Franchise Notes

The GLOBE & MAIL's Robert MacLeod writes fans at yesterday's Reds-Blue Jays game at the Rogers Centre in the bottom of the fifth inning began a "rhythmic chorus, in honour of Toronto's newest sporting icon" manager Cito Gaston. Many of the 28,153 fans in attendance chanted "Ci-to Gas-ton, Ci-to Gas-ton." MacLeod: "Rarely, if ever, has a manager in baseball been acknowledged like that" (GLOBE & MAIL, 6/25). In Toronto, Mark Zwolinski writes, "Gaston was the recipient of the type of fan adoration normally reserved for players" (TORONTO STAR, 6/25).

INT'L APPEAL: Int'l sources indicated that the A's have established themselves as the "clear frontrunner to sign" 16-year-old Dominican P Michel Inoa. The sources also said that Inoa will "shatter all bonus records" for the int'l signing period by signing a contract worth at least $4M, with numbers in the $4.2-4.5M range being floated (BASEBALLAMERICA.com, 6/23).

PACKAGE DEAL: The Vikings will continue to sell tickets to their November 9 home game against the Packers as part of a two-game mini-pack, but no longer will do so for the November 30 game against the Bears. Fans purchasing tickets to the Packers game will be required to buy one to the August 8 exhibition opener against the Seahawks at the Metrodome (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 6/24).