In Minneapolis, Jay Weiner examines the Twins options
if they do exercise an option in the lease and state their
intention to relocate after the '98 season under the header,
"Twins Don't Have Many Relocation Options." Weiner: "The
probability of the Twins moving out of the Twin Cities soon,
or of playing in Charlotte, N.C., or Mexico City by 1999, is
far smaller than [Acting Commissioner Bud] Selig, [MN Gov.
Arne] Carlson or [Jim] Pohlad suggest." Weiner notes
Charlotte and Northern Virginia do not have suitable MLB
stadiums and Mexico "is viewed as more of an expansion
option than a relocation market. ... Any owner seeking to
grab the market would be expected to pay a large transfer
fee to fellow owners" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 5/12).
GIVING ODDS? MN Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe said
Friday that chances are "almost nil" that a Twins stadium
financing bill will pass before the Legislature breaks for
recess May 19 (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 5/11). In
Minneapolis, Sid Hartman writes that Twins President Jerry
Bell "is convinced there won't be a favorable stadium vote"
today when the House and Senate tax committees convene.
Bell: "The owners in the league aren't going to force Pohlad
or any other owner to operate in a city where the average
owner could go broke. The votes are there if we want to
move" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 5/11).
