PAT THEMSELVES ON THE BACK? GIANTS LEASE THANKS TO CHRONICLE

     After reportedly learning that the S.F. Chronicle was about
to print a story on how "badly" the 3 1/2 month-old lease
negotiations were going, the city and MLB Giants have "brokered a
tentative deal on a waterfront lease" for a proposed new ballpark
at China Basin, according to Matier & Ross in the S.F. CHRONICLE.
The team will reportedly pay "something in the neighborhood" of
$1.2M for the land, with a "one-time fee" of $3-5M -- that would
be credited back later -- to "help offset city expenses."
Negotiation "problems came down to a mixture of cold cash and hot
personalities," as city officials viewed Giants negotiator, team
Exec VP Larry Baer, as "pushy and stubborn," while Giants
officials felt the city's point man, Rudy Nothenberg, "didn't
give a hoot about baseball" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 9/11).