MLB Realignment Committee Chair and Red Sox CEO John
Harrington said that "it's possible but unlikely that owners
will vote" this week on a realignment plan, according to
Mark Maske of the WASHINGTON POST. Harrington: "If we can
whittle them down to two or three and do more study, maybe
you take a vote in two or three weeks. But there can be a
breakthrough here" (WASHINGTON POST, 9/17). Harrington:
"Everybody wants to do something. They just don't want it
to affect them. Do open-heart surgery, but don't leave a
mark" (Tom Haudricourt, MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 9/17).
The committee will meet this morning and then present data
in separate NL and AL meetings (Ross Newhan, L.A. TIMES,
9/17). In Atlanta, I.J. Rosenberg writes that "one thing was
clear" from yesterday's meetings -- "a compromise will be
tough to reach" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 9/17). In N.Y.,
Murray Chass reports that realignment "has stalled so badly
that it may be moving in reverse" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/17).
ESPN's Peter Gammons: "Everyone wants something to change
they just don't want to be affected by it, and that's really
a serious problem" ("Baseball Tonight," ESPN, 9/16).
MURPHY'S LAST STAND? In N.Y., Bill Madden writes that
Selig "is under fire ... for failing to deal with the issue"
of MLBE President Greg Murphy, "whom the owners want fired."
Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner did not attend the
meetings "because his suit with adidas against baseball
probably won't get settled until" Murphy is "gone." A
Yankee source said that the suit "is close to being settled,
with adidas getting a share of the major league apparel
deal, but that Murphy is still holding out to cut an
exclusive deal with Nike" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/17).
EVERYBODY MURRAY FRUM TONIGHT: In Toronto, Jim Byers
reports that while the sale of the Blue Jays to a group led
by Murray Frum is on MLB's agenda, "sources said the deal
likely wouldn't get approved and that there are still some
wrinkles, including the lack of financial disclosures by one
of the consortium members and perhaps even some new faces in
the deal." But Frum said that "there are no new faces in
his group and that he isn't aware of any outstanding issues
with his ownership bid" (TORONTO STAR, 9/17).