Baseball Guru
10-23-2003, 06:56 PM
By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer
October 22, 2003
MIAMI (AP) -- Baseball and its union are moving closer to an agreement that would shift 22 Montreal Expos' games to San Juan for the second straight season.
Expos players, who previously said they were against returning to Puerto Rico, participated in a telephone conference call Wednesday with Gene Orza, the No. 2 official of the players' association, and he said an agreement was ``within reach.''
``I'm fairly confident that with some reasonability and good faith by major league baseball that we could conclude an agreement,'' Orza said. ``There is a window of opportunity, but we're still not there, yet.''
Orza said players have two primary remaining issues, including an assurance on the Expos' payroll and how it is administered. Players also want to make sure that 2004 is the final year of temporary solutions for the Expos, who were bought by the other 29 teams before the 2002 season.
To increase revenue, the commissioner's office moved 22 Montreal home games to San Juan in 2003, a shift that required the union's approval.
With the hope of finding a permanent solution in time for 2004, the commissioner's office interviewed potential bidders from Northern Virginia; Portland, Ore.; and Washington, D.C. However, all three areas were unable to put complete financing in place for a new ballpark.
San Juan and Monterrey, Mexico, then asked to host some games next season. Orza said Monterrey had been eliminated from consideration.
``If the Expos don't play 81 home games in Montreal, they'll play the remaining games in San Juan, not Monterrey,'' he said. ``San Juan deserves a second chance. They did a great job, they worked hard. It doesn't seem right to leave them and move someplace else.''
Orza said if the union approves games in San Juan next year, all 22 would be played at Hiram Bithorn Stadium during the first half of the season.
He has been discussing the situation on a regular basis with Rob Manfred, executive vice president of labor relations in the commissioner's office.
October 22, 2003
MIAMI (AP) -- Baseball and its union are moving closer to an agreement that would shift 22 Montreal Expos' games to San Juan for the second straight season.
Expos players, who previously said they were against returning to Puerto Rico, participated in a telephone conference call Wednesday with Gene Orza, the No. 2 official of the players' association, and he said an agreement was ``within reach.''
``I'm fairly confident that with some reasonability and good faith by major league baseball that we could conclude an agreement,'' Orza said. ``There is a window of opportunity, but we're still not there, yet.''
Orza said players have two primary remaining issues, including an assurance on the Expos' payroll and how it is administered. Players also want to make sure that 2004 is the final year of temporary solutions for the Expos, who were bought by the other 29 teams before the 2002 season.
To increase revenue, the commissioner's office moved 22 Montreal home games to San Juan in 2003, a shift that required the union's approval.
With the hope of finding a permanent solution in time for 2004, the commissioner's office interviewed potential bidders from Northern Virginia; Portland, Ore.; and Washington, D.C. However, all three areas were unable to put complete financing in place for a new ballpark.
San Juan and Monterrey, Mexico, then asked to host some games next season. Orza said Monterrey had been eliminated from consideration.
``If the Expos don't play 81 home games in Montreal, they'll play the remaining games in San Juan, not Monterrey,'' he said. ``San Juan deserves a second chance. They did a great job, they worked hard. It doesn't seem right to leave them and move someplace else.''
Orza said if the union approves games in San Juan next year, all 22 would be played at Hiram Bithorn Stadium during the first half of the season.
He has been discussing the situation on a regular basis with Rob Manfred, executive vice president of labor relations in the commissioner's office.