Twins, Expos Were on the Hit List

With contraction all but dead for this winter, baseball management told the players’ union that Montreal and Minnesota were the only teams under consideration for elimination before opening day.

Owners voted on Nov. 6 to eliminate two teams but did not identify them, and contraction has been on hold since Nov. 16, when a Minnesota judge issued an injunction that forces the Twins to honor their 2002 lease at the Metrodome.

Management negotiators Rob Manfred and Paul Beeston told the union last week that if owners succeeded in their plan to eliminate teams for this season, the Twins and Expos were the only candidates, two people familiar with the talks said Monday on the condition of anonymity.

Commissioner Bud Selig has refused to rule out folding franchises for the 2002 season and maintains that no teams officially have been picked for folding.

Selig has maintained that contraction is theoretically possible any time before the major league season opener on March 31.

The Expos became the last team to release its schedule, and said Monday they will install a new playing surface at Olympic Stadium before the April 2 opener against Florida.

“We are confident that baseball will be back in Montreal in 2002 and I just want to express my sincere appreciation for our fans’ patience and support during what has been a very trying off-season,” Expo Executive Vice President David Samson said.

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Hall of Famer Ted Williams was released from a Gainesville, Fla., hospital, where he was admitted last week with flulike symptoms, including a high fever and low blood pressure.

Williams, 83, returned with relatives to his Florida home, Shands Hospital said in a statement. He will continue to require daily at-home kidney dialysis treatment.

“Mr. Williams and his family wish to thank everyone for their support and well wishes over the past few days,” the statement said.

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Right-hander Ismael Valdes, who pitched for the Angels last season, agreed to a one-year, $2.5-million contract with the Texas Rangers, joining his fourth team in four years.

Valdes can earn an additional $1,225,000 in performance bonuses.

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The Seattle Mariners are close to finalizing an agreement with right-handed starter James Baldwin.

Baldwin was scheduled to take a physical examination Monday, one of the final steps in completing the deal, a person involved in the talks said on condition of anonymity.

Baldwin was 10-11 with a 4.42 earned-run average with the Dodgers and the Chicago White Sox last season.

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Norm Charlton’s injury was worse than the Mariners believed.

The left-handed reliever underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum and a torn rotator cuff.

Charlton’s season-ending injury, announced by the team last week, at first was believed to be only a torn rotator cuff.

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Right-hander Bill Simas agreed to a minor league contract with Detroit and was invited to spring training.... Atlanta signed right-handed reliever Darren Holmes to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.