Report: Houston Astros to American League a Done Deal

Jon Heyman from SI.com just tweeted that the move of the Houston Astros to the American League is almost complete. Jim Crane, expected to be named the new owner of the franchise, has agreed to move to the AL in the year 2013. He still needs to get the vote from the other owners.

This move will make it so that there are 15 teams in each league, and each division will now have five teams, with the Astros moving the American League West. They will compete in their division with the Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners, Oakland Athletics and Anaheim Angels. The National League Central will remain the same, other than the Houston Astros.

The MLB GM's meetings begin this week in Milwaukee, and the deal should be confirmed and ready to go soon. Crane will get about a $50 million discount from moving his new team to the American League.

This should be interesting for the Astros roster construction for this season and the next. Still playing in the National League for now, how will the Astros roster look as they try to prepare for an American League roster? How different will their off season be now? How do they prepare to have a proper designated hitter, and when the games begin next season, how differently will they be played?