David Barron talked to Jim Crane, who has now been linked to the sale of three MLB teams, and owns exactly as many as you and I do.
Crane:
“I’m interested in baseball under the right economic conditions. The opportunities (to purchase a team) come up so seldom that you have to weigh each opportunity as it is presented, and right now I don’t think there is an opportunity unless something changes...
...“We’re not pursuing the Astros at this point. ... What happened with Drayton (in 2008) didn’t go off well. I certainly respect Drayton and wish him the best. He’s a great guy and sometimes deals just don’t work. I think for a while that might have been held against us, but we tried to conduct ourselves in a professional manner and respect the rules, and that is how we will continue to do things.”
Hey, but what about Mark Cuban?
Cuban, asked if he were interested in pursuing the Astros, said in an e-mail message, “No interest in pursuing the Astros. I hope if the opportunity arises that Jim Crane does pursue it. Having gotten to know Jim, he would be great for the Astros and the fans would love him.”
Drayton:
McLane said the sale of the Astros “is not something that we are pursuing. Teams that want to sell make a public announcement and then they have some sort of bid process, and that is not something we are contemplating at all.”
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
