Remember several years ago when Major League Baseball was getting ready to move the Expos to Washington and Orioles’ owner Peter Angelos -- a trial lawyer by trade -- threatened to sue until Hell wouldn’t have if if his precious territory was invaded? Yeah, he’s over that now, saying today just how wonderful it is to have the Nats nearby, fostering a budding rivalry and all of that.
Of course he’s quite honest about the fact that the TV deal which was hammered out between the Orioles and Nationals -- the Orioles own a majority share in MASN, which broadcasts Nats games -- is what made all the difference, saying “What’s good for the Nationals is good for MASN,”
It’s a simple lesson: money greases the skids for franchise movement. You wonder why Bud Selig’s committee has taken so long to recommend what to do with the Athletics? It’s because they still haven’t found the right deal to buy off the Giants’ opposition to the A’s in San Jose. Once that’s done, though, everyone will likely forget all the acrimony and wonder how it every worked any other way.