ESPN's Peter Gammons reported on MLB's proposed radical
realignment plan on "Baseball Tonight," saying, "We've been
hearing for the last week that it's pretty close to dead,
but they had a conference call [Monday], and [MLB Acting
Commissioner] Bud Selig insists he's going to fight for
this. He claims it's about three to one, teams for it.
There are only a couple of teams against it, and they have a
vote on September 16. ... Selig is bound and determined,
he's going to try and fight ... and remember -- the
television industry is pushing very hard for this thing to
go through, it's very important to them" (ESPN, 8/25).
WINDY CITY STOP: In Chicago, Jerome Holtzman writes
that Selig will be at Wrigley Field today "in an 11th-hour
attempt to resuscitate his dying radical realignment plan."
Cubs President Andy MacPhail, who is reportedly against the
radical plan: "I doubt he's coming here to twist our arm.
From what I understand, it's just a normal courtesy call."
Holtzman writes that "other insiders insist" Selig is making
the trip to convince MacPhail on radical realignment
(CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/26). Also in Chicago, the Cubs surveyed
season-ticket holders and arranged focus groups for fans'
reaction on radical realignment, with the results "running
80-20 against" (Steve Rosenbloom, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/26).
AROUND THE HORN: In N.Y., Murray Chass writes that one
suggestion "to overcome" the MLBPA's objection to phasing
out the DH would be to add a 26th player to MLB rosters
(N.Y. TIMES, 8/24)....USA TODAY's Hal Bodley writes that
negotiations "are proceeding quietly" for an out-of-court
settlement in Yankees-adidas/MLB suit (USA TODAY, 8/26).
