Nothing appears easy for the Mets.
In a bizarre twist yesterday, a bidding group that was passed over in favor of David Einhorn met with team officials, according to a source close to the talks, raising questions as to how well the Mets’ slow-as-molasses talks with Einhorn are going.
The baby-faced hedgie was first expected to wrap up his deal to purchase a 33 percent stake in the cash-strapped team for $200 million by June 30. That date came and went.
Then the target date for a deal was pushed back to mid-July. Again, it wasn’t done. Now, sources familiar with the talks say they won’t be completed until August.
Meanwhile, out of left field yesterday, the bidding group of commodities trader Ray Bartoszek and investor Anthony Lanza met with the team, sources said.
The Mets moved quickly to quash any doubt that the Einhorn talks were still on track — albeit a slow one — and that no other talks were taking place.
“We are in exclusive negotiations with David Einhorn and continue to have positive and productive discussions regarding David’s ongoing interest in an investment in the Mets,” the team said in a statement.
There is the possibility that the Bartoszek meeting was arranged to put pressure on Einhorn. A source close to the Mets said Einhorn re-entered exclusive negotiations with owners Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz for a minority stake just hours after news of the talks leaked.
Bartoszek was interested in buying a stake in the Mets only if he could also purchase a stake in SportNet New York, the team-owned regional sports network, which is not currently included in the deal.