Marlins Owner Jeffrey Loria is "receptive to the possibility" of selling the team and "will consider offers," according to sources cited by Barry Jackson of the MIAMI HERALD. However, a source "cautioned that nothing is imminent, and Loria’s open-mindedness about selling by no means guarantees that any deal will get done." Several suitors have "expressed interest in buying the Marlins in recent months, but nothing has progressed to the point of signed agreements, and Loria has not hired a firm to help him sell the team." Forbes on Thursday reported that Loria had "let people know" that the team and use of Marlins Park could be purchased for $1.7B. Marlins President David Samson on Friday "declined to comment on the Forbes report or say whether Loria is interested in selling." Samson: “There are so many rumors all the time, we really don’t address them." Jackson noted Boston-based Solamere Capital, run by former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, "negotiated with the Marlins in recent months, but its offer was rejected by Loria." A source said that the offer was for "less than" $1.7B. Another source said that Loria earlier this year "gave another asking price," lower than $1.7B, to a "deep-pocketed businessman who inquired about buying the Marlins" (MIAMI HERALD, 12/17).
OPENING THE CHECK BOOK: In Ft. Lauderdale, Tim Healey noted the Marlins "appear poised to set a franchise record" with their '17 payroll. With the money the club already has on the books "plus projected salaries for a half-dozen arbitration-eligible players and the league minimum for a handful of others," the Marlins are looking at about $108M of commitments so far for '17. That is a "considerable increase" from the '16 Opening Day mark of $74.4M and edges the '12 club record of $101.6M. Samson said of Loria, "He gives his baseball people parameters, and they build the best team they can. The team loses money. Jeffrey puts money into the team every year, and has. But we don't talk about it because fans don't want to hear about it. They just want to see the team win on the field." Meanwhile, Samson on Friday also said the club is in the "seventh inning" of negotiating a naming-rights deal for Marlins Park. But talks "haven't progressed as quickly as he hoped" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 12/17).
