GLOBAL WARMING: MLB HOPING METS-CUBS SERIES JUST A START

          MLB officials "hope to advance a number of goals by
     having" the Mets and Cubs play a two-game series beginning
     tomorrow in Japan, according to Murray Chass of the N.Y.
     TIMES, who writes, "They want to increase the sport's
     visibility worldwide, enhance revenue through marketing and
     retailing and develop new sources of talent."  Chass: "One
     possibility, though, is definitely not on baseball's agenda:
     creating new major league franchises in Asia, Europe or
     other international settings."  MLB COO Paul Beeston, on
     expansion: "I don't see it happening in the short term; it's
     not on the front burner."  MLB Exec VP/Business Tim Brosnan
     said that 90,000 tickets were sold for the two-game series
     "in four and a half hours" in Japan (N.Y. TIMES, 3/28).  
          RISE AND SHINE: MLB Commissioner Bud Selig said  he was
     surprised when he heard the Cubs-Mets games would start at
     5:00am ET. Selig: "I didn't make the decision, but it was
     done for the Japanese people" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/28).