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Contraction has things up in the air

Here's how screwy the baseball world is right now.

Not only is Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura prepared to help save the Twins, but owners are expected to vote on extending Bud Selig's contract during a gathering Tuesday in Chicago.

Doing so would be a show of solidarity -- a message that Selig is perceived to be doing the right thing -- considering the baseball commissioner's contract doesn't expire for another two years.

Other topics expected to be addressed Tuesday include possible identification of the two contraction candidates and the expired collective bargaining agreement.

But details are scarce because owners aren't talking about contraction, or much else, for fear of a $1-million fine imposed by Selig. Thus what we've had since a glorious World Series is rumor amid silence and a muddied free agent market moving slowly and unsurely.

It was just last year the Rangers signed Alex Rodriguez for $252-million and the year before that when the Dodgers got pitcher Kevin Brown for $105-million.

The biggest prizes this offseason are Jason Giambi and Barry Bonds though Juan Gonzalez, Johnny Damon, Bret Boone, Moises Alou and Chan Ho Park will draw considerable attention.

Giambi has said it would take a team coming in and knocking his socks off for him to leave Oakland. Bonds' agent held preliminary talks with the Giants last week.

The A's offered Giambi a six-year, $91-million package during the season. The Yankees reportedly are offering a few more million a season than that for seven years.

A sticking point in any deal could be positioning.

"I don't ever want to be a DH," Giambi said. "Maybe later in my career, or if I was injured, but I enjoy being part of the game. And I don't think many teams will ask me to DH, not for that kind of money."

RAYS DENY REPORT: Donald V. Watkins told the St. Paul Pioneer Press he submitted a purchase offer to the Rays. The Rays, however, deny the Alabama businessman has submitted an offer.

DISPERSAL DRAFT: Under the owners' proposal to the players union, the Rays would have the first pick in a dispersal draft if teams are eliminated, the New York Times reported.

Owners have proposed the draft order be set based on the cumulative records for the past three seasons, with last season counting 50 percent, the 2000 season counting 30 percent and 1999 records 20 percent, the paper said. Under that formula, and assuming the Twins and Expos are the teams eliminated, the Rays would be first followed by the Pirates, Royals, Orioles and Brewers.

The final formula for any dispersal draft needs to be negotiated with the union, baseball acknowledges.

NOW APPEARING: Neither Brandon Backe, Enger Veras or Ramon Soler -- all minor league prospects added to the Rays 40-man roster Tuesday -- should be expected in the Rays' lineup any time soon.

A promotion to Orlando might be more reasonable.

"These guys are a couple of years away, in our opinion, from the major leagues," general manager Chuck LaMar said.

Backe, a converted outfielder, was 4-1 with 10 saves and a 3.15 ERA with Class A Charleston and Bakersfield and Double-A Orlando last season.

The 20-year-old Veras went 9-8 with a 4.53 ERA at Bakersfield. His 153 innings and 27 starts were most on the team.

Soler, a 20-year-old middle infielder, tied for third in the organization with 25 stolen bases at Bakersfield. He hit .263 with 14 doubles and 72 runs scored for the Blaze.

HONORED: Rays outfield prospect Carl Crawford was selected as the 10th-best player in the Arizona Fall League by Baseball America and was named to the All-Prospect Team as voted on by the league's managers and coaches, despite playing in just 17 games.

He hit .386 and stole nine bases for Maryvale before joining the USA Baseball team which won the silver medal at the World Cup in Chinese Taipei.

MINOR MATTERS: The Rays are in the process of sending contracts to members of the minor league staff and are waiting to hear back, but much is still up in the air according to assistant general manager Scott Proefrock.

ODDS AND ENDS: If the Rockies trade Jeff Cirillo, third baseman Vinny Castilla could factor in. The former Ray, who hit .273 with 82 RBIs after joining the Astros in the middle of the season, just completed a four-year, $24-million contract. ... Albie Lopez's agent, Eric Goldschmidt, said last week the Diamondbacks are not interested in re-signing the free-agent pitcher who was traded from the Rays in July.

-- Information from other news organizations contributed to this report.

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