6B • THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
TUESDAY,DEC.11,2001
Travel: Players to see ex'Hawk star
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
Freshmen forward Wayne Simien never had the opportunity to play against Pierce. Simien was still recovering from his shoulder injury this summer when former Jayhawks returned to Lawrence to play pick-up games with the team. Simien said that he looked forward to seeing Pierce play.
"He's a KU great," Simien said. "It's definitely good to see him, especially seeing him having the success now signing
the new contract. It's good to see a former Kansas player do well."
According to ESPN.com, Pierce signed a six-year contract extension offer with the Boston Celtics worth $84 million.
Williams is also excited to see his former All-American play. He said that Pierce's love for the game was part of his success and that Pierce was the type of player who would play basketball any time day or night.
"If you call Paul in the middle of the
summer and say you have a great game, a great bunch of guys to play pick-up at 10 a.m., Paul's going to be there." Williams said.
"And if you say 10 p.m., Paul's going to be there. His love for the game is a big part of his success. He's never going to lose that, and he's never going to feel like he can't get better. I'm looking forward to seeing him play tomorrow night."
Contact Brox at 864-4858.
Far right: Freshman guard Michael Lee puts up a basket in a 79-68 win against UMKC Saturday. Lee is one of five freshmen seeing action for the Jayhawks this year.
Right.Junior guard Kirk Hinnick eyes the basket as a UMKC defender approaches. Hinnrich finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and three steals in the Jayhawks 79-68 win against the Kangaroos Saturday.
LAURIE SISK/KANSAN
Fate of teams to be decided soon
LAURIESISK/KANSAN
The Associated Press
BOSTON — Players and owners were close to an agreement last night that would delay eliminating teams until at least 2003, officials on both sides said.
The deal would ensure that the Minnesota Twins and the Montreal Expos, the teams most likely to be the targets, would survive one more season and that the jobs of about 60 major leaguers would be saved next year.
Owners would gain the union's acknowledgment that management unilaterally had the right to fold franchises. Owners have maintained they must bargain merely about the effects of contraction, such as a dispersal draft of players.
"There have been ongoing discussions for several days on this topic," said Sandy Alderson, executive vice president for baseball operations in the commissioner's office. "A deal, if
it comes, could come at any time."
Talks were recessed last night, and the sides agreed to meet again today in an attempt to finalize a deal. Both sides said the sides were close together.
"Negotiations are ongoing," said Rob Manfred, the owners' chief labor lawyer.
The hearing on the union's grievance was to have resumed yesterday, but the sides instead spent the day negotiating an agreement.
Several officials in the commissioner's office, speaking on the condition of anonymity, have said in recent days that it is too late to eliminate teams before next season, but commissioner Bud Selig kept on saying he intended to press ahead with folding two teams.
Management discussed the possibility of a settlement last week in general terms, but the talks in New
York became more serious yesterday, one of the officials said.
The Minnesota courts have put contraction on hold with a district judge issuing an injunction that forces the Twins to play next year at the Metrodome. Selig's lawyers failed to get an accelerated review by Minnesota's Supreme Court, and the injunction stands until at least Dec. 27, when the Minnesota Court of Appeals is to hear the case.
In a separate lawsuit yesterday, baseball asked a federal judge in Tallahassee to issue a restraining order that would stop an investigation by Florida Attorney General Bob Butterworth, who says he is concerned the Florida Marlins and Tampa Bay Devil Rays are targets for elimination.
The players' association is concerned Selig's stance has created uncertainly in the free-agent market.
The Associated Press
BOSTON — The New York Yankees just about finalized their deal with Jason Giambi yesterday, a seven-year contract approaching $120 million.
The team and player began making arrangements for the first baseman to take a physical, a baseball official and a lawyer familiar with the talks said, on the condition they not be identified.
When a player takes a physical, it usually a sign that a deal is imminent. The contract will be worth $118 million to $120 million, the sources said, with the amount hinged to the pavout schedule.
At $120 million, the contract would have an average annual value of $17.14 million. That would be the fifth-highest in baseball behind Texas shortstop Alex Rodriguez ($25.2 million), Boston outfielder Manny Ramirez ($20 million), Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter ($18.9 million) and Chicago Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa ($18 million).
If there are no problems with the physical.
the contract could be finalized later this week, the sources said.
Oakland general manager Billy Beane, arriving at the winter meetings, said he hadn't heard recently from Giambi, the heart of his lineup. The Athletics haven't moved from their $91 million, seven-year offer, making the Yankees confident Giambi will sign with them.
"The way it has been reported, it seems like it has already happened." Beane said.
While the A's are offering less money, Giambi has spent his entire professional career with the team, and his brother, Jeremy, plays for Oakland.
"I don't feel that we're out of it," Beane said. "But we have to be realistic."
The 30-year-old Giambi hit .342 with 38 homers and 120 RBIs last season, finishing second in voting for the AL MVP award after winning in 2000.
New York also moved closer to re-signing pitcher Sterling Hitchcock, and the Yankees talked with the agent for free-agent outfielder Rondell White.
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