Owners ask Court of Appeals to lift injunction on Twins

NEW YORK -- Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura said Monday he wouldn't fund a new ballpark for the beleaguered Twins unless owners and players agree to a salary cap and increased revenue sharing.

Meanwhile, the Twins and major league baseball asked the state Court of Appeals to lift the injunction preventing owners from folding the team next season.

Ventura, in a telephone interview with The Associated Press, criticized commissioner Bud Selig for five years of inaction on the sport's economic problems.

"They continue to pay these outrageous salaries," Ventura said. "At some point the union and management, for the good of baseball, better get their act together."

In New York, players and owners held a bargaining session but failed to set a date for the start of the union's grievance to block owners from scrapping two teams next season, most likely the Twins and Montreal Expos. Lawyers said they expect the date of the hearing to be set today.

In Minneapolis, there was no indication when the court would consider the appeal of District Judge Harry Seymour Crump's order Friday, which compelled the Twins to play their home games next season in the Metrodome, owned by the Minneapolis Sports Facilities Commission.

Owners to file papers

Lawyers for baseball and the Twins told the court they intend to file papers by Wednesday requesting both an expedited appeal and an accelerated review by Minnesota's Supreme Court.

Andy Shea, a lawyer for the facilities commission, questioned the need for hasty review.

"I haven't seen anything yet that would indicate that this is an emergency in any sense of the word," Shea said.

In Washington, the House Judiciary Committee prepared to schedule a hearing on baseball's antitrust exemption, probably for the week of Dec. 3. Legislation was introduced in the House and Senate last week that would strip baseball of its 79-year-old antitrust exemption in cases of franchise elimination or relocation.

The Minnesota state task force on stadium issues set its first hearing for Tuesday to discuss a possible new ballpark for the Twins, who say they can't generate enough revenue at the Metrodome to survive. Former Twins stars Kirby Puckett, Kent Hrbek and Bert Blyleven are among the witnesses.

Ventura, who agreed Friday to take up the cause of the Twins after years of opposition, said there was wiggle room in ballpark negotiations despite his pledge not to use state money.

"I want to be as creative as possible in light of the times," he said, suggesting "a user fee, as long it doesn't impinge on my direct budget."

Last Friday, Ventura met with Twins owner Carl Pohlad and asked that baseball delay its contraction decision for at least one year.