Team Sales to Be Determined

Media mogul Tom Hicks appears set as the new owner of the Texas Rangers, and Don Smiley’s bid to buy the Florida Marlins from Wayne Huizenga might be in trouble.

A two-day quarterly meeting of major league owners begins today. The Rangers’ sale is on the agenda; the Marlins’ sale is not.

The owners are expected to approve the $250-million sale of the Rangers by a group headed by Texas Gov. George W. Bush and Rusty Rose to Hicks, also owner of the NHL’s Dallas Stars. No opposition to Hicks is expected.

Marlin President Smiley may not be able to raise enough money to buy the team from Huizenga, complicating the franchise’s uncertain future, sources told the Associated Press in Miami.

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The Cleveland Indians claimed outfielder Matt Luke off waivers from the Dodgers.

Luke was in 33 games for the Dodgers this season, batting .286 with three home runs, 11 runs batted in and 10 runs scored. He played first base, left field and right field.

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Manager Tony Muser began serving an eight-game suspension, turning over the Kansas City Royals to coach Jamie Quirk shortly before a game against Milwaukee.

AL President Gene Budig suspended Muser and Angel Manager Terry Collins for eight games in the wake of last week’s brawl in Kansas City.

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The San Diego Padres promoted left-handed reliever Roberto Ramirez from triple-A Las Vegas and acquired right-hander Eric Estes from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Pete Smith.

San Diego cut Ramirez, 25, in spring training and then re-obtained him after he got off to a fast start with the Mexico City Reds in the Mexican League. Ramirez was 1-0 with a 3.75 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 12 innings at Las Vegas.

Smith, 32, opened the season in San Diego’s starting rotation but was replaced by left-hander Sterling Hitchcock. Smith went 3-2 with a 4.99 ERA in eight starts with the Padres and made only two appearances in relief after being sent to the bullpen in late May.

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Philadelphia Phillie center fielder Lenny Dykstra, citing the back problems that have kept him out of the lineup for the last 1 1/2 years, said he won’t play baseball again.

“I’m done,” Dykstra said during an interview on ESPN. “I can’t play again. I’m not physically able to play again.”