Rumors that the sale of the A's from the Haas family to CA
developers Ken Hofmann and Steve Schott was in trouble were
called "premature" by A's CEO Wally Haas yesterday. Haas says
the sale is "still on track" and had been slowed by baseball's
labor problems. The speculation that the deal was in trouble
came from newly-acquired A's Pitcher Dave Stewart, who told
writers that the Haas' brothers had told him they would be
running the club this season. The Haas brothers left that open
as a possibility, but insisted that the sale was "still on track"
(Glenn Dickey, S.F. CHRONICLE, 4/12). But a source "with
knowledge of the ownership talks" told the OAKLAND TRIBUNE that
Hoffman's "wavering commitment to the deal now threatens it."
Schott is reportedly "set to handle the team's day-to-day
operations." Hoffman and Schott are reportedly equal partners in
the deal. Still, a spokesperson for the group said yesterday
that they "remain committed" to buying the A's. Schott and
Hofmann beat out a Sacramento-based group led by newspaper heir
Kevin McClatchy and building supply magnate Fred Anderson.
Anderson said yesterday their group would still be interested in
the A's (David Li, OAKLAND TRIBUNE, 4/12).