. Then McLane would have just agreed to move to the AL without any sort of compensation.

All parties involved, owners, players and the league wanted two 15 team leagues, so it was going to happen no matter what.

Look, there’s no right way to have gone about this. Every other team moving to the AL West would have had their own set of questions. Like it or not the most sensible, i.e. easiest, move was the Astros. I don’t like it, but I totally understand why it has to be them.

All that said, it makes no change in my stance on the team. I followed them since I was a little kid, and will follow them the rest of my life.

by Reverend Koosh on Nov 21, 2011 9:06 PM CST up reply actions  

For most of the summer and fall, McLane claimed that he opposed moving the Astros to the AL, but that the matter is between Crane and Selig.

by clack on Nov 21, 2011 9:33 PM CST up reply actions  

so, do you really think had Crane backed out, McLane would have refused the move to the AL?

by Reverend Koosh on Nov 21, 2011 9:50 PM CST up reply actions  

I don’t know. It reduced the value of his franchise, that is a good reason not to do it. If he waits until after the CBA is completed, then Selig’s realignment threat is over. Of course, McLane had every incentive to get the Crane deal completed, since it would be difficult to find a group that would pay that much money.

In any event, no matter whether McLane would have succombed to extortion does not change the fact that the extortion, itself, is unethical.

by clack on Nov 21, 2011 10:03 PM CST up reply actions  

McLane a villain for sure; Selig? There should be a special place in infamy for him

Yes you are right about the “Grocer” Uncle Drayton. Everything you say is so, however this extortion is horrific and Houston Fans got the shaft in a painful way. AL ball is beer league softball at best. Moreover, the game is dull; 5 hour slug fests filled with doubles and home runs. Bush league. No managerial chess match on players, no double switches, no small ball or manufactured runs. Blah! You are right about Drayton and I hope I have a ripe rotten tomato to plaster his delivery truck the next time I see one in town. As for Der Fuhrer Selig, may a flock of pigeons perpetually park over his car and person!

by DigAPony on Dec 6, 2011 11:09 AM CST up reply actions  

There's been a lot of gloom and doom around the Astros lately

We need a pick-me-up. We need something to lighten the mood. Between a high upside pitching prospect losing his life, our replacement for Michael Bourn getting caught with an ungodly amount of weed, a change in ownership that has brought us the opposite of what we had hoped it would so far, and a move to the AL…no wait….the al, I don’t feel like it needs to be capitolized. Point is, we could really use something positive in our organization right now. Somebody somewhere in the organization needs to stand up/stand out and do something extremely positive and uplifting

by Its Gonna Happen on Nov 20, 2011 6:41 PM CST via mobile reply actions  

I don’t about an “ungodly amount of weed.” Schafer had less than an ounce of marijuana, which is misdemeanor possession in Texas. He was in the wrong state to have a relatively small amount of marijuana.

As far as the organization goes, we have to hope that Crane chooses exactly the right person to take over the front office. We may not see the results of that immediately, but that could provide a spark for something encouraging to happen.

by clack on Nov 20, 2011 7:15 PM CST up reply actions  

I really don’t know how many joints can be rolled out of 25 grams (the amount Shafer possessed). It probably depends on the size of the joints, but internet references indicate that a more accurate number is probably significantly less than 60 (by more than half). I heard that podcast, and I thought that the reference to the possession size as huge was either meant to be humorous / facetious or it was incorrect. (I recall that Shafer’s arrest was compared to the Cowboy’s Nate Newton—which I hope was facetious, since Newton was arrested with 213 pounds of marijuana.) In Texas, possession of less than 2 ounces (56 grams) is a Class B misdemeanor. The Texas legislature passed a law which allows police departments to issue citations (rather than a jail booking) for less than 2 ounces. A number of states have discriminalized less than 1 ounce. I don’t think Schafer’s possession amount would be considered large in most states. But, in Florida 20 ounces is presumed to show intent to distribute.

by clack on Nov 21, 2011 5:49 PM CST up reply actions  

Move to the AL

The only thing that matters is that the Astros get a natural and sustainable rival. The Astros spent most of their history in the NL West where the logistical concerns were the same as they will be in the AL West (the travel and game times are only issues because the Astros aren’t very good). The truth of the Astros “rivals” is that they were never the primary rival of any other team. Although some of the battles and successes of the Astros time in the NL Central will be missed, the future of opponent loathing looks bright.

by AstrosAndElbows on Nov 20, 2011 7:47 PM CST reply actions  

I have contacted the HCSA.......

…and they said they have already looked into the legal side of this and there is nothing they can do. They understand what has been done to Houston but there is no law or rule against what the dirt bag did.

He’s unethical, his actions have been reprehensible and have an air of blackmail…but there’s nothing that can be done.

by AstrosBill on Nov 21, 2011 12:28 PM CST reply actions  

The contract with the Astros is pretty clear......

It plainly states that the contract is for an NL Basebball team. At leat 2 lawyers have said it is enforceable. I have heard no lawyer say that it could not be enforced. personally, I have no problem being a Cardinal fan as I was before the 45’s came to town. The AL Astros will be a different team. I don’t think they should even be allowed to keep the name Astros. Call them the Cosmonauts, anything but they old (do not exist any more) NL Astrsos.

by huntingbambi on Nov 24, 2011 6:10 PM CST up reply actions  

Apparently the Harris County Sports Authority’s attorneys do not view it the same way as you do.

by clack on Nov 25, 2011 12:06 AM CST up reply actions  

If push comes to shove

HCSA and Houston Astros would agree to change the term to major league baseball team.

Neither HCSA nor Astros benefit from Astros not using Minute Maid.

Astros fan for life

by Joe in Birmingham on Nov 25, 2011 4:52 PM CST up reply actions  

The HCSA’s legal counsel response is here. They advise that the sports authority could be liable for unreasonably withholding its consent.

by clack on Nov 26, 2011 6:50 AM CST up reply actions  

Your anger is your problem

It has nothing to do with Bud Selig, and nothing to do with baseball. That you would even obliquely joke about punching somebody in the face shows an absence of taste and a sorry loss of perspective.

by alamosweet on Nov 21, 2011 3:52 PM CST reply actions  

"most" is highly debatable

Most fans don’t care, or aren’t even aware that the team will move to the AL.

by CRPerry13 on Nov 29, 2011 8:27 AM CST up reply actions  

I just don't get it

Why does Bud Selig hate Houston so much? Maybe he got dumped by a Houstonian at some point? Maybe he got bit by a mosquito once and it’s stuck with him? I just don’t get it.

by HTown4Eva on Nov 28, 2011 9:25 PM CST reply actions  

Comments For This Post Are Closed

Search

User Tools

Welcome to the Crawfishboxes, the SBNation blog for the Houston Astros.

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Chimp_small
The Importance of George Springer

by ntn 11 days ago

27 comments | 2 recs

Recent FanPosts

Small
Oswalt in 2012

by Exiled in St. Louis about 5 hours ago

2 comments

Small
Heck and Co. - Your time is up.

by TexanStro about 8 hours ago

4 comments

Small
Santana and a bold new top 10, etc..

by Exiled in St. Louis 4 days ago

65 comments

Astros_retro_logo1_small
Lance Berkman with possible torn ACL...

by blazemule 5 days ago

17 comments

Astros_retro_logo1_small
Quasi update on Lucas Giolito for draft

by blazemule 9 days ago

41 comments

100_1519_small
Good News

by titansfan4ever 11 days ago

8 comments

Small
Thinking about where the top 2012 draftees will be ranked for 2013

by auclairkeithbc 11 days ago

8 comments

Astros_small
Most valuable building blocks

by pacbellpilgrim 14 days ago

21 comments

Nsapcs13_large_small
Minor League Open Thread

by clack 16 days ago

116 comments

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

Recent Posts

TCB Tweets!

    

Current Series

Astros lead the series 1-0

Fri 05/25 WP: Lucas Harrell (4 - 3)
SV: Brett Myers
LP: Clayton Kershaw (4 - 2)
3 - 1 win

Houston Astros
@ Los Angeles Dodgers

Saturday, May 26, 2012, 9:10 PM CDT
Dodger Stadium

Bud Norris vs Chad Billingsley

Mostly clear. Winds blowing out to right field at 5-15 m.p.h. Game time temperature around 65.

Complete Coverage >
Sun 05/27 3:10 PM CDT

NL Central Standings

W L PCT GB STRK
Cincinnati 25 20 .555 0 Lost 1
St. Louis 25 21 .543 0.5 Lost 2
Houston 22 23 .488 3 Won 4
Pittsburgh 21 24 .466 4 Won 1
Milwaukee 19 26 .422 6 Won 2
Chicago 15 30 .333 10 Lost 10

(updated 5.26.2012 at 6:14 PM CDT)

Yahoo_full_count

In Association With

Baseball Nation Recent Stories

BOSTON, MA: Carlos Pena #23 and Ben Zobrist #18 of the Tampa Bay Rays have words with pitching coach Bob McClure #22 of the Boston Red Sox after teammate Luke Scott was hit by a pitch in the ninth inning at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Joe Maddon, Bobby Valentine Trade Public Jabs

Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles center fielder Adam Jones doubles against the Boston Red Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The Red Sox defeated the Orioles 6-5. Credit: Joy R. Absalon-US PRESSWIRE +2 updates

Orioles, Adam Jones Reportedly Agree To Extension

PHILADELPHIA, PA - Cliff Lee of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning of a MLB interleague baseball game. Lee took the loss as the Red Sox defeated the Phillies 5-1. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

The Good And Winless

More from Baseball Nation >

Managing Editors

Tcb_icon_small Timothy De Block

Old_school_dome_logo_small David Coleman

Editors

Nsapcs13_large_small clack

H_astros_small Subber10

Astrobritrs2_small AstroB

Small conroestro

Small CRPerry13

Authors

Astros_logo121009_small OremLK

379548_2126358297455_1800847435_1468577_1051178697_n_1__small BustaPozee

Small native_astro

Small WTHB