Mark Berkman of Fox 26 and Richard Justice are both reporting that Drayton McLane is closer to selling the Astros. Berman reports that Jim Crane is the front-runner to land the team, but there are a number of others in the race.
↵Justice, on the other hand, quotes a former ML official saying that Crane's deal is "all but done." Justice also notes that this is somewhat surprising, since Crane backed out of a handshake deal with Drayton back in 2008. How much money would make McLane say, "bygones be bygones?"
↵That's why I think there's more smoke than fire here. Yes, McLane may be closer to selling the team than he was two months ago, but I don't believe talks have progressed far enough to think Crane is a lock to own the team. Lots can change between now and the finalization of this sale.
↵It's interesting, though, that this news comes out on the same week as the Forbes data about the franchise's value. With the new regional sports network not yet being factored into revenues and net worth, you have to figure the Astros will be sold for more than that 475 million. How much more will likely decide whether Crane or some other very rich man runs this team.
↵I've give McLane this much. He's got a slick hand with the media on these stories. The story broke that he had retained a firm to sell the team on a Friday afternoon and now this one breaks on a Friday afternoon. How much you want to bet his press conference announcing the sale isn't buried on a Friday? No, that puppy will be Monday, so that's all we'll talk about for a week. Or, maybe he'll take advantage of the All-Star break to announce it when nothing else is going on and he's gets maximum interest around baseball.
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