Baseball Owners Defer Vote on Jays Sale

C H I C A G O, Oct. 31 -- Baseball owners unexpectedly deferred a votetoday on the proposed sale of the Toronto Blue Jays but approveda new national television contract with Fox and a labor contractwith umpires.

Rogers Communications Inc. agreed Sept. 1 to pay $112 million tobuy 80 percent of the Blue Jays from Interbrew SA, which became theteam’s controlling owner in 1995, when it purchased Labatt BrewingCo.

Interbrew would retain a 20 percent interest. The CanadianImperial Bank of Commerce, which has owned 10 percent, would sellits shares.

“There were some things we wanted to redo,” baseballcommissioner Bud Selig said.

Salary Cap on the Horizon?

On the day before the World Series, Toronto signed CarlosDelgado to a $68 million, four-year contract, a record average of$17 million a year, a deal that disturbed some teams. It wasunclear if the move to defer a vote was related.

“It raised more than my eyebrow,” Selig said the day after theDelgado deal was announced.

Asked then if he was concerned the contract was agreed to by anownership group that had not yet been approved, Selig responded:“Let’s just say that is an interesting situation.”

Shortstop Alex Rodriguez is expected to get $20 million a seasonor more, and outfielder Manny Ramirez also could reach that mark.Ramirez filed for free agency Friday, and Rodriguez filed Monday.

Baseball’s collective bargaining agreement expires Oct. 31, 2001— unless the World Series runs past then — and some owners alreadyare talking about seeking concessions from players, such as asalary cap or a renewed luxury tax.

If owners seek large salary restraints, players are expected tofight back, and the sport could experience its ninth work stoppagesince 1972.

Umpires’ Contract Approved

The vote to approve the television contract was unanimous,except for one abstention.

Fox, a division of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. and the majorityowner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, agreed Sept. 27 to a $2.5billion, six-year contract that gives it rights to the playoffs,World Series, All-Star game and a game-of-the-week package through2006.