K.C. mortgage banker James Nutter Jr. will invest $3-5M
of his "personal money" in Miles Prentice's group to buy the
Royals, according to Charles Crumpley of the K.C. STAR.
Nutter, Exec VP of his father's company, James B. Nutter &
Co., is the second local K.C. exec to join Prentice's group,
after R. Crosby Kemper Jr. declared his support last week
(K.C. STAR, 8/8). In K.C., Joe Posnanski writes that the
Lamar Hunt-Western Resources $52M bid for the Royals "is a
joke, a prank, a mockery," and adds that Prentice is "not
the best choice," but "the only choice" (K.C. STAR, 8/10).
MLB NOTES: Astros P Randy Johnson made his home debut
on Friday night before a sellout crowd of 52,071, "the
largest regular-season turnout in franchise history"
(HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 8/8)....Blue Jays Exec VP/Business Bob
Nicholson said that he "has not heard" a recent radio report
suggesting that Interbrew "is going to sell the team to
lawyer Laurie Dale within a week" (TORONTO SUN, 8/10).
YANKS SUIT: Former Yankees clubhouse worker Paul Priore
has filed a $165M lawsuit against the team in N.Y. Bronx
Supreme Court, "charging he was the victim of ... gay
bashing by players and was fired because he contracted the
AIDS virus." Yankees Dir of PR Rick Cerrone called Priore's
claims "ludicrous and meritless" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 8/8).
Fueled by a Beanie Baby promo, the Yankees drew 55,911 for
Sunday's game vs. the Royals, bringing the team "that much
closer to hitting the 3 million attendance mark this season,
the number owner George Steinbrenner has set for considering
keeping" the team in the Bronx (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 8/10).
