$680 million is a number McLane is not likely to see from another buyer.

Here’s the deal, whether you think Jim Crane should or should not be approved by Major League Baseball is really beside the point. The fact of the matter is that as long as the Houston Astros organization is in limbo, they’re screwed. They’re stuck in this alternate universe where nothing good can happen.

You see, Drayton McLane doesn’t want to own a baseball team anymore. He was never a baseball guy from the beginning so really it’s surprising he was ever an owner. Jim Crane desperately wants to own a baseball team. He keeps trying, after all. He’s a baseball guy. He even played college ball. That was before he allegedly did a little war profiteering and instituted discriminatory hiring practices at his company. Frankly, I don’t even care about any of that anymore. Even if it were true (and I have NO idea if it is, but I’d guess no on the war profiteering and maybe on the rest), I just want someone at the helm.

The Astros are in the worst shape they’ve been in for years – 106 loss record, a farm system that, although improving, is still in disarray, a 40 man roster that has a gargantuan number of rookies, a 5 man starting lineup with like 2 or maybe 3 starters, rumors swirling about negating 50 years of NL history and moving the team to the AL. It’s a mess. The worst part about the mess is that it feels as if no one is cleaning it up. Why is that? MLB hasn’t made  announced a decision about approving Jim Crane as a new owner or not. Uncle Drayton doesn’t want to make decisions because it may not be his team for long and Jim Crane can’t make decisions for a team he may not ever own, so that leaves the fans of Houston in a bit of a quandary, doesn’t it?

Tell us, Ed Wade, who’s giving you your orders right now? Inquiring minds want to know.

At this point the fans just want it decided, as I’d venture to guess McLane and Crane do as well. We need this settled so this team has a chance to really rebuild, to really think about the future, to really get back on track BEFORE Spring Training.

Jim Crane’s contract to buy the Astros is only good through November 30th and I have a feeling if there’s not an answer from the MLB owners by then that this deal is done. And that’s sad for Uncle Drayton because there’s no way he’ll get $680 million out of anyone else for this team now, not after that season, not with the rumors of a very expensive move to the AL. And so he’ll be stuck with a team he doesn’t want to own, much less spend money rebuilding.

And so here we sit, with a team in ruins while the MLB owners dawdle, essentially screwing the Houston Astros. Thanks, guys, really.

Terri Schlather (AGirlintheSouth) is the Senior Houston Astros Writer for Aerys Sports. You can read her Astros blog at www.talesfromthejuicebox.com, email her at agirlinthesouth@gmail.com, or follow her on twitter @agirlinthesouth.