Twins Safe for a Season

The Minnesota Twins will play next season as part of a deal approved Thursday that settles a lawsuit blocking baseball’s contraction plan.

“This definitively removes the Twins from contraction for 2003,” said Bill Lester, executive director of the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, which agreed to drop its lawsuit against the team and baseball.

A signed settlement will be delivered today to Hennepin County District Judge Harry Seymour Crump, said Andrew Shea, a commission attorney. Crump mediated the settlement talks.

“Everybody who wants to keep major league baseball in Minnesota should be happy with this deal,” said Joe Anthony, a Minneapolis-based attorney for baseball.