"Jim Crane may never own the Astros, but it won't be because he refuses to move to the American League.

Could it end up being a factor amid reports he's being asked to consider it? Sure, it could. But it won't be a deal breaker.

Baseball's issues with Crane run much deeper and are much more complicated. Even after four months of background checks, baseball is still troubled about Crane's past.

At a time when the sport is attempting to oust Frank McCourt from the Los Angeles Dodgers, commissioner Bud Selig is being extremely thorough in studying potential owners.

It's not one thing that bothers baseball about Jim Crane. It's a thousand paper cuts.

Almost every single thing in his past can be explained away. He was a victim of a rogue employee and an overly aggressive government agency. He was unfairly portrayed in the media.

As baseball attempted to explain away one thing after another, Selig slowed down the approval process and is taking a second and third look at Crane. He's asking his staff to do some rechecking and then some more.

Selig declined to comment for this column, but officials familiar with his thinking say he's wrestling with doing the right thing for both Drayton McLane and Major League Baseball."