Chicago-based ComPsych Corp. Founder, Chair & CEO Richard Chaifetz has exited Derek Jeter's group bidding to buy the Marlins, potentially leaving Jeter "short of Marlins’ owner Jeffrey Loria’s asking price just days before" MLB had "hoped to have a winning bid," according to Atkinson, Davidoff & Kosman of the N.Y. POST. Sources said that Chaifetz was "uncomfortable with Jeter seeking control while not investing much money in the team." Sources said that Jeter several months ago "left a bidding partnership with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush over similar control issues." Sources said that a "second billionaire member of Jeter’s group," former Private Capital Management co-Founder Bruce Sherman, is "picking up some of the slack" to steady Jeter’s bid. But with MLB "hoping to wrap up the auction process by Tuesday’s All-Star Game," the Chaifetz exit "could hamper Jeter’s bid." Meanwhile, sources said that a rival bidding group spearheaded by Tagg Romney and Quogue Capital Founder Wayne Rothbaum has "dropped out." Sources said that the "fast-moving developments appear to leave" MasTec co-Founder & Chair Jorge Mas in a "much better position to be chosen the winner of the auction." But one advantage Jeter has over Mas is that he is "further along in talks with both MLB and Loria." Sources said that Mas "isn’t far along in studying the Marlins financials at this stage" (N.Y. POST, 7/7). In N.Y., Christian Red cites a source as saying that Romney's group is "alive and well and still in" the hunt to buy the Marlins (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/7). In Miami, Barry Jackson notes Loria "rejected" a $1.1B bid from the Rothbaum/Romney group last week. A source said that Loria originally asked for $1.3B but is "now willing to accept" $1.2B. Rothbaum "ultimately was unwilling to raise his offer, despite the Marlins encouraging him to do so." Sources as of Thursday afternoon said that the Marlins had "not been informed that Rothbaum and Romney had dropped their pursuit of the team" (MIAMI HERALD, 7/7).
LEADER IN THE CLUBHOUSE: FANRAG SPORTS' Jon Heyman noted Mas "would be roundly applauded in South Florida should he be able to finalize the deal to buy the team." He "seems to have the advantage since he can fund all of it himself if need be." Sources said that he has the "clear edge at the moment," and a deal "could be wrapped up in two weeks or so" (FANRAGSPORTS.com, 7/6). In Ft. Lauderdale, Dave Hyde notes Mas winning the Marlins bid would be "good news for fans." He has the "two main ingredients the other groups haven’t: He’s rich enough to carry the $1.1-$1.2 billion tag price, if he wants; and he’s local to understand the Marlins’ odd relationship with South Florida." But the question for Mas is "will he spend?" Hyde: "Can he hire smart baseball people? Does he really understand what’s ahead in the immediate future with this team?" (SUN-SENTINEL.com, 7/7).
NOTHING TO SEE HERE: In Ft. Lauderdale, Craig Davis notes Marlins President David Samson on Thursday "dodged a question about the status of the potential sale during a preview tour of All-Star FanFest at the Miami Beach Convention Center." Samson: "This week from now till Wednesday it’s really about the All-Star Game. It’s about the focus on the great players we get to watch. There’s events truly all over the South Florida community. So that’s really my focus on that” (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 7/7).
