Kirby Puckett says he is willing to invest $10M to
become a part owner of the Twins "if, and only if, a deal
can be worked to keep the team in Minnesota," according to
Tom Powers of the ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS. Puckett: "I'm not
going to North Carolina. If [Twins Owner] Carl [Pohlad]
still owns the team, then I'm locked in. I was planning to
do something like this anyway. This is something I want for
myself. Just a piece of it. Maybe 10 percent." Powers:
"Any serious involvement by Puckett should force [MLB] to
look long and hard before approving a sale and transfer of
the club to North Carolina" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 12/10).
TWINS IN TRIAD: The Twins are scheduled to play a March
31 exhibition game in Winston-Salem, NC, "conveniently" set
"five weeks before the scheduled May 5 referendum to decide
stadium funding for a ballpark in the Triad," according to
Jay Weiner of the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE. In addition,
prospective Twins buyer Don Beaver said that the final sale
agreement with Carl Pohlad "is still being worked out, but
there are no sticking points" (STAR TRIBUNE, 12/11).
