D.C.'s wait for Expos almost over

— -- NEW YORK -- Washington's wait is almost over.

Exactly 33 years after the Washington Senators played theirfinal game, the nation's capital might learn Wednesday that majorleague baseball plans to return next season, ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports.

Sources involved in the Montreal Expos discussions said that the District of Columbia is making plans to hold a press conference late Wednesday afternoon or early evening.

This news is viewed as an indication that MLB is close to a deal with Orioles owner Peter Angelos that would result in Angelos dropping his opposition to the move.

However, a Thursday announcement is still possible if there are last-minute snags or if commissioner Bud Selig has any last-minute concerns.

After a meeting of the sport's executive council last Thursday,a high-ranking baseball official who spoke on the condition ofanonymity said major league baseball would attempt to finalizenegotiations with Washington within a week. It would be the firstfranchise relocation in the major leagues since the expansionWashington Senators became the Texas Rangers after the 1971 season.

The deal to move the Expos to Washington would be subject togovernment approval of funding for both a $13 million refurbishmentof RFK Stadium and a new ballpark costing slightly over $400million, which would be built along the Anacostia River in thesoutheast section of the city.

A move also must be approved by three-quarters of major leagueowners and survive legal challenges by the Expos' former limitedpartners and possibly by Angelos, who objectsto having a team just 40 miles from his. Bob DuPuy, baseball'schief operating officer, went to Baltimore on Friday to negotiate acompensation arrangement with Angelos.

The Orioles owner told The (Baltimore) Sun that he could bepersuaded to drop his opposition if he could be assured that histeam and the state of Maryland's investment in Oriole Park atCamden Yards could be protected.

"If those two goals can be accomplished, and I feel thefranchise would be secure and the revenue stream is protected andthe asset value is secure, it might be possible to make a deal,"Angelos told The Sun for a story Tuesday.

After an announcement, the process of selling the Expos willstart. A group that includes former Rangers partner Fred Malek hasbeen seeking a Washington franchise for five years. In addition,several baseball officials have said in the past week that StanKasten, former president of the Atlanta Braves, Hawks andThrashers, might be trying to assemble a group.

Kasten is close to baseball commissioner Bud Selig, which likelywould be an advantage during the bidding process.

"I am studying all the situations in all of the sports rightnow," Kasten said Monday. "I haven't committed to any group, anycity or any sport."

Northern Virginia had been one of the contenders to land the Expos.

"At the end of the day, if baseball comes back to the nationalcapital region, then the whole region benefits," Virginia Gov.Mark R. Warner said in his monthly radio show on Tuesday.

The original Washington Senators played 4,610 home games beforebecoming the Minnesota Twins after the 1960 season, according tothe Elias Sports Bureau. The expansion Senators played 883 homegames before moving to Texas.

In the Senators' last game, on Sept. 30, 1971, they led the Yankees 7-5 with two outs in the ninth inning when fansseeking souvenirs went on the RFK Stadium field, which could not becleared. The Yankees wound up winning the game in a forfeit.

The Rangers retain ownership of the name "WashingtonSenators," baseball spokesman Carmine Tiso said after consultingwith Ethan Orlinsky, a lawyer for Major League Baseball Properties,the sport's licensing division.

Montreal's last home game is scheduled for Wednesday nightagainst Florida. Monday's series opener drew a crowd of 3,923 toOlympic Stadium.

"Now that it looks like it's going to happen, that this isgoing to be the end, it's a little tough for people to get up andtalk about it in the positive way that they should," Expos managerFrank Robinson said. "And I think that's kind of a pity, really,because it deserves that people say more about how they feel aboutthe situation, about the possibility of losing baseball in theMontreal area. ...

"I think there were a lot more good times possibly than badtimes. This is where an expansion ballclub grew into one of thebest organizations in baseball, at one time, and it's sad the wayit has gone over the last few years and the way it is going out, ifthis is the end."

Former Expos star Tim Raines, now a manager in their minorleague system, was saddened by the impending move.

"I feel for the fans, mostly, because it was a new game tothem, starting in '69, and I think they really started to grasp thegame," he said. "And to see it taken away from them, I feelreally bad because to me, this is where I grew up as a major leagueplayer. Regardless if they no longer play here, I still feel likemy heart is here in Montreal."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.