Puck News: Orioles sold to Rubenstein

[accinfo]

28 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I constantly find it ironic that until last offseason, people were pleading for JA to occasionally say something publicly about the team.  Then once he opened his mouth, people were pleading for him to shut up.  

I’m feeling pretty sanguine about JA these days.  He hired Elias, let him do his thing, and invested money in long term assets as Elias recommended.  The team is in great position now, and since JA doesn’t have the assets or wherewithal to take the team to the next level, he’s getting out of the way.  Do I agree with everything he’s done or said?  No.  Does he come off like a putz?  Yes.  Could be have ran a higher payroll and still made a good profit?  For sure.  But he’s gotten the big things right, and is leaving the organization in a really good spot.  
 

Well said Frobby.  To put it another way it could have been worse.  See Bob Irsay.  For those who think the Angelos era was the worst in sports history aren’t old enough to remember Bob Irsay.  I am glad they are gone but they didn’t do everything wrong especially the last 5 years.  

[Billy F-Face3]

32 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I constantly find it ironic that until last offseason, people were pleading for JA to occasionally say something publicly about the team.  Then once he opened his mouth, people were pleading for him to shut up.  

I’m feeling pretty sanguine about JA these days.  He hired Elias, let him do his thing, and invested money in long term assets as Elias recommended.  The team is in great position now, and since JA doesn’t have the assets or wherewithal to take the team to the next level, he’s getting out of the way.  Do I agree with everything he’s done or said?  No.  Does he come off like a putz?  Yes.  Could be have ran a higher payroll and still made a good profit?  For sure.  But he’s gotten the big things right, and is leaving the organization in a really good spot.  
 

I totally agree. I know fans like to pile on with criticism, but the fact remains this franchise is in good condition now thanks to his decisions to hire Mike Elias and invest in the front office, analytics, facilities, international free agency, and all the infrastructure they have invested in. JA has given the Orioles a solid foundation and he's now stepping out of the way to allow a group of owners who have the funds to take the Orioles to the next level and build off of that foundation to make a dynasty. I also appreciate the fact that ticket prices were kept moderately low in comparison to other baseball stadiums and that they never sold out on the stadium name up to now.

I have my own legitimate criticisms of JA just like everyone else, but it's not right to ignore the positive either. I'm hoping his presence there as "senior advisory" will help make for a smooth transition for the new ownership group and the front office personnel that John hired to build good relationships together and make for a smooth working structure. Although with that said, I'm afraid John Angelos' ego could be destructive at the same time and risk poisoning the process.

[Roll Tide]

 

[SemperFi]

21 hours ago, Frobby said:

I constantly find it ironic that until last offseason, people were pleading for JA to occasionally say something publicly about the team.  Then once he opened his mouth, people were pleading for him to shut up.  

I’m feeling pretty sanguine about JA these days.  He hired Elias, let him do his thing, and invested money in long term assets as Elias recommended.  The team is in great position now, and since JA doesn’t have the assets or wherewithal to take the team to the next level, he’s getting out of the way.  Do I agree with everything he’s done or said?  No.  Does he come off like a putz?  Yes.  Could be have ran a higher payroll and still made a good profit?  For sure.  But he’s gotten the big things right, and is leaving the organization in a really good spot.  
 

I wouldn't go sanguine yet although in time he may get there-more blase` for me.  However I do think history will be much kinder to JA than the present. 

[Orioles West]

21 hours ago, Frobby said:

I constantly find it ironic that until last offseason, people were pleading for JA to occasionally say something publicly about the team.  Then once he opened his mouth, people were pleading for him to shut up.  

I’m feeling pretty sanguine about JA these days.  He hired Elias, let him do his thing, and invested money in long term assets as Elias recommended.  The team is in great position now, and since JA doesn’t have the assets or wherewithal to take the team to the next level, he’s getting out of the way.  Do I agree with everything he’s done or said?  No.  Does he come off like a putz?  Yes.  Could be have ran a higher payroll and still made a good profit?  For sure.  But he’s gotten the big things right, and is leaving the organization in a really good spot.  
 

I think this made me realize that most of my Angelos animosity is aimed at JA's father or at least most of my ill will should be focused on the elder. I suppose we may never know how serious JA was about going full Irsay on the Birds and stealing them for Nashville. However, if Nashville was only an OPACY negotiation tactic, then I have to agree with your take. The Elias hire is starting to look historic, in a good way and then backing the Elias rebuild of the farm, signing some form of extended OPACY lease and selling to a group with superior resources go a long way to leaving the Orioles in better shape than he found them.

[Bird Lady]

 

[ThisIsBirdland]

 

[Frobby]

33 minutes ago, ThisIsBirdland said:

 

Report: the owners broke into “ding, dong, the witch is dead!”

[Just Regular]

11 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Report: the owners broke into “ding, dong, the witch is dead!”

If "Rob Manfred" is ever going to splash in as a giddy OriolesHangout poster, this is the month!

[foxfield]

15 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Report: the owners broke into “ding, dong, the witch is dead!”

Owners and MLB announce sale approved and the All Star game will be held in Baltimore for 10 straight years as soon as the sale is completed due to the final transfer event.

[Going Underground]

So according to sources trying to get the approval done by around Opening Day. 

[ThisIsBirdland]

49 minutes ago, Going Underground said:

So according to sources trying to get the approval done by around Opening Day. 

Where'd you see that out of curiosity?

[TonySoprano]

1 minute ago, ThisIsBirdland said:

Where'd you see that out of curiosity?

The Sun reported it yesterday.   

Sources with knowledge of the deal’s prospects previously told The Baltimore Sun the sale could take as few as six weeks (although it might take longer, the sources hedged). That would make the transaction quicker than other MLB sales and result in the new group taking over as owners before Baltimore’s opening day on March 28.

https://www.baltimoresun.com/2024/02/07/orioles-sale-mlb-ownership-committee/

[ThisIsBirdland]

 

[CaptainRedbeard]

With the Burnes trade, the timeline for the acquisition has much less implication. Elias pretty much said they are done with big offseason acquisitions. 

Still like hearing it should move quickly. Would be pretty cool to have Rubenstein in official control by Opening Day.