BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE MAJORS : New Jersey Wants Yankees

New Jersey has drafted a proposal to build a 50,000-seat baseball stadium in the Meadowlands sports complex for the New York Yankees, the New York Times reported. One unidentified official familiar with plans of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority said the agency is “definitely interested” in having the Yankees in New Jersey, the newspaper said.

The authority does not want to make a formal proposal to Yankee owner George Steinbrenner until he declares he is considering moving the team to New Jersey. Steinbrenner met with the head of the authority, Michael Francis, last month, the paper said.

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At a meeting in Detroit, major league owners unanimously approved the $85-million sale of the Oakland Athletics from the Haas family to a group headed by developers Steve Schott and Ken Hofmann.

Acting Commissioner Bud Selig said he hopes the Pirates will remain in Pittsburgh but refused to rule out a move. Newspaper heir Kevin McClatchy, who would keep the team in Pittsburgh, has negotiating rights through Sept. 22.