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Owners' plans a mystery

© St. Petersburg Times,
published November 6, 2001

ROSEMONT, Ill. -- Two days after the conclusion of one of the best World Series in history, Major League Baseball returns to its regular programming.

Baseball owners and executives will meet today to address what commissioner Bud Selig says are economic problems so severe they are considering eliminating franchises for next season.

It is not clear, naturally, what, if any, action the owners will take during the afternoon meeting, but the topics undoubtedly will be less entertaining than the dramatic highlights of the Diamondbacks-Yankees games.

Primary issues expected to be discussed are contraction, with Minnesota and Montreal now considered likely candidates to be eliminated, and plans to negotiate a new labor agreement with the players union. The agreement expires at midnight tonight.

"I've been checking with people and no one really knows what to expect. It's really all speculation," Rays managing general partner Vince Naimoli said Monday night. "We go to the meeting with an open mind. We have been and continue to be in support of the commissioner."

Minnesota newspapers have been reporting with alarm that Selig is soliciting support for the contraction plan and could call for a vote today. That is possible, but seems unlikely since several owners say they have not been given background material on the subject or told to expect a vote. Plus, they say they were told the meeting will likely be over in about four hours.

Under the most commonly rumored plan, Minnesota owner Carl Pohlad, tired of mounting losses and unsuccessful bids for a new stadium, would accept a payment of $250-million to fold his team.

Montreal owner Jeff Loria also would agree to fold his team but then would buy the Marlins from John Henry, who would purchase the Anaheim Angels from the Disney Co., which reportedly wants to get out of baseball.

As a result of those changes, the Series champion D'backs could be switched to the AL so each league would have 14 teams.

Even if the owners vote to eliminate teams (23 of 30 votes are needed), there are sure to be considerable legal challenges. It is not clear if the owners would have to get permission from the players union because jobs would be eliminated.

According to some reports, if two teams were eliminated, at least some players on those teams would be subject to a dispersal draft (others could be free agents), and rosters would be expanded from 25 to 27.

The Rays have not been mentioned in any recent reports, and Naimoli said he is confident they won't be affected by any contraction process.

"I'm absolutely sure the Devil Rays will be playing in St. Petersburg next year and for many years to come and as far as the ownership everything's going to be in place," he said.

If the owners don't act on contraction, they could still make news by issuing a pledge to not lockout the players during the upcoming negotiations. In return, they'd probably want the union to agree to not strike during the season. There have been eight work stoppages since 1972, but many believe another would be devastating to the game.

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