The second sale of the Padres since January ’09 could be complete in “weeks, if not months,” according to an MLB source cited by Dan Hayes of the NORTH COUNTY TIMES. Only 37 days after Padres Chair John Moores announced the team was for sale, MLB “has already vetted five potential ownership groups.” The investment bankers hired to facilitate the sale, Allen & Co.’s Steve Greenberg and Moag & Company’s John Moag, originally “estimated the process could take up to a year to complete.” Because several of the groups who had interest in the Dodgers "also have interest in the Padres, the process has been accelerated significantly.” Early estimates have “placed the franchise’s sale value" between $600M and $700M (NCTIMES.com, 5/17). In San Diego, Nick Canepa wrote, “A person with a whole lot of cash will buy out at least John Moores’ 51 percent and take control of the Padres soon enough.” Canepa: “It’s hard to imagine any new owner will arrive, look around and say: ‘You guys are doing great work. A last-place team with no hitting, no defense, no stars and an iffy future is just what I’m looking for.’ The new boss quickly may play custodian and get out the broom.” Padres GM Josh Byrnes said, “I honestly don’t think the (ownership) situation has affected us one bit. We have access to a few things. We’ve done one small trade and we were kicking around another that would have added to our payroll. That trade isn’t going to happen now, but adding to our payroll was accepted” (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 5/17). MLB.com’s Lyle Spencer noted rumors of Baseball HOFer and San Diego State Univ. baseball coach Tony Gwynn "taking part, potentially, in an ownership group assuming control of the Padres was making the rounds on Wednesday.” Spencer: “While it certainly wouldn’t compare in magnitude nationally to [Magic] Johnson assuming an active role in the Dodgers ownership, Gwynn would have a similar impact with the public perception of the Padres” (MLB.com, 5/17).
