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Ishbia Using Minnesota Twins as Leverage to Buy White Sox? Local Insider Says No…
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- Ishbia Using Minnesota Twins as Leverage to Buy White Sox? Local Insider Says No…
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
There have been conflicting reports thus far regarding the timeline for a sale of the Minnesota Twins. The Pohlad's can't leave the organization soon enough when it comes to the minds of fans. They still are going to bleed every dollar out of a potential sale, though.
The most prominent publicly named buying group is headed by Justin Ishbia . Nothing has moved forward thus far, and there is competition on the franchise ownership front.
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Chicago meddling in the Minnesota Twins business
Similarly to the Detroit Lions, the Chicago White Sox are a franchise that has seen fleeting relevancy create a newfound level of importance. Jerry Reinsdorf is open to selling his American League franchise and that could cause issues for the Minnesota Twins. At least right now, they don't seem to be attracting the same buyers.
"With [Justin] Ishbia being there in Chicago, it would make logical sense to try and buy the White Sox. I do wonder deep down, is Jerry Reinsdorf truly ready to sell? Is he? If he is, Justin Ishbia purchasing the White Sox makes all sorts of sense. Talking to Twins officials, they don't have any reason to believe that this is a leverage ploy. The interest, from everything I can gather, Ishbia buying the Twins is legit."
Of course no deal is done, and despite Spring Training and Opening Day being around the corner, nothing changes until the ink dries. That process is one that has to play out at both the team and league level.
"I still need to see it to believe it, especially at the price point the Pohlad's have been seeking. Now if we're talking more like $1.3 or $1.4 billion, ok different discussion. But at least at $1.6 to $1.8 billion, I'm not sure that thing gets done by Opening Day."
It may seem like a nominal amount considering the purchase price being discussed. Ishbia himself can certainly make the difference look minimal. That said, the Pohlad's are selling in an attempt to cash out and grab everything they can.
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There's no reason for current ownership to shortchange the valuation in an attempt to make the process move more quickly. There also isn't reason for Ishbia to spend foolishly just so he can close the deal by an arbitrary date. Hopefully Ishbia decides to stay away from the Chicago White Sox.
Related: Minnesota Twins Steal Top-50 International Prospect From Dodgers
Ultimately the sale of the Minnesota Twins hangs in the balance. There are truly interested parties, and there is a billionaire family waiting to make their mark on the way out. Stay tuned for now, I guess.
