Washington Deal Gets Mayor’s OK

Washington Mayor Anthony A. Williams signed legislation Wednesday to bring major league baseball back to the nation’s capital.

“This is one of my proudest days as mayor,” Williams said.

His signature came after weeks of political wrangling when several members of the District of Columbia Council balked at a plan to finance a stadium along the Southeast waterfront.

Under the resolution approved by baseball owners Dec. 3, the last step for the Montreal Expos to become the Washington Nationals is for Commissioner Bud Selig to declare that “arrangements (are) being made that are satisfactory to the commissioner for the use of RFK Stadium for the 2005 season.”

It would be the first relocation by a major league team since the expansion Washington Senators became the Texas Rangers after the 1971 season.

Supporters and opponents of building a publicly financed stadium for the Washington-bound Expos watched officials amend their initial deal with Major League Baseball to include private financing. Baseball officials responded by suspending the team’s promotional and business operations.

So Williams, Council Chairwoman Linda Cropp and MLB officials negotiated a deal that would allow some private financing. MLB and the city also agreed to split the price of insurance to cover cost overruns or construction delays.

“Together we worked through our differences and developed the legislation that I’m proud to sign,” Williams said Wednesday, sporting a red and white Washington Nationals cap.

The legislation clears the way to renovate RFK Stadium, where the Nationals will play beginning in 2005. It also allows the district to sell up to $584 million in bonds for construction of a 41,000-seat stadium.

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Free agent Jaret Wright and the New York Yankees finalized a $21-million, three-year contract, announcing the deal on the pitcher’s 29th birthday.

“It’s probably the best birthday present you could ever get,” Wright said.

Wright was 15-8 with a 3.28 earned-run average for Atlanta last season, then lost both of his starts in the first round of the playoffs against Houston. The right-hander is 52-45 with a 5.09 ERA in a career that began in 1997 with Cleveland and nearly ended because of shoulder trouble.