Major League Baseball
Notebook: Expos won't muscle in on D.C. area just yet

By Seattle Times news services

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Contrary to widespread expectations, Washington-area fans and officials are presumably in for a major disappointment by not getting the Montreal Expos for next season or any season.

Commissioner Bud Selig told Peter Angelos, the Baltimore Orioles owner, who opposes the Expos' relocation in what he considers Orioles territory, that he would not do anything with the Expos that made Angelos unhappy.

Selig made that statement directly to Angelos in Houston on the day of the All-Star Game, and he repeated it later that day in a meeting with baseball's bankers.

Some baseball people speculated that Selig would put the team in Washington or northern Virginia anyway and make Angelos happy by giving him a large sum of money from the Expos sale. But Angelos shot down that idea.

"The answer is no," he said when asked if money would do the trick. "You don't destroy a franchise in return for some kind of cash payment."

Remaining candidates for the Expos are the Norfolk area of southeastern Virginia, which Angelos doesn't oppose; Portland; San Antonio; Las Vegas; and Monterrey, Mexico.

Orioles move Hairston

NEW YORK — Unable to resolve their crowded second-base situation with a deal before the non-waiver trade deadline, the Orioles came up with another solution: putting Jerry Hairston in center field.

Manager Lee Mazzilli kept Brian Roberts at second base and moved Hairston to center field, saying the move could last at least until injured center fielder Luis Matos returns from the disabled list.

"It's just hard to believe I'm not going to be playing second base the rest of the year," Hairston said after his team's 6-4 loss to the New York Yankees. "I'm a little shocked right now. But hey, there are worse tragedies in the world."
 
Pettitte a late scratch

Houston left-hander Andy Pettitte was a late scratch from his scheduled start against the Cincinnati Reds because of lingering soreness in his elbow.

Pettitte had to leave his start Monday against Arizona because of a sore left elbow. He threw on Thursday and felt good, so manager Phil Garner kept him scheduled to start.

Notes

• Tony Graffanino, Kansas City second baseman, left last night's game against the Cleveland Indians because of tightness in his left calf. He was replaced by Wilton Guerrero to start the seventh inning and is day to day. Graffanino spent 27 days on the disabled list in May with torn cartilage in his left knee.

• In a pregame ceremony, the Royals unveiled a statue of former star second baseman Frank White. The bronze statue depicts White, who played his entire career (1973-90) for Kansas City, making a diving throw to first.

• Oakland activated infielder Esteban German from the 15-day disabled list before last night's game against the Texas Rangers. Oakland assigned infielder Ramon Castro to Class AA Midland. Also, pitcher Tim Hudson allowed two earned runs and two hits in three innings for Class AAA Sacramento in a rehab start, and should start Thursday against the New York Yankees.

• Randy Waddill, a longtime scout who spent the last 12 seasons with the San Francisco Giants, died Friday. He was 59.