The Biz of Baseball: Brown: The Cubs Sale Will Be Like None Other

And Maury sez…“Mark Cuban seems to have money. Sam Zell wants. Selig chews fingernails”

With Zell looking to get the most out of the bidding, there could be complex scenarios involving bidders moving around on the sale of Wrigley Field, absent the Cubs. If the deal does go the route of The Friendly Confines going separate from the Loveable Losers, the political dance between the owners of the facility and the owners of the Cubs will be key.

Of course, adding that extra something to this story is Mark Cuban; a man who would add considerable flavor to baseball’s ownership ranks. Adding Cuban to the mix is like adding 4 cloves of garlic to your spaghetti sauce. He’s an alluring aroma that can overwhelm. If Cuban does outspend all comers, some form of buffering will be attempted by MLB.

But, even if assurances were made by Cuban, the echoes of another owner will certainly come to mind. “I won’t be active in the day-to-day operations of the club at all,” said the new owner after purchasing another storied club in 1973. The club was the Yankees, and the owner was one George Steinbrenner. The idea of adding a “Maverick” back into Lodge after the likes of King George, or Finley, or Turner is certainly something MLB would probably like to avoid… if it weren’t for Sam Zell. If it weren’t for Sam Zell.