Jeffrey Loria is seeking a buyer for his Miami Marlins, and the rumored asking price is in excess of $1 billion.
Not so long ago, we learned that retired Yankees legend and future Hall of Famer Derek Jeter was interested in purchasing the Marlins. Then it was reported that a group helmed publicly by Jeter and former Florida governor Jeb Bush won the bidding for the club. Whereupon it was reported that, hold everything, Jeter and Bush probably don't yet have all the money they'd need to land the Fish. Furthermore, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said there are still multiple bidders for the team.
Now Ken Davidoff and Josh Kosman of the New York Post are here to throw even more cold water on the Jeets scuttle. They write:
The Bush-Jeter duo has expressed confidence privately that it will be able to secure the necessary financing, although a source said the two men were exasperated by reports this week that they had reached an agreement in principle to buy the team for $1.3 billion — reports they say are inaccurate.
Bush and Jeter, who don't have an exclusive deal to buy the Marlins, believe the baseball team has been spreading misinformation including the terms of the bid, according to the source.
The source added that Bush and Jeter may decide, after conducting due diligence that has only just begun, that they do not even want to buy the money-losing team.
While I'd certainly deny the premise that the Marlins -- or pretty much any MLB team -- is losing money, I would not doubt the capacity for Loria to resort to feints and lies if it means making an extra buck. In any event, Davidoff's and Kosman's story has much more, including the details on the New York money man who may be advising the Bush-Jeter group on their bid.
Loria reportedly wants to have a deal in place before the end of the year, but that of course would require not alienating and offending those who can afford the going rates. Developing.
