After a yearlong search and decision-making process, Major League Baseball has elected to sell the Washington Nationals to a group headed by Theodore and Mark Lerner. The news was given to the elder Lerner, Theodore, by Commissioner Bud Selig in a telephone call on Wednesday, The Washington Post reported. Bob DuPuy, MLB's president and chief operating officer, subsequently confirmed the transaction to MLB.com. The Commissioner's office has announced a 4:45 p.m. ET conference call during which Selig will announce that MLB has begun the process of divesting itself of a franchise it has owned and operated since Feb. 15, 2002. The sale price is reportedly $450 million and approval of the owners should be perfunctory at their next quarterly meetings, scheduled for May 17-18 in New York. Considering the time it will take for the signing of final papers, the Lerners will probably take over the club shortly thereafter.