Antonio offers Sam Zell back to Chicago

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa upped the ante today in the traditional jousting between mayors of baseball playoff cities. Chicago mayor Richard Mayor Daley previously wagered a “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” package of food, soft drinks and sporting goods from Chicago companies, including Vienna Beef hot dogs, Lemonheads and sunflower seeds. Villaraigosa's office countered in a release:

“If the Dodgers win, Los Angeles gets Chicago’s 2016 Olympic bid,” said Mayor Villaraigosa. “If the Cubs win, Chicago can take back Sam Zell.”

The Mayor added: “It would be a tremendous blow to the City of Los Angeles to lose such a great corporate citizen such as Mr. Zell, so in unlikely event that the Dodgers lose, I’d insist that as a consolation he sell the L.A. Times back to an L.A. owner before heading back to Chicago.”

Great line.