Steinbrenner Decision May Be Delayed

Baseball Commissioner Fay Vincent said Sunday that he probably will not decide the fate of New York Yankee owner George Steinbrenner until next week.

Vincent, who must rule if Steinbrenner’s $40,000 payment to an admitted gambler was against the best interests of baseball, had hoped to make a decision this week.

“I think it’s unlikely,” Vincent said at his vacation home on Cape Cod. “I think it’s likely that it will go over until the following week.”

Steinbrenner’s lawyers have taken additional depositions and say they will give additional papers to the commissioner.

And, Nolan Ryan once again could have an impact on the timing of a major decision. Last year, negotiations between the commissioner’s office and Pete Rose’s lawyers were interrupted while baseball officials went to Texas to watch Ryan get his 5,000th strikeout.

On Wednesday, Vincent will be at Arlington Stadium when Ryan goes for victory No. 300 against the Yankees.