NEW YORK - Major League Baseball asked players Thursday to shift about a quarter of the Expos' home games next year from Montreal to San Juan or Monterrey.
Officials spent much of the past eight months discussing a permanent move of the Expos to northern Virginia; Portland, Ore.; or Washington. Despite baseball's intention to decide by the end of the regular season, it appears no long-term solution will be made for the 2004 season.
"The handwriting on the wall is pretty stark," said Gene Orza, the No. 2 official of the players' association.
Rob Manfred, baseball's executive vice president for labor relations, made the proposal in a meeting with Orza. MLB has not decided whether it wants to move the games to Puerto Rico or Mexico.
"It was a discussion that covered both places," Manfred said.
To increase revenue, baseball relocated 22 Expos home games this season to San Juan.
GEORGE RAGES: Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was seething after his team tied the Orioles at 1 at Camden Yards in a game called by rain after the fifth.
"This was incredibly bad judgment and stupidity by the commissioner's office," Steinbrenner said in a statement. "Schools, businesses, athletic events were all called off, and yet this game went ahead. It was inappropriate, and an act of great stupidity."
In response to the Orioles' claim that the Yankees had refused to reschedule the game as a part of a day-night doubleheader Wednesday, Steinbrenner's statement said: "It's a lame excuse for (the Orioles) to try to get off the hook."
FAN KILLED: A fan attending a Giants game Wednesday night fell to his death from the elevated rightfield wall at Pacific Bell Park.
Todd Adams, 35, of Santa Cruz attempted to climb down the outside of the wall to retrieve something he dropped onto the walkway 24 feet below during the eighth inning, witnesses said.
He slipped and fell, Giants spokeswoman Staci Slaughter said.
BRAVES: Right-handed closer John Smoltz is expected to throw off a mound today for the first time in nearly two weeks. Smoltz is on the disabled list with tendinitis in his right elbow.
GIANTS: First baseman Andres Galarraga, who was considering retirement a week ago, is having second thoughts. Galarraga, 42, is three shy of 400 homers, a figure he's determined to reach.
http://www.sptimes.com/2003/09/19/Sports/MLB_officially_propos.shtml
Officials spent much of the past eight months discussing a permanent move of the Expos to northern Virginia; Portland, Ore.; or Washington. Despite baseball's intention to decide by the end of the regular season, it appears no long-term solution will be made for the 2004 season.
"The handwriting on the wall is pretty stark," said Gene Orza, the No. 2 official of the players' association.
Rob Manfred, baseball's executive vice president for labor relations, made the proposal in a meeting with Orza. MLB has not decided whether it wants to move the games to Puerto Rico or Mexico.
"It was a discussion that covered both places," Manfred said.
To increase revenue, baseball relocated 22 Expos home games this season to San Juan.
GEORGE RAGES: Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was seething after his team tied the Orioles at 1 at Camden Yards in a game called by rain after the fifth.
"This was incredibly bad judgment and stupidity by the commissioner's office," Steinbrenner said in a statement. "Schools, businesses, athletic events were all called off, and yet this game went ahead. It was inappropriate, and an act of great stupidity."
In response to the Orioles' claim that the Yankees had refused to reschedule the game as a part of a day-night doubleheader Wednesday, Steinbrenner's statement said: "It's a lame excuse for (the Orioles) to try to get off the hook."
FAN KILLED: A fan attending a Giants game Wednesday night fell to his death from the elevated rightfield wall at Pacific Bell Park.
Todd Adams, 35, of Santa Cruz attempted to climb down the outside of the wall to retrieve something he dropped onto the walkway 24 feet below during the eighth inning, witnesses said.
He slipped and fell, Giants spokeswoman Staci Slaughter said.
BRAVES: Right-handed closer John Smoltz is expected to throw off a mound today for the first time in nearly two weeks. Smoltz is on the disabled list with tendinitis in his right elbow.
GIANTS: First baseman Andres Galarraga, who was considering retirement a week ago, is having second thoughts. Galarraga, 42, is three shy of 400 homers, a figure he's determined to reach.
http://www.sptimes.com/2003/09/19/Sports/MLB_officially_propos.shtml
