Year’s Delay Possible for World Cup

Major league owners could announce this week that they have delayed baseball’s inaugural World Cup until 2006.

Although Commissioner Bud Selig has pushed for a 16-team tournament in March 2005, major league officials have yet to persuade Japanese counterparts that the Cup should be run by owners and the players’ union rather than by the International Baseball Federation.

David Simon, president of the Los Angeles Sports Council, has worked with the Dodgers and Angels on the possibility of bringing the championship rounds of the tournament to Southern California. But with approvals still pending from other countries and the IBF, the chances of staging a World Cup in seven months are slim at best.

“I’d be delighted if we got it,” Simon said, “but it doesn’t sound too good.”

The issue is on the agenda of the owners’ meeting that starts Wednesday in Philadelphia, along with a contract extension for Selig and a proposal to launch an all-baseball cable channel similar to NBA TV and NFL Network.

Selig referred World Cup questions to Chief Operating Officer Bob DuPuy, who did not return telephone calls and e-mails. Selig has strongly endorsed the World Cup as an international showcase for a sport that increasingly draws its stars from such lands as the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Japan, South Korea and Canada.

“I would expect sometime in the middle of [the] week, we’ll have some confirmation of whether it will happen in ’05 or ‘06,” Executive Vice President Sandy Alderson said.

-- Bill Shaikin

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Chicago Cub pitcher Kerry Wood’s appeal was rejected and he will begin serving his five-game suspension today.

Wood was fined and suspended for angrily confronting umpire Eric Cooper on April 17. Wood initially served the suspension in May. But it was reinstated when he was put on the disabled list for a period covering the penalty.

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St. Louis Cardinal outfielder Ray Lankford accepted a minor league assignment to triple-A Memphis.... Cincinnati Red outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. had surgery to repair his torn right hamstring and is expected to return for spring training.... Recently released by the New York Mets, outfielder Shane Spencer rejoined the New York Yankees, signing a minor league contract.... Chicago White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen was suspended for two games and fined an undisclosed amount for arguing with umpires during an Aug. 9 game against Cleveland.... The Texas Rangers activated pitcher Mickey Callaway from the 15-day disabled list and put infielder Herbert Perry on the DL because of a sore knee.