A'S GOOD AS IT GETS: TWO GROUPS READY TO DROP $12M DEPOSIT

          Former A's exec Andy Dolich and CA business consultant
     Michael Lazarus are both leading groups bidding for the A's
     that "have the financial capacity ... and the inclination to
     place an initial cash payment" of $12M into escrow by a
     Wednesday deadline, according to Rick DelVecchio of the S.F.
     CHRONICLE.  If both groups make the deposit, Game Plan LLC,
     the company handling the sale, would "recommend to Coliseum
     [Authority] officials the group they believe comes closest
     to meeting league guidelines."  The Coliseum Authority has
     given Game Plan the OK to put together a deal to transfer
     the A's ownership, with one group then completing a final
     deal with current A's co-Owners Steve Schott and Ken
     Hofmann.  The franchise's sale price is $120M, plus $2.4M in
     transaction fees (S.F. CHRONICLE, 4/16).