Houston Astros owner Jim Crane and granddaughter Emma Thompson are seen on the field before the Astros play against the Colorado Rockies on opening day of the MLB National League season in Houston April 6, 2012. (REUTERS/Richard Carson)
If Houston Astros fans want to the team to bring in high-priced talent any time soon, they might have to pay for it themselves.
Team owner Jim Crane certainly won’t put up the cash.
“It doesn't bother me that people want us to spend more money,” Crane told the Wall Street Journal. “But it’s not their money. This is a private company, even though it’s got a public flair to it. If they want to write a check for 10 million bucks, they can give me a call.”
The rebuilding Astros league-low payroll is a paltry $25 million. While stripping the team of stars, including Carlos Lee, Brett Myers and Wandy Rodriguez, Crane and the Astros have been amassing prospects.
“We want to build a product that’s consistent, and the only way we can do that is the way we're doing it,” he said. “If people want to complain about it, they have a right to complain about it. But we’re going to stick with the plan.”
