White Sox Owner Jerry Reinsdorf "again argued" during an
owners conference call this week that management "should pull"
its labor proposal off the table, threaten another industry
shutdown next season and try to get a salary cap," according to a
management source reported by the AP. Royals CEO David Glass
"also advocated withdrawing" the proposal. Rockies Chair Jerry
McMorris "has become increasingly angry that talks have stalled,"
and several sources indicate that "pro-deal forces ... are upset
that Glass is trying to block a deal," as he has no money
invested in the Royals. Officials have expressed desire to
conclude a deal by the start of free-agent filing, which begins
the day after the World Series ends (AP/Baltimore SUN, 10/13).
YOUNG AND RICH: The D'Backs signed free-agent amateur
player Travis Lee to a package worth $10M, the biggest ever given
to an amateur. Lee will receive a $5M signing bonus, also the
largest. Lee was represented by agent Jeff Moorad (N.Y. TIMES,
10/12). Orioles Assistant GM Kevin Malone said the deal was more
than three times what the Orioles offered: "It's insanity to pay
an unproven collegiate player that much. ... It show's we still
don't know how to spend our money" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 10/12).
The Phillies were set to top any offer for Lee but may have lose
out due to artificial turf at Veterans Stadium. He was a guest
of Phillies President Bill Giles during the Cowboys-Eagles game
in which Rodney Peete tore knee ligament without being hit.
Moorad: "Watching Rodney Peete go down, that's something that
really stayed with Travis" (Jayson Stark, PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER,
10/12)....New York City is expected to take in as much as $84M as
fans hit restaurants, bars and hotels for the World Series (Fitz-
Gibbon & Grant, N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/15).
