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Baseball briefs

By Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published September 26, 2000

Alou to stay in Montreal, as will Expos, for a year

MONTREAL -- Not only will the Expos return for another season, Felipe Alou will be back in 2001 to manage them.

Despite rumors that he would be fired after the season, Alou was told recently by team owner Jeffrey Loria that he will return next year for his 10th season as the team's manager.

"I said until the day he tells me that I'm gone, I'm still here," Alou said Monday. "In the last week he told me a couple of times, "That is only speculation, you'll be here next year.' So I have to believe him."

Loria, who confirmed that the Expos would be back in Montreal next season during the team's previous homestand, previously said Alou's status would be evaluated after the season.

"The rumors have all been false -- Felipe Alou is our manager next year," team executive vice president David Samson said before the Expos' final home game of the season. "That's never been a question at any time. Felipe Alou is the man who will help this team go to the next level."

Reports said the midseason firing of coaches Luis Pujols and Bobby Cuellar, said to be close to Alou, may have been intended to provoke Alou to resign.

"It's not just the Expos -- a lot of teams fired coaches in the middle of the season," said Alou, adding that Pujols, a fellow Dominican Republic native, was "just another coach -- a company man, just like me, trying to win for these colors."

Alou nearly accepted an offer to manage the Dodgers two seasons ago, but was convinced to stay with the Expos with a three-year contract.

"I didn't come here knocking on doors to beg for a job -- I don't beg for jobs," Alou said. "I came back for a cause here, and I'm still here for a cause and it is the possible survival of baseball in this city. I believe that I am one of the few that has always kept that position. Many people came and left since I've been here."

While the Expos will be back at Olympic Stadium next season, they did not guarantee they would stay in Montreal beyond then.

Samson said a priority will be to sign broadcast agreements. This season, the Expos had no local or national television deals and no local English language radio broadcasts.

Fox bids for exclusive rights to post-season

NEW YORK -- Fox offered Major League Baseball $2.9-billion for six years of exclusive rights to the post-season, USA Today reported.

Baseball's current five-year, $1.22-billion post-season contract with Fox, NBC and ESPN expires after this season. The networks earlier rejected an offer from baseball to renew at triple current costs.

"We remain in conversations with Major League Baseball but nothing is completed," Fox Sports spokesman Dan Bell said. "Beyond that, we have no comment regarding any details."

NBC is considering an offer from baseball to extend its $80-million-a-year contract at double the price. The network said it will decide what to do this week, the newspaper reported.

"We've got an offer in front of us and we'll make a decision in the next few days," said Kevin Sullivan, an NBC spokesman.

Baseball spokesman Rich Levin declined to confirm the USA Today report.

"All we're saying is that we're still in negotiations," Levin said. "We hope to have an announcement fairly soon.

Pirates plan festivities to close Three Rivers

PITTSBURGH -- Former Pirates managers Jim Leyland, Chuck Tanner and Bill Virdon are returning to Pittsburgh for the final baseball game at Three Rivers Stadium.

Leyland, Tanner and Virdon will join current manager Gene Lamont to present the lineup cards before Sunday's game with the Cubs.

The Pirates on Monday also announced the schedule of entertainment and tributes to complement the three-game series with the Cubs, with neither team making the NL playoffs.

Dock Ellis, who threw the first pitch at the ballpark 30 years ago, will throw out the ceremonial first ball Sunday. Hall of Fame first baseman Willie Stargell will be honored before Friday's game.

Sister Sledge, whose song We Are Family was the anthem of the 1979 World Series champion Pirates, will sing the national anthem before Sunday's final game.

The Pirates will move next season into PNC Park, just east of Three Rivers.

RANGERS: Outfielder Gabe Kapler, who had this year's longest hitting streak in the major leagues, will miss the final week of the season because of a partially torn biceps tendon. ... Manager Johnny Oates said his coaching staff will return next season.

ROCKIES: Pitcher Pedro Astacio needs surgery on his left knee and will miss the final week of the season. "I've had some pain in there the past two years," said Astacio, sidelined by strained rib cage muscles.

TIGERS: Outfielder Juan Gonzalez had an MRI exam on his sore back and returned to Detroit for further tests.

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