Photo courtesy Baltimore Orioles
In an email to Orioles’ season ticket-holders, Executive Vice President/General Manager Mike Elias writes that the team’s ownership is committed to keeping the Orioles.
Last Friday, The Baltimore Sun wrote: “Potential bidders are lining up in the belief that the Baltimore Orioles could be placed on the market for the first time in a generation, according to multiple sources.”
According to The Sun, tax liabilities could make it advantageous for John and Louis Angelos to sell the team after their father, Peter Angelos, 91, who has been the team’s principal owner since 1993 and is in declining health, passes on.
“Our historic franchise has been a pillar of the Baltimore community for more than half a century, and our partnership group — consisting entirely of hometown, Maryland natives who act as stewards of this community’s ballclub — is committed to building upon that lasting legacy for the next generation and providing our baseball operations department with the most modern technology and other resources necessary to build a championship-caliber team and return back to our recent winning ways,” Elias wrote.
When Elias was hired in November 2018, John Angelos, who is the Orioles’ chairman and CEO, said he was committed to holding on to the team. In a September 2019 address to a local business group, Angelos answered speculation that the team could relocate. The team will stay in Baltimore for “as long as Fort McHenry is standing watch over the Inner Harbor,” he said.
According to The Sun, the Orioles and the state of Maryland are nearing agreement on a long-term lease extension for Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The lease expires at the end of next season.
Over the weekend, the Orioles claimed second baseman Yolmer Sánchez on waivers from the Chicago White Sox and picked up the $3.5 million option on shortstop José Iglesias.
“While we know this year has brought about a great deal of uncertainty, please rest assured that there is nothing uncertain about the future of your Orioles in Baltimore, or of the organizational commitment of our Chairman and CEO, the partnership group, the Senior Leadership Team, our entire professional staff, and our 26-man team to stay the course for decades to come as we succeed on and off the field in leading the way for our Baltimore community,” Elias wrote.
“The future of Birdland is bright, and the Senior Leadership Team and I are looking forward to sharing the next phase of this journey with you as we bring winning baseball back to Charm City.”
NOTE: The club announced on Monday that Trey Mancini and Richie Martin had been removed from the 60-day injured and placed on the 40-man roster, which is at 35.
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Excellent letter from Elias. Very much appreciated. Why didn’t it come from John Angelos himself?
Also, interesting timing in that the letter comes the day after Jon Meoli’s article in the Sun about ownership groups forming to make an offer
after Mr. Peter Angelos’ passing. A coincidence? I think not.
Michael, it was our friend Jeff Barker who wrote the article, not our friend Jon Meoli.
My apologies to Mr. Barker. I found the article fascinating and, to be honest, encouraging when I read Larry Lucchino’s name. I do hope ownership changes hands from the Angelos family when that day comes.
I would agree if two things went along with it, a true commitment financially to field a MLB team & not moving from Baltimore...go O’s...
Ray, the long-term lease would bind the team to Baltimore for decades. As I’ve written many times, the team was never going to be moved. MLB would never allow it.
Rich that is good new but sad that we have to keep going over this. Maybe this will put it to bed finally. With a potential new ownership group maybe we'll finally see a little more of an aggressive approach of selling the team to the community and building up strong sponsorship backbone. Rebuilding the downtown both physically and reputation wise would be something I'd like to see the new group address with city organizers. Ok ok I know I'm getting ahead of myself.
I want the O’s to stay in Baltimore, but would be very happy to see the Angelos family sell. I personally think they are focused on squeezing every dime out of the franchise but not on developing/acquiring the talent needed to compete. I know they don’t have the revenues of the Yankees and Red Sox, but other small market teams are at least competitive. What the Orioles lack from ownership is a recognition that they need to hire folks who can judge and DEVELOP talent. The failure to invest in foreign scouting is inexcusable, though they are doing a little now. The family is also known to play favorites(Chris Davis anyone?). I’m just don’t think the family is fully committed to a winning baseball team.
Rich, I got the letter too, read it carefully and came to the same interpretation. That they probably are staying after all. I do not think it could be issued by the Orioles and worded like that, if otherwise. I think.
Boss, it’s a valid attempt to reassure the fan base, increase interest (season ticket sales) among not only fans but corporate season ticket holders. This would, seemingly, increase the value of the franchise to potential buyers. PA paid $173mm for the Orioles, and his heirs will be faced with enormous taxes on a franchise worth perhaps $1 billion. If they decide to sell, maybe the letter points to any new owner keeping the team here. Obviously, the new lease puts money where the mouth is.
I can’t think of a worse scenario....The I’d leaving. John A isn’t Robert Irsay.