Twins Getting Closer to Move to Carolina

State officials met with three lawyers from major league baseball Tuesday and said the sport is prepared to let the Minnesota Twins move to North Carolina after the 1998 season.

“They said no team has gotten this far since 1972,” said Bernie Omann, chief of staff to Gov. Arne Carlson. “They made it very clear that this isn’t a joke.”

Twin owner Carl Pohlad, frustrated that the Minnesota Legislature didn’t approve funding for a new ballpark, is negotiating to sell the franchise to North Carolina businessman Don Beaver, who intends to move the team. Owners have said they are prepared to approve the shift, which would be the first since the expansion Washington Senators became the Texas Rangers after the 1971 season.

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Left-hander Kent Mercker and the St. Louis Cardinals agreed to a two-year, $3.75-million contract with a player option for 2000. Mercker, 29, was 8-11 with a 3.92 earned-run average last season with the Cincinnati Reds. . . . Catcher Matt Walbeck, acquired by the Angels in a November trade with Detroit, agreed to one-year, $475,000 contract. . . . Left-hander Tony Fossas and infielder Pat Listach agreed to one-year contracts with the Seattle Mariners. . . . Infielder Bill Ripken and the Detroit Tigers agreed to a minor league contract. . . . Right-hander Mark Johnson was acquired by the Florida Marlins from the Astros, completing the Nov. 11 trade that sent Moises Alou to Houston. . . . The Oakland Athletics agreed to terms with free-agent infielder Mike Blowers and pitcher Mike Mohler. . . . Orioles’ minor league outfielder Joel Stephens is being treated for colon cancer at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

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The Boston Red Sox denied accusations by a black former employee who says the team didn’t thoroughly investigate racial harassment he said was directed at him.

Thomas Sneed, 25, who worked for the Red Sox for seven years before leaving in September, filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.

Sneed said a photograph of himself and his white fiancee, which he had on his desk at Fenway Park, was defaced with a racial epithet.