Gaslamp Ball

It's being reported that the John Moores Era is almost over as Jeff Moorad is apparently close to gaining full ownership of the club.

"It's 100 percent done," Moores said in a phone conversation. "I couldn't be more pleased. Jeff's remaining payment of all cash went into escrow in mid-December. I remain impressed that Jeff has done everything he said he would do."

Conspiracy Theorists everywhere are trying to figure out how they missed the news that $500 million was somehow forwarded to Jeff Moorad from Fox Sports without them knowing it, seeing as that was how Moorad had planned on buying the team, assuming you believe the Conspiracy Theorists and UT Forums. Those conspiracy theorists are probably very curious how the team will afford to support a major league payroll going forward considering the assumed fact that Moorad plans on not spending any of his own money and the whole of the 50 year TV contract has now been used to pay for Moores' divorce and a minor league ballpark.

Ignore that last paragraph.

I for one am pleased that we're quickly moving past this whole "layaway" period and into a full ownership. Personally, I don't think the layaway period was interfering with the Padres on-the-field plans, but it was certainly a distraction as people regularly questioned the feasibility of Moorad's ownership group and their ability to field a competitive team (2010 being readily ignored by Conspiracy Theorists as an anomaly, despite it being 1 of the only 2 full seasons that Moorad has been around).

Even though I personally like the blueprint of the Moorad ownership group, it also bums me out a bit to be past the Moores Era. Insiders that I've spoken to all are pretty much on the same page that Moores owned the team primarily as a guy who liked owning the team and the investment was secondary. I'd heard plenty of stories about Kevin Towers just wanting one more piece, asking Moores for just $10 million that wasn't in the budget and Moores just writing a check.

So now we can see what this ownership group can do without handcuffs. Very shortly, they'll have full ownership, a new TV deal, like a billion picks in the draft, a hungry fan base and like 8 Padres blogs. The Moorad+Moores Era produced a 90 win season and a pile of turd. The Moorad Era begins!