More great news on the team sale front this evening, Birdland. According to Evan Drellich of The Athletic, everything is going smoothly as far as the transition from (and transaction between) the Angelos family to David Rubenstein’s group, which includes, of course, Cal Ripken, Jr.
Things are going so smoothly, in fact, that the sale is expected to become official by April, and “if we miss Opening Day, it’s not for a lack of trying, but it should be shortly thereafter,” says Drellich’s source.
David Rubenstein’s purchase of the Baltimore Orioles from John Angelos is likely to become official in April, a person briefed on the sales process told The Athletic on Monday. There’s an outside chance the sale could be done in time for Opening Day, on March 28. Only procedural hurdles remain, rather than substantive issues, the person said.
…
Major League Baseball’s central office is still receiving and handling paperwork related to Rubenstein and his various co-owners — a list that includes Mike Arougheti, CEO of the investment firm Ares Management, as a leading partner, as well as Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. and former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg.Once the paperwork requirements are satisfied, MLB’s ownership committee will make a recommendation ahead of an owners meeting, where a vote is held. Both the committee’s recommendation and the vote to install Rubenstein are considered formalities.
That last line is music to our ears – that the vote to install Rubenstein is considered a formality. While I can’t think of any good reason the other owners wouldn’t want to be rid of John Angelos – except maybe, perhaps, that his thriftiness makes them all look like even heavier spenders in comparison – but we downtrodden O’s fans are always waiting for the other shoe to drop on all fronts.
New owners by Opening Day. Cue the “it’s really happening” GIF from The Office, which has been appropriate every time we’ve been reminded that we weren’t dreaming over the past month.
Perhaps Mr. Rubenstein (and Ripken?!) could even run down the orange carpet at Oriole Park at Camden Yards during the festivities on March 28.
