The Nats are...For Sale?!?

[Natsinpwc]

Two parts. I heard that Leonsis has a right of last refusal deal, second hand info but would be a big indication that he is the front runner. Talk Nats contacted a number of people and found that Leonsis is working hard to find an end to the MASN deal, at least it's current structure, prior to purchasing the team. The fear is that this means it is less likely that the new owner will be in place by December, to the detriment of both the Nats and Os in 2023.

The Nats could do a lot worse than Leonsis, but I don't see him going straight to "win now" mode, he's more of a "rebuild the right way" kind of owner.

He’s obviously had winning seasons with the Caps but the Wizards have been poorly run. Kept Ernie way too long as GM. And then hire his assistant.  Gabe max contracts to guys who are not Max players.  He seems more interested in the betting angle. 

[Smithian]

I'm great with Caps Leonsis. I'm undecided on Wizards Leonsis.

The NBA model right now is so broken. You're either a prime franchise or you're praying for a lucky break in the draft. They're just in a bleak NBA purgatory right now. But I'm fine having an owner who doesn't want to tank. Tanking is dumb in baseball. The best franchises pick low in the draft and still stock their systems.

Leonsis must have a very deep group. I can't imagine MLB's first choice would be a guy who already owns two pro sports teams in the city. Just feels like you run risk of him being disinterested or having succession issues down the line.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I imagine this  is job security for Rizzo. Leonsis seems to give his leadership teams a long leash. Worked better for the Caps than the Wiz. The only problem with Rizzo is whether he can really embrace analytics as part of the equation. You can hope that the problem was more the Lerners scrubbing each line item (not necessarily cheap, as they would shell out for the MLB team, but too detailed for the development system). 

As for the MASN deal, I don't imagine the Lerners taking a discount on what they feel Angelos owes them, so I don't think the sale price gets dropped. Then I guess it becomes whether Leonsis and his backers will overpay to try to create a Yes/NESN at a time when streaming is killing other RSNs. Could he possibly buy MASN and pay Angelos off to get the Os rights as they are getting good?  Nice way for Angelos to dollarize that asset going into his sale.  Risk is then Os to Nashville.

[Slateman]

If the BLOS want to sell their team don’t they need to come to the table with the Nats and make a reasonable deal?

Who says they want to sell?

[HalfSmokes]

If the BLOS want to sell their team don’t they need to come to the table with the Nats and make a reasonable deal?

Why? Right now, if they sell, they are selling a small market team that also owns the tv rights to a larger market team. That seems pretty valuable compared to just selling the Os.

[HalfSmokes]

I imagine this  is job security for Rizzo. Leonsis seems to give his leadership teams a long leash. Worked better for the Caps than the Wiz. The only problem with Rizzo is whether he can really embrace analytics as part of the equation. You can hope that the problem was more the Lerners scrubbing each line item (not necessarily cheap, as they would shell out for the MLB team, but too detailed for the development system). 

As for the MASN deal, I don't imagine the Lerners taking a discount on what they feel Angelos owes them, so I don't think the sale price gets dropped. Then I guess it becomes whether Leonsis and his backers will overpay to try to create a Yes/NESN at a time when streaming is killing other RSNs. Could he possibly buy MASN and pay Angelos off to get the Os rights as they are getting good?  Nice way for Angelos to dollarize that asset going into his sale.  Risk is then Os to Nashville.

Does he have enough money to buy 1) the nats and 2) the nats TV rights? Those are separate transactions and you can argue that they have similar value

[Slateman]

I imagine this  is job security for Rizzo. Leonsis seems to give his leadership teams a long leash. Worked better for the Caps than the Wiz. The only problem with Rizzo is whether he can really embrace analytics as part of the equation. You can hope that the problem was more the Lerners scrubbing each line item (not necessarily cheap, as they would shell out for the MLB team, but too detailed for the development system). 

No, Rizzo is gonna be the fall guy if Leonsis is ever willing to spend big. He'll want his guy to doll out big contracts

[HalfSmokes]

No, Rizzo is gonna be the fall guy if Leonsis is ever willing to spend big. He'll want his guy to doll out big contracts

I wonder if Ernie is available

[JCA-CrystalCity]

No, Rizzo is gonna be the fall guy if Leonsis is ever willing to spend big. He'll want his guy to doll out big contracts

do you think anyone really thinks Rizzo is the spending constraint?  Widely publicized that he need every expenditure approved with no set budget even in the good days.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Does he have enough money to buy 1) the nats and 2) the nats TV rights? Those are separate transactions and you can argue that they have similar value

He's not the main money man in his group.  Isn't it a local venture capital guy?  He's part of the deal because he brings sports franchise knowledge.  It's sort of the Henry relationship to Werner/Lucchino back in the day.  Henry was smart enough to know he needed a Lucchino.

[Slateman]

do you think anyone really thinks Rizzo is the spending constraint?  Widely publicized that he need every expenditure approved with no set budget even in the good days.

And Leonsis is gonna want his guy in there. Rizzo is a placeholder.

[HalfSmokes]

He's not the main money man in his group.  Isn't it a local venture capital guy?  He's part of the deal because he brings sports franchise knowledge.  It's sort of the Henry relationship to Werner/Lucchino back in the day.  Henry was smart enough to know he needed a Lucchino.

At that point, why not make a bid for the Os, get MASN and have a franchise

[Senatorswin]

As far as the O's it came out this week the O's owner said they're not going to move and they are currently negotiating a deal for Camden Yards that will lock them into Baltimore.

[Senatorswin]

Rizzo probably hasn't drafted well for the last 4 or 5 years but the Nats were the winningest team except the Dodgers and possibly one other team from 2012 to 2019. I know it's "what have you done for me lately" but no team except maybe the Dodgers and Yankees stay at the top without a reload. Even those two teams the Yankees have won 1 world series in the 2000's (2009) and the Dodgers once since 1988 and that was a shortened season. So the new owner would probably do well to hang onto Rizzo.

[Slateman]

Rizzo probably hasn't drafted well for the last 4 or 5 years but the Nats were the winningest team except the Dodgers and possibly one other team from 2012 to 2019. I know it's "what have you done for me lately" but no team except maybe the Dodgers and Yankees stay at the top without a reload. Even those two teams the Yankees have won 1 world series in the 2000's (2009) and the Dodgers once since 1988 and that was a shortened season. So the new owner would probably do well to hang onto Rizzo.

In the last ten years, Mike Rizzo's first round picks have been:

Lucas Giolito
Erick Fedde
Carter Kieboom
Seth Romero
Mason Denaburg
Jackson Rutledge
Cade Cavalli
Brady House
Elihah Green

Fedde is the only one who has been productive for the Nationals. We have repeatedly not drafted the right player.

At some point, its got to be acknowledged that the system Rizzo built isnt producing major league talent

[imref]

The Soto trade is looking pretty good right now.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Too soon probably on Rutledge, but Kieboom has to be a regular to save anything from that Kieboom Kieboom Romero Denaburg stretch.

[Slateman]

Too soon probably on Rutledge, but Kieboom has to be a regular to save anything from that Kieboom Kieboom Romero Denaburg stretch.

Its more than that. Who from the last ten years of drafts have become major leaguers

Spencer Kieboom, Nick Pivetta, and Austin Voth are probably the highlights

[JCA-CrystalCity]

There was a stretch of most of the high picks being pitchers and none panning out. Stevenson might be the only position player to have a useful stretch

[Senatorswin]

In the last ten years, Mike Rizzo's first round picks have been:

Lucas Giolito
Erick Fedde
Carter Kieboom
Seth Romero
Mason Denaburg
Jackson Rutledge
Cade Cavalli
Brady House
Elihah Green

Fedde is the only one who has been productive for the Nationals. We have repeatedly not drafted the right player.

At some point, its got to be acknowledged that the system Rizzo built isnt producing major league talent

Rizzo's trades have been a lot better than his drafts and he's hit on a couple of free agents. I wouldn't even count Fedde as being productive. The Soto trade may end up being what they needed to build again. Bottom line is he's won and that's what it's all about.

[imref]

Are we going to debate the Giolito trade again??

[hotshot]

Who wants an "owner" who needs a group of backers to help him eke out a deal? And whose attention and focus is already divided among sports franchises. Rather have a mega-deep pocket owner who will spend like there is no tomorrow, if that is what it takes.

[DPMOmaha]

Who wants an "owner" who needs a group of backers to help him eke out a deal? And whose attention and focus is already divided among sports franchises. Rather have a mega-deep pocket owner who will spend like there is no tomorrow, if that is what it takes.

You mean how almost every team in every sport does it?

[HalfSmokes]

You mean how almost every team in every sport does it?

Even the rich ones. Joe Jacob only owns 25% of the Warriors, that doesn't stop them from having a $334 payroll including penalties in a league capped at $112 million

[Slateman]

Rather have a mega-deep pocket owner who will spend like there is no tomorrow, if that is what it takes.

Sure, and I want a threesome with Gianna Michaels and Angela White.

What you're describing is a unicorn. You want a fan who became a billionaire. And that normally doesnt happen. Billionaires become billionaires because they invest money reasonably well, not spend on a fantasy or toy.