Expos Chair Jacques Menard "sounded weary, depressed
and pessimistic" yesterday in Cooperstown, NY, following MLB
owners' failure to approve the sale of the Expos, according
to Jack Todd of the Montreal GAZETTE. Todd: "Not only did
the sale of the Expos not come to a vote, but Menard seemed
to hint that American art-dealer Jeffrey Loria is getting
cold feet." Menard, asked if Loria "might back out":
"That's always a possibility." But Todd cites sources as
saying that Loria is "in as solidly as ever, that the work
remaining to be done goes more to contract detail than
substance, that Loria will be an outstanding owner when he
takes over." Todd: "We can only hope, because if Loria
pulls out, it's pull-the-plug time" (GAZETTE, 9/17).
ROYALS: In K.C., Charles Crumpley writes that after MLB
owners tabled the Royals sale to a group led by Miles
Prentice, the "possibility has become a little greater" that
the team "could be killed or moved." Royals President Mike
Herman: "I don't give much credence in that. I'm not going
to spend any time on that" (K.C. STAR, 9/17).
