Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
NEW YORK - Exactly 33 years after the Washington Senators played their final game, the nation's capital might learn Thursday that major-league baseball plans to return next season.
Several baseball officials said Monday that Thursday is the most likely day for an announcement that Washington has been selected for the Expos' future home, although there was a slight chance the timetable could be moved up.
The Associated Press reported that after last Thursday's meeting of the sport's executive council, Major League Baseball would attempt to finalize negotiations with Washington within a week. It would be the majors' first franchise relocation since the expansion Senators became the Texas Rangers after the 1971 season.
The deal to move the Expos would be subject to government approval of funding for both a $13-million refurbishment of RFK Stadium and a new ballpark costing slightly more than $400-million, which would be built along the Anacostia River in the southeast section of the city.
Meanwhile, Phillies reliever Rheal Cormier realized he might be the last Canadian to play against the Expos in Montreal. "It's sad," said the left-hander, who is from Shediac, New Brunswick. "I've been an Expos fans since I was kid. But I think the team deserves better and hopefully they'll go to a city that will support them and hopefully the choice they make will pan out."
BREWERS SALE: The Brewers have agreed to accept an offer from Los Angeles investor Mark L. Attanasio to buy the team from the family of commissioner Bud Selig.
Daniel Gilbert, the founder and chairman of Quicken Loans, said Monday he was told the team had selected another buyer. AP reported that Attanasio's offer was orally accepted by the Brewers' board last week.
Attanasio and the team are drafting the sale agreement, AP reported.
The Brewers' acceptance was first reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on its Web site.
"I am deeply disappointed that the Brewers have chosen another direction in the sale of the club," Gilbert said. "After nearly eight long months of negotiations, I believed we were on the verge of announcing a deal when I was informed of the Brewers' decision to sell the team to another party."
GUILLEN SUSPENSION: The players' association filed a grievance seeking to overturn the Angels' suspension of leftfielder Jose Guillen.
The former Devil Ray was suspended without pay for the rest of the season Sunday because of his outburst after being lifted for a pinch runner a day earlier in Anaheim. The suspension would continue into the postseason if the Angels advance that far.
The case will be heard by arbitrator Shyam Das in Oakland on Friday, the day the Angels start a regular season-ending series against the AL West-leading Athletics.
General manager Bill Stoneman said the team would defend its move but wouldn't go into details.