I just think another 105+ loss season will spiral this fan base into full on apathy.


Judging from last year's attendance, it is already here. But they somehow believe all will be forgiven as soon as the team starts winning again. Not everything here is Crane/Luhnow's fault but I think trust is broken when you appear as if you aren't even trying to compete and that is the vibe I've received from this organization. Building for the future is fine and admirable but how much do you sacrifice the present to do so? I've never seen a professional "big four" sports organization willing to strip itself naked and surrender before the season even starts the way the Astros have (Sure, you could argue about the Marlins but even they still have more talent on the big league roster right now than the Astros and have double the payroll). How can there be respect for an organization that doesn't try to win?

The Rangers are aggressively expanding into areas that used to be consider "Astros territory" and only near Houston will CSN-Houston possibly be on equal footing with Fox Sports. By agreeing to switch leagues, the Astros can only hope to deliver a watered-down version of what the Rangers are already giving the fans.

Crane/Postolos/Luhnow are betting everything on the idea that fans will come back and I'm guessing they are in for a shock when they realize how many casual fans will become Rangers fans or move on to other things and won't bother returning.

Crane can win at this if one thing happens - if our economy goes into depression and we get massive deflation rather than inflation. He'll look like a damned genius then with a $21 million payroll and no future contract commitments while everyone else is spending 50+ and paying guys through 2020. But the odds of that happening are probably less than 2%. Far more likely is another "recession" with massive inflation.

"We don't do anything easy. We're the Astros." - Craig Biggio