Hey, I think the Astros are moving to the AL. Like, now.

Buster Olney just tweeted:

Am told that the playoff fields will expand IMMEDIATELY, for 2012. Five teams in each league, with a one-game playoff between two wildcards.

Uh, so for that to happen, the Astros would move to the American League in time for next season. Looks like Carlos Lee will get to DH, after all. More to follow...

UPDATE: Hold on. That may not be right. They could possibly make that move without moving the Astros just yet.

Minor League Ball prospect list

After discussing the Astros prospect list with readers the last few days, John Sickels over at minorleagueball.com has compiled his top prospect list. The top two are Singleton and Springer, both rated as B+. Once again, the top of the list is dominated by kids brought over in trades recently, accounting for 4 of the top 5 and 6 of the top 8. I don't know if that means our homegrown players are that bad, or these last few trades have been that good.

Tell us something we don't know: "There is a large group of Grade C prospects"

For my part, I'm going to continue touting LHP Alex Sogard, who isn't mentioned at all in this list, as a sleeper prospect until he proves me wrong. Kids got some good stuff and solid peripheral stats. Also, what should we call Eddie's Farm after Eddie's gone? I suppose just change the "Eddie" part?

Barmes to Pittsburgh

Yep, the Astros have no shortstop as Clint Barmes signed a 2-year, $10.5m deal with the Pirates.

Barmes:
"In talking with my agent and talking with the club, they were wanting to make a decision and they wanted to know by pretty much yesterday who their shortstop was going to be so they could continue to move on. It was one of those things they had a few others guys lined up behind me, and the way it was explained to me, I was the first in line as far as who they wanted. They threw a great offer."

The Astros will get a compensation pick for the Pirates signing the Type B free agent.

Angel Sanchez is - at the moment - most likely to fill that void, since the Astros don't really want to move Jimmy Paredes over from 3rd. If the Astros are looking for a short-term free agent move, Ronny Cedeno is neither a Type B nor B free agent, and thus wouldn't cost any picks. Edgar Renteria, Drew Sutton, and Cesar Izturis also fit that bill. Type B options at SS include Yuniesky Betancourt, Rafael Furcal, and Alex Gonzalez.

Crane to follow Rangers' model

Here's an interview with Jim Crane from a Florida newspaper covering the re-opening of Crane's golf club:

I think our goal ... is to build the minor league team first and once we have that loaded up and the players start to develop and come up, we will go ahead and sign some free agents as (Rangers) have to help compliment them. We will emulate (the Rangers) model as we try to improve the Astros.

Also contained in the interview is that Crane is exploring moving Spring Training facilities away from Kissimmee, and sharing facilities with the New York Mets.

Pirates look likely for Barmes

Ken Rosenthal says that the Pirates are in the lead for the services of Clint Barmes, with the Giants and Brewers also competing on who gets his slick glove for the next two seasons.

Should this go down, it raises the possibility that the Astros will defer the option of playing shortstop, and just mount a Derek Jeter Fathead on a four-sided piece of cardboard and stick it between 2nd and 3rd base.

Wallace released by Escogido

Duuude, things are not looking good for Brett Wallace. Especially now that he has been released by his Dominican Winter League team, Escogido (managed by OKC manager Tony DeFrancesco).

Ed Wade, who did not know about this:
“He’s been struggling down there, and it’s a very competitive environment."

Wallace has been removed from Escogido's roster and stats page, but Steve Campbell notes that he was hitting .173 (9x52) in 20 games. Remaining 1Bs for Escogido include Willis Otanez and Fernando Tatis. Yes, that Fernando Tatis.

Astros add Clemens to 40-man roster

With tonight's deadline to get Rule 5 eligible players protected from the Rule 5 draft, the Astros added Paul Clemens to the 40-man roster today. They also signed Lance Pendleton (a Rule 5 selection from 2010) to a minor-league deal with an invitation to Spring Training.

Take Your Mind Off the Sale by Talking Prospects

The Minor League Ball Astros preliminary prospect list is up for discussion here.

Big quote: This one is actually not too long

"This one is actually not too long" ~she

Astros to watch Grady Sizemore exercise

Via Native_Astro, we learn through MLB Network Radio that the Astros will be watching Grady Sizemore run around and try not to break any bones.

Tranzactionz!

On this dark, bleak day, we have some other tranzactionz to report, courtesy of Baseball America. In addition to the signings of Erick Abreu (re-signed), Joe Thurston, Scott Moore, Brad Snyder, and Nick Stavinoha, the Astros have released:

-Joan Belliard
-Danilo Del Rio
-Pedro Gomez
-Mark Jones
-Garrett Bullock
-Travis Smink
-Ronald Sanchez
-Miguel Arrendell
-Jacke Healey

Smink was the 31st Round pick in the 2009 draft, Jacke Healey was the 27th Round pick in the 2010 draft, and Mark Jones was the 22nd Round pick in the 2009 draft. Miguel Arrendell started 2011 at Lancaster and, while he enjoyed a little offensive resurgence (.281/.357/.404), the Astros saw all they needed to see after six seasons of a combined .241/.365/.322 line.

12 minutes into the new regime and there's a short list of GM candidates

Richard Justice's breathtakingly fast article on the new ownership of Jim Crane already (and, fairly, it should be added) questions the longevity of Ed Wade:

General manager Ed Wade appears most vulnerable, but Crane and Postolos have steadfastly refused to comment on his status until after they actually took over the club.Among those believed to be under consideration if a change is made is Tampa Bay Rays general manager Andrew Friedman, a Houston native. Former Astros general manager Gerry Hunsicker and Texas Rangers executive A.J. Preller also appear to be under consideration.

Done.

Looks like Danny Knobler was the quickest to 140 characters, announcing that Selig has approved the sale of the Houston Astros to Jim Crane.

And one minute later, he announces the Astros are moving to the American League.

Jon Heyman says the vote was unanimous.

Baseball America's Top 10 Prospects

Baseball America posted their Organizational Report for the Astros this morning.

Here are your Top 10 prospects:

1. Jonathan Singleton
2. Jarred Cosart
3. George Springer
4. Jonathan Villar
5. Paul Clemens
6. Domingo Santana
7. Brett Oberholtzer
8. Delino DeShields, Jr
9. Mike Foltynewicz
10. Telvin Nash

Click the link for the big report, but there are a few things to note:

*Six of those top ten were not in the system as of July 1, 2011.
*Ariel Ovando, who received the largest bonus in club history, is not on the list.

Morosi: Houston sucks, so that's why it's easier for them to move

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.

Might Brett Wallace get moved?

We're four and a half months away from Opening Day, and I'm already pissed about the lineup. Why? Because ESPN's Jim Bowden says that (Insider-only) Carlos Lee is the starting first baseman for 2012.

What does it mean for Brett Wallace? For Bowden, it means that it opens up a trade with the Indians - who are not convinced that Matt LaPorta (the big prospect Cleveland got from Milwaukee in the Sabathia trade) will hit. Sound familiar?

Where's Koby?

Koby Clemens apparently bailed on his Winter Ball team, the Mayaguez Indians, and didn't provide a reason. Here's the original report from Puerto Rico, in which Mayaguez is seeking to keep Koby from playing for any other Winter League team.

Mayaguez owner Daniel Aquino:
"The paperwork will explain that he didn’t give reasons for abandoning the team. With this document we’re meeting the rules of the Caribbean Baseball Confederation, which assert that no one who abandons a team without good reason can play in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, or Venezuela … I’d like the fans and everyone else to know that we’re not looking to sanction Clemens. Even less do we wish to do him harm. We’re only following procedure.”

HBT mentions dueling rumors that Koby was worried about getting kidnapped, a la Wilson Ramos, and Roger Clemens told him to leave; and also that Roger told him to stay. It's all very dramatic. More to come.

Maybe there was an easier way

The Seattle Times' Larry Stone has an interesting article, where he looks at how there are a lot of Astros fans who are fairly pissed off about how this whole realignment thing went down (imagine that. I had no idea.)

He also mentions the Crawfish Boxes, so well done to TCB. But here's an interesting little side note:

*It has always been my understanding that original Arizona owner Jerry Colangelo and original Tampa Bay owner Vince Naimoli signed agreements upon their entrance into baseball that they could be made to switch leagues without their approval after two years. I honestly don't know if that agreement is still in place -- I'm doing some digging.

Well, well. Should this prove to be true, I'm going to get my boxers right in a wad. We will also do some digging...

Yeah, it looks like Selig bullied Crane

Hey, Here's an AP article in which a source said that MLB wouldn't approve the sale unless Crane approved a move to the American League.

Crane was forced to agree to move the sale along, a person familiar with the negotiations said Wednesday on condition of anonymity because no official announcement has been made by MLB or the Astros.

NOW how do you feel about Crane?

Carlos Corporan out

Carlos Corporan has cleared waivers and can elect free agency, or can just go to OKC, and not collect $200.

Why the free agency? Because he was outrighted off the 40-Man Roster already this year, and 29 teams passed on him. Since this is the 2nd time, he's been passed on by 29 teams, he can shop his services to those 29 teams a third time.

Bernie's Crew on the value of realignment

Milwaukee blog Bernie's Crew brings it with a post about just how helpful this realignment will be for Major League Baseball. There's a lot of good stuff here, so just click the link.