Houston to the AL? The Five Stages of Grief

DENIAL

When rumors first started floating around a few months ago that Bud Selig wanted the Astros to move to the American League West, I pooh-poohed the whole idea.  "That's a ridiculous idea.  Nobody's going to go for that," I thought to myself and continued about my everyday life.

ANGER

And then I read this post from Greg Lucas.  Not only was it becoming more likely that a move to the American League would happen, but Astros fans were going down quietly.  As I drafted this letter to Bud Selig and Drayton McLane, I started thinking about my lengthy history as an Astros fan, all of my memories, the importance of history and tradition in baseball and I started getting truly pissed off.  I don't particularly enjoy the feeling that I am getting kicked while I'm down.

BARGAINING

The last couple of weeks I've been rationalizing.  Surely Jim Crane isn't stupid.  He didn't get to be as wealthy as he is by doing something as dumb as alienating the fan base from day one.  He's just playing Bud Selig for a fool until he gets approved and then he'll tell Bud what he can do with the American League.  After all, Crane is a baseball guy.  He played the game.  He understands why this is such a big deal.  Doesn't he?

DEPRESSION

The last few days ... damn, this isn't looking good, is it?  Yeah, I'll sign the on-line petitions but it's too late.  Everybody should have gotten up in arms about this months ago.  The machinery is in motion.  Nobody can stop it.  It's just one last FU from Bud Selig before he supposedly retires and goes back to whatever part of hades he calls home.

ACCEPTANCE

Yesterday, I went to MMP with my sister.  We were renewing our tickets and wanted to upgrade our location.  We told our account guy that we wouldn't renew for 2013 if the Astros go to the American League, but I was lying and I knew I was lying.  I don't know if he knew or not.  And then today, I get a tweet from @sciaastro asking if I've seen this New York Post article.  I think the writing is on the wall so I am bracing myself for a change that I never thought would happen.  But am I going to turn my back on these young men that I follow on this blog?  Can I say goodbye forever to Jake Buchanan and Dallas Keuchel and Chris Wallace and Kody Hinze and Austin Wates and so many other players that I've been watching and pulling for?  No.

It will still be the same basic set of players.  It will still be Minute Maid Park.  It will still be Houston.  It will still be my Astros.