Dodgers Bids Narrowed Down; Mark Cuban Out

Over ten bids were submitted by prospective ownership groups for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the investment firm handling the sale for Frank McCourt, The Blackstone Group, has winnowed the field down to at least eight. Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, was not one of the bids that will advance to the final round. From the Los Angeles Times:

Mark Cuban was eliminated from the Dodgers' ownership sweepstakes Friday, along with baseball executive and former agent Dennis Gilbert, according to two people familiar with the process but not authorized to discuss it.

In addition, ESPN Los Angeles is reporting that the group headed by Steve Garvey and Orel Hershisher did not make the final cut. Bidding is reportedly expected to be at least $1.2 billion, with some estimates putting the eventual price just south of $2 billion.

The three groups led by Magic Johnson, Joe Torre, and former Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley are all still in the running, according to ESPN LA.