THE GIANTS STAY IN SAN FRANCISCO : On the Bays: Champagne, Legal Threats

After baseball owners rejected a proposed $115-million deal to move the Giants to St. Petersburg, Fla., San Francisco officials uncorked bottles of champagne and tossed orange and black streamers to celebrate the end of their battle to keep the team in the Bay Area.

A banner in the mayor’s office that read “Save Our Giants” had been changed to past tense.

“Through this process, we literally had to empty our dugout of all our pinch-hitters, and we had to use every single one of our pitchers and relievers,” said Mayor Frank Jordan, who helped put together a group of investors who made a competing bid. “At this stage, we’ve won.”

“I suppose it’s good for baseball, because it preserves the integrity of the league, of the Western Division,” Chicago Cub President Stanton Cook said.

The National League voted, 9-4, against the sale, killing it before the American League had to vote.

“We saw many ups and downs,” said real estate developer Walter Shorenstein, one of the local bidders. “At times I felt it was an impossible task.”

“I feel badly for the people of St. Petersburg, who were eagerly looking forward to having major league baseball in their area,” said Bob Lurie, who reached agreement with the Florida group in August, pending approval.

Lurie has received an offer from the San Francisco group for $100 million. “I congratulate Peter Magowan, the entire San Francisco investor group and everyone throughout the Bay area who worked so hard to keep the Giants in San Francisco,” Lurie said. “I know the feeling you have today. I had the same wonderful feeling in 1976.”

Lurie won’t fight the decision.

“I have always respected baseball’s rules, which require a vote of all owners to approve the sale and relocation of teams,” Lurie said. “I made a commitment to abide by baseball’s decision in this matter, and I intend to honor that commitment.”

Sen. Connie Mack, D-Fla., indicated that legal proceedings testing baseball’s antitrust exemption would be pursued.

“By preventing the Giants from moving to Tampa Bay, major league baseball has shown that it is more interested in preserving its sacred monopoly than allowing the free market to work,” said Mack, grandson of Connie Mack, who made the Hall of Fame as a manager and an owner.

Bud Selig, president of the Milwaukee Brewers and chairman of baseball’s executive council, acknowledged the animosity that exists over the decision and its ramifications.

“Obviously, (in) a situation like this, you’re going to have some very unhappy people, and that is something we’re not thrilled about,” he said.

“The NL did what it thought was right.”

Selig also praised the Tampa Bay area.

“It’s a wonderful area and a wonderful market, but I think the National League was very sensitive today,” he said. “You’re damned if you do, you’re damned if you don’t. But the fact of the matter is the message that was sent today was not inconsistent.”

That message is that baseball doesn’t want its franchises moving.

“Baseball has affirmed there is a greater good for baseball,” said sports agent Leigh Steinberg, who was involved in the effort to keep the team in the Bay area. “I’m most thrilled for the 6-year-olds and other people who didn’t have a voice in whether the Giants stayed.”