New York ? In an unprecedented move, baseball owners unanimously approved the takeover of the Expos by the commissioner’s office and the sale of the Florida Marlins to Montreal’s current owner.

Tuesday’s votes, taken just three days before those teams start spring training, caused immediate management shifts. Montreal manager Jeff Torborg quit and became Florida’s manager, and Hall of Famer Frank Robinson was hired as the Expos’ manager.

Larry Beinfest, who had been the Expos’ interim general manager, resigned to become Florida’s general manager and was replaced by Omar Minaya, who had been senior assistant general manager of the New York Mets.

Tony Tavares, who quit the Anaheim Angels last month, was appointed by baseball commissioner Bud Selig as Montreal’s team president.

“From this day forward, in terms of the decisions they make, they are on their own,” Selig said in a conference call.

Current Marlins owner John Henry, frustrated at the failure to get a new ballpark, heads a group that was given approval Jan. 16 to buy the Boston Red Sox for $660 million from the Jean R. Yawkey Trust.

Jeffrey Loria is buying the Marlins from Henry for $158.5 million and selling the Montreal franchise for $120 million to Baseball Expos LP, a Delaware limited partnership owned by the other 29 teams. The commissioner’s office is loaning him the difference between the prices.