AS MLB RINGS IN NEW YEAR, WILL COMMISSIONER BE RESOLUTION?

          With the "possibility that a protesting Bud Selig would
     accept a draft and agree to remain as full-time
     commissioner, the committee searching for a replacement is
     close to making a final recommendation," according to Ross
     Newhan of the L.A. TIMES.  Rockies Chair Jerry McMorris,
     head of the search committee: "I'm hopeful we'll have this
     all resolved and behind us in the next 60 days."  Sources
     told Newhan that "a group of small-market owners continue to
     lobby" on Selig's behalf, hoping to persuade him to remain. 
     McMorris: "I understand there's a group working to draft Bud
     ... but he continues to tell me he's not a candidate." 
     Newhan: "The impression is that Selig is being pulled in
     several directions.  There are [MLB COO Paul] Beeston and a
     group of small-market owners urging him to move to New York
     as commissioner.  There are his Brewer partners urging him
     to stay in Milwaukee. ... There's also the possibility of a
     fight if Selig accedes to a draft" (L.A. TIMES, 12/20). 
          NEW NAME: In his Sunday column, Peter Gammons called 
     President Clinton's Senior Policy Advisor Bruce Reid the
     "perfect candidate" for MLB's top spot: "Reid is brilliant,
     he is purposeful, he knows people."  Gammons also suggested
     an MLB "governing body to accompany Reid" consisting of
     eight owners, MLBPA Exec Dir Don Fehr, two players elected
     annually, Beeston, one TV network exec, one elected GM and
     "if they really want vision, Sandy Alderson."  Gammons also
     advised naming an MLB Attorney General to "dismantle the
     pitiable league office system" (BOSTON GLOBE, 1/4).
          ANOTHER CITY, NOT MY OWN: In Toronto, Richard Griffin
     wrote, "By the year 2002, the World Series will be played as
     part of a weeklong baseball festival at a neutral site. 
     According to sources, major-league owners have already begun
     serious, if somewhat preliminary, discussions on this
     radical concept" (TORONTO STAR, 12/31).
          TAX DAY: Five teams will have to pay a luxury tax by
     January 31, as figures from the Players Relations Committee
     show which teams have to pay the tax assessed at a rate of
     35% on any payroll amount over $55.587M.  The Yankees will
     have to pay the most, $4.438M on a $68.267M payroll,
     followed by the Orioles at $4.033M ($67.111M), the Indians
     at $2.072M ($61.508M), the Braves at $1.306M ($59.096M) and
     the Marlins at $153,046 ($56.024M).  The total tax on the
     five teams was $12.004M.  The first $10M of the luxury tax
     goes to "fund the shortfall in revenue sharing."  The
     remaining money will be divided among the five AL clubs with
     the lowest net local revenue in '96 (N.Y. TIMES, 12/25).