Before the "end of July -- and possibly as early as
next week -- the Canadian partners will sign documents
selling their shares" of the Expos to Majority Owner Jeffrey
Loria, according to Jack Todd of the Montreal GAZETTE. But
even if he acquires complete control of the team, "no one
really knows what Loria is thinking." But it is "probable"
that the Expos will have to "remain in Montreal for at least
another season." Todd: "The simple truth is that unless
Loria has some private, hush-hush verbal agreement with [MLB
Commissioner Bud] Selig -- there is nowhere for the Expos to
go." But looking ahead, Todd wrote that if Loria keeps the
team in Montreal and "wants to make this is a success ... he
is first going to have to bite the bullet and remove [Exec
VP David] Samson from his position." He "can't remain as
the effective CEO. Samson's 'we'll bring them to their
knees' negotiating posture just does not work in this city.
... Almost without exception, Samson has alienated everyone
he has tried to work with in this city." Todd: "After
Samson, the second mistake Loria made was to display a
complete lack of patience here." But if Loria apologizes
for past acts in Montreal and announces that "he is going to
demote Samson and hire a qualified francophone in his place,
things just might work out after all" (GAZETTE, 7/9). This
morning, Todd writes that Canadian partners "are absolutely
unified" on Loria and Samson, who have "managed to alienate
people like Stephen Bronfman and Mark Routtenberg -- so this
is NOT a French-American thing" (Montreal GAZETTE, 7/10).
