Expos reportedly bound for D.C.

Major League Baseball’s executive council will meet Thursday at the downtown Milwaukee office of Commissioner Bud Selig, with the primary topic of discussion expected to be the relocation of the Montreal Expos.

Baseball’s relocation committee, which includes Selig’s daughter, Milwaukee Brewers board chairman Wendy Selig-Prieb, is expected to make its final report to the council, which consists of eight team owners. Then it will be up to the council to make a selection and present it to full ownership at a future date.

Washington, D.C., remains the overwhelming favorite to emerge as the new home of the Expos, who have been operated by MLB for two seasons. One of the executive council members is Baltimore owner Peter Angelos, who is adamantly opposed to placing a team so close to the Orioles.

Selig has promised on several occasions to name a winner in the relocation derby before the end of the season. The regular season ends in a week and a half, providing precious little time unless Selig plans to make the announcement during the playoffs.

“We’re running out of time,” said MLB President and Chief Operating Officer Bob DuPuy, the head of the relocation committee.

“The council will review the options and then it’s up to them to make a decision. But I certainly don’t expect an announcement on Thursday. It has to go to ownership.”

Other groups that bid on the Expos represented Northern Virginia, Las Vegas, Portland, Ore., Norfolk, Va., Monterrey, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. But Washington, which has an available facility, RFK Stadium, emerged as the front-runner, much to the dismay of Angelos.

As for Angelos being on the executive council, DuPuy said, “He’ll have the chance to express his views, just sooner than later.”