Monday Night Link Dump

Here are your relevant Astros links for this fine Monday night with no Astros games to fret over:

Jim Crane said the Astros are ready to boost payroll:
We don't know yet, but I think very strongly that with the [Minor League] system rebuilt and a lot of good prospects that will continually come in waves, that we'll start working on the spots we need. We need some power, we need some back-end pitching, and we've got a few holes. We'll look at what's available and we'll spend the money wisely.

Crane also said "there's a possibility" that the Astros and CSN Houston could part ways:
We've got to cut a deal that works for the team, so this was a long-term deal. Comcast was in charge in executing the plan, and the plan hasn't evolved. We've tried to cooperate with them and work with everybody involved, but the other affiliates haven't bought in.

CSN Houston president/general manager Matt Hutchings resigned to become the COO of Kroenke Sports and Entertainment in Denver

The move from Kissimmee to Palm Beach Gardens for Spring Training is apparently 95% complete with a target date of 2016. The Astros are also moving forward on a 2,000-acre piece of land north of The Woodlands, also with a 2016 or 2017 start date.

Former Iowa Hawkeye Bo Porter will be the honorary captain at Saturday's Iowa/Michigan State game.

The Astros and Oklahoma City

There were two pieces in The Oklahoman yesterday regarding the future of the Astros in Oklahoma City.

The first questions whether the Astros will actually follow through with the Camp Strake/Woodlands/Conroe idea:
In an interview with SB Nation, Ryan said his father doesn't like having the Rangers' Double-A affiliate in Frisco...because Nolan feels it directly competes with the Rangers.

The piece goes on to say that "one rumor" is that Reid Ryan would prefer to re-take over Round Rock, with the Rangers ("if all parties agree") moving back to Oklahoma City.

This is odd, since it has absolutely nothing to do with Double-A or Frisco, and the Rangers would be leaving Central Texas in order to go back to Oklahoma. And Reid Ryan would have to talk Jim Crane out of something he's been thinking about since at least March.

The second reassures OKC baseball fans that the RedHawks will always be there, since the Astros don't own the RedHawks, Bricktown is a pretty great ballpark, and the Pacific Coast League owns territorial rights in Oklahoma City:
One key reason OKC is all but assured of being home to a Triple-A team is PCL officials own territorial rights. Insiders say Oklahoma City is one of the league's cherished commodities. No way PCL brass would approve a scenario where Oklahoma City isn't in the 16-team league.

So Oklahome City baseball fans will always have Triple-A baseball...it just apparently depends on Reid Ryan if they're going to stick with the Astros.

Jim Crane has purchased Camp Strake

An article in the Cy-Creek Mirror indicates that Jim Crane is part of a Houston area development group that has purchased Camp Strake from the Boy Scouts of America. Camp Strake is a 2,175-acre piece of land 40 miles north of Houston and south of Conroe (see map below), and was put on the market last September.

Conroe officials won't confirm the buyer, but have said the development will be similar to Market Street in The Woodlands, and could include the new Astros Triple-A ballpark.

Conroe Mayor Webb Melder said previously:
Something big is about to happen over there.

The linked article:
As for the development including a ball park, Calhoun did not have confirmation but said he was aware of previous talks about the Houston Astros potentially locating a Triple-A team in Montgomery County, specifically the Camp Strake property. Calls to the Houston Astros and Crane’s office at Crane Capital Advisors were not returned before press time.




View Larger Map'

Meanwhile word came out yesterday that the Astros and Blue Jays have almost finalized their move to share Spring Training facilities on Florida's East Coast, near Crane's home, in Palm Beach Gardens.

Everything in that Baseball Digest post was true

Earlier today we linked to a post from Baseball Digest that disputed a Chronicle report and said that Jim Crane was trying to buy the New Orleans Zephyrs (something that, from the comments, a few of you are not really happy about) and move the team to The Woodlands/Montgomery County.

Turns out they were totally right.

Crane told McTaggart that it's going to take a few years, but basically here are the steps that need to be taken:

1. Get the cities/counties (Crane mentions The Woodlands and Conroe) involved, and agree on funding.
2. Build a stadium.
3. Buy a franchise.
3. Move them.

Obviously, the Astros can't buy the Zephyrs and leave them in New Orleans, if they're currently affiliated with a team in Oklahoma City. The current Professional Development Contract with OKC ends in 2014. And, hey, so does the Zephyrs agreement with the Marlins. So you could have the Astros purchase the Zephyrs, sign up for a two-year PDC for 2015-2016 in New Orleans, build a stadium in north Houston, and move them for the 2017 season.

Turns out Zephyrs GM Mike Schline is surprised that it's gone public this early in the process.

"I was a little surprised that its gone public at this preliminary of a stage, but (owner) Don (Beaver) has had discussions with people in the past and discussions are discussions. That's where it's at right now. If someone comes up with the right price and the right package, he'll sell the team."

The linked Advocate report says that the Zephyrs' current stadium lease ends in 2016. So it's all sort of mapped out, isn't it?

Also, the Astros are involved in planning to build new Spring Training facilities ready for when the agreement with Osceola County ends in 2016. Crane:

"There's a number of teams that have expressed interest, and the Blue Jays are one of them. Again, we're waiting on state approval and city approval, which isn't done yet. Once that's done, a two-team complex there would anchor that area with the Marlins and Cardinals, and Mets up the street. That would be a pretty good situation for everybody, and those teams are very supportive of somebody trying to get something done there."

Astros trying to buy the Zephyrs?

Ballpark Digest - which is legit - is reporting that Jim Crane/Astros are in negotiations to purchase the New Orleans Zephyrs for "north of" $20m and then moving them to Montgomery County.

While they're at it, they're also reporting that the Astros are looking to join forces with the Blue Jays to share a Spring Training facility in Palm Beach County (where, if you remember, Crane owns a big ol' golf course).

Sunday Morning Links

*The Astros made their first round of cuts this morning, and there are no surprises:

Reassigned to minor-league camp were: Delino DeShields, Jake Goebbert, Marc Krauss, George Springer, and Chris Wallace. Optioned to minor-league camp were Rudy Owens and Sam Demel.

Again, no surprises, bu the Astros got to see DeShields and Springer for a handful of ABs. Sam Demel threw in five games and lasted 2.1IP, allowing 10H/11ER, 4HR, 1K:3BB - so it's absolutely not a surprise that he got optioned down.

*Luhnow said that we could see Krauss in Houston at some point this year. The next round of cuts will likely be Wednesday.

*Rick Ankiel is giving back to the younger Astros.

*Jake Goebbert discusses his off-season job as a farmer.

*The owner/GM of The Woodlands Strykers is pretty jazzed up about the possibility of a Triple-A team nearby.

OKC fans aren't very happy with Jim Crane right now

Another day, another set of people Jim Crane is pissing off. While you, Texas-based fan, may be excited about the Astros moving a minor-league franchise to a town near you, that means OKC residents aren't so excited about the possibility of losing their team.

One OKC resident/baseball fan:
"That would be the biggest mistake if he ever did that."

But here's the thing. The Astros have to either own a team or coerce another owner to move their team to The Woodlands (or wherever). Mandalay Baseball Properties owns the Oklahoma City RedHawks. And, from Crane's comments yesterday regarding the Ryan-Sanders Group owning the Hooks, I wonder if Crane/Astros are looking to buy their own Triple-A franchise.

OKC fans don't really need to worry about losing baseball, either. The PDC (Professional Development Contract) the Astros signed with OKC last fall runs through 2014. Bricktown is such a great park/location/facility that some team is going to sign up with them should the Astros leave.

Astros might move Triple-A team to The Woodlands

In a remarkable turn, Jim Crane told Brian Smith that the Astros are entertaining the idea of moving the Triple-A franchise to The Woodlands.

Crane:
"Something north of the Woodlands would definitely work. When we were in Austin with the Triple-A, we got a lot of bang for our buck and the most for our TV market. Unfortunately, we’re not there.”

And, oooh, here's more from Crane about the Nolan Ryan (group)-owned Corpus Christi Hooks:
“That’s not necessarily the way we like to see that.” 

Click the link, because there's an awful lot to unpack here.

First, The Woodlands as a possibility for the Triple-A team is interesting simply because Drayton seemed to go out of his way to avoid that. Remember back in 2011 when Drayton vetoed a minor-league team in Sugar Land (paving the way for the Skeeters - who had two, TWO, nationally televised games to the Astros' zero nationally televised games).

Here's what we wrote at the time (link above):
This is tremendously short-sighted. It takes 48 minutes to drive from the Ballpark in Arlington to Frisco, TX. It's 46 minutes from Turner Field to Gwinnett, GA - home of the Braves' Triple-A affiliate. It's 39 minutes from Camden Yards to Bowie, MD - home of the Orioles' Double-A affiliate - and 44 minutes to Aberdeen, MD, where the Orioles have their NYPL short-season team.

Hurt attendance? If your favorite prospect was playing 45 minutes down the road, and climbed the ladder to Minute Maid, wouldn't you check out the guys you're invested in? Chalk it up, Drayton. Another fantastic idea. 

Second, it would seem that Crane is leaning towards not bringing Nolan Ryan back (at this moment), as the idea of the Astros' Double-A team being owned by Nolan Ryan isn't something he likes to see. It's a valid point. The part-owner and CEO (even one whose official capacity is somewhat up in the air) of your new division rival owns your Double-A team? I wouldn't like it much, either.

But the Astros desperately need a south Texas presence, what with the Rangers thinking they're hot crap, and whatnot and making inroads across the state (not to mention that everyone who has cable gets Fox Sports Southwest and CSN Houston?...oh yeah). So they'll need to keep something in Corpus...right?


Thoughts?