From ESPN - 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3806526

PHOENIX -- Jeff Moorad resigned as chief executive officer of the Arizona Diamondbacks to pursue ownership of the San Diego Padres.

The team promoted team president Derrick Hall to chief executive officer, Diamondbacks managing general partner Ken Kendrick said Friday.

Moorad will maintain his share of Diamondbacks ownership but would have to sell that if his effort to purchase the Padres is successful, Kendrick said.

Kendrick would not reveal what share of the team Moorad owns but said "it is not an insignificant amount."

Moorad's development of a group to purchase the Padres had reached the point when Major League Baseball rules required him to leave his job with Arizona, Kendrick said.

"I can confirm that Jeff has resigned and is interested in the Padres," San Diego owner John Moores wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press.

Two weeks ago, Moores said he had hired Goldman Sachs to search for a potential buyer as he goes through a divorce with his wife, Becky.

"Goldman will look at offers and make recommendations," Moores said in a Dec. 15 e-mail to the AP. "I have been told that, because these are difficult economic times, I should be prepared for a wide range of interest and offers."

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